Rachel Henderson grew up in the small town of Valentine, Texas (population 1,987). It's after Trace Hoolihan leaves her at the altar that Rachel returns to Valentine. Valentine is known for its romance ideology and on her way into town Rachel stops at the billboard welcoming visitors to Valentine, Texas and defaces it. Sheriff Brody Carlton has seen plenty of troubles of his own and now he has to rescue and than arrest the jilted bride-that-wasn't. Rachel and Brody grew up next door to each other many years earlier. In fact, Brody was Rachel's first crush, the very first boy she had spun romantic fantasies about.

Sentenced to community service Rachel is stuck in Valentine for the summer. She begins a Romanceaholics Anonymous group that becomes a huge success, and then is offered a job writing a monthly column for a magazine. Rachel is giddy, breathless, and hopeful—feelings she once believed she could only experience through romance. But now Rachel has become a strong and independent woman who doesn't need a man to feel whole. Trying to break away from her addiction to romance Rachel struggles with her growing feelings for Brody and soon learns that all that glitters isn't necessarily gold.