The calm, measured London life of Irina McGovern, an American of Russian origin, an illustrator of children's books, sharing her home with an intelligent, attentive, but utterly predictable partner for the ninth year, ended the night when she, with an inexplicable force, wanted to kiss another man. Family friend, attractive, extravagant, passionate, unsurpassed snooker player Ramsey Acton... By choosing whom to love, Irina chooses her destiny. What kind of life awaits the heroine if she exchanges a time-tested relationship for a bright flash of love? Two versions of events develop in parallel. Readers, together with the heroine, seem to live two lives, trying to answer the eternal question: did the path that we could have taken, but did not lead to happiness?