Sharon, a Black, 39-year-old single mother fed up with her inability to meet the man of her dreams in Manchester, decides to head to New York to see if the chances of finding Prince Charming are higher on the other side of the Atlantic.

Before leaving, she talks to Deborah Gregory, a New Yorker who wrote an article in the leading Black woman's magazine Essence about searching for a man in the classifieds. Deborah tells her that British stereotypes about people who place lonely hearts advertisements do not exist in America - in New York; it is normal to place an ad or date someone from the newspaper. Encouraged, Sharon places her own ad before setting off to New York.

On reaching New York with her best friend, Sharon sets off to Deborah's place to see how many responses her advertisement has received. Deborah explains that New York has a large amount of "buppies" - Black, Urban, Professional Men - and that this is what Sharon is looking for.

Sharon calls her mailbox to see how many responses she has received. She is shocked, though pleased by the huge response, and ploughs through the replies selecting men to date - though it is clear from their responses that their priorities may be different from that of a British woman.

Sharon soon discovers that she could, if she wanted to, have breakfast, brunch, lunch and dinner with someone different every day of the week. After a few unsuccessful dates, Sharon actually meets a man she connects with and falls for, demonstrating her seriousness by initially keeping him away from the cameras. The predicament she now faces is what to do about him living in New York and her in Manchester. But twelve days after she returns home, her American Mr Right proposes - and she accepts.