DOWN AND OUT IN MANHATTAN is the story of life-changing decisions and second chances. When Margaret Maghpye, single and living in Manhattan, is fired from her job, she decides to take an uncharacteristic chance. With the thought of facing another painful holiday season, she now exhausts her savings on a Mexican cruise, hoping it will lift her spirits. Having spent her scarred, young adult life making all the wrong choices, at first blush, this seems to be just another mistake of a lonely dreamer. As she struggles to survive shipboard intrigue and entrapment, there's a bright spot when she befriends a fellow passenger, Michael Sanders - a mysterious recluse with plenty of reasons to keep to himself. But, having felt the sting of heartbreak time and again, Maggie may not be ready to embark on another relationship. When Michael must leave the ship to assist in an emergency, she wonders if their friendship will endure the distance between them, particularly when she encounters trouble of her own.