Lana Biel's has one goal in her life, and that is to see the world. One thing after another has kept her in Vermont, but she has a plan now, and can see the end of the tunnel. She helps her sister, Karin, at the Wildflower Barn, a nursery that specializes in nature's beautiful flora. Lana's best friend is Eli Ward, and they decided in high school that they were better friends than lovers. Eli is an astrophysicist, specializing in finding meteorites, and does travel the world. Tomorrow he returns home after being gone for ten months, and he has decided that he is going to ask Lana to marry him.

Lana has been seeing a mountain biker named Ron for the last few months. Eli arrives home a day early to surprise Lana on her birthday, but he gets the surprise when he walks in on Lana in bed with Ron. Even though Eli and Lana don't have a sexual relationship, Eli still feels betrayed. He comes to grips with the fact that Lana will never be his, and begins dating someone else.

Two months later Ron is gone, Eli is seriously involved with someone, and Lana finds herself pregnant. Her sister and husband have been trying to have a baby for years with no luck, so Lana's guilt keeps piling up. She needs Eli's quiet presence, but doesn't feel she has the right to ask him to be her friend again.

Lisa Dale has a powerful voice and the ability to create strong characters that are truly real. IT HAPPENED ONE NIGHT is a beautiful, elegantly written story that will more than likely find a special place in the reader's heart.