Marrying Sydney is an imaginative twist on the hereafter and the great lengths some mortals must achieve after death to attain immortality. This is a story of a man, who has passed, but remains stranded in a spiritual realm between earth and heaven, until he completes a sacred mission back on earth to prove himself worthy and ascend to God's kingdom.

Cole Barlow is a famous relationship expert. He's written nearly 20 books on how to improve and strengthen marriages and families. As a renowned professor from the University of Washington (UW), he's often in demand to share his expertise to academic and religious institutions around the world. Yet, for all of his wisdom and worldly accolades, he suffers a very strained and complex kinship with his youngest daughter, Sydney. Sydney is an intelligent, driven and extremely successful student at UW, progressing toward her Doctorate degree in Physics. Cole's professional career has many times supplanted his role as a father, which has caused a tremendous amount of anxiety and dysfunction is Syd's life.

While attending a marriage and family counseling symposium in Denver, Colorado, and promoting his new best seller: "Successful Marriage 101 - Ten Truths Leading to Joyous and Eternal Marital Relationships", Cole meets Big Bart Kozlowski, a gentleman cowboy who amps up his zeal for all things Cole Barlow to disturbing levels. Later that evening, while walking the snowy streets of Denver, Cole is spooked when from behind, Bart's huge hand falls on his shoulder. Surprised, Cole backtracks onto the icy road and slips into an oncoming truck. His world grows dark. Then confused, bewildered, Cole walks in a line amongst throngs of people from every nationality, young, old, tall, short, thin, overweight, each moving toward conference rooms labeled 'A' to 'Z'. Along the way attendants adorned in colorful suits and dresses steer them into the right direction. Distressed, Cole asks where he is at that moment, while an attendant scurries up to him and declares he is in the "Rectification Station" (RS).

Burl Covington, dressed all in green, greets Cole and ushers him to other RS authorities who explain his death was premature, a serious mistake, a sad misfortune. The devastated Cole immediately takes heart, believing he will go back to earth and finish out his life. Immediately, he and the RS attendants straight away appear at his own funeral, where his family grieves his demise. It's revealed to Cole that time in the RS is measured differently than on earth, it's impossible for him to return to his body. Extremely depressed, Cole becomes a bit more animated when he's given the specific mission to return to earth in spiritual form and prove his life's work has meaning by marrying off his daughter Sydney in a very short period time. It is only by completing this assignment can Cole receive a heavenly glory, or else he will remain in the RS for time and eternity. Cole's happiness fades to concern, he states it is stratospherically impossible, since Syd is not engaged in any current relationships and the RS rules prohibit Cole from divulging his mission, the cards are stacked against him. But the RS leaders express their faith in Cole given his expansive expertise.

Spiritual entities Cole and Burl attempt to return to earth on a couple of occasions, only to be disappointed at their timings when they find Syd in awkward public settings. Finally, Cole himself successfully returns to Syd's apartment and finds his presence causes Syd to majestically spiral out of control. When Syd gains her clear-headedness, she and Cole discuss their differences and experience a renewed connection as father and daughter. The sentiment doesn't last long as renewed feelings cause Syd to question Cole's sudden appearance and interest in her, and she uses a code phrase to return Cole back to the RS. That is until Syd experiences the discovery and wrath of the dreaded "Drearies", the evil, soulless wanderers who travel the earth, completely undetected by humans but have powers to spread their darkness by way of thought, depression and negativity. Syd's fear amplifies her call for Cole to return to help and comfort her.

During the next few weeks, Cole and Burl do their best to influence Syd to date again. However, Cole's hopes to walk her down the aisle in time fade exponentially. A previous boyfriend, Wade Kincade, presents great promise. But it is the odious Big Bart Kozlowski, Cole's supposed murderer, who befriends Syd and much to the bemusement of her father Cole, captures her heart, even though they are completely different in style, personality and upbringing. The clock ticks precariously close to the last hours leading to Cole's eternal existence to remain in the RS. Wade, jealous and angry, and influenced by the "Drearies", causes great harm to Syd and Bart. It's only by a pure miracle that Syd marries in time. In a fantastical display of earth meeting a heavenly trajectory, Cole is revealed to his family, Burl is revealed as Bart's uncle, Syd and Bart are married, and Cole and Burl are both granted celestial glory. The world receives a special witness that Cole's wisdom and teachings of "Successful Marriage 101" are true.