Hannah Rush is just three years old when her father leaves; leading to events which will mark the end of her innocence. After her parents' divorce her mother, suffering for over a decade from an undiagnosed case of Bipolar Disorder, makes some very dangerous choices resulting in a chaotic life for her and her children.

During this dark time Hannah is violated by her stepfather and life takes a disastrous turn. Trying to recapture her "forgotten innocence", she struggles to keep her head above water while life continues to throw harsh challenges in her direction. Several times, she attempts to give up on the life that she has been cursed with, but a vision of her beautiful future always lights the way.

Her journey is a tapestry of nightmares and transcendent beauty illustrated beautifully by Lutze's ability to capture the human spirit delicately with her poetic narrative. Both heartbreaking and inspirational, Butterfly Woman provides for readers an intimate look at the psyche of an abused child and the passage to adulthood. Detailing one woman's battle, her spirit of evolution and survival as a woman, this novel sends a message of hope for all women.