Ava's marriage has fallen apart, and her two grown children are pursuing their own lives. Ava joins a book group, not only for her love of reading but also for companionship. The group's goal is for each member to present the book that matters most to them. Ava rediscovers a mysterious childhood book that helped her through the traumas of the untimely deaths of her sister and mother. Ava's troubled daughter Maggie, living in Paris, descends into a destructive relationship with an older man. Ava's mission to find that book and its enigmatic author takes her on a quest that unravels the secrets of her past and offers her and Maggie the chance to remake their lives.