Ava s twenty-five-year marriage has fallen apart, and her two grown children are pursuing their own lives outside of the country. Ava joins a book group, not only for her love of reading but also out of sheer desperation for companionship. The group s goal throughout the year is for each member to present the book that matters most to them. Ava rediscovers a mysterious book from her childhood one that helped her through the traumas of the untimely deaths of her sister and mother. Alternating with Ava s story is that of her troubled daughter Maggie, who, 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.