Emily Parks is a newcomer to the small town of Mountain Grove, Virginia, where she lives with her alcoholic mother, father, and grandmother. When she has a problem at school she learns the townspeople she has met are willing to step in and help her. They give her advice, support, and something she has never received before...love. With their help, Emily begins to plan for the life she wants and a way to escape from the world her parents have created. When Emily's parents leave her in the middle of the night, she must make some quick decisions. Her unusual solution takes everyone in the village by surprise.

Meet the often quirky people of Mountain Grove and join Emily and her friends as they find their way in this confusing and often unfair world.