The time is the early 1970s. Joan returns to Northern Maine after a few months of hitchhiking and falls in love with a young woman from New York City named Mary who has come to the area in search of her French roots. Mary becomes involved with Joan's best friend Bill. Joan finds that she cannot accept this arrangement and does battle with herself over what she sees as her lack of sophistication. Incorporated into this story is Joan's deep and troubled love for her mother Annie who has a notorious reputation: men, booze and a husband who committed suicide. Together, Joan and Annie learn to be honest with each other after Joan reveals that she is gay. Annie dislikes Mary intensely. Through the laughter and tears, an evocation of small town America during the "hippie era" and the haunting beauty of Northern Maine and the St. John River Valley permeate each page.