Employed by her town's historical society, Miranda Blair preserves brick-and-mortar landmarks from yesterday but has spent two decades running from her past. Having never been able to afford life's indulgent toppings, she's settled for vanilla.

Miranda is coaxed from her childhood home when she's named the sole heir to her estranged grandmother's estate. Gertrude Blair has outlined a hundred-day stay at her New England cottage as a prerequisite for the inheritance. Begrudgingly, Miranda accepts this unorthodox final request from the woman who never deserved the title "grandma."

In idyllic Cobblers Hill, shingled homes boast charming front porches and roses entwine white picket fences. But Gertrude's abandoned property needs a makeover as desperately as Miranda does. And while remnants from Miranda's history dwell within the dark paneled cottage walls, no strings attached prevails as her motto--until, that is, she meets the emerald-eyed guy next door.