Growing up as an orphan, Angela Stark has never been a fan of the holiday season, even though she was a Christmas baby. This year is no exception when everything that could possibly go wrong does, and she and her elderly cat, Sam, are about to be homeless. Her last resort is to move in temporarily with her best friend, Jane-who is allergic to cats. But then, a letter arrives that changes everything, and she and Sam find themselves heading to Nantucket. It seems like the perfect financial solution that will enable her to return home to San Francisco a few months later.

But then she meets the Hodges family and friends. In particular, a certain best-selling author who tries to convince her to stay on Nantucket longer. And as she gets to know Lisa Hodges and her children, Kate, Kristen, Abby and Chase, she experiences what it's like to be welcomed as part of a family, for the first time.