Nestled in the lush Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia, the
town of Big Stone Gap has been home for Ave Maria Mulligan
Machesney and her family for generations. She’s been
married to her beloved Jack for nearly twenty years,
raised one child and buried another, and run a business
that binds her community together, all while holding her
tight circle of family and friends close.
But with
her daughter, Etta, having flown the nest to enchanting
Italy, Ave Maria has reached a turning point. When a
friend’s postcard arrives with the message “It’s time to
live your life for you,” Ave Maria realizes that it’s time
to go in search of brand-new dreams. But before she can
put her foot on the path, her life is turned upside down.
Ave Maria agrees to helm the town musical, a
hilarious reunion of local talent past and present. A
lifelong friendship collapses when a mysterious stranger
comes to town and reveals a long-buried secret. An
unexpected health crisis threatens her family. An old
heartthrob reappears, challenging her marriage and
offering a way out of her troubles. An opportunistic coal
company comes to town and threatens to undermine the
town’s way of life and the mountain landscape Ave Maria
has treasured since she was a girl. Now she has no choice
but to reinvent her world, her life, and herself, whether
she wants to or not.