Claire Randall is looking forward to a perfect summer vacation at her grandfather's hotel in Italy -- an odd trip, since she and her parent usually visit the hotel over the Christmas holidays. But when she learns that her parents are separating and they have planned this trip to break the news to her, she insists on having one last perfect Christmas at the hotel before the split -- a full-fledged Christmas holiday with all the trimmings, in August, no less. She's hoping the trip down memory lane will spur happy memories and bring her parents back together. But unforeseen complications, not only for her mom and dad, but for her extended family, soon prove too much for this intrepid 'tween to handle. However, just when she's about to give up and give
in, a happy ending may be in store that will patch up this fractured family -- not as the seemingly perfect unit they were before, but as a strong united front, despite a few cracks that weren't there before.
