Jackie Gennaro's pretty, precocious best friend, Sloane Bettinger, seems to know a lot about everything, including Jackie's beloved police officer father, Mike, her emotionally distant mother, Maria, and their handsome, popular neighbor, Keith Donovan.

All Jackie knows is that certain subjects are never mentioned in her house, including Sloane's unconventional mother, Sharon, Jackie's painfully intense attraction toward Keith, and most especially, the tragic death of her brother, Chris.

Jackie follows the unspoken family rules and enjoys her happy and sheltered childhood in New York City during the turbulent 1970s. But as the 1980s begin, Jackie is touched by unexpected events that will break her heart and change her life forever.