Lillian Phelan is a beautiful, independent writer who is still haunted by the abuse she suffered at the hands of a mentally ill mother. Ann Hagan, a young widow with two small children, faces a crisis in her life that she realizes she cannot handle alone. When cousins Lillian and Ann are reunited after 22 years at their ancestral home along the banks of the peaceful Delaware Canal, they discover an antique chest in the attic of Willow Wood that is filled with letters, diaries and journals written by the women who had lived there from the time of the American Revolution until the 20th century. Through the stories and secrets they uncover, Lillian and Ann learn that in every generation life is not easy-people suffer, cry bitter tears, and lose loved ones. With the help of the women who once graced the home they now share, Lillian and Ann try to find meaning in their own lives. But is their bond of blood and friendship powerful enough to give them the strength they need to face another of Willow Wood's tragedies?