In 1939, just before the Nazis invaded Poland, the parents of young Alma send her to live safely in her aunt and uncle's mansion in San Francisco. There, while the dark clouds of war have engulfed Europe, she meets Itsimei, the quiet and gentle son of a Japanese gardener. Their relationship blossoms like a flower, unseen by everyone's eyes. After the attack on Pearl Harbor, the two young people separate, as the Japanese are declared enemies by the American government and sent to camps.

Decades later, Irina, a girl trying to reconcile with her heavy past, meets the now elderly Alma and her grandson Seth at the Korydallos House, a nursing home different from the others. Irina and Seth become friends and witnesses to the mysterious mission of gifts and letters to Alma from a secret sender.

Through a journey across continents and generations, Isabel Allende unravels the story of a hidden passion that withstands time and raises issues of identity, redemption, and reconciliation. A novel-hymn to the enduring value of human love in a constantly changing world.