Twenty-eight-year-old Darla Moon longs to break free from life in Paradise, Oklahoma, the small town she grew up in, and pursue her dreams in New York City. A talented seamstress and designer, she is cursed with a semi-retired hooker for a mother, a hypochondriac for a sister, and a frog-collecting grandma.
But Darla is also blessed with the devotion of Elijah True, an elderly black man who nurtured her through childhood, and the unexpected love of the Reverend Spirit E Jackson, a transplanted Australian who drives into town in an old white Cadillac and sweeps her off her feet.
Darla's plans to escape Paradise erupt into turmoil when her family once again stands between her and her suitcase. First, Momma runs off with a trucker, then Darla's sister is hospitalised, and her brother-in-law is thrown in jail. Left unsupervised, Granny gets into trouble looking for her frogs and Pearl, Darla's fourteen-year-old niece, can't cope with what's happening in her world. Torn between her love and the need to pursue her dreams, Darla finds she must confront all the hard-to-accept truths regarding love, responsibility and survival.
