In 1964 South Carolina, fourteen-year-old Lily Owens runs away from her abusive father, haunted by the memory of accidentally shooting her mother as a child. She is accompanied by Rosaleen, her Black caretaker, who is fleeing racist violence. They find refuge in the home of three beekeeping sisters, August, June, and May Boatwright, who introduce Lily to a world of honey, maternal love, and the powerful symbol of a Black Madonna. As Lily helps with the bees and uncovers secrets about her mother's past, she begins a profound journey toward healing, forgiveness, and finding her own 'hive'—a true family.