In 1906 Georgia, 14-year-old Will Tweedy witnesses a scandal when his grandfather, Grandpa Blakeslee, shocks their small town of Cold Sassy by marrying Miss Love Simpson just three weeks after his first wife's funeral. Through Will's observant eyes, we watch as this unlikely marriage challenges gossipy neighbors, family expectations, and ultimately reveals surprising depths of love and loyalty. The story captures a boy's coming-of-age during a time of changing traditions, automobiles replacing horses, and the struggle between old ways and new possibilities.