Since the day her parents drowned, Charlotte has been raised by her Aunt Viola, her mother's sister. Viola has provided a good life for Charlotte who has wanted for nothing--except affection. Then one Christmas, Charlotte makes a startling discovery: She has an Uncle Charles. The discovery enrages her aunt, who insists that Charlotte have nothing to do with him. But the thought that she might have a long-lost uncle begins to fill an empty space in Charlotte's heart. The man she finds is a down-on-his luck, recovering alcoholic who lives in a world far removed from her own. What happens when Charlotte enters that world will change her life and the lives of all around her. Carole Crowe's compelling novel of a young girl who yearns for a feeling of family is by turns heartbreaking and heartwarming.