In the late 1960s, Frankie, Linda, Kath, Brett, and Ally begin meeting every Wednesday at the park in Palo Alto, California. When they first meet, the women are defined primarily by their husbands' careers. These young homemakers were far removed from the "Summer of Love" happenings surrounding them. Frankie is the timid transplant from Chicago; brutally blunt Linda is a remarkable athlete; Kath is a Kentucky debutante; quiet Ally has a deep, dark secret; and quirky, brilliant Brett never removes her little white gloves. The one thing they have in common is a love of books. Eventually, the friends form a writers' circle, partly as a way to give voice to their hopes and dreams. Along the way, they experience history in the making -- Vietnam, the race for the moon, and a Women's Movement that challenges everything they have ever thought about themselves.