Loretta Castorini, a 37-year-old widow, lives with her family in Brooklyn and works as a bookkeeper. After a bitter experience in her first marriage, she is cautious but decides to get engaged again, this time to Johnny Cammareri, a timid man who is about to travel to Sicily to be with his dying mother. Before leaving, Johnny asks Loretta to invite his estranged brother Ronny to the wedding. Loretta agrees and meets Ronny, a passionate and volatile baker who resents Johnny for a past incident and harbors bitterness in his heart.

As Loretta and Ronny begin to interact, unexpected romantic tensions arise between them, complicating her engagement. Meanwhile, Loretta's family members face their own relationship trials, adding complexity to the narrative. The story weaves through various subplots, all while exploring themes of love, family, and redemption, ultimately leading to impactful revelations and decisions that challenge the characters' initial viewpoints and expectations.