Gordie Howard is a typical Canadian nice guy whose passions in life center on beer and the great game of hockey. Trapped in a job he hates and absolutely witless in love, his greatest joys are found in the bleachers, on the sidelines, or mystified in an armchair. But Gordie's past mistakes are lurking in the shadows-ready to haunt him. Gordie sees himself as a beer-swilling sports fan who actually salivates when the siren goes off for puck and knows his players' stats better than he knows the names of his ex-girlfriends. After his latest love interest leaves him, Gordie becomes swept up in the frenzy of the Cup Run of his favorite team. But when new friends enter his life, Gordie begins to question his choices-and his work life takes a surprising turn. Through puck drops, nights with the boys, boring staff meetings, and awkward family dinners, Gordie struggles to find his own version of happiness. In this vivid tale, Gordie must learn to rely on the help from a band of colorful friends, a few bottles of tequila, and eighty-two regular season games in order to conquer his fears and find his true purpose in life.

Gordie Howard is a typical Canadian nice guy whose passions in life center on beer and the great game of hockey. Trapped in a job he hates and absolutely witless in love, his greatest joys are found in the bleachers, on the sidelines, or mystified in an armchair. But Gordie's past mistakes are lurking in the shadows-ready to haunt him. Gordie sees himself as a beer-swilling sports fan who actually salivates when the siren goes off for puck and knows his players' stats better than he knows the names of his ex-girlfriends. After his latest love interest leaves him, Gordie becomes swept up in the frenzy of the Cup Run of his favorite team. But when new friends enter his life, Gordie begins to question his choices-and his work life takes a surprising turn. Through puck drops, nights with the boys, boring staff meetings, and awkward family dinners, Gordie struggles to find his own version of happiness. In this vivid tale, Gordie must learn to rely on the help from a band of colorful friends, a few bottles of tequila, and eighty-two regular season games in order to conquer his fears and find his true purpose in life.

Nestled between two mountains in an Old World reminiscent of nineteenth century Europe, Fremolia is a small town of innocence and simple pleasures. Full of writers and poets in all of their laziness and grandeur, Fremolia's citizens exhibit promise and life. But when war rumbles on the horizon, the town hovers on the edge of turmoil.

In the midst of the coming threat, a love triangle including Mariela, a beautiful young local woman, her long-time gypsy dance partner Guiseppe, and a rich American writer named Alex White, whose aspirations are bigger than himself, creates a stir in the village, adding a sense of spice to the evenings at The Cafe Toscanini, the local gathering place.

But the War interrupts the town's quiet pace, affecting Fremolia's residents in ways they would never have imagined. Life, death, and the question of mortality become integral to their daily lives. Will the village ever return to its pre-war innocence, or has the War obliterated such nostalgia?