After getting kicked out of college for the semester, Val goes back to his hometown and moves in with his single dad, where he sets himself two goals: write the next great American novel and get his high school girlfriend back. But after Val’s friend suddenly dies and his 12-year-old brother Charlie comes to live with him and his dad, Val quickly realizes that he has to grow up fast so that Charlie doesn’t have to.

A ski lodge owner faces financial ruin and possible loss of his family's mountain retreat. As he grapples with mounting debt, a savvy hotel executive arrives to assess the property, setting the stage for an unexpected holiday adventure.