Ruby is determined to have a better life when she leaves her bitter childhood behind for post-World War II Washington, D.C. Working for the navy as a secretary, she is young, pretty, and happy for the first time...and she falls in love.
 
The harsh reality of life as a military wife-and the loneliness that comes with it- destroys her illusions but fuels a fire of strength and independence that will burn throughout her life. She raises two children mostly by herself, creates a home out of dreary quarters, and begins baking cookies in the hopes of building a business. After years of struggle, Mrs. Sugar's Cookies succeeds beyond her wildest dreams. But closest to her heart is the memory of the man she longs for in her soul...