It's a few days before Christmas. A chance encounter on an airplane during a snowstorm. Turbulence. The pilot calls the experience "a few bumps." Amy Moran of Boston is on her way to her best friend's wedding in Hawaii. Sitting next to her is a charming young man, Brian Emerson. They've been talking all the way from Chicago to Kansas City. He lives in Boston now but was raised in Kansas City in a wealthy family who live in a mansion, compared to what Amy's used to.

They land in Kansas City. The snowstorm has evolved into a blizzard. All flights are canceled. Amy has little extra money and nowhere to stay. Brian suggests that she can stay with his family, since they have extra room; he can't bear the thought of her sleeping in the airport. He calls his mother, who reluctantly agrees to having an unknown guest at the holiday.

As the rest of his family welcomes Amy, Brian's mother is less than happy with her presence. She doesn't know Amy's pedigree, looks down her nose at Amy's lack of sophistication, and is upset that Brian seems to like this girl who came out of nowhere.

Brian runs a not-for-profit agency for people with drug and alcohol addiction in the Boston area. His mother believes he should be working the corporate world, but Brian likes the work he does. Another chance encounter with Jeffrey, a client in need of services from his agency introduces a spiritual element into the story, as Jeffrey's recently deceased mother returns from the dead to encourage Jeffrey's return to sobriety.

Brian and Amy continue to experience bumps along the way as their relationship develops, with obstacles thrown their way by various people and circumstances. Will Brian's mother succeed in keeping them apart? Will the bumps become true turbulence?