An enchanting tale of passion and pyromania - a quirky love story in the vein of Amelie, Captain Corelli and The Time Traveler's Wife.

In the glory days of JFK's presidency, the small daughter of the Argentine ambassador in Washington embarks on a series of daring adventures with her astonishingly beautiful, yet mildly eccentric, French nanny, Mademoiselle.

Mademoiselle is courted by all the eligible bachelors in town, without ever batting an eyelid or showing the tiniest jot of interest until, on Christmas day 1962, Carlota's homemade decorations catch fire and the local fire brigade are called to the scene. Among the tall, athletic firemen there is one short, balding man called Nick Kowalski whom Mademoiselle falls instantly and passionately in love with - because he is a 'real man'. However, how can she ever contrive to meet him again and win him over? The answer lies in a box of matches...

Carlota's overactive imagination and Mademoiselle's determination to stop at nothing to get close to her beloved lead the pair into many extraordinary incendiary escapades: but can they truly capture the heart of the surly fireman? And how can they attract his attention without also attracting the attention of the law?