Two couples have their destinies intertwined after their happiness is unexpectedly interrupted. This is the starting point of the telenovela, which shares the same name as the São Paulo neighborhood where the story takes place. Solano Xavier is a man of humble origins who never had the chance to obtain a formal education. Unemployed for months, he celebrates with his wife Eugênia the fact that he has landed a temporary job as a truck driver. She reciprocates the good news by telling him she is pregnant. Solano, however, falls victim to a trap: unknowingly, he is transporting contraband goods on one of his trips. Detained by the police, he is arrested, tried, and sentenced to 17 years in prison. Throughout the telenovela, Solano discovers that Arthur is the main person responsible for the scheme that led to his imprisonment.

The soap opera portrayed the daily lives of three generations to show that there is no ideal time to love and be happy. The relationship between widower Álvaro and lawyer Bruna is shaken by the arrival of sweet Madalena in the fictional town of Nova Esperança. The young woman is hired as a housekeeper for businessman Xistus, Álvaro's father-in-law, and charms everyone.

Wanted for killing his boss, Manuel flees with his wife Rosa to the sertão, the barren landscape of Northern Brazil. Thrust into a primordial violent region, Manuel and Rosa come under the influence and control of a series of frightening figures.