A little rest and relaxation - that's what Nita thinks she's going to get when her little sister, Dairine, signs her up for a wizardly cultural exchange program, sending Nita and her partner-wizard Kit halfway across the galaxy over Spring Break.

They find themselves on a planet that seems at first glance to be a paradise. Death and pain are so rare as to be virtually unknown, and everyone is happy. So why does Nita get the sense that something is desperately wrong?

Back home, Dairine and her dad have to cope with their side of the exchange - three young wizards who've just moved in and are eager to start experiencing the strange alien culture of Earth.

So much for time off...