Inhabiting an island off the coast of Maine left to her by her great-uncle, Hannah finds her life as a dedicated and solitary artist rudely interrupted one summer when a dog arrives with the tide. The dog is soon followed by a teenager running away from an abusive father, a half-sister in trouble, a mainland family in need and a trapped whale. Now in the midst of a communnity that depends on her for support and love, Hannah faces new emotional challenges as a series of family secrets are discovered, each one more alarming than the last.