Young, vivacious Joanna Bennett desperately wishes to be captain of her own lobstering boat, but despite being the favored daughter of Bennett’s Island’s founding family, she is still just a girl in the eyes of the community, and a girl living off the coast of Maine in the early 20th century is expected to mind the kitchen, not tend to pot buoys.

While quietly struggling to find her place on insular Bennett’s Island, one where she could let her bold and opinionated nature shine without shaming her family, Joanna instead finds love when she meets a witty stranger with a sparkling smile just off the mailboat. One whirlwind courtship and wedding later, Joanna finds herself master of her own house, and every aspect of her beloved island seems to reflect her joy. But when the luster begins to wear off and her husband’s dark secrets slowly reveal themselves, Joanna must draw on her determination, resilience, and resourcefulness to keep her family together.

This evocative coming-of-age story transports readers to the beautiful and rugged Maine coast, where families must eke their livelihoods from the tempestuous ocean but in return they’re afforded the daily splendor and simple pleasures of island life.