Four members of fourteen-year-old Maxie Frasier's family have suffered unexpected deaths, including her parents, brother, and stillborn child. Condemned by guardians who think she will only bring more trouble to the family, she is exiled from New Zealand to live with relatives in America. Consumed by guilt over her role in the tragic events of the past, a lonely Maxie arrives in America, ruled by her heart and still nurturing an unflagging desire for love. She is ashamed to divulge her secrets of rape, motherhood, and subsequent disinterest in men. Colin Danes shares a similar background with Maxie. Ignored by both parents and raised by his devoted grandmother, Colin's life changes forever one fateful night when his father's actions propel him from rural New Zealand to New York. Feeling unworthy after suffering rejection from his parents, Colin must also live with a family he's never met. He aspires to become completely different from his undisciplined father.
Maxie's journey to self-acceptance and forgiveness is further complicated when she meets the son of her mother's murderer. Colin and Maxie must eventually come to terms with the truth, and both will learn that through love, healing can begin.
