When a mysterious young woman named Raven appears in the small Jump Village of California, her sudden arrival raises questions about her past. Beautiful yet self-effacing, Raven seems determined to avoid forming personal ties until a series of events draws her into two reluctant relationships: one with Garfield, a widowed store owner with a kind heart and three young children; and another with her plainspoken single neighbour, Tara. Despite her reservations, Raven slowly begins to let down her guard, putting down roots in the close-knit community and becoming increasingly attached to Garfield and his family. But even as Raven begins to fall in love, she struggles with the dark secret that still haunts and terrifies her . . . a past that set her on a fearful, shattering journey across the country, to the sheltered oasis of Southport. With Tara's empathic and stubborn support, Raven eventually realizes that she must choose between a life of transient safety and one of riskier rewards . . . and that in the darkest hour, love is the only true safe haven