Bethsaida Island, Maine, present day (2010s)

Bethsaida, Maine, in the present day (the 2010s), serves as the primary setting of the novel. Bethsaida is one of a handful of fully-functioning, self-supporting, year-round island communities off the coast of Maine in the United States. Bethsaida is home to a community that predominantly makes its living by the water. Bethsaida consists of a close-knit community of people, including Tess’s family, which means that keeping secrets is difficult but having someone to rely on in times of trouble is a given. However, because of Bethsaida’s small population, when the Hamilton family leaves the island with their five children, the State threatens to shut down the school. Because of this, Reverend Beal comes up with the plan to take in five foster children to ensure the school remains open. When Aaron arrives with those children, he is thrown off by the...