Eleven-year-old Daria finds a baby on the beach on the morning of her birthday. Her family comes to adopt the baby, who they name Shelly, after no one claims the newborn. After the death of Daria's parents, Daria continues the role of caretaker for her sister, even at the expense of her own happiness. Suffering some brain damage after her birth, Daria is understandably very protective of Shelly.
Chamberlain leads the reader through the numerous families summering on the Outer Banks, and leaves you guessing as to who is Shelly's real mother. Nearly twenty years later, Shelly enlists the aid of one of the former residents, Rory Taylor, now a TV producer, to help her find her past. Rory starts asking too many questions, which has several of the residents becoming angry and asking him to leave well enough alone. Afterall, Shelly was raised in a loving and caring home.
The web of secrets leaves no one unscathed, as you will find out, yet Chamberlain masterfully weaves this intricate tale, blending everything into a cohesive, heartfelt, and warming tale. The ending will definitely surprise the reader! I highly recommend this book.
I am very much looking forward to reading her other books.
For some reason her characters never grew on me and I felt the outcome was predictable.
This doesn't mean I'm not eagerly waiting for her next title. I only hope it will be better than this one.