Owen Martin is a self-made man, a one-time orphan, and a skilled wielder of tools. Wandering from gig to gig in the north country, he can't ignore the timeless simplicity of the slightly worn Palisade Point resort on Lake Superior's North Shore. There he meets two very different sisters, Ann and Roxie Martini, who are both attracted to Owen for different reasons. Tragedy strikes even before he's hired on, and the summer unfolds in a series of life-altering events that puts the Martini family and its cherished Palisade Point squarely in the crosshairs of corporate interests. Soon, the sisters find themselves vulnerable and alone, with only a new friend to trust.