Seaside, the town of choice for beachgoing vacationers across Beyond, has just weathered the storm of the century. When the rain and waves recede, a giant otter is found injured on the old fishing pier.

As a marine biologist and perpetual student, Sunlit Haven has the skill to help the injured otter heal. Whether she has the strength to determine her own future remains to be seen . . .

Sunlit arrives in Seaside planning to heal a giant otter and be back at her university in two, three days tops. But the residents of Seaside have other ideas. There's the town council representative bent on "helping" Sunlit turn the old bait shop into a sanctuary for marine animals; the enthusiastic sailor keen to make a new friend; and the lovelorn lifeguard insistent upon maintaining order on the beach. Most of all, though, there's Fish.

When the magical little boy calling himself Fish turns up on Sunlit's doorstep, Sunlit has grave doubts. She didn't plan on this kind of responsibility. But as rumors about Fish's magic flood the town like a dangerous tide, Sunlit is about to learn that sometimes, healing doesn't go to plan.

Sometimes, healing means letting a little magic in.