When young widow Emily Shaw learns that her late husband's last surprise for her was a return to Sunset Beach, North Carolina, to realize an old dream of theirs, she reluctantly embarks on a summer of discovery in the midst of grief. There, in the oasis of the beach community, she meets a host of townspeople with their own broken dreams and unexpected situations. As the island citizens divide over the fate of a nostalgic bridge, Emily meets a man who just may be the one to restore her faith in dreams, hope, and possibly love.