Twelve-year-old James Neubauer is spending the summer in Maine. He enjoys riding his bike and trading affectionate jabs with his misfit Uncle Charlie, but he's also dealing with a lot of hidden anger and grief. He's emotionally estranged from his father, resentful of his stepmother and haunted by events surrounding his mother's sudden death. James's summer takes an unexpected turn when he crashes through a fence owned by the local recluse, Maddy Bennett. Reluctantly enlisted to repair the damage, he's at first put off by Maddy's strong personality and offbeat candor, but they eventually form an unlikely bond. James finds sanctuary in the darkened corners of Maddy's hilltop house, and he and Maddy restore one another with compassion, honesty and wit. Ultimately, the relationship transforms them both, allowing Maddy to come to terms with her son's premature death and helping James face the loss of his mother and reconnect with his father.