Overview

A threatened book ban.

A small town blackmailing.

And a lesbian with a broken heart.

Librarian Brenda Kato has always felt safe in idyllic Chapel Bay, California, despite being a lesbian of Japanese American descent. When a book banning threat arrives in her work email, Brenda's sense of security slips away. The anniversary of her mother's death sharpens the need to find the father she's never known. To make matters worse, her heart still aches over the loss of her one true love. As Brenda struggles with these painful assaults on her psyche, several retirees—Harriet Conley and Joe West—insert themselves into her life uninvited. When a nefarious local author appears, the three find their fates intertwined.

Lonely and confused, Brenda joins a group that is planning a presentation in honor of Japanese Americans incarcerated during World War II. Meanwhile, she's becoming increasingly distracted...