Mitch Severn is a construction worker at Casa Flanigan hired to tile floors. Recently accused of burning down a construction site and learning to live a nomadic life, Mitch tries to keep his head down, stay out of trouble, and focus on the job and not everything he’s lost. Unfortunately, he is a Christian on a Christian worksite, and it seems everyone around him wants to dig into his façade and upend his peace.

Sami Mallone, college student, has made a mess of her life. Her family works in ministry on the southern tip of the world. Her twin brother is taking classes to join that ministry, and yet Sami has been thrown out of school and finds herself alone, ashamed, and unsure what to do next.

Aaron Van der Haas is living at Casa Flanigan hoping to heal, but in truth he is hiding from his life. Working on the construction site to keep himself from facing his demons, he befriends Mitch, beginning an unlikely friendship that will eventually span continents.

Mitch and Sami find one another, two broken souls on the grounds of Casa Flanigan. As Mitch is drawn further into Sami’s pain and becomes privy to her heavy secrets, he falls for the girl, even though she’s younger and wiser than he is. He’s not good for her, but he can’t quite get his heart to acknowledge that and leave her to face an uncertain future all alone.

Unfortunately, danger has followed Mitch to the farm, threatening the safety and lives of everyone Mitch cares about…

After an accident nearly takes Aaron Van der Haas’ life, his friends Mitch and Sami conspire to get him to Sami’s home, St. Ninian’s Sanctuary, an island retreat center not far from the southern tip of the world. With Mitch to help him with his new physical limits and Sami to help with issues of the heart, he lands on the island feeling more hope than he’s felt in years.

Trixie Blackwood is a guest on the island hoping to fight writer’s block and determine her future. Faced with Aaron, Sami, and Mitch, she realizes she’s stumbled into an interesting story, and she is drawn to the trio, especially Aaron, who appears so stoic and harsh while clearly compassionate toward his friends.

A writer of mystery, Trixie discovers a mystery on the island, and Aaron gets swept into the woman’s imagination. Along the way, Sami nearly loses her life, Mitch fights for acceptance from Sami’s family, and danger from an unlikely quarter finds all four of them and threatens the entire island.

Taking characters from multiple series, this pair of books follows friendship and romance around the world, starting on Casa Flanigan and ending in St. Ninian’s Sanctuary, to tell a story of sacrifice, compassion, and love in its many forms. Although they take place in two separate series, the pair of books can stand alone, so even if you’ve never read one or both of the series, go ahead and jump in for an adventure that spans continents.