Scotland, 1940: Isla Donaghue is just sixteen when her mother dies, and her idyllic life comes to an abrupt end. Unable to cope, Isla's father sends her to the poorhouse when he joins the merchant navy.

Scotland, 1940: Isla Donaghue is just sixteen when her mother dies, and her idyllic life comes to an abrupt end. Unable to cope, Isla's father sends her to the poorhouse when he joins the merchant navy.

Horrified at the harsh conditions of the poorhouse, Isla is determined to escape. Enlisting the help of her newfound friends Meg and Sophie, she devises a plan to flee to Liverpool.

Despite the difficulties of her new life and the dangers of the Luftwaffe, Isla falls in love for the first time. But her beau is not all that he seems… Will true love prevail or will secrets from the past put an end to their happiness?