Nicole Madrid, young widow and mother of five, struggles just to get through each day. Still grieving the loss of her murdered husband and striving to be everything to her needy children, Nicole feels stuck in the present, hurt by the past, and confused about the future. Logan Chadwick, Nicole's best friend, high school sweetheart, and reliable safety net, has grown tired of waiting on Nicole. He's moving on, and Nicole has no idea what to do about it. Then she receives a mysterious letter from her negligent mother. Nicole's mother is dying, and she's ready to tell Nicole all about her secret past-including the identity of Nicole's father. But first Nicole has to find her mother, and she doesn't have much time to decipher her mother's cryptic clues. Nicole flies to California in search of answers, and the more she learns about her ancestors, the better she understands herself and her own needs. As Nicole crosses the bridge into her past, she learns to let go of yesterday's pain so that she can hold on to tomorrow's joy.