Riley Hart stands there, willfully drowning in the smoke and flames; it's not like they can kill him again. If anything, standing in that room where he and his best friends died seems to be where Riley can get the most warmth from their friendship these days. Of course, after twenty-two years of being ghosts, Riley understands they'd move on, but he can't just leave everything behind in the ash, especially not his little brother, James-wherever he may be now.
When Rue crashes into Riley's afterlife, she has one week to bring a power-obsessed ghost more souls to absorb to fuel his power. With her living friend's life at stake, Rue must figure out how far she's willing to go to protect her friend, James Hart. Riley and his friends are the first ghosts she's come across in a long time, but she can't bring herself to hurt another Hart. Between Riley being the first one to truly understand her desire for love and connection without romance, to watchful eyes of dangerous ghosts, Rue wonders if befriending Riley is worth the risk, or if maybe Riley will regret ever trusting her.