Have you ever felt a connection to someone you have never met? Ethan Fortier, a boy born with a perfect memory, is a few hours old when he feels the Pull for the first time. He is immediately transfixed by the mysterious, comforting power that tethers him to the world. When his connection to the Pull weakens, he vows to discover its origin and keep it safe. After many years, his dream is realized when he sees a familiar girl walking a few feet away on the rocky coast of Maine. Desperate to keep her close but afraid to frighten her away, Ethan keeps his distance until fate forces him to intervene. Carrie Duresc, a college student who only believes in things she can see, is saved from drowning by a strange man with whom she feels an immediate connection. In her quest to learn the identity of her rescuer, Carrie discovers Ethan Fortier has been living at the edges of her life for years.