Biology teacher Claire Richards has lived in the seaside town of Willow Bay her whole life. Three of her friends are getting married in the same month, and she has to perform bridesmaid duties for all three weddings. At the same time, Claire is teaching a summer class at the nearby Blue Island, her favorite place in the world. She meets sea captain Tom Hastings, who will be helping her class.
Claire then learns that a developer is planning to build a resort on Blue Island, which is a major disappointment for her. Making matters worse, her ex-boyfriend works for the resort company and is back in town as a result. Claire spends more time with Tom and gets to know him better. Despite some initial awkwardness and misunderstandings, the two start to fall in love. With Tom's help, Claire tries to convince the city council to reject the changes to Blue Island.