In a small village, there are whispers in the market square that William is not who he says he is. They say he skinny-dips and talks to trees. He was once a doctor, but now he only prescribes books – for Emily, Marco and James, whose lives have become entangled with his. Emily is in a troubled relationship and has spent most of her life sheltering in the library. James is coming undone as he struggles to live up to his father's expectations. While Marco, who measures his self-worth by the size of his bank account, has returned to the village with nothing. They have all been thrown into a liminal space and can no longer stay as they are. This is a tale about the power of stories – especially the ones we tell ourselves.

Libby has an idyllic life on an apple orchard and is close to her grandfather, a cider maker. When he dies in a freak accident, Libby is devastated. She finds it difficult to talk to her parents about her feelings as her mother seems cold and her father says little. Grieving, angry, and feeling distant from her parents who are struggling with their own relationship, she begins compulsively pulling her hair out. To get away from the unhappiness, Libby unwillingly goes to boarding school. There, she befriends Charlie, and goes to stay with her family, which is warm, friendly and fun. While there, Libby enjoys being part of all the outdoor adventures and gains new perspectives on herself and her parents. This young adult novel is a story of strong friendships and growing understanding that combine to overcome difficulties.