Samuel Creed is devastated when his oldest brother, Sawyer, is killed in the September 11 attacks, leaving behind a wife and a daughter. Sam enlists in the military, determined to get revenge, and ensure that no one suffers from another attack. Years later, he returns home, having fought several combat tours in Afghanistan. While he reunites with his family, he feels like he hasn't accomplished what he set out to do and finds a job working for a counter-terrorism agency in Washington, D.C., where he can be close to his family. Tessa Holt is an independent, quirky girl, with little love for literature. A breakup with her boyfriend is overshadowed by the death of her uncle, a New York firefighter, who loses his life in the September 11 attacks. With a little nudging from a new friend, Tessa discovers that books are a safe refuge from the pain she's feeling. When these two meet, a love story begins.