Daphne Vincent is the protagonist and first-person narrator of the story. After leaving her home to follow her fiancé, Peter, Daphne finds herself adrift in the quaint waterside town of Waning Bay, Michigan. After Peter abandons her for his childhood best friend, Petra, heartbroken and unhoused, Daphne scrambles to find a home and reluctantly moves in with Petra’s ex, Miles Nowak. Besides her job as the children’s librarian at the local library, Daphne has little that connects her to the town. Over the next few months, Daphne’s character undergoes a profound transformation as her breakup forces her to examine what she wants from life and construct a meaningful existence outside Peter’s orbit. This process unearths past trauma from Daphne’s childhood, which threatens to ruin her budding friendships and connections, and Daphne learns the importance of dealing with the past before moving into the future. Daphne’s journey involves rediscovering her identity outside of her failed relationship with Peter and her identity outside her family of origin. At the novel's beginning, Daphne is cynical and guarded, shaped by her past experiences of heartbreak and disappointment. However, Daphne's emotional walls crumble as the story progresses, revealing her character's vulnerable and sensitive side.