At 45, Adrienne Willis must rethink her entire life when her husband abandons her for a younger woman. Reeling with heartache and in search of respite, she flees to a small coastal town of Rodanthe, North Carolina, to tend a friend's inn for the weekend. When a major storm starts moving in, it appears that Adrienne's perfect getaway will be ruined - until a guest named Paul Flanner arrives. At 54, Paul has just sold his medical practice and come to Rodanthe to escape his own shattered past. With the storm closing in, two wounded people will turn to each other for comfort - and in one weekend set in motion feelings that will resonate throughout the rest of their lives.