A boy with revenge in his heart. A girl who's lost hope. Only time separates them-but for how long?

1943: Born to an American mother and Italian father who died shortly after he was born, Peter Chiappetta is an eighteen-year-old boy with a flawless memory and a knack for storytelling. Living in Venice gives him inspiration for stories-and even the chance to be part of a family again. However, Peter's happy life is shattered when disaster befalls his family and leaves him looking for revenge.

1965: Eileen Madison is a high school senior and would-be journalist tired of keeping up appearances and worrying about the future. Determined to have a carefree summer before she begins college, Eileen decides to join some of her classmates and spend the summer in Italy. In Venice, Eileen is immediately intrigued by a quiet, twenty-year-old gondolier. As the two get to know one another, Eileen finds herself falling for the young man . . . But there's a lot the two don't know about each other.

As the lives of Peter and Eileen begin to intertwine, a strange source of magic seems to be controlling their destinies. When they find out the truth, will they let it draw them closer together, or tear them apart?