Family court judge Olivia Lockhart has seen a lot of couples in her courtroom. Most divorce petitions are open-and-shut, but when Olivia meets a young couple whose grief appears to be overshadowing their love, she makes a controversial ruling that gets everyone in her close-knit hometown talking.

Olivia is no stranger to having family and friends weigh in on anything and everything. From her mother, to her best friend, to her daughter, navigating life and love in Cedar Cove has always taken a village. But when new-to-town newspaper editor Jack Griffin takes a personal interest in Olivia’s ruling—and in Olivia herself—she is surprised by just how welcome the attention is. Matters of the heart may be messy, and surprising, and more than a little complicated, but in Cedar Cove, they’re always unforgettable.