1922. Young Zo Haggitiris is forced to flee with her family during the Turkish invasion of Smyrna. When tragedy strikes in the midst of their escape, Zo is found floating alone in the icy waters and is rescued by a passing ship. Caught up in a sea of desperate refugees, her life is touched by an English boy, Tom Collyer, before the compassion of a stranger leads her into a new life.
1941, Greece. In the chaos of the British retreat, Tom and Zo are briefly reunited before fate cruelly separates them once more. Tom will discover that the war will not end so easily for either of them and, if they can find their way back to each other, that nothing will ever be the same.