SHELLY, 50s, recently divorced, is trying to start a new a life on The Big Island of Hawaii after being married for 25 years. Her ex-wingnut JOE, 50s, was a bully, but when he started to hit her, they split.

She and Joe built a house for their retirement which was constructed like a castle, complete with moat, drawbridge and dungeon, to attract tourists for a unique vacation rental. The locals were not amused. Income isn't sufficient to stay afloat as life keeps throwing curveballs, yet she remains the "eternal optimist". She believes in the Law of Attraction, manifestation and studies Kabbalah to try to change things.

Joe hires a lawyer to try and get the castle back from Shelly. The lawyer is constantly in Shelly’s face trying to get her to sign the castle over to Joe.

Ray is Shelly’s beloved “heart dog”, her German Shepherd, seven years old. She considers Ray the child she never had; they are connected at the hip. He starts to have health challenges, and keeps deteriorating despite pouring money into vet visits. She still remains positive that she can “fix” him and he can overcome it.

RACHEL, 20s, has just moved into the same subdivision and Shelly sees her younger self in Rachel. The two strike up a friendship but Shelly senses something is not quite right with her new friend. She discovers Rachel's husband is physically abusive. 

REBECCA, 70s, is like an older sister to Shelly, a sage old woman who lives on the other side of the island on an old plantation that she inherited. Shelly introduces them so that Rebecca might impart her wisdom to Rachel.

Everything comes crashing in on Shelly when she must "do her duty" and put down her soulmate, her best friend, Ray, when there is no more quality of life. Then Rebecca passes away. As Shelly tries to cope with these two devastating losses, she manages to save Rachel from her husband after Rachel has had enough of his abuse. 

Shelly offers Rachel to move into the castle and together they struggle down life’s rocky path while enjoying paradise and island life, its uniqueness, and Hawaiian culture.

With mounting pressure from Joe’s lawyer, who tells her she has twelve days to leave the castle or be forced out as Joe holds all the cards. 

On the day of Rebecca’s funeral, Shelly is gifted a present that may ultimately allow her to keep her castle. Rachel divorces her husband and discovers she is pregnant.

In the end, the family both Shelly and Rachel seek is right in front of them.