The Orcas Island Sunday Soup Group started as a book club—but the members are more about the food…and the drama.

And island life is full of drama.

Julie Pessel has her hands full running her gift shop, Paper Magic. She has no interest in getting involved in local politics, or in starting a new romance. But when Gavin Jones gives her a flyer about protesting big city-style changes to the downtown commercial center—all three blocks of it—a spark is ignited.

Julie was also already quite busy helping fellow Soup Group members navigate the ups and downs of their own relationships. Hookups and breakups, stale marriages and wandering eyes—it seems like romance in midlife is more trouble than it’s worth. But if Julie and Gavin can protect their town from developers, maybe they can try love, too?