Ryan Alden returns home from the Marines after a request for help from his family in operating their family business, Alden Landscaping and Alden Galleries. Ryan planned on making the Marines his life work and feels an outsider in Whispering Cove, Maine. He struggles with the fact that his biological father turned his back on him and his mother when learning of the pregnancy. His adoptive father has always been there for him and raised in Whispering Cove, even though he has always truly felt he didn't belong.

Carmen Smith and her sister Aimee have similar circumstances. Deserted as young children they were never adopted and eventually grew out of the foster system. Aimee is now married and she and Carmen have been new to the area for a year now. Carmen is lonely and also feels an outsider even though she has gained many new friends. Byron Mitchell, an elder of the town, is the town matchmaker and has his target on these two young folks. With the upcoming 4th of July parade, Carmen has won the artistry contest as designer of the Gazebo and Ryan has taken the bid for the landscaping. Carmen and Ryan have a tendency to keep each other's hackles up as they try working their magic together to bring the Gazebo together for the uncovering event. Beginning to work around the tension, they both are aware of the gossip of Byron's prediction, but can't believe that they are actually beginning to fall for each other. Carmen finally feels that she is "home" when Ryan delivers a special surprise at the unveiling.

FIERY is Book two in the Whispering Cove series. Two lonely and lost people find a place to belong and finally accept that home is where the heart is. The characters are feisty and seem to initially rub each other the wrong way. Finding their way to loving each other also gives them a place to belong. Nikki Duncan has the ability to write a short but emotional tale complete with humor.