Ember Ngata only wants two things out of life: to be reunited with her sisters, and to see people return to her café. Catering to people she never sees again, she experiences a loneliness that can’t be filled. As one of the last Whakamanu—a descendant of the Maori bird-god Tane—she holds on to the secrets of her decimated tribe. Family first. Gourmet TV personality and host of the popular show Back Road Eats, Austin Garten needs more in his life than Breadbasket America grilling. He’s tired of the safe routes and the easy and dependable foods his network loves to display. When his RV breaks down in Wyoming, and he learns about Kai, a Maori restaurant outside of Casper, his interest is piqued. Once he meets the proprietor, he realizes he’s wants more than just her food. He wants her. The Solstice, the Maori New Year, is fast approaching, and with the heat in her kitchen ratcheting up, Ember realizes she can’t keep her secret for much longer. But will Austin be able to accept her? Or will her secret drive them apart?