It's 1953 in sunny Florida, and 15-year-old Lydia Isleworth thinks her ultimate life goal, like that of every woman she knows, is to marry a respectable man and raise a family. Then, she meets an aspiring Hollywood actress Marlena DiPluma, who says four life-changing words — YOU CAN DO ANYTHING — and gives her a journal to read. The journal, written by Ava, a defiant girl of Lydia's age, becomes the catalyst for Lydia's awakening and new life adventure.

A story of parallel lives, Portion of the Sea follows two young women in passionate pursuit of their independence — Lydia during the cultural revolution of the 1950s and 1960s, and Ava during the late-1800s when a few pioneering American ladies set the course for women's freedom.

In this stirring follow-up to her debut novel Sanibel Scribbles, Christine Lemmon offers a trademark story of how women can inspire each other to pursue bold dreams, make courageous choices, and reclaim lost treasures.