When Sarina Forester's mother, Lucy, dies after a long illness, Sarina sets out on a journey to fulfill the woman's dying wish.

Lucy always believed her daughter belonged in Italy, but never took her there because of a secret that plagued her past, forcing her to leave her ancestral home forever.

Stepping out of her comfort zone of small-town Iowa, Sarina travels to the unknown to lay her mother to rest. She discovers a legacy and family she never knew. She is welcomed with open arms but soon realizes there are even more secrets.

As the truth of her mother's past unravels, Sarina is met with lies and hostility and begins to fear it could shatter the image she has of her mother. But she is determined to discover the truth no matter the cost.

What Lies Across the Sea is the riveting story of a young woman's journey to establish her own way in life while uncovering secrets so devastating they divided a village, tore a family apart, and forever separated two lovers.