Didi Laing met her first love, Shay Mason, on a magical winter visit to Venice. For six months after that, they were rapturously happy together, and Shay came to work at Didi's parents' hotel in the Cotswolds. One event changed everything, shocking the town and leading to Shay's disappearance. In the 13 years after Shay walked out, no one expects ever to hear from him again. Then one day, out of the blue, Shay returns to Elliscombe to fulfill his father's dying wish and unintentionally upends Didi's life. Moving into the best suite in her hotel sparks all kinds of rumors and sets off a chain of events that affects the whole town. The residents of Elliscombe all have their own stories and secrets, more intertwined than anyone could have guessed.

Celebrity couple Jack and Cass Mandeville are successful, good-looking, likable and famous for having an ideal marriage. On Jack's 40th birthday --- a milestone he's been both anticipating and dreading --- a stunning, and stunningly intelligent, redhead named Imogen turns up to interview the couple for a high-profile magazine. Like a bolt of lightning, Jack is hit with a midlife crisis of epic proportions, and Jack and Cass' proverbial bubble bursts. This drastic turn of events flips their lives upside down, and sends their entire family, friends, local community and fans around the country into a tailspin. Cass can only hope Jack will snap out of it soon, but it's too late already. Nothing will ever be the same again.

Lainey and Kit arrive at their new jobs in blissful, summery Cornwall only to find themselves in the midst of a lovable but chaotic family --- where every member is having an identity crisis at the same time. Widowed mom Majella has done her best for years, but can't quite grasp why things are falling apart. It's what she doesn't know that's causing the chaos, because everyone is keeping secrets.

Liza wants to get married, Dulcie wants a divorce, and Pru wants things in her relationship to stay exactly the same. Those are the New Year's resolutions these three best friends have vowed to keep this year. But if you want to change your mind about your resolutions --- and who doesn't? --- you probably shouldn't have told your closest pals. Regardless of good intentions and best-laid plans, every effort to help each other only gets things more mixed up. Fortunately for all concerned, Fate has a few tricks of her own in store.

When Mimi Huish first visits her dad's new home in the Cotswolds, she falls in love with Goosebrook and the people who live there. There's Paddy, with his electric-blue eyes and seductive charm. Friendly and funny Lois makes Mimi laugh. And seriously gorgeous Cal Mathieson is welcoming and charismatic. Though Mimi loves her city life and her career, she'd be very happy to return to Goosebrook if it means seeing more of him. Life is about to take some unexpected and shocking twists and turns. And Mimi's path and Cal's are set to cross again and again --- but will it ever be the right time for both of them?