Livia Blake has lost her husband far too soon and faces a crossroads. It's her friend Pearl Grayson, head of Bristol's nursing school, who suggests she would make an excellent district nurse. With training completed and no ties left, a job offer to join the team in rural Eastby End feels just like the fresh start she needs. But just before she leaves she is called out to attend a woman named Jane, left terrified and beaten by her abusive husband and desperate to escape. On the spur of the moment, both women board the train to Eastby End.

Ellis Quinn has buried his beloved wife and mother to his son, Gil, and doesn't know how to carry on in London. A chance meeting with carpenter Logan brings a glimpse of life in the Ollindale countryside, a place Logan loves, and soon Ellis and Gil are on their way to a new life away from the city.

Life in Eastby End is improving, but not nearly as fast as councillor Walter Crossley would like. He is on a mission to end the poverty and danger that blights too many lives, and bring better healthcare and opportunities to as many residents as he can. With Livia in place and swiftly making a difference, and Ellis looking to set up a new business, things look brighter. But change isn't welcome everywhere; and there are some in the town who will fight for things to remain exactly as they are ...