The village of Burracombe is looking forward to the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II, but the year of 1953 is to prove a year of heartbreak as well as celebration. While Stella Simmons begins to plan her wedding, her sister Maddy is only just coming to terms with the loss of her own fiance; Val and Luke Ferris are wondering if they will ever become parents, and Hilary Napier wonders if love will ever find her. The Tozer family also face anxiety. As grandmother Minnie fights for her life, Tom and Joanna's premature twins battle with their own crisis. Meanwhile, the life of the village goes on, with all its ups and downs, its feuds and dramas. Tensions abound over who's arranging the celebrations, children run amok and, in the midst of it all, romance comes from a quite unexpected direction.