Having been recently widowed in her forties, shy Jane Redfern has finally plucked up the courage to head off on holiday by herself. Embarking on a ten-day coach trip to Germany, the last thing she anticipates is to meet someone new and fall in love. But gradually she finds herself drawn to her fellow passenger, Shropshire farmer Dave Falconer, who has also lost his partner.

As Jane's shy English reserve begins to melt away in the stunning surroundings of the Black Forest, her friendship with Dave looks set to blossom into something more serious. But can they really contemplate a future together? Riddled with guilt at having to leave her cantankerous 85-year-old mother in a retirement home, Jane finds it impossible to imagine beginning a brand-new life with someone else. And there's something Dave hasn't been telling her about his own family circumstances .