It's 1943 and young Lily Collins is throwing herself into a welcome home party for her friend Beryl's husband. Shyly starting to be more than just good friends with their lodger, Jim, Lily's life seems good and Les's safe return is something to celebrate.

But when Les returns he is a changed man from his time in the desert war. And home life is getting harder too - Marlow's, the town's department store where Lily and Jim work, will be forced to adapt and make some difficult decisions with shortages biting and staff harder to retain. When Jim is called away to the countryside, where an old flame would like him to stay, it's all too easy for Lily to be charmed by attentive visiting salesman Frank.

Then comes the knock on the door everyone dreads - and hot on its heels comes a further shock. Family, always the heart of Lily's world, is everything - but will it ever be the same again?