After the unexpected re-issue of her uncle's rather unsuccessful novels brings her a small fortune, quiet, sensible Kate Salomon lives a peaceful life in a house in Ribanove which she shares with two female friends. But on the day of her 72nd birthday, something completely unexpected occurs: Forster Smith, the man she had refused three times, but with whom she has been in love since she was twenty, turns up at her door with a bunch of flowers and an offer of matrimony. From that moment, Kate's life – and those of her elderly friends – revolves around the preparations for the wedding, which almost everyone thinks is a bad idea… particularly Kate's family, who fear that Forster Smith will run through the inheritance they hope to receive. And while she is getting her wedding dress ready, the small community of Ribanova is bubbling with interest about this singular event.