Norfolk, 1944. Jean Coleman has been trying to run her parents' small farm almost single-handedly since her father's stroke and is in desperate need of help. Karl, a German prisoner of war captured when the Allies invaded France, turns out to be just what she needs. Although homesick, he is polite and hardworking, but is he more than that?

Meanwhile, Jean's brother Gordon has been a prisoner of war since his Spitfire was shot down in France over the beaches of Dunkirk. He manages to send the occasional letter, but he can't face telling his family about his amputated leg knowing how its loss will affect his life and loved ones back in Little Bushey.

As the weeks and months pass, Jean and Karl become closer, much to the dismay of her family and the contempt of his compatriots. With the end of the war on the horizon, a new set of problems arises as Karl is due to be repatriated to Germany. For all at Briar Rose Farm, the war is a time of change, loss and uncertainty, but ultimately, of love triumphing against all odds.