For a year, Venetia Summers has been 'buffered from single-motherhood' by boyfriend David, but when work takes him to a Brazilian rainforest, things begin to unravel. Phone lines crackle, emails languish, and high-tech, long-distance love proves bewildering and vexing. Meanwhile the children and dogs run wilder than ever, brother Desmond's outrageous wedding takes over her home, and her relationship with her new neighbour, Hedley Sale, gets off to a rather unfortunate start.

How is Venetia to cope alone with outward-bound style holidays, a foul-mouthed parrot and her new career as a designer of demented cardigans? A moonlit walk takes an unexpected turn, and she finds herself with a real dilemma.