The bohemian life of artsy new homeowners Claudia and Jeremy is thrown into chaos by the failure of Claudia's first film, the return of Jeremy's successful ex-girlfriend, and the staggering adjustment of their monthly mortgage payments.

"The windows rattle. The roof leaks. Every surface cries out to be stripped, painted, or polished. But for writer Lisa Trumperton, the dilapidated manor house that once belonged to her great-grandfather is far more than the sum of its battered parts. It's the chance for a new start on her own terms. The fact that it's in the Melbourne countryside of her Australian homeland, far from the deceitful ex-husband she just left behind in New York...well,...