Living a life of luxury, the beautiful Italo-Australian Emmanuel faces extreme despair when his lover is killed in a car accident. As a result of a promise, he finds himself in a country town assisting his brother, a priest, for twelve consecutive months. During this period, his life changes due to new friends and, in particular, a lonely six-year-old boy.

Brian Stuart Pentland is a teacher of art and design who was born in Victoria, Australia, and has been residing in Italy for twenty-five years now.