Abby spots an ad, which seems to promise the way of life she dreams of, but there's a problem: it specifies a married couple and Abby is a single parent. Abby persuades Kenny, her childhood friend and neighbour and a perpetually aspiring musician, to pose as her husband, at least for the interview on Ronansay. Kenny agrees reluctantly: the role of Abby's husband and father to her children is too close to his most cherished fantasy for comfort.
Abby, Kenny and the children are settling down to life on Ronansay. The B&B is open for business, although the roof leaks, the plumbing is unreliable, and the fire won’t light.
Abby finds a chest belonging to the previous owner of the house, the late Annie Macdonald. In it are keepsakes of her fifty-plus years of marriage. Going to ask Helen Kennedy for an address for Annie’s son, Paul, who has moved away from the island, Abby notices that she has been crying. Later, when Abby meets Helen again and sees that she has a split lip, she guesses that her husband, Big Jerry, has beaten her. He has been taking unemployment hard. He is full of anger and is drinking heavily. When Big Jerry hits Little Jerry, it is a blow too far for Helen. She takes her son to stay at Abby’s. Abby tells Helen that she was the victim of an abusive relationship in the past. The islanders are divided in their attitude to Helen and Jerry’s situation. Some of them believe that they should sort out their problems in private and go on as usual, and that Abby is doing no good by interfering. But she has an ally in Douglas.
A power cut interrupts the island’s viewing of the annual Celtic v. Rangers match. Kenny begins to suspect that the B&B is haunted, his imagination fuelled by a ghost story that Alistair told them during an outing in his boat.
Abby’s old friends, Jackie and Donna, come to the island for a hen weekend before Jackie’s wedding. Abby realises she has changed since coming to Ronansay and has grown less tolerant of her friends’ raucous behaviour. Relations become further strained when Jackie accuses Abby of leading Kenny on - and reach breaking point when Abby finds Jackie and Donna playing strip poker with Alfie (and losing).
Kenny struggles to come to terms with being "single" again, but Abby has no problem. Douglas and Mary plan their wedding. Mary asks Carolyn to be her maid of honour, but Carolyn demurs, she’s having trouble with the whole idea of her mother’s remarriage. Mary is hurt by Carolyn’s response and tells Douglas they’ll have to call it off.
Abby's flourishing relationship with Alistair is proving difficult for Kenny to handle, especially when Abby suggests that Kenny find somewhere else to live. Despite her financial worries, Abby's relationship with Alistair is growing stronger and seeing them together prompts Kenny to consider Abby's suggestion.
Abby's relationship with Alistair seems to be going from strength to strength, and in a confident bid to put the B&B on a more secure footing, Abby advertises in a mainland newspaper. Could it be that, at last, love and security are within her grasp? Not everyone on Ronansay is pleased by Abby's new found happiness of course. Carolyn, fears she may have lost Alistair forever, and Douglas takes Abby's advert as a personal attack on the Raeburn Hotel. Both decide to fight back in their own way. But what Abby doesn't realise is that this fight could get very dirty indeed
Abby and Alistair's relationship continues on track, but Alfie and Charlie are not at all enamoured with the union, particularly when Alistair tries, and fails miserably to impress. He's just not cut out for the surrogate father role. And from Abby's point of view, he just doesn't understand where these kids are coming from, which leads to rumbles in the household.
Abby is having to prepare herself for a shock - Alistair announces to her that he wants to get serious. This is so unlike the confirmed single guy who Abby has got to know. But Abby, surprisingly, feels comfortable with that thought. What she feels less comfortable with is having to tell Kenny…
Following Abby's break-up, an overprotective Kenny is convinced that she is suicidal and to that end, he clears her bathroom of potentially life-threatening items, falling just short of the nail clippers, much to Abby's irritation. She's not so much depressed as furious which isn't helped when Alistair turns up, begging forgiveness. Her response is clear though, there's no turning the clock back. Alistair gets deeper into trouble when his attempt at practical support of Carolyn is misinterpreted by her as something more.
The islanders gather to say a final goodbye to their old friend Murdo at the scattering of his ashes. Gordon insists on standing with his 'new best pal' Terry, leaving Kenny looking on resentfully. Kenny hasn't been able to find the words to talk to his father.
The islanders go on red alert to sand bag and tarpaulin their homes, when a bad storm is forecast. Malcolm is in trouble, he's in the middle of the harvest and if he doesn't get it finished, the crop will be ruined. So, racing against the clock, everyone pitches in to help. As they work, Abby notices a spark between Kenny and Heather. Events take a more serious turn when Carolyn collapses in the corn field. Alistair realises he must shoulder his responsibilities, he manages to brave the storm and get Carolyn over to Portree in time to save their baby's life.
The prospect of the Northern Lights making a brief appearance has stirred the passions of the islanders. Douglas and Mary reminisce about their first kiss, and even Gordon and Marjorie have managed to soften up to each other. It seems they have a history.
The islanders are in a celebratory mood as Carolyn gives birth to a beautiful baby girl, Isla. Everyone turns out for the celebrations and Gordon, dressed to the nines, is out to impress Marjorie. After an ego boosting "man to man" chat with Kenny, he's prepared to show Marjorie exactly what he's made of. But just as he and Marjorie get down to business at Marjorie's place, Heather makes a very untimely entrance…
Malcolm's new bull is unwilling to perform, much to the annoyance of Marjorie and Douglas, the co-owners. Meanwhile in London, Kenny looks up some old contacts and goes for a drink with Robbie. Despite his best intentions Robbie doesn't take too kindly to being given advice by Kenny and becomes aggressive. Feeling he's been chasing a lost cause Kenny returns to Ronansay by himself. So he is as surprised as Abby when Robbie turns up unannounced.
Abby is furious with Kenny for bringing Robbie to the island. Alfie and Charley are full of curiosity but have mixed reactions to meeting their father. He tries to make an effort with them but too much time has elapsed and they remain unimpressed. Alfie really isn't convinced but Charley decides her dad is worth a second chance.
It's Mary's birthday and the islanders celebrate it by having a beach party. Robbie plans to leave Ronansay. It's not really of his choosing but he thinks he's wasting his time with the kids and Abby.
As Robbie and Abby's relationship grows stronger Kenny knows that the time for him to leave is fast approaching. Kenny is instrumental in helping them remember some of the good times they had together, and in giving the kids space to get to know their father. Robbie needs Abby to believe he's changed and tells her about a darker period in his life - a time he looks back on with regret.
Hamish enjoys re-acquainting himself with the island and he's delighted when Douglas finds the fishing boat he used as a kid. It ushers in warm memories of his own childhood. The boat is almost seaworthy, but it just needs a little work to prevent any leakage, which Robbie is happy to undertake.
In the wake of Kenny's death, the islanders are coming to terms with the loss. Alfie particularly, is finding it difficult to deal with.
Desmond Cholonbury is dead! As the highly unpopular and disliked owner of Ronansay, his untimely demise is a cause for celebration for the islanders! Douglas sees this as a chance to finally unite the island. There's just one tiny snag - Cholonbury declared that the islanders are not to be sold the island, unless there are no other takers. As far as Douglas is concerned, this is just a minor obstacle. He starts to form a plan for them all to band together and buy the island themselves.