It's the aftermath of the Second World War in the lush valley of Karrana, a fictional town on the north coast of New South Wales, Australia. This novel fits into the broad genre of Women's Fiction, since it explores themes to do with love and family. It examines these issues through the prism of the postwar years in country Australia and in Sydney, but the themes are still relevant in society today. It's about love, passion and the search for real fulfilment within a relationship. At a victory dance, Bridie meets and falls in love with Will from the other side of the river. Both lack life experience and contentment within their families. Bridie feels powerless when confronted with family and social obstacles to her dreams of a life with her chosen partner. The third persona in this narrative is that of Nature itself, permeating the novel from the beginning to the end. Dramatic irony deems that Bridie's inner temperament drives her to Sydney to indulge in an extra-marital affair that could destroy her family in Karrana. The struggle to make the right choices, and Bridie's bold moves to redeem a missed education, parallel metaphorically "naive Australia" after World War II, moving towards a more enlightened and mature future.