London, 1947, for the Angel family, it seems as if their prospects are as bleak as the bitterly cold winter. Their only ray of sunshine is Lizzie. Tirelessly, she brings comfort and warmth to those around her, whether it's her dad, struggling to support the family on a fish-gutter's wages, or her sweetheart Rob Thompson, traumatized by the horrors of war. But Lizzie faces an impossible decision. Rob is convinced that the only way he'll ever put the war behind him is to start a new life in Australia - and he wants Lizzie to come with him.