When Louise Phillips loses her job as an editor, she has mixed feelings about returning home to her small Yorkshire town, Applethwaite, to live with her mum... in her forties.

However, when she sees an empty cafe up for sale, she thinks her luck is about to change and decides to pursue her dream of opening a bookshop. As Louise embraces small-town life and reengages with one of her old hobbies, baking, the locals become entranced with her gorgeous ginger cake and stunning scones.

Meanwhile, Louise’s stepdaughter Maddie arrives unexpectedly on her doorstep after finishing University before starting a new life in London. As Maddie and Louise spend more time together, Maddie comes up with the perfect idea to turn the bookshop into a bookshop bakery, after seeing how much the locals enjoy Louise's special coffees and baked goods.

But starting a business is always tough and when Louise seeks financial help from her mother, Elizabeth, the loan comes with a catch – she must hire local architect Giacamo to do the work. Whilst the two share an initial dislike of being forced together, they grow to like and respect one another as they work.

Between the rocky road to business success, budding romance and big decisions, will the Bookshop Bakery bring them together or drive them apart?