On a whim, Laura Lee Davidson decides to stay the entire winter on the Lake of Many Islands. Her friends and relatives don't fully understand her need to stay on the rocky island. But she desperately wants the solitude, and romanticizes the idea of being cut off from society for a few months. There will be no phone, no way of returning to the city once the dead of winter sets in. There are few people that live in the area, and many travel by canoe in the isolated area. It is a large property near the shore, with a storeroom, pump, and a dock.
With only the loons and the wild hares as her closest neighbours, she quickly settles into her new life. In order to get through the cold Canadian winter, she must chop wood, and hunt for food, in order to survive. It is a life-changing experience for the city girl, as she deals with the various challenges thrown her way, using the obstacles as lessons in self-growth, and showing just how resilient she can be if she puts her mind to it.