Father Timothy Kavanagh, married for the first time at the age of sixty-something, struggles to deal with the upheaval and delight of having a wife, while also presiding over the triumphs and troubles of the people of the small town of Mitford, North Carolina.

"It's easy to feel at home in Mitford. In these high, green hills, the air is pure, the village is charming, and the people are generally lovable. Yet, Father Tim, the bachelor rector, wants something more. Enter a dog the size of a sofa who moves in and won't go away. Add an attractive neighbor who begins wearing a path through the hedge. Now, stir in a lovable but unloved boy, a mystifying jewel theft, and a secret that's sixty years old. Suddenly,...

Father Tim and Cynthia arrive in the west of Ireland, intent on researching his Kavanagh ancestry. The charm of their lakeside B&B is broken when Cynthia startles a burglar and sprains her already-injured ankle. Then a cherished and valuable painting is stolen from the lodge owners, and Cynthia's pain pales in comparison to the wound at the center of this bitterly estranged Irish family.

In the small town of Mitford, rector Father Tim and his lovely wife Cynthia ponder their retirement plans, trying to raise their young charge, Dooley, and find Dooley's missing, abandoned siblings, while a brash mayoral candidate is calling for development and "progress"

Restless with his retirement, Father Tim, accompanied by Cynthia, gears up for a year-long ministry across the state line, but a series of events sends shock waves throughout the town of Mitford and through Father Tim's faith.

In the final volume in the phenomenally successful Mitford Years ties up all the loose ends of Father Timothy Kavanagh's deeply affecting life. The novel is filled with old and new characters and the answers to questions readers have asked since the series began nearly a decade ago.

Since he was a boy growing up in Mississippi, Father Tim has lived what he calls "the life of the mind". But then he finds a derelict nativity scene that has suffered the indignities of time and neglect. Can he give the small assembly new life, restore the camel's ear, repaint every piece? Imagining the excitement in the eyes of his wife, Cynthia, he steps up to the plate, beginning a small journey of faith that touches everyone around him. Also included...

The author of the Mitford novels presents recipes inspired by the series, sharing a wealth of tips, culinary quotes, and side-dish sidebars as well as the instructions for such fare as Miss Sadie's apple pie, Puny's cornbread, and Emma's pork roast.

The inhabitants of the small town of Mitford join together at Christmastime for a fun-filled snowman-building contest, complete with hot chocolate, doughnuts, and the joy of the holiday season.