At the end of the 1950s in the sleepy English coastal town of Hardborough: Florence Green dreams of opening her own bookshop. Her love of books is the only thing left of her late husband. She is willing to invest her entire fortune and all her strength in making this dream come true. The initial scepticism of the villagers gives way to increasing interest as Florence also sells progressive and controversial works such as Nabokov's "Lolita" and Bradbury's "Fahrenheit 451". The young widow finds a faithful friend in Mr. Brundish. The educated gentleman lives in seclusion and shares her passion for reading. But she also has a dangerous opponent - the old-established grey eminence of the village, Violet Gamart...