A heart-warming story, full of humour and occasional pathos (for after all, it's all about life), is a "must read" for those who may want to visit the North Isles and discover for themselves the remarkable beauty that abounds in the ancient islands of Shetland. The Church of Scotland parish of the North Isles of Shetland has been without a full-time minister for over four years; a fact that comes to the attention down in Australia of the Rev Lachlan Ness. In the meantime, the parish is relying on its elders and occasional visits of ministers to conduct its preaching and pastoral activities. Lachlan decides that here is a challenge fit for his particular talents, and lets it be known that he would be available in Shetland for a time, and would do his best to help the parish finally obtain a full-time minister. His offer is accepted. He and his wife Janet travel to Aberdeen, Scotland, from where they cross hundreds of kilometres of wild North Sea and arrive in Shetland in a snow storm in the early spring of 2008, unaware of the many adventures that await them among the warm-hearted folk of the North Isles, Britain's remotest islands.