Set in the 1950's, The Dressmaker and Her Daughters is the story of the Collins' sisters; Julia, Hannah, Rebekah and Abby. When Mr Collins falls into business difficulties and his health begins to fail the Collins family return to their hometown where they buy a seaside cottage in a picturesque village that overlooks the ruins of an old castle. Mrs Collins carries on with her dressmaking expertise with Rebekah's talent at her side and the four sisters are soon the talk of the town with their charm and beauty. This tale follows the lives of the four sisters through their joys and struggles to make a new life in a new place. Julia is the eldest of the Collins' sisters and a very talented piano player who catches the eye of the well esteemed Mr Jack Brennan. Rebekah is a seamstress like her mother and her life takes an unexpected turn one day when Mr and Mrs Allen arrive at the door when their car breaks down. Abby is the youngest of the Collins' sisters and she is the wild one with red hair and she is always getting into trouble. She has two horses that annoy the farmer next door however her charm and beauty captivate his son, David, a mysterious young man with delicious secrets circulating through the village about him. Hannah is the main character of this tale; a book loving, novel writing girl with ambitions like her mother. She is the most outspoken of her sister's; the only one who has studied since high school and she decides to take a position as a governess in the noble home of Captain and Mrs Lynch and she soon discovers that Mrs Lynch is a very cold and calculating woman who is very dominating and determined and controls the lives of her daughters with strict discipline. She begins to regret taking the position and looks forward to returning home until something unexpected happens and her life changes...forever