When Julie Stanton moves in with Richard Webb one Saturday night in May, she doesn’t expect their romantic evening together to end with her walking out of the flat, clutching the bottle of plonk (cheap wine) she had hoped they would drink to toast their new relationship.

But then Julie and the bottle of plonk part company, setting the stage for a series of new stories that end with the passing of the bottle. Before journey's end, you will get an intoxicating glimpse into the lives and loves of 13 compelling heroines who never quite manage to pop the cork.