Anne leaves her family and her work as a teacher in Avonlea to attend Redmond College for four years. At first, she lives in a boardinghouse, but later shares a house (Patty’s Place) with her old friends from Queen’s, Priscilla and Stella, her new friend Philippa — Phil for short — and Stella’s Aunt Jamesina, who takes care of the house for the girls.

They also live with three cats, Rusty, Joseph and Sarah-Cat. Anne’s trials and adventures include being stalked by a cat which she almost euthanises but ends up adopting, comedic proposals, and visiting the home of her birth parents.

Her first proposal is from the brother of her childhood friend Jane Andrews, who uses his sister as an intermediary. Anne refuses, saddened and amused at once at this very unromantic first proposal. Charlie Sloane also proposes to her, but she turns him down.

One day at Patty’s Place, Gilbert proposes to Anne, telling her he loves her more than anything. Anne turns him down, saying that she can never love him and wants to continue to be friends. Gilbert remarks how friendship will never satisfy him and leaves saying he was deceived into thinking she did care. Anne goes to her room where she tells Phil she doesn’t love Gilbert. Phil says she has been blinded by what she sees as love so she does not see the real thing.

After Gilbert’s failed proposal, he and Anne separate for a while, acting like strangers whenever they meet. Gilbert grows pale and thin, while Anne tries to forget it.