If It Makes You Happy

Julie Olivia

48 pages 1-hour read

Julie Olivia

If It Makes You Happy

Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 2025

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Character List

Meet the key characters, with insights into their roles, motivations, and relationships—spoiler-free.

Major Characters

A 30-year-old advertising professional from Seattle who takes a temporary leave of absence to run her late mother's inn, the Bird & Breakfast, in Copper Run, Vermont. Reeling from a recent divorce and her mother's death, she feels out of place in the tight-knit rural community. She initially prefers to maintain strict boundaries, treating the inn purely as a temporary obligation until her sister can take over.

Key Relationships

Neighbor and friend of Cliff Burke

Older sister of Sara Cadell

Daughter of Birdie Cadell

Daughter of Paulie

Ex-wife of Allen

Owner of Rocket

Neighbor of Emily Burke

Neighbor of Brittany

A 33-year-old single father and owner of Burke's Bakery in Copper Run. A lifelong resident of the small town, he loves his community and values hospitality. He balances raising his two daughters with running his business, maintaining an optimistic and welcoming attitude toward the town's newest resident despite her initial coldness.

Key Relationships

Neighbor and friend of Michelle Cadell

Father of Emily Burke

Father of Brittany

Ex-husband of Tracy

Brother of Carol

Friend of George

Friend of Birdie Cadell

Supporting Characters

Cliff and Tracy's 16-year-old daughter who works a work-study job at the post office. She carries the emotional weight of her parents' teenage pregnancy and her mother's subsequent departure, often feeling overlooked in favor of her younger sister. She seeks independence through her relationship with her older boyfriend.

Key Relationships

Daughter of Cliff Burke

Daughter of Tracy

Older sister of Brittany

Girlfriend of Josh

Neighbor of Michelle Cadell

Michelle's 24-year-old younger sister and an art school student. Bubbly and energetic, she shares many of her late mother's outgoing traits and is the intended inheritor of the Bird & Breakfast inn. She relies on Michelle to manage the business temporarily until she finishes her education.

Key Relationships

Younger sister of Michelle Cadell

Daughter of Birdie Cadell

Daughter of Paulie

Michelle and Sara's late mother who recently passed away, prompting Michelle's temporary move to Vermont. She was a beloved fixture in the Copper Run community and the creator of the Bird & Breakfast. Her differing relationships with her two daughters cast a long shadow over Michelle's time at the inn.

Key Relationships

Mother of Michelle Cadell

Mother of Sara Cadell

Late wife of Paulie

Former neighbor of Cliff Burke

Cliff's ex-wife and the mother of Emily and Brittany. She left Copper Run a few years prior to start a new, independent life in New York City. She maintains contact through weekly phone calls, though her differing treatment of her two daughters causes friction in the Burke household.

Key Relationships

Ex-wife of Cliff Burke

Mother of Emily Burke

Mother of Brittany

Cliff and Tracy's younger daughter. She receives more warmth and attention from her mother during weekly phone calls than her older sister does, which occasionally causes tension in the family. She spends her afternoons playing in the yard near the inn.

Key Relationships

Daughter of Cliff Burke

Younger sister of Emily Burke

Daughter of Tracy

Neighbor of Michelle Cadell

Cliff's sister who co-owns and works at Burke's Bakery. She frequently checks in on her brother's personal life and encourages him to be open to new connections.

Key Relationships

Sister of Cliff Burke

Aunt of Emily Burke

Aunt of Brittany

Michelle's ex-husband who lives in Seattle. His emotional abuse and infidelity led to their recent divorce, leaving Michelle with lasting insecurities that she struggles to shed in her new environment.

Key Relationships

Ex-husband of Michelle Cadell

Former owner of Rocket

Michelle and Sara's father and Birdie's widower. He lives in Seattle and observes Michelle's adjustment to life in Copper Run from a distance.

Key Relationships

Father of Michelle Cadell

Father of Sara Cadell

Widower of Birdie Cadell

A teenager who works at the local video store in Copper Run. He dates Emily Burke, which often causes her to skip her own work commitments and draws Cliff's protective ire.

Key Relationships

Boyfriend of Emily Burke

Disliked by Cliff Burke

Allen's dog, whom Michelle inherits following her divorce. He accompanies Michelle to Copper Run, where he occasionally causes trouble but gradually adapts to the small-town setting.

Key Relationships

Former pet of Allen

Playmate of Brittany

A neighbor and friend to Cliff in Copper Run. He is deeply invested in the town's local gossip and the future of the Bird & Breakfast.

Key Relationships

Friend of Cliff Burke

Husband of Lisa

Neighbor of Michelle Cadell

George's wife and a resident of Copper Run. She joins her husband in enthusiastically welcoming Michelle, though their constant input initially frustrates the new innkeeper.

Key Relationships

Wife of George

Neighbor of Michelle Cadell