Estelle “Stella” Bloom is the fiercely independent owner of Lovelight Farms. Shaped by a childhood marked by her father's departure and her late mother's deep self-reliance, Stella avoids leaning on others to protect herself from potential abandonment. She enters her business into a hospitality contest to secure its future, which leads her to ask her best friend to pose as her boyfriend to match the idyllic application she submitted.

Luka Peters is Stella's best friend of nearly a decade. He lives in New York but frequently visits Inglewild to see his mother and spend time with Stella. Known for his steadfast presence and seemingly endless patience, Luka happily agrees to the fake-dating scheme while maintaining lighthearted traditions, such as buying Stella pine tree air fresheners from a local gas station.

Beckett Porter is the reclusive yet kind-hearted farmer in charge of agricultural operations at Lovelight Farms. He prefers the quiet company of the farm's trees and rescue cats over interacting with large crowds. He is deeply invested in the farm's success and expects transparency from his partners in their business operations.

Layla Dupree is the vibrant woman who manages the bakehouse at Lovelight Farms, renowned throughout town for her pastries and hot chocolate. She acts as a foil to the reserved Beckett, offering a steady stream of insight and direct encouragement to Stella.

Evelyn St. James is a prominent travel influencer with a massive online following. Despite her social media fame, she values genuine stories and is growing weary of the artificiality often found online. Her professional visit to the farm is complicated by a prior connection to one of its owners.

Brian Milford is Stella's wealthy and historically absent father. Having left Stella and her mother years ago, he attempts to maintain a clumsy relationship through an obligatory holiday dinner, though his actions routinely fall short of actual parental support.

Charlie Milford is Stella's half-brother, born shortly after her. Despite their complicated family history, he shares a friendly and understanding bond with Stella, often commiserating with her over their father's shortcomings.

Elle Milford is Brian's wife and Stella's stepmother. She attempts to orchestrate a sense of family unity by hosting yearly early Thanksgiving dinners, though she struggles to mask her own frustrations with her husband's behavior.

Carina Peters is Luka's mother and a somewhat intimidating but deeply caring schoolteacher. After her husband's death, she moved to Inglewild. She treats Stella warmly, offering her food and a welcoming family environment.

Sheriff Dane Jones is the protective local law enforcement officer in Inglewild. He was one of the first people to welcome Stella and her mother to town years ago and continues to keep a watchful, fatherly eye on her and the farm.

Will Hewett is the curmudgeonly local librarian in Inglewild. He harbors a quiet grudge regarding Lovelight Farms stemming from a past real estate dispute with the previous owner.

Caleb Alvarez is a local police officer in Inglewild. He assists with monitoring the town and shows a keen personal interest in the farm's baker, Layla.