Emma is a 42-year-old literary agent living in London. She enjoys reading submissions and securing publishing deals for authors, but her demanding career leaves her overwhelmed by endless emails and texts. A natural people-pleaser, she struggles to set boundaries and frequently prioritizes clients and acquaintances over her husband and children.

Dan is a 41-year-old professional working in sports marketing. Organized and calm, he enjoys cooking for his family, maintaining the household, and color-coding his records. He adores his wife but feels increasingly lonely and neglected as she prioritizes her work over their marriage, prompting him to leave honest anniversary letters detailing his feelings.

Hattie is Dan's sister and works remotely for a California-based company. She dyes her hair to cover its natural dark blonde color and maintains a close presence in her brother's family life. Though she is a reliable and practical source of support for Emma, she harbors personal distress regarding her difficult marriage.

Jas is Emma's 24-year-old assistant at the literary agency. She is chatty, personable, and eager to advance her career to become an agent with her own clients. Her enthusiasm for finding new authors reminds Emma of her own early ambitions in the publishing industry.

Poppy is Emma and Dan's 10-year-old daughter. She is entering an age where social dynamics and online presence begin to affect her behavior. She keeps secrets from her parents, deflecting their questions when she feels misunderstood or pressured.

Miles is Emma and Dan's eight-year-old son. He is generally a calm child but worries about his parents' arguments and his own lack of a best friend. He is highly observant of the household dynamics, clearly recognizing the special bond between his father and mother even when they are at odds.

Ed is Hattie's husband. He presents a charming exterior to some, but he is fundamentally unsupportive and prone to making cruel, dismissive remarks that alienate his wife and offend her family members.

Linda is Emma's boss at the literary agency. She focuses heavily on the financial success of the agency, prioritizing lucrative authors regardless of their personal conduct. She expects her employees to manage the fallout of controversial clients without complaint.

Arthur is a highly successful crime writer represented by Linda and Emma's agency. He is a smug, misogynistic man who refuses to apologize for insulting other authors online, relying on his sales figures to shield him from consequences.

Jurek is a barista at the London café Emma frequents. His family immigrated from Poland, and he lives with his mother, who loves books but struggles with cataracts. He pays quiet attention to his regular customers' habits.

Alan owns the premises where the local children's playgroup meets. He holds traditional, patronizing views about parenting, freely criticizing working mothers who do not volunteer large amounts of their time for children's activities.

Denise is the stern, disapproving leader of the playgroup committee. She focuses heavily on administrative details and deferring to Alan, expecting the other mothers to sacrifice their personal time for the group's events.

Lou is a first-time author represented by Emma's agency. Anxious about the publishing process, Lou sends frequent pleas for updates and reassurance, contributing to Emma's overwhelming digital workload.

Amelia is an author represented by Emma's literary agency. She is currently overdue on delivering her manuscript but actively posts beach vacation photos on Instagram instead of writing.

Hayley works at a publishing company and is a friend of Emma's. She is extremely busy with her own work and dismisses Emma's attempts to discuss personal matters during business hours.

Gus is the Jacobs family dog. He is a beloved pet who requires attention and care, often accompanying Dan on his evening walks.