Diana is a woman carrying the heavy trauma of a sexual assault she experienced as a teenager at a summer bonfire. Following a period of deep depression and aimlessness, she finds community and healing in Provincetown, eventually securing work at a local restaurant called the Abbey. In the present timeline, she crosses paths with Daisy Shoemaker in New York. The two women quickly bond over deep conversations, though Diana harbors secret motives tied to her unresolved past.

Daisy is a devoted mother and wife who runs a small cooking school out of her home kitchen. Born Diana Rosen, she adopted the name Daisy early in her relationship at her husband's request. She frequently feels inadequate compared to the highly educated mothers in her social circle and mourns the recent death of her best friend, Hannah. A sudden mix-up brings her into contact with a sophisticated new friend, offering Daisy a chance to step outside her rigid domestic routine.

Hal is Daisy's wealthy, older husband and a successful lawyer who attended the prestigious Emlen Academy in his youth. He holds highly traditional views on marriage, believing men should serve as the primary breadwinners while women manage the home. He freely dismisses his wife's culinary business as a mere hobby and struggles to relate to his daughter's rebellious attitude.

Beatrice is Daisy and Hal's outspoken, fiercely independent teenage daughter. She strongly advocates for women's rights and actively rejects the traditional, privileged trajectory her father expects her to follow. After transferring to Melville School, she feels like a misfit but refuses to alter her unique sartorial choices or suppress her vocal opinions.

Danny is Daisy's older brother and an alumnus of the Emlen Academy. He lives with his husband, Jesse, and dedicates his time to fostering children. Despite his stable adult life, Danny carries a heavy, unspoken sense of guilt from his teenage years and behaves erratically whenever his past at the academy is mentioned.

Michael is a quiet, patient caretaker who maintains summer homes on Cape Cod. He meets Diana when she stays at a cottage he looks after during the winter off-season. He proves to be a gentle, steadying presence, helping her feel safe and supported as she processes her historical trauma.

Vernon is Hal's aging father, an older man with rigid, patriarchal views. He firmly believes in traditional gender roles, expecting women to serve in domestic capacities while men provide financial support. He frequently dismisses modern social movements and defends the misbehavior of young men as simple mistakes.

Brad is an old school friend of Hal and Danny from their days at the Emlen Academy. He struggled with a deep sense of inadequacy compared to his wealthy peers. His adult life is marked by two failed marriages and a continuing effort to recover from heavy alcohol addiction while working at a coffee shop.

Cade is a popular, wealthy athlete at Beatrice's new school. He initially seems to represent the entitled privilege Beatrice actively despises. However, he takes a surprising interest in her, sparking a complicated dynamic that forces Beatrice to question his true motives.

Hannah is Daisy's late best friend, who died of cancer prior to the main events of the story. Older, confident, and irreverent, she served as a surrogate mother figure for Daisy. Her memory acts as an internal voice of strength, pushing Daisy to question her restrictive marriage.

Daisy and Danny's mother. Following the sudden death of her husband, she was left to raise her children in diminished financial circumstances. She relies heavily on Daisy for care and holds highly favorable views of her son-in-law.

A university professor and friend of Diana's mother. She offers Diana a summer job looking after her children in Cape Cod and later provides her with a winter retreat when she recognizes the young woman is struggling.

The generous owner of the Abbey restaurant. He welcomes Diana into the local community, giving her a job and helping her feel at home on the Cape by declaring her an accepted local.

Danny's husband, with whom he fosters children. He is highly supportive but increasingly confused by Danny's strained and secretive demeanor regarding his past.

An old classmate of Beatrice from junior high who currently attends Melville School. She provides a familiar face when Beatrice is forced to transfer after her expulsion.

Judy Rosen's partner, who accompanies her to family gatherings. He shares her defensive attitude regarding the family's status quo and supports her excuses for poor behavior.

Beatrice's friend from boarding school. When she experiences an assault and the school refuses to act, Beatrice takes radical action to defend her.

Hannah Magee's husband. He and Hannah frequently spent time with Daisy and her brother Danny, forming a tight-knit supportive circle that excluded Hal.

Vernon Shoemaker's lady friend who accompanies him to social events. She quietly observes the tense dynamics of the Shoemaker family gatherings.