Rowan is a driven high school senior in Seattle who serves as co-president of the student council. She works part-time at Two Birds One Scone and is fiercely competitive regarding her academic standing. While she presents a polished and intellectually rigorous image to her peers, she secretly reads and writes romance fiction, a passion she hides to avoid judgment.

Neil is a high-achieving senior at Westview High School and the recently named class valedictorian. He spends significant time and energy maintaining a relentless four-year rivalry with Rowan through daily messages and hallway banter. Behind his confident academic exterior, he shoulders heavy financial responsibilities at home.

Kirby is an outgoing senior at Westview High School who plans to attend the University of Washington in the fall. She is highly observant of social dynamics and quick to voice her frustrations. Her connection with Rowan suffers as graduation approaches due to Rowan's intense focus on beating Neil.

Mara is a quiet high school senior who plans to study at the University of Washington. She dreams of working as a professional dancer after graduation. She operates as a unit with Kirby, presenting a united front when addressing their shared feeling that Rowan has neglected their friendship.

Spencer is a senior at Westview High School who briefly dated Rowan during their junior year. He remains emotionally withdrawn and previously blamed the failure of their romance on Rowan's high expectations. He acts as Rowan's assigned target during the senior scavenger hunt.

Jared is a professional author and illustrator based in Seattle. He collaborates with his wife to create the popular Excavated graphic novel series. He provides a stable, loving environment for his daughter but remains entirely unaware of her specific writing aspirations.

Ilana is an author and illustrator who co-creates graphic novels with her husband. She maintains warm traditions with her family and values literary fiction. Her dismissive comments regarding the romance genre inadvertently cause her daughter to hide her true reading habits.

Delilah is a bestselling romance author currently on a promotional tour stopping in Seattle. Her published works provide comfort to readers who appreciate the romance genre. Her evening book signing creates a scheduling conflict for students participating in the school scavenger hunt.

Savannah is a senior at Westview High School participating in the Howl scavenger hunt. She organizes a group of classmates to aggressively target specific high-achieving students, utilizing dirty tactics to clear the competition field.

Sean is a teenager living in Seattle who possesses strong technical skills. He provides crucial assistance during the city-wide game by repairing a damaged piece of electronics for the competitors.