40 pages • 1-hour read
Rachel Lynn SolomonA modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
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Meet the key characters, with insights into their roles, motivations, and relationships—spoiler-free.
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.
Academic Rival of Neil McNair
Best Friend of Kirby
Best Friend of Mara
Daughter of Jared Roth
Daughter of Ilana Garcia Roth
Ex-girlfriend of Spencer Sugiyama
Devoted Fan of Delilah Park
Opponent of Savannah Bell
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.
Academic Rival of Rowan Roth
Opponent of Savannah Bell
Friend of Sean
Admirer of Jared Roth
Admirer of Ilana Garcia Roth
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.
Best Friend of Rowan Roth
Girlfriend of Mara
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.
Best Friend of Rowan Roth
Girlfriend of Kirby
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 He remains emotionally withdrawn and previously blamed the failure of their romance on Rowan's high expectations.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.
Ex-boyfriend of Rowan Roth
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.
Favorite Author of Rowan Roth
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.
Opponent of Rowan Roth
Opponent of Neil McNair
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.
Friend of Neil McNair
Helper of Rowan Roth