The People We Keep

A coming-of-age novel set in 1990s upstate New York. April Sawicki lives in a motorless motorhome in Little River, New York, left to fend for herself after failing out of school and working shifts at a local diner. After performing at an open mic night in a borrowed car, she realizes her life could be larger than her circumstances. Following a fight with her father, she leaves town without a specific destination. April eventually settles in Ithaca, where she finds work and a sense of belonging at Cafe Decadence, a local coffee shop. As she builds friendships, she struggles with the fear that she will hurt the people she cares about, mirroring her own past pain. Through her journey, April meets people who feel like home and writes songs that chronicle her life and self-discovery. The novel explores themes of chosen family, heartbreak, redemption, and self-acceptance, following April's realization that her origins do not determine who she becomes.