The People We Keep

April Sawicki is a sixteen-year-old living in a motorless motorhome in Little River, New York in 1994. She teaches herself guitar, writes songs, and dreams of life beyond her neglectful father and their small town while working at a local diner. After a series of difficult events, April takes her neighbor's car and leaves town with nothing but her guitar. She travels through small towns in the Northeast, performing at cafes and bars while meeting people who impact her journey. As April moves from place to place, she navigates friendship, love, and the challenge of trusting others after years of isolation. Her songs become a way to process her experiences and connect with the people she encounters on the road. The novel explores themes of chosen family, resilience, and the ways art can bridge the gaps between people. Through April's journey, the story examines how brief connections can permanently alter a life's trajectory.

Readers describe this as an emotional coming-of-age story that resonates with anyone who has felt like an outsider. The narrative follows April through her journey of self-discovery, with many noting they finished it in one or two sittings. Readers praised: - Raw, authentic portrayal of trauma and healing - Musical elements and songwriting details - Complex supporting characters - Realistic dialogue - April's resilience and growth Common criticisms: - Slow pacing in middle sections - Some plot points feel contrived - Ending felt rushed to some readers - Too many traumatic events for one character Ratings: Goodreads: 4.2/5 (32,000+ ratings) Amazon: 4.5/5 (5,800+ ratings) BookBrowse: 4.5/5 Notable reader comments: "Like a folk song in novel form" - Goodreads reviewer "Characters feel like people you know" - Amazon reviewer "Too much tragedy piled on, became melodramatic" - BookBrowse reviewer

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🎸 Author Allison Larkin originally conceived the story's main character, April, as a contemporary folk singer, but ultimately set the novel in the 1990s to capture the raw, pre-digital era of music. 📝 The novel explores themes of found family and chosen connections, inspired by Larkin's own experience as an adopted child searching for belonging. 🎼 Many of the song lyrics featured in the book were written specifically for the novel by Larkin, who worked with musicians to ensure authenticity in the songwriting scenes. 🏘️ Little River, the fictional town where April begins her journey, was inspired by small towns in upstate New York where Larkin spent time during her childhood. 🚐 The vintage VW van that appears in the story was based on a real vehicle owned by one of Larkin's friends, who traveled across the country performing music in the 1990s.