April is the protagonist and narrator of The People We Keep and undergoes a substantial transformation during the novel. April takes a physical and emotional journey as she not only seeks out a home and family but also healing from the trauma her parents inflicted on her. During her time on the road, she stumbles upon people who she believes can accept her for who she is and help her to overcome her trauma. However, this trauma and her associated anxieties often prevent her from truly opening up and cause her to run as soon as these relationships threaten to fall apart.

April’s life in Little River is one defined by loneliness. Her mother left when she was young and her father ignores her in favor of his new girlfriend. She is left alone to fend for herself in the motorhome next to the foundation her father failed to build a house on. April’s early lyrics reveal her sense of abandonment: “Don’t forget you made me. Don’t forget you made me the way I am” (12). Her parents’ decisions have left April with trust issues and an ache for the home she never knew. This leads April to seek stability in romantic relationships despite obvious red flags warning her away.