Meet the Cast

As the publication date for England Adventure lies in wait just on the other side of the beginning of March, the characters have been telling me I should do a blog post or two to prepare for the big day. It seems Caroline and Kailey had so much fun revealing the cover that the others thought some individual attention would be nice after all.

So. Allow me to introduce the main cast of England Adventure (Six Cousins, Book 2)!

Marielle Austin. At age fourteen, Marielle never thought she’d be going on an adventure like this, especially without her parents. But on the other side of the pond, good friends of her grandparents, the Endicotts, are ready to receive her and her cousins and give them the tour of a lifetime. Many of Marielle’s fears turn out to be groundless, but new ones take their place as she gets to know Paris Hamilton, the Endicotts’ granddaughter, whose troubles live beneath the surface of her sunny personality. Can Marielle keep her ears tuned to God’s directions and help Paris? Will Marielle herself benefit and grow from this trip, or will it become the saddest episode in her young life?

Emma Yardley. While trying to watch over her sister Caroline and cousin Marielle, be a model guest to each of their hosts, and absorb all that England is, sixteen-year-old Emma also faces challenges. Though you might not guess it from her even-keeled nature, she has some trouble navigating relationships and accepting disappointments.

Caroline Yardley. On the other hand, at age thirteen, Caroline is ready for adventure. Things don’t always go right, but that’s okay! It’s more important to delight in what you can, even if it’s only the fact that a chaotic shopping street you’re standing on, with your own two feet, was once a major Roman road. The Romans! Imagine that.

Reanna Wilkins. Shy, sixteen-year-old Reanna wasn’t so sure about this trip, and meeting Paris confirms her fears. Paris bedazzles cousins Abby and Kailey, but Marielle, Emma, and Caroline are still there to be friends, though Marielle, too, seems strangely preoccupied with Paris. Perhaps what will make Reanna feel better is creating music.

Abby Austin. Abby, eighteen, is going to college in the fall, so she feels this two-week trip in June had better be good. And it is—mostly because of the awesome Paris. She has everything—personality, fashion, ambition. She’s a dream friend. But then some stuff starts going wrong … and Abby realizes maybe Paris isn’t the perfect girl.

Kailey Austin. Fifteen-year-old Kailey doesn’t always remember where they’re going, but once she’s there, she definitely has her opinions. London shopping is the best! Bath and Southampton are pretty cool, too. But Paris is what really makes it all epic. And at the end of the trip, maybe everything was more worthwhile than she originally thought.

Paris Hamilton. At seventeen, it’s vital to Paris that her life looks perfect—even though it’s not. Her grandparents know it isn’t, but they should just stay out and let her be who she wants to be. It’s pretty rad that she’s traveling around England with six teenage girls, and they’re all super nice, especially adorable Marielle, who seems like the last person who’d be able to help her.

Gregory Endicott. He won’t give us his age; it’s sufficient that he’s old enough to be Paris’s grandfather. The only wholly British person in the little group, and the only man, he has his hands quite full; and it’s a good thing he can hold on to everything, too, or else he’d be tearing out what paltry hair he has left. There is Paris, however: she may be slipping farther out of his cradled hands than he thinks.

Yvonne Endicott. Mrs. Endicott is overjoyed to show hospitality to her dear friends’ granddaughters. She loves sharing her two-century-old home and her ancient, adopted homeland. If only Paris loved what she loves, she could be sure that everything with Paris would turn out to be all right; but, no matter, this trip isn’t the time to think about such things … or perhaps, maybe it is.

Cecelia Parker. Mr. Endicott’s sister thought she would try being hospitable like Yvonne and open her cramped Southampton home to their bevy of American girls … but that decision must have been made during a barmy moment, as she’s not overly fond of teenage girls. But still, going along with them on a bit of holiday might not be too unpleasant.

Winifred Braithwaite. A good friend of Mrs. Endicott’s, she’s a well-traveled Devonshire lady settled in the charming seaside village of Branscombe. When the tourists come to her, she recognizes that some of them need more than simple hospitality … and she certainly might be able to give them both.

I hope you’ve enjoyed this look at the eleven major characters of England Adventure. Thank you for letting me introduce them to you! Who are you most interested in meeting?