Whispering Willows YA Romance/Contemp
"No one really understand what it's like to be a New Orleans native, unless you are one. Just like Paris Hilton will never understand what its like to be redneck. Just when we got our lives back, the Deep Horizon spill happened. My beloved city can't seem to catch a break."
Seventeen year old Briony St. Regis has never wanted to live anywhere but the Crescent City, the Big Easy, New Orleans. Even after Hurricane Katrina took her house and the oil spill has made the city crumble she never wants to leave. Working for family friends she's saving to pay her own way to Tulane. When she's not being Meredith Warren's nanny she works part time at her Aunt Jessa's voodoo shop in Jackson Square. Complicating her life is her ex-boyfriend Court, her academic and social rival Nina and the arrival of Leo Warren.
Briony Adrian St. Regis: 17; second child of Baron St. Regis and Jenny Kirk, step-daughter of Cecelia Maitland, younger sister of Baron Jr., half sister to Beau and Belle; best friends with Kayleigh Wilkinson; former girlfriend of Court Cunningham; rivals with Nina Carmichael; works as a nanny for Martin and Isabel Warren, friends of her step-mother; also works part time at her aunt Jessa's voodoo shop; falls in love with Leopold Warren, Martin's nephew; birthday October 28th, 1995 (As portrayed by Suite Life on Deck star Debby Ryan)
Baron James St. Regis, Sr: 45; father of Briony, Baron Jr., Beau and Belle; divorced his first wife Jenny Kirk (Jr and Briony's mother) when Briony was three; remarried Cecelia Maitland, a younger woman; is a New Orleans Police Detective; has been trying to put his family back together after losing everything in the hurricane; is very good friends with Martin Warren; birthday March 22nd, 1967 (As portrayed by Star Trek star Karl Urban)
Cecelia Sarah Maitland-St. Regis: 30; Briony's step-mother; Beau and Belle's mother; married Baron Sr, on her 21st birthday; is a lawyer; is best friends with Isabel Warren; hates living apart from her children; family used to sleep in the offices at the law firm she works for; birthday May 12th, 1982 (As portrayed by One Tree Hill star Sophia Bush)
Jenny Kirk: 45; Briony and Saint's mother; divorced Baron Sr. when Briony was three; lives in Chicago; tried to get custody of Briony and Saint after they lost their home to the hurricane; only sees her children one week in the summer and rare holidays; hates Cecelia; birthday July 10th, 1967 (As portrayed by Sex and the City star Sarah Jessica Parker)
Baron James St. Regis "Saint": 19; Briony's older brother; is nicknamed Saint by his friends and family; is in the Air Force Academy in Colorado; is a legend at King George High School; has been a relationship with his sister's best friend Kayleigh Wilkinson since he was a sophomore; got his pilot's licesne before his driver's; holds the record for most broken windows in King George High School baseball history; birthday April 15th, 1993 (As portrayed by High School Musical star Zac Efron)
Beau Maitland St. Regis: 8; Briony's younger half-brother; goes to a math and science heavy magnate school; doesn't relate well to older brother Saint or Dad; blew up his grandmother's garden shed with a homemade rocket; is very much a momma's boy; lives part time with his best friend Adam, while the family is looking for a new home; birthday December 3rd, 2004 (As portrayed by Shake it Up star Davis Cleveland)
Belle Marie St. Regis: 4; Briony's younger half-sister; goes to a private preschool; is the only St. Regis child to be with Baron and Cecelia; is very much a girly-girl; adores her big sister; birthday April 21st, 2008 (As portrayed by Good Luck Charlie star Mia Talerico)
Kayleigh Elizabeth Wilkinson: 17; Briony's best friend; been dating Saint since she was a freshman; hates Court Cunningham with a fiery passion; encourages Briony to go out with Leopold Warren; is very preppy and popular; birthday May 30th, 1995 (As portrayed by Castle star Molly C. Quinn)
Leopold Daniel Warren "Leo": 17; nephew of Martin Warren; is from Boston; moves to New Orleans to get away from his crazy mother; initially gets on Briony's bad side; eventually falls in love with her; befriends Saint when he comes home for break; birthday April 27th, 1995 (As portrayed by 10 Things I Hate About You star Ethan Peck)
Martin Daniel Warren: 32; a lawyer in Cecelia's firm; married to Isabel and have one daughter Meredith; allows the St. Regis family to move in with his family when they lose their house in the hurricane; becomes good friends with Baron; employs Briony as a nanny/companion for Meredith; birthday June 25th, 1977 (As portrayed by Unstoppable star Chris Pine)
Isabel Marie Huntington-Warren: 30; is an interior designer; best friends and roommate Cecelia in college; was maid of honor at Cecelia's wedding; allows the St. Regis family to move in with her family when they lose their house to the hurricane; mother of Meredith; married to Martin; aunt to Leo; birthday January 21st, 1981 (As portrayed by Grey's Anatomy star Chyler Leigh)
Meredith Bonnie Warren: 6; daughter of Martin and Isabel; has many allergies and health conditions; can't play outside for too long; loves having Briony as her nanny; birthday October 10th, 2006 (As portrayed by Madeline O'Brien)
Dr. Stevie Diane Quimby: 36; goes by Miss Stevie with her patients; is Meredith's doctor; her practice is near the Tulane University campus (As portrayed by Drew Barrymore)
Jessa Karen Maitland: 30; Cecelia's half-sister; Briony's step-aunt; runs a voodoo shop in Jackson Square; is a fourth generation voodoo queen; is teaching Briony about the religion (As portrayed by Save the Last Dance star Kerry Washington)
Miss June Maple: 60; the lonely spinster secretary at King George High School; has two purebred poodles Goldie and Kurt; is known for giving out hall passes without dates (As portrayed by Harry Potter star Julie Walters)
Court Foster Cunningham: 17; Briony's ex-boyfriend; spreads a rumor that Briony was hexing all the "affluent" students with voodoo charms; has hated Kayleigh since kindergarten and the feeling is mutual (As portrayed by Bones star Michael Grant Terry)
Nina Sharon Carmichael: 17; Briony's academic and social rival; lives next door to the Warren's; conspired with Court to spread the rumor about Briony's relationship with voodoo; tries to steal Leo from Briony (As portrayed by The Lying Game star Allie Gonino)
Tinsla "Miss Tiny" Solomon: 96; Briony's step-great-great grandmother; Cecelia's great grandmother by marriage; is a voodoo queen; original owner of the shop Jessa runs; is kind and firm (As portrayed by Ruby Dee)