A Heartbeat at My Feet Characters

Cicero is a small white dog with an old soul, named by Giorgio and later adopted by Josie in Pompeii. He is fiercely loyal, intuitive, and capable of loving both Josie and the dead Giorgio at once. He protects Josie, carries out Giorgio's matchmaking plans, and eventually accepts Hugo as family.

Arc: He moves from a heartbroken stray waiting to die in Pompeii to a beloved companion with a new family. After Giorgio fades, he vows to spend his life showing his humans the meaning of love.

• Giorgio — His beloved owner, now a ghost; Giorgio calls him 'ragazzo mio'
• Josie Ballard — The woman who rescued him in Pompeii and became his owner
• Hugo Caruso — Giorgio's son, whom Cicero first hates and later loves
• Mark — Josie's husband, the American he attacks and distrusts
• Michelangelo — Bettina's messy dog and his annoying temporary roommate
• Bettina — His caretaker while Josie and Hugo are away

Josie is a Kansas librarian's assistant who discovers her husband Mark's affair and travels alone to Italy, where she adopts Cicero and falls in love with Hugo. She is defined by self-sacrifice, grief, and a long-deferred dream of becoming a botanist, but she gradually learns to live in the moment. She returns to Kansas for her father's stroke, ends her marriage for good, and finally moves to Italy.

Arc: She transforms from a heartbroken woman who defers her own needs into an independent person who chooses Hugo, Italy, and a life with flowers. Her father and son release her from caregiving so she can take what she wants.

• Mark — Her husband of twenty years, whose affair ended the marriage
• Charlie — Her son, a college student and former childhood leukemia patient
• Hugo Caruso — The Italian bookseller she falls in love with
• Cicero — The stray dog she adopted in Pompeii
• Howard Thompson — Her father, whom she supports after his stroke
• Ellen — Her best friend
• Jen — The woman Mark had an affair with
• Bettina — Her Sorrento friend and confidante

Mark is Josie's husband of twenty years who has an affair with Jen and initially asks for a divorce. He spends the story alternating between remorseful pleas, jealous warnings, and financial threats, trying to get Josie back. He eventually walks back his threats and allows the divorce to proceed amicably for Charlie's sake.

Arc: He goes from betraying husband to pleading, threatening, and finally accepting loss. His arc ends with him letting go rather than truly changing.

• Josie Ballard — His wife, whom he betrays and later loses
• Charlie — His son
• Jen — The other woman, Peter's mom, with whom he had an affair
• Howard Thompson — His father-in-law, who despises him

The Texan is a pushy tourist who follows Josie through Pompeii, invites her to dinner, and gropes her. The little dog bites him, and Josie punches him when he tries to kick the dog.

Arc: No significant arc; he is left behind when Josie flees.

• Josie Ballard — The woman he harasses

Hugo is a Sorrento bookseller and carpenter, Giorgio's estranged son, who inherits Cicero and claims him from Josie. He is guarded and skeptical about enduring love after his failed marriage and his father's betrayal, but he is warm, attentive, and secretly grieving. He courts Josie through the summer, follows her to Kansas, and wins her.

Arc: He goes from believing love cannot last and that no one has ever truly loved him to risking everything for Josie. Reading his father's unsent letters restores his faith and allows him to love openly.

• Josie Ballard — The American woman he loves and eventually lives with
• Cicero — His father's dog, whom he inherits and eventually befriends
• Giorgio — His late father, who disowned him but secretly loved him
• Charlie — Josie's son, who is initially skeptical of him
• Bettina — His good friend and Cicero's temporary caretaker
• Mark — Josie's estranged husband
• Signora Pisano — An elderly friend he delivers books to
• Francesco — His Capri friend who lends the Vespas
• Paula — A client who ordered a custom hutch
• Martina — A client near Rome who ordered a table

Giorgio is the elderly Italian man who names Cicero and adopts him as a puppy, then dies of a heart seizure and returns as a ghost. He cannot move on until he helps his estranged son Hugo, so he orchestrates Hugo and Josie's matchmaking from beyond death. He wrote Hugo apology letters he never mailed, and he finally reveals his love before fading.

Arc: He moves from a living man with unfinished family business to a ghost who learns to intervene. Once he shows Hugo he was loved, he lets go and travels on.

• Cicero — His devoted dog and 'ragazzo mio'
• Hugo Caruso — His son, whom he disowned and then tried to heal
• Josie Ballard — The woman he believes is meant for Hugo

Charlie is Josie and Mark's college-age son, a pre-med student who survived childhood leukemia. He is funny, lighthearted, and ambitious; he initially knows nothing of the affair, then learns the truth and supports his mother through his grandfather's illness and recovery. He ultimately releases Josie to live her own life.

Arc: He grows from an unaware child into the adult who reassures Josie she did her job as his mother and encourages her to make a life with Hugo.

• Josie Ballard — His mother
• Mark — His father
• Howard Thompson — His grandfather
• Hugo Caruso — His mother's love interest, whom he cannot yet like

Howard is Josie's father, a rancher who supports her after Mark's betrayal and later suffers an ischemic stroke. During his recovery he tells Charlie the truth about the affair, sells the ranch, and insists Josie stop taking care of everyone and go back to Italy. He is blunt, warm, and fiercely protective of Josie.

Arc: He moves from a robust parental supporter to a vulnerable stroke patient, then recovers and uses his authority to free Josie from caregiving.

• Josie Ballard — His daughter, whom he calls Jojo
• Charlie — His grandson
• Mark — His son-in-law, whom he comes to despise

Jen is the other woman in Mark's affair, apparently Peter's mom, imagined by Josie as a tall blond with severe bangs. She never appears directly in the story. Mark ends the affair before the divorce becomes final, and Jen disappears from the narrative.

Arc: She remains offstage and disappears after Mark ends the affair.

• Mark — Her affair partner
• Josie Ballard — The wife she helped Mark betray

Bettina is Hugo's outspoken local friend who appears with her dog Michelangelo, befriends Josie, and advises her to continue seeing Hugo and to keep Mark's presence a secret. She later cares for Cicero while Josie is away in Kansas. She is warm, blunt, and devoted to her friends.

Arc: No significant arc; she is a steady, supportive friend.

• Josie Ballard — Her friend and confidante
• Hugo Caruso — Her good friend
• Cicero — A dog she temporarily cares for
• Michelangelo — Her dog

Ellen is Josie's best friend back in Kansas. She is furious at Mark, proud of Josie for going to Italy alone, and eager for her to pursue Hugo. She supports Josie from offstage through phone calls and texts.

Arc: No significant arc; she provides consistent offstage support and encouragement.

• Josie Ballard — Her best friend
• Mark — The husband she calls an asshole

Michelangelo is Bettina's large, messy dog who drools on Josie, barks, and annoys Cicero by howling, stealing food, and filling the room with flatulence. He is harmless comic relief.

Arc: No significant arc.

• Bettina — His owner
• Josie Ballard — A visitor he slobbered on
• Cicero — His temporary roommate and source of irritation

Berto is a village bar owner who greets Hugo with an embrace and shows him a framed newspaper article about his furniture. He reveals that Giorgio secretly displayed Hugo's handmade furniture in village businesses, helping Hugo understand his father's pride.

Arc: No significant arc; he is a catalyst for Hugo's reconciliation with his father's memory.

• Hugo Caruso — The prodigal village boy he greets warmly
• Giorgio — His old customer and friend

Signora Pisano is a 98-year-old friend of Hugo's who warmly welcomes Josie and Hugo, receives a book, and sends them off with a basket of food.

Arc: No significant arc.

• Hugo Caruso — Her weekly book-delivery visitor and friend
• Josie Ballard — A guest she greets warmly

Francesco is Hugo's friend on Capri who lends them two Vespas. His loan enables Josie and Hugo's carefree ride around the island.

Arc: No significant arc.

• Hugo Caruso — His friend

Paula is a client of Hugo's who ordered a custom hutch. A phone call from her is clarified as business, not romance.

Arc: No significant arc.

• Hugo Caruso — His client

Martina is a client of Hugo's near Rome who ordered a table. She is mentioned to clarify that Hugo has no other romantic entanglements.

Arc: No significant arc.

• Hugo Caruso — His client