On Our Own (Novel Series)

***On Our Own*** is an teen and family drama novel series created by Maryam Wells. The series chronicles the lives of five sisters who try to raise one another after the loss of their parents in a car crash. The series is dubbed the female version of "Party of Five". While categorized as a series aimed at teenagers and young adults, *On Our Own* explored several mature themes, including substance and domestic abuse, teen pregnancy, mental illness, cancer, alcoholism, eating disorders, and the long-term effects of parental loss.

## Synopsis

The show, set in an fictional city of Torrington, California, centered on the five Lambert sisters, who become orphans after their parents are killed in a car crash caused by a drunk driver. The family is composed of 23-year-old Katie, the eldest, a man-hungry, immature wannabe actress who struggles with the responsibility of being the new head of the family and gives up her dream to look after her sisters; 16-year-old Jessica, the once-rebellious high school cheerleader forced into a role of responsible caretaker and being; 13-year-old Cassie, a sensitive teen; dealing with the loss of her parents and contending with teenage growing pains; 10-year-old Laura, a precocious preteen dancer; and 6-year-old Sarah is more of a daughter-figure to Katie than a baby sister.

The sisters take over the running of their family's restaurant, Lambert's Cafe. However, the cafe closed down when Katie failed to get a loan to save it. Katie eventually gets a job at a clothing store and starts selling makeup online. Over the years, the Lambert girls face various struggles: the long-term effects of parental loss; in Season 3, Jessica's attempt to recover from alcoholism and working at a pizza Shack; while ; in Season 4, Katie's diagnosis with cancer; and in Season 5, Cassie's dealing with domestic violence in a relationship; Laura shares a shocking kiss with Cassie's ex-boyfriend, Dean Cameron;. When Katie marries next-door neighbor Alex Brody, they learn that Katie's cancer battle made her infertile. They decide to find a surrogate to carry their child, unable to find one, Jessica and Cassie volunteer to carry Katie's baby. This leads to Jessica and Cassie feuding over who would carry Katie's baby. 17-year-old Laura thought about carrying Katie's baby, but had to contend with her sisters' disagreement.

As the series progressed, romantic relationships became plot points and new cast members joined the show, including Mason Clarke, Jessica's boyfriend; Dean Cameron, Cassie's "bad-boy" boyfriend and later husband in the final arc; and Alex Brody, the next-door neighbor, who develops an on-again-off-again relationship with Katie throughout the series, until they get married during the series' fifth arc. Dean Cameron begins a secret relationship with Laura after Cassie breaks up with him to be with Ray Brooks, her future abusive and controlling boyfriend.

## Characters

### Main

* Katie Mitchell (ages 23–30); the eldest Lambert sister who struggles to live her own life in the reluctant role of legal guardian to her younger sisters. At first, she was a spoiled, immature girl who was a serial dater until her parents' deaths made her his sisters' legal guardian and grow up fast.
* Jessica Mitchell (ages 16–21); the second-born Lambert sister who is forced to grow up fast after growing up as a rebellious teenager and deal with life after her parents' deaths.
* Cassie Mitchell (ages 13–19); a straight-A student and a cheerleader, emotionally sensitive teenager who struggles to adjust to being an orphan and having more family responsibilities.
* Laura Mitchell (ages 10–17); a talented dancer struggling to build a life for herself and also deal with being an orphan.
* Sarah Micthell (ages 6–10): a precocious child whom Katie looks after their parents' death.
* Alex Brody (seasons 1–2, 5–6, recurring seasons 2-4); a graduate student who is a next-door neighbor to the Lambert girls and becomes romantically involved with Katie off-and-on during the series, eventually marrying by season six and having their first child by the end of series.
* Peyton Cross (seasons 1–2, 6, recurring seasons 3-5); Jessica's best friend from high school.
* Justin Thompson (season 2, recurring seasons 1, 3-6); Cassie's friend, and later off-and-on boyfriend, during the series.
* Brian Duvall (seasons 2–6); Jessica's sensitive, off-and-on boyfriend from high school who struggles to "find himself" after he finds out that he was adopted. He tried to support Jessica's alcoholism and almost broke up with her when it affected their relationship. During the fifth arc, Jessica finds out she is pregnant with Brian's baby. She thought about an abortion, ultimately decided to raise the child. Unfortunately, she miscarries the baby, leaving her devastated By the end of the series, Brian and Jessica eventually marry.
* Dean Cameron (seasons 4–6, recurring seasons 2–3); A moody and troubled teenager whom Cassie dates, and later marries, divorces, and remarries. In the fifth arc, after his divorce from Cassie, Dean share a shocking kiss with Cassie's sister, Laura. By the end of the series, Dean and Cassie reconcile and the two remarry.