Main Characters

Irresistible and immaculately executed – Sunday Times Style
An epic on-again, off-again romance … with small, perceptive insights into a vast cast of characters and the way lives collide and divert. I wept – Abigail Dean on holiday reads for the Guardian
Cinematic and swoon-worthy (but not without its gut punches)… such a fresh and original take on the telling of a love story − but somehow timeless – Claire Daverley
Destined to be on everyone’s sun loungers this summer – Stylist
An all-encompassing love story … Moved me to tears more than once – Prima, Book of the Month
Moving, funny, wise and beautifully written . . I love the idea of people’s lives crossing over, the impressions we get from what we see and hear. If you love a smart, poignant, funny, gripping book, you will love this. I cannot recommend it enough – Joanna Cannon
A clever concept … an epic love story – Grazia
One for those who loved One Day – Gloss Magazine
Gorgeous, clever, utterly addictive. A fresh take on the British romcom – Pandora Sykes
We’ve never read a love story quite like this ─ unputdownable – Closer
Ambitious and big-hearted … The perfect, immersive read – Mike Gayle
An enjoyable twist on a love story, Main Characters is an easy, funny and fresh sun-lounger read – The Standard, Best New Books to Read in 2026
Clara and Seb’s lives intertwine [and] unravel with shifting loyalties, misread moments and heartbreak – Woman & Home
If you love clever literary fiction, you will love this novel. If you love immersive commercial fiction, you will love this novel. If you love rom coms and a portrayal of London that feels like a Richard Curtis movie, you will love this novel – Georgina Moore
Innovative and clever but with all the humour, character detail and heart-wrenching emotional moments we have come to expect from Bobby Palmer’s writing. Wonderful – Kate Sawyer
This unique story charts a new relationship from the point of view of everyone but the couple themselves – Good Housekeeping
The perfect book for anyone who’s ever sat opposite a mysterious stranger on a train and wondered what’s really going on behind those eyes. A charming, romantic meditation on the chaos of falling in (and out of) love – Justin Myers
A moving novel that tells the story of aspiring director Clara and actor Seb from the perspectives of friends, colleagues and strangers – Hello!
Entirely fresh and unexpected … with the feel of a classic love story – BookBrunch
Our book of the summer. A real treat of a read – Bella Magazine
Every perspective is gripping, immediate, and utterly alive, forging a surprising and intense intimacy with Seb and Clara, even as we only meet them refracted through others’ eyes. Bobby Palmer has the rare talent of making us fall in love – Seth Insua
A love story shaped by competing memories … brilliant and unique – That’s Life Monthly
A unique and deeply moving novel – Culturefly

Bobby Palmer is an author and journalist. His debut novel, Isaac and the Egg, was a Waterstones Paperback of the Year in 2022, and his second novel, Small Hours, was published in 2024. Bobby co-hosted the podcast Book Chat with Pandora Sykes, and his writing has appeared in GQ, Esquire, Men’s Health, and Cosmopolitan, among others. He lives with his family in Sussex.

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