Main Characters by Bobby Palmer

 

A chance meeting between Clara and Seb sparks a romance that will span decades. The couple seems perfect together, but, as the saying goes, the course of true love never did run smooth.

Main Characters by Bobby Palmer is an epic love story, told from the perspective of those around the main characters, Clara and Seb. As I started the book, I found the style unusual, but that isn't unexpected; it sometimes takes a few chapters to adapt to a different writing style. I was, however, immediately caught up in the budding romance between Clara and Seb; the sparks between the pair leapt off the page. I even found my heart skipping a beat when it initially looked as if the romance wasn't even going to get past their first date.

I adored Seb; he's dark and brooding as a result of tragedy in his childhood. He doesn't let people into his life easily, but once you're in, you're in for life. He's struggling to find his raison d'être; when we first meet him, he's fallen into acting and modelling, but music is his passion. Clara is a completely different kettle of fish; she's driven, and at times it feels as if it is to the exclusion of everything else. Maybe this is why the couple works so well, the notion of opposites attracting. 

As we follow the couple over the decades, there are some truly emotional scenes. I found myself wiping away a tear at two in particular. There were also times when I was filled with frustration and disbelief, those moments when you want to climb inside a book and bang heads together.

Throughout, I was willing the couple on; I liked the fact that the author shows that relationships aren't linear, that happy-ever-afters take effort and communication. By the end, though, I still couldn't come to terms with the style; I felt as if my brain was having to re-set with the start of each new perspective. But that's just me. Please don't let this put you off reading this beautiful love story.

Main Characters by Bobby Palmer will be published on 2nd July 2026 in hardback, ebook and audio format. My thanks to NetGalley and Headline for a review copy.

Author Details

Bobby Palmer is both an author and journalist. His critically acclaimed debut novel, Isaac and the Egg, was a Waterstones Paperback of the Year in 2022; 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, Cosmopolitan amongst others. He lives with his family in Sussex.