ARC read - thank you to the publishers, NetGalley and of course the author for this advanced copy.

This book is everything the synopsis promises to be and more.

I knew from the premiss that I would love it, but it still blew me away. I cried, I laughed, I fell in love with the gorgeous array of wonderful characters. The way of telling the story through the eyes of everyone around them was so clever, I couldn’t help but think about couples I’ve observed and what strangers may have seen of my life.

My husband is from Leicester, so I loved the little nods to a place I’ve come to know well.

For fans of the last five years, heartburn, David Nichols, Sally Rooney… I could go on.

It was beautiful, I want to read it again and again and again. I can’t wait until July so I can recommend it to all of my friends!

I love reading books about the entrainment industry especially from those who want to find their was and are bright eyed and determined. I was so curious to read about these two and the betrayal that broke them apart and if they would find there way back to one another! So good

A book like no other, a love story told by everyone else just not the main characters. I loved this concept. It was surprising how relatable the characters were and how connected to them I still felt despite their stories being told through the voices of other people.

Clara & Seb are far from perfect and their relationship is in turmoil a lot but this made them so much more relatable. Easy to find common ground with characters that experience similar experiences and struggles that we do in real life. That being said I really really wanted them to work out. Seb broke my heart, I felt like he was such an old soul lost in a big world where he just couldn't find his footing.

Can I just take a minute.. erm Jasper.. where the Heck was Clara when you know [ I can't say I have to keep this spoiler free ] roll on July 2026 when I can find people to talk to about this!!

I have loved Bobby Palmers previous novels and honestly I think this one trumps those. I'll be raving about this from the rooftops. Definitely will be needing a physical copy for my shelves!

Overall a stunning book, full of heartache, growth, friendships, healing, love and so much more. An absolute must read!!

I have always loved Bobbys books and this did not disappoint. Heartwarming, emotional and uplifting. A great cast, excellent story and executed in a different but brilliant way. I loved it.

I absolutely adored Main Characters — it’s one of those novels that stays with you long after you’ve finished the last page. At its heart, it’s a love story, but what makes it so special is the way it’s told: not through the protagonists themselves, but through the eyes of the people around them. Friends, flatmates, ex-partners and strangers alike all get a voice in unfolding Clara and Seb’s story, which gives the narrative a richness and emotional depth that most romances simply don’t achieve. This ripple-effect perspective made the characters feel real and multifaceted, showing us who they are both in the glow of love and in the messy shadows of their choices. 

I was genuinely gripped by the emotional honesty of this book. The grief at the centre of the story is handled with a beautiful sensitivity — it never feels flashy or performative, but real and quietly devastating in the way it shapes these characters’ lives. I found myself obsessively invested in their arcs, even when I wanted to shout at them for their endless self-sabotage. That frustrating flaw actually became part of the book’s magic: these aren’t perfect people, they’re people you recognise, with all the contradictory instincts and tender wounds that make real relationships so unpredictable. Your heart aches for them even while you’re frustrated with them. 

It did take a little while for me to fully settle into the story — I actually almost wanted to rewind and read the start again once I knew where it was going. But that’s less a criticism and more a testament to how much these characters live in your head long after you’ve closed the book. The pacing rewards patience: once you’re in, the story grips you with its beautiful blend of humour, heartbreak and insight. 

What really sets this novel apart is how it illuminates its main characters through the reflections of those around them. You get to see Clara and Seb from every angle, and in doing so you discover different versions of love, loyalty, regret and hope. It’s a clever and deeply moving concept executed with tenderness, nuance and genuine emotional intelligence. I laughed, I teared up, and I couldn’t put it down. This is a love story told like no other, and I can’t wait to recommend it to everyone who loves immersive, character-driven fiction.

This novel offers an original and deeply moving perspective: a love story revealed through the eyes of those who observe it. From best friends to bus passengers to colleagues, each viewpoint adds to the story of the relationship as it happens.
Each character was so well built out, I truly felt like I was in the story. Despite the story being told through secondary perspectives, I felt incredibly connected to the central characters and came to understand them and their motives.
Overall, this is a moving and emotional book that has stayed with me and I loved the concept so much. I’d highly recommend it!

I really loved this book. Not normally one for a romance novel, this quirkily told story took me completely by surprise with its emotional depth. And it had me in tears at more than one point. It’s a tale to break your heart and then build hope back up again. Can’t wait to recommend it in our bookshop when it’s published!

I’m a teary mess this book is truly brilliant
I absolutely adored this author’s previous novels Isaac and the egg and Small Hours both of which were highlights of my years reading therefore when this book came up on NetGalley UK I immediately requested it. it was no surprise to me therefore too realise that this book too has a rather unique point of view I’m not much for a reader of romance novel and the book blurb suggested that that’s what this was however as a fan of the author decided to give it to go and I’m very glad that I did

I loved the way that the main two characters’ story is told from the point of view of other people seeing them and watching their behaviour it is often for the first time that the narrator of that section has ever come across the two main characters Clara and Seb, and so they can only tell their story from what is happening in the immediate moment. The joy of the book is of course that you as the reader often know what’s happened before or what happens afterwards and can slot the whole story together.
There are some beautiful incidental cameo roles throughout the novel the reader learns a little bit about these tiny flashes of peoples lives and it’s rather lovely. Likewise, the characters of Clara and Seb are real three-dimensional very well described characters. Their love story is immediately compelling unbelievable.
Early on in the novel the film Notting Hill is mentioned and I couldn’t help but keep thinking about it. Pretty soon seeing similarities between the Story in that film and what’s happening in the novel
I think that this is a very cinegraphic novel it often seems flow with scenes reading as if they’re written for a film. Of course, this means that it would make a fantastic film and I hope that the film rights are taken up very quickly for this no There’s a sliding doors element to the romance as they find each other as if by chance. At different stages in their life.
The author has a beautiful flowing accessible writing style. This is an easy relaxing enjoyable read I loved it.
I think this book is going to do extremely well I personally would be recommending it to my reading friends
I read an early copy of the novel on NetGalley UK. In return for an honest review The book is published in the UK on the 2nd of July 2026 by Headline books.
This review will appear on NetGalley or Goodreads, StoryGraph, and my book Blog BionicSarahSbooks.wordpress.com after publication it will be also published in Amazon and Waterstones online

Main Characters is a love story told in a completely original way, through the voices of everyone except the two people at its centre. Clara and Seb are about to fall in love. They do not realise it yet, but everyone around them can see it happening in real time.

When they meet in London, the connection between them is immediate. Clara dreams of becoming a director, while Seb is an actor still unsure of who he wants to be. Their chemistry is undeniable, and their relationship quickly becomes something that friends, flatmates, exes, and even strangers bear witness to. But when Clara casts Seb in the film that could define her career, what should be a moment of shared triumph instead leads to a devastating betrayal.

The story unfolds through a chorus of perspectives, each offering a slightly different version of events. This structure is incredibly effective, capturing how love stories are never just owned by the people in them, but by everyone who watches them from the outside. It is clever, intimate, and often painfully perceptive.

I knew from the premise that I would love this book, but it still completely blew me away. I cried, I laughed, and I fell in love with the cast of characters who surround Clara and Seb. Seeing their relationship reflected through other people’s eyes made me think about the couples I have observed over the years, and what strangers might have seen of my own life.

The writing is warm, emotionally sharp, and full of insight into how love is built, tested, and remembered. Small details, including gentle nods to Leicester, added an extra layer of charm and personal connection for me.

A beautiful, inventive, and deeply affecting book about love, perception, and the stories we tell about other people’s lives.

Read more at The Secret Book Review.

I thought this book was so wonderful! I was intrigued by the premise and hooked from the start – I was initially concerned that I wouldn't properly connect with the characters because of not having any of their POV, but I needn't have worried: Bobby Palmer's writing is so skillful when it comes to drawing people as they're seen through others, and I immediately felt really tuned into Clara and Seb's characters and their story. There were so many emotional and gut-wrenching bits, but also a lot of humour and moments of light. I also appreciated the important things it had to say about the challenges facing working mothers, working women, women in the public eye, and just women in general! It felt illuminating and soulful, but also super perceptive and funny. It's like One Day meets Normal People with a good helping of Dolly Alderton thrown in! I already can't wait to read Bobby's next book.