Main Characters

The premise of Main Characters by Bobby Palmer immediately drew me in—a love story told by everyone except the two people at its center. At first, I worried it might become a DNF; the characters were introduced at a frenetic pace, and I felt as though I needed a cheat sheet to keep track of the relationships. As the pace settled, however, I found myself increasingly invested.

The protagonists are both broken in different ways. She is determined to rebuild herself and pursue her dreams; he is uncertain, searching, and unsure he will ever feel whole again. Their chemistry is electric. They fall hard and begin building a life together.

​As the years pass, friends, passersby, and casual eavesdroppers narrate the vignettes that make up their story, adding texture and context—albeit from an outsider’s perspective. As Clara and Seb come together and drift apart, I couldn’t help but think they might have benefited from that same vantage point. But real life rarely offers such clarity.

The novel ends without truly ending, which feels fitting. Some stories continue long after the reader turns the final page.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC.