Headline Review acquires ‘relatable, absorbing and heartfelt’ new novel from Bobby Palmer
Headline Publishing Group has acquired Main Characters, a new novel by author and journalist Bobby Palmer.
His debut novel, Isaac and the Egg, was Waterstones Paperback of the Year in 2023. The Small Hours author also co-hosts the podcast Book Chat with journalist Pandora Sykes.
Editorial director Frankie Edwards acquired the UK and Commonwealth rights to Main Characters from Millie Hoskins at United Agents. The US rights were won by Gabriella Mongelli at Little, Brown in a "competitive" four-way auction during London Book Fair. There were also pre-empts by Spanish publisher Urano and Italian publisher Garzanti.
Both Headline Review and Little, Brown will publish the novel in summer 2026. It will be published as a lead hardback launch and will be backed by a "creative global campaign".
Main Characters follows the story of Seb, a reluctant actor, and Clara, an aspiring director. Their worlds collide when they meet in the mid-2000s, marking the beginning of a magnetic connection which keeps them returning to each other across the course of this 20-year story. That is, until the future that they dreamt of is suddenly transformed beyond recognition.
The synopsis continues: “Witnessed by friends and flatmates, rivals and lovers, passers-by and hangers-on, this love story is told by everybody but the main characters.”
Edwards said: “I’ve read a thousand love stories, but not one like this. The concept is effortlessly clever, the story deeply relatable, absorbing and heartfelt.”
Palmer said: “I knew that I was trying something new with Main Characters, and that was equal parts thrilling and terrifying. But to see how much people are already connecting with this story has been one of the biggest joys of my writing life.”
