One of the two protagonists, Toby is a doctor in his 40s going through a divorce with Rachel Fleishman, his wife of 15 years. They have two children: Hannah and Solly. Toby is a dedicated and competent doctor who cares for his patients, although Rachel wanted him to focus on advancing through the ranks to a more prestigious or better-paying position. As a child, Toby considered himself short and overweight. For this reason, he is specific about his eating habits and frequently thinks about his height and stature, especially while out on dates.

Toby is caught between several competing demands. He is needed at the hospital for an important case involving a rare disease, but he is also needed by his children, who have recently found themselves motherless. All the while, he finds himself endlessly distracted by the women that message him sexually explicit photos. Toby does his best for his children but is also fallible; he struggles to make the right choices for everyone who depends on him. 

The novel’s other protagonist, Rachel is Toby’s ex-wife and the mother of Hannah and Solly. Ambitious and successful, she is the founder of a respected talent agency. She was raised by an emotionally cold grandmother from a young age.