Review: Placeholders - James Roseman

An emotional journey of self-discovery.

Expected publication date: September 26th, 2024
Genre: General Fiction
Find it here: Goodreads, Amazon
Disclaimer: Thank you to NetGalley for selecting me to review this ARC. All views are honest and my own.

My star rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

James Roseman tackles many awkward topics in this novel. Tragedy, romance, getting old, religion, and loss are just a few of the stand out elements of this book for me. Beautifully written and respectfully described, this is a real gem of a book.

I found myself relating a lot of the content of this book to my own life experiences. Relationships, careers, friendships - things that we take for granted. Even when a topic was being covered that bears no resemblance to my life, I found myself really considering how I would act if it was happening to me.

Róisín and Aaron’s relationship is full of emotion and turmoil. Are they in love, do they need each other or are they just there for the ride? Filling voids in each other’s lives, rather than being true soul mates.

Róisín’s relationship with Michael, form me was the most enchanting part of this book. Pure and simple. To see them both come from completely different backgrounds but to grow to genuinely care for each other felt incredibly powerful and one of the biggest takeaways from the book in my opinion.

Question for discussion: Would you have stayed if you were Róisín?