Empty

by M.A. Ross

Meet Born ‘n bred Lewis girl. Millennial. Teuchtar. And self-confessed “cheery depressive”.

She’s sorted…sort of. With her own place, a steady income, and a tiny pool of trusted friends, she leads a blissfully uneventful life. At almost 40 and working as a petrol station attendant in Stornoway, she’s hardly broadened her horizons since leaving her home in a buttoned-up village just ten miles away.

She gets more pleasure from her favoured Marian Keyes books than she does from reality. She sometimes daydreams of a fuller life; one that’s not confined to the pages of her paperbacks. However, she fears that any deviation from her strict routine and rituals could potentially derail her delicate mental health, and that is simply a risk she is not willing to take. Not after last time. Or the time before that. She’s had too many close calls.

What will become of her though, when despite her care and diligence, life throws curveballs she simply can’t avoid? Will Bobby find the strength to overcome heartbreak? Is there a tiny possibility that she could prove herself wrong; maybe even rise and thrive from the ashes of despair? Or is she destined to forever remain “empty”?

280 pages, Paperback

Published October 8, 2025

Reviews

[Samantha Mulvee-Donnelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was desperately waiting the hard copy of this novel, to envelope it all over again (after having the pleasure to be one of the elite few, who received updates on the progress of the story.

It is a beautiful portrait of survival, written with authenticity and heart. This is not a story of dramatic transformation, but of subtle resilience. It's about finding moments of light in the dark, and learning that emptiness can sometimes make space for something new. The writing, grounded in the rhythms and humour of island life, is rich with a Gaelic sensibility that adds depth without ever feeling ornamental. Everything feels authentic, born of lived experience rather than observation.

[Lorna Brown · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bobby is born and bred on the Isle of Lewis in Scotland. When she is 18 she moves to Glasgow University and has high hopes for new experiences and friendships. Having grown up near Glasgow the nostalgia for these times was piqued by reminders of Morgan de Toi, Hugo Boss perfume, La Senza and blue mascara. We quickly see Bobby’s Uni experience spiral when she has to adjust to independent living, independent learning and deal with complicated relationships.

What surprised me most about this novel was the honest insight into mental health issues facing women today. While Bobby’s compulsive spending and her rationale for her purchases may have been initially humorous, they betrayed a deep sense of displacement, craving acceptance and chasing the dopamine high.

The author cleverly and subtly, through strong characterisation of Bobby demonstrates that mental health issues aren’t always glaringly obvious, as we see Bobby return to Lewis.

For me the characterisation was the stand out aspect of this novel. Often when a story is protagonist driven the ancillary characters are on the periphery lacking engagement. However there were so many characters in Empty who left me wanting to know more.

The relationship between Bobby and her Dad brought a tear to my eye a few times. Known to be the family stalwart, providing for his family, his empathy and compassion were touching. I also thought there was a really interesting insight into parental responsibility and self recrimination.

Coirstaidh, Bobby’s older friend and neighbour balanced maternal care with fun friend. Her spirit was vividly portrayed and ultimately, although she changed Bobby’s life in many ways, showed her the true meaning of friendship and fulfilment.
Leaving Bobby no longer empty.

I read this book in one day and would highly recommend it!

[Helen F · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a tale of two halves for me. The first part focusing on Bobby through her recollections growing up on a Scottish island is incredibly well realised and narrated. Full of nostalgia and the angst of teenage girls it’s funny and familiar and sad all at once. The relationships / friendships and the inner voice are all fully rounded and make for a great read. I particularly loved the use of Gaelic colloquialisms and the fast pace of thoughts as the story is narrated. Then we see Bobby off to university and a real decline in her mental health. Again this is very realistic, hard to read in places and authentic. I particularly loved the relationship between Bobby and her dad and her creation of a normal ‘safe’ routine. Bobby as a 40 year old felt less authentic to me - the final chapters felt like we were tying all the strings up and fixing everything and this just felt a little jarring and unrealised to me.
What I couldn’t fault was the writing itself - full of humour and totally inviting. Lots of detail - you can picture the characters and scenes vividly. A brilliant debut, a fab intro to life on a small Scottish island and an author I’d pick up again

[Becky H]

This is a debut novel about Bobby who was born and bred in the Outer Hebrides. We follow her life from adolescence through to adulthood, navigating the many challenges and stresses we encounter through life.
This book touches on the complexities of mental health, and explores Bobby’s triggers and treatment
This is a book full of nostalgia and humour, friendships and family

[Kyrenia Boucher · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 beautiful read, I was rooting for Bobby the whole way through. Fab characters and loved the nostalgia. Highly recommend and looking forward to the authors next book 😁

[Hazel Clee · Rating 5 out of 5]

A trip down memory lane.

I loved everything about this little gem of a book.

This is the story of Bobby. We first meet Bobby when she is a teenager, struggling to fit in at school and even her own family.
Bobby lives on a small island in the Outer Hebrides with her Protestant mother and catholic father. We follow Bobby as she journeys through life. The author tackles the serious issue of mental health disorder with humour, sensitivity and what I can only surmise to be lived experience. The authenticity of the writing feels raw and incredibly human. This is further highlighted as the book is not only written in English but has many words and phrases in traditional Gaelic. (Don’t worry though as there are translations)

For me this was a book full of nostalgic memories, from the brands of clothing, make up and hair styles to the alcohol of choice from back in the 90s. Who doesn’t love a trip down memory lane?

I think this book would suit most readers, obviously millennials and Gen X will love the nostalgia but the YA readers will also appreciate the coming of age trope.

[Jules Peart · Rating 5 out of 5]

This may be a bit premature as it is only April, but I think this is going to be my top book for 2026!! 100% my favourite read so far this year.

M.A. Ross introduces us to Bobby and takes us back to the 90s including all the nostalgia. The relationship Bobby has with her parents really struck a chord with me. We see that really come in to fruition when, after moving away to Glasgow for Uni, Bobbys life spirals and her mental health takes a real nose dive.

We watch Bobbys journey told from adolescence through to her 40th birthday and what a journey it is. She really is a special character, one who will stay with me for a long time.

This is a MUST read, thank you for introducing us to Bobby 🫶🏼🫶🏼

[Lynn Hailey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Having visited Stornoway not long after covid restrictions eased, I enjoyed reading an islander’s viewpoint.

I found the book honestly approached the fluctuations of mental health. The ups and downs aren’t dramatised or simplified; it's just a girl trying to cope one day at a time.

However, empty isn’t a bleak book. At its core, it’s about connection — especially the kind forged through genuine friendships. The way the characters show up for each other, often imperfectly but always with heart, stood out to me.

[Dr Martin McKee · Rating 5 out of 5]

We meet Bobby, nearing 40 she lives in Stornoway on the isle of Lewis in Scotland. We take a nostalgic trip into her past as she approaches her latter days of high school and start of University. Something happens and her life takes a change.

We explore a life challenged by issues of mental ill health, relationships, interpersonal difficulties, friends, parents and having a cat.

Funny, poignant, real and brilliant.

[Louise1985 · Rating 5 out of 5]

This debut novel was fantastic didn’t want it to end. We follow Bobby from her teenage years trying to find her way through the transition from school and island life onto university in the big city. We go through every rollercoaster of emotion with Bobby and you just want to be her friend and give her the biggest hug. This was so nostalgic for me and I just enjoyed every page

[Lindsay from Leeds · Rating 5 out of 5]

Adored everything about this book. I felt like it was my life in places. I had the touch eclat, hair mascara and babyliss hair straightener. The nostalgia, the vulnerability, the rawness and the humour were spot on ! I highly recommend this book!

[Fiona Stewart · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic book, finished in 2days.Lovely to read about Stornoway which is not far from where I stay,and Bobby's troubles with Mental Health and life in general

[Wendy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Absolutely loved this book cannot wait to read more from this author 💜

[Nicole Dixon · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book has my whole heart.
Raw, Heartbreaking & Heartwarming.
Utterly nostalgic.

Read it - the end.