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Empty
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”?
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
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6 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
December 27, 2025
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.
December 17, 2025
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.
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.
November 22, 2025
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
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews