The Empty Room by Brooke Linford was a fun, rather predictable light read that I finished in a couple of days. There is not a lot of suspense here, but the writing developed the characters well as a young couple is plagued with infertility. When a beautiful co-worker shows up there is trouble ahead. Just an okay read for me. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an advance copy.

This book was good and very interesting. There were times I felt I had no idea what was going to happen. I did have a suspicion that I could tell how the story would end but I was torn between two different conclusions. It turns out, both of my conclusions were sort of correct. In addition to this book being a quick and easy thriller, I think Emily is a great character for women struggling with fertility. She perfectly encompasses the struggles, both physically and mentally, that women go through. She also explains how looking into the internet will sometimes fuel those struggles. I do wish we had gotten to know more about Victoria and how she found out about certain things throughout the story.

I must admit that I enjoyed this book but not for it’s complicated plot, or fantastic characters or beautiful prose. What this is a simply told tale narrated in a simple style; do not expect literary genius. It is not overburdened in complex plots and schemes with intricate strategies and multiple agendas.

A simple story then; based in Australia, about a couple very much in love but unable to conceive the much wanted baby. She works in an art gallery and feels threatened when her employer introduces her to a beautiful young woman who is to work alongside her in the gallery – although there is hardly enough work for two people. As the plot unfolds it is fairly predictable.

In all honesty the star of the show (so to speak) is the fires that are threatening Australia. Spreading through the bush and creeping up to destroy and kill. I thought this was handled really well; subtle but threatening.

Thank you to the author, publishers and NetGalley for providing an ARC via my Kindle in return for an honest review.

Thank you Netgalley and BooksGoSocial for the eARC.
Emily and Mark are a happily married couple, but having unsuccessfully tried to conceive a child for two years, they decide to go to a specialist. At the same time, Emily's boss has hired a gorgeous woman, which adds to her distress; the woman threatens her job and seems to have taken a liking to Mark. Strange, ominous happenings occur...even a suspicious death. Then there's the threatening bushfire!
It's a very quick read, nothing really special - an easy beach read where you don't mind being interrupted once in a while.

Don’t get your hopes up for an exciting thriller. This was very short with no room to build the suspense.

That being said, the idea of the story was really good. But I’m left with a million questions. Why was Victoria obsessed with Emily’s sister? Where did she come from? What happened to her and her kid? Why did she come to the gallery?

I was seriously disappointed here. Like I said, the concept was great but the execution was terrible.

The Empty Room is a story about a couple longing for a child after putting it off until they were ready. Fertility struggles are brought to the forefront but a new employee at the art gallery where Em works will quickly add to the drama.

This was a really quick read. The story is relatable and will hold your interest.

This was a fun read which I'd recommend to anyone looking to grab a book with some light suspense and fun action. Thank you for my ARC.

I loved The Empty Room. It was a fast paced thriller which I devoured in one sitting. I liked the characters and the writing style and would highly recommend it.

Thank you to NetGalley and BooksGoSocial for my copy.

A well written thriller and very fast paced, meaning I could whip through it in a day. Emily is slowly coming apart at the seams due to infertility, when a new colleague arrives on the scene. Victoria is beautiful and diverting, Emily starts to notice things about her that start to unnerve her - she shows special interest in Emily’s husband Mark and she starts to ask intrusive questions. The more she sees her the more Emily feels that the ever ready smile and pleasant manner are only skin deep, like a mask she’s wearing that only Emily can see. Suddenly things escalate. There’s random deliveries, a frightening encounter with a brown snake, and worst of all, a suspicious death. Adding to Emily’s anxiety, a bush fire starts to rage nearby. Then the threats begin. Why can’t anyone else see what Emily sees in Victoria?

I thought the title was excellent because it captured that despair of infertility and of baby loss. That coming home to an empty room after you’ve just got your period, when you’re trying for a baby. Or even worse, coming home after pregnancy loss. The sense of emptiness that comes from loss or struggling to get pregnant when you’re taunted by a room full of bright colours, fluffy toy.s and all your hopes and dreams for the child you want.

Even though we’re sure we know the villain of the piece, the author still creates tension by leaving us in the dark over when others will realise Emily’s unhinged. Also what is her endgame? Does she want Victoria’s husband? Her job? Her whole life? This was an enjoyable thriller, and the ending was just typically explosive.

This is one nice beach read!

The empty room has a strong side story about a couple, who is dealing with possible infertility. There is also the creepy side of it because of a stunning yet annoying and untrustworthy new coworker Victoria, that messes with Emily. Noone believes Emily, of course. Justified or not - I won’t tell ;)

The empty room is full of happening and creppy/annoying moments, which makes it a quick and interesting read.

This was a relatively quick read. Enjoyed the premise and the characters. Expected a bit more suspense. Thanks to Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book

Thank you Netgalley, BooksGoSocial, and Author Brooke Lunsford for this ARC.

This was far from the worst thriller I've ever read, but it certainly wasn't the best either. If you need to kill a few hours at the beach, camping, on a long car ride, in a waiting room, then this is perfect. But don't get a copy and settle in for intense characters or twisting plotlines. This was a short and simple story. The villain was easily detected. The story is one big cliche after another. And don't expect shocking twists or turns, the surprises are minimal at best and easily seen a mike away.

This story has potential but it's not quite there yet.

If you're looking for suspense skip the prologue. It contains about the amount of suspense you'll get. There won't be many surprises afterwards.
What you'll get is a decent story about a young women feeling that something is awfully off but nobody believing her and a decent description what it feels like knowing there's a bush fire coming your way.

Book 28 for #goodreads #challenge

The Empty Room by @BrookeLinford

“It seemed we could all be blind when we were teased with something we desperately wanted.”

This is a story about Emily and her husband Mark desperately trying for a baby but infertility are taking toll on them be it physically and mentally.

Em works in an art gallery there she meets with her assistant/ co worker Victoria, gorgeously beautiful woman and Em really something is fishy and off with this Victoria.

A mysterious murder took place in the neighbourhood of Em and Mark.

And, if you all want to know more and make sense out of what I’m talking about you really need to read this.

So, if you like to read short but fast-paced and less complicated thriller then this is your book.
Grab it. But I’m sure you’ll enjoy it. It’s a psychological thriller fiction. The cover is apt for the book itself.

Read and reviewed voluntarily, opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.
Thank you @NetGalley and @CloseUpBooks for the #arc in exchange for an honest review.

Brilliant psychological domestic thriller.

A perfect marriage under strain due to infertility is worsened when a beautiful colleague enters the scene.
Characters are well developed and relatable, the twists make this a claustrophobic, uncomfortable fast read.

Absolutely perfect for the beach.

If you like to read short, fast paced thrillers with uncomplicated plot lines- this is your kind of book.
However, after reading so many thrillers with mind boggling stories, this book fell short of my expectations. The story is quite simple and I feel the author should have tried something more with the story as there was a potential for it to become a little bit more twisty. The title is amazing as the couple is trying for a baby and after multiple failed attempts they are heartbroken over how that one room in their house which could be a future nursery remains empty. The MC Emily has issues at her job with a new employee as she realises there is something not really right about her. The cliche concept of a person not being what they seem to be was used here, and I wish it would’ve been explored more.
There was not much room for suspense and the villain was quite clear from the start. Underwhelming and cliched, I would not recommend this book to seasoned thriller fans.
Thanks to author, NetGalley & the publisher BooksGoSocial for this ARC.

A very interesting storyline.
However I did find it a bit slow and Emily repeats herself a lot. Emily has a new coworker, Victoria, who she just can’t seem to get along with. Victoria is all nice and smiles with everyone except when she is with Emily, and she only lets Emily see her darker side. With strange things happening around Emily, not long after the arrival of Victoria, she suspects that Victoria is behind it all. Now these are the parts that I find are not explained enough, or leave no intrigue, they are just sort of stated. I found that the ending was rushed. I was surprised by the reason behind all of Emily’s misfortune, which was good, but I still felt it could of been more elaborated. Saying that, it was still a good read.

A fast paced thriller which is based in a context which so many people will be able to relate to. We see a relationship fracture under the pressure of their desperate efforts to have a child and then watch the drama as the author brings a third party into the mix. The book captures emotion well, which adds to the sense of being a part of the story yourself.

I think the story had a fairly good structure but it's missing some contents, like additional info. I guess, I'll have to leave it at that since to elaborate would cause spoilers. Then again, it's also worth noting what you have felt and understood, during those situations. Are you stereotyping? Do you think she was being too sensitive? With the way that he keeps on gaslighting her, can that even be called a partnership? Is that even really the reality for all couples? As someone who isn't in a committed relationship, am I even in any position to judge them? Have you made assumptions from their character based on their situation? What do you think that says about your own character? Thought processes? This book packed a lot of punch for me!

Many thanks to NetGalley and BooksGoSocial for the free ARC. My review is made of my own accord. No monetary compensation, whatsoever, has been received from the names mentioned above and/or the rightful owners of this ARC.

Emily and Mark have been trying to have a baby for two years with no luck. Emily feels like a failure, while Mark tries to interest her into going to a fertility specialist.

It doesn't help when Emily feels that she's being out of her job. Her boss hires a beautiful woman, Victoria, who immediately sets Emily's teeth on edge. There's just something not quite right about her. As time goes by, things get worse. She's seems to have a thing for Emily's husband and is always asking personal questions.

And then the situation escalates .... did she have a piece of baby furniture delivered to Tom and Emily's home? Why was there a venomous brown snake found in their kitchen? Who ran her off the road?

Why will no one believe Emily's belief that Victoria is dangerous .. not her husband, not her sister, not her boss? What is Victoria's end game ... does she want Emily's husband .. or her life?

This is one of those books that even if you know the 'who' ... you can't stop reading to see what happens next. It's like seeing an accident along the side of the road ... you don't want to look .. but you do. The story line is well constructed. Characters are either very likable .. or not. It's suspenseful from the start and it leads right to an explosive conclusion.

Many thanks to the author / BooksGoSocial / Netgalley for the digital copy of this psychological fiction. Read and reviewed voluntarily, opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.