Placeholders

by James Roseman

An unflinching and emotionally insightful debut about cultural identity, homesickness, love and loss.

In the five years following his brother's death, Aaron has built himself a life of solitary routines. After moving from Dublin to Boston, and illegally overstaying her visa, Róisín has done the same.

When the two meet on a night out, they each find in the other something missing in their lives. A semblance of home.

Their relationship is complicated by their disparate religious backgrounds - Aaron is Jewish; Roísín is atheist - and by the harsh realities of everyday life. Just as they're pushed to their breaking point, Roísín realises she is pregnant.

Placeholders is a poignant story of loneliness corrected and the transformative power of love. The next fix for fans of Sally Rooney, Nick Hornby, David Nicholls, Louise Kennedy and Coco Mellors.

This novel contains a depiction of sexual assault.

Genres: Contemporary

243 pages, Kindle Edition

Published September 12, 2024

Reviews

[Kevin · Rating 4 out of 5]

I always feel slightly strange being the first person to rate a new book on Goodreads and being the first person to set an 'average' rating for it. This is particularly true when it's a book that I don't enjoy.

Thankfully, this a positive review so no worries here. Placeholders is a relatively short novel, only around 250 pages which seemed strange to me at first given that the book explores the relationship between two characters, Aaron and Roisin. My concern was whether the writer could make us care enough about the characters, in such a relatively short book, given books like this live or die by how invested we are in the two main characters.

There was nothing to fear here though. Both Aaron and Roisin were brilliant characters and both leapt off the page with a real understated beauty. Both having suffered pain in their lives, they meet and appear to fill a hole in each other's lives. However, their relationship does not run smoothly and when it comes to the crunch will it be true love or will they simply just be placeholders?

Read on to find out........

Thanks to Netgalley and VERVE books for an ARC in exchange for an honest review

[Emilia Barbaro · Rating 5 out of 5]

this book made my heart absolutely ACHE!!!! the most tender book i have ever read!!!! they way this book was able to capture all of life’s big feelings of loneliness, vulnerability, identity, the feeling of belonging and unconditional love in all its quietest, tender and truly human ways. the descriptive language evoked such powerful feelings and beautiful imagery, there was countless times i had to just close the book and sit and savour the feelings and the words! it literally made my heart ache!!! literally had to put a hand to my chest!! i didn’t want to put this book down!! i didn’t want this book to end!! i didn’t want to be out of this universe yet!! i wanted it to continue forever until it met the perfect ending but that’s not how life really is, life is so harsh but it is also so bloody beautiful even for a fleeting moment and this story is the perfect example of just that!!

[Freddy · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.25- It honestly felt unbaked and the writing suffered greatly because of that. It had very little subtlety when dealing with its chosen ‘themes’ and I just felt like I was being slapped in the face with literary fiction cliches. The book should have alternated between the two character’s first person perspective which would have naturally given exposition without over explaining everything. The mid length time jumps between each chapter also made me feel like as a reader I was missing large parts of the character arcs and was left filling in the blanks. I just wish it had been more microscopic in its character study.
I think the concept of this could have worked but the execution needed more time to marinate.

[Sarah Conn · Rating 5 out of 5]

A forever fan of James Roseman.

[Abbey Hilder · Rating 4 out of 5]

Oh so that’s just the ending? Great. Cool. Not like I needed an extra 200 pages or anything to sort out everything that just happened.

[Kayleigh Valentine · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wept at the end. 😭
I just really love an anti romance. 🥰

[Kelly West · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found myself relating a lot of the content of this book with my own life experiences. Relationships, careers, friendships - things that we take for granted.

Róisín and Aaron’s relationship is full of emotion and turmoil for both parties. 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.

I found Róisín’s relationship with Michael the most enchanting part of this book. Pure and simple.

Thank you to #NetGalley for the ARC.

[Sue · Rating 4 out of 5]

Aaron is grieving after the loss of his younger brother Moe, Roisín is homesick and without a greencard. These two lonely souls find themselves together on a night out in Boston and before they have a chance to really get to know one they somewhat inexplicably start to feel as though the other is the very semblance of home they have been looking for.

This is a very short debut novel and is subtle but deep in its themes. The main characters are not only from different countries but also different religions; Roisin is Irish and an atheist, and Aaron's family are Zionists although he himself is not. Roisín discovers she is pregnant. These differences start to give rise to conflict when they try to build a family unit of their own.

I really enjoyed this book. The characters are very relatable, with the Irish character written particularly well, which I know now is because the author loves in Dublin, although he is American himself.
I found the ways challenges arose both implicitly and explicitly because of religion thought-provoking and particularly timely on account of the massacre that is ongoing in Gaza.

A great debut, I look forward to more from this author. Many thanks to @netgalley and @vervebooks for the advance reader copy in return for an honest review.  Placeholders will be available on 26th September, I recommend you pick it up.


#placeholdersnovel

[Helene · Rating 3 out of 5]

mulle väga väga meeldisid umbes viis viimast peatükki, aga kõik, mis tuli enne seda, ei olnud mu jaoks kuigi kütkestav

[Gayle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Annoyingly good!

[Hayley · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and VERVE books for the early copy of Placeholders by James Roseman in return for an honest review.

Roisin and Aaron are characters attracted to one another on a night out in a club and after a rocky start become an item. Their upbringings are poles apart with Aaron being raised within Judaism in the US and Roisin as an atheist in Ireland, they both have troubled histories and this is the third wheel in their relationship, they are then further challenged when they find that Roisin is pregnant.

The book dealt with some interesting issues, including Israel, depression, homesickness, and feeling trapped, both physically and psychologically. This was a brave undertaking, not least the Israel parts given the current situation, and I couldn't decide if it was too many subjects to contend and to emphasise with or if it was that there wasn't enough depth in each subject due to there being so many.

I will be interested to see what the author publishes next, he isn't afraid to cover difficult subjects and this always makes for interesting reading.

[Katie Fitzgerald · Rating 5 out of 5]

I picked this book up in a “blind date with a book” section in a book shop. I feel like there’s some sort of mirroring there between that experience and the relationship between our two main characters in the book; to know so little at the beginning and become so quickly enveloped by one another, is something I couldn’t have expected to happen so eloquently and understatedly.

There are certain parts of this book that are like a stab in the gut - the most prominent one for me was “What was the colour of her childhood home’s front door? She couldn’t remember.” I will be thinking about that for a LONG time.

I haven’t experienced feeling so wrapped up and intertwined with the lives of two characters in a long time and the fact that this happened within ~250 pages was surprising and beautiful. I couldn’t stop reading and when I wasn’t reading I was thinking about when I could be reading it next.

[n i k k i · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you so much to NetGalley, the publisher and James Roseman for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.


I liked this, but I didn't love it. This book definitely had potential but certain choices just didn't work for me.


Some likes:
- I really liked Aaron's character. He's not necessarily truly likeable, but he really has depth to him, unlike some of the other characters in the book.

- I thought the conversations surrounding Judaism and Palestine were really interesting and definitely felt current and relevant.

- The pacing was quite good and kept me engaged throughout.


Some critiques:
- I didn't hate the writing, I actually think the detached but intimate styles works, especially for Aaron's chapters, but I have more than one grievance with it. Some of the metaphors felt a bit cliche at times but they weren't distracting in any way. What was distracting was the constant (and I mean, basically every chapter) retrospective format that is applied throughout the novel. It goes something like

Scene A (present) -> Scene B (event in the recent past) -> Scene A (back to present)

This wouldn't have bothered me if this wasn't used in every, single chapter and it really started to get on my nerves. I think it also takes away from the tension of the scenes that are delivered in retrospect and doesn't provide urgency to those, often important, scenes.

- Speaking of retrospect, I didn't love how often characters' actions are rationalised a lot later in the book. I understand concealing information for the sake of intrigue but I don't think it works in this book when we are supposedly trying to follow Aaron and Róisín closely and understand their emotions. During most of the book, I was really trying to understand Róisín, but I simply couldn't. I couldn't connect or empathise with her because we just don't get enough of her.

- This leads nicely on to characters. The characters outside of Aaron were not really that fleshed out and felt a bit one note. I didn't really understand why Percy, Jake and Sofia were part of Aaron and Róisín's lives. I did like Aaron's parents and quite liked Michael, especially, but I wish his relationship with Róisín would have helped me understand her a bit more, and it didn't.

- Lastly, I am a little burnt out on these kinds of stories being set in New York, so it was refreshing to find out that this book was set in Boston/Massachusetts but, I felt like the place didn't really have a personality. It didn't feel unique to most other big cities. This could have been a great opportunity to allow the reader to understand why Róisín wants to be in Boston, especially, but, again, we just didn't get that which was a bit disappointing.


Overall, I really wanted to like this and while I did, I think it unfortunately also missed the mark on several occasions.

[z · Rating 3 out of 5]

an unflinching depiction of love, loss, identity & loneliness, placeholders focusses on aaron, an american jewish man who is still grieving the loss of his brother and róisín, who has illegally outstayed her tourist visa in the states. it explores the complications of forming meaningful relationships against the backdrop of personal turmoil & religious differences and does so sensitively and poignantly.

this is a book about love but is not a love story. what I particularly appreciated is the authors sensitivity in regards to a certain ongoing gen0c!de. it was very refreshing and honest (and also a brave undertaking!) to see a jewish character written by a jewish author possess this particular stance, and it was done very gracefully. it was also very interesting to gain perspective on the jewish faith, and the traditions and customs of a religion I personally do not know much about.

roseman’s writing is straight-edged and to the point. there is a melancholic feel to it that persists throughout, a mundane honesty which I appreciated and enjoyed. I was also very pleased to see how roseman chose to portray masculine emotion, especially given the statistics for su!c!de rates in men.
aaron’s open vulnerability and lack of shame when it comes to expression his feelings was important to read about.

overall, the book lacked a specific, fully fleshed out plot and instead reads as more of a character study, which is something I absolutely love. there is a good pace to it, with important and controversial topics broached, and a detached writing style which I think works for this specific book.

thank you to Verve Books for sending out a proof of this, and for introducing me to a wonderful debut talent!

⭐️⭐️⭐️.75/5

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

James Roseman’s debut novel, Placeholders, is a captivating and heartfelt exploration of cultural identity, homesickness, love, and loss.
The story takes place five years after the tragic death of Aaron’s brother, Moe, and follows Aaron as he embarks on a new chapter of his life, meeting Róisín, an Irish girl illegally overstaying her visa, during a fateful night out. Their relationship, filled with tension and tenderness, pulls you in, making you want to leap into the pages to console them both.
Aaron’s profound grief shapes his every move, pushing him to question not just his family’s heritage, but also his own place in the world. This unflinchingly raw portrayal of how loss transforms us delves deep into the heart of what it means to truly know oneself and connect with others. Roseman’s elegant prose beautifully weaves together themes of belonging, family, and identity, creating an immersive emotional experience. His ability to evoke deep empathy is extraordinary, as he takes you on a journey through grief and self-discovery.
One of the most compelling dynamics in the novel is the relationship between Róisín and Michael, a connection that adds depth to the narrative. Roseman’s sensitive portrayal of cultural identity is another standout, offering a nuanced exploration of the immigrant experience and the shifting notion of home. This makes the story not only deeply personal but also strikingly relevant in today’s world.
With Placeholders, Roseman masterfully blends thought-provoking themes with emotional depth, creating a novel that is as engaging as it is reflective. His exploration of identity, belonging, and grief feels both intimate and universal, making this debut a must-read. I highly recommend it for anyone looking for a story that will linger with them long after the final page.

Thanks again to @verve_books for the proof copy of this wonderful book.
Publishing 26th September.

[Georgie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really, really enjoyed Placeholders. This is a quiet and honest book, and really is about trying to figure out life as an adult. It asks big questions about home, about trying to make a family by yourself and start over, and about the complexities of trying to join your life to someone else’s.

It follows two main characters, Aaron and Róisín. Aaron is trying to get through life attempting to forget about his brother’s death, while working in a soulless job and finding solace in drunk & drugs. Róisín has overstayed her american visa and is struggling to figure out her next steps, while also aware that if she lives america to go back to ireland, there’s a big chance she can never return - not ideal. They meet on a night out, and a few months later Róisín realises she’s pregnant. oh no

This story covers so much ground - religion, family dynamics and disagreements, grief, love, being homesick and trying to find a family amongst it all. It’s really a lovely read, I think it has the calmness and character dynamics that authors like Sally Rooney also thrive off. You really care about the characters, and I really found a lot of love for Aaron in particular, who really is trying to find a way of reconciling with his family and coming to terms over the death of his brother. A main theme of the book is religion, and how to bring two conflicting beliefs and attitudes towards religion together in one family, which was such an interesting and important dynamic to read about and explore. I was rooting them both the entire way, and really cared about them both ✨

Would really really recommend Placeholders!! (thank you @verve_books for this proof!)

[Posey · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars.
This is not a book to recommend to everyone, but that's not to say I dislike it. Despite many other novels claiming to have captured incredibly average people, James Roseman's 'Placeholders' proves those novels and reviews incorrect. Aaron Cohen is truly the most average, mediocre character I've read; he's so plain and typical, I can understand if other readers finding 'Placeholders' extremely boring and uninspiring out of the gate, warranting a DNF.
However, when you look past Aaron's plain life and cliche life choices (especially in friends), you'll see Roseman's intentionality in making him so, especially as a foil to Roisin. Roisin has a much more interesting story/background, and she brings out the more genuine, albeit sad and lonely, Aaron. It is with Roisin readers get to see into Aaron's mind and heart.

Most fascinating about this book is the juxtaposition of the commonalty of Aaron, Roisin, and their situations (both separate and shared) to Roseman's beautiful writing as both narrator and Aaron's and Roisin's inner voices. Again, this book is not for everyone, it's an odd book and could turn a reader off immediately, but I found a profundity in its depiction of incredibly conventional people.

[Spacey Amy · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book follows Roísín and Aaron, both two very messed up and lonely. Throughout the book a sadness in the tone of writing and atmosphere remains. Alternating between both perspectives we learn about the lead characters differing religious backgrounds, jobs and traumas. It isn't a particularly happy story or one that leaves you feeling any better than before but there is a realness to the way Roseman writes and there are various topics discussed from addiction, religion and assault. 

Despite the positives I found this book dragged a little for me despite it being a short book under three hundred pages. I feel that there some sections that felt a little 'dry' and devoid of true expression. 

Overall, I would recommend this book for a bit of a slice of life, realism about being a bit of a mess in your late twenties and early thirties. There are some profound, heartfelt moments between our characters and their love story isn't an epic all consuming kind of love but more a quiet, nurturing.

Thank you Verve books for the proof copy!

[Violaine · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was so good and packed so much in such a short amount of pages I think it definitely deserves a second reading. I wouldn’t be surprised if that second reading caused me to raise my rating from 4 to 5 - this is really a book I want to sit with and think about and explore.
The story’s exploration of religion and conflict alone is super interesting, and the fact that it does not shy away from repeatedly mentioning Palestine without compromising on nuance and depth is fantastic (and thoroughly needed in 2024…).
But even beyond that, it is just a really good page turner with incredibly attaching characters that you can’t help to root for even if they are deeply flawed. I always complain about the Sally Rooney type of characters who could easily fix all their problems by just talking to each other - but this book was, to me, the proof that you CAN actually create characters who struggle with communication and connection and loneliness in a realistic, heartfelt and non-aggravating way.

[Haxxunne · Rating 4 out of 5]

A tight anti-romance that illuminates the world

Not a book that I would have naturally picked up, Roseman's debut presents bruising but unspoken clashes between faith and reality, between love and survival, between loneliness and family.

Neither American Jew Aaron nor Irish atheist Róisín are undamaged when they meet on a night out in Boston, where Róisín is eking out an existence without a visa. Each recognising something in the other and imagining that it's love, they drift into a relationship that suddenly becomes more serious than either of them intended, when Róisín falls pregnant. The outcomes and their choices are what drives the novel to its realistic but open ending.

Although portrayed sympathetically, Aaron and Róisín are too traumatised to see their paths to true happiness, their worlds coloured with sadness and weariness. Aaron's family goes out of their way to accept their new relationship, but there are no happy endings in this emotional and searing portrait of love in all the wrong places.

Three and a half stars.

[Miriam Morgans · Rating 3 out of 5]

Placeholders
By James Roseman

Blurb
In the five years following his brother's death, Aaron has built himself a life of solitary routines. After moving from Dublin to Boston and illegally overstaying her visa, Róisín has done the same.

When the two meet on a night out, they each find in the other something missing in their lives. A semblance of home.

Their relationship is complicated by their disparate religious backgrounds - Aaron is Jewish; Roísín is atheist - and by the harsh realities of everyday life. Just as they're pushed to their breaking point, Roísín realises she is pregnant.

My thoughts...
This is a novel about loneliness, loss, faith, family, and homesickness. It's about two people facing everyday obstacles and trying to build a life together.

The simplicity of the storytelling makes it relatable and true to life, and you could see a relationship like this pan out before your eyes.

My favourite quote...

Life can only be understood backwards, but it must be lived forwards.

Congratulations on your debut novel James Roseman

[Charlie Mallon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great debut novel and I met James at a book festival in my local town and he seems a very cogent dude.
The book itself has a very interesting Jewish / Irish dynamic which is rare and refreshing.
It also reads to my generation which helped me gobble down chapter after chapter.
Escapism , drugs , life choices , growing up , relationships and realizing your parents are just humans doing everything for the first time just like you all feature heavily.
Cleverly written from both the Bostonian and the Irish perspective, (hats off to that Mr. Roseman)and as a paddy who has lived in North America these nuances are not easy noticed or delivered in print.
Room for another if he wants to go there.

[Nic Harris · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book really packed a punch despite being fairly short. I couldn’t believe this was a debut novel - it was so well written and thought through.

This is honest and deals with some really tough issues in an open and frank way. This made the characters so much more relatable and I enjoyed reading their story.

Sometimes I like a book that challenges me and makes me think and this book definitely achieved that.

This was a great relatable and emotional read

[Avril · Rating 5 out of 5]

Placeholders is an incredible debut filled with evocative, sensual descriptions and two flawed-but-loveable characters that felt so real that my heart regularly hurt for them.
Through explorations of awkward family dynamics, understandings of identity, feelings of displacement and religious vs moral themes, Roseman creates a world that is both complex and understandable- and most importantly, a pleasure to read.
I couldn't put this book down, and can't wait for his next- five stars.

[Bonnie Patel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Poignant and lyrical, James Roseman’s debut explores loss, faith, family, and homesickness with care and warmth. A moving debut, Roseman does what the best authors do, and illuminates how one human relates to another. Highly recommend this for fans of Sally Rooney and Coco Mellors.

[Jeremy Longley]

This is a wonderful debut novel. An uplifting, depressing, joyous, painful story of love, family, the importance of roots, and the fact that nothing in this world is perfect or plays out as it should, just as nothing in life is totally fair. Just read it.

[George Burgess · Rating 5 out of 5]

Roseman is excellent on debut, Rooneyesque. (Somewhere between Wayne and Sally). An emotional inspection of what it means to miss someone, somewhere and something. Looking forward to whatever he decides to explore next.

[Danielle Byatte · Rating 2 out of 5]

In all honesty, I couldn't connect with this book at all. The characters were frustratingly disconnected from each other, and at some points from life itself. The plot felt like it was from two distinctly different novels. Perhaps that was the point...but it wasn't for me.

[Laura Sargeant · Rating 4 out of 5]

A gentle yet touching exploration of family, relationships and self with some heart-hurting moments.

[Tracy Hollen · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars