All the Empty Rooms

by Sara Geiersbach

She grew up in a home shaped by silence. So when she meets an older man who feels like the one she's been waiting for, she lets herself fall quickly.

At first, it feels like love. Then it feels like walking on eggshells. Then it doesn't feel like anything at all.

All the Empty Rooms is a slow-burn, character-driven novel about the long reach of generational trauma—how harm passed down through families can shape the people we choose, the love we tolerate, and the silence we carry.

It's about staying long after you should have left. About how easy it is to disappear inside someone else, and the slow, painful work of returning to yourself, piece by piece.

Contains themes of domestic abuse, coercive control, sexual coercion, and pregnancy loss. Reader discretion is advised.

472 pages, Kindle Edition

Published August 5, 2025

Reviews

[Lit Happens · Rating 5 out of 5]

Raw. Uncomfortable. Captivating. And quite haunting on a personal level. The author was able to set the tone, the mood, the spaces the characters interacted with so well that it felt like I was observing from an out of body experience, watching from the outside in.

I found this novel to be beautifully written and pulled at many personal threads of my 19/20 year old self. I related to Corrine almost every step of the way. The impact of not knowing that a healthy relationship looks like through childhood into adulthood, can make it really challenging to understand what love actually is, or what it looks like, and what you are willing to sacrifice.

[Leanna Goldsmith · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a bit of a slow burn, but that's my cup of tea. It's such a powerful portrayal of how an abusive relationship isn't always physical, and how easy it is to lose your sense of self in order to keep the peace. Beautifully written, haunting, and explores some very heavy themes that can be a bit triggering (so proceed with caution if you have trauma from an emotionally abusive relationship!) Overall I really loved this book, so I recommend grabbing some tissues and comfort snacks and getting started, you won't be disappointed :)

[Andrea · Rating 4 out of 5]

This one got under my skin in the quietest way. It’s not a dramatic page turner, but that’s exactly why it hits so hard. It follows a woman slowly waking up to the fact that the relationship she’s in, one that seemed safe and loving at first, is actually built on control, guilt, and silence. The writing is raw and intimate, and there were so many moments that felt painfully relatable. If you’ve ever found yourself shrinking to fit someone else's version of love, this will stick with you long after the last page.

[Jennifer Loschiavo · Rating 5 out of 5]

I heavily related to this book. It has all the feels and struggles. The mental and physical pain and trying to relive that and release it and grow and be a human again takes real strength. It may take that same strength to read this book but it is worth it. Get the tissue ready. And maybe some comfort food and your favorite stuffed snuggle animal.

[Flora · Rating 2 out of 5]

Reading this book felt somewhat tedious. The endless number of the narrator’s boyfriend asking her if she has eaten each and every day felt a bit too much, in my opinion. I felt there were scenes that depicted the helplessness of the narrator in this relationship, but I was wondering if the narrator’s coworkers/friends would ever help her with actions and not just words, or sit down and ask her if everything was truly ok. It took about 40% through the book for some questions to be asked by the narrator’s coworkers/friends.

It was more of a slow burn, and I felt the need to have more action, but I guess that everything is written for that intent to slowly piece each moment, and each day together, season to season. I guess what I am trying to say is it is easier said than done when criticizing the narrator for her decisions and her lack of decisions to leave this relationship that she can feel physically and mentally that wasn’t the best for her as I found it slow for the narrator to actually take action to leave until like the 90% mark. But overall, great job on the narrator for actually leaving the situation and going towards a friend who actually cares.

Overall, I will give it 2.5 stars. It wasn’t my cup of tea, but it is an alright read if you want to see a perspective from the narrator’s perspective of the abusive relationship and the numerous empty rooms that the narrator described. Thank you to NetGalley and Victory Editing for the ARC in exchange for my honest review!

[Nikki B. · Rating 4 out of 5]

All the empty rooms is a very powerful story that takes you through the life of a woman who is basically invisible to the world. Corrine's family wasn't a quiet, loving home environment. So when a man steps into her life and starts to show her attention, she falls for him. Hard. It begins as love. Subtle comments here and there made seemingly as suggestions out of love and care. It turns into isolation, control, dominance, and fear mongering. What drove me crazy was the way Corrine would justify his actions every single time, in order to make what he was doing to her ok.
While the story is a great one that shows the rawness of what poor upbringing can contribute to as an adult, I found the pacing to be slow. I was enraged at the way she would justify his actions and comments. It would enrage me so much so that I had to I needed to take breaks from the story because I would just get so enraged that she couldn't see what was happening right in front of her. I found the pacing to be slightly up and down and wasn't very consistent. But I do recommend giving this story a read. I feel like it would help so many women in a situation like Corrine's . When we're in a situation, it's harder to see the full scope of what's happening. Someone going through something similar may read this and find hope in the story.

[Jillian · Rating 3 out of 5]

A quiet, introspective novel that doesn’t quite reach its emotional potential

The story follows a young woman raised in a home of emotional distance, who enters a relationship with an older man that initially feels comforting but slowly becomes suffocating. Her journey of awakening and self-reclamation unfolds slowly, often almost too quietly.

There are things to admire here:
- The prose is delicate and lyrical
- The themes are important and handled with care
- The tone captures the feeling of internal erasure in a very realistic way

But there are also drawbacks:
- The pacing is slow and, at times, stagnant
-The characters particularly the male lead feel underdeveloped
- The emotional core sometimes feels too distant to truly connect with

This is a book that might resonate deeply with some, especially readers who appreciate quiet character studies and internal journeys. But for others, it may feel like it's treading familiar ground without offering much new insight or emotional. It was a bit slow and tough to get through at times, but in the end, it’s a beautifully written and emotionally thoughtful story that speaks softly, yet still sticks with you.

[Brenda Marshal · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received a free ARC copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

I wasn’t sure what this would be like at first, but I ended up really liking it. It’s definitely a slower book, but in a good way. The main character is really closed off, and it took me a bit to understand her, but once I did, I couldn’t stop reading. You kind of follow her through this relationship where something feels off, even if she can’t explain exactly what’s wrong until she’s in the thick of it.

It’s not a dramatic story, but it still hit pretty hard in certain moments. I kept wanting her to say something or leave or do something, but at the same time, I understood why she didn’t. It felt very realistic and true to experience.

If you’re looking for something fast-paced, this probably isn’t it. But if you like books that really dig into someone’s inner world and make you think about how people end up staying in things that aren’t good for them, I’d recommend it. I’m glad I stuck with it—it’s one of those books that stays with you.

[Ellen Ross · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. An amazing book that finally looks at the controlling relationships that don’t always involve constant physical abuse. So many parts of this book will be relatable in bits and pieces to every woman. I felt the emotions and feelings of the main character and it was like looking into a window watching it all play out. This is a must read for every woman at least once in their lifetime.

[Krisia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Unfortunately, this book didn’t quite hit the mark for me.

The narration was often tedious and repetitive, as well as the events in the book. I get that they were there to show the “little things” and how the relationship had evolved (and it showed it in a realistic way), but i think for a piece of fiction, the storytelling aspect fell short.

It had a promising start. Corinne felt very grounded as a character, which made her quite likeable. But as the book progressed, I found that the pacing was a bit off. I think there could have been a more efficient way of showcasing the development of their relationship while keeping the narration dynamic.

I also found that the narration was often telling instead of showing—but in the way that it’s justifying Corinne’s decisions to us. Most of the “reasoning” behind her actions can be inferred, especially with how long the book spent on Corrine’s home and her relationship with her mother. I didn’t need to be told every chapter that she didn’t have anyone to teach her what love is, I could see it myself. Because of that, the narration felt droning and didn’t quite hit the emotional mark that it tried to.

However, this book had its moments. It has a powerful message, and it shows in painful accuracy how abusive relationships don’t have to be physically abusive. That sometimes they’re rooted in the “quiet moments” that take an emotional and mental toll.

Overall, I think this book had its potential to be an introspective and thoughtful book. It, unfortunately, just wasn’t for me. Thank you to NetGalley for providing an ARC in exchange for my honest review!