The Orange Room

by Rosie Price

Can we live fully when we are too afraid to be seen? This is the moving story of a young woman who finds her way back to herself - from the author of the brilliantly acclaimed debut What Red Was

Rhianne expresses her inner world through line and colour. This summer, though, back home in the west country, she is seeking distraction in heat and noise. Art school in London has ripped away her confidence and sense of better for now to be swept along by the hotel kitchen where she’s working, where the pressure is high and the dangers are more obvious. Sharp knives. Hot plates. Little time to think.

Her dad, Dominic, is concerned for Rhianne but relieved to have her close. Her step-mum, Melissa, is on alert, though trying to tread carefully. But then there’s Callum, just across the chef’s pass, with his controlled manner and intent gaze. There’s attraction. There’s everything that comes next.

From the acclaimed author of What Red Was, The Orange Room is about what happens when we are too afraid to see the people we love clearly, and too afraid to be seen. It’s the story of a tenacious young woman who – through her art, her courage, her determination – finds her way back to herself.

Genres: Contemporary, Audiobook

256 pages, Paperback

Published July 17, 2025

About the author

ROSIE PRICE grew up in Gloucestershire and then studied English at Cambridge. She worked for three years as an assistant at a literary agency before leaving to focus on her own writing. She lives in London.

Reviews

[Anna · Rating 2 out of 5]

I picked this purely because of Agnes Grochulska. I love her portraits!

That said, The Orange Room reads more like a screenplay than a novel—all stage direction, not much substance beyond what’s on the page. Facial expressions, physical actions, and décor, with a focus overwhelmingly on dialogue, which is clipped and stilted, and you have your scene. Then the camera cuts to the next one. I’m supposed to feel something for these characters, to connect with them, but the writing gets in the way. If this was an aesthetic choice or Price tends to think like a screenwriter, it is unfortunate: it’s not the kind of writing that appeals to me.

[Neha Garg (thereadingowl_) · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Orange Room is a story of self-rediscovery following a traumatic event. It is about toxic relationships, specifically toxic masculinity, that can break a person from within without them even realizing it. It is the unmaking of oneself in that environment where you refuse to acknowledge what’s right in front of you..the losing of all confidence, all-purpose, until the only thing left for you is a small circle comprising of that one toxic person.

Rosie Price has written this story beautifully. For the first 100 pages, I couldn't make sense of anything. It seemed like a story without structure, just starting in the middle with no apparent rhyme or reason. But then a theme started to emerge and I felt lost with Rhianne, the main character, in her despair. The pain is not head-on. It’s rather insidious and slowly creeps up on you..in the same way as Rhianne falls.

This book made me very sad, perhaps because it forced me to look at my own experiences where I was blind to people and situations.

I loved the writing. And the idea that looking at someone’s art can give you a lot of insight into their current psyche. I also liked the portrayal of Rhianne’s relationship with her parents. Especially with her stepmother and its evolution from start to end.

It would have been perfect if not for those first 100 pages, or for the times I felt inadequate at understanding the real meaning behind some words.

If you like books that end on a hopeful note, this is for you. But be ready for some pain before that.

3.5 🌟

[Matilda Elliott · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really insightful and at times relateable look at emotional manipulation / abuse in relationships. I really liked the exploration of how Melissa understood what Rhianne was going through but Dominic didn't really get it but tried to be supportive in his own (flawed) way. Rosie captured the experience of an addictive relationship that drains you so well and subtly draws you in - 'the heart-shredding exhaustion of being drawn into something that looked so much like love, that so quickly transmuted'.

[luce (cry bebè's back from hiatus)]

finally a new novel by rosie price! definitely looking forward to this.

[amina · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 ⭐️! i really like her writing style - the different characters are very nicely intertwined. rhianne was also a very human but very likeable character & i’ll probably think about her for a while. for sure a book to read if you enjoy coco mellors/sally rooney

[andra · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5*

if you love character driven books/sally rooney-esque writing, i think you would like this one! this was quite a heavy and intense book but i just couldn't take my eyes off the pages while reading this. the writing just flowed so easily and the author was able to capture so many emotions and atmosphere in the scenes.

thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the arc!

[Elisa Muylle · Rating 3 out of 5]

3,5 - zeker niet slecht, gewoon moeilijk om door te geraken omdat er niet echt een mega verhaallijn in zit. de symboliek is wel mooi en de manier van schrijven is interessant.

[Linda Arrighi · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars rounded up to 4

Thank you to Vintage Books (Penguin Random House), Harvill Secker, and NetGalley UK for an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I was very excited to see that Rosie Price had a new book coming out after reading and enjoying her debut What Red Was. What Red Was was powerful and important in terms of the themes it dealt with, but it lacked what I like most in books: an extensive look into the characters' psychology and desires. The Orange Room also deals with important themes, and hence I would recommend it if you are interested in the themes outlined in the blurb, e.g., toxic relationships. The writing is really good and while I struggled to get into the book at the beginning as it was a bit confusing, it became much easier to read in the second half. I appreciated Rhianne's (the main character) arc and her strength, which was portrayed beautifully. Unfortunately, the characters didn't overall blow me away, which is probably why I didn't feel very attached to them. I would still recommend this book if you were a fan of What Red Was.

You'll like this if you liked: Bodies by Christine Ann Foley, Antartica (short story) by Claire Keegan.

[Filippa Bolz · Rating 5 out of 5]

I honestly adored this book, but realised it most after having described it to my friend. At first I thought it a bit slow, but then it not just captured me but made my feel so much frustration about society and the way we view abuse and destructive relationships. It is so multi-layered and so beautifully written. Really recommend reading and also discussing after.

[Sasha Lindiwe · Rating 1 out of 5]

An absolute miracle that I finished it

[Lucy Skeet · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5/5

Honestly just stunning! I didn’t love What Red Was but I felt drawn to this one and I’m so glad I picked it up

[Gabby C · Rating 4 out of 5]

Understated and quietly confident. I haven’t read anything like it - a real and nuanced look at abuse in relationships. Rosie’s so good at writing tension. I loved her character Melissa; her monstrous calves and sensitivity.

[Caitlin Holloway · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book felt like it had been written specifically for me. As an artist who lives in Gloucestershire who often grapples with the same concepts that the characters in this book do, it almost felt so close to my experience that it spooked me. Even down to the little mentions of my favourite film, Spirited Away, which accompanied such a beautifully written maternal scene, really made my heart warm.

The way that Price writes toxic relationships is so unbelievably detailed and well-balanced, with perspectives of both the abuser and the victim that expose just how silently lethal these relationships can be and how behaviours can manifest and be enabled amongst a group of peers.

Price’s writing is impactful in the way that she embraces subtleties, without ever losing sight of the underlying power of the writing that she is doing and how delicate she must be with the subject matter. How she must humanise the abuser enough to show how that toxic mentality can form, without ever confusing the fact that the way they are treating their partner is wrong.

The relationship between the main character and her stepmum was so poignant to read and I absolutely loved how every character had a moment in the spotlight in this book. I walked away feeling like I knew each of them personally, their character motives clear and grounded throughout the story.

Finally, a story that in any way involves an artist using their craft to rediscover their sense of self is so special to me and really made me as a reader feel seen. As a lot of this book did, to be honest.

I wasn’t expecting so much depth from this read but I have walked away from it very impressed and eager to read more of Price’s work. I can’t recommend this one enough.

[Tyler Marshall · Rating 5 out of 5]

First book by this author and I was blown away!

Rhianne is a character that is relatable and makes you feel comfortable, in this tale of self recovery and discovery we follow this fmc after a traumatic event as she tries to recover bits of herself she's lost. I was rooting for Rhianne from the start and at times I felt the intense emotions she was feeling due to Rosies amazing way with words and descriptions.

This is a unique read that entraps you from the start. I loved how this author pulled no punches and we truly get a raw and honest look into recovery and rediscovery that this character goes through, the character development throughout is also so well done and captivating. This is a tougher read but so worth it, this is a novel you will devour within hours and be unable to put down.

[Marni Rose · Rating 5 out of 5]

sucker punch of a novel & beautifully done

[Katy Key · Rating 5 out of 5]

Completely beautiful 🌞xxxxxxxx

[Juliano · Rating 5 out of 5]

“She could not describe it in words, what she was making in that room. It was too radiant, too bright. […] she felt sure that she was creating the purest expression of who she was beneath the detritus her life had gathered. She felt sure, as she painted, that she was pouring out onto paper the most essential part of herself.” The Orange Room, Rosie Price’s second novel, is a marvel, and so unexpected. What begins as a straightforward narrative arc — woman moves home during a difficult time in her life, abandons artistic pursuits in favour of a more straightforward job, meets a nice guy — turns on its head fairly quickly, as the promising new relationship becomes quickly riddled with unease and tension. Between Rhianne’s struggle to see Callum’s behaviour for what it is, and the occasional but perfectly timed and pitched glimpses into Callum’s self-justification and enabling by those around him, Price lays bare how people find themselves altered by the shadow of abuse, becoming strangers to themselves and their loved ones. But Price’s ultimate triumph is Dominic and Melissa, Rhianne’s father snd stepmother, whose reflections on love and parenthood as they prepare for their wedding and try, in their own ways, to look out for Rhianne, beat the heart of the story with warm and buzzing blood. Melissa, the antithesis of the wicked stepmother, is the only one who sees the truth about Callum, and her attempts to reach Rhianne are amongst the novel’s most striking moments. There is such a tenderness to the family bonds here, and a fragility, that felt so endlessly moving, even after the final pages.

[K A · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve just finished my first ever audiobook; The Orange Room, by Rosie Price. I picked up an audio copy on the launch date, having read the debut novel; What Red Was. I’m really glad that I did, because this book kept me company as we sailed over the English Channel in 26 knot winds. Thank-you for that Melissa and Rhianne, it was a bumpy ride for us all, just gripping on by the colourful fingernails at times. Life isn’t plain sailing.

It’s easy to identify with the characters in this book, I found parts of myself in both Melissa and Rhianne, as a mother and as a woman. I liked them both equally and for me they both share centre stage in this book. I suspect that the take home message, changes with the life stage of the reader.

Melissa is coping with being ‘step mother’, in a relationship with Rhianne’s father Dominic. She is keen to be the best mother that she can be. The character is warm and solid, you know that she will always have Rhianne’s back, no matter what. She and Rhianne’s friend Jess are the most likeable of characters, realistic, strong and powerful women.

Rhianne is young and talented, desperate for recognition and affirmation of her remarkable talent. There is no doubt that she is good, to anyone else but Rhianne. She is vulnerable because of it. Her journey is painful to watch. We often accept things we shouldn’t, and there is a bit of Rhianne is all of us.

The book is strong on female characters, the male characters are in support of what is a brilliantly written book.

[Lynne McConway · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you Vintage Books for my review copy of The Orange Room. It’s a subtle, elegant and beautifully written book and I highly recommend it.

The main character is Rhianne, a young woman who has to leave her art degree course only a few weeks before graduating due to the actions of her tutor.

She returns to her childhood home in West England to her dad, Dominic, and his partner of 17 years, Melissa. Rhianne’s mum died when she was very young, all she has left of her are photographs which she uses as the basis of her artworks.

We follow Rhianne as she begins work as a waitress at a local hotel, meets Callum, a chef at the hotel and ends up in a toxic relationship with him.

There isn’t a huge plot, as such, the story instead is more emotional and about the characters and their relationship to, and influence on, each other. While Rhianne is the main viewpoint, the novel is multi-perspective and the different interweaving narratives show the family and how they relate to each other. It's very deft in its characterisation and entirely believable in terms of Rhianne and what leads her to be in a coercive relationship.

This might sound heavy and, while it does focus on trauma and abusive relationships, it's also a hopeful, heartfelt portrait of a young woman as she tries to find her way home to herself.

[Ynaiita Warjri · Rating 4 out of 5]

After abruptly leaving art school, Rhianne returns to her childhood home in the West Country to spend the summer with her father, Dominic, and stepmother, Melissa. Art school has shattered her confidence, leaving her with unresolved trauma, and she hopes that working in the fast-paced, high-pressure hotel kitchen will offer a much-needed distraction. Her parents, concerned but unsure how to help, tread carefully around her. Everything changes when Callum, the hotel’s chef, begins to show an interest in her, his intense gaze and controlled demeanor hinting at attraction. But is that all there is between them?

This novel emotionally explores the different faces of abuse within relationships, showing how it can manifest in subtle, varied ways. I was captivated by how the story captures the mundanity of Rhianne’s life while confronting the reader with the complex dynamics of relationships and emotional trauma. The evolving bonds—both familial and romantic—are powerfully depicted. Rhianne's relationships with Dominic and Melissa show different aspects of parenthood, while her passionate connection with Callum slowly reveals changing behaviors, raising deeper questions about desire, control, and vulnerability.

[Amy Beashel · Rating 5 out of 5]

With its emotional character-driven plot, Rosie Price’s second novel, The Orange Room, is just as nuanced as her brilliant debut, What Red Was. As with her first, Price explores sex and power in heteronormative relationships, slowly and delicately building a sense of entrapment with her protagonist Rhianne, who dropped out of uni after an incident with her tutor.

We first meet Rhianne in the aftermath of this college departure, when she has returned home to live with her dad and step-mum and is working in a local hotel. From the off, Price creates a world in which her female characters may be emboldened, albeit briefly, in the company of ultimately toxic men whose power is simultaneously seductive and gross.

It’s testament to the elegance of Price’s prose that there are no big-bang moments in this novel. Its potency lies instead in a well-crafted series of smaller interactions, much like in the real world, where coercive behaviour is often quiet and incremental.

As with all my favourite books, there is self-discovery and self-worth at The Orange Room’s core and tonnes of lines so beautiful I had to take literal notes.

I loved it.

[Jo · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’ve discovered Rosie Price and I have thoughts!!!
.
This book is a profound exploration of the journey one takes to rediscover themselves after being derailed by a traumatic event.

Rhianne, is an artist at heart, passionate about expressing herself through her work. However, after a traumatic event, she finds herself unable to create. In an attempt to heal, she retreats inward and returns to her hometown, taking a job in a hotel kitchen. Here, she meets Callum — initially I wanted to have him, but he’s also a bit broken, lonely, and lost.
.
One of the reasons this book resonated with me so much is its focus on self-discovery and healing outside the context of romantic relationships. Instead of relying on a romantic partner to find herself, Rhianne embarks on a journey of self-love, confronting her thoughts, desires, and pains. Price opens up a crucial conversation about the importance of self-acceptance and the hard, yet necessary, work of personal growth.
.
Thank you @vintage for the finished copy (look at the cover!), I can’t wait to read ‘What Red Wants’ now!

[Zoe Hopkins · Rating 4 out of 5]

From the first few pages I was completely drawn in by Rhianne’s story. The Orange Room is an intense exploration of Rhianne’s healing journey after a traumatic event throws her life off path. But first she meets Callum, the chef at the hotel she works in, and all seems well but my god did I want to punch him as the story progressed. Rhianne is totally relatable, she doesn’t always make the best choices, she is reliant on people who are not necessarily right for her and she puts herself back into situations that she knows aren’t good for her. But, this makes her all the more lovable and you can’t help but want to protect her. Rosie’s writing easily creates an uneasy and tense atmosphere which you can’t look away from.

And although I loved Rhianne I have to say Melissa was my favourite character of the book ❤️‍🩹 she was so pivotal to the story and I loved her ability to see what was really going on between Rhianne and Callum. I loved how the author managed to portray how her small acts to support Rhianne were profoundly important, and the role a step-mum can play in a child’s life.

[Dee Hancocks · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a moving story about overcoming trauma. The cover for this book fits perfectly with the narrative. I loved the rawness and exploration of relationships. I think this book has strong themes that can be upsetting to read about but the journey is worth it. The writing is good and it gives off a cold atmosphere and a numbness that I believe mirrors the female main character’s detachment due to her experiences. It’s a powerful story and one I think people will resonate with. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC. This is a voluntary review of my own thoughts.

[Zwaan Schouten · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ik heb dit boek in een keer uitgelezen en ik zat er helemaal in. Dat kwam door het hele fijne taalgebruik (voor in het Engels al helemaal), en op de manier hoe ze de karakters helemaal goed volledig heeft laten zien.
Maar ook omdat het toch een beetje een young-adult-drama was dus ik kon me er wel inleven :p Ik lees niet zo vaak meer dat soort boeken maar deze heeft me echt positief verrast! Het einde was op zich heel mooi, maar heel afgeraffeld dus dat vind ik wel jammer omdat het hele boek juist veel langzamer is.

[Annette Morris · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ultimately hopeful and encouraging The Orange Room is, in many ways, an uncomfortable and disconcerting read. There's quite a slow but sensitive burn to it, understated, so that it sneaks up on you and, as in life, you're in it before you know it. The relationships between characters are superbly well drawn in all their loving, caring, cold, cruel, confused glory. Ideal for fans of Sally Rooney, Rachel Cusk, Deborah Levy and Coco Mellors.

[Shayla Winchcombe · Rating 3 out of 5]

At first, I struggled to follow the story, but after I got halfway through it, all came together more and more.
This book felt light, and like you were reading a normal life of some people, but it had some touching and sometimes hard to read parts for me.
I'm an artist and deal with her struggles when it comes to family, so this hit home for me in some sense.
I loved this read tbh, and I kept wanting to come back for more.
I was sad to have the story end.

[Kat Peskey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this book, and was hooked fairly quickly even though the story moved quite calmly and slowly. I will always enjoy a book with extensive internal monologues from all different characters, so it was always going to be up my street, but the way Rhianne and Callum’s relationship was portrayed was expertly done.

I only dropped a star because I found the end fairly anticlimactic. And maybe that’s the point that I’m missing somewhere, but it wasn’t quite right for me.

[Mew · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting read - I liked the premise of a woman trying to rebuild after a trauma. But for me, it was some of the other characters that were intriguing and well formed. Rhianne's stepmother, for example, was an interesting character and I appreciated the way that the book dipped in to the people around Rhianne who were experiencing their own difficult life stuff alongside her big trauma.

[Laura Latham · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5
This captured really well emotional abuse in a relationship and that feeling of "I don't know who I am without this person", the sick feeling of not knowing what's wrong or how to fix it
I did get a bit tired of the Melissa-Dominic sections though! I think they needed a bit more context