Every Room Remembers: A Novel

by Tara Badstubner

When the one you lose won't let you lose yourself.

After her husband, Wyatt, is killed in a sudden accident, interior designer SJ Monroe believes she must navigate her devastating grief alone. But she isn't alone. Wyatt remains trapped in a liminal space between life and death, forced to watch in silence as the woman he loves struggles to survive in their unfinished farmhouse in Sleepy Hollow, New York. Helpless to comfort her, he relives everything left unresolved between them—the family they never had, the depression that shadowed his life, and the fractures that threatened their marriage long before his death.

As the months pass, SJ slowly begins to emerge from the fog of loss. Anchored by Wyatt's loyal dog, Hawk, and comforted by small rituals—including late-night drives for fries and a chocolate shake—she accepts a restoration project at the historic Osprey House in her hometown of Beaufort, South Carolina. There, surrounded by old friends, new beginnings, and the quiet pull of home, she begins to imagine a future she never thought possible.

Wyatt follows, desperately searching for a way to reach her. As mysterious signs from the natural world seem to guide SJ toward healing, unseen dangers gather around her. Unable to intervene, Wyatt must discover whether love can bridge the divide between the living and the dead before grief, guilt, or something far more sinister claims the life she is finally beginning to reclaim.

A moving story of enduring love, redemption, and the courage to begin again, Every Room Remembers asks a timeless question: If someone you loved had one last chance to speak to you, would you hear them?

Praise for Every Room Remembers

“In prose as sure and subtle as a steadying hand on one’s shoulder, Badstubner’s characters find a way to walk into their unimagined futures, where love and memory, the author reminds us, have the power to outlast us all.”

—Kate Moses, author of Wintering: A Novel of Sylvia Plath

About the Author Tara Badstubner was a Writer-in-Residence at Craigardan (2022-2023) and is an alum of Bookgardan. She received a Continuing Studies Novel Writing Certificate from Stanford. More recently, she was an artist-in-residence of Hewnoaks where she worked on her upcoming second novel. She lives outside of Philadelphia with her daughters, husband,and dogs. This is her debut novel.

Thursday, October 15, 7PM | Belmont Books in Belmont, MA

Women Fighting Headwinds and Finding Their Way at Belmont Books in Belmont, MA

If you enjoy novels with women at their center who aren’t willing to accept the status quo and come out stronger for it, this evening is for you! Join Tara Badstubner, Liz Collins, Carol Hoenig, and Katherine A. Sherbrooke as they discuss their inspirations, writing process, and what it’s like to be backed by an imprint that exclusively publishes important stories by women over fifty. Bring your questions and join us!

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Publishing the Brilliant Work of Women Authors over 50

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