Books | Rome

G I R L O N T H E C E I L I N G

Launching May 30th

Be the first to read it

FIND IT ON MAY 30:

Australian bookstores

Amazon (worldwide)

Here on my website

This was equally beautiful as it was devastating. I have never felt so seen and understood by a book before. It quite literally pulled on every string that exists in my heart. Haunting, chilling, yet absolutely stunning. I've never read poetry quite like this."

Camilla

A harrowing, collection of poems that speak to answer the question of what love is, and how it can be manipulated to cause harm. "

Anoji

My favourite thing about this collection is how it questions what love truly is and what all of those old cliches, such as "love at first sight" actually mean. Because we have all grown up with them spoon-fed to us everywhere we look...especially as young girls growing into women. How it presents the readers with a picture in their mind of a girl devastated by a boy who simply does not understand why their "love" is ruining her.

I'd recommend this to anyone who maybe does not view love in all of its stereotypes and cliches, but wants to understand the actual human nature of it and explore the idea that maybe not all love is healing and that love can be war, too."

Himanshi

"This book swallowed me whole."

Nadia

This collection isn't perfect, and that's exactly the point. There are moments in this book where the sorrow feels so thick it threatens to smother. But even this, is intentional. Girl on the Ceiling isn't trying to be a clean, pretty, poetic narrative. It's trying to bleed, and bleed it does - with devastating grace.

This book will not teach you how to heal, it's not for that - it will show you how you're not alone in your breaking"

Sarah . C

Beautiful. Raw. Deep.
The embodiment of women, on a page. This book of poetry was amazing! Beautifully written and wonderfully reflective. The poems explore complex themes such as love, loss, and identity with nuance and depth. Through careful attention to rhythm and sound, the poet evokes a sense of musicality in the language. A must-read of 2025."

Kirstin

Sarah

Rome captures the innate messiness of human emotions in a way that is real and unfiltered, making it impossible not to connect with the inner turmoil and triumphs."

Thank you for crafting a novel that makes me feel seen and truly validates emotions. Rome's writing beautifully captures the essence of being a woman, and I’m grateful for how it resonates so deeply. It’s a powerful and comforting reminder of the strength in our experiences. "

Diya

Gosh, what a banger of a poetry collection...I really wish we had more voices like this. If this book doesn't 'define' our generation's zeitgeist like what grunge music did for 90s kids, I would actually be so surprised. "

Fiona

Rome's use of oceans, ghosts, graves, the galaxy and time adds layers of myth, nature and the metaphysical. This book is expansive, and timeless. You can feel her evolve emotionally throughout each chapter, yet, she also remains lost- it's like a slow painful peeling that feels literary. I have read the works of many poets, old and new, traditional to famous Instagram poets that we all know, I have found their work (still beautifully) states 'this is what happened to me and this is what I learnt,' but Rome's work begs the question 'did I learn anything at all?' and that is so powerful."

Georgia

Rome has a unique way of sharing emotion in such a raw and real way, (Girl on the Ceiling) is heart-rending."

Amy

If any male-identifying person wishes to have a girlfriend in the future then this poetry book should be mandatory reading"

A young adult

literature group

Rome's style of writing is beautiful and there is something so desperate and aching even in the bluntest and simplest of sentences. I'm so happy to know that modern poetry will be able to hail Rome as one of its writers. "

Himanshi

'Girl on the Ceiling' is certainly not an uplifting read but it is an incredibly raw and powerful exploration of heartbreak and emotional trauma. Rome's writing doesn't shy away from the difficult realities of loss, making it a book that sticks with you long after you've put it down"

Claire

Rome Richards steps softly into the poetic arena—then absolutely shatters it. Girl on the Ceiling is not just a poetry book; it’s a slow unraveling, a diary without locks, a love letter written from the floor of emotional ruin. In an age of curated emotion, Rome offers something brave: vulnerability in its rawest form."

Vivian