This book is a bit of a slow burn to start off with, but it will totally get into your head and not let go. Right from the beginning of the story there is a sense of things being a bit off-kilter, with a strong sense of foreboding. There are so many characters who seem to have something to hide, and everyone seems to have an agenda. There’s quite a contrast between the people in the square, where the very rich and the very ordinary live side by side.

Ruby is one of the latter, and I liked her, though I couldn’t understand how she had managed to be pulled into the organising of this street party. She’s such a busy person, and she has very little in common with some of the women on the committee.

There are some truly creepy and atmospheric moments in the build up to the street party, and the tension is palpable. You just know that something is going to go badly wrong.

The story is told from three perspectives, that of Ruby, her friend Melissa, and Nella, who is so different to the other two. It’s very interesting to get the different viewpoints of each of the three women, and to see the tangled web of secrets and lies that they get caught in.

The dialogue is very real and adds real depth to the characters. The pacing is so well done, building the tension all the time and adding to the drama.

Overall a gripping and at times shocking read, with just enough twists and turns to keep you riveted, but not to spoil the tightly stretched timeline of tension and trepidation.

This story is told from three different perspectives: Ruby March, a recently widowed mom who must raise her teenage son on her own while working at her struggling flower shop. Melissa, best friend of Ruby, married to Rex and stepmom to Cecilia. Last Nella Jackson, the well-off wife of a man running for Parliament who’s the mom to teenage Willow and younger brother Beau. After unfortunate events in the neighborhood bring these three women together it quickly becomes clear that all are keeping secrets. Some are worse than others and when the teens start to create trouble of their own no on seems to know the truth.
When I first started this book I wasn’t quite sure what I got myself into. I knew I was in for domestic suspense. But, as an American I had trouble understanding the British banter - and there’s a lot of it. The first half of the book was a lot of character building and who has a relationship to whom. We were forewarned that something bad was going to happen, but that didn’t come until about 60% through. From there it really picked up for me. I found the first half difficult and even a bit boring to get through.
While the neighborhood drama made for some okay suspense I found this to be more about who each of the characters were themselves and what their motives were for acting in the way they did. I found a good deal of the “why” to be fairly predictable, but was still entertained as it played out.
The story was extremely well-written. I have no doubt I would’ve enjoyed the dialogue and humor more if I were from the UK. I found most of the characters to be both likable and relatable and was rooting for them. I liked that not only was there some teenage drama, but also adult drama. This would be perfect for fans of “Someone We Know” by Shari Lapena who aren’t looking for a crime book but are still enthralled by secrets.

This is a psychological thriller that focuses on three families and a night which changes their lives forever. The story focuses on these three families living in the same street and their issues and a street party that affected their lives.

The story was a slow burn from the beginning and I felt losing interest after a few pages but it picked up its pace in the second half. The story is told in multiple POV's which did not affect the flow of the story.

This story has a lot of secrets, lies, betrayal and much more. Not the best thriller but it was a good effort by the author. The narration was good and the language was simple and lucid but it lacked a bit of thrill to it. Overall it was an ok read.

A neighborhood split apart by the "haves" and "have nots" decide to come together by having a street party. The head party planner is wealthy Nella, married to the rich and upcoming politician Marcus. Their children are the vibrant and beautiful Willow, who will be transferring to the public school, and Beau, a quiet little boy. Also on the committee are widower Ruby, mother to teenager Zach, and her best friend Melissa, married to Rex and step-mother to teenager Cecilia. Tensions build and the lives of these characters intertwine in complex ways, culminating in accusations of events the night of the party, and spiraling into changed lives for all involved.

The story premise was a good one and the author was able to connect the characters together well. The characters in this novel were complex however, and could be difficult to follow. At times the dialogue moved so quickly between characters that it made it unclear what the author was trying to portray. This novel was listed as a domestic thriller. While it fit that definition to a certain extent, I don't feel that it really followed through on delivery. There were too many things going on at one time and too many stories to wrap up. There were some things that could have been cut completely and some story lines that could have been better developed.

Overall, I enjoyed this novel, but I didn't love it. 3 stars

Thank you to #NetGalley and #bookouture for an ARC of #TheStreetParty by #ClaireSeeber in exchange for an honest review.

This was a fun little thriller! I got major Sandie Jones and Lucy Foley vibes. The build up and suspense to figure out what happened were definitely there. I was not a fan of any of the characters to be honest, but I think that just added to all of the drama in this story!

Nella is hosting the street party to help raise more money for the community. Melissa and Ruby, among others, have been recruited to help with planning, set-up, and running activities. Unfortunately, the night doesn't go as planned. It's his word against hers. Who should everyone believe? What truly happened in the late hours of the night?
I was really looking forward to this read! It was interesting enough to keep my attention; I wanted to see where everyone ended up and how the story ended. It was advertised as a thriller, however, I would describe it as a general fiction. It felt as though the author intended to add mystery to the story, but at times it felt as though it was kind of distracting from the story. Overall, this was an interesting read.
I received a free copy of this book via NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving an honest review.

Thank you to Netgalley and Bookouture for the arc of The Street Party by Claire Seeber.

5 stars- This follows a party which was meant to be the best moment and highlight of the summer... 3 neighbours and their families.. who are drinking and having fun and laughing while drinking out of plastic glasses. The whole question is can she really trust whom she is letting into her home..

Told through multiple POV'S. Highly recommend and anticipate you to read, had me hooked and thrilled from the start to finish. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

I'm a little bummed with the categorization of this book. I went into this book thinking it was going to be a thriller, but it was definitely not that at all. It was a political/cliche ridden family drama that was a very slow burn. If I would have known that, I would not have chosen this book since that is not my type of book to read. If you love this type of genre, this book is perfect for you.

This book hit all the major hot topics: domestic abuse, infidelity, racism, blackmail, #metoo, gun violence, drugs, slavery, LBGTQ, death of a spouse, infertility, and more. There were far too many side stories to make this book cohesive.

I was actually pretty annoyed with how book portrayed date rape and the #metoo movement. It made it out to be a joke which doesn't help victims going forward.

Thanks Netgalley and publisher for the digital copy in exchange for my honest review!

This felt overdone. The story plot has been done time & time again, there just wasn’t anything fresh about this one!

I read just over half of this book and just couldn’t finish it. I found myself reading it for the sake of reading but not really enjoying or feeling particularly thrilled.

Compared to the blurb on the back cover I found the plot to be extremely slow, there was far too many seemingly random storylines and most of what I’d read so far, whilst trying to be mysterious, was very predictable. This book was pitched as a mystery thriller but it is far much more a family drama.

The whole first half of the book leads up to the street party, but the party itself is over in a matter of pages. Added to that a combination of unlikeable characters and crazy dialogue - I quit the book knowing I wasn’t the target audience.

I’m sure lots of other people will feel differently and that’s totally great! But this book wasn’t for me.

Thanks to NetGalley for my advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

I really enjoyed reading this book as, not only was it my kind of genre but it had so much information but structured nicely so it had a nice flow. As well as this, I liked the maturity of it and how descriptive it was as well as how easy it was to relate to the characters. I loved the setting and how the plot was interesting and that it was easy to read too! I also liked how different each character was.

Can you be friends with someone vastly different from you? Ruby, Melissa, Nella, and a whole lot of other parents are engaged in planning a street party to bring their community together, but it may just end up tearing them apart.

The Street Party is not your typical psychological thriller and may be better classified as a social drama. Overall, the book is very well written and impactful and makes you wonder what lies beneath all the glitz and glamor that we see so often in our society.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the arc.

I found this a little of a slow starter at first , but then when it for going it was a really good read ! I listened to the audiobook , the narrators were ok , though I did find the narrator that played ruby a little annoying at times

I found this book very hard to follow and I gave up around 44%.
I didn't 'gel' with any of the characters and felt that the story line was dragging.
It wasn't for me sadly.

An absolutely gripping story of the secrets you would do anything to keep hidden, with a twist you just won’t see coming. Perfect for fans of Gone Girl, Big Little Lies and The Girl on the Train.

This is a new Bookouture author for me, but one that I was instantly attracted to from the cover. I definitely haven’t been disappointed.

I have loved the author’s writing style, I have been instantly pulled into the pages of this one and unable to put this book down. This is a book I have devoured in just one sitting.

This is unpredictable and I have been kept guessing throughout. The tension is clear from very early on in the novel and I have been completely immersed in this one.

This is a unique and original plot. The characters are a good variety and easy to find believable.

A definite five star read. I’m looking forward to more from this author.

Claire Seeber's writing is captivating. This is a slow burn drama with well developed, believable characters and topics that stir your emotions. The plot had so many twists and turns that I couldn't put the book down. Can't wait to read more from this author.

Addictive. A perfectly constructed, character-based domestic drama full of secrets, suspicion and spite. The three women have such different lives and connections, it’s clear that bringing them together is never going to end well. I felt like a fly on the wall witnessing the buildup of tension and questioning everyone’s motives as events unfolded - and was kept gripped to the end. The London setting is ideal as it’s easy to imagine these families living nextdoor to each other. I loved the way their stories became intertwined and exposed topical issues of racism, entitlement and consent. I’m looking forward to reading other books by this author.

Slow burn but had it's moments of excitement and intrigue.. An interesting story built around how three different people attending the same street party can perceive and experience events differently.

The Street Party is advertised as a thriller, but I think it fits more into a domestic drama, or women's fiction with suspense. It focuses on the group of neighbours living in Northgate Square in Wes London. The story revolves around three women and their families. Ruby a recently widowed, working mother with two children, Melissa, Ruby's best friend who is married to Rex, the headmaster of St Bede's and is stepmother to his daughter Cecelia, and Nella Jackson who is married to local politician Marcus. She is obsessed with money, beauty and putting on airs of having a perfect life. She has a daughter, Willow, and a young son, Beau. Nella decides to organize a street party and fundraiser to raise cash for charity and give her husband an opportunity to shake some hands and raise support for his newest political endeavour. Fireworks, alcohol, drugs and fun sounds like a wonderful time, but something happens at the party that'll change the lives of these three women and their families forever.

The women are the main focus of the story, but it is the actions of their children that drive a lot of this story. There is an allegation by one of the young women that puts things in motion that will change lives. Some of these kids are spoiled rotten, but giving gifts, money and protecting them from failing is not what kids need and trying to get attention often has problems. This story is a slow burn, with the first half of the story, setting the stage and introducing the families. These families are all very different and dealing with different issues, but they all have problems. The story is told from the POV of the three women. They alternate between chapters and I was often left wondering who was telling the truth. All three women pretend everything is great on the outside but behind closed doors it tells a different story. The story sped up for the last third and it kept me riveted. This story reminded a bit of Big, Little Lies with characters that didn't always present themselves honestly. This story was full of secrets, lies, deception, betrayal, addiction, scandals and domestic violence. There were some twists and turns throughout the story and some things that took me by surprise. This is a neighbourhood that I definitely don't want to move into, but I did care about several of the characters and was cheering for a certain outcome. The audiobook is narrated by three performers, Anna Cordell, Laura Brydon, and Nano Nagle. This gave each of the women their own voice which was wonderful as you could always tell which woman was sharing her story. This added to the enjoyment of the story, as I always prefer books with a cast of narrator. If you enjoy a good community story, with some well-written characters, toxicity, lies and suspense, then pick up The Street Party.

The community of Northgate Square is made up of wealthy and not so wealthy residents. Each year, they have a street party where neighbors get together for bake sales, clothing and home sales, face painting, fireworks and more with proceeds all going to charity.

This year, Nella and Marcus Jackson are heading up the planning. They are quite wealthy and Marcus is hoping to run for Prime Minister. Their daughter, Willow, is a pretty girl but will be going to public instead of private school and Nella wants her to meet some other students from public school. They also have a young son named Beau.

Ruby is the widow of Jonny working at her florist shop to make ends meet. Her daughter is living in Berlin and her teenage son, Zach, a mixed race boy, is in public school.

Melissa teaches yoga and is married to Rex, a pompous man who works at the public school. Cecelia, Rex’s daughter from his first marriage, lives with them. Melissa has never been able to have children which makes her very sad.

As the planning meetings begin, we see the true colors of the Jacksons as they field their way using the help of Ruby, Melissa, and others to get the street party together. After the party, some awful accusations appear leaving some people devastated.

It was hard for me to continue to read this book because I couldn’t figure out what the point of the story is. I refused to give up because Bookouture is the publisher and they have been so kind to by allowing me to read and review many of their novels. What I got out of the story is how wealth and privilege can sometimes produce children who feel they can bully others with no consequences. There is a lot of alcohol consumed by the adults and even by the children. Marital abuse is also a factor. An interesting read if you have the time.

Copy provided by NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.