Loved this book.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for giving me the chance to read this ARC.

It's full of twists and turns and really messes with your emotions.

A full review has been left on Goodreads.

This book broke me. Then healed a part of me. Broke me some more and then ended with me feeling all the emotions.

From the start I could t have told you just how much this would affect me. The story is written so beautifully that you get absorbed in to everyone’s lives and hearing their stories really hit me in all the emotions.

I love Freya and I think her story hit the hardest for me. But Mischa and Callum and Victoria all hit my emotions hard too.

The last quarter I couldn’t have guessed that would be the outcome. But it worked so well and was the perfect ending.

If you wanted a hard hitting emotional read. This is it. I adored every word and I’m so glad I got to read this book!

For me ‘The Seven O’Clock Club’ was a wonderful break after the recent series of murder mysteries that I had been reading.
The first part of the book introduces us to four very different characters that have all undergone a recent trauma in their lives that has left them unable to cope with their daily lives. Genevieve is the therapist who gathers them together to try a new theory and get them to help each other to move on. The reader is introduced to the characters over a few seven O’clock sessions in a dreary flat in Walthamstow, but just as we think we know all about them a brilliant twist takes the story to another level.
Not a novel about navel gazing and self-forgiveness, this is much more and a thoroughly enjoyable read.
Highly recommended.

Gosh. I don't know where to start with this one. I'm think I need to recover from the total emotional rollercoaster Amelia has sent me on.

The Seven O'clock Club was well paced with a linear timeline, which was well presented. I liked that we saw what happened outside of the club too. It really helped to give a sense that I knew the characters. I liked the alternating POV chapters, which were fairly short and snappy, which was perfect for this book.

This story was absolutely heartbreaking at times. This is a book that is so full of hurt and pain that at times, I had to put it down and take a deep breath before continuing. I really feel like I went on a journey of discovery with Victoria, Callum, Mischa, and Freya. I genuinely feel like they are friends of mine now. And I love every single one of them.

All of the characters in this superb novel are extremely well written. They are all very, very different, and yet seem to have something in common.

I loved the first 70% of this book. It's a beautiful exploration of grief, and I loved getting to know everyone via their individual stories. And then I thought a twist was being revealed, and, being honest, thought, "ffs, what a rubbish idea!" Then the actual twist came. Jaw dropped. Genuinely. Oh. My. Goodness.

This book is going to stay with me for a long time. It's given me a lot to think about, and I definitely think I'll be re-reading it in the future.

4 people affected by something that has happened in their lives and pretty much at the end of trying to ‘get over it’ meet in a flat once a week to ttry via Genieve,an experimental therapist,to find some resolve

4 very different people with different lives,personalities and back stories but all needing help to overcome what for them was the worst thing they have ever had to face,deal with

It is quite an emotive read a times and a lot to “pack in’ but the author manages to convoy really well what each one is feeling and coping with

There is,it is worth saying ,one character who swears constantly,way too much tbh and it became annoying rather than descriptive of him and how he was feeling,he was though a great character ,the swearing was just overdone

A very very unexpected twist led to a surprising end to the book and it is a book that readers will have an opinion on,it is impossible to read it and not have many thoughts and to muse on what you have just read and been a party to

Original and thought provoking,well written and challenging,a book you wont forget

I realised as soon as I started this book that it wasn't really for me. It's very much a style and taste thing, as I can see by all the wonderful reviews that I'm very much in the minority. I think I had a problem with the concept as much as the prose. And because of that it was a dnf for me.

This story had me hooked straight from the beginning, the emotions that you feel throughout it sends you on a full rollercoaster. This is hard to believe that the writing is a debut from the author as it feels so well established. This book both warmed and broke my heart all in one. Friendship can be found in the oddest of places and this showcases so many different types of people coming together through a common ground of grief.

I knew when I signed up to the tour that this book would be emotional but I was completely unprepared for how it would make me feel. Anyone that has ever lost somebody close to them will find this book incredibly moving and heart wrenching. Victoria, Callum, Freya and Mischa are complete strangers that all have one thing in common; each of them has recently suffered a loss and are struggling to come to terms with it for their own unique reasons.

I felt very connected to each of the characters and almost felt as if I was on their journey with them as they traversed the many stages of grief. Although they are very different people fundamentally this book really highlights how grief affects us all regardless of our background, status, or beliefs and I think there's a very important message in that.

What I loved the most about this book is when the characters started to lower their defences and open up to each other. Their personalities would often clash which could make for some heated arguments as everybody is emotionally charged, but ultimately as each of them realises they have nothing to lose they begin to open up to each other. Up until this point the events that brought them to the meetings had only been alluded to and as each of them revealed more about their losses it became painfully clear why it was so hard for them to move on.

As well as all of the emotions this book made me feel there were shocking revelations that I didn't see coming at all. I thought I had this book all figured out and suddenly it was obvious that I was completely wrong and I had to process it before I was able to write my review. I can't believe that this is a debut novel and I'll be keeping an eye open for any future books from Amelia Ireland.

Wow, I knew it sounded like a fantastic read, but I didn’t expect to discover a new favourite!

What a book—I can’t believe it’s a debut! The story explores deeply moving themes, with four distinct yet equally compelling journeys of grief and healing. Amelia Ireland’s writing is simply wonderful; I felt like I truly knew the characters, as if they were newfound friends. The novel is beautifully crafted, balancing poignant emotion with moments of humour that shine through the pages.

I stayed up late devouring it, eyes brimming with tears and jaw dropping at the unexpected twists. I won’t spoil anything, but the revelations had me absolutely hooked.

I highly recommend this book—it’s one that will stay with me forever.

CW/TW: While I don’t want to reveal spoilers, please be aware this book explores themes of loss and grief in depth.

A huge thank you to @lovebookstours @bwpublishing @bonnierbooks_uk and @ameliaireland_author for having me on the tour and gifting me a digital proof in exchange for my honest review.

At seven o'clock one Tuesday evening, in a perfectly ordinary tower block near Westminster, four strangers meet for the first time. They each have three things in common: all suffered a traumatic experience six months earlier; all exhibit a dogged inability to put it behind them & all accepted an invitation to attend tonight's counselling session with the unconventional Genevieve - a determined woman with an unusual theory to test. There is another reason that these four people have been brought together & when that perfectly ordinary tower block near Westminster turns out to be not quite so ordinary, all five are forced to make some unexpected - and, for some, impossible - decisions…

This was one of my most anticipated reads this year after being instantly drawn in by the synopsis, and it didn’t disappoint.

The authors writing style is enveloping, I instantly felt the connection with all of the characters, with the chapters continuing the narration of the story in its entirety using alternate character POV’s. The initial thoughts of each other detailing how first impressions are not always what they seem, alongside the strong character development between them all, as their relationships strengthen as they bond through their experiences.

I enjoyed how the traumatic experiences, that connected all of the characters to be drawn together, weren’t explained until almost halfway through the book, the essence of each person instead being built in the readers mind, meaning you never quite knew if your suspicions would prove to be correct, a very ingenious technique.

I must admit I wasn’t expecting the direction the book took in the last quarter - no spoilers! - but it was a very clever twist, and this turn in events certainly led to a very unexpected, poignant conclusion, that definitely makes you think! I look forward to reading more by this author in the future for sure.

Great novel, enjoyed reading this so much on a recent trip.

Thanks so much to NetGalley and the publishers for letting me access this book in exchange for my feedback.

This was a solid four star read for me, it didn’t quite reach five star territory but it was a strong four stars. I didn’t know what to expect going in but I was pleasantly surprised to find a book full of heartache & love and a huge range of human emotions.

Going into this I expected that it was going to be a sad book but while it definitely encompass a range of human heartache, it also touched on the other side of things. All the love and connections that we have in this life that ultimately result in heartache in all its various forms. I thought this was a very thought-provoking book and I would say that this was perfect for a book club read, as there is a lot to discuss here.

One thing I will say is that I found it hard at times to follow the narrative and understand which POV I was reading from because there were a lot of characters and it switched between them often and in a way that was not super clear. But for the most part this was an engaging read something that kept me turning the pages from start to finish.

The Seven O'Clock Club is a thought provoking and intriguing read.

I enjoyed Ireland's writing style as well as the four main characters who were well developed and being so different, they all added something to the story. I also enjoyed the twist, even if it was slightly predictable.

I did feel at times that the story was a bit cliched but overall, an enjoyable, well paced and imaginatively written story that I would recommend.

Thanks to Bonnier Books UK | Black & White Publishing and NetGalley for the ARC.

Well, what a lovely story! A twist that is really unexpected and an open ending....perfect.

The premise hooked me and it was interesting and engaging and then the twist happened. It then got intriguing!

This is definitely one I'd recommend.

Many thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for gifting me this arc in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.

A diverse group of four people meet for grief counselling using an experimental method, although why what seemed to be straightforward group therapy was described as such escaped me until further into the story.

The characters are all distinct from each other, having very different voices and back stories. They were well written.

There is a big unexpected twist, and the plot is revealed to have a huge element of magical realism. This results in some surprising connections between the characters. The rather sweet resolution to a couple of the characters’ stories was a nice touch, but for me the ending did not make the dark storylines and heaviness of the plot rewarding. I found it quite hard going throughout most of the novel with just a few moments of humour, lightness and romance.

There are trigger warnings for a wide range of issues described in the group sessions and much swearing from one character. While this helped to effectively convey his personality, it will not be for everyone. Although the tagline on the book (on GoodReads) is that it would be perfect for book clubs, I would not recommend this as suitable for a group read at all.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read an advance copy.

I enjoyed this book and its exploration of mental health and I was really surprised by the twist reveal but I’m not sure how I feel about it!

Four seemingly unrelated people are selected to attend a series of revolutionary grief counselling sessions. As they all begin to trust the process and each other, they all talk about the grief that led them to the group. Just as I was becoming invested in each of them and their grief counsellor, there came a twist like never before, which set the book going in a completely different direction.
I loved, loved, loved this book, both before and after the twist. I wanted to devour it in one go, and had to slow myself down in order to fully savour it and appreciate every word. A brilliant book and highly recommended read.

Love this author and loved this book! The author held my attention, and I loved how they tied the story up - the epilogue was heart warming. And wow that ending …… I never saw that coming! 5 stars

Thank you to Bonnier Books and NetGalley for this advance e-copy.

Wow. I absolutely loved this book. 4 very different people are brought together for group grief counselling, led by Genevieve. Genevieve is trialling a new technique to help people through the grieving process.

It’s such a unique story and I loved everything about it. At first I was thinking that this was going to be a nice, heartwarming, happy-ever-after, predictable story; I thought I knew exactly where it was going. But then the story flipped and I was shocked - in a really good way.

It’s a story that forces you to think and look inwards. It has left me thinking about aspects of my own life and reminds me that not everything is always as it seems. We think we understand why certain things happen but maybe there are other reasons that we haven’t considered. I also loved the theme of friendship and leaning on others for support during tough times.

There are some really difficult storylines in this book that could be triggering for some but the author does an amazing job of telling these stories sensitively, whilst also throwing in some humour.

This is a story that will stick with me for a long time. I rarely give a book 5 stars, but this is 100% deserving of it.

I totally fell in love with this quirky and heartfelt story.

Four apparently random strangers each see an advert for a counselling group. Victoria, Mischa, Callum and Freya are all stuck in the depths of grief. Some are keen to try to find a place of acceptance. Some are fully in denial and resistant to opening up a maelstrom of emotion they surely would not survive.

But over time, a feeling of trust, acceptance and safety forms within the group that was just sublimely written. I derived a great deal of comfort myself. Watching these amazing humans grow stronger by being vulnerable, was inspiring and yet not written with any element of schmaltz. Rather, viscerally stripping back the layers of armour they've had to don.

And then the book took, at least for me, an unexpected turn. And it simply elevated this story into something quite magical.

This book felt like a balm to an anxious and grieving mind.

Sublime.