I loved this book! 4 people meet for the first time to undergo a series of counselling sessions to help them with a terrible loss and guilt that they are finding difficult to cope with. So far, so good. Friendships develop quickly and things seem to be going well. But all is not what it seems and then comes the biggest twist that you will never see coming!! You have to suspend a bit of belief, but this is a great story!!
Thanks to NetGalley for a preview copy.
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Genevieve advertises for people struggling with grief to join her in a first of its kind therapy group, one with an unorthodox method. She selects four participants, all with vastly different personalities and backgrounds, whose only commitment is to attend for at least four sessions at 7pm on a Wednesday evening. All of them have suffered a tragic bereavement and are struggling to navigate their way out of a myriad of emotions. Their individual stories are only gradually revealed as the book progresses, which I loved and kept me hooked from page one right to the end!

I was instantly drawn to all of the characters, for very different reasons. Amelia Ireland's style of characterisation is excellent, eliciting empathy even for those who initially appear selfish, arrogant and self destructive. However this is so much more than other novels I have read with grief as its main thread, and takes the reader in a very unexpected direction. For me, it is this that makes 'The Seven O'Clock Club' stand out from the crowd. Often breathtakingly sad, tragic and thought provoking there are wonderful touches of humour and heart warming moments. Whilst grief is a negative emotion there is a sensitivity to the author's writing that didn't leave me feeling 'wrung out' even though I could identify with one of the characters.

An absolute gem!!

Many thanks to NetGalley and Bonnier Books for my advanced reader copy in return for my honest and unbiased review.

No spoilers!
I loved this book…another one I didn’t want to end and I shed a tear when it did.
Four misfits pulled together for an ‘unknown’ project to unlock their fears and misery. The book was beautifully written and I became fully invested in the characters, needing to read on to find out what happened next. The characters were not instantly likeable but they all developed and grew on me as the book continued. We are expected to suspend belief at the end of the book, but that was ok too.
Well done, Amelia, one for my recommended list!! Bravo and 10/10

This book was not what I expected at all, there is a twist I did not see coming at all, and it just enhanced the book in a big way for me. I went in expecting a book about a support group of some sort, about looking at grief in a new way and we did get that but we also got so much more. I don't like to give away plots in my reviews, and this story is one that definitely deserves to keep its twist a secret. The story follows 4 people (Callum, Freya, Victoria and Micha) who are brought together to hopefully be able to help each other in some way to overcome their grief, brought together for a reason that we don't really understand because they're all vastly different people, but help each other they do. Bonds develop, relationships evolve and you learn that sometimes people you would never expect are the ones who can understand you the most and help you through the toughest things. You learn that these characters have a lot more going on than you can ever understand, and it's all dealt with beautifully. It's an incredibly touching, heartfelt book that will leave you feeling so many things but your heart will feel a little lighter by the end of it. An amazing read.

The group of strangers that arrive at Genevieve’s flat have been selected to trial a new form of grief therapy. Each, for their own reasons, is sceptical but we follow them through their sessions and see them open up to one another about the reason they are there.
Each of the characters is a lot more vulnerable than they first appear. As they open up to each other we learn more about their lives and what has led them to this place. Observing this process was intriguing, and it certainly raised a lot more questions than we are given answers to.
Eventually we, and they, find out why each of them was chosen. It is not what I expected, though the details may not surprise all readers. Though it strays into territory that could have been mawkish, it felt more life-affirming. It was certainly unique, and a book that encourages reflection after the last page has been turned.
Thanks to the author and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read and review this.

An original idea but it didn’t work for me. The subject matter is depressing but if you overcome this and start to feel invested in the characters the whole thing then gets turned in its head.

The Seven O'Clock Club is a good debut read dealing with different types of grief, found family, and learning to move on. I will be interested in reading the author’s future books.

This book was running along nicely. Until it wasn’t. The first part was a sensitive exploration showing four strangers being brought together to share and subsequently find healing for their grief. All were damaged by their suffering but it was impossible not to become engaged with their stories. The totally unexpected twist in the plot where the characters are suddenly placed in a surreal alternative reality feels momentarily disappointing, as if the original story had run out of steam. Luckily, strong , empathetic characters carry it through and you actually find yourself rooting for them to succeed in their next world. Worth reading just to see how this works.

What a depressing book - it encompasses the various stages of the four human guinea pigs to a new way of counselling. Initially I was drawn to this novel by the good reviews, but sadly the more I read the less certain I became. It’s certainly not a novel for anyone questioning their own mortality and emotions. The four people, Freya, Mischa, Victoria and Callum, from different walks in life and with different experiences, form a shared bond as they struggle through their demons during the group therapy sessions. The concept was good, but the delivery didn’t meet the mark.

My thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for this ARC for an honest review

An interesting read - not at all what I expected!

Four strangers are brought together for grief counselling. Wary to start with but as the weeks go by they find themselves returning and exposing more of their back stories and building up bonds of friendship.

Victoria - a hard hitting lawyer; Callum - a rock star; Mischa - a career and Freya. All very different but all struggling to move on. Their therapist, Genevieve, needs to succeed as they have not been selected at random and they need to work together if they are to achieve happiness.

As the story develops through alternating POVs you realise that this is not an ordinary therapy story.

I did not expect the ending and was surprised at several points by the story.

One I will be recommending.

The Seven O'Clock Club by Amelia Ireland is a heartfelt and thought-provoking debut that delves into the complexities of grief, healing, and the unexpected connections that can arise in the most unlikely of circumstances. The story centres around an experimental therapy group where four strangers are brought together to heal broken hearts under the guidance of a therapist, Genevieve Dempsey. Each member of the group is grappling with their form of loss, whether it's the collapse of a career, personal identity, or a significant relationship.

The characters couldn’t be more different, yet they all find themselves in the same room on Wednesday nights at 7 PM, reluctantly participating in a treatment designed to guide them through the five stages of grief. There's Freya, the sharp-tongued lawyer determined not to open up; Mischa, a fragile young woman searching for belonging; Callum, a musician on the verge of self-destruction; and Victoria, an interior designer whose picture-perfect life is starting to unravel. Through alternating perspectives, readers witness their emotional journeys as they begin to unravel their pain, confronting not only their past but also the possibility of new beginnings.

The therapy sessions are where the true healing begins, but they also reveal more than the participants expected. While each person struggles with their stage of grief, they begin to form bonds with each other—slowly uncovering shared experiences and, in some cases, developing unexpected friendships and even romantic connections. However, a shocking revelation about their selection for the therapy group shakes their trust and forces them to confront whether the therapy is truly about healing or something much more profound.

The book touches on themes of vulnerability, healing, and the unpredictability of emotional journeys. As the characters navigate their grief, they learn that healing is not linear, and sometimes the most significant breakthroughs come from the people around them. The story is beautifully written, with short, engaging chapters that move the plot along quickly, making it a compelling read.

Ultimately, The Seven O'Clock Club is an exploration of human connection, the struggle to overcome personal pain, and the courage it takes to open oneself up to the possibility of happiness once again. The pacing is brisk, and the emotional depth of the characters makes this book a truly rewarding and impactful read.

Read more at The Secret Book Review.

I was enjoying this story, invested in all the characters and the development they were making…until I wasn’t. Now if you e read the book you’ll know at what point it lost me and you’ll either feel similarly disappointed like me or you’ll accept it. I couldn’t accept it and only finished due to there not being that much left to get through. A turn I was not expecting, and didn’t want.

I loved how this book showed how friends, love and hope can get you through the dark periods of life. They feel like real people which adds to the relatability.

The Seven O'Clock Club
By Amelia Ireland

A group therapy story with four participants who are stuck in their grief. Their therapist, Genevieve, is attempting to lead them towards Acceptance through an experimental model. Much information about the nature of the experiment and the individual grief stories are initially withheld, presumably to elicit a sense of tension, but as in a puppet show, the strings are showing.

The story is told through rotating narratives by the for participants initially, but the voices are not actually distinct from each other (apart from Callum's F*Bomb laden chapters) and the interiority and perspective shift you'd expect from that device don't emerge.

For a story about loss, grief, emotional growth, and acceptance, it is not very convincing. So many details ring false, so many choices make no sense. As the reader, I want to feel connected to the journey these characters are experiencing but it's a case of telling and not showing.

The addition of Genevieve's POV in the last quarter of the book brings a spectacular "twist" to the story that is probably the most interesting and most irritating thing about this book. My first reaction was aversion. "O no. Not .........( insert genre)!!! But actually it explains a lot of plot bumps that were chipping away at my subconscious rateometer. I tried to relate it to a certain 90s blockbuster movie that ventured into similar territory and did my best to open up to what the author offers, but she chooses to explore a sentimental romantic element rather than a thought provoking speculative one.

This book is categorised as "General Fiction (Adult), Women's Fiction, Literary Fiction" by the publisher. It really is not literary fiction. It relies too heavily on a structure that doesn't work, undeveloped voices, emotional indifference and a sensationalist promise that doesn't deliver. Remove the literary label and the expectation that goes with that, and this book will find its audience.


Publication Date: 4th March 2025
Thank you #Netgalley for providing a review copy.

Wow! This book covers all emotions and very quickly you are engrossed in the characters and the different events that have shaped their lives. To start with some of them were easier to warm to than others but as the story carried on it was easier to understand what they had been going through. It raised many talking points and thoughts which is a good thing. A great story that stays with you

Thankyou to Netgalley, the publishers and Amelia Ireland for the opportunity to read this in exchange for an honest review.


WHAT AN AMAZING BOOK! My easiest five stars so far this year, this is a sit down and devour it in one sitting book, stays with you afterwards book.

We meet five characters, Genivieve, Victoria, Mischa, Freya and Callum and get to view what's happening from each of their perspectives as they all attend a once a week therapy session on grief... but the twist towards the end I could have NEVER seen coming.
I felt like I was in there with them, got to know them and love them, all of them were so incredibly human and real with flaws and strengths.

This is a book that will make you laugh, think, cry and reflect on your own life and choices.

Cannot recommend highly enough!

The Seven O'Clock Club is an emotional and very moving book that analyses grief and different kind of emotions that someone might go through in life. I loved like half of the book even though some characters weren't that likeable and I just couldn't feel too much empathy for her. Anyway, when I got to the big reveal I was quite surprised and I liked the turn the book took still the end and all the other ideas that follow death felt a bit flat to me. Overall, it's good talking about grief and all its stages but also about death too

For a debut novel, this book absolutely knocks it out of the park. Following the story of four individuals who are strangers to one another, they all agree to take part in experimental group therapy lead by the unconventional Genevieve, the counselling's purpose is to help them overcome their recent bereavement whilst also learning about themselves, each other and the grief process

Told from multiple perspective of; Genevieve, Callum, Freya, Mischa and Victoria, this is a story of exploration surrounding the concept of grief and the power of human connection and love. Each chapter is relatively short, making the book feel more up-tempo than the content is. Despite this book having a heavy content the author has done a brilliant job of writing the story and characters so delicately and well, that you really start to grieve alongside them. Each character has their own difficulties in processing their own stories of loss, and each one of them pulled at my heartstrings, Mischa’s and Freya’s especially caused me to break down in tears, and I had to take a moment away from the book for those.

I really like how the author has named each part of the book after parts of the grief process (anger, denial, acceptance etc) and feel this was a lovely little easter egg to the storyline. This is a book that provided a really intriguing and unexpected plot twist – no spoilers but I was literally gobsmacked, it was not a path I was expecting to go down, but it really made you question everything about life, it made me think about life, death, the afterlife, relationships and spirituality.

It is such an imaginatively and delicately written story, with a lovely found family vibe, in which all four characters have strong connections between each other. This is a book with huge emotional depth, it provides a rollercoaster of emotions, I was heartbroken, crying, laughing and just completely encouraging each character in my own way.

It is fascinating and brilliant how the author has managed to personalise each character and make them relatable and connected in different ways. The way that the story unfolds and each character's ARC develops over the course of the book is so well thought out, it just proves that every individual views and experiences relationships, grief and loss in a variety of different ways. Either way the four main characters have been brought to life so perfectly, that I could easily meet any of them on the street and want to hug them!

Now despite the cover giving off summer vibes, this is quite a difficult book to read at times, predominately due to its content being around dealing with grief and coping with the loss of loved ones – therefore I would recommend checking the triggers before diving into this one: death of a child, death of a parent, drug and alcohol abuse, addiction, suicide, vehicle death, serious road traffic collision and a character with Alzheimer's

i loved the whole concept of this book. a group therapy session for four people living in the same building brings a set of people together each bringing their own grief and torments. coming together and bonding changes, heals and helps them in ways they didnt think possible.
i really liked getting to know the characters from each of their Pov. so each chapters is handed over to them. and so their story unfolds from their own point of view and it really helps you feel what they've been through and what they are going through now. it add new layers and care for each character.
i was mystified at first. would you do this? just trust to go to such a meeting!? but then again, when desperate or in pain i guess it means you'll try anything?
i really enjoyed this book and the little gasp of the plot twist was great addition.

It's a good concept, but I found the writing too bland and the characters too cliched to give the idea the depth it needed. It definitely has a feel-good factor, but not a lot of emotional bite.