A thriller or a love story? This is definitely both. It starts with a tension-fuelled set-up that is carefully drip-fed throughout the novel, while the main character, Kate, reflects on what brought her to be in this situation. I loved the dynamic between Kate and Vic, and her love for her family, and also her clever justification for finding herself in the throes of an affair. The ticking clock siege situation is a clever frame for an emotional portrait of a woman who is just trying to do her best. There were a few loose ends that I had hoped would be tied up but actually the fact that they weren’t left me thinking about this book more. In short, an emotionally wrought slow-burn suspense novel that I absolutely could not put down.

I had heard amazing things about Room 706 before I read it and I was not disappointed. As Kate sits and waits with her lover, in a London hotel that’s under siege we hear the story of her marriage to her husband Vic and their life with their two children. The author takes us back to when Kate and Vic meet in Italy and as Kate waits she reflects on their relationship. This is a beautiful love story, told with such warmth and honesty and I loved the characters of Kate and Vic. Kate wonders what she will tell Vic if she escapes, or what Vic will think if she doesn’t. She writes letters to Vic and her children and emails reminders of daily chores. This is all set against the tension of being in a hotel that is under siege by gunmen, with no updates apart from what’s available on social media and the author captures Kate’s fear and the realisation that she knows so little about the man she is with.
Without doubt this is the best book I’ve read so far this year, I was completely immersed in both Kate’s present and past and loved how the author so cleverly combines a thriller with a beautiful love story.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this digital ARC.

I would like to thank the author, the publisher and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read an ARC of this book. It was a very good read, it certainly makes you think and the ending although not what I was expecting was actually the correct ending.

From the very first paragraph, this book had me utterly hooked. The premise is as tense as it is intriguing – a woman trapped in a hotel under siege, with a man she doesn’t love, and a life outside that she’s desperate to protect. The layers of mystery are woven so cleverly that every chapter leaves you needing to know more.

The writing is sharp, atmospheric, and full of emotional depth. I found myself completely immersed in Kate’s inner turmoil, torn between fear, guilt, and survival. The shifting timelines and tantalising glimpses of her past kept me racing through the pages, needing answers.

It’s rare to find a story that delivers suspense, emotional complexity, and such a gripping moral dilemma all in one – but this novel manages it effortlessly. If you’re looking for a read that will keep you awake into the small hours, heart pounding and mind whirring, this is it.

A brilliantly original debut. I couldn’t put it down.

Wow! I have just finished Room 706 and I feel like I need a little lie down. What a roller coaster. I want to talk about that ending RIGHT NOW! (Reading an early copy before my book club can get their hands on it is definitely a disadvantage here.)
I feel like I know Kate and despite the excellent drama of the book, getting to know her and understand her was the best part of the book for me. My heart broke for her - with so many losses. I will think about her and Vic (her lovely husband) for a very long time.
I 100% recommend this as a book club read and I think it will be a big hit. I want to go back to the start and read it all over again.

Wow!wow!wow!

To say I have loved this book is an understatement. It has been a pleasure to read and I am grateful for every page. A total contradiction of emotions.

The initial concept of this story is about cheating spouses in a crazy situation, however the book itself focuses on Kate and her life, the decision she makes along the way and the events that have made her who she is.

I have felt everything reading this book! And loved every page!

It a MUST read

Wow, what a debut! I was completely immersed right from the start and I couldn’t put this book down. It’s so addictive.

Kate, trapped in a London hotel room with her lover James. A woman who must contend with her life and marriage.
A story about marriage, love, identity and desire but so much more too. Tender, gripping, full of suspense and drama, it’s poignant, heartbreaking, emotional and thought provoking.
The story is told through Kate’s POV, and alternates between three timelines of the present day in the hotel room, and flashbacks to how she met her husband and her lover. Tensions builds throughout with emotions expressed through these flashbacks, which I loved, and it keeps you turning the pages as it flows so well. I loved the word and story games that Kate plays, adding depth to the story.
I liked the authors writing style very much. It’s beautifully written and perfectly paced. I can’t wait to see what’s next from @ellie_levenson
I definitely recommend this book. One of my favourite reads this year.
With thanks to #NetGallery @headlinebooks for an arc of #Room706 in exchange for a honest review.
Book publishes 15 January 2026.

Wow.

Room 706 is Ellie Levenson’s debut novel. I read it a few weeks ago and still find myself thinking about how it ended occasionally.

Kate finds herself trapped in a hotel room during a terror attack. Except she’s not alone, she’s with the man she has been having an affair with for years, James. The story looks at their past, present and future. Will they make it out alive and will their lives ever be the same if they do?

As a mother, this is your worst nightmare, being trapped and not able to say goodbye to your children.

Brilliantly written and an absolute killer of an ending!

This blew me away, one of my favourite debuts, the only reason it wasn’t read in one sitting, was because my husband expected me to go out for a meal and actually talk to him on holiday 🙄 the audacity 😂.

This is they epitome of ‘sit on the edge of your seat’ I felt so anxious for Kate and James, though not particularly likeable, I felt for them as they learned what was happening in the hotel around them, such a scary situation and so emotional when Kate starts writing down the info Vic would need etc.

I liked that we really got into Kate’s head as she thought back on her marriage and affair, this might sound bad, but I also liked the guilt she felt over the affair (quite rightly) as it showed a bit of karma for what she has done on Vic and her family.

I also loved the ending and had so many different thoughts on what ultimately happened.