This is a moving story about the things that make us feel isolated even as we find we are tied together by our common human experiences.

Four strangers gather at an apartment block in Westminster to try out an unusual form of counselling, in an attempt to put behind them the stubbornly lingering trauma of events that they have been through. What they find is something rather unexpected...

This is a life-affirming novel about strangers who become something more, thanks to the determination of one person. Interesting and relatable, this is worth a read. It gets 3.5 stars.

3.8 Stars
One Liner: A good debut! Introspective

Genevieve is a psychologist who wants to try a new kind of group therapy for grief. She picks four candidates – Victoria (52), Freya (31), Callum (29), and Mischa (20), people dealing with different types of grief and personal battles.
They are to meet once a week in Genevieve’s home. Of course, all of them are skeptical about this but give it a try (some more grudgingly than others). However, as they start to speak and get to one another, things change. Maybe, they might have a chance to finally move on from whatever is crushing their souls.
One day, they find out the reason they were chosen for this therapy and it tests their newly formed friendships like no other. What happens next?
The story comes in the first-person POVs of Genevieve, Freya, Victoria, Mischa, and Callum.

My Thoughts:
The book is divided into multiple parts like denial, anger, bargaining, depression, etc.
After a short intro via Genevieve’s report written after the therapy ended, we go back to how it began. The four main characters get a chapter each as introductions.
Luckily, the character POVs are distinct and have specific narrative styles. Callum’s are filled with F-bombs. Victoria is snarky and snobbish. Freya is detached. Mischa is lost and overwhelmed. This makes it easy to track whose POV we are reading.
The initial setup takes time, so the first 30% is slow. We get sneak peeks into their lives, keeping the interest levels high. Emotions also run high, so it is not really a light-hearted book. Since the therapy is for grief, there are quite a few triggers as well. One of the characters is into substance abuse.
As each character reveals their past and the key incident, we can see their pain and anguish. They also start to bond with each other, which makes things easy and complicated.
There are a few hints about the twist that would come. I did guess some of it and wondered if that’s what it would be. It was but with something extra. However, this is a deal breaker. You’ll either like it or hate it. If you like it, you’ll enjoy the book more.
I did like how things proceeded despite the repetition of actions and dialogues where they go back and forth about a few things.
One thing that didn’t really work for me was the romance part. It’s not organic and the explanation didn’t help. A toned-down version wouldn’t suit the plot but the way it is doesn’t work either. Maybe a combined backstory might have helped. I’m not sure!
The ending is quite good too. It ties up the loose ends without moving away from the main plot. This does result in an open-ish end which is just right here.

To summarize, 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.
Thank you, NetGalley and Black & White Publishing (Bonnier Books UK), for eARC. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.
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P.S: No self-respecting Indian (descendent) would call it ‘chai tea’ that too when talking to their kin. It is chai.

4 strangers in therapy to cope with bereavement - each handling (or rather not handling) it in their own way. Told in alternating chapters by each of the subject and also their therapist POV, they reveal their back stories and also how they grow together whilst working through their issues, until ultimately you discover the big secrets that links them all together.
I loved all the characters and felt their heartbreak and ultimately cheered for them as they moved on.
My only slight reservation is for the last 10% of the book where 2 characters ultimately follow a different route, however it could be argued that this was a bonus - I suppose it depends on your viewpoint.
I will definitely be keeping an eye out for upcoming Amelia Ireland books.

I was drawn in by the premise of this book. Four strangers, all touched by grief and struggling to come to terms with it, agree to attend group therapy. Every week they sit in a room and are encouraged to open up about their lives, at first steering clear of the traumatic events that have brought them here. It's a new experience for them as well as their therapist, Genevieve, who is trying a new technique. What they don't know is that she has another reason for inviting them there.

There were aspects of this book that I loved. I think we need to talk about grief and how completely it can upend a person's life. I dealt with the death of a parent when I was in my twenties, and I quickly discovered that grief is a topic the majority of people want to avoid. But avoiding it won't protect you from experiencing loss, and it certainly won't help those who are going through it. The idea of a book about four people going through the grief process really drew me in. I found some of their stories more compelling than others. I particularly enjoyed getting to know Victoria and Mischa, and seeing how they started to bond and allow themselves to take care of another person, and be taken care of respectively.

Some of the characterisation felt a little forced and over the top, but I did appreciate that all of the characters had very distinctive voices, and you get to watch events unfold from each of their perspectives. There is a romance element to the book that I struggled with, particularly because the characters in question had only just met one another. This all felt quite hollow to me and I was frustrated at how much of an impact it was having on the group. The big reveal, when it came, was rather unexpected. I think some readers are going to love it and I can see from reading other reviews that many do. Unfortunately for me it fell a bit flat, though I think that has far more to do with me and what I was hoping for from a book like this.

It's hard to be more specific without giving anything away. If you're looking for a very realistic view of the grief process and the aftermath of people trying to put their lives back together, this might not be the book for you. However if you are happy to read something that pushes the boundaries of reality, you may enjoy this one.

I would definitely read another book by Amelia Ireland as although I was frustrated with the instalove and ultimate resolution, there were aspects of this that I really loved, and I think for a debut it was interesting.

I enjoyed the first part of this book immensely, as I warmed to all the characters and was keen to know their stories which, though heartbreaking, didn't disappoint. Then came the twist . . . I think there needs to be more suggestion that this is going to in such a direction and it did spoil it for me, which is why I'm giving it 4 stars instead of 5. Had I been more prepared I think I would have been more accepting.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bonnier Books UK / Black & White Publishing for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I really, really enjoyed this book so much! I connected with the characters from the start and loved how the story was told through their voices. It’s a hard one to review without spoilers but although the theme of the book is about grief and loss, friendship and love are the main feelings I will take away from it. It’s very different and there are some very unpredictable twists. It’s also petty emotional; it’s not often a book makes my eyes leak!

Here’s the blurb:

“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; and all accepted an invitation to attend tonight's counselling session with the unconventional Genevieve - a determined woman with an unusual theory to test.


But this isn't a novel about psychotherapy or self-forgiveness. Because there is another reason these four people have been brought together. And 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 . . .

A novel about friendship, strength and love, The Seven O'Clock Club is a reminder that life can give you hope. Even in the darkest of spaces.”

I have reviewed this book on Fable (Amanda) and Goodreads (Amanda Taft) I’m sorry but I don’t know how to provide a link for an app.

We meet Genevieve who appears to be a psychologist who has been given the opporutnity to try out a new therapy with four individuals who are completely unknown to each other but have, in completely different ways, suffered from a bereavement. Each of the four has to talk about a happy childhood memory and they gradually (but over a very few sessions) open up about their lives and themselves. I found the first half of the book completely compelling and was totally caught up in the individual stories. But then there's a massive twist in the tale and a fantastical element which I rather struggled with - so I read on because I did want to know what happened but I felt somewhat cheated by the nature of the twist which meant I was reading an entirely different sort of novel to the one I'd anticipated.

I would recommend this but with a warning that it turns into fantasy rather than being straightforward fiction.

Four clients, four very different stories. Genevieve is a psychologist and is trying out a new therapy by having four carefully chosen people together in sessions who will hopefully help one another. Freya, Callum, Victoria and Mischa all have gone through bereavement in differing ways. Callum is a famous singer and appears to have a wonderful life, but he’s finding it empty and lonely. Mischa lost her mother to Alzheimer's, and blames herself for what happened. Victoria also lost her mother but as they were estranged she didn't feel anything until she read a letter her mother had left her. Freya had an idyllic childhood but being an adult isn't so great in her world.

This starts with each one trying to recall a happy childhood memory- something not everyone can do so easily and reminds us that everyone is different and we don’t always know what they are going through and the challenges some of us face. It's a book that enveloped me and drew me in, very skilfully and cleverly written. I felt for the four as I'm sure most readers will in one way or another. And the twist! Heavens to Murgatroyd! Wow! Something that took me by complete surprise- I won’t spoil it. A book of life and tragedy and of hope and new beginnings. Stunning.

There should be nothing out of the ordinary about a tower block in London.

But the people meeting there at seven o'clock on one particular Tuesday evening won't have an ordinary experience...

I wasn’t sure what I was expecting from this but it certainly wasn’t what I got! The twist completely dumbfounded me, although it also lost me a little because it was so bizarre. I preferred the first half of the book to the second part, which I felt just became a little absurd. Not one of my fave reads so far this year, but it was heartwarming so I’m glad I read it.

Oh my goodness I devoured this book! This is my first book by this author and it won't be my last. Our 4 main characters are all suffering with grief that they are struggling to cope with.

This book is a lesson in friendship and love and I adored it.

How do I even begin to describe this? I thought it would be a feel good, heartwarming story about the importance of therapy and community. But it was so much more than that. I won’t reveal any details because you’ll want to go into this blind, but trust me when I say this had me on the edge of my seat. I was vividly recounting what was happening to my friends in real time because I needed someone to talk about. I adored the characters, every single one of them. They were complex and flawed and deeply human. I really can’t say much without spoiling the plot, but please pick this up. It was such a beautiful story about humanity and sacrifice.

You know what?.. I actually loved “The Seven O’Clock Club.” This book has a good heart. I went into it somewhat blind and without many expectations, but it proved to be an engrossing page-turner (with a totally unexpected turn of events).

The novel features four main characters who are part of a grief support group. While the author has created distinct personalities for each, there are a few areas where more depth could have been added. Yes, I wanted some more “meat” on the bones of the characters. Yes, many times I found myself noting that they sound too similar for my liking (with one character sounding like a total cliché - and there’s a lot of cursing!). Yes, I wanted to delve deeper in a few instances and explore the grief further. But all in all, what a lovely, heartfelt and hopeful book. Kudos to Amelia Ireland - she managed to wrap everything up neatly!

I will definitely be recommending it to my friends (it will make a great holiday read!).

With many thanks to the publisher.

This book took me by surprise and completely broke my heart into little pieces before putting it back together again.

The writing in this book is effortless and simply wonderful to read. The chapters are short, you get multiple points of view (and all of them are equally brilliant) and I absolutely raced through this book.

The characters are so uniquely interesting and it was fascinating to get to know them as you move through the story. I find that it's rare for me to read a book when I enjoy each character as much as the rest but that is how I feel with this book.

This book had me so emotional - the representation of grief was so gut wrenchingly accurate.

The author did a wonderful job with this book and I 100% recommend that you should read it

It's an absolute fantastic plot twist with a superb ending!

But first, how amazing was this story!!! I know it's early in 2025, but I am 100% certain this is going to be a firm favourite for me!!

It was completely immersive, drawing you in through the characters, listening to their stories, and getting to know them. I couldn't for the life of me figure out how Genevieve matched this group up. It was inspiring seeing them come together sharing the one thing that has devastated them and forming friendships.

The author truly captivates you as she intertwined the characters' lives, not giving too much away but at the same time giving enough to keep you eager to find out more.

This is the type of story you need to go in blind with. You'll honestly enjoy it all the more.

Mic Drop - yes, back to the ending. Had I considered it? Erm Nope I kept thinking back wondering did I miss a hint or an inkling of an idea but really I didn't see it coming but it just made so much sense and actually it made the story whole.

Anyways just read it already or add it to your tbr, I highly recommend this!!!

Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with a digital copy.

An excellent debut novel. This one is hard to talk about without giving too much away! I loved the beginning, fabulous character development and I was totally invested in the story, then there was a huge unexpected twist. I wasn't really sure about it, it didn't go where I thought the book was going or what I wanted to see happen, However, the author held my attention, and I loved how they tied the story up - the epilogue was heart warming. I was definitely heading towards a five star rating, but there was just something about the unexpected that stopped me giving that. That said, it was a great read, I really liked the author's writing style.

Firstly a big thank you for my early access in exchange for a review .
This is an unbelievably written debut and I can’t wait to see more from Amelia .
It’s a complex story of humans essentially and what makes us humans , the good bad and the ugly !
A group of people are brought together for an unlikely weekly meeting which is intended to get them to hold a lens up to their life and where there are stuck .
With this grows ,trust , new beginnings and friendships for life .
Great characters ,well paced and crafted to create a
Amazing, beautiful ,emotive and life affirming book that will be making a big impression in 2025!

Fun idea, good emotions, touching. Loved the four coming together and the way the stories merged, good individual voices for the POV chapters.

Read and reviewed in exchange for a free copy from Netgalley. I have mixed feelings about this book. It took me awhile to get into it, as it was slow to start and I didn't connect with the characters, but the plot was engaging and the twist completely unexpected (to the point it seemed a bit extreme). Ireland told her character's backstories sensitively and created sympathy for her characters well.

Genevieve is a therapist hoping to test out her theory that her work will have a greater impact if done as a group therapy, rather than 1:1. She invites four carefully selected people - Callum, Mischa, Victoria and Freya - to her flat, asking them to commit to four sessions at 7 o'clock on Tuesdays. Her unconventional approach eventually leads to the characters making revelations about their lives and the events that brought them to the group.

I started and finished this book on the same day. I wanted to know what was going on and why the group had been formed and up to a certain point, I was really enjoying the story. I don't want to say when the twist takes place as this ruined the story for me but that is purely down to my own personal preference and I don't want to put anyone off. Until this point, I was frequently reminded of the work of Nick Hornby and Ericka Waller, with the different perspectives and character development.