This is one of those books where there is not one likable character in sight but wow I loved it. Although it was the kids in the story I did feel sorry for, I guess you cannot choose your parents and I do have to say I am glad they were not mine. Lies, hidden agendas, treachery and disloyalty were all presented in this story. Told by the POV's of three different women it took a while to get into but once it got going it did not disappoint. I would definitely rank this as more of a drama than a thriller but drama works for me and quite honestly I did not want it to end. This is an honest review in exchange for an ARC copy of this book, thank you to Netgalley and the publisher.

Intrigued by the description, I requested this book expecting something rather different from what it proved to be, and found the beginning a little slow but ended up enjoying it anyway. Although I wouldn't call most characters likeable, the page time spent on development wasn't wasted and having met them all before the party really helped in the last part, where I found myself interested in knowing what would happen to (almost) all of them. So it was a pleasant read, that I would recommend to people who like little twists (rather than big suspense) in a story full of lies and secrets.

This was SO GOOD. And the cover is everything! It was a new title and super interesting. I would recommend to friends.

The Street Party by Claire Seeber #thirtyseventhbookof2021 #arc

CW: domestic violence, drug use, sexual assault, gun use

Told in multiple viewpoints, this story begins as the story of a street festival planning committee and verges into the aftermath of an alleged crime, and often you don’t know what’s what and who’s telling the truth. So many of the characters are unlikeable, and that’s very real. Each chapter seemed to end on a note that indicated a larger more sinister event was to come, but I was very eager to get there, but once it happened, it wasn’t as interesting to me as I hoped. The book ties up the plotlines but by then I was a little bored by it. The cover says it’s a domestic psychological thriller but I think that’s a little misleading.

Thank you to #NetGalley and #Bookouture for the advance copy. (Pub date 6/8/21)

The Street Party by Claire Seeber was a bit of a slow burn for me, and I found myself struggling to really connect with any of the characters in anything more than a superficial way.

A street party is organized on a London street with the goal of raising money for charity. But several of the guests bring to the party a toxic energy of secrets that threaten to upend lives if exposed, particularly as a shocking allegation is made.

While I did appreciate the topical elements of the novel, as a whole it failed to fully engage me in any meaningful or memorable way. That said, I would be interested in reading more from this author in future.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for an ARC.

I felt this book had so much potential that it did not like up to. I felt overwhelmed with the different situations & the seemingly neverending cast. By the time I made it to halfway, I didn't care about any of the characters. This just a book that I could not get into.

The Street Party was an interesting read. While a unique storyline, I could not muster any fondness or empathy for Ruby, nor any other characters.
The upside is that it is a timely novel with good twists! Unfortunately, however, it never quite grabbed me and I struggled to pick it up each night.
I will not be posting my review elsewhere online as I don’t post any reviews publicly that I can’t give 4+ stars to.

This reminded me a lot of Big Little Lies. The characters were sort of unlikable, but overall the plot was good, so I overlooked the characters. It started out slow, but I feel it was necessary to help build the background that you needed to be about to take the story where the author wanted it to go. I enjoyed the neighborhood drama and how the families were tied together. It was interesting to try to figure out the lies as I read, but I was still excited by the ending.

A slow burning thriller that takes us behind the curtains of very different lives being led, cheek by jowl, on a London Street . When well to do neighbours, an aspiring politician and his glamorous actress wife, invite a single mum and her mixed race son into their lives, all is not as it seems. Behind the veneer of friendship and sophistication, lurks dark secrets and lies. When their precocious daughter accuses her friend of a sex crime, she starts a train of events that acquires a momentum of it's own. Friendships are questioned, dark truths revealed and no-one emerges unscathed following the street party designed to bring all the community together .

The Street Party is populated by a seemingly awful array of characters who for reasons of their own are all engaged in putting on a street party for the local community.

It took me a while to get into the novel but once I did, it took off with multiple sub-plots to capture the reader's attention. Indeed it is only really once you are into the second part of the book that you realise the points of some of the earlier scenes. With Northgate Square housing the rich and poor(er) jowl to jowl, the scenes hold a light up to the society as many of us know it with the big news stories that have hit us over the last few years playing out in smaller, but in some ways all more revealing on the pages of this novel.

So you, like me, may find yourself expecting a psychological thriller hurtling along with twists and turns and find yourself caught up in a tale that packs a surer punch really pulling on your emotions with care about characters who have done little to redeem themselves thus far. I don't think I will forget this one in a hurry!

I have tried to read this book and I am just not liking it whatsoever. The characters are all unlikeable and really just dont have any sort of personality other than being "bad". Maybe I will give it another shot somewhere down the road but right now for me this book is not it.

Gripping, thought provoking and twisty, it’s the perfect combination for a novel you cannot put down. Thoroughly enjoyed reading this and absolutely raced through

Ruby’s Northgate Square neighborhood is a mixture of apartments, single family houses and gorgeous Georgian townhouses. When she, her yoga instructor friend Melissa and Nella, Melissa’s actor/ TV presenter client decide that they should put on a street fair for the neighborhood, it seems like a good idea. It isn’t.

Ruby is a widow, parent to a Zach, a mixed race teenager. She is socially awkward and incredibly lonely. Melissa, mother to Ceci, tries to be a best friend to Ruby but she’s held back by the secret she can’t share. Nella, who glows with success and accomplishment, is mother to the icy Willow and odd Beau. The three women forge a friendship as they plan the over-the top street party. That friendship falls apart as the party ends with a lie that may change all their lives.

Without spoilers, the only likable character here is Ruby. From the prologue, we have an idea of what will happen so, although suspense builds before the day of the party, we aren’t surprised by the events of the night. The story is told in alternating voices by the women and excerpts from Mum of the Iced Gems, a gossipy blog. Until I read the author’s note at the end of the book, I didn’t understand the theme of The Street Party. I’d recommend reading that first. 4 stars.

Thank you to NetGalley, Bookouture and Claire Seeber for this ARC.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

The premise of this book sounded promising but unfortunately I could not get engaged with the story. It started out very dull and didn't seem like it was going to pick up so I DNFd. If you like slow-burning British mystery/thrillers you may like this but it wasn't my cup of tea.

Ruby first meets Nella at an introductory party to organise a street party to raise funds for charities. There are a few other families at the party and all of them are flawed with many secrets. The day after the street party a serious allegation is made against Ruby's teenage son Zach and friendships are divided.
The story is told from the perspective of the 3 main women characters, Ruby Nella and Melissa.
Many thanks to Netgalley and publishers for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review, my opinions are my own

Flawed characters, none of them really likeable, even though they are arranging party as a fund raiser.

It did take me a bit of time to get into the book and I felt it only really took off in the second part, the characters felt developed but the storyline was a little bit slower paced than it could've been,

Thanks to Netgalley for the opportunity to review this book, this is my honest opinion.

Based in London, this is the story of a group of families from different backgrounds brought together in a street party. As the story goes on and the families unravel a lie told to hurt could bring grave consequences. Totally engaging story with lots of twist and turns.

This was the quintessential springtime read for me! A seemingly perfect neighborhood hiding a multitude of sins, and the story of a mother that has to deal with the shocking accusation her daughter makes against a boy in their midst. An excellent read!

Thank you for the opportunity of reading an ARC of this book. Unortunately I found it a confusing story and didnt finish it . Sorry, this one isn't for me

Unfortunately this book wasn't for me, I found it hard to get into the storyline, there was a lot going on and I found it hard to keep up with the plot and to be honest I was glad when I had finished it.

Thank you to Netgalley and Bookouture for giving me the opportunity to read this book.