Such a creative story. It is well written with multi-faceted characters and a great twist. It is a surprisingly fun read for a plot with such a heavy topic at its core.

Thank you to netgalley for providing me with an early release in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Okay WOW this was fantastic, I'm usually pretty good at guessing where a plot is going but this had me shook, so many unexpected twists and turns, I loved the different POVs, very character driven, throughly enjoyed this and would recommend to any thriller fans!

I loved this book! Was not expecting it to hit me like it did and I am so happy it did.

It starts with 4 people grieving and you have no idea what their stories are or why they are grouped together until they are brought together for a couple of group therapy sessions. They are all so different with different stories and you fall for each and every one of these flawed people. It takes a while for them to open up and when they do, your heart breaks a bit for each of them. Grief is a hard pill to swallow and just clings onto your soul until you can make peace with it at some point. I was picturing The Breakfast Club for adults! Every one of their stories are captivating.

Then there is a twist that I never say coming but loved every minute of it. Once I hit this point, I couldn't put this book down. Bravo to the writing! I will definitely be on the lookout for this author.
Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for providing this book, with my honest review.

How to describe this beautifully engrossing, immersive story? It was almost impossible to put this book down - it was that good.

These descriptors come easily to mind: intelligently written, highly imaginative, empathetic, unflinching examinations of weighty issues like grief and depression, and, above all, the importance of reaching out and banding together as a group for support.

Four people respond to an ad seeking participants in a group therapy study. These four participants range in temperament from the ferociously strong, middle aged Victoria, to the young and sweetly docile Mischa. Beautiful Freya is a shadow of her former vivacious self, and Callum has hit rock bottom - thanks to the usual overindulgence in drugs, sex and partying - after his meteoric rise to the top of the music industry.

Each of these four are having issues with grief, despair and anger: Each has experienced a profound loss or life changing event that has effectively put the brakes on their everyday lives and plunged them into emotional and physical inertia.

You might think that this is one big cry-fest, but Callum and Victoria, in their own unique ways, provide much needed comic relief to temper the weighty emotions and themes in this fascinating story. The characters became very real to me - Amelia Ireland's skillful layering of the various back stories and the stages of the group study kept you turning the pages for more.

There were several "I did not see that coming" moments: no spoilers, but this story had just about EVERYTHING in it: drama, suspense and even a mystery or two to solve. I exclaimed out loud more than once, so well orchestrated were those bombs dropped as the plot unfolded! (Do not be fooled by that somewhat "cozy" title: this is anything but cozy!)

I highly, highly, highly recommend this great read: I'm rating this one a 10 out of 5 stars because this story so obviously came from a true, lived experience and I was sorry to have turned the last page. (This appears to be Amelia Ireland's debut novel. Well done!)

My thanks to the author, Amelia Ireland, her publishers, and NetGalley for an ARC of this beautifully written, heartfelt novel in exchange for an honest review. I loved it!

I can normally spot plot twists a mile away and tbh I didn’t see this one, it was highly enjoyable and even more so after the first half.

very interesting and awesome book with some very cool themes. I loved the motifs of these many very different people coming to therapy, and the ending kept twisting in such unique ways. 5 stars. would recommend. tysm for the arc, Netgalley and Berkley.

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for providing this book. The Seven O’Clock Club is an engaging, emotional, and thought-provoking novel that stands out with one of the most unexpected twists I’ve encountered in a non-thriller read in a long time. The story follows four strangers—Freya, Callum, Mischa, and Victoria—who reluctantly join a weekly grief therapy session led by a skillful young psychologist. Each character's distinct personality is captured beautifully: a sharp-tongued lawyer, a lost young woman, a struggling musician, and an unraveling interior designer, all grappling with grief in unique ways. The narrative unfolds through their perspectives, allowing readers to deeply connect with their journeys and secrets. The first half invites readers into their world, slowly revealing their pasts, but just when you think you know where it’s headed, an unexpected twist changes everything and accelerates the pace. The plot shift adds adventure and intensity, but the real strength of the story lies in its exploration of grief, healing, and friendship, seamlessly infused with hints of romance. The ending is as poignant as it is surprising, making this novel a must-read for anyone who enjoys emotional storytelling with rich character development and unpredictable turns. Don't miss out—just beware of spoilers!

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for providing this book, with my honest review below.

The Seven O’Clock Club had one of the most unexpected twists in a non thriller book I’ve read in the past year (at least). A quick read by virtue of it being so interesting, the story opens to four people who are grappling with grief- though we don’t know their specific circumstances at first - and their group therapist. While we get to know each character individually through the lens of others and through their own perspective, the story is interesting and a gentle read most in discovering what brought them to therapy (especially in the case of those who don’t feel they need it). After the first half when all is revealed the twist emerges like a mic drop, and suddenly everything picks up to a more frenetic pace, not only with following the characters perspectives as they come to terms with the reveal but also in actual fast paced plot turns. The plot turns were just a scotch too far for me in the events that occurred, as if the author wanted to be sure that there was some adventure. But truly this book shines without the ramping up of tension and I’d have loved some more exploration with the discovery and what comes after.

Worth the read, but don’t spoil the twist! This isn’t the first book that has used the same element, but it’s one of the best.

Four strangers, one grief group, and a plot twist that will knock you off your feet—this book has it all.

The four strangers couldn’t be more different, and they reluctantly come together for a new kind of grief therapy. None of them are exactly thrilled to be there.

We’ve got a sharp-tongued lawyer with walls higher than skyscrapers, a young woman desperate to find where she fits, a talented musician teetering on the edge of self-destruction, and an interior designer watching her picture-perfect life unravel.

Just when you think you know where the story is headed—BAM! Plot twist.

Seriously, I did not see it coming, and it had me on the edge of my seat. I loved how well this book captured the different ways people deny their grief, making their emotional journeys feel so real. Plus, the little hints of romance woven throughout were a nice touch.

The ending took a totally unexpected turn!

If you’re into stories about healing, unexpected friendships with a side of romance, and a plot twist you can’t predict, you’ll definitely want to pick this one up!

Thank you NetGalley and Berkley for this gifted ARC.

This one is different! That's about the highest praise I can give a novel, because I read so much I keep seeing plots similar to other novels I've already read. The story is told from five different viewpoints with a character name at the head of each chapter. Four people, who seem to have nothing in common, meet once a week for a grief counseling session with a skillful young psychologist. At the first session she is able to get each person to tell a little of their own story. Every week, as they go around the circle, they share more. As they listen to each others heartbreak, they grow closer, becoming friends and then more than friends. There are twists and surprises that caught me by surprise and I kept reading late into the night. Very well written with a satisfying ending.

Really liked this book! I had a bit of trouble getting into the story, but from 30-40% of the book it really started to interest me. I loved how the authors divided the book, it was really interesting to move from one character to another. Amelia Ireland a new author you should follow closely!

A very poignant and stirring story. A small group of Brits gather tog ether for a forced weekly therapy session. Little do they know, this experimental therapy can give them choices they never dreamed possible. In the first third of the book we meet the group; Freya, Callum, Mischa, and Victoria. All are in denial of their loss and all resent having the meetings (Tuesdays at 7).
It's not until the book is 2/3rds over before something incredible happens. You have to read to find out what!
#berkley #ameliaireland #thesevenoclockclub