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.
What did I think?
I. Am. Broken. I have never been so completely blindsided by a book and had the rug pulled out from under me so effectively that I gasped out loud and felt my heart break at the same time. Then my shattered heart was put back together piece by piece as I devoured every single beautiful word that Amelia Ireland had written in her extraordinary debut novel.
Written in five parts representing the five stages of grief, we are introduced to five characters: four (Victoria, Mischa, Freya and Callum) who are grieving and one (Genevieve) who has set out to help them through the process as part of an experiment. I experienced a wealth of emotions as each character gradually revealed their own story of loss and it is evident that Amelia Ireland has poured her heart and soul into this novel.
Have your tissues handy when you read this one as the tears come when you least expect it. I thought I was all cried out but more tears kept appearing and I had a real lump in my throat at the end. It's a bit of tearjerker but completely uplifting and hopeful too, so hold on to your tissues whilst you're riding The Seven O'Clock Club emotional rollercoaster.
Incredibly poignant and beautifully written, The Seven O'Clock Club is a stunning debut novel that took my breath away and left me speechless. I'm not sure how Amelia Ireland is ever going to follow this book as she's set such a high bar but what a wonderful problem for a debut author to have. A very highly recommended read and an easy five stars for this unmissable and unforgettable novel.
I received a gifted hardback copy to read and review for the blog tour and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.
Buy it from:
About the author:
Amelia Ireland wrote The Seven O'Clock Club in memory of her mother, who died shortly after being diagnosed with early onset dementia. She travels extensively for work, beginning the novel on a flight to Kampala and finishing it in a Hilton in Frankfurt.
A lawyer by profession, Amelia lives and works in London. The Seven O'Clock Club is her first novel.
Follow the tour:
.png)
