Seven Days of Us by Francesca Hornak Book Review

Seven Days of Us by Francesca Hornak Book Review

The lowdown from Goodreads

Publication Date October 17, 2017

It’s Christmas, and for the first time in years the entire Birch family will be under one roof. Even Emma and Andrew’s elder daughter—who is usually off saving the world—will be joining them at Weyfield Hall, their aging country estate. But Olivia, a doctor, is only coming home because she has to. Having just returned from treating an epidemic abroad, she’s been told she must stay in quarantine for a week…and so too should her family.

For the next seven days, the Birches are locked down, cut off from the rest of humanity—and even decent Wi-Fi—and forced into each other’s orbits. Younger, unabashedly frivolous daughter Phoebe is fixated on her upcoming wedding, while Olivia deals with the culture shock of being immersed in first-world problems. 

As Andrew sequesters himself in his study writing scathing restaurant reviews and remembering his glory days as a war correspondent, Emma hides a secret that will turn the whole family upside down. 

In close proximity, not much can stay hidden for long, and as revelations and long-held tensions come to light, nothing is more shocking than the unexpected guest who’s about to arrive…

Seven Days of Us by Francesca Hornak Book Review

A family sequestered in a home during the holidays. What could go wrong?

Buddy Read for the Win

I love me a good holiday read. Seven Days of Us has been on my radar for over a year. Luckily, a few of my Instagram friends decided to do a buddy read & I loved reading this one with a group. Let me tell you, folks have some strong opinions about this read. This is a great buddy read and./or book club selection. You can check out my friend, Heather’s review & Book Club Questions here. 

A Heavy Holiday Read

First, if you’re looking for a light-hearted read to get you in the Christmas spirit, maybe try Christmas Wishes & Mistletoe Kisses by Jenny Hale. While I enjoyed Seven Days of Us, it is a heavier read. I wasn’t expecting this.

Second, the illness floating around, Haag, is not something to mess around with. Some of the descriptions are really intense. This adds a deeper element to the book & really sheds light on Olivia’s work. 

Last, I’m all for family secrets. Francesca Hornak is not playing! These secrets are pretty serious and can have big consequences for the characters.  Again, this adds up to create a seriousness to the book that I wasn’t necessarily ready for. 

Family Time

Francesca Hornak captures the feeling of being trapped in a house with your family. While my house is not as large as the Birch estate, I know the feeling of going stir crazy with loved ones. There are some lighter parts to this read I quite enjoyed. I found myself wanting more of Emma’s backstory. 

THE VERDICT

I am Into This book! I love family drama & secrets. Seven Days of Us is a solid holiday-themed read. Read this if you’re a fan of The Family Stone. 

Special thanks to Francesca Hornak & Berkley for providing our copy in exchange for an honest & fair review.

Let’s connect with books!  We have all of our reviews on Goodreads!

We have you covered with Holiday reads! One of my favorite Christmas books is The Christmas Sisters by Sarah Morgan. If you’re looking for something short & introspective, definitely read The Deal of a Lifetime by Fredrick Backman. If you’re looking for a cozy Christmas mysteries, check out Murder in Her Stocking by G.A. McKevett & Twelve Slays of Christmas by Jacqueline Frost.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR: FRANCESCA HORNAK

Francesca Hornak is a journalist and writer, whose work has appeared in newspapers and magazines including The Sunday Times, The Guardian, Elle, Marie Claire, Cosmopolitan and Red. Seven Days of Us is her debut novel. Visit her online at twitter.com/FrancescaHornak.