It's always risky to try something new, but Genevive was determined to give it her best. The standard way to assist a client with grief issues is to work with them one-on-one for years but after her experiences as a grief counselor, she wants to run an experiment. Would it be easier to heal in a group of your peers who are also dealing with loss? To test her theory, Genevive advertises for participants in a study to meet in her apartment for at least four sessions, once a week, at seven p.m.
At the first meeting, the four subjects are introduced to each other. They are told that each is grieving a loved one and hasn't been able to move past this to live a fulfilling life. The three women show up on time-Freya is a married thirtysomething interior decorator who tries to ignore her grief, Misha is a 20 year old who suffers extreme bouts of anger, and Victoria, a high-powered lawyer, doesn't believe she should be there at all. The last to show is Collum, one of the most famous rock singers in Britain, who is there because his record label gave him this one chance before they dump him for bad behavior.
As the group bonds through their shared experiences over the first four sessions, Genevive is pleased with their progress and finds that her take on therapy seems to be successful. But now the hardest part of their treatment must begin, and she knows that this is going to challenge their idea of reality-will she be able to pull it off or will she lose them?
The best novels make you forget that you're just reading a book. Ireland's characters are so real that I followed their journeys without hesitation and grieved along with them. There is a twist which almost divides the plot in two, but by that time the reader is invested in the story and hangs on for the rest of the ride. A very enjoyable read.
Reviewed by Donna Ballard
April 15, 2025
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