A family forced into a week of quarantine during the holidays comes to terms with the fact that they have all contributed to the state of relations of the group and that this is the exact opportunity for the healing to begin.

Faced with many hurdles - a possibly deadly prognosis, a stranger's visit, lost love, secrets revealed - the four of them have to find a way to get on common ground to band together for the survival of the family.

Seven Days of Us was fun and insightful. Francesca Hornak set the stage by quarantining a family in an old English countryside manor. Throw in a long lost son, a cancer diagnosis, and a gay finance and you have a topsy-turvey tale of family love. Although I enjoyed this novel, it was a little slow at getting to the point, and the conclusion was a little to happy/sappy for my tastes.

At one point in Seven Days of Us, Andrew, the somewhat snarky and elitist patriarch of the Birch family, equates all of the drama affecting his family with a popular British soap opera. But then he realizes it's even crazier than all that.

"Never mind EastEnders—this was pure telenovela."

He's not quite wrong. In her debut novel, Francesca Hornak throws more issues and crises at the Birch family, more secrets thought buried, than you can even imagine. It's like multiple Jodi Picoult novels meshed together without the ethical issues her characters have to consider. And yet despite all of it, you can't help but feel sympathy for some of the characters, anger for others—you want to shake some of them just to get them to say what they need to—but you find yourself moved by what is happening to them.

It's been a long while since the Birches eldest daughter Olivia has come home for Christmas. She always has obligations which keep her away—or are they excuses? But this year, after a stint treating a major disease in Liberia, she must be quarantined for seven days, so she and her family are going to spend it together, cozy as anything, at the family's seen-better-days country estate. They're not allowed to go anywhere or see anyone, and to top it off, wi-fi and cell coverage is spotty at best.

Andrew, a haughty former war correspondent-turned-restaurant critic, would rather be anywhere but stuck with his family for seven days, especially once he receives an email he has subconsciously been expecting for a while now. His wife, Emma, who once shelved dreams of her own career in order to raise their children, can't wait to spend the week nurturing both of her children, especially since it will keep her mind off a secret of her own.

Younger daughter Phoebe can't concentrate on much more than the excitement of her recent engagement. She wants the perfect wedding, the perfect life, and she's not happy that her older sister can't focus on anything but the disease in Africa. It's not all that's important, after all! Olivia lives in constant trepidation that she might test positive for the disease and put her family in danger, and she can't seem to focus on her family's first world problems. But all the while she is haunted by a decision she made in Liberia, and wonders how it will affect her future.

As the family unearths old arguments and wounds, and inflicts new ones on each other, the arrival of two unexpected guests throw everyone and everything completely off-kilter. It seems like the perfect recipe for a dysfunctional holiday—but the stakes could be higher than nearly anyone realizes.

"This was why she despised secrets. When they emerged, as they always did, they opened up a whole labyrinth of other unknowns."

About halfway through Seven Days of Us, I wasn't sure if I was enjoying it, even though I was hooked on the story. The characters really weren't likable, and I just didn't understand why no one would talk to each other and say what they're feeling. I get the whole British stoic stiff-upper-lip thing, but come on. But the more I read, the more I found myself immersed in all of the drama, and even if some of the problems the characters faced were all too familiar, it didn't matter.

That's mainly because Hornak made her characters very real, despite all the drama swirling around them. You've seen these people in real life—heck, some of them may even be your own family members, with or without the British accents. The book is sappy and a little silly but it's ultimately warm and sweet. While there's no way I could spend seven days quarantined with my family, after reading this book I just had to call everyone, just to make sure everyone was okay.

If you like a healthy helping of melodrama along with your family dysfunction, definitely pick up Seven Days of Us. See if you agree that it's a little like a telenovela.

NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group provided me an advance copy of the book in exchange for an unbiased review. Thanks for making this available!

British author Francesca Hornak, who writes for the Sunday Times Style, has written the next holiday classic! Physician Olivia Birch is returning from Africa to spend Christmas with her family. And, as lovely as that sounds, the upcoming reunion has a couple problems. To begin with, Olivia has spent the past months treating a deadly virus and her family will need to remain in quarantine together for seven days. The key word here being, together. Olivia, her self-absorbed sister Phoebe and her parents will be celebrating the yuletide at her mother’s family pile in the country. As the seven days of Christmas drag on, the family’s secrets are revealed in a number of ways both heartbreaking and touchingly humorous.

This is a modern day I Captured the Castle, please don’t wait until Christmas to read this.

This was an interesting read. The premise of the story was ingenious, and I enjoyed reading it very much.

Ah, families and the holidays, I'm sure we all have stories. In this case the family is forced to remain together in isolation for 7 days. What an opportunity for misunderstandings, realizations and perhaps, honest communication. Will they great the New Year with some "resolutuion"?

This book introduces the Birches who each have something on their mind. The elder daughter, Olivia is returning from a Haag infestation in Liberia and has to be in quarantine for one week. Her family wants to spend Christmas together and they decide to go into quarantine with her.

All members of the family have something to hide. Andrew ( the father) is hiding a blast from the past; Emma(the mother), a worrying detail which she feels reluctant to share during Christmas.Phoebe ( the frivolous younger sister) is considering her life choices and Olivia feels dispassionately about her family's way of life. There are unknown factors that come into play later in the week. Forced isolation is a catalyst in any family gathering for some form of reaction or the other. We see the characters evolve and realize their roles in the family. 

The book starts off in a different tone than that with which it wraps up the tale. Each person has more than one dimension, making them very realistic. I was not a big fan of the tone initially but it took a backseat once the story picked up.

This book is packed with drama. There are secrets aplenty, relationship breakups, children from previous relationships, illnesses, deaths, and much more. These events draw a disparate family together during a Christmas quarantine. It was an enjoyable book, and if you’re looking for some juicy drama with a tidy (but not too tidy) ending, Seven Days of Us is for you.

This was a fun book. I like the relationships in the family and the ups and downs they went through during their forced quarantine. There are tears along with laughs. Thanks to NetGalley for offering me this advanced copy.

Fabulous book! I loved the setting, the beautiful writing, the well-developed characters, and the multi-layered plot. A British couple and their young adult daughters are quarantined over the holidays since one daughter has just returned from caring for patients stricken by an Ebola-like virus in Liberia. The core family members and some additional characters who enter their sphere all have secrets, and the intertwining relationships and unraveling secrets are all deftly handled by the talented author. There's something for everyone--health crises, romances, betrayals revealed, relationships begun and ended, and although there is at least one story I would have liked to have seen end differently, it all rings true. Highly recommended! Many thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for an advance e-copy of the book.

A beautifully written, original story of a family finding their way back to each other after years of going their own ways. Phoebe is self- absorbed, her sister Olivia is out to save the world, their dad, Andrew has an important secret, as does Emma, the mom. When Olivia returns from abroad as a doctor exposed to a serious disease, they are quarantined for the week of Christmas. Moving, heartfelt, and a pleasure to read, highly recommended.

What would happen if as an adult you found yourself quarantined with your parents and sister? This happens when Olivia comes back from fighting a deadly disease in Africa and the family is quarantined in their country house. Secrets, frustrations, laughter, and what being family means are explored as the family is stuck together.

Olivia has just come home from Liberia after working with the disease Haag. She has come home for the seven days it takes to go through the contamination period. She is staying with her mom, dad, and sister. She usually chooses to stay away, because she feels like she has a severely dysfunctional family. This year she's there for Christmas. And, this is only the beginning of this story. I don't want to give anything away. This is a must read book. Funny in parts, sad in parts, it all comes together. I live the characters and what they stand for. Their personalities are believable.
A definite must-read!!
5 Stars

I was immediately absorbed into the lives of the characters in this novel. I felt the author created a vivid, realistic portrait of a family - the sibling rivalry, family alliances and longstanding grievances that are emblematic of most families. I found the plot device of a quarantine forcing a family together for.a week (ie 7 days) was quite clever. The story slight;ly lost its luster with some rather predictable developments near the end of the novel but I found it an inventive, interesting read with good characterization.

What a fun sweet novel! I loved this book. This family dramedy is just what I was looking for. The Birch Family is getting ready to spend their first Christmas together in years. And the best part about it is, no one can leave the house for 7 days! This sounds odd I'm sure but the family is under quarantine. The oldest daughter in the family Olivia is a doctor who has been off treating a highly contagious disease called Haag. She fell in love with another doctor (Sean) while she was away and now Sean has been admitted to the hospital after being diagnosed with Haag. She doesn't want her family or colleagues to know she was in such close contact with Sean, but when she starts coming down with some Haag symptoms, she may not be able to hide it for long. Since she will be returning to her family home while she is in quarantine, the rest of the family has agreed to join her. Her younger sister Phoebe has just gotten engaged to George who may not be who he seems. Not in the "is he a crazy serial killer?" way but more so in a "maybe he isn't being honest with who he is and who is attracted to way". Andrew Birch, the head of the family recently found out he fathered a son 30 years ago when he had a one night stand while working on a journalism story in a war zone. Aside from the fact that he fathered a son without knowing, he had been in the early stages of dating his wife Emma when he had the one night stand. Jesse the son he never knew he had is on a mission to finally meet his father and won't stop even when Andrew ignores his attempts to reach him. Emma the mom of the girls and wife to Andrew has her own secret as well. She has been recently diagnosed with cancer and doesn't want to ruin Christmas with her family so she is keeping the secret to herself. As with any family stuck in close quarters, secrets don't stay hidden long and drama quickly ensues. This story is heartwarming and touching. Great book!

I enjoyed this story. Phoebe was a little self absorbed and selfish, Olivia was clueless about what is going on with the family and cared more about saving people than fixing relationships in her own family, Andrew sacrificed what he loved to be home with his family and it showed in his restaurant reviews since he pretty much trashed everyone one and Emma just wants to make sure everything is going smoothly. Then there is a fiance who sounded like a jerk and a lost son who just wanted to meet his father. Then throw them all into a quarantine for a week and see how a family gets along and if they will abide by the quarantine rules.

The characters were very different and that made the story interesting. There were funny parts, sad parts and parts where you just wanted to throttle someone. I really enjoyed this and when it comes out in October, pick it up and be entertained.

Every Christmas, during the season, I read a Christmas book. This one didn't disappoint. It had all of the feel-good plots and descriptions plus a story that was a little bit different. I recommend it for a pleasant read with a different plot.

Really enjoyed this book. It's funny, light and moving. The story was well-done, each chapter focusing on a different character. Family dynamics always make for a good read.

A wonderful novel about a family who all have secrets from the others. It portrays the family emotions of love, humor, and frustrations as the four adults are forced to spend the Christmas holiday together in quarantine. It does not take long before closely guarded secrets start escaping. Well-developed characters of the somewhat dysfunctional family, how they interact, and their relationships. Each family member has a voice in this story giving it a dramatic edge as well as comedic. The ending was on a sad tone, but overall, I really liked this story. Well written and enjoyable read.

I devoured this book. When I was doing other things, like working or cleaning or cooking dinner, I was thinking about the next time I can pick it up so I can see what happens. It's that good.

Now, after finishing it, I'm still digesting all the wonderful and emotional feelings that it brought. The distinctly British-style writing, the twists and turns, the coincidences of a well-thought-out plot. I think I smiled through half of it just imagining all the big reveals, and the satisfaction they brought was perfect.