Book clubs
Same Time Friday for Book Clubs
Same Time Friday is a series about a group of friends who meet every week, made for groups of friends who meet every month.
Why does Same Time Friday work for book clubs?
Because your club will recognize itself. The big talking points:
- Secrets between friends
- Privacy and AI
- Starting over after 45
- Grief and joy
- Long marriages
- Adoption and second chances
Three ways to read it
One book
Read Back to Square One. Book 1 stands alone, with a complete love story and a happy ending.
The whole series
Five meetings, one heroine a month. The mystery builds as you go.
Pick your friend
Members each read a different book, then compare notes on what their friend was hiding.
Each book at a glance
1. Back to Square One
Pages: to come · Reading time: to come
Themes: Starting over after divorce, Secrets between friends, Mothers and teenage daughters
Spoiler level: Spoiler-free to start
Content notes
separation and divorce; a teenage pregnancy scare; grief for a friend who has died. Very mild language.
2. No Regrets
Pages: to come · Reading time: to come
Themes: Adoption and second chances, Letting people in, Single parenthood
Spoiler level: Light spoilers for Book 1
Content notes
a teenage pregnancy, birth and adoption, shown in flashback; a teenage pregnancy scare; grief for a friend who has died; a parent's custody dispute. Very mild language.
3. Still Here
Pages: to come · Reading time: to come
Themes: Grief and joy, First love, second chances, Becoming a grandmother
Spoiler level: Light spoilers for Books 1–2
Content notes
the death of a husband from motor neurone disease (ALS) before the story begins, with memories of caring for him; grief and guilt; a difficult pregnancy and an emergency birth; a daughter's past eating problems, mentioned briefly. Very mild language.
4. Objection
Pages: to come · Reading time: to come
Themes: Long marriages, Caring for an aging parent, Control and letting go
Spoiler level: Spoilers for Books 1–3
Content notes
a marriage in trouble and thoughts of divorce; a mother with memory loss, a fall and a move into care; a hospital night; a betrayal of privacy. Very mild language.
5. Just Looking
Pages: to come · Reading time: to come
Themes: Friendship and forgiveness, Privacy and AI, Telling the truth
Spoiler level: All spoilers: read Books 1–4 first
Content notes
infertility treatment in the past; a husband's job loss and money worries; a lonely childhood. Very mild language.
Discussion guides
Discussion guides for each book are coming soon. Join the book club list to get them first.
Host a Same Time Friday night
The menu
- A big bowl of prawns
- A pavlova or a lemon slice
- Champagne, and a soda and lime for the friend who's driving
The mood
- A summer playlist: think beach radio and a little Crowded House
- Icebreaker: bring the book that's most like you
- Printable name cards for the five friends (coming with the PDF guides)
Buying for a club
- Kindle Unlimited will cover all five books by 15 December 2026.
- Paperbacks will be on Amazon in the US, Australia, the UK and Canada from each release day.
- Ask your library to order it. ISBNs: Back to Square One: to come · No Regrets: to come · Still Here: to come · Objection: to come · Just Looking: to come
Friday Drinks with Bea Jayne
Join the book club organiser list
Get new discussion guides and book club extras first.
Friday Drinks, Bea's newsletter, opens soon. Check back in a few days.
Book club questions
Do we need to read the Same Time Friday books in order?
For one meeting, no: Back to Square One stands alone. For the whole series, yes: the friendship story and the mystery build across the five books.
Which Same Time Friday book is the best standalone?
Back to Square One, Book 1, is the best standalone pick for a single book club meeting. It is a complete love story with a happy ending.
Is the Same Time Friday series clean?
Yes. The books are closed door with very mild language.
Are the discussion guides spoiler-safe?
Discussion guides for each book are coming soon. Join the book club list to get them first. Each will have a spoiler-free half and a clearly marked “after you've finished” half.