<a data-hook="product-link" class="a-link-normal" href="/The-Invitation/dp/B08QBN1ZDZ">The Invitation

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Une déception :/

Commenté en France 🇫🇷 le 28 février 2021

3 personnes ont trouvé cela utile

Gaelle Michaud

WOW.

Commenté en France 🇫🇷 le 24 mars 2021

It was my first time with a book by Vi Keeland, and I certainly will grab another book. I loved the structure of the story--the slow-building, -burning, steamy relationship--and the different messages that are conveyed by the author. I've fallen in love with Stella and Hudson together. They're so well fleshed out, with quirks all over the place, which will definitely force some tears out of you while laughing, and will, eventually, wrench your heart. I've loved every single page of that book. Thank you Vi !

Analy JD

I'm bananas about you !

Commenté en France 🇫🇷 le 21 février 2021

I always like to read Vi Keeland books, but this one, my God this one is now my fav from her. All the laughing, feeling, crying also. You can't read this book and not feel what they feel. This is a must read and my first big love of this year reading ! Thanks for this pearl !

Happy Reader

A must read!

Commenté en France 🇫🇷 le 22 janvier 2021

I have read all Vi Keeland books and always enjoy them immensely. This one though... I loved it! It’s fun, it’s sexy and so charming and wise. No superfluous drama, real and sound sentiments.

Coralie

Hudson is MY MAN.

Commenté en France 🇫🇷 le 10 mars 2023

This book was AMAZING.
Hudson is just wow (I’d totally marry him).
Stella is so great and amazing.
Their love story is ✨✨✨

This book is one of my fav from Vi, I absolutely loved it and every time I read it again, I fall in love with the characters all over again.

Janbac

Loved it!

Commenté en France 🇫🇷 le 16 septembre 2021

A wonderful love novel to read! I didn't want to put this down! Pure bliss to read something you love!

D’autres pays

Jennifer Hinson

It was cute but predictable......

Commenté aux États-Unis 🇺🇸 le 19 février 2021

“The truth was, I was afraid to take a chance. But I realized now that by not taking a chance, I might miss out on something really beautiful.”

The Invitation is an all new standalone featuring the kismet/office/single dad romance of Hudson Rothschild & Stella Bardot. She crashed his sisters wedding but definitely made an impression, and it wasn’t because of the bottles of Dom she took with her as she escaped. She thought she was in the clear, until she realized that her cell phone was left behind and the only way to get it back is face the guy she ran from. And when he becomes the one person who can make her dreams of getting her custom perfume service off the ground, she knows she can’t cross that line begging to be crossed no matter how hot the attraction is. But Hunter is a patient man, and he’s got his sights set on Stella. The only problem? She doesn’t even realize she has the ability to shatter everything before it ever has a chance to begin.

“Hold that thought, Stella. Your whisper is getting almost loud enough that I can hear it.”

This is my 8th or 9th book of Vi’s, of those only the Rush duet was able to secure 5 stars from me.....I’ve had some I absolutely hated (looking at you Dirty Letters) and others that were solid 4 star enjoyments (hey there The Rivals).....I find I tend to like books of her own more than those she co-writes with Penelope (the same with Penelope as well). I was hoping The Invitation would be her first 5 star on her own but alas it wasn’t meant to be. There were a few good things that came from this story BUT there were two rather “big” elements that made 5 stars impossible for me.....

My Thoughts:
The Good:
I loved Stella, she was written perfectly. But there was something about Hudson I felt a little something “extra” for. The way he “saw” Stella for everything she was, how he lifted her up and made sure she knew what a rarity she was.....
“You’re not a woman who needs a man. You’re a woman a man needs. I’m not sure I even recognized the difference years ago. But you make it impossible to forget now.”
.....how he was honored to be chosen by her. I love me an a-hole antihero, but every now and again I’m a sucker for an amazingly written good guy. Now I’m not saying he isn’t without fault, but that made him more authentic. And the way he calls her sweetheart....
“You know, I think we should probably give in. We don’t stand a chance if the whole world is conspiring.” “Sweetheart, I didn’t stand a chance from the moment I looked at you.”
....it could’ve gone all wrong, yet nothing felt more right.

Reading as much as I do, it’s hard to find something truly unique and never before seen for me when reading....so when I do I have to give credit where it’s due. From Stella’s incredibly odd yet fascinating “talent”....
“An enhanced ability to smell odors, an increased olfactory acuity.” “So you’re good at smelling s**t?” I laughed. “Exactly.”
....that added such a fun little element to the story that I have never before seen (so I learned something new). I also found her little hobby to be interesting and a cool little “twist” to the plot.....
“Okay! Wow. This is turning out to be a great day. I might have to celebrate by reading two entries from Marco tonight.” “You’re a real wild woman.” She shrugged. “I might not be, but sometimes the people in my diary are.”
....I mean how did I not know there was this world of buying and reading other people’s diaries out there? It’s like the ultimate reading material.

I laughed, quite a bit....which is usually something I know I can expect from Vi. Stella brought me the most laughs, from the office kitchen incident that had me in tears....
“You were flailing your arms around—I thought you were choking.” Stella frowned. “I was conducting.” “Conducting?” “Yeah, you know, pretending to be the conductor in a symphony.” I stared at her like she had two heads. “No, I don’t know. It isn’t often that I conduct a symphony in the kitchen at the office.” “Well, that’s a shame. You should try it. It’s good for the soul.”
....to her little “secret” revelation involving the turtle....
I raised a brow. “You smuggled an animal into SeaWorld?” Stella nodded. “I like to think of it as helping him get asylum, but yes.”
.....there were many other funny moments, one of my fave things about her writing!

There is no shortage of great support characters in this book, but Fisher & Charlie took the cake in that dept. Fisher is the kind of best friend we should all have....
“It didn’t look like you were too lonely. Who was that Adonis, anyway? You know I don’t like it when you have men in your life better-looking than me.”
....he’s the perfect mix of arrogant and playful AND supportive and loving. But then there is little Charlie, with her obsession with making ice cream an essential food group....
“There’s always room for ice cream, Daddy. It melts once it’s in your belly, so it’s not even really food.”
....and her love for Dolly Parton and having no filter around adults. Another place Vi excels at, writing kids that I want to adopt as my own!

The Bad:
I have yet to read a book by Vi (or one she co-authors with Penelope) that I haven’t been able to figure out the big “bomb” fairly early on. No matter if I love the book or hate it, they all have one thing in common....they are ridiculously predictable which takes away from the overall suspense and excitement of the story. This one was no exception, there wasn’t an element of surprise bc it was all right there in your face.

The Ugly:
This is the definition of a slooowwww burnnnnn, which is fine with me except once it got to their first time between the sheets, she totally SKIPS OVER IT! Imagine waiting til the 70% mark for them to get it on, getting some foreplay and expecting to turn to the next chapter for it to continue, only to get this instead.....
“How many times had Hudson and I had sex? Three? Four?”
....like hold the f up? I had to wait that long for the action only to be locked out the bedroom? Nope, not a fan....I want at least some action here.

The Verdict:
I may not have loved everything about this book, but overall it’s a really sweet and unique story that I absolutely enjoyed reading. Will it be a fave of 2021? Not exactly, but it is a solid 4 star read that I think other readers might love even more than I did. Stella & Hudson are both phenomenally written characters and I definitely recommend everyone getting to know them as well....I promise they are worth the disappointment of the sexy time “skip”.

“Stella Rose Bardot, let me give you your happily ever after. Be my wife, and I promise to try my hardest to make your life better than anything you’ve ever read in a book.”

10 personnes ont trouvé cela utile

N Hesse

Unforgettable romance!!! Be ready to swoon!!!

Commenté aux États-Unis 🇺🇸 le 27 mars 2023

The Invitation is a breathtaking romance that had me captivated from the very beginning to long after “the end”. This book had everything I want in a romance read – heart, passion, humor, and emotion. An unforgettable masterpiece delivered with so much heart and soul. The storyline was powerfully moving, emotionally raw, and breathtakingly romantic. With each turn of the page I fell deeper in love with the characters and their story. Hudson and Stella stole my heart; they are magical together. Their connection was intense and undeniable, chemistry electric, and passion explosive. I was rooting for these two to find their happily ever after. The story was relatable and the emotions radiated from the pages -- I felt the butterflies, every ounce of heartbreak and all the joy. Oh, and those swoon-worthy moments stole my breath. A poignant and heartfelt story of taking chances and finding love when you least expect it. I loved every second and didn’t want this book to end. This is one book you want to read!

Chelleq

Beautiful Love Story

Commenté aux États-Unis 🇺🇸 le 6 mars 2023

Stella and Hudson have a love story that's unique. Their future was tied together long before they ever met. When Stella receives a wedding invitation that was meant for her ex-roommate, she and her best friend Fisher decide to crash it because of where it's held. While there, she sees the most gorgeous man she has ever seen. Hudson also spots Stella and is attracted to her right away. They flirt with each other and when he asks her for her full name, he knows she's a fraud. He tries to call her out on it but she turns the tables on him. When they meet again, Stella can feel the attraction but doesn't quite trust him. Hudson doesn't have a high opinion of her at first but the more time he spends around her, the more she surprises him. Charlie is absolutely adorable and Stella is quite taken with her. Things are going great between them until Stella starts putting pieces of a puzzle together from a diary she had read. Some of the things that happened next were not what I was expecting. The ending was perfect for their love story but I didn't want it to end.