The Invitation cover art

The Invitation

 Preview

Get 30 days of Premium Plus free

£8.99/month after 30-day free trial. Cancel monthly.
Try for £0.00
More purchase options
Buy Now for £12.99

Buy Now for £12.99

About this listen

‘The perfect summer read… Gorgeously compelling’ Good Housekeeping

‘Film crew, Italian Riviera, 1950s. What part of that does not appeal?’ Red

Rome, 1950s. One fateful night, Hal Jacobs meets Stella, a beautiful society darling from New York. To Hal, flailing in the post-war darkness, she’s a point of light. They’re from different worlds, but both trying and failing to carve out a new life.

Stella vanishes all too quickly, until a curious invitation from an Italian Contessa reels her back into Hal’s world. They join the Contessa’s collection of luminaries on a yacht headed for Cannes film festival.

The scene on board is a fiction – scars from the war can be hidden yet not healed. Everyone is hiding a dark history, but Stella’s secrets run the deepest. Compelled by her fragile beauty, Hal is determined to bring back the girl she once was, the girl who’s been confined to history.

The Invitation is an epic love story that will transport you from the glamour of the Italian Riviera, to the darkness of war-torn Spain, and to a golden – if rather haunted – time. Perfect for fans of Kate Morton and Victoria Hislop.

 20th Century Fiction Genre Fiction Historical Historical Fiction Holidays Literary Fiction Romance Women's Fiction Italy War Rome

Critic reviews

‘A seductive love tale’ Sunday Times Style

‘Such a tense, intriguing, beautiful, heart-rending story . . . The characters are so real, the research flawless, the setting sublime. Read it!’ Clare Mackintosh

‘Glamour, secrets and danger makes this a gorgeous summer read’ Woman & Home

‘Sultry escapist fiction at its best – 5*’ HEAT

‘The perfect summer read… Gorgeously compelling’ Good Housekeeping

‘Oozes glamour… Lush, romantic and cleverly crafted – a brainy beach read to relish’ Sunday Mirror

‘I loved THE INVITATION . . . I could dive into this book. A beautifully complex and vivid story, full of repressed longing and secrets. An absolutely enchanting tale’ Lucinda Riley

‘A seductive love tale’ Sunday Times Style

‘So powerfully evoked . . . with dark, sensuous undercurrents that lingered on in my mind, long after I'd reluctantly left Stella and Hal behind’ Kate Riordan

‘Film crew, Italian Riviera, 1950s. What part of that does not appeal?’ Red

‘Full of mystery and long-reaching shadows of the past . . . richly drawn and compelling’ Rosanna Ley

‘This epic love story is an unputdownable summer read’ Essentials

‘If you like Victoria Hislop you’ll love the seductive and heady The Invitation’ Lovereading

‘An utterly seductive story depicting forbidden love and loss in 1950s Italy. The perfect beach read this summer' Louise O’Neill

‘I loved every page – it's vividly written and utterly absorbing’ Iona Grey

‘Foley weaves a very satisfying love story . . . readers will be taken by the luxurious Mediterranean setting’ Publishers Weekly

‘Glamorous and romantic and bittersweet all at once . . . a fabulous story’ Beatriz Williams, New York Times bestselling author of A Hundred Summers

‘It's a beautiful, compulsive and glamorous read – perfect for long summer days’ Lucy Clarke, author of the Richard & Judy bestseller, The Sea Sisters
All stars
Most relevant
Lucy Foley writes exquisitely, the narration is perfect, and the stories totally intriguing. I loved every second of The Invitation, and would rate it as my favourite book for the last couple of years.

Stunning book

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
The Invitation is a captivating story, filled with many diverse and complicated characters yielding a dialogue of mystery and intrigue, playing out amongst the characters who represent people who have everything that money can buy and some who have nothing but talent and honesty. Emma Gregory’s reading with her beautiful accents also makes the story proceed like hot syrup over pancakes! You don’t want to stop reading and it’s with sadness ( and joy) when you reach the climax of this beautiful tale. Highly recommended.

Once again, Lucy Foley captivates me!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
This is one of those rare stories that really gets to you - it's got a wonderful atmosphere about it, debth of characters and is narrated in such a way that the narrator becomes the soul of the book. Ever wondered how you would be in the face of the war, loss, hunger? and how do regrets and what ifs shape your future?
Any Lucinda Riley fans will love this book and if you like "The Invitation"- then you will absolutely love every single one of Lucinda's unforgettable novels.

An enchanting story beautifully read

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
Bought the book by mistake, but pleased I did! Good story and well narrated. Plenty of storylines to keep you interested. Would recommend.

Enjoyable story<br />

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
by a book so well read but with an ending that seemed crow-barred in ar the last minute. ...and then what had seemed like quite an interesting cast, in retrospect were mostly clichés ...

Feeling cheated...

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
See more reviews