The Invitation
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4.2 • 187 Ratings
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- $14.99
Publisher Description
In Gilded Age New York, money buys everything. What is your price? The latest sweeping saga from Belinda Alexandra.
Sometimes the ties that bind are the most dangerous of all ...
Paris, 1899. Emma Lacasse has been estranged from her older sister for nearly twenty years, since Caroline married a wealthy American and left France. So when Caroline invites Emma to help prepare her shy, young niece for her society debut, Emma is intrigued.
Caroline lives a life of unimaginable excess and opulence as one of New York's Gilded Age ultra rich and Emma is soon immersed in a world of luxury beyond her wildest dreams - a far cry from her bohemian lifestyle as a harpist and writer with her lover, Claude, in Montmartre.
Emma hopes for an emotional reunion with her only family, but instead she finds herself in the vice-like grip of her charismatic and manipulative sister. As Emma begins to question Caroline's true motives, a disaster strikes, and New York society is stripped bare - beneath the glittering exterior lies a seething nest of deceit, betrayal, moral corruption ... and perhaps even murder.
From the bestselling author of Tuscan Rose comes a mesmerising tale of two sisters and the dangers and seductions of excess.
'A heady mix of Dangerous Liaisons, Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous (a century ago) and Cinderella, The Invitation is a wildly entertaining and absorbing read that leaves you with a lot to think about.' Better Reading
APPLE BOOKS REVIEW
Acclaimed for her sumptuous historical fiction, Australian author Belinda Alexandra has created a family drama in which outward opulence hides inner treachery. When writer Emma Lacasse is invited by her estranged older sister to tutor her niece in the US, she swaps turn-of-the-century Paris for New York’s Gilded Age. Alexandra brings her usual high degree of descriptive detail—from period costumes to interior design—while exploring difficult family obligations against a glittering backdrop of new money. Strong female characters and the promise of romance add to the appeal of this layered novel.
Customer Reviews
Enjoyable read
This book didn’t reach any great heights but it was an enjoyable read.
Not my fave
Didn’t dislike it but I won’t be reading it again.
The invitation
Absolutely brilliant and beautifully written. I could not put this book down.
The story of Emma and her family is filled with love,passion and rich history.
Another brilliant novel by Belinda Alexander.