Paperback
The Invitation
By Lucy Foley
‘The perfect summer read… Gorgeously compelling’ Good Housekeeping
‘Full of mystery and long-reaching shadows of the past . . . richly drawn and compelling’ Rosanna Ley
It’s 1951. In Europe’s post-war wreckage, the glittering Italian Riviera draws an eclectic cast of characters; lured by the glamour but seeking an escape.
Amongst them, two outcasts: Hal, an English journalist who’s living on his charm; and Stella, an enigmatic society beauty, bound to a profiteering husband. When Hal receives a mysterious invitation from a wealthy Contessa, he finds himself aboard a yacht headed for Cannes film festival.
Scratch the beautiful surface, and the post-war scars of his new companions are quick to show. Then there’s Stella, whose secrets run deeper than anyone’s — stretching back into the violence of Franco’s Spain. And as Hal gets drawn closer, a love affair begins that will endanger everyone…
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. Perfect for fans of Kate Morton and Victoria Hislop.
”'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