Guest Review: The Invitation by Veronica Henry

A secret love story.

A chance to stay forever...

London, 1953

Clementine falls for handsome Alfie Arbutus over cocktails at the Savoy and knows that life will never be the same again. Especially when he invites her to visit the family home he will inherit one day, Foxwood Manor...

Stella lost a part of her heart forever when Edwin Arbutus died. Their wartime love affair changed everything - but now she has her young son, Ted, to fight for.

Elizabeth hopes that throwing the glamorous Snow Ball at Foxwood will bring light back into its darkened walls, and into the eyes of her heartbroken husband, Michael, for the first time since they lost their eldest son.

Yet as the gilded invitations are sent, the lives of all three women collide with unimaginable consequences - will the secrets of the past break the family apart, or bring them back together?

Review: I always love a book written by Veronica Henry. She is so versatile, and has taken me to all sorts of destinations over the years. Reading the synopsis of this book set not long after the end of the Second World War made me wonder if I was going to enjoy it, but I needn’t have worried; the compelling story had me hooked right from chapter one.

The story revolves around the Arbutus family and their home, Foxwood Manor, located in the Somerset countryside. It focuses particularly on the family matriarch, Elizabeth, her son’s partner, Clementine, and her late son’s lover, Stella. The whole family have been deeply affected by the loss of the elder son (Edwin) in the war. He was an accomplished artist, and his paintings adorn the entire house. The narrative is set in 1953, but also travels back a few years to follow the wartime romance between Edwin and Stella that resulted in a son he never knew about. The introduction of Clementine, and later Stella, into the family motivates Elizabeth to re-introduce the Snow Ball, once an annual event at Foxwood Manor but not held since Edwin’s death. Can this lift the spirits of the family, especially Edwin’s father, and bring joy back to the household?

This was a powerfully emotional book, filled with romance, drama, family connections and secrets. The three main characters are all strong women in their own ways and the way in which the author drew them together was captivating. The shadow of Edwin is everywhere in the story but not in a spooky way. It was touching the way he was remembered; like some of the characters, I expected him to walk through the door at any minute. There is a fourth woman that I feel deserves a mention - faithful cook and housekeeper Daisy. I was full of admiration at the way in which she could conjure up amazing meals for any number of people in minutes. I can confidently recommend this book to anyone seeking an escape for a few hours into another world. I miss the characters and hope that we may meet again in a future book from Veronica Henry.

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