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Arlington Hall #1
The Invitation
An ambitious career woman. An enigmatic billionaire. There’s more to their affair than meets the eye in this scalding romance by the #1 New York Times bestselling author of the This Man series.
Amelia Lazenby deserves a breather—from work and from the stress of a recent breakup. Courtesy of her best friends, she gets a day of pampering at a posh country spa called Arlington Hall. Instead of finding calm, she finds her pulse racing when she sees flawlessly rugged Jude Harrison. Hand on heart, she’s never laid eyes on such a stunner. And an unexpected steam room meet takes their instant attraction to a whole new level.
Amelia wasn’t looking for an intense new affair. But the passion Jude ignites is off the charts. Even if he is a little possessive. Even if his temper can be as formidable as the influence he has on her body. He becomes all the more intriguing when Amelia discovers that Jude not only owns Arlington Hall but that their meeting was no accident. It was planned. But to what end?
That’s a mystery as irresistible as Jude himself. Is he worth the risk? Or is this the man who could break her?
Amelia Lazenby deserves a breather—from work and from the stress of a recent breakup. Courtesy of her best friends, she gets a day of pampering at a posh country spa called Arlington Hall. Instead of finding calm, she finds her pulse racing when she sees flawlessly rugged Jude Harrison. Hand on heart, she’s never laid eyes on such a stunner. And an unexpected steam room meet takes their instant attraction to a whole new level.
Amelia wasn’t looking for an intense new affair. But the passion Jude ignites is off the charts. Even if he is a little possessive. Even if his temper can be as formidable as the influence he has on her body. He becomes all the more intriguing when Amelia discovers that Jude not only owns Arlington Hall but that their meeting was no accident. It was planned. But to what end?
That’s a mystery as irresistible as Jude himself. Is he worth the risk? Or is this the man who could break her?
329 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 1, 2025
4927 people are currently reading
13222 people want to read
About the author
Jodi Ellen Malpas
53 books20.3k followers#1 New York Times & Sunday Times Bestselling Author Jodi Ellen Malpas was born and raised in England, where she lives with her husband, her boys, and Theo the Doberman.
Writing powerful love stories with fierce, memorable characters is her passion – a passion that has taken her on an amazing journey into the world of romantic fiction. Her work is now published in more than twenty-six languages across the world.
Jodi's next release: The Invitation. Check it out on Amazon - https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/...
Writing powerful love stories with fierce, memorable characters is her passion – a passion that has taken her on an amazing journey into the world of romantic fiction. Her work is now published in more than twenty-six languages across the world.
Jodi's next release: The Invitation. Check it out on Amazon - https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/...
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June 4, 2025
I ate this up! It was marketed to me as “sexy romance” so I assumed it was not going to have much plot, be all spice, and not be that great, but it actually had less spice than I thought. Still spice, but a lot of plot too.
Jude was extremely possessive and I would never go for a man like that in real life. Major red flags constantly, but it was very exciting to read about. I could def see why it was hard for her to stay away too, because of their extreme chemistry.
I started to get annoyed with the FMC about 3/4 of the way through as she always wanted to argue, but I think that is because her intuition kept trying to show her all the red flags.
The ending was a wild cliffhanger and I don’t really see how Jude can redeem himself in the next book as I really don’t like him right now. Loved and hated the ending at the same time. He would have to have an extremely good explanation.
I’d give this a 4.5 rounded up & it def surprised me as I was expecting it to be dumb. I would def read this author again.
Thank you to Amazon First Reads for the free copy.
Jude was extremely possessive and I would never go for a man like that in real life. Major red flags constantly, but it was very exciting to read about. I could def see why it was hard for her to stay away too, because of their extreme chemistry.
I started to get annoyed with the FMC about 3/4 of the way through as she always wanted to argue, but I think that is because her intuition kept trying to show her all the red flags.
The ending was a wild cliffhanger and I don’t really see how Jude can redeem himself in the next book as I really don’t like him right now. Loved and hated the ending at the same time. He would have to have an extremely good explanation.
I’d give this a 4.5 rounded up & it def surprised me as I was expecting it to be dumb. I would def read this author again.
Thank you to Amazon First Reads for the free copy.
June 3, 2025
2/5 ⭐️ This started off pretty good but Jude’s behavior just wasn’t very realistic, which took me out of the story quite a bit. They had just one conversation and he was already punching other guys for talking to her 🙄. Don’t get me wrong, I LOVE a jealous and possessive hero, but they literally had just met. It wasn’t very believable. I did love how relentless he was in his pursuit of Amelia (even though she got on my nerves a little bit). Overall, this just didn’t work for me. It felt like a cheap version of the This Man series.
June 15, 2025
Amelia is a faithful copy of Ava, and Jude looks exactly like Jesse. Amelia is immature, constantly running away from Jude; when she goes out, she drinks until she no longer knows what planet she's on.
Jude is possessive, pushy, and full of secrets, involved with a woman who is married.
It resembles the This Man series so much, only the characters' names are different. It's clear that Jodi wants a series as successful as This Man, but she's run out of original ideas...
Jude is possessive, pushy, and full of secrets, involved with a woman who is married.
It resembles the This Man series so much, only the characters' names are different. It's clear that Jodi wants a series as successful as This Man, but she's run out of original ideas...
June 3, 2025
all the 5 star ratings were from people that didn't even read the book. not her best. not really a conclusion but not really enough cliffhanger or ending to make you want read the next one either. no romance, kind of an empty read. reminded me of more of an ai created story than a person to add those little things to make a character a person and the feelings to be more than just 2d. honestly to see how many people just gave her any stars let alone 5 stars but never read the book, turns me off from ever reading her books again.
June 5, 2025
I really have no idea why this book was selected as an Amazon first reads. The male main character has so many red flags, and it went from 0 to 100 in the blink of an eye. There were so many moments where this book could have been much better, but the controlling romance came across like Fifty Shades of Grey fan fiction.
July 14, 2025
This book like Ms Jodi was trying to recapture Ava and Jesse but these two are not as captivating as they were but I did enjoy all the OTT drama.
And oooh that ending 🙊🥹 I NEED BOOK 2 NOW!!!!!
And oooh that ending 🙊🥹 I NEED BOOK 2 NOW!!!!!
June 2, 2025
Nothing is resolved
This is one of those stories that is not resolved within the book. There is apparently at least one more book to read to get to the resolution of this story. My absolute top pet peeve in a book. Too bad I chose it as my Kindle First Read before there were enough reviews to get a heads up on the to be continued nature of this book.
This is one of those stories that is not resolved within the book. There is apparently at least one more book to read to get to the resolution of this story. My absolute top pet peeve in a book. Too bad I chose it as my Kindle First Read before there were enough reviews to get a heads up on the to be continued nature of this book.
June 12, 2025
JEM is often the queen of my heart and writer of masterpieces. This sadly was not one of those for me. She forgot to put the romance in.
The characters were thin, the romance was toxic in the least fun way possible. How the FMC Amelia was into this creepy guy at all was a total mystery to me. There was zero romance, she was either telling him no and to leave her alone, they were fucking or fighting. Jude the MMC was total creep city, he’s got crazy anger issues, he’s too sexually forward in a cringe way and he can’t take no for an answer. The hand sex scene, holy fucking shit, honestly I read that like a scene from Friends because it was so ridiculous. Like hand twins….
Anyway, I still love JEM will probably read the next one cause I’m also ridiculous.
The characters were thin, the romance was toxic in the least fun way possible. How the FMC Amelia was into this creepy guy at all was a total mystery to me. There was zero romance, she was either telling him no and to leave her alone, they were fucking or fighting. Jude the MMC was total creep city, he’s got crazy anger issues, he’s too sexually forward in a cringe way and he can’t take no for an answer. The hand sex scene, holy fucking shit, honestly I read that like a scene from Friends because it was so ridiculous. Like hand twins….
Anyway, I still love JEM will probably read the next one cause I’m also ridiculous.
August 4, 2025
* 4⭐️5🌶️
* “An ambitious career woman, Amelia Lazenby, encounters an enigmatic billionaire, Jude Harrison, at a posh country spa. Their instant, intense attraction leads to a passionate affair, complicated by Jude's ownership of the spa and the revelation that their meeting was not accidental. The story explores themes of mystery, dominance, and the potential risks of surrendering to a powerful connection.”
* Woah. This book was wild! It ends on a huge cliffhanger and I’m thoroughly annoyed that I have to wait until September to read the second book. Listen Amelia is just plain stupid. Jude is a POS but I’m still low key rooting for him I guess. We don’t really get his full story and I’m hoping the next book will go into more of it since there was quite a few things not answered. Oh and EFF Katherine.
* Read if you like: mysterious billionaire, multiple “chance” encounters, love triangle, so many lies from the MMC who is UNHINGED, stalker vibes
* “An ambitious career woman, Amelia Lazenby, encounters an enigmatic billionaire, Jude Harrison, at a posh country spa. Their instant, intense attraction leads to a passionate affair, complicated by Jude's ownership of the spa and the revelation that their meeting was not accidental. The story explores themes of mystery, dominance, and the potential risks of surrendering to a powerful connection.”
* Woah. This book was wild! It ends on a huge cliffhanger and I’m thoroughly annoyed that I have to wait until September to read the second book. Listen Amelia is just plain stupid. Jude is a POS but I’m still low key rooting for him I guess. We don’t really get his full story and I’m hoping the next book will go into more of it since there was quite a few things not answered. Oh and EFF Katherine.
* Read if you like: mysterious billionaire, multiple “chance” encounters, love triangle, so many lies from the MMC who is UNHINGED, stalker vibes
Read
June 5, 2025Will update when I decide how I want to rate it because I can’t decide if I liked it or hated it honestly.
Amelia and Jude both pissed me off majority of the book and yet I couldn’t put it down.
His best friend needed to get hit in the face for being such a witch.
That ending was wild but I do love an unexpected ending.
Amelia and Jude both pissed me off majority of the book and yet I couldn’t put it down.
His best friend needed to get hit in the face for being such a witch.
That ending was wild but I do love an unexpected ending.
June 10, 2025
Sigh. I had such high hopes for this book. I downloaded a free version to kindle and read it fairly quickly. This is a very similar plot as This Man. Ava/Amelia, Jesse/Jude. Both alphas are controlling, angry, and possessive. Both heroines are successful, beautiful, AND doormats. No self respecting woman is going to continue to sleep with a man that has a married side piece. I hate heroines that have no spine and tolerate bad behavior. And I can already see the storyline with Abbie and the greatest night of her life being one of Jude’s brothers. I’m a huge JEM fan but this was a rinse/repeat of This Man with a little Fifty Shades of Grey thrown in.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 10, 2025
Nope. DNF at 49%. A waste of an Amazon First Read.
July 1, 2025
The absolute worst.
Oh look! A cliffhanger to drag this watered down, non-existent plot out even longer, how surprising! 🙄
In short: a horrible MMC and a silly, boring, unrelateable MFC. Tons of truly offensive, vulgar language and weird, cringe sex scenes rather than any actual story.
There is absolutely nothing good I can say about this book, other than to warn other readers to save yourself. Wish I could get those wasted hours back.
Oh look! A cliffhanger to drag this watered down, non-existent plot out even longer, how surprising! 🙄
In short: a horrible MMC and a silly, boring, unrelateable MFC. Tons of truly offensive, vulgar language and weird, cringe sex scenes rather than any actual story.
There is absolutely nothing good I can say about this book, other than to warn other readers to save yourself. Wish I could get those wasted hours back.
July 5, 2025
'Ladies and gentlemen, Jodi Ellen Malpas is proud to confirm your reservation with her latest hot read with the most mysterious, swaggering, he-knows-how-to-use-'it' alpha in his sweaty, sultry and simmering domain. Welcome to Arlington Hall! Come, relax, use the facilities. Perhaps, try the owner special? Miss Lazenby highly recommends it.' - The British Bibliophile
The Queen of alphas and their ladies has returned once more to her throne, and once more she's not alone.
At her side are two brand-new main characters who are just waiting for you to soak up their story. Don't keep them waiting too long.
The Invitation is the first book in a brand-spanking new series by the one and only Jodi Ellen Malpas. Welcome all, to the Arlington Hall series. A two-part, single & first person POV duet which will show the series of events, emotions and everything in-between through the eyes of our leading lady, Amelia Lazenby, as she meets, gets to know, gets down & dirty with the blond bombshell owner of the hall that is Jude Harrison. Another A&J pairing, to those familiar with Jodi's work, but unlike the other pairing of the same first name initials that came before them, Amelia and Jude steam things up not in a manor in London, but in a Hotel & Spa in the cosy, comfy, classy surrounds of South Oxfordshire.
Take the day off work, book yourself a spa package, pack your bags & wait for your complimentary chauffeur service, because you're off to Arlington Hall.
Leaving behind the closed chapter of Jesse, Ava and their life at and outside of The Manor, we start a brand new one here with Jude & Amelia, along with their friends and families. The farewell to the former was not bittersweet as would usually be expected when we bid farewell to the ending of a series (in this case, finally closing it with the books in Jesse's POV), because they'll always be there when we need to return to them. To go back to that world. That home. With the opportunity to dive into a new world/series with Jude & Amelia, we're given the chance to get to settle into a new fictional home with new characters, new stories to be told, mysterious to uncover and to be besotted by absolutely everything.
Which is exactly what happened with The Invitation. More on why that is, as my review goes on.
Before we had any kind of inkling as to what this story would eventually become and be about, excitement was more than abuzz as we, her readers and soakers up of every word she writes, already began talking amongst ourselves and planning out our content as to what we would proudly share leading up to release day. At least, that's what I was like and did. From the title reveal, cover reveal, blurb reveal, narrator reveal, character art reveal, Jodi had me ready and poised to go and get sharing, rather proudly, each and every step we love when its time for a new book to come onto the scene. This also includes the bits we didn't have to guess such as lines from the characters, teasers from chapters, steamy release day countdown posts, that had our fingers working overtime--something Jude knows about himself--, spreading the love in our stories, her post comment sections and everywhere we could talk about her and her upcoming release.
This is the mark of an outstanding author when we can be just as enthusiastic to love the book (and the person who created it) before it has even released. Jodi possesses an incredibly admirable amount of gravitas that she has earned tenfold and impressively continues to do & rightfully so.
How then, would Jude, Amelia & the gang fare as a result of Jodi's literary mastery? Well, the time is here for you to find out as I did while reading my advanced copy ahead of release day.
Once upon a time, there was a career-driven woman, ambitious by nature, who deserves a much long-overdue breather. Her name is Amelia Lazenby. Fresh off the back of a stressful break-up, her friends rally to her cause by way of planning a full day's worth of pampering at an uber posh spa nestled deep within the Oxfordshire countryside called Arlington Hall. Serenity, calm and tranquility should have awaited her upon her arrival but instead, she's met with quite the opposite. A calm pulse turns into a rapidly thrumming one as her eyes land on the ruggedly handsome and flawed Jude Harrison--the very definition of of 'stunning' in male form personified, in her mind.
Seeking to steam out her worries, thoughts and stresses of life away in the sauna on-site at the spa, the unthinkable, unimaginable and impossible happens which only escalates her insta-lust attraction to one Mr. Harrison. No coals needed, they provided the steam.
However, Miss Lazenby wasn't looking for anything new in the world of romance. An intensely hot affair with the hotel & spa owner? Out of the question. At least in theory. Jude by sight alone is enough to captivate Amelia into taking a chance on something she keeps telling herself she doesn't want, so his touch has to be an even greater allure--among other things--to get her to break and bend quite literally to his will. Not even his not-so-subtle thread of possessiveness is enough to make her think twice. Soon enough, she's on a one-way trip down Harrison Lane. Destination? Pleasure of every kind, several times over.
The more time she spends with and under Jude, Amelia discovers more about him that he at least lets her know. His temper? Utterly formidable. His love-making and f**king her into oblivion? Equally as so. He gets to know her too, but in a whole different way. His desire to know her means to get to know her body like the back of his hand, to find out what makes her tick but all the more importantly, what makes her explode. Crash over the hills of orgasmia. Suffice to say, he's a fast learner and a pleasing lover both.
It isn't long until hidden truths come to light. At least, some of them are. Jude's time as the illusive owner of Arlington Hall is up when its brought to Amelia's attention that he owns the place she's come to--and in--not once, not twice, but multiple times. Almost as if someone keeps bringing her there as much as their first time meeting was, in fact, no accidental coincidence at all... It was indeed planned, but by who? What was their reasoning behind it? Will it be for nothing, or will this chain of events lead to everything Amelia could have ever asked for? Only time and the turning of pages will tell.
Time flies by for Amelia and Jude, and as they lose themselves in the many carnal pleasures that Jude's personal services has to offer within his hotel & spa, something else has also been brewing in the background. A mystery. One that is tied to the very man Amelia cannot seem to forget. It's for her to decide if the mystery that surrounds him, brought to light to her when she least expected it to, is worth weathering.
Is Jude worth taking the risk of her hanging onto what they had? Or will he be the latest man in her life that will fracture and break yet another piece of her heart? Our answer will come soon enough.
The Invitation is an exemplary piece that shows what Jodi Ellen Malpas does at her absolute best. Although well-known for her dominant, domineering, dangerous alpha males such as those in her Unlawful Men series among the many that could be named, she can turn her hand to quite literally any strand of the romance book bow. Not every main male character, female main character or the story follows the same pattern. They each have elements within them, be it the story, character, plot etc, that give us reason to love them, adore them, cry at/with them, shout at the pages in anger and every such other emotion and feeling in-between. Jude & Amelia's story did just that, and Jodi set up the stage nicely for when we're ready to make the journey back to Arlington Hall later on this year.
That's right, as previously mentioned, this is a duet. Meaning, two books in the series featuring the same two characters across and in both. I, for one, am chuffed to bits that Jude & Amelia's story hasn't been confined to just one book. It wouldn't have been a bad thing if it had, but more Malpas is always a great thing.
If there's one author that I could never even begin to have enough of, it's Jodi.
Jodi has created here, a book I could happily talk about forever. As you can tell by this already long-ish review. There's just so much to talk about but at the same time, so much I can't talk about. Why? Spoilers. If I put in this review everything that I've highlighted and made notes on? No one would need to read the book. However, I don't do that. Spoilers. No matter how much I really want to put into here what made me warmer than the current UK heatwave, squirm in my seat or seek...ahem...relief, you'll have to grab a copy to come across those moments in the book for yourselves.
What I can share with you all, are the non-spoiler parts of the book that I beyond loved reading about. Starting with the leading lady herself, Miss Amelia Lazenby. She's your classic girl boss type without falling into the pitfall of the forced girl boss stereotype. Her character, I feel, wasn't written with the aim of girl-bossing it and that be her only main strength, but to drive home the message that there's nothing wrong with being career-focused for no one other than herself. She's doing it for herself, not for her pushy father or to one-up her male colleagues, but because she's a determined, focused, independent woman that is proud of who she is and what she does. There's no trading love for work or work for love, because her career is what she loves and even when a drop of romance does come her way, she's not going to jack it all in for Jude but instead makes his place in her life work and blend seamlessly. Well, almost. Nothing with Jude and Amelia is without its hiccup, speed bump or secrets.
She does this all not alone, but with her fearless--and sometimes equally as drunk--best girl friends at her side. Her two best friends are as steadfast in their friendship with her as she is with her career. They tell it how it is--which is how it should be--, sparing no truths when they need to be told and dealing her the realities of things when needed. They've got her back as much as she's got theirs and like with Jude, she doesn't leave them behind when advancing her career prospects but takes them along with her as they take her with them as their own lives change. To me, these are the types of friends who are sisters from another mister, and are two ladies I'm keen to see again and what part they play next in the Jude & Amelia story.
As for Jude? Where to start with that enigma of a man.
Though we got to know him as much as Amelia was allowed to know him, there were definitely more questions left to ask than there were answered. Is this a bad thing? No. Because if we were given the answer to everything here, there wouldn't be little or nothing to work with at all in the continuation and subsequent wrap-up of their story in what will hopefully be their happily ever after. Jude stands out among Jodi's alphas again for many reasons, but mostly because he is just as much of an unknown in many ways from when we first met him, to where we left him at the end of this book. Why is he the way he is? What made him do what he did? Why should we forgive him for what he did? These are just some of the questions which again will be answered in the next book but for now, we ar left with quite a lot about him that we do know.
Jude, for all of his flaws, possesses the dominance and possessiveness we love out of a JEM alpha while also being one of the most realistic characters she's written t0-date, as all of these characters in this book in fact feel to me. He's very equally balanced, feel. Where he's very passionate and pleasurable in and out of the bedroom, he's got his own issues. Where he's proud of his achievements, he's got his hidden demons and traumas. Where he's relentless and determined, there's also the element of his vulnerability. He's not been written, I feel, to be this perfect ideal of a book boyfriend who is practically perfect in every way, but to be the example of what it truly means to be human (in fictional form). We're not perfect. We're flawed, complex. Prone to making mistake but are equally as deserving of a redemption arc and second chances, as I feel he will be given his own the next time we meet him. All in all, he's hands down one of the best book characters out there. Period.
I'd even go so far as to say that among a few others in this book that also join him, Jude has to stand out as my favourite (male) character. I'm as taken with insta-lust and insta-love with him as Amelia was when she met him for the first time in the library at Arlington Hall. I mean, who wouldn't want to meet their soulmate that way? In a library! Yes please!
Jude and Amelia were came nothing short of demonstrating that they have undeniable chemistry, providins us with sexual tension that far surpassed explosive and magnetic in nature, careening instead for something that rivals a constantly burning supernova. They between them, even unlocked many new kinks and pleasures that I never even knew I had so thank you, you two!
Jodi, I cannot thank you enough for delivering to us not just the start of a new series with brand new characters, but a story that quite literally kept me on my toes by playing detective by guessing what was coming next. Echoing what my fellow friend and reader Rebecca Andryskova said, we were literally waiting for the other shoe to drop but had NO CLUE as to when that would be. You kept us in enraptured, masterful suspense and wow when that other shoe did drop? She dropped with a stomach-emptying, heart-beating-outsdide-of-the-chest (yet somehow also in my throat) bang. I know if I was Amelia, I would find it VERY hard to forgive Jude for what he did, but I'm so on the edge of my seat curious as to why and how Amelia will forgive him for it. It has been said by another reader but she was also right, GOD YOU'RE BRILLIANT!
Usually I can find one or two parts of a book to be my favourite, but you've made it nearly impossible to narrow down just a small handful! All of this book was a masterpiece of steamy, suspenseful romance that simply couldn't be done by anyone else as well as it has been done by you.
(Actually, I kind-of lied. I had SEVERAL favourite moments here and there but again...spoilers! If you want to see which highlighted quotes of mine that I can share that won't spoil anything, I'll be sharing them to my Bookstagram very soon. They'll give a hint to the scenes that I still can't stop thinking about. My fellow readers will already know a few of them. Ahem, the sauna. Ahem, the candle. Ahem, hand washing!)
I laughed, I cried, I feel like my heart has been ripped out from my chest but ultimately, I'm back in the world of all things JEM, and Jude and Amelia are my latest literary loves.
Will they remain so? We'll see with our return-trip to Arlington Hall this September in book two, The Surrender. Don't forget to book your place! See you then.
(P.S. This is a not-so-subtle request for a possible future release for this series to also be told via Jude's POV? Please and very, very thank you!)
The Queen of alphas and their ladies has returned once more to her throne, and once more she's not alone.
At her side are two brand-new main characters who are just waiting for you to soak up their story. Don't keep them waiting too long.
The Invitation is the first book in a brand-spanking new series by the one and only Jodi Ellen Malpas. Welcome all, to the Arlington Hall series. A two-part, single & first person POV duet which will show the series of events, emotions and everything in-between through the eyes of our leading lady, Amelia Lazenby, as she meets, gets to know, gets down & dirty with the blond bombshell owner of the hall that is Jude Harrison. Another A&J pairing, to those familiar with Jodi's work, but unlike the other pairing of the same first name initials that came before them, Amelia and Jude steam things up not in a manor in London, but in a Hotel & Spa in the cosy, comfy, classy surrounds of South Oxfordshire.
Take the day off work, book yourself a spa package, pack your bags & wait for your complimentary chauffeur service, because you're off to Arlington Hall.
Leaving behind the closed chapter of Jesse, Ava and their life at and outside of The Manor, we start a brand new one here with Jude & Amelia, along with their friends and families. The farewell to the former was not bittersweet as would usually be expected when we bid farewell to the ending of a series (in this case, finally closing it with the books in Jesse's POV), because they'll always be there when we need to return to them. To go back to that world. That home. With the opportunity to dive into a new world/series with Jude & Amelia, we're given the chance to get to settle into a new fictional home with new characters, new stories to be told, mysterious to uncover and to be besotted by absolutely everything.
Which is exactly what happened with The Invitation. More on why that is, as my review goes on.
Before we had any kind of inkling as to what this story would eventually become and be about, excitement was more than abuzz as we, her readers and soakers up of every word she writes, already began talking amongst ourselves and planning out our content as to what we would proudly share leading up to release day. At least, that's what I was like and did. From the title reveal, cover reveal, blurb reveal, narrator reveal, character art reveal, Jodi had me ready and poised to go and get sharing, rather proudly, each and every step we love when its time for a new book to come onto the scene. This also includes the bits we didn't have to guess such as lines from the characters, teasers from chapters, steamy release day countdown posts, that had our fingers working overtime--something Jude knows about himself--, spreading the love in our stories, her post comment sections and everywhere we could talk about her and her upcoming release.
This is the mark of an outstanding author when we can be just as enthusiastic to love the book (and the person who created it) before it has even released. Jodi possesses an incredibly admirable amount of gravitas that she has earned tenfold and impressively continues to do & rightfully so.
How then, would Jude, Amelia & the gang fare as a result of Jodi's literary mastery? Well, the time is here for you to find out as I did while reading my advanced copy ahead of release day.
Once upon a time, there was a career-driven woman, ambitious by nature, who deserves a much long-overdue breather. Her name is Amelia Lazenby. Fresh off the back of a stressful break-up, her friends rally to her cause by way of planning a full day's worth of pampering at an uber posh spa nestled deep within the Oxfordshire countryside called Arlington Hall. Serenity, calm and tranquility should have awaited her upon her arrival but instead, she's met with quite the opposite. A calm pulse turns into a rapidly thrumming one as her eyes land on the ruggedly handsome and flawed Jude Harrison--the very definition of of 'stunning' in male form personified, in her mind.
Seeking to steam out her worries, thoughts and stresses of life away in the sauna on-site at the spa, the unthinkable, unimaginable and impossible happens which only escalates her insta-lust attraction to one Mr. Harrison. No coals needed, they provided the steam.
However, Miss Lazenby wasn't looking for anything new in the world of romance. An intensely hot affair with the hotel & spa owner? Out of the question. At least in theory. Jude by sight alone is enough to captivate Amelia into taking a chance on something she keeps telling herself she doesn't want, so his touch has to be an even greater allure--among other things--to get her to break and bend quite literally to his will. Not even his not-so-subtle thread of possessiveness is enough to make her think twice. Soon enough, she's on a one-way trip down Harrison Lane. Destination? Pleasure of every kind, several times over.
The more time she spends with and under Jude, Amelia discovers more about him that he at least lets her know. His temper? Utterly formidable. His love-making and f**king her into oblivion? Equally as so. He gets to know her too, but in a whole different way. His desire to know her means to get to know her body like the back of his hand, to find out what makes her tick but all the more importantly, what makes her explode. Crash over the hills of orgasmia. Suffice to say, he's a fast learner and a pleasing lover both.
It isn't long until hidden truths come to light. At least, some of them are. Jude's time as the illusive owner of Arlington Hall is up when its brought to Amelia's attention that he owns the place she's come to--and in--not once, not twice, but multiple times. Almost as if someone keeps bringing her there as much as their first time meeting was, in fact, no accidental coincidence at all... It was indeed planned, but by who? What was their reasoning behind it? Will it be for nothing, or will this chain of events lead to everything Amelia could have ever asked for? Only time and the turning of pages will tell.
Time flies by for Amelia and Jude, and as they lose themselves in the many carnal pleasures that Jude's personal services has to offer within his hotel & spa, something else has also been brewing in the background. A mystery. One that is tied to the very man Amelia cannot seem to forget. It's for her to decide if the mystery that surrounds him, brought to light to her when she least expected it to, is worth weathering.
Is Jude worth taking the risk of her hanging onto what they had? Or will he be the latest man in her life that will fracture and break yet another piece of her heart? Our answer will come soon enough.
The Invitation is an exemplary piece that shows what Jodi Ellen Malpas does at her absolute best. Although well-known for her dominant, domineering, dangerous alpha males such as those in her Unlawful Men series among the many that could be named, she can turn her hand to quite literally any strand of the romance book bow. Not every main male character, female main character or the story follows the same pattern. They each have elements within them, be it the story, character, plot etc, that give us reason to love them, adore them, cry at/with them, shout at the pages in anger and every such other emotion and feeling in-between. Jude & Amelia's story did just that, and Jodi set up the stage nicely for when we're ready to make the journey back to Arlington Hall later on this year.
That's right, as previously mentioned, this is a duet. Meaning, two books in the series featuring the same two characters across and in both. I, for one, am chuffed to bits that Jude & Amelia's story hasn't been confined to just one book. It wouldn't have been a bad thing if it had, but more Malpas is always a great thing.
If there's one author that I could never even begin to have enough of, it's Jodi.
Jodi has created here, a book I could happily talk about forever. As you can tell by this already long-ish review. There's just so much to talk about but at the same time, so much I can't talk about. Why? Spoilers. If I put in this review everything that I've highlighted and made notes on? No one would need to read the book. However, I don't do that. Spoilers. No matter how much I really want to put into here what made me warmer than the current UK heatwave, squirm in my seat or seek...ahem...relief, you'll have to grab a copy to come across those moments in the book for yourselves.
What I can share with you all, are the non-spoiler parts of the book that I beyond loved reading about. Starting with the leading lady herself, Miss Amelia Lazenby. She's your classic girl boss type without falling into the pitfall of the forced girl boss stereotype. Her character, I feel, wasn't written with the aim of girl-bossing it and that be her only main strength, but to drive home the message that there's nothing wrong with being career-focused for no one other than herself. She's doing it for herself, not for her pushy father or to one-up her male colleagues, but because she's a determined, focused, independent woman that is proud of who she is and what she does. There's no trading love for work or work for love, because her career is what she loves and even when a drop of romance does come her way, she's not going to jack it all in for Jude but instead makes his place in her life work and blend seamlessly. Well, almost. Nothing with Jude and Amelia is without its hiccup, speed bump or secrets.
She does this all not alone, but with her fearless--and sometimes equally as drunk--best girl friends at her side. Her two best friends are as steadfast in their friendship with her as she is with her career. They tell it how it is--which is how it should be--, sparing no truths when they need to be told and dealing her the realities of things when needed. They've got her back as much as she's got theirs and like with Jude, she doesn't leave them behind when advancing her career prospects but takes them along with her as they take her with them as their own lives change. To me, these are the types of friends who are sisters from another mister, and are two ladies I'm keen to see again and what part they play next in the Jude & Amelia story.
As for Jude? Where to start with that enigma of a man.
Though we got to know him as much as Amelia was allowed to know him, there were definitely more questions left to ask than there were answered. Is this a bad thing? No. Because if we were given the answer to everything here, there wouldn't be little or nothing to work with at all in the continuation and subsequent wrap-up of their story in what will hopefully be their happily ever after. Jude stands out among Jodi's alphas again for many reasons, but mostly because he is just as much of an unknown in many ways from when we first met him, to where we left him at the end of this book. Why is he the way he is? What made him do what he did? Why should we forgive him for what he did? These are just some of the questions which again will be answered in the next book but for now, we ar left with quite a lot about him that we do know.
Jude, for all of his flaws, possesses the dominance and possessiveness we love out of a JEM alpha while also being one of the most realistic characters she's written t0-date, as all of these characters in this book in fact feel to me. He's very equally balanced, feel. Where he's very passionate and pleasurable in and out of the bedroom, he's got his own issues. Where he's proud of his achievements, he's got his hidden demons and traumas. Where he's relentless and determined, there's also the element of his vulnerability. He's not been written, I feel, to be this perfect ideal of a book boyfriend who is practically perfect in every way, but to be the example of what it truly means to be human (in fictional form). We're not perfect. We're flawed, complex. Prone to making mistake but are equally as deserving of a redemption arc and second chances, as I feel he will be given his own the next time we meet him. All in all, he's hands down one of the best book characters out there. Period.
I'd even go so far as to say that among a few others in this book that also join him, Jude has to stand out as my favourite (male) character. I'm as taken with insta-lust and insta-love with him as Amelia was when she met him for the first time in the library at Arlington Hall. I mean, who wouldn't want to meet their soulmate that way? In a library! Yes please!
Jude and Amelia were came nothing short of demonstrating that they have undeniable chemistry, providins us with sexual tension that far surpassed explosive and magnetic in nature, careening instead for something that rivals a constantly burning supernova. They between them, even unlocked many new kinks and pleasures that I never even knew I had so thank you, you two!
Jodi, I cannot thank you enough for delivering to us not just the start of a new series with brand new characters, but a story that quite literally kept me on my toes by playing detective by guessing what was coming next. Echoing what my fellow friend and reader Rebecca Andryskova said, we were literally waiting for the other shoe to drop but had NO CLUE as to when that would be. You kept us in enraptured, masterful suspense and wow when that other shoe did drop? She dropped with a stomach-emptying, heart-beating-outsdide-of-the-chest (yet somehow also in my throat) bang. I know if I was Amelia, I would find it VERY hard to forgive Jude for what he did, but I'm so on the edge of my seat curious as to why and how Amelia will forgive him for it. It has been said by another reader but she was also right, GOD YOU'RE BRILLIANT!
Usually I can find one or two parts of a book to be my favourite, but you've made it nearly impossible to narrow down just a small handful! All of this book was a masterpiece of steamy, suspenseful romance that simply couldn't be done by anyone else as well as it has been done by you.
(Actually, I kind-of lied. I had SEVERAL favourite moments here and there but again...spoilers! If you want to see which highlighted quotes of mine that I can share that won't spoil anything, I'll be sharing them to my Bookstagram very soon. They'll give a hint to the scenes that I still can't stop thinking about. My fellow readers will already know a few of them. Ahem, the sauna. Ahem, the candle. Ahem, hand washing!)
I laughed, I cried, I feel like my heart has been ripped out from my chest but ultimately, I'm back in the world of all things JEM, and Jude and Amelia are my latest literary loves.
Will they remain so? We'll see with our return-trip to Arlington Hall this September in book two, The Surrender. Don't forget to book your place! See you then.
(P.S. This is a not-so-subtle request for a possible future release for this series to also be told via Jude's POV? Please and very, very thank you!)
July 11, 2025
4-4.5 ⭐️'s
Well, if you're a This Man fan, you will love this book/series because Jude IS Jesse and Amelia is Ava. There are a lot of other similarities but just like the This Man series, there are way too many secrets at this point to distinguish between them.
One difference is this has a touch of in it. That ending was killer! I knew there was something but that just threw me. It's going to be hard to wait until September 2nd for the next book, The Surrender.
And as a fan of Jesse, JEM can write all the Jesse-like books she wants and I will gobble them up!
Well, if you're a This Man fan, you will love this book/series because Jude IS Jesse and Amelia is Ava. There are a lot of other similarities but just like the This Man series, there are way too many secrets at this point to distinguish between them.
One difference is this has a touch of in it. That ending was killer! I knew there was something but that just threw me. It's going to be hard to wait until September 2nd for the next book, The Surrender.
And as a fan of Jesse, JEM can write all the Jesse-like books she wants and I will gobble them up!
Read
December 13, 2024I can’t wait! My first question is will Jude be crazy like Jesse or gentle like Miller?
June 30, 2025
Amelia + Jude
For her 30th birthday Amelia's two besties invite her for a little spa day.
To Arlington Hall.
The girls think they're in the wrong place. No way they can afford this - even with a coupon!
And then there's this mysterious hot guy at the bar. Insta sparks for Amelia.
And that's not the last she's seen of the guy.
He's everywhere and ... he wants her!
But Amelia is newly single and wants to concentrate on work and the possible promotion.
But hot guy is so not giving up - even after being told no several times. LOL.
═════════════════
Phew!
Another super hot and sparky and funny JEM book.
Some might say that it's just another Jesse thing. And yeah - it has those arrogant and possessive and dominant rich guy vibes. But it's also completely different.
I liked reading it and I can't wait for book #2!
We get so many funny moments and some sad or rather complicated family moments. And of course all those super sparky and sexy Jude moments.
I loved the whole atmosphere of it. The hotel and spa and the bar and the cocktails and Amelia's besties and the brother and ... it's all giving me a very comfortable feeling. I don't really know what I mean. I wanted to jump into the book and be best friends with them all.
At times their ages seemed a bit weird for me. She's 30 and he's 35 but it's all a bit immature here and there. But pfft. I still loved reading this and now I need book 2! And I also want a book for Abbie and her mystery man!
THE INVITATION was a really good first book in this new series.
Beautiful locations. Amazing cast.
Funny. Sparky. Sexy. Adorable. And so much more.
Please gimme book #2 asap!
If you can't click the buy-links
from your phone - click ► HERE!
💜
💜
June 10, 2025
The MMC's constant pursuit of the FMC, in spite of her repeatedly telling him NO, was pretty much disgusting. For half of the book, he was constantly imposing his will on her regardless of her resistance. Instead of no means no, it was your lips say no, but your body says yes. Major ick.
Stuck with it until the end, hoping for some kind of redemption. In the end, he was even worse than the first half of the book. And of course, it ended on a cliffhanger. I assume it will take 3-4 books to find out there was "a reason" he was acting this way. No thanks.
Stuck with it until the end, hoping for some kind of redemption. In the end, he was even worse than the first half of the book. And of course, it ended on a cliffhanger. I assume it will take 3-4 books to find out there was "a reason" he was acting this way. No thanks.
June 17, 2025
This is for sure one of the worst books I've read this year. This reads exactly like a book a 16 year old going through some stuff would write. Slight spoilers ahead, no ruined scenes.
I don't think I've ever disliked a couple so much. Their relationship is cringe worthy and super creepy, they know absolutely nothing about each other (despite her saying they do, but they hardly ever talk about anything but boinking), and they are in an abusive relationship before they ever even in a relationship. I kept waiting for this book to turn into a thriller.
FMC is stunted and acts like a teenager. She can't say no to her awful family or set boundaries with them. Can't control herself at all. I thought the MMC might have been hexing her at one point just to explain why she has no self control. She clearly doesn't respect herself. And has mini breakdowns constantly over dumb things while letting glaringly bad things go quickly. How am I supposed to think of her as anything but a idiot?
MMC is so creepy, I legit thought he was luring her as a ritual sacrifice. Also, he doesn't respect any of her boundaries EVER. She has no say in their relationship, basically at all. He also says the dumbest most eye rollingly horrid things to her as spice. It's so bad that I'd bet money he took an alpha male class online. And I'm pretty sure they both should be on a list for public indecency. How is he okay with running a business like this?
This book feels like a vanilla Haunting Adeline, and I'm really not sure it was supposed to. Either way, it was not done well. I can get behind some dark romance, but this ain't it because him as a person is the only dark depraved thing about this book. Her having no agency is framed as "she could finally let go of some control" but bleeds into her life so throughly that he is putting her in tough situations and makes her life much harder. They also say they have a sub/dom relationship at one point, but the kink is minimal to absent, and it's really just him controlling everything about her.
Also, and this is a personal nit pick, I hate back to back scenes. I want some story progression in between, or I would have just picked up a pure smut book. This book has 3 or 4 one right after the other, and it just reads that the author chose to only write while she was excited for a bit.
I added a star because of the very very end, which made me cackle. It felt like I was in middle school all over again.
I don't think I've ever disliked a couple so much. Their relationship is cringe worthy and super creepy, they know absolutely nothing about each other (despite her saying they do, but they hardly ever talk about anything but boinking), and they are in an abusive relationship before they ever even in a relationship. I kept waiting for this book to turn into a thriller.
FMC is stunted and acts like a teenager. She can't say no to her awful family or set boundaries with them. Can't control herself at all. I thought the MMC might have been hexing her at one point just to explain why she has no self control. She clearly doesn't respect herself. And has mini breakdowns constantly over dumb things while letting glaringly bad things go quickly. How am I supposed to think of her as anything but a idiot?
MMC is so creepy, I legit thought he was luring her as a ritual sacrifice. Also, he doesn't respect any of her boundaries EVER. She has no say in their relationship, basically at all. He also says the dumbest most eye rollingly horrid things to her as spice. It's so bad that I'd bet money he took an alpha male class online. And I'm pretty sure they both should be on a list for public indecency. How is he okay with running a business like this?
This book feels like a vanilla Haunting Adeline, and I'm really not sure it was supposed to. Either way, it was not done well. I can get behind some dark romance, but this ain't it because him as a person is the only dark depraved thing about this book. Her having no agency is framed as "she could finally let go of some control" but bleeds into her life so throughly that he is putting her in tough situations and makes her life much harder. They also say they have a sub/dom relationship at one point, but the kink is minimal to absent, and it's really just him controlling everything about her.
Also, and this is a personal nit pick, I hate back to back scenes. I want some story progression in between, or I would have just picked up a pure smut book. This book has 3 or 4 one right after the other, and it just reads that the author chose to only write while she was excited for a bit.
I added a star because of the very very end, which made me cackle. It felt like I was in middle school all over again.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 7, 2025
What a cliffhanger!
September 12, 2025
This was exhausting.
July 1, 2025
You know when you have such high expectations for a book and you just can't wait?
This was me for The Invitation because I love Jodi Ellen Malpas and her brand of storytelling.
I went in blind, but then the whole story, the characters, the situations, the supporting cast, etc seemed oddly familiar. I was getting major This Man vibes but not to the same level of unhinged passion I had back then.
Jude=Jesse
Amelia=Ava
Catherine=Sarah
ex boyfriend=ex boyfriend
and even the best friends!
Rich MMC and newly single FMC. See??!! Same Same.
Maybe I was drawing too many parallels and even noticed that the MCs had the same first initials. But I just couldn't stop. Frustrated, but could see if someone had not read that series they would not notice all these little things that I was nitpicking at.
Anyway, we have Amelia, a successful financial consultant that is all about her career. SO much so that she ends up dropping her longtime boyfriend when he pressures her into more. She and her friends get a deal on a "spa day" and that is where Amelia encounters a drop dead gorgeous man. But remember, she has no time for a man and is set on climbing the corporate ladder and proving to her father that she is just as talented as any man when it comes to her career.
Jude, from the moment Amelia walks into his hotel/spa/bar/restaurant is all about Amelia and wants her. Wants her beyond belief. He goes after what he wants, but Amelia tries her best to stay away from him since she has her eyes set on career goals. Only, she can't get the charismatic gorgeous alpha man out of her mind. And they soon fall into some HOT and steamy situations. Like burn up your kindle, your book type situations. I mean, I never thought washing hands could be so erotic! But just wait for the twist and cliffy that JEM drops on us at the end! MESSY! And I LOVE Messy!!!
I may have been frustrated and thought the story was too much like a previous series, but I am definitely captivated and will surely eat up the next one because I HAVE to know how it will all come together in the end.
Overall, if you have not read Jodi Ellen Malpas before and/or have never read the This Man series, this book may appeal to you. I felt like it was not what I've come to expect from JEM. Yes, she had her obsessed alpha hero, but he also didn't have that je ne sais quois I have come to crave from Malpas' MMC. I'm intrigued and liked the story well enough, I just didn't fall in love because it felt like a watered down version of a beloved series.
This was me for The Invitation because I love Jodi Ellen Malpas and her brand of storytelling.
I went in blind, but then the whole story, the characters, the situations, the supporting cast, etc seemed oddly familiar. I was getting major This Man vibes but not to the same level of unhinged passion I had back then.
Jude=Jesse
Amelia=Ava
Catherine=Sarah
ex boyfriend=ex boyfriend
and even the best friends!
Rich MMC and newly single FMC. See??!! Same Same.
Maybe I was drawing too many parallels and even noticed that the MCs had the same first initials. But I just couldn't stop. Frustrated, but could see if someone had not read that series they would not notice all these little things that I was nitpicking at.
Anyway, we have Amelia, a successful financial consultant that is all about her career. SO much so that she ends up dropping her longtime boyfriend when he pressures her into more. She and her friends get a deal on a "spa day" and that is where Amelia encounters a drop dead gorgeous man. But remember, she has no time for a man and is set on climbing the corporate ladder and proving to her father that she is just as talented as any man when it comes to her career.
Jude, from the moment Amelia walks into his hotel/spa/bar/restaurant is all about Amelia and wants her. Wants her beyond belief. He goes after what he wants, but Amelia tries her best to stay away from him since she has her eyes set on career goals. Only, she can't get the charismatic gorgeous alpha man out of her mind. And they soon fall into some HOT and steamy situations. Like burn up your kindle, your book type situations. I mean, I never thought washing hands could be so erotic! But just wait for the twist and cliffy that JEM drops on us at the end! MESSY! And I LOVE Messy!!!
I may have been frustrated and thought the story was too much like a previous series, but I am definitely captivated and will surely eat up the next one because I HAVE to know how it will all come together in the end.
Overall, if you have not read Jodi Ellen Malpas before and/or have never read the This Man series, this book may appeal to you. I felt like it was not what I've come to expect from JEM. Yes, she had her obsessed alpha hero, but he also didn't have that je ne sais quois I have come to crave from Malpas' MMC. I'm intrigued and liked the story well enough, I just didn't fall in love because it felt like a watered down version of a beloved series.
June 28, 2025
I was not expecting what happened, I’m sad and disappointed and he better grovel really good cause wtf 😔🧍🏽♀️if she forgives him right away in the next book im gonna be really disappointed and mad.
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Abby’s one night stand with the French guy it’s interesting I wanna know more of it 😁 maybe a book of them!!! Who knows what Jem has for us.
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Abby’s one night stand with the French guy it’s interesting I wanna know more of it 😁 maybe a book of them!!! Who knows what Jem has for us.
June 19, 2025
Welcome to Arlington Hall. Hotel & Spa. Where it’s not just in the sauna where things get steamy for Amelia Lazenby 🥴🌶️
This book kicks off with Amelia, our main female character. She’s off, with her girlfriends for a luxury spa day at a posh hotel. This is where she has her first encounter with the enigmatic and intriguing, Jude Harrison.
Little is said between them in their first encounter, but the chemistry is instant and undeniable. And speaking of chemistry. There’s some serious foreplay at hand …no pun intended lol 🙌🏼 IYKYK.
I loved the chase and hunt Jude commences in his pursuit of Amelia…
Amelia Lazenby is a strong, ambitious and a focused career woman. She has career goals and is determined and driven to achieve them. With no distractions.
I really liked Amelia, she’s fun and strong willed …well, that’s until Jude makes a presence in her life, that focus and strong will goes to sh!t. To an extent Amelia does need some distraction, as she lives, eats and breathes work. So Jude does give her the reprieve she needs, …and some.
Jude Harrison… he’s mysterious, intriguing, arrogant, and possessive, with red flags galore. The mystery surrounding Jude had me eager to pick the book up, and when I wasn’t reading it, I was thinking about it.
But… I’m not sure how I feel about Jude, at this point. He really provoked conflicting emotions in me. I loved him one minute, then the next I was like… Really! You didn’t just say that.
He’s a serious, and quite an aggressive, angry character. He didn’t always come across very endearing, could be an a$$ at times to be honest. But that being said, he definitely has a vulnerability about him, too.
I just knew he was hiding something?
I do believe we’ve got a lot more to learn about Jude Harrison, so I will give him the benefit of the doubt. 🤔 He definitely has some redeeming to do in book two!
As always JEM’s secondary characters are amazing! Amelia’s girlfriends are a hoot. I wanna be in their girl gang! There’s a few scenes that made me giggle, especially a scene involving Amalia’s parents and some flowers…so funny.
As The Invitation is the first book in a duet, I always find it a little difficult to judge and review the first book, as we���ve only got half of the story.
There’s no denying this book gives you vibes from previous books by this author, but that didn’t spoil my enjoyment of the book at all for me.
I must say, I did miss a duel pov, JEM has an uncanny way of executing a male characters mind and pov. Maybe Jude would have come across a little more endearing if we’d gotten into his head at times.
This is “classic” JEM, and she has certainly gone back to her roots with this duet.
Enjoyable read. Looking forward to book two.
This book kicks off with Amelia, our main female character. She’s off, with her girlfriends for a luxury spa day at a posh hotel. This is where she has her first encounter with the enigmatic and intriguing, Jude Harrison.
Little is said between them in their first encounter, but the chemistry is instant and undeniable. And speaking of chemistry. There’s some serious foreplay at hand …no pun intended lol 🙌🏼 IYKYK.
I loved the chase and hunt Jude commences in his pursuit of Amelia…
Amelia Lazenby is a strong, ambitious and a focused career woman. She has career goals and is determined and driven to achieve them. With no distractions.
I really liked Amelia, she’s fun and strong willed …well, that’s until Jude makes a presence in her life, that focus and strong will goes to sh!t. To an extent Amelia does need some distraction, as she lives, eats and breathes work. So Jude does give her the reprieve she needs, …and some.
Jude Harrison… he’s mysterious, intriguing, arrogant, and possessive, with red flags galore. The mystery surrounding Jude had me eager to pick the book up, and when I wasn’t reading it, I was thinking about it.
But… I’m not sure how I feel about Jude, at this point. He really provoked conflicting emotions in me. I loved him one minute, then the next I was like… Really! You didn’t just say that.
He’s a serious, and quite an aggressive, angry character. He didn’t always come across very endearing, could be an a$$ at times to be honest. But that being said, he definitely has a vulnerability about him, too.
I just knew he was hiding something?
I do believe we’ve got a lot more to learn about Jude Harrison, so I will give him the benefit of the doubt. 🤔 He definitely has some redeeming to do in book two!
As always JEM’s secondary characters are amazing! Amelia’s girlfriends are a hoot. I wanna be in their girl gang! There’s a few scenes that made me giggle, especially a scene involving Amalia’s parents and some flowers…so funny.
As The Invitation is the first book in a duet, I always find it a little difficult to judge and review the first book, as we���ve only got half of the story.
There’s no denying this book gives you vibes from previous books by this author, but that didn’t spoil my enjoyment of the book at all for me.
I must say, I did miss a duel pov, JEM has an uncanny way of executing a male characters mind and pov. Maybe Jude would have come across a little more endearing if we’d gotten into his head at times.
This is “classic” JEM, and she has certainly gone back to her roots with this duet.
Enjoyable read. Looking forward to book two.
June 24, 2025
God she’s good.
I do feel slightly sick after that ending though, literally felt my heart drop to the pit of my stomach. THE ANGST.
Book 2 please and thank you xoxo
I do feel slightly sick after that ending though, literally felt my heart drop to the pit of my stomach. THE ANGST.
Book 2 please and thank you xoxo
August 15, 2025
4.5 stars! Loved the audiobook so much!
September 24, 2025
Kitap tam 2010'ların pasif agresif erkek karakterlerini temsil ediyor resmen. Özlemişim ama fazlası aşırı dozdan götürür. Toksik bi ilişki. 😂
June 8, 2025
A good Smut read
No plot. Characters are not believable, just horny. I’m not looking for a classic, but a little story would have been appreciated.
No plot. Characters are not believable, just horny. I’m not looking for a classic, but a little story would have been appreciated.
September 7, 2025
2,5/5⭐️
Reading the blurb, I was convinced I was about to meet a bold, ambitious woman who takes charge of her life and knows exactly what she wants. That’s what hooked me.
Enter Emilia. She’s building her career as an investment consultant in a big, successful firm. She’s thriving in a field where men still guard the gates like it’s their medieval birthright, and where women have to prove themselves twice as hard just to be tolerated. She’s competing for a partnership with a male colleague, and that’s exactly what she’s been fighting for all along.
Of course, her family couldn’t care less. Dad hands the family investment business to her younger brother because apparently Emilia’s sole purpose in life is to pop out grandchildren. Mom’s priority is “keeping the peace,” which translates to “let’s all ignore the problem and hope it goes away.” And the brother? Oh, he’s “supportive” - as long as it doesn’t mean actually standing up for her in front of Dad. Honestly, this entire family deserves its own therapy session.
Thankfully, Emilia’s got two amazing friends who love her exactly as she is, back her up even when she ignores their advice, and stand by her no matter what.
She also just ended a five-year relationship because the guy wanted kids and she doesn’t, at least not right now. Career first. Perfectly reasonable.
And then… oh boy. That’s when it all goes downhill. 🤦🏻♀️ One look at some random guy in the spa bar, and Emilia drops every ounce of common sense and morphs into a hormone-driven teenager who’s never seen a man before. Doesn’t know his name, doesn’t know his story - but sure, let’s toss reason out the window.
What follows is a parade of red flags so bright they could land planes in a snowstorm. Does Emilia slow down? Of course not. She’s a moth, he’s the flame, and we all know how that ends. Sure, she says no at first, but then admits she never actually had a choice because, you know, ✨chemistry✨. SERIOUSLY? The guy is terrifying.
Their relationship is basically a roller coaster operated by someone who’s clearly drunk. He behaves outrageously, and somehow she ends up apologizing. (Honestly, the only truly stupid thing she did was agreeing to a date instead of filing a police report.)
What annoyed me most wasn’t even him- it was her. This is NOT the woman the author promised in the blurb. No one who’s ambitious, disciplined, and calculated enough to build a career in high-stakes finance suddenly forgets how to weigh risks and ends up trapped in a toxic mess without an escape plan. And she definitely wouldn’t be behaving like a wild animal in heat, “falling in love” with a guy whose main talent is making her miserable. My eyes got a workout from all the eye-rolling. 🤦🏻♀️
And then it ends on a cliffhanger. 😳 Because apparently the suffering wasn’t enough.
So yes, I’ll pick up book two - because obviously she’ll come running back to this walking red flag after realizing he’s “the mistake of her life”… but hey, the sex was good. And in this universe, that means he’s The One. 🤌🏻
Special shoutout to Emilia’s constant repetitive inner monologues. If I had to read one more recycled thought, I might’ve joined her family in ignoring her completely.
Reading the blurb, I was convinced I was about to meet a bold, ambitious woman who takes charge of her life and knows exactly what she wants. That’s what hooked me.
Enter Emilia. She’s building her career as an investment consultant in a big, successful firm. She’s thriving in a field where men still guard the gates like it’s their medieval birthright, and where women have to prove themselves twice as hard just to be tolerated. She’s competing for a partnership with a male colleague, and that’s exactly what she’s been fighting for all along.
Of course, her family couldn’t care less. Dad hands the family investment business to her younger brother because apparently Emilia’s sole purpose in life is to pop out grandchildren. Mom’s priority is “keeping the peace,” which translates to “let’s all ignore the problem and hope it goes away.” And the brother? Oh, he’s “supportive” - as long as it doesn’t mean actually standing up for her in front of Dad. Honestly, this entire family deserves its own therapy session.
Thankfully, Emilia’s got two amazing friends who love her exactly as she is, back her up even when she ignores their advice, and stand by her no matter what.
She also just ended a five-year relationship because the guy wanted kids and she doesn’t, at least not right now. Career first. Perfectly reasonable.
And then… oh boy. That’s when it all goes downhill. 🤦🏻♀️ One look at some random guy in the spa bar, and Emilia drops every ounce of common sense and morphs into a hormone-driven teenager who’s never seen a man before. Doesn’t know his name, doesn’t know his story - but sure, let’s toss reason out the window.
What follows is a parade of red flags so bright they could land planes in a snowstorm. Does Emilia slow down? Of course not. She’s a moth, he’s the flame, and we all know how that ends. Sure, she says no at first, but then admits she never actually had a choice because, you know, ✨chemistry✨. SERIOUSLY? The guy is terrifying.
Their relationship is basically a roller coaster operated by someone who’s clearly drunk. He behaves outrageously, and somehow she ends up apologizing. (Honestly, the only truly stupid thing she did was agreeing to a date instead of filing a police report.)
What annoyed me most wasn’t even him- it was her. This is NOT the woman the author promised in the blurb. No one who’s ambitious, disciplined, and calculated enough to build a career in high-stakes finance suddenly forgets how to weigh risks and ends up trapped in a toxic mess without an escape plan. And she definitely wouldn’t be behaving like a wild animal in heat, “falling in love” with a guy whose main talent is making her miserable. My eyes got a workout from all the eye-rolling. 🤦🏻♀️
And then it ends on a cliffhanger. 😳 Because apparently the suffering wasn’t enough.
So yes, I’ll pick up book two - because obviously she’ll come running back to this walking red flag after realizing he’s “the mistake of her life”… but hey, the sex was good. And in this universe, that means he’s The One. 🤌🏻
Special shoutout to Emilia’s constant repetitive inner monologues. If I had to read one more recycled thought, I might’ve joined her family in ignoring her completely.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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