Light, funny, second chance romance between Piper and Rob. Piper had a HUGE crush on Rob as a teen but now they're adults and he's sent her a Facebook invite to their reunion. Part of the sweetness of this one is that there were missed signals all those years ago. AND there's a positive message about loving yourself as you are. Piper and Rob are good characters but so are the others who pop in and out. Matt's got better advice for Piper than some others. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC= this is a quick and entertaining beach read!

The Delight

Being a big fan of books that take place in the UK, I was happy to dive into this book about a career girl in London. She's also a blogger about body positivity and has been in love with a guy back home since they were just kids. Of course, he doesn't know it and it's been eight years since they've seen each other. I couldn't wait to see how they found their happily ever after.

Review

Piper grew up in a small city on the water in Northern England. Eight years previously, her parents both died, so her and her sister only have their aunt left. All Piper wanted to do was get away from the memories of her family and she couldn't wait to start living a fabulous life in London. She leaves behind all her friends and the love of her young life, Rob. She was never with him, but he was part of her group of friends. When she appears on a morning television show debating body positivity versus a healthy lifestyle, she hears from Rob out the blue, via Facebook. He tells her to come see him if she ever comes home to see her aunt. Of course, she freaks about it, but has no plans to go back home. When her aunt has a health crisis a few days later, she finds herself back home with the memories and face to face with the Greek god that Rob has managed to turn himself into.

Piper was such a good character. She's outspoken about her body image, knows she's overweight, but totally owns it. She is still grieving the loss of her parents and has no intention of ever moving back home due to the memories. Her best friend and roommate is Matt, a guy she met at uni. He actually was one of the best parts of this book. He's bisexual and really doesn't seem to have a preference one way or the other. He's happy to be Piper's very supportive friend, is very sensitive and loving, and would probably rather be with Piper than any of his many conquests, any day of the week. Their banter together was really fun. Rob is just about as close to perfect as any man can be. He's a teacher at their old high school, has sculpted his body to perfection, and could care less that Piper is overweight. Rounding out the characters are Holly, Piper's "perfect sister"(they aren't close), and their elderly great-aunt Connie.

I thought this book was well written with lots of fun banter back and forth with at least three of the characters. Can't under-estimate the power of good banter in a book! Relationships get straightened out, people fall in love, a bad sexual decision is made(not the main characters), a girl band gets a new name(not explaining),fun is had by most at a high school reunion and social media has a field day. And I had a great time reading the whole thing.

My only problem with the book?  I thought at times Piper stressed over her weight too much. For someone that is so body positive, she does mention it quite a bit. Not a big deal, just something that I did notice.

I definitely recommend this book to contemporary romance(not necessarily rom-com readers) readers or people that just enjoy a good story, because it's not just a romance, but also a journey to get past tragedy, mend other family relationships and also to show that men and women can be close friends without anything else at stake. This is a fun, sometimes sensual, and at times, heartwarming read!

This was a nice easy read and I really enjoyed it! I liked that it was based in Liverpool / Wirral as I understood a lot of the references. A great book to read on a sun lounger!

I adore Keris Stainton's books - she writes characters I want to be friends with and worlds I wish to live in. This body-positive and engaging read is no exception. Smartly funny, ridiculously heart-warming and highly recommended!

Another fun read from Ms Stainton!
Piper and Rob's beautiful second chance journey absolutely kept me hooked from page one!
I loved Piper and her 'Body positive' talks... and her crush Rob was swoooooooon! MS Stainton sure has a knack for writing beautiful,relatable characters!
It really made me think if I would have had my second chance with my high school crush! *siiigh*
Anyhoo... This book was sooooo fun! (A totally loyal Keris Stainton fan here)

**** FOUR STARS!
~Thank you Bookouture and Netgalley for my ARC~

Second chances can be marvelous. That is exactly what Piper James experiences when she gets a message from her teenage crush Rob Kingsford. She was crazy about him in school, but has not seen him in eight years. Rob has invited Piper to accompany him to their high school reunion. Could she really have another chance with the gorgeous hunk of a man? That said, this is not simply a romance, though. It is a story about body positivity, friendships and family.

The Invitation is sweet, funny and tender. I so wanted Piper and Rob to get together. They both really liked one another. Piper's war with confidence and self-esteem is quite realistic. She has been judged by others due to her weight - including her family - and feels as if Rob could not ever really be attracted to her. This book had some great connecting characters, and they added to the humor in this story, including little Buster. This was a delightful, one-sitting read. If this book is indicative of the genuine writing style of Keris Stainton, I definitely look forward to reading more of her work in the future, maybe even stories about Matt and Holly.

Many thanks to Bookouture and to NetGalley for this ARC to review in exchange for an honest review.

Lough out loud witty entertaining reading. I loved Piper’s story and her tale of her second chance at a relationship with Rob. Really enjoyed this light and enjoyable read.

This book is about Piper who gets a second chance with the one who got away. It's a nice story, yet I didn't feel connected to the characters. Body positivity is one of the underlying themes, which keeps coming back throughout the story. It felt a bit "preachy" to me. I liked that this book was funny and romantic. The ending made me roll my eyes, because it was a bit cheesy and a bit sudden. For me this was an okay read.

I received an advance copy from NetGalley in return for an honest review.

What a wonderful book! I Loved the storyline and characters. I’m from North America , but I love British chick lit.

It’s a cute predictable read. Would make a perfect beach read. In my case, a cool chilly day in here the states. I look forward to reading more by this author.
Thank you Netgalley for the ARC.

I bloody love Keris' books! Every single one has made me howl with laughter at some point and The Invitation is no exception! Keris is the kind of funny writer that will make tea come out your nose (true story!).

Piper is one of my favourite book characters of all time. Her outer confidence teamed with inner self-conciousness make her very relatable and real. I love that she isn't the typical kind of woman you read about. She's ballsy, sexy and sweet but she's vulnerable and a bit broken too. I loved her relationship with Rob! It isn't easy reconnecting with old friends but she handled it so well. There are so many great characters in this book; Connie, Holly, Matt. Oh and Buster!

I would love for there to be a follow on from The Invitation! Please make this happen!

The Invitation is one of those books you think I’ll just read a couple of chapters and the next thing you’re nearly half way through the book.

It’s witty, warm and well-written and follows Piper who unexpectedly received a message from her teenage crush Rob who she hasn’t seen for 8 years. Throw in her bisexual best friend and flat mate Matt, her slightly stuck up sister, some old school friends and a dog with a dodgy bladder and you’re in for a great read.

This is the first book I’ve read by Keris Stainton and I look forward to reading more.

Thank you to NetGalley, Bookouture and the author for the chance to review.

The Invitation by Keris Stainton is a sweet love story with some hidden truths (and some not so hidden). Piper is going on national TV against a slim and curt nemesis. Later, Piper is showered with compliments yet a few were downright mean with online comments on her body size. She gets a compliment from Rob, whom she hasn't seen in 10 years - but always had a crush on. At work, Piper is sifting through e-mail that tell her she should be ashamed of herself and that she is FAT.
Piper's background is then told; her parents died in a car accident, uni experiences , inheritance...
Piper also gets a call that her great Aunt, Connie, has been taken ill. While back in her hometown, Piper runs into Rob. He tries to talk her into going to their class reunion which is in 2 weeks. Finally, Piper makes up her mind to go to the reunion. Her flat-mate, Matt, helped talk her into it. At Piper's job, there is a "contest" to figure out a new name for an all-girl band. This helps keep Piper's mind off personal details. Yet, she goes on a date with Lee (from work) and she hates it - calls him "shifty".
At the reunion, Piper finds out that really no one has changed that much and has a great time. She gets tipsy and winds up in Rob's bed. But not what you first think - he brought her there so Aunt Connie wouldn't see her so drunk. He is really nice to her. She wonders if there is a possibility? She visits Rob the following weekend and they kissed. Monday, Holly (Piper's sister) is waiting at Piper's doorstep when she arrives home from work. James has left Holly. Holly stays overnight with Piper (and her flat-mate). The following morning Piper learns that Matt and Holly were together. Upset, she leaves for Rob's and he happens to tell her that he loves her when she arrives. Wow! THAT angers her! So, she goes to Aunt Connie's. Aunt Connie has a stroke bringing
both Holly and Piper to her side. Later, at Rob's, Piper reminds him that he called her "chubby" years ago. (Is that why she was so angry when he said he loved her?) With the week off work, Piper stays at Aunt Connie's.
Rob gifts Piper with a Walkman (with their favorite tunes - thank you very much). On the train home, Piper listens to the tunes and calls Rob to tell him that she loves him, too. The rest is a spoiler, but doesn't lessen the story. I smile as I write because it is so cute. Also well-written and superb development of characters. Thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for the opportunity for a "sweet read" !

Thank you for providing me with a copy of the book. I enjoyed it- made me laugh and it was well-written. Good premise to the book too

An enjoyable read. Its underlying messages are not fully alluded to in the blurb and perhaps that's because the body positivity message could be off-putting for some readers. I do like the tale of things aren't always as you remember them (or expect them to be) and have taken notes for my upcoming school reunion...
I loved the scenes with the girl band, particularly when trying to come up with the names - that was fun, engaging and felt realistic.

I do enjoy this author's writing - there's more to these stories that meet the eye but actually it could come across a little 'preachy' at times. I didn't particularly like the title, I thought there was more to the story than just the invitation. In my (humble) opinion, Bitter/Sweet would have been a better choice that reflects the ups and downs of life.

4* An enjoyable read with some interesting characters.

While I didn't really find this story as funny as I hoped, it had a great female lead and message. I enjoyed this story and will seek out more from this author. More chick lit than romance, but it was good.

Short and sharply written with lots of humour. A nice set of characters. The outcome is predictable from the outset.

This was a pretty fun read and I stayed up late to finish reading the story. Piper was a good lead character and the story was not exactly romantic comedy but close enough.

Great beach or travel read!

Well it’s ok, I didn’t laugh out loud but I did read it to the end. It’s Pipers story and it’s a tale of growing up, missed chances, family, love, grief and determination. It just feels too slow. It’s needs to be less self absorbed and more outward looking.

Thanks to Netgalley for my copy. 2.5*

This is billed as a romantic comedy which it is but but the underlying message in this book is body positivity. Unfortunately I felt that this overshadowed the comedy in this book and became a bit over the top in it's preaching.

There were some good characters in this book but I just didn't feel the same connection with them as I did with the previous books by this author.

The Invitation by Keris Stainton is billed as a second chance romantic comedy and I’m always a sucker for both of those things so of course I had to check this one out. I will say it probably is the best way to describe this one but a lot is left out of the blurb that I didn’t expect too.

Piper James is a twenty some single gal that has tried to put her past behind her and move on with her life after dealing with her weight and all the insults that come with it. She’s now comfortable in her skin and doesn’t let the negative opinions get her down but Piper also never expected to head back to where she grew up.

When Piper gets a Facebook friend request from her high school crush, Rob Kingsford, she doesn’t quite know how to react. With some encouragement from her best friend Piper does get in touch with Rob and is surprised to find things aren’t quite the way she remembered and it’s time to face the past.

The Invitation is the second book that I’ve read by Keris Stainton and I think after finishing this one I have some of the same feelings that I did with the other. There is quite a bit of humor involved in her stories to put them into the rom-com category but her leading ladies have some issues that also bring some angst into the story that brings the comedy down a bit for me. This one started off pretty solid making light of Piper’s weight issues but the longer it went on there was just more and more downer moments that it loses it’s fun a bit. What can I say I’m not a huge fan of a lot of angst so again this just turned into an OK read for me.

I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.