Invitation to His Billion-Dollar Ball is a sweet, modern fairytale with a charming blend of romance, nostalgia, and emotional depth. Set against the enchanting backdrop of Whitmore Castle, Cara Colter delivers a heartwarming enemies-to-lovers story that feels both magical and grounded.

Layne, a strong and determined heroine, is committed to restoring the estate of her childhood dreams into a luxury guest house. But her plans are threatened when billionaire Jesse Whitmore returns with intentions of demolishing the castle. Their clash sets the stage for a tender, slow-building romance, full of witty tension, meaningful glances, and emotional vulnerability.

What makes this story shine is the emotional undercurrent—Jesse’s connection to the castle runs deeper than Layne realizes, and as layers of his past are revealed, the story becomes more than just a battle over bricks and mortar. It’s about healing, finding purpose, and rediscovering love in the most unexpected places.

Colter’s writing is warm and evocative, with just the right amount of whimsy. The ball at the end is the perfect fairy-tale touch, leaving readers with a satisfied sigh.

Heroine is hired as the Manager of the century old Castle/hotel in her town by a relative of the family who own it. However, the rightful owner is the Hero who has a lot of issues with his family and plans for the castle to knock it down but doesn’t immediately tell heroine. Instead, he lies and manipulates her to give him a quick tour.

Heroine in the meantime has a love of this castle & it’s history but she too has some issues in the form that she is not over yet her ex BF who ended things with them a year prior after they had been in a long-term relationship and engaged to be married. But when she sees hero, she starts acting like a young girl with a crush and even sleeps with his leather jacket after he mistakenly forgot it when he left.

That type of immature and “insta” everything is not for me and I struggled to finish because it was a running theme here and never truly kept my attention. I guess I was hoping for a more depth in plot & characters and never got it.

For those that are not picky as I am, you will enjoy it as it is low angst and what you would expect in a typical Harlequin Romance.

The manager of Whitmore Castle, Layne fights to save the historic estate from demolition by its billionaire owner, Jesse. Their clash sparks unexpected feelings as the guesthouse’s grand opening nears. If you like Cinderella stories and motorcycle-riding heroes, this book is for you.

Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC.

This was an enjoyable quick read. If you like harlequin romances with a fairy tale feel this is the book for you.