I'm so glad I had the chance to read and review By Invitation Only. I don't know why, but I got the impression that this was a thriller, and I know I just assumed. Considering that it's not the genre that I was fully expecting, I still really enjoyed it. The story is pretty fast-paced and keeps you wondering how things are going to turn out. The story has you rooting for Piper and hoping that she gets everything that was promised to her. At first, I didn't really like Chapin all that much, but she's definitely a redeemable character by the end. I like how Alexandra was able to kind of humanize her by the end of the story!

By Invitation Only is a witty YA novel about fashion, high society, friendship, and doing what it takes to get by, with some irresistible romance thrown in the mix. It takes place in the magical and dazzling city of Paris and tells the story of Chapin and Piper as they as they navigate ambition, romance and family in a high-stakes world.

Each year a hand-selected group of young women travel to Paris to make their debuts into high society at La Danse des Débutantes, the most exclusive debutante ball in the world. The young ladies who attend are wealthy, royal, and/or famous. But they can't apply for the privilege of attending the ball. Only La Danse decides who they deem worthy of attending.

Chapin Buckingham, the daughter of two Hollywood legends, is one of the lucky few chosen to attend. While not usually feeling like the society type, Chapin hopes that attending La Danse will finally give her the connection with her Hollywood actress mother she so desperately craves.

Piper Woo Collins, a down-to-earth girl from King of Prussia, PA, is the daughter of an EMT and winner of the International Science Fair Prize, which earned her a profile in Teen Vogue. When one of the La Danse debutants causes a scandal and creates a PR nightmare for the event, the organizers invite Piper to attend in her place. But Piper isn't interested in being a debutante. At least, not until they offer her a college scholarship if she wins Debutante of the Year.

Thrown into a world she is completely out of place in, Piper finds herself competing with Chapin and the other elite high-society nepo babies for the crown. Forced to be roommates, Piper and Chapin don't get off to a good start. But they soon realize they might need each other to go from pawns in a game to ruling the board…

By Invitation Only was a joy to read. It gives you a glance into both the ups and downs of high society and the world of fashion. If you've never been to Paris, you'll feel like you're there when reading this book. The juxtaposition of Chapin's world vs. Piper's world, work well together. The reader really sees the differences between the "have's" and the "have not's" and the realities of class structure and privilege. But we also see two teenage girls just trying to achieve the thing they want most in the world. For one, it's the approval and love of her mother; for the other, it's a college scholarship so she can afford to attend her dream school.

Great book!

Thank you, NetGalley, for the arc of this book.

When I first read the title, I wasn't sure what it was about. It was interesting to say the least. I did like it, but I didn't love it. I'm not sure because I'm not someone who reads about debutantes or anything like that. I would like to read more from the author, as I did like her writing. Overall, I gave this book 3 stars.

Thank you to Simon Teen and NetGalley for the gifted Earc in exchange for my honest review.

Rating 3.5 stars.

This book was fun. You have a group of girls in beautiful dresses being invited to an event, it is secretive and interesting. It is very much gossip girl, fashion week, and the inheritance games mushed into one. I really enjoyed our main characters, Chapin and Piper and would recommend this book to not only anyone who loves a good YA Romance but also anyone who loves a good book that has a lot of drama.

Can we say gossip girl and other shows like that? This book was soo good and juicy! I could t put it down!

This book was pure decadence on a page… I mean, come on—it gave way to all my high-society teenage dreams.

This book is such a fun read, and it easily kept me turning the pages. It reminded me of Prom and Prejudice and gave me the vibes of The Vampire Diaries’ Miss Mystic Falls pageant, the debutante ball from The Summer I Turned Pretty, and of course, Gossip Girl.

It was a beautiful ode to art, fashion, dreams, and desires. We see young women grow into who they are meant to be, and we experience the pivotal shift that can happen from high school to college.

While I did enjoy this book, I can see how some of the intermediate bits felt lacking due to the slow pace, which eventually picked up as we waited for the betrayal and big reveals. The main love story felt a bit flat, and while there were sparks, we never see why. However, this story isn’t focused their love story so it can be intriguing if you’re not expecting that going in.

Overall, this was a great book for me, and I rate it a 3.8! I loved the concept, and I loved the dynamics between the main girls. Though this book didn’t really push any limits or create twists I didn’t see coming.

This was perfectly YA and witty, entertaining in every way you’d anticipate it to be. Our contrasting protagonists made a perfect pair for both drama and character development, their dynamic fueling the plot in addition to the glamorous events we attend alongside them.
Two notes I’d have someone consider before reading this book, however, are that the romance begins very quickly (although sweet and enjoyable nonetheless) and that the dialogue includes a lot of modern online references, such as to TikTok, current celebrities, and certain slang words. Both of these aspects were amusing to me, but I mention them just because I know they can bother some readers. As a 20-year-old reader, I would consider the target age range of this story to be truly middle YA and a bit below my age range, but I knew this going into it and still ate it up.

This book is Gossip Girl meets Paris Fashion Week, and I loved every over-the-top, drama-filled page. The tone of the story is pure entertainment—fun, glamorous, and indulgent in all the best ways. If you grew up binging teen dramas, you’ll feel right at home with Piper and Chapin.

The characters are a standout here. Both Piper, the scholarship-hopeful outsider, and Chapin, the nepo baby with something to prove, are layered and surprisingly relatable. Their family dynamics add an extra depth that kept me invested beyond the gowns and glitter. And while the premise is all about La Danse des Débutantes, the story doesn’t shy away from bigger themes. I really appreciated how it wove in the environmental costs of fast fashion, showing how couture can sometimes lean toward sustainability and artistry.

The setting? Paris, of course—ooo la la! It was the perfect backdrop for both the glamour and the chaos. I adored the behind-the-scenes look at the fashion world, with its mix of sparkle and scandal. And just when I thought I had the story pegged, the second half dropped a touch of mystery that kept my eyes glued to the page (literally and figuratively). The ending tied everything together in a way that felt satisfying and true to the story.

Overall, By Invitation Only is a stylish, layered YA romance that balances fun escapism with meaningful themes. It’s not quite perfect, but it’s a total delight to read. If you love high society drama with a thoughtful twist, this one’s for you.

𝑅𝒶𝓉𝒾𝓃𝑔: 🥀🥀🥀 ᴏᴜᴛ ᴏғ 𝟻 ᴇɴᴄʜᴀɴᴛᴇᴅ ʀᴏsᴇs

𝒪𝓃𝑒-𝒲𝑜𝓇𝒹 𝑅𝑒𝓋𝒾𝑒𝓌: ᴏᴘᴜʟᴇɴᴛ

𝑅𝑒𝓋𝒾𝑒𝓌:

ʜᴜɢᴇ ᴛʜᴀɴᴋ ʏᴏᴜ ᴛᴏ sɪᴍᴏɴᴛᴇᴇɴ ғᴏʀ ᴘʀᴏᴠɪᴅɪɴɢ ᴍᴇ ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴛʜɪs ᴇ-ᴀʀᴄ!

𝐻𝒾𝑔𝒽 𝓈𝑜𝒸𝒾𝑒𝓉𝓎 𝒽𝒶𝓈 𝓃𝑒𝓋𝑒𝓇 𝑔𝑜𝓃𝑒 𝓉𝒽𝒾𝓈 𝓁𝑜𝓌.

𝐵𝓎 𝐼𝓃𝓋𝒾𝓉𝒶𝓉𝒾𝑜𝓃 𝒪𝓃𝓁𝓎 ʙʏ ᴀʟᴇxᴀɴᴅʀᴀ ʙʀᴏᴡɴ ᴄʜᴀɴɢ ɪs ᴀ ᴅᴀᴢᴢʟɪɴɢ ᴅᴇʙᴜᴛ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ɪᴍᴍᴇʀsᴇs ʀᴇᴀᴅᴇʀs ɪɴ ᴛʜᴇ ᴡᴏʀʟᴅ ᴏғ ᴇʟɪᴛᴇ ᴅᴇʙᴜᴛᴀɴᴛᴇ ʙᴀʟʟs ᴀɴᴅ ᴛʜᴇ ᴄᴏᴍᴘʟᴇxɪᴛɪᴇs ᴏғ ᴄʟᴀss ᴀɴᴅ ɪᴅᴇɴᴛɪᴛʏ. ᴛʜᴇ sᴛᴏʀʏ ғᴏʟʟᴏᴡs ᴘɪᴘᴇʀ ᴡᴏᴏ ᴄᴏʟʟɪɴs, ᴀ ʜᴀʀᴅᴡᴏʀᴋɪɴɢ ᴛᴇᴇɴ ғʀᴏᴍ ᴘᴇɴɴsʏʟᴠᴀɴɪᴀ, ᴡʜᴏ ᴜɴᴇxᴘᴇᴄᴛᴇᴅʟʏ ʀᴇᴄᴇɪᴠᴇs ᴀɴ ɪɴᴠɪᴛᴀᴛɪᴏɴ ᴛᴏ ʟᴀ ᴅᴀɴsᴇ ᴅᴇs ᴅéʙᴜᴛᴀɴᴛᴇs ɪɴ ᴘᴀʀɪs, ᴄᴏᴍᴘᴇᴛɪɴɢ ᴀɢᴀɪɴsᴛ ᴄʜᴀᴘɪɴ ʙᴜᴄᴋɪɴɢʜᴀᴍ, ᴀ ʜᴏʟʟʏᴡᴏᴏᴅ ʜᴇɪʀᴇss.

ᴄʜᴀɴɢ's ᴘʀᴏsᴇ sᴘᴀʀᴋʟᴇs, ᴠɪᴠɪᴅʟʏ ᴄᴀᴘᴛᴜʀɪɴɢ ᴛʜᴇ ᴏᴘᴜʟᴇɴᴄᴇ ᴏғ ᴘᴀʀɪs ᴀɴᴅ ᴛʜᴇ ɪɴᴛʀɪᴄᴀᴛᴇ ᴅʏɴᴀᴍɪᴄs ᴏғ ʜɪɢʜ sᴏᴄɪᴇᴛʏ. 𝐵𝓎 𝐼𝓃𝓋𝒾𝓉𝒶𝓉𝒾𝑜𝓃 𝒪𝓃𝓁𝓎 ᴅᴇʟᴠᴇs ɪɴᴛᴏ ᴛʜᴇᴍᴇs ᴏғ sᴇʟғ-ᴅɪsᴄᴏᴠᴇʀʏ, ᴛʜᴇ ᴘʀᴇssᴜʀᴇs ᴏғ ғᴀᴍɪʟʏ ᴇxᴘᴇᴄᴛᴀᴛɪᴏɴs, ᴀɴᴅ ᴛʜᴇ ᴄʜᴀʟʟᴇɴɢᴇs ᴏғ ɴᴀᴠɪɢᴀᴛɪɴɢ ᴀ ᴡᴏʀʟᴅ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴏғᴛᴇɴ ᴠᴀʟᴜᴇs ᴀᴘᴘᴇᴀʀᴀɴᴄᴇ ᴏᴠᴇʀ sᴜʙsᴛᴀɴᴄᴇ. ᴡʜɪʟᴇ ᴛʜᴇʀᴇ ᴡᴀs ᴏᴄᴄᴀsɪᴏɴᴀʟ ʙʟᴇᴍɪsʜᴇs ɪɴ ᴛʜᴇ ᴘᴀᴄɪɴɢ, ᴀɴᴅ ɪ ᴡɪsʜ ᴛʜᴇʀᴇ ᴡᴀs ᴍᴏʀᴇ ʀᴏᴍᴀɴᴄᴇ, ᴛʜᴇ ʀɪᴄʜ ᴡᴏʀʟᴅ-ʙᴜɪʟᴅɪɴɢ ᴀɴᴅ ᴄᴏᴍᴘᴇʟʟɪɴɢ ᴄʜᴀʀᴀᴄᴛᴇʀ ᴀʀᴄs ᴍᴀᴋᴇ ᴛʜɪs ᴀ sᴛᴀɴᴅᴏᴜᴛ ʀᴇᴀᴅ ғᴏʀ ғᴀɴs ᴏғ ᴄᴏɴᴛᴇᴍᴘᴏʀᴀʀʏ ʏᴀ ғɪᴄᴛɪᴏɴ.

𝒯𝓇𝑜𝓅𝑒𝓈 & 𝐸𝓁𝑒𝓂𝑒𝓃𝓉𝓈:

✨ ʀᴀɢs-ᴛᴏ-ʀɪᴄʜᴇs
✨ ᴇɴᴇᴍɪᴇs-ᴛᴏ-ғʀɪᴇɴᴅs
✨ ғᴏʀʙɪᴅᴅᴇɴ ʀᴏᴍᴀɴᴄᴇ
✨ ᴄʟᴀss ᴅɪᴠɪᴅᴇ
✨ ғᴇᴍᴀʟᴇ ᴇᴍᴘᴏᴡᴇʀᴍᴇɴᴛ
✨ ᴘᴀʀɪsɪᴀɴ ɢʟᴀᴍᴏᴜʀ
✨ ᴅᴇʙᴜᴛᴀɴᴛᴇ ʙᴀʟʟ ᴅʀᴀᴍᴀ
✨ ғᴀᴍɪʟʏ ᴇxᴘᴇᴄᴛᴀᴛɪᴏɴs

𝐹𝒾𝓃𝒶𝓁 𝓋𝑒𝓇𝒹𝒾𝒸𝓉: 𝐵𝓎 𝐼𝓃𝓋𝒾𝓉𝒶𝓉𝒾𝑜𝓃 𝒪𝓃𝓁𝓎 ɪs ᴀ sᴘᴀʀᴋʟɪɴɢ, ɢʟᴀᴍᴏʀᴏᴜs ʏᴀ ᴅᴇʙᴜᴛ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴘᴇʀғᴇᴄᴛʟʏ ʙʟᴇɴᴅs ʀᴀɢs-ᴛᴏ-ʀɪᴄʜᴇs ᴄʜᴀʀᴍ ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴇɴᴇᴍɪᴇs-ᴛᴏ-ғʀɪᴇɴᴅs ᴛᴇɴsɪᴏɴ. ᴘɪᴘᴇʀ ᴀɴᴅ ᴄʜᴀᴘɪɴ’s ᴊᴏᴜʀɴᴇʏ ᴛʜʀᴏᴜɢʜ ᴘᴀʀɪsɪᴀɴ ᴅᴇʙᴜᴛᴀɴᴛᴇ ʙᴀʟʟs ɪs ғᴜʟʟ ᴏғ sᴛʏʟᴇ, ʀɪᴠᴀʟʀʏ, ᴀɴᴅ ʜᴇᴀʀᴛ, ᴀɴᴅ ᴛʜᴇ sᴛᴏʀʏ’s ᴇxᴘʟᴏʀᴀᴛɪᴏɴ ᴏғ sᴇʟғ-ᴅɪsᴄᴏᴠᴇʀʏ ᴀɴᴅ ғᴀᴍɪʟʏ ᴇxᴘᴇᴄᴛᴀᴛɪᴏɴs ᴀᴅᴅs ʀᴇᴀʟ ᴅᴇᴘᴛʜ. ᴀ ᴄʜɪᴄ, ғᴜɴ, ᴀɴᴅ sᴀᴛɪsғʏɪɴɢ ʀᴇᴀᴅ ғᴏʀ ғᴀɴs ᴏғ ᴄᴏɴᴛᴇᴍᴘᴏʀᴀʀʏ ʏᴀ ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴀ ᴛᴏᴜᴄʜ ᴏғ ᴏᴘᴜʟᴇɴᴄᴇ.

ʜᴀᴘᴘʏ ʀᴇᴀᴅɪɴɢ!
𝒜𝓈𝒽𝓁𝑒𝓎
ʙᴏᴏᴋsᴛᴀɢʀᴀᴍ: @ᴛʜᴇᴛᴀᴛᴛᴇʀᴇᴅᴘᴀɢᴇ
ᴡᴡᴡ.ᴛʜᴇᴛᴀᴛᴛᴇʀᴇᴅᴘᴀɢᴇ.ᴄᴏᴍ

This YA romance is Gossip Girl meets STEM queen chaos that is set in the glittering world of Parisian debutantes.

I sat on this review for a few days to sort out how I really felt. Overall, I enjoyed the read and I’m glad I picked it up, though it was slower than I expected and didn’t fully match the impression I got from the description.

On the surface, this is exactly the kind of book I crave—I was itching to dive in and tried to hold off until closer to publication, but my excitement got the better of me. Maybe I built it up too much in my head? I’ve been reminding myself to take the story for what it is rather than what I wanted it to be. That said, the description makes it sound like a fast-paced tale of problematic, privileged teens and the chaos that follows. And while that’s true in spirit (aside from the pacing), the execution felt like it was missing something.

That being said, I appreciated how refreshing it was in other ways. Yes, you have your privileged teens, but you also see level-headed characters who don’t fall into endless cycles of miscommunication. Instead, there are moments of people coming together, even using their privilege for good. (I’ll leave it there to avoid spoilers.)

In the end, it may not be the story you expect to read, but it feels like the story we should be reading. By “we,” I mean YA readers who often look for a certain aesthetic—yet it’s refreshing when not every debutante ball or “nepo baby” storyline defaults to cattiness and selfishness.

This one hits shelves September 2, 2025—perfect timing for back-to-school season.


I am thankful to have gotten a complimentary eARC from Margaret K. McElderry Books through NetGalley to read which gave the opportunity to voluntarily leave a review.

My general rating system is below. Since I primarily read ARC books I rate according to how I think like minded readers will receive the book. I will round up or down depending on many factors and try not to let my personal wants affect a books ratings.

⭐️ Hated It but pushed through as I don’t DNF ARCs I have received.
⭐️⭐️ Had a lot of trouble, prose issues, content issues, poorly edited.
⭐️⭐️⭐️ Meh, it was an ok read but it had something that stopped me from rounding up. Usually the book may have much more potential than what was given. I recommend it but with reservations.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ I Really enjoyed it or think others will. These are solid reads that I definitely would recommend for a variety of reasons.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Outstanding! These are books that remain rent free in my head for well after unfinished the book. It can be for a variety of reasons from being very well written or just the vibes that captured my mind. These books are also ones I would probably read again.

God, given the week I've been having, it's so nice to be able to slip into a book about young people whose deeply felt and very real problems are solved by the end of its 300+ highly readable pages.

So look, when I compare Alexandra Brown Chang's debut novel By Invitation Only to Cecily Von Ziegesar's <a href="https://bookshop.org/a/15382/9780316499101">Gossip Girl</a> novels, I need you to understand that that is very high praise. The characters are lived in and kind and flawed and mostly just doing the best they can with the hands they've been dealt. Sure, some of them are born rich and feel no guilt about spending their money but my God, wouldn't it be nice if everyone had the money they needed for food and rent and education, with extras for the frivolity that at the very least maintains the labor that fuels our capitalist hellscape?

One of the main characters in this book sure doesn't have that kind of money. Despite winning the International Science Fair, Piper Woo Collins won't be able to afford her first year at Columbia, after her scholarship was suspended due to a dispute between the school and the benefactor who was supposed to endow her funding. She's understandably distraught, and frantically trying to figure out what to do instead. Her dad's a hardworking EMT while she herself works at the local Claire's, but higher education in this country is absurdly expensive even before taking into account the attendant costs of living.

Meanwhile in Paris, the exclusive organization known as Le Danse des Debutantes is trying to rehabilitate its image after one scandal too many. In an effort to show that they do care about the common person, they extend an invitation to Piper to attend the most exclusive debutante ball in the world. Piper thinks it's a joke, until they offer to pay for her first year at Columbia. That, however, is entirely contingent on her making a good impression on their behalf.

A desperate Piper agrees, despite fashion and glamour not really being her thing. Surprising almost everyone, herself included, her innate charm and use of the scientific method put her in a good position to actually win Debutante of the Year, to the dismay of her roommate Chapin Buckingham. The daughter of a rock legend and a movie star, Chapin has tried all her life to win her mother's approval, to little avail. If she can be named Debutante of the Year, maybe Ella Somerset will finally give Chapin the unconditional love she's always craved. She'll just have to figure out how to defeat Piper first.

But the more time the girls spend together, the more they realize that perhaps they shouldn't be in competition, especially with the outside trials besetting them. Would it be the worst thing in the world for them to form an alliance in order to get a true shot at the crown?

As much a love letter to Paris as it is an ode to feminine solidarity and friendship, BIO is a feel-good, fashion-forward romp that's part Cinderella story, part coming-of-age tale, and 100% fabulous. With one foot in a world where smart, hard-working people still can't afford to pursue their dreams, and another in a world of wealth and beauty for its own sake, this book is a surprisingly coherent melding of the two, with a sweetly wish-fulfilment ending. The only thing I didn't like, honestly, was Piper making fun of some of the other attendees' names: it was a surprisingly low dig given how warm-hearted the rest of the book was. That aside, this was a highly readable novel filled with luxury names, gossipy anecdotes and characters you can root for (plus, a delightful homage to the author's own mom towards the end.) I really enjoyed it, and can't wait to see what Ms Brown Chang has in store for us next.

By Invitation Only by Alexandra Brown Chang will be published September 2 2025 by Margaret K McElderry Books and is available for pre-order from all good booksellers, including <a href="https://bookshop.org/a/15382/9781665972437">Bookshop!</a>

This was entertaining and I had a good time with it. This is perfect for fans of stories about wealthy elites like "Gossip Girl" and "Bridgerton". I felt like this was a very surface level story and didn't really get deep or serious. It was a good time, but not really anything special that I will find myself thinking about after finishing. Overall this was good and entertaining and I would recommend if you want a quick binge read/palate cleanser after a heavy read.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an advanced reader copy

By Invitation Only by Alexandra Brown Chang is a first person dual-POV YA contemporary about fashion and classism. Piper Woo Collins won the International Science Fair with her work on polymers, is a member of Mensa, and landed a spread in Teen Vogue for her accomplishments. Too bad none of that counts when Columbia cancels her scholarship due to an alumni withdrawing funds. She gets another chance at the school of her dreams by attending La Danse des Débutantes in Paris and giving the event good press after another debutante is ousted for shoplifting. But not everyone is pleased to have their elite event include someone from the working class.

Of course, the idea of two girls from two very different classes struggling to find common ground, becoming best friends when they see what they have in common, falling apart, and then coming back together is nothing new. It’s something we’ve seen many times and we will keep seeing because it reflects the world that we live in: classism divides us, but that doesn’t mean we’re that different. What this book does differently is highlighting Piper and Chapin’s relationships with the environment and how that relates to the fashion industry. The story does highlight the wastefulness of some brands, the environmental impact of fast fashion, and how haute couture is not only fashion but also art and can be argued to be more environmentally friendly because it’s not interested in being mass produced. For young readers who are getting really into fashion, this could be eye-opening.

The relationships between Piper and her dad and Chapin and her parents are very different. Piper’s mother passed away years ago and one of the reasons she takes the offer to go to La Danse is to go to the places in Paris her mother had wanted to attend. Her father is very supportive and we see how proud of her he is and how much he is in her corner. Chapin’s mother is a famous actress who came from a working class background and spends all of her life trying to run away from that while Chapin’s father is an eighty-year-old rock star who is more accepting of Chapin’s personality and aesthetic. It is nice to see two examples of supportive fathers in a teen book, if I’m honest, while also recognizing how complicated relationships between mothers and daughters can be.

Piper and Chapin’s brother, Dalton, have a romance arc brewing when they first meet each other. Dalton is a student at Columbia and is also into the sciences as well as being quite kind and understanding in general towards both Piper and Chapin. While both Piper and Dalton want the relationship to progress, the person in charge of La Danse has a strict rule that debutates and cavaliers, their escorts who also come from elite families, are not allowed to date while La Danse is going on. Piper starts to pull away from Dalton as a result, but their friendship does continue.

I would recommend this to fans of YA books set in Paris, France and young readers of YA who are developing an interest in the fashion industry

interesting and sparkling Y book with some awesome characters and characterizations. both of our MCs really grew on me, though admittedly the scientist took center stage. 4 tars. tysm for the arc.

Thank you to NetGalley, author Alexandra Brown Chang, and Simon and Schuster Children's Publishing | Margaret K. McElderry Books for providing me with a free ARC in exchange for my honest opinion!

I'm glad to see YA books about the rich behaving (sometimes) badly still exist for this generation of teenagers! I would have ate this up when I was in high school, just like I did The Clique, Gossip Girl, and other similar series. It was still a fun read in my 20s! I enjoyed the modernization of the women, as I found both Chapin and Piper really charming, relatable, and likeable. I was rooting for their friendship throughout, even when the "frenemie" shenanigans were fun. I was surprised by the depth found in the complicated mother/daughter relationships throughout, with 2 separate struggles represented. It's clear that Chang has either worked in fashion or has a true knowledge, as the brands represented were SO fun throughout! Honestly, the fashion was my favorite part, and I loved the appearance and blurb on the book by Christian Siriano, as I have been a fan of his since Project Runway. I do think certain plot points were a bit predictable, and others I found a bit juvenile or unbelievable. I also thought the names were a little laughable and dramatic as well, but this book is supposed to be a fun, juicy read. I'm curious to see if there will be a follow up or if this is the start of a series based on the ending!

3.5 stars. A drama-filled book about girls in ball gowns. Thank you to Simon and Schuster Children’s Publishing and NetGalley for the ARC!!

~Tropes~
👗 Fancy ball gowns
💄 Dual POV
🧪 Girls in STEM
💵 Double Romance

Overview: La Danse des Débutantes is an extremely fancy event that showcases eighteen-year-old girls from high profile families. However, after a major scandal with one of the debs, a poor girl from King of Prussia, Pennsylvania finds herself invited to the prestigious week-long event. In desperate need of money for college, Piper Woo Collins accepts the offer and joins the world of privileged people. Chapin Buckingham is the daughter of a movie-star mom and rockstar dad, and she’s not new to the world of the rich. With a unique sense of fashion, Chapin doesn’t want to participate in La Danse, but she does it for her mother. As drama unfolds, feelings are revealed, and dresses are torn, the two girls work hard to survive the week. But will they come out friends or enemies?

Thoughts: Overall, it’s a pretty good book. I like all of the descriptions and the Paris setting. However, for whatever reason, I thought this was going to be an LGBTQ romance, and it’s not. I do think that it would’ve made the book marginally better just because I feel like the love interests we got were a little flat. The slang was also a bit… cringe. It just seemed very out of place, and often times it was used in odd places. As a whole, though, the book was really interesting while a bit frustrating at times. Definitely recommend for fans of lots of drama and fancy events. 💜

“Don’t ask yourself what the world needs. Ask yourself what makes you come alive, and then go do that, because what the world needs is people who have come alive.” – Howard Thurman

Piper Woo Collins lives an ordinary life with her EMT father in the beautiful state of Pennsylvania. She has recently won the International Science Fair, which has led to her being featured in Teen Vogue. But all she is worried about is the fact that she can’t afford to get into the college she desperately wants to attend after her scholarship is taken away. So when she receives an invitation to be a part of the La Danse des Débutantes in Paris, she is ready to refuse until they make her an offer she can’t refuse–they will pay for college if she wins Debutante of the Year. Little does she know that another girl is ready to do whatever it takes to win that title…

The daughter of two very famous individuals, Chapin Buckingham is chosen to attend La Danse with several other well-known and rich young women. Even though she isn’t on board with the event, she has her reasons for wanting to win the title of Debutante of the Year. It shouldn’t be too hard, right? She was practically born for this role. But when Piper shows up to salvage the event’s reputation after a fellow debutante creates bad publicity for La Danse, Chapin doesn’t see a new friend; she sees competition. No matter how much the world loves her, Chapin will not befriend the out-of-place yet down-to-earth new girl who can ruin her chances of winning.

But everyone wants to win. So can Piper and Chapin set aside their differences and help each other get what they want?

I am not going to lie, I was skeptical to read this at first. The cover drew me to read the blurb, and the blurb pushed me to request the arc. But as I stared at the cover and thought about what I was about to read, my eyes glazed over. Me and fashion don’t mix, like, at all. Granted, our relationship is getting better, but shopping is still my Kryptonite. 😏

However…this book was better than I thought it would be. There was pettiness, drama, and a little bit of romance to make the plot intriguing and even exciting. 💅🏻 The girls' jealousy of Piper was laughable, along with Chapin’s attempts to sabotage her. It reminds me of all the beauty pageants and dance competitions I watched on TLC all those years ago. 👑

But not only was there drama, there was a splash of mystery in the second half of the book that really kept the ball rolling. The ending was great and fit the story perfectly. Even though I’m not a fan of fashion (as I stated before), it was really interesting to learn about the fashion world and the cool gowns, jewelry, and accessories put into making celebrities look like gods and goddesses.

All in all, it was a very good book! The writing was very YA, easy to read, and simple. I am definitely going to be reading more of Alexandra Brown Chang’s books. I recommend this book if you like teen drama, descriptions of high society, friendship, and second chances. 💜

Thank you to Simon and Schuster Children’s Publishing for the arc via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review! All opinions and statements are my own.

❗Content Warnings❗
Mentions loss of a parent & classism
Swearing: Yes
Spice: No (passionate kissing and body touching)

#ByInvitationOnly #NetGalley

Glitz, glamour, secrets, and drama made this an interesting read, and the synopsis was enough to draw you in. Overall, I found it to be enjoyable, but the execution wasn't QUITE as dramatic as I had initially hoped for. The characters were definitely cunning and ambitious, and made it easy to be invested in the outcome for each of them. When you mix debutants and drama, you are sure to get entertainment, and that we did, but I'm still unsure about how I feel about how it ended, and I wish it had been wrapped up a little differently. Still an enjoyable read and will be recommending this one.

Thank you @simonteen @simon.audio @librofm #partner for the gifted copies of this book!

💎✨ By Invitation Only by Alexandra Brown Chang was such a fun, glam, glittery escape into a world of high fashion, debutante balls, and Parisian elegance. This YA delight whisks you straight into the exclusive world where you can only attend if you’re invited...and two very different girls are determined to shine once they get there.

Piper is the surprise invitee. She is down-to-earth, a little unsure of herself, close with her dad, and definitely not raised in the ritzy high-society bubble that everyone else was. Chastin, on the other hand, grew up surrounded by couture, glitz and glam, and the poshest circles because of her family however that family comes with a lot of strings. Very complicated family dynamics if I do say so myself. HAHA. I loved that instead of tearing each other down, these two ended up joining forces. Chastin stepped up to show Piper the ropes, giving the story a genuine heart and depth I wasn’t expecting.

Yes, there are Louboutins, sparkling gowns, and champagne moments galore but there’s also friendship, personal growth, and some seriously sweet family moments (Piper and her dad melted my heart 🥹).

And the audio? Perfection. There are French accents, Parisian landmarks, French words and that unmistakable atmosphere made me feel like I was back in Paris myself. The romance is perfectly layered in in a light, sweet, and never overpowering way leaving plenty of room for all the fashion-forward fun.

If you’re in the mood for a friendship that blooms across the social divide, a sprinkle of romance, and a whole lot of style, By Invitation Only is your ticket to the ball. 🥂👠