devoured this book. I am sure the reasons for that are because this book gave me original JEM vibes. I loved Jude's persistence to win Amelia's affection and her resistance to his advances although she wanted to give in.

Their game of cat and mouse was entertaining. Jude was definitely sexy and domineering. At times he was a bit of an arse. He definitely was good at deflecting and maintaining a bit of mystery.

Amelia coming of a break up is determined to focus on her career but one look, one touch from Jude sends her pulse racing and her mind reeling. She relies heavily on her friends for support and advice. These ladies were a fun bunch.

These two heated up the pages of my kindle. Their relationship took off like a rocket and then crashed back down. The foreshadowing was well placed for the twist at the end of this book. I can't wait to see where this leads in The Surrender.

The Invitation by Jodi Ellen Malpas is a quick and easy perfect read. Just Like all her books are perfect. Jude is super Jealous and possessive alpha hero and very interesting character.

I Cannot wait to read the next book as it ends in Wild Cliffhanger. Really loved it.

4 Star Review The Invitation (Arlington Hall #1) by Jodie Ellen Malpas

The Invitation is the first book in the Arlington Hall series by Jodi Ellen Malpas and is Amelia Lazenby and Jude Harrison’s story.

After her friends treat her to a day at country spa Arlington Hall, Amelia’s life changes forever when she meets Jude.

Amelia wasn’t looking for love or even an affair but fate works in mysterious ways.

Jude is definitely an alpha, in control, possessive and dominant. He knows what and who he wants and that is Amelia.

The secondary characters, such as
Charley and Abbie added to my enjoyment.

Although not my favourite from Ms. Malpas I cannot wait to see what she has in store for this couple.

Nobody writes intense, dominant, and obsessive heroes quite like Ms Malpas and Jude Harrison definitely ticks all the boxes in The Invitation, the first book in her Arlington Hall series when he seemingly falls for Amelia Lazenby when she arrives at his exclusive hotel for a spa day for a birthday treat with her friends. The attraction was instant between them but the newly single Amelia, intent on her career played hard to get but a series of apparent coincidences meant all paths seemed to lead her back to Arlington Hall and her eventual submission. Until just as shes about to admit her growing feelings for Jude and give him a chance, she discovers that nothing is what it seems, and their entire relationship has been manipulated right from the start.

If you’ve read this author before theres a strong chance you’ll find this book familiar. For Jude, read Jesse and I’ll admit writing this review I almost typed ‘the manor’ instead of Arlington Hall. Amelia was a more mature heroine at the ripe old age of thirty, but she did regress when with her two besties Abbey and Charley and their antics in this book had me laughing. They were a trio who I could imagine as little old ladies in their nursing home still behaving badly with the long-suffering Del looking on, shaking his head. I also enjoyed the initial air of mystery surrounding Jude and I’m eager to see what crazy lengths he’ll go to win back Amelia in the second book.

I was super excited to read the Invitation and it didn’t disappoint! I fully enjoyed the roller coaster of emotions between Amelia and Jude, all their steamy moments and the surprising twist at the end. Amelia’s best friends, Abbie and Charley were just amazing too. I cannot wait until book two comes out so we can get more answers!

4.9 Stars

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!

Cliffhanger alert!!!

I always feel a little weird when I finish a book with an unexpected cliffhanger. This could be my own fault as it might have been mentioned but I tend to read books blind.

Jude, 😔 how very Hardin of you. I knew he was hiding something but I didn’t imagine this. Maybe because he’s a grown ass man who should know better. Ok, I’m still salty about the ending.
Amelia I empathised with. She’s a woman just trying to live her life. Her parents are well meaning but holy hell, step aside people. She’s 30 and can make decisions. I loved that she had her two friends as support though. They were fantastic.

I also loved the tension the author created between Jude and Amelia. This man wanted her and that was it, he wouldn’t accept no for an answer. I willingly looked over the toxic nature of some of their interactions, but I obviously shouldn’t have.

I was thoroughly entertained and enjoyed reading this, and will now eagerly wait for the next book to release.

The Invitation by Jodi Ellen Malpas is a seductive romance that ignites the pages with an intoxicating blend of passion, mystery and emotional depth. Jude, the enigmatic billionaire with a dangerous allure and a closely guarded secret, meets his match in Amelia, a bold, independent woman who refuses to be intimidated by his power—or the undeniable fire between them. Their chemistry is combustible, a thrilling combination of dominance and desire, and Jude’s secret adds intrigue and tension that made their connection even more irresistible.

Malpas’s storytelling is addictive and sensual with magnetic characters, an electric romance and a thrilling plot. It was an utterly unputdownable read that was tantalizingly steamy, emotionally charged and completely consuming. I am on the edge of my seat in anticipation for the release of The Surrender! Five smooches from me for The Invitation by Jodi Ellen Malpas!
~Danielle Palumbo, Red Cheeks Reads

This book. I steam powered through this book and thoroughly enjoyed it. If you like JEM's brand of confident, cocky hero, you'll love this book. This was deliciously messy, and focused on a woman being relentlessly pursued by a man.

Amelia is a successful financial manager, recently single, and surrounded by a group of friends and family that are wildly supportive of her. While away on a birthday spa day, she meets Jude. He's strikingly handsome and shows immediate interest in Amelia. She fights it hard, constantly turning him down, even when he shows up in her life outside of the spa. That cat and mouse game they played was so much fun to read, because I kept thinking about Jesse from This Man and his relentless pursuit of Ava.

I will say, I definitely over thought about this book. While I love messy romances, I need them to have a raw realness about them that keep me invested. Something about how things played out didn't sit well with me, and where I needed Jude to shine as a confident man he eventually let me down. The moments I need him to speak up and fight are when he didn't say much. There's OW drama, and again I usually like that messy aspect of book, but in this case I didn't like how it played out.

Will I read the next book? Absolutely. I'm invested. But I'm hoping for one hell of a grovel because without it I can't imagine being happy.

The Invitation is the first novel in Jodi Ellen Malpas' new series, Arlington Hall. I really enjoyed this book. It's absolutely has the same absolutely hot and steamy elements that all of JIM'S novels have, but this one has a slightly darker tone to it.

Jude Harrington is a force to be reckon with and has way more red flags than our typically JEM heroes. With that said, I also think he's a little more (little being the key word, haha) open than some of our other favorites.

Amelia is a hardworking woman who is tired of her family and ex trying to place her in the stereotypical woman's place - at home, married, popping out babies. I enjoyed her strong-willed nature and not giving up on trying to achieve partner status, even when everyone seemed to be against her. I can also appreciate everything about where she is coming from with her reaction to Jude.

What I didn't expect was the ending! I'm shocked, but not all that surprised that something was lurking in the back there. I cannot wait for more as I do really love Jude and Amelia's chemistry!

What a start to a new series! I really enjoyed this one!! I was hooked pretty quick and didn’t want to put it down! I got the audio so I wouldn’t have to! The narrator did so good! She really brought the story to life! I could see this book as a movie playing out in my mind and could really feel all the emotions! The narrator for sure did justice to the authors words! Warning to cliffhanger haters! This ending will leave you wanting the next book immediately! I know it sure did for me! I will definitely be marking the next release date on my calendar so I can get back to Jude and Amelia’s story! So if you’re in the mood for a British hero, playboy, billionaire, tortured hero revenge romance make sure to check this one out!!

Take a spin with this rollercoaster ride Jodi takes us on. I couldn't put this down and when I thought I had it figured out or thought I knew what was going to happen next, I was mistaken. Now I'm sad because I have to wait for the next book to see what happens.

This is Book 1 in the Arlington Hall series and it’s off to a great start!
Amelia is newly single, licking her wounds from a painful breakup and she’s working really hard to prove herself personally and professionally. She has no time for relationships and appears to be an alpha female who can give as good as she takes. Her besties take her to Arlington Hall for a special spa day.

Well well… I never saw a spa like that and they did whaaat?

Jude is our alpha hero! Grumpy possessive, jealous and really has trouble accepting the word No. In fact at times, there were too many similarities to another alpha hero with a letter J. Seeing Amelia for the first time put him on a course to pursue her at all costs. His pursuit of Amelia was so relentless, it sometime had me wondering about him.
What’s going on?
What demons is he hiding?
Yet, in spite of her inner turmoil, Amelia is drawn to him and their chemistry is truly undeniable!

This book was compelling, intriguing and hotter than a dry spa. However, some of Amelia’s the inner monologue didn’t match her actions. There were a lot of unanswered questions and the jaw dropping ending had me screaming at my kindle. I’ve begun counting down for book 2.

Wowzers! What did I just read??? Man, the complexity and angst of the storyline and characters made me want to throw my kindle. Malpas always does a good job of giving all the angst, making you feel all the emotions, all while bringing the heat. She definitely keeps you on your toes. Amelia is head strong, career motivated, trying to find herself after a recent failed relationship, move away from the shadow of the family business and her father whom she can never seem to please. Jude is a true JEM alpha. He’s witty, charming, debonair, mysterious, persistent, with a splash of possessiveness. The chemistry and the uninhibited attraction with these two is all consuming. It’s oozing from the pages. A charged chemistry, like a lighting bolt that catches them both off guard and makes it difficult from the to accept what’s in from of them. Of course, we get the push, pull, angst, and lack of communication because of it. They drive each other crazy, while diving me crazy too, haha. As I was reading, I wondered if Jude was related to Jessie Ward. IYKYK. And, just when I thought things were looking up Malpas throws in the biggest plot twist, and cue the kindle throwing.🤣🤣 Can’t wait till September to read The Surrender to see how Amelia and Jude navigate the hurdles that seem to be coming their way.

The audiobook was narrated by Shakira Shute. This was my first narration by her and she was just perfect for this story. The emotions, characterizations were on point and I couldn’t stop listening.

Arc provided by NetGalley & Valentine PR in exchange for an honest review. Reviewed by Paige on behalf of The Plot Thickens Book Club.

Title: The Invitation
Author: Jodi Ellen Malpas
Rating: 4 stars

I’ve been struggling to get lost in books just lately but The Invitation had me drawn in immediately and does not disappoint! Amelia is a 30 year old professional woman who has bigger dreams than just becoming a homemaker and stay at home mum, she wants a career, much to her father’s disappointment. Jude Harrison is a charismatic billionaire who owns a luxury spa, once he sets his sights on Amelia he’s determined to get what he wants.

There were moments in the first half of the book where Jude’s behaviour and attitude was a bit of a red flag, like I’m all for being pursued but give the girl some breathing room man! She said no repeatedly. He’s possessive and has anger issues but he’s a God in the bedroom. Amelia tries her best to stand her ground and not fall for this man but she’s doesn’t have the will power to withstand his advances. Honestly I don’t think I would either. The book takes place over a matter of weeks and is very much an instant connection, falling fast kind of vibe. Jude f-ed up big time, and Amelia needs to stand her ground and make the man grovel his arse off but that said, I can’t wait to see how this story develops in the next book.

I can see some similarities with the This Man series but I love that one too so it’s not a bad thing.

I don’t care what others are saying, I here for Amelia and Jude.

Jude is the jealous possessive type and he sets his sight on Amelia. For him, he is wants her all t himself and literally will do anything to make it known. For her, she wants to concentrate on her career but when it comes to Jude, that pull is too strong for her to stay away from.
Spicy romance that will keep your attention and then some.

c'est une lecture rapide et intense, j'ai beaucoup aimé Amelia et Jude mais il m'a manqué le petit quelque chose pour totalement adhérer à leur histoire. Les pages défilent rapidement et j'étais curieuse de découvrir ce qu'ils nous cachent mais clairement, ce premier tome est plus une introduction qu'autre chose. Les personnages secondaires sont géniaux ou détestables et j'avoue, je suis quand même hyper curieuse de découvrir la suite... A voir si je me laisse tenter ou pas mais j'ai trop de question en suspens pour ne pas craquer...

The Invitation by Jodi Ellen Malpas is a billionaire romance with a possessive and obsessive hero with a one-track mind. Jude and Amelia meet and the sparks fly right off the pages. Amelia is a hard-working and ambitious, but not ready to move forward in a relationship, or so she thought. Jude is a total alpha, reserved and very determined. The chemistry is definitely there between them, but so are the secrets and the push and pull. This begins their back and forth and some very sexy times together.

Amelia has just gotten out of a relationship she felt was getting too demanding. So, for her birthday, her friends plan a spa day, but what she never expected was to meet a man that would change everything. But as she begins to discover things about Jude, things are about to blow up and that ending left me shook. So excited to see where this goes next!

Happy reading!

I have loved everything Jodi Ellen Malpas wrote, prior to this book. I had great expectations but I have to admit I was let down. This book reads like a replica of the This Man series and a Anna Todd's series.

Jude very much reminds me of Jesse Ward. In fact, I think Arlington Hall used to literally be The Manor, which was a very kinky exclusive sex club. Kathryn reminds me of the bitchy female dominatrix, Sarah, who controlled The Manor (who was also a major problem). Overall, it wasn't as creative or lived up to what I normally expect from JEM. Jude literally is a vile character who lived up to his f-boy nickname. Even the exes interfering reminds me of This Man.

If I was Amelia, I would leave Jude to his games and not look back. It's obvious nothing was real, truthful, or meaningful. A lot of the dynamic between Amelia and Jude just didn't make sense to me. How can they both want what they said they explicitly didn't want? Amelia literally broke up with her long term and live in boyfriend because she didn't want to be that serious. Amelia was all about her career. Jude just wasn't worth it. For me, Jessie and Ava were worth it but they had a better dynamic. I loved Jessie's crazy ways, Jude or Amelia not so much. I can’t really see myself being interested enough to read the next book in the series. Would I read JEM in the future? Of course. This series just didn't work for me.

I received an ARC of this book. My opinions are my own.

This is the story of Amelia and Jude. Amelia has a lot on her plate and she desperately needs some rest and relaxation. When her friend gives her a day of pampering at Arlington Hall, a local spa, she doesn't exactly find calm and peaceful. What she does find is Jude Harrison. The most handsome man she has ever laid eyes on. There is an instant attraction between these two that gets pretty steamy. He's not only handsome but he has a temper and a little possessive, and totally has to have Amelia after meeting her. However she is not so easily persuaded that they are such a good idea and isn't giving in to him. It is a fun to read game of cat and mouse with a twist of who planned on these two meeting at his spa at that exact time. You have to read to find out. I can't wait to get my hands on the next book and see what happens.