This is fast-paced read that was gripping, entertaining and just one of those guilty pleasures (think trashy Lifetime Original Movie). Once I started reading, I got sucked in, couldn't stop and finished it in a day.
The story is told from multiple perspectives, which helped create layers to the story.
The story itself....Was it convoluted? Yes. Did it have twists you could predict a mile off? Yes. Was it a fun and engaging journey? Yes. Would I recommend this book? Absolutely! A big reason I recommend this book is because it went in a completely different direction than I was expecting. Honestly, reading the synopsis made me think it was going to be a book full of clichés.....the old (and tired) trope of husband/best friend have an affair and all is lost. That plot is done to death and I'm bored, but thankfully this book (while sometimes OTT) was completely original and fresh.

There aren't many likable characters in this story, but many of them are sympathetic characters.
That being said, I couldn't stand the MC Kaitlin. Her naivety was completely off the charts and her judge of character was nonexistent. I was frustrated with her the entire time I was reading this.

One other negative would be the ending. It was super rushed with just a few paragraphs at the end to sum up all the motives, which are kind of murky and not well fleshed out. I was still left confused with a feeling of incompleteness, and the Epilogue didn't do a good job of explaining the events that took place or their aftermath.

Overall, this was a quick read. It was fun. And I recommend if you're looking for something to pass the time.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Sadly, this was a book I did not really click with, even though I would not say this is a bad read. I did not find the story to be consistent, and the characters were not likeable. I'm sure many readers will like this book, but I am not one of them.

Kaitlyn is excited to celebrate her birthday and upcoming wedding with her best friend, Zoe. When Zoe meets her fiancé, things start to go awry. When Zoe takes off from the party, Kaitlyn is sure she will show up. When Zoe is till missing the next day, Kaitlyn wonders if everyone is who they say they are.
Overall a quick and easy read. Told from the viewpoint of multiple characters, good story.

* I received an advanced reader’s copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review

Kaitlin is all excited to see her best friend Zoe come back for her birthday party and to meet Greg. But things didn't turn out the way she thought they would and now Zoe is missing. Zoe said some awful things to Kaitlin, and they got into an argument before she left. Is there something to the things said before she left about Greg? Will Kaitlin be able to find her? Is Daniel, her ex-boyfriend to blame for her disappearance? I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book.

This was quite an action packed book that kept my attention. Full of twists and turns I genuinely did not know who to believe or trust. Another great book by Sheryl Browne

Since I received a prerelease copy of this book to read and review, I felt obligated to do both - and it really pains me to say neither was easy. That's truly a shame because there's an intriguing plot here, but it's buried under endlessly repetitive angst, hand-wringing, self-doubting musings coming from the minds and mouths of multiple characters. Around the 30% mark, in fact, I almost decided to call it a day.

But I'm not a quitter, especially when, as I said before, I accepted the offer of this book and thus don't want to abandon it. Besides that, I have no doubt there are readers who love emotionally overwrought heroines like Kaitlin Chalmers, who has found a soon-to-be husband and father for her young daughter Ruby after divorcing the abusive original. As this one begins, the new guy - Greg Walker - has arranged a fancy birthday party for Kaitlin. It's even more special because Kaitlin's best friend in the entire world, Zoe (who "rescued" her from the ne'er-do-well ex) will be coming in from Portugal. Zoe isn't just leaving a job; she's leaving what she believed was a serious relationship that suddenly turned seriously sour.

I don't know why Kaitlin had such bad luck with a man (well, actually I can think of at least one good reason), but her rationalization for Zoe's seems to be that Zoe grew up "in care" - a tidbit readers are reminded of at least half a dozen times in the first half dozen chapters. Problem for me is, I never found out what that means, exactly. The only thing I'm sure of is she didn't live with birth or foster parents - so what's left? A cardboard box under a bridge? Well yeah, I suppose that might leave a few emotional scars.

In any event, Zoe's already sour life puckers up even more the second she arrives at Kaitlin's bash and immediately intuits that by marrying Greg, Kaitlin is making a huge mistake. But since her 5-minute screamfest with Kaitlin doesn't convince her friend to ditch him, Zoe ditches both the party and Kaitlin in a huff. After Kaitlin and Greg mull all the whys, why nots and what ifs, Greg agrees to go look for her and talk his idea of sense into her head.

He comes back empty-handed, though, and (surprise!) Zoe goes missing. Police are called in, and from that point on, the pace begins to kick up several notches. That in turn leads to learning that some people may not be who they claim to be, hinting at possible danger for Kaitlin and Ruby (and giving readers more names to keep straight). It ends in a flurry of action - some of it predictable but entertaining enough to keep me turning the pages. In the end, it's safe to say this one isn't going to appear on my 50 favorites book list, but if you've got a couple of hours to kill on a sunny beach or by a cozy fireplace, it's not a bad choice.

An intriguing and gripping read which had me captivated. Its fast paced and when it started getting late into the night I noticed that most chapters end on a cliffhanger, so I didn't want to stop reading.
I liked that the main characters Zoe and Kaitlin {best friends for years} are believable and realistic. I felt real empathy for them and the dialogue between them is brilliant!
Nothing is what it seems and just when I thought I had guessed it, there's a surprise.
Highly recommended.

Kaitlin is thrilled to have her family and friends together to celebrate her birthday. Her loving fiancé, Greg, has planned the whole evening to be perfect. Kaitlin hasn’t seen her best friend, Zoe, since before she and Greg got together. The party will be the perfect time to tell Zoe about their engagement. But Zoe doesn’t seem as happy about the engagement as what Kaitlin was expecting. Zoe and Greg get in a heated argument and Zoe leaves the party early. But when Zoe doesn’t make it back to her apartment and she doesn’t answer her phone, Kaitlin begins to worry that something is very wrong. Could her disappearance have anything to do with the argument between she and Greg? As the investigation continues, secrets begin to unfold. Is Greg really who he says he is? If he is, then why is he lying to the police? Is she and her daughter really safe?

This page-turning thriller is filled with an intricate web of lies and obsession! The whole book was full of twists that made me fly through this book. I loved how the author told the story from the viewpoint of nearly all the characters, so that the reader can get in each one of their heads. Seeing the story from all angles really brought the book together. A great read, for sure!

A huge thank you to NetGalley, Bookouture, and Sheryl Browne for this advanced reading copy. This ARC was provided to me in exchange for my honest review.

I really enjoyed this domestic thriller by Sheryl Browne. Lots of great characters that kept me invested in the book. Well told through the complex storyline. This one hooked me from early on.
Highly recommend
Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book

The Invite by Sheryl Browne centers around Kaitlin and Greg who are newly engaged.
Greg has planned a birthday party for Kaitlin and her friend Zoe is coming back from Portugal to attend.
Zoe is shocked to find Kaitlin and Greg engaged and thinks they are moving way to quickly.
Kaitlin and Zoe argue and Zoe storms off into the night. Zoe is now missing.
Where is Zoe? Did something happen to her? Is she just cooling off from her argument with Kaitlin?
The remaining story involves Zoe's disappearance and who is or isn't possibly involved. It is told in multiple points of view at different times, which was confusing sometimes. There are also multiple sub plots going on.

I generally liked this book and the characters, even though I didn't often agree with their actions. I was invested in what happened to Zoe and enjoyed how the sub plots lead to more possible suspects in her disappearance.

Thank you to netgalley and Bookouture for the arc.

Love, betrayal, heartbreak and secrets can make people a bit crazy. You’ll find a lot of this in The Invite.

Kaitlin and Greg just got engaged and are planning their wedding. Well, Greg is doing very quick planning. Way too quick for Kaitlin’s best friend Zoe who’s just come back from Portugal heartbroken and humiliated by her so called boyfriend. She meets Greg for the first time and is floored to hear that they are engaged. An argument turns into Zoe disappearing and what happens next is a domino effect that keeps you reading till the very end.

This is a very quick “popcorn read” that any suspense/thriller lover will enjoy. Kaitlin was a little bit of a “weak main character” for me but overall I liked the book and give it 4 out of 5 stars.

The invites went out weeks ago, and tonight, at a lavish manor house surrounded by friends and family, Kaitlin couldn't be happier, But as the champagne corks pop, her dream party becomes her worst nightmare. Staring at the stunning diamond solitaire on her finger, Kaitlin is finally getting the chance to introduce her best friend Zoe to her perfect fiance. She hasn't known Greg very long, but he looks after her, and he loves playing Dad to her young daughter. As guests arrive, why is Greg acting so shifty? And is that a flicker of recognition on Zoe's face? And why does she look terrified every time her phone rings?

The pace is fast in this action packed read. It covers: lies, jealousy, deception and broken promises. The story is multi-layered and told from multiple perspectives. The suspense builds throughout, the twists kept coming. I changed my mind several times on who was behind the attacks. I was hooked from the beginning and I didn't put my kindle down until I had finished. This is another well written book with relatable characters.

I would like to thank #NetGalley #Bookouture and the author #SherylBrowne for my ARC of #TheInvite in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to Bookouture and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

The Invite by Sheryl Browne is an explosive thriller with twists that you'll never see coming! The story revolves around Kaitlin, who is celebrating her engagement to her fiance Greg. Greg and Kaitlin haven't known each other long, but she knows that he's the one for her. She's looking forward to introducing him to her best friend Zoe, who hasn't met Greg before. But the party of her dreams turns into a nightmare. After meeting Greg, Zoe and Kaitlin argue, and Zoe leaves the party in a huff. A few days later, Zoe is declared missing. Where did Zoe go? Did someone murder her? And is Kaitlin next?

Here is a chilling excerpt from the Prologue, which is from an as-yet-unnamed character's point of view:

"'Are we going to get Mummy now?’ Inquisitive as ever, Ruby had yet another question.
‘We are,’ he promised, taking a breath and heading on out. ‘She’s at home packing your clothes right now.’
‘And Cocklepoo?’ Ruby asked as they walked the short distance to where he’d parked his own car around the corner.
‘Absolutely.’ It was her favourite toy, he recalled. A cockapoo cuddle toy she wouldn’t go to bed without. He gave that pause for thought, then dismissed it. He would cross that bridge when he got there. Right now, his priority was getting this little girl, who he loved as if she were his own flesh and blood, somewhere she would be safe. He’d sworn he would protect her and her mother, and that was exactly what he intended to do. Kaitlin wasn’t the person he’d thought she was when he’d first met her, but he still loved her. He could forgive her for turning away from him, her neglect of her daughter. She’d been led astray, he could see that. Even if she didn’t know it yet, in time she would realise that he was simply trying to do what was best for her and Ruby."

Overall, The Invite is an unputdownable thriller that will appeal to fans of Samantha Hayes and Kiersten Modglin. One highlight of this book are the nonstop twists. There were several that I did not see coming. If I had to complain about 1 thing, I would say that I personally did not find the reveal of the murderer to be satisfying. Although it was completely unexpected and I was surprised, I would have liked someone with a bit more of a motive. That's just a minor thing though, and I did enjoy the rest of the book. If you're intrigued by the excerpt above, or if you're a fan of thrillers in general, I highly recommend that you check out this book when it comes out in February!

So, straight up. This one suffers from Stupid Main Character Syndrome.

It’s one of those brainless but entertaining popcorn reads – you know…the one where you’re shouting at the main character because they keep making boneheaded decisions.

The plot gets wildly complex, but it is fun.

This one is empty calories. You’ll get a kick out it while reading it, but you’ll forget it soon after.

*ARC via Publisher

A great read, with a whole host of unreliable and at times unlikeable characters! Somewhat unpredictable which I liked!

This is a good thriller. I did actually spot the villain early on but then discounted them and there were some excellent twists and turns along the way, although I felt the ending seemed rushed
A good yarn that will keep you turning the pages

I've taken a book from Netgalley after a long time and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I have previously read Trust me by Sheryl Browne and I was impressed. The invite is a perfect Pyschological thriller. It had all the thrills and the chills. It had me guessing till the end. I kept suspecting the villain to be someone else and I was quite surprised by the grand reveal.

The best thing about the book is that it had a lot of dark characters and literally anyone could have been the bad guy. The ending especially was brilliant. I was supposed to buddy read this book, but I was too excited and I finished it in probably a day or two. The writing style increased the tension with each chapter. It had multiple POVs. The tone of the book was grim and dark.

The story started off at a birthday party for Kaltain. Her fiance Greg arranged the whole thing. Her best friend Zoe was coming back from Portugal for this event. Zoe and Kaltain end up having an argument about Greg. Zoe storms out of the party and Greg rushes after her. That's the last anyone has seen of her. She goes missing after the party. Will she be found dead or alive? Read to find out more.

If you are fan of thrillers, you must read this.

I may be in the minority here, but I honestly found this book exhausting and disappointing.

To begin with, the protagonist Kaitlin was a weepy damsel-in-distress, who had no other active role other than lamenting - initially it was about the fate of her missing best friend which was quickly replaced by the supposed betrayal of her fiancé.  While this was understandable to a point, after about 50% of the book, where thus went on repeat mode, it became pretty annoying. There were way too many POVs and too many dialogues that didn't add much to the story. I believe the book could have been shortened by about 10 chapters if much of the inane conversation and unnecessary details had been edited out.

I couldn't continue the book after 52 chapters because it had taken off on a different tangent that totally confused me to the point that I became disinterested.

Overall, I give up. Thanks to Netgalley and Bookouture for providing a digital copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

It all looks good good o the surface, and then when someone begins to ask uncomfortable questions, the good can look suspicious. That is what happens here, relationships that look ok may not be, care and concern for someone may have a more sinister motive.
How do you trust your instincts if they have been wrong before?
A friend questions good fortune then disappears, finding her, finding safety and the truth is Kaitlin's purpose.

Kaitlin is a single mother with a small daughter, Ruby. After divorcing her abusive husband Sean, she is now settled in a steady relationship with Greg, who works as a forensic fire assessor. Greg is kind, thoughtful and dotes on Ruby. He has arranged a no expenses spared birthday party for Kaitlin and has proposed. Kaitlin’s friend Zoe is flying in from Portugal to attend. As soon as they meet it’s clear, for whatever reason, Zoe doesn’t like Greg and tries her best to discourage her best friend’s relationship with her new man. The two women argue, Zoe runs out into the night – and disappears.
As time goes on and Zoe has still not been found, Kaitlin begins to examine her life with Greg. An innocent phone call is all it takes to see her new safe world begin to spin out of control.
Secrets and lies are the foundation of this story. It’s a gripping read where you’re not really sure who is telling the truth. I enjoyed the dynamics between Kaitlin and her parents, who were very supportive and clearly adored little Ruby. Zoe I wasn’t so sure about. Talk about how to wreck a birthday party! After her experience with ex-husband Sean (which still seemed to be on-going), Kaitlin found herself pitched into a nightmarish situation. Once again, red herrings and lots of twists, turns and surprises make this an unputdownable read.
I would like to thank Sheryl Browne, Bookouture and Netgalley for an ARC of The Invite in exchange for an honest review.