By Invitation Only

A Novel

By: Dorothea Benton Frank

Narrated by: Susan Bennett, Courtney Patterson, Sarah Naughton

Length: 10 hrs and 24 mins

Publisher's summary

The Lowcountry of South Carolina is where By Invitation Only begins, at a barbecue engagement party thrown by Diane English Stiftel, her brother Floyd, and her parents to celebrate her son’s engagement. On this gorgeous, magical night, the bride’s father, Alejandro Cambria, a wealthy power broker whose unbelievably successful career in private equity made him one of Chicago’s celebrated elite, discovers the limits and possibilities of cell phone range. While the mother of the bride, Susan Kennedy Cambria, who dabbles in the world of public relations and believes herself deserving of every square inch of her multimillion-dollar penthouse and imaginary carrara marble pedestal, learns about moonshine and dangerous liaisons.

Soon By Invitation Only zooms to Chicago, where the unraveling accelerates. Nearly a thousand miles away from her comfortable, familiar world, Diane is the antithesis of the bright lights and super-sophisticated guests attending her son Fred’s second engagement party. Why a second party? Maybe it had been assumed that the first one wouldn’t be up to snuff? Fred is marrying Shelby Cambria, also an only child. The Cambrias’ dearest wish is for their daughter to be happy. If Shelby wants to marry Frederick, aka Fred, they will not stand in her way - although Susan does hope her friends won’t think her daughter is marrying more than a few degrees beneath her socially. At the same time, Diane worries that her son will be lost to her forever.

By Invitation Only is a tale of two families, one struggling to do well, one well to do, and one young couple - the privileged daughter of Chicago’s crème de la crème and the son of hardworking Southern peach farmers.

Dorothea Benton Frank offers a funny, sharp, and deeply empathetic novel of two very different worlds - of limousines and pickup trucks, caviar and pigs, skyscrapers and ocean spray - filled with a delightful cast of characters who all have something to hide and a lot to learn. A difference in legal opinions, a headlong dive from grace, and an abrupt twist will reveal the truth of who they are and demonstrate, when it truly counts, what kind of grit they have. Are they living the lives they want, what regrets do they hold, and how would they remake their lives if they were given the invitation to do so?

By Invitation Only is classic Dorothea Benton Frank - a mesmerizing Lowcountry tale that roars with spirit, humor, and truth and forces us to reconsider our notions of what it means to be a Have or a Have Not.

©2018 Dorothea Benton Frank (P)2018 HarperCollins Publishers

Love Dottie’s Books

This is another lovely book written by one of my favorite authors. Having met her in a book signing in Fairhope Alabama last year, she is a “real” person who happens to have an extraordinary talent for writing books that keep you intrigued until the last line. I look forward to the next book!

Loved this story!!

This book drew me in at the beginning and I couldn’t stop listening. I wish I hadn’t waited so long to listen to it - I think the cover threw me off at first. Wonderful story of two separate worlds finding common ground. I loved the characters- hoping there will be a sequel.

Great listening on my 13 hr trip to VA.

A fun and entertaining book. loved the voice of the reader. Makes time travel so much more enjoyable.

Wonderful story w charming characters.

I wasn't sure where the story could possibility be going, at first. But so very glad I hung around!

Charming Beach Book

I was going to be more judgmental about this book and did have to fast forward a couple of times when the descriptions were overly described. At the end of the day I found this book charming. It’s a great book!

Slow start… Stick with it!

What starts slowly eventually evolve into a wonderful web of individual stories that culminate in a story of love family and overcoming hardships. Highly recommend.

DELIGHTFUL

The contrast between the families is genuine & presented with wit that will have you laughing.

The North and South are at it again.

Lovely story about two families drawn together by marriage and how they encounter and overcome their differences. This story is told with humor and tenderness and is quite enjoyable. The narrator was wonderful.

Good story

The story was good but another Audible book that you have to hear the word "said' 20.000 times. So annoying.

Endearing story of love and change.

The story takes place in South Carolina and Chicago. Two very contradicting settings. There are characters easy to love and characters you live to hate. I could read this story multiple times.