If you love the idea of a cut throat world of debutantes with secrets and standing, this is for you! I loved falling into the wealthy elite world of By Invitation Only. It’s about fitting in and standing out. Keep reading this book review of By Invitation Only for my full thoughts.
Summary
Every 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. Being wealthy, royal, or famous gets you into the pool of potential debutantes, but only La Danse decides who is truly worthy of attending.
Chapin Buckingham, the daughter two Hollywood legends, is one of the lucky few chosen to attend. Chapin’s not usually a society girl, but she has her reasons for wanting to be crowned Debutante of the Year. Her chances seem good…until a fellow debutante creates a PR nightmare that has the eat-the-rich cohort calling for La Danse’s cancellation.
Enter Piper Woo Collins. As the daughter of an EMT and winner of the International Science Fair Prize with a profile in Teen Vogue, Piper is the perfect, down-to-earth person who could restore La Danse’s reputation. But Piper isn’t interested in becoming a debutante—until they offer her a college scholarship…if she wins Debutante of the Year.
In competition for the crown, Piper and Chapin have every reason to clash. But at La Danse, everyone wants something. Piper and Chapin might just need each other to go from pawns in a game to ruling the board…
Review
(Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. This has not impacted my review which is unbiased and honest.)
By Invitation Only is like watching a pressure cooker. In some ways it’s a Cinderella story. In some ways it’s also a story about friendship and the pressure of the public eye. Being dual POV, By Invitation Only is all about the (social) games we play to fit in. It starts off as a competition and quickly turns into a story about figuring out what we will do to stand out – or fit in. There’s a sense of entitlement full of wonder at the privilege and the new world. But it’s also a story where trust is rarely given and often betrayed. If you like fast paced stories about the elite, this is for you!
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A major theme is about the quest to live for ourselves. We can think it’s as easy as putting our foot down, but what if our family, our world, revolves around this? Can we really play by our own rules if we cannot even enter the game? By Invitation Only revolves around (mis)conceptions and how we think someone always has it easier. But it takes bravery to live true to ourselves no matter the cost. Find By Invitation Only on Goodreads, Storygraph, Amazon, Bookshop. org, Blackwells, & Libro. fm.