Customer Reviews

Invitation To Provence

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

Rafaella Marten is the lonely matriarch of a wine-producing dynasty in Provence. Once a beautiful and vivacious woman, she has become a recluse in her beautiful chateau. Out of sheer and desperate loneliness she plans a reunion of her strange and dysfunctional family.

The most prominent invitee is an unknown niece, Franny, who as a veterinarian in Santa Monica has found herself at the end of a tumultuous love affair with a married man. The man himself sends his wife to break the relationship off, but instead of a cat fight we get two women who bond and become the best of friends.

A second invitee is Jake Bronson, the son of famed polo player Lucas Bronson who was once the love of Rafaella's life. Also receving invites to the reunion are: Shao Lan, a young orphan from Hong Kong; Juliette, a long-ago friend of Rafaella's; Haigh, a devoted butler; Clare, the "other woman" in Franny's affair; Felix and Alain, the wayward sons of Rafaella who left the chateau years ago after an unsolved murder and bitter fight with their mother; and Scott, a handsome wine merchant.

Each of the participants has a secret past that must be dealt with before the future can be faced. Amidst the sensuous setting of Provence, love and intrigue run rampant as Elizabeth Adler weaves a tale of contemporary romance, family ties, and surprising twists.

Devoted fans of the author will be pleased to see Lola and Jack Farrar from the Hotel Riviera once again and to enjoy this pleasant escape to a land famous for azure skies, the scent of rosemary and mimosa, champagne toasts, and exquisite cuisine. So, curl up and enjoy a little armchair travelling to romantic Provence.

I don't understand the negative reviews, this was the perfect summer beach book. The setting and the descriptions as always are what make Elizabeth Adler one of my favorite authors to read when I want to escape from the daily life chores that one has to do. This book is a mini vacation and I loved the plot with Franny Marten and all the people she meets. Yes, this book is very formulatic but that is what we come to expect from E.A. and that's what we want, we want everything to be perfect and rosy and a happy ending in a beautiful setting with a wealthy, good looking, and perfect man. I've read all the E.A. books except for 3 and the new one coming out in July, can't wait!!! Buy her books if you want to escape to Europe with descriptions of food and clothing and homes, countryside, and it creates the perfect vacation atmosphere and take this book with you to the beach or the patio and enjoy. Don't listen to the negative reviews, this was her best one yet.

Lonely matriarch Rafaella Marten impulsively invites a series of old friends and family members to her chateau in Provence for a family reunion. In addition to the sons who were a disappointment and left the estate many years earlier, she has invited veterinarian Franny Marten, who has no family of her own left; Jake Bronson, the son of her former lover; Juliette, her estranged best friend; and vintner Scott who has taken over the reigns at winery. Rafaella's eldest son dies suspiciously in Hong Kong and leaves behind a half Chinese daughter, who is summoned to the villa as well.

While Franny waits patiently at the table for her lover Marcus to arrive for a dinner date, she is shocked to discover that he wife shows up instead. It seems that Marcus does not have a faithful bone in his body, and he cannot even dump his own girlfriends. While Franny loses Marcus, she gains his soon-to-be ex-wife Clare as a friend.

Jake is a wealthy security expert. He knows that Rafaella is looking for an heir, so he decides to check out Franny, and is immediately smitten with her. A one night stand with Franny results in her broken heart, and his immense guilt.

When an invitation to Provence is received, Franny does not plan to go, but Clare talks her into it and they decide to go together. She has never met her aunt Rafaella, and only knows that there was a falling out several generations ago. When they arrive in Provence, she is shocked when Jake arrives, but tries to play it cool with him, but soon finds herself in his arms, much to Rafaella's delight.

Old rivalries and passions are reignited, and there is tension and romance amid the vines, as someone who has everything to gain from the demise of Franny is lurking in the shadows.

The mystery is somewhat lacking, and the story a little too easily wrapped up, but Adler is able to take you away from the hum drum of everyday life and transport the reader to an idyllic place. It makes for a nice escape.

Several Reviewers have given us pretty much the storyline so won't go into all of it. There are some interesting characters as in all Elizabeth Adler books along with some romance and descriptive details of food and clothing. There is a villian, though not exactly what I would call a mystery. I thought the story drug a little from the time Franny meets Jake until they meet again at Rafaella's. I found myself skimming through this part. Once the characters got together, I found more interest in the book. It was fun to have Lola and Jack from Hotel Riviera pay a visit in this book. Invitation to Provence will probably not be listed along with the works of great novelists but it's just a light fun read. Very predictable and very much like some of her other novels. No surprises really! Just a few hours to get away and visit another world and the foods; I've never heard of most of them. However, they make your mouth water. Okay it's not a great book, but it's not bad either.

Elizabeth Adler has a lyrical and detailed way of writing so that the scenes vividly come alive off the pages to be experienced by all of the reader's senses. The tastes, scents, sounds of Provence are all so tangible!!! The product description on the back cover really sells the story short because it is about so much more than a wife becoming friends with her husband's mistress. It's about a lonely old woman who wants to breathe life back into her ancestral vineyard chateau and reconcile the misunderstandings of the past which separate her heirs. There are a longlost niece and an unknown grandchild to discover. There are murders to solve and sibling rivalries to resolve. There are action and danger to balance the beauty and romance. This book captivated me to the point were I couldn't put it down and just had to read straight through until the end. It was beautifully written, interesting, and very cultural.

Southern California veterinarian Franny Marten is stunned to learn that her long distance romance with Atlanta based Marcus marks is over as he not only has a wife, he sent her to break it off with her. The spouse Clare and Franny hit it off and the former persuades the latter to take up her Aunt Rafaella Marten des Sauvages' invitation to spend three weeks in Provence at a family gathering although she never even knew this aunt existed.

Franny, accompanied by Clare, goes to France where she is shocked by her dysfunctional relatives who seem at war with one another in spite of the warm welcoming from her elderly aunt. Worse someone wants Franny to remain in the dark on family secrets and will go to great lengths to achieve this objective; Franny wonders if her nasty cousin Alain would harm her. However, the biggest emotional roller coaster is Jake Bronson, who she falls in love with, but wonders if she can trust him with her heart and her life though she wants too.

No one does travelogues inside terrific contemporary romances better than Elizabeth Adler does. Her latest tour of the Mediterranean is superb as readers obtain a taste of Provence while also reading an interesting family drama. Franny is a wonderful protagonist and the support cast shines a light on her or on the region. As she has done with A SUMMER IN TUSCANY and THE LAST TIME I SAW PARIS, Ms. Adler provides a delightful tale for armchair travelers to enjoy.

Harriet Klausner

I really enjoyed this book. I always like the author's writing about places I will never get to go and she makes it so real. This was a cute and funny book.

The book came in a timely manner and was in good condition. This order is what I thought it should be.

I must say that I like how Adler can make me forget about the stresses of life and transport me to a beautiful place full of majestic scenery, rich food and great wine. She is a wonderful travel writer. However, when it comes to creating characters with depth--her writing suffers greatly. The Euro-Asian grandchild in the novel is the most hollow of all--just a sad face with blue eyes--and we don't seem to get much deeper than this. She does not enter her grandmother's personal care until the end of the book. It would seem to me that a grandmother of Rafaella's passion would have taken care of this child from the day she walked through the door. I'm not sure if Adler has children because I don't think she understands the complexities of children's minds and emotions--and the labor intense giving that goes into meeting their daily needs. The intrigue at the end is really rather forced and silly and reminds me of an old Hart to Hart episode. Jake in this book is the same character, Jack, in Hotel Riviera. Also, the young woman, Frannie in this book is much like the protagonist in Hotel Riviera...both have lost both parents and are all alone in the world.
I think Elizabeth Adler has more talent than this book shows. She should spend some more time writing a real novel with real people rather than meeting the formula demands of her publisher.

You are all invited to spend 3 magical weeks at the Chateau des Roses Sauvages in Marten de Provence with Elizabeth Adlers newest book, Invitation to Provence.

As Rafealla Marten looks out the window of her magical chateau she feels the loneliness of her home and decides to bring back what is left of her family for a long awaited reunion. Included in the guest list are the following people.

Franny Marten and Clare Marks - Franny was having an affair with Clares husband and when Clare confronts Franny with the truth they surprisingly become fast friends. Franny receives an invitation to the reunion and invited Clare to accompany her to France.

Jake Bronson - The long lost son of Rafeallas famous lover. Although Jake has not visited the château in years, he has always considered it to be "home" because of his love for Rafealla.

Juliette - Rafeallas best friend. The two women went their separate ways years ago but always stayed close.

Shao Lan - Rafeallas new found grand daughter.

Alain and Felix - The two sons who turned away from the family years ago.

Once these people get together you will love reading about the secrets and love that transpires between the guests and feel the joy along with Rafealla as her home once again fills with laughter and life.

If you have not ever read a novel by Elizabeth Adler I highly recommend that you treat yourself to one of her books and transport yourself to another world. Adler has a way of writing that makes you feel as though you are right there with the characters living the story.