Invitation to Provence

by Elizabeth Adler

Franny Marten's life is unraveling--after arranging to meet her boyfriend Marcus for dinner she finds his wife waiting for her instead. After the initial shock wears off, Franny finds she has more in common with Clare Marks that she could ever have imagined. And, amazingly, the women become fast friends. But even more surprises are in store for Franny she is unexpectedly offered an all-expenses-paid invitation to go to a reunion of her estranged family in Provence. And Clare decides to charge the trip to Marcus (for his sins) and come along. Franny knows very little about the French side of her family, but how stressful can meeting long-lost aunts and cousins be after what she and Clare have just gone through?

Provence is everything Franny pictured, but nothing at all what she expected. There are dangerous family secrets buried deep in the lovely, lush landscape of Provence, and someone who will go to any lengths to keep Franny from uncovering them. Jake Bronson is an American with ties to the Marten family, and he seems to know more than he's saying. He's the most intriguing and compelling man Franny's ever encountered, but there are treacherous currents surrounding him. And at the center of it all is the matriarch, Rafaella Marten, a woman with secrets going back decades. Her two sons have caused her both heartache and joy, but Franny may ultimately be the key to truly reuniting the Marten family--and putting to rest the shadows, scandals, and the rivalry of a dynasty. Evoking the lush descriptions of everything that is Provence, Elizabeth Adler casts an unforgettable spell as Invitation to Provence transports you to a truly magical place.

Genres: Fiction, Romance, France, Chick Lit, Audiobook, Contemporary, Travel

352 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published June 1, 2004

About the author

Born in Yorkshire, North England, Elizabeth Adler met her husband Richard (an American) while both were working in London. They have lived in England, Ireland, France, Brazil, and the United States and have traveled extensively. They have one daughter and live in Palm Springs, California. Her first novel, Private Desires (also titled Leonie), launched an enormously successful writing career, she also wrote as Ariana Scott. She has now written over twenty internationally acclaimed bestsellers.

Reviews

[Adam · Rating 1 out of 5]

Post Listen Review: Stop me if this has happened to you before because this book has a very believable premise and I am sure it happens all the time.

You are a vetrinarian who has worked very hard to become one and you feel like your life would only be fulfilled if your boyfriend Marcus Marks would propose to you so that you could have your career as well as your 2.5 children. So when he calls and says you have to meet because "we need to talk" you go and aren't exactly thrilled about it. But instead of your boyfriend Marcus Marks (whose name reminds me of Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch) you find his... gasp... wife.

Well, naturally what happens is that you become fast friends with her and soon you are invited by some relatives that you don't know very well to go to Provence, France and you invite the woman who was married to your boyfriend to go with you. Yay!

Before you go, a man comes into the vet's office with a dog named Criminal. First you chastise him for naming his dog Criminal (because names like Fluffy, Fido and Mr. Fancy Pants are much more dignified) and then you make a dinner date with him. What do you do next? Watch him sprain his ankle and sleep with him because it is a great idea to get in bed with the next guy you meet, it helps you get over heartache.

Then he doesn't call the next day and you are furious. Eventually you find out that he is an ex-spy or something whose first wife was tragically killed months before giving birth. And he was just checking you out because he has ties to your distant relatives and he wants to make sure you are not trying to rob them or pass bad wine off to them or anything and so you forgive him.

Then you and another distant cousin, who is a young asian school girl, and your friend who used to be married to your ex-boyfriend hang around France for a while so you can get to know the ex-spy better and have some sex with him. But while there you find out that the woman who was married to your ex-boyfriend isn't Miss Georgia in a beauty pageant way but rather in a stripper stage name way. You stay friends though and she is split between two French guys that are both hot on her.

Unbeknownst to you, there is a murderer in the family and he is on the loose, despite your current boyfriend, the ex-spy turned private investigator's efforts to catch him. The murderer naturally hates the ex-spy and wants to kill him in the same way he killed his own brother. But instead the murderer tries to kill you, yet your current boyfriend the ex-spy turned private investigator is there in time to rescue you. Although you do end up in the hospital. Whew.

Also you have more sex somewhere in there and/or think about sex. One of the French guys hooks up just fine with your friend who used to be a stripper and was once married to your ex-boyfriend even though she used to be a stripper and not a beauty pageant winner.

Sometimes while you are in France you help out at a winery also. But that is before you are almost killed.

Imagine all that with a narrator whose voice reminds you of the part in Monty Python and the Holy Grail where the French soldies says, "I fart in your general direction," and you have a pretty good idea of what this book was.

I don't recommend it.

Pre-listen guess: The description on the back sounds like the logline for a Dianne Keaton movie. Not a fan.

[Jane · Rating 1 out of 5]

I can't believe I read the whole thing. I felt my IQ slipping with every page of this sappy, implausible romance. (Judy, I should have been warned off by the yellow cover).

[Tiago | MrsMargotBlog · Rating 4 out of 5]

http://mrs-margot.blogspot.pt/
A story with a wonderful description of all places, the smells, the sights, which can easily transport us to this environment in Provence, making us imagine very easily all scenarios and all the beauty that surrounds them, a romanticism idyllic well to my taste. Almost can feel the aromas of the wine from Marten house wines.
    The characters are all captivating and interesting.
    Adler also gives us a taste of fashion through the beautiful Rafaella in their greats classic dresses of the best fashion houses, Dior, Chanel, Valentino and the others.
    I enjoyed this reading, full of romance, with descriptions of several very well-made places, various characters who meet for a month in a mansion in Provence and shows us how sometimes fate brings us sorrow and then bring us joy.

[Cheryl · Rating 3 out of 5]

A light summer read about a family reunion in Provence. Equal parts romance, family drama, and mystery. Great descriptions of the sights and the food of that region. A quick, enjoyable book.

[Vera Neves · Rating 3 out of 5]

Como tem sido hábito, a autora mantém o seu registo e não deixa de surpreender. Adoro a forma como descreve as paisagens e os locais maravilhosos que fazem parte deste livro e fiquei deliciada quando no final ela faz referência a Lola e a Jack e ao Hotel Riviera, personagens de Verão na Riviera, um dos livros da autora de que mais gostei. Achei esta perspectiva bastante interessante, quase como reencontrar "pessoas" que conhecemos!
Em relação à acção gostei de Franny e Jake, os protagonistas, a par com Rafaella, a dona do Solar dos Marten. Mas são as pequenas histórias que enriquecem os livros de Adler: Clare e o seu curso de culinária que trará surpresas imprevisíveis; Felix que vive na Ásia e que tem o mistério da Pequena Azul; os amores de Rafaella e a relação conturbada com os filhos; os amores, as mentiras e a vingança.
Gostei do enredo, do deslumbramento que senti em relação à Provença, mas confesso que Romance na Toscana e Verão na Riviera são para mim os melhores que li da autora, até agora.

[Telma Duarte · Rating 3 out of 5]

De leitura fácil e célere, um romance que se baseia num amor à primeira vista, com um “felizes para sempre” muito previsível. É contudo visível a evidência que a autora dá aos ideais muitas vezes esquecidos ou relegados para um segundo plano: o valor da amizade, do amor e da família.
Sendo o segundo livro que leio da autora, posso dizer que gosto da forma como descreve os lugares (que adorava visitar), permitindo-me sentir o perfume das flores, o sabor das comidas, (que me deixaram com água na boca), permitindo-me de uma forma muito natural sentir e viver os diversos ambientes descritos ao longo do romance.
Ideal para relaxar ao fim de uma extenuante, ou não, semana de trabalho.

[Ana Silva · Rating 4 out of 5]

Um romance “feel good” mas que tenta colocar um pouco de acção e mistério ao enredo. Mostra-nos a complexidade das personagens mais velhas, dando um vislumbre do passado. As personagens jovens são todas, de certa forma, marcadas pela vida, o que apesar de trazer realidade para a narrativa as torna a todas personagens um tanto ou quanto cliche. Apesar disso, foi um livro que gostei bastante de ler, ficando com vontade de sentir a Provença com as suas paisagens e os seus aromas. Sem dúvida um excelente palco para novas paixões.

[Наташа Алексовска]

Френи Мартен е во брак со Ајден 7 год. Ајден ќе и предложи на Френи да се разделат на 1 година. Притоа Френи ќе замина во Прованса, а Ајден во далечни држави.

Но, што ќе се случи во тие патувања? Дали тука ќе биде на повидок нова љубов кај двајцата? Каква промена ќе донесе кај Френи запознавање со Нико Галегос, сопственик на тој имот? Или хм, можеби и таа кај него, што тој ќе ја забележил и токму затоа не ќе можел да ја поднесел нивна разделба? Што ќе се случи во животот на Ајден откако тој ќе ја запознал Џош на негови патувања? Какви пресврти ќе се случат при враќање дома во животи на Ајден, Френи, како и на нивните членови на семејства? Да не ги заборавивме и луѓето од имотот, со коишто ќе останат во контакт Френи и Нико.

[Raquel · Rating 3 out of 5]

Há muito tempo que já não lia um livro desta autora, e resolvi dar uma nova oportunidade, mas rapidamente arrependi-me. Sabem quando gostam de uma autora e a história começa a ser repetitiva até que acabam de deixar de gostar da autora e da sua escrita? Já me tinha acontecido com a Nora Roberts e agora foi a vez de Elizabeth Adler. Voltamos novamente a França, temos uma mulher que é amante de um homem casado, e que vai encontrar-se com ele para jantar e quem aparece é a sua mulher, que decide acabar com o relacionamento da amante e também ela decide acabar com o seu próprio casamento. Até que a Franny (a amante) recebe uma carta de uma pessoa que se diz ser da sua família e que terá que ir até França. Imaginam o cenário? Pois, é isto que acaba por me desmotivar, com os seus enredos, trocas, personagens à mistura, perdi-me várias vezes ao longo da história e cansava-me, dava por mim a querer terminar o livro, mas forcei-me a ler. Será muito difícil voltar a ler um livro desta autora.

https://aviciadadoslivros.blogspot.co...

[Filipa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Originalmente visto aqui

Franny Marten é uma jovem do Oregon que teve de lutar pela vida desde os seus dezassete anos após ter perdido ambos os seus pais. Viu-se obrigada a trabalhar em vários sítios para poder pagar o seu curso de veterinária e sempre viveu de forma frugal. Agora finalmente tem um trabalho estável, a sua casa apenas a si e ao banco pertencem e Franny encontra-se realizada. Pelo menos, na parte profissional da sua vida. Já a sua vida amorosa é outra coisa. Franny que apenas quer encontrar um homem que cuide de si e que a ame por quem ela é, tem um mau gosto incrível. O seu namorado do momento, Marcus, passa a vida a criticar o seu aspecto e o seu estilo de vida e Franny sabe que esta relação está prestes a chegar ao fim, embora ela não tenha força de carácter o suficiente para ser ela própria a terminar esta ligação amorosa.
Mas Franny é surpreendida quando descobre, pela própria mulher de Marcus, que este é casado e que mandou a sua esposa terminar o caso amoroso. Franny decide então para consigo mesma, esquecer os homens e concentrar-se noutros aspectos da sua vida. Como a sua carreira de veterinária.
Mas então conhece Jake Bronson, um homem irresistível e que a conquista desde o primeiro momento. Claro que quando ele desaparece sem lhe deixar uma explicação, Franny está convencida que mais uma vez foi enganada pelo sexo masculino e decide fechar o seu coração em copas.
Contudo, o destino dá sempre as voltas mais mirabolantes e os dois voltam a encontrar-se na reunião em Provença para que Franny foi convidada. É a reunião da família Marten, da qual Franny não sabe nada pois o seu avô há muito se havia desvinculado destes parentes. Agora, no entanto, Franny abraça a ideia de conhecer novos familiares, uma família que paira na sombra de dois assassinatos. Resta saber se Franny irá de igual forma, abraçar a ideia de perdoar Jake Bronson, o único homem que a fez sentir-se especial.

Os livros desta autora já não constituem grande surpresa para mim, como é fácil constatar. Estou mais que habituada à sua escrita simples, sem grandes efeitos ou complicações. É um discurso feito para entreter e envolver o leitor numa aventura e é isso que a autora consegue fazer sempre.
Com as suas descrições de cenários paradisíacos é sempre garantido que estas leituras façam o seu leitor descontrair e sonhar que se encontram nestas praias e nestes cenários de férias muito apelativos.
Uns livros são mais virados para o romance, outros mais para o mistério. A linha é ágil e é certo que nos livros de Elizabeth Adler poderemos sempre encontrar algo dos dois. Neste caso, em Encontro na Provença, acho que a balança tende claramente para o romance. Não houve grande mistério para desvendar, apenas esperar que o assassino encontrasse justiça e portanto o foco manteve-se no romance entre os vários personagens desta obra.

Tive oportunidade de ler sobre a região da Provença e também tive a oportunidade de revisitar Saint Tropez, com Lola e Jack Farrar do livro Verão na Riviera. Engraçado como já não é a primeira vez que a autora refere os seus livros em passagem. Acho curioso e é uma oportunidade de termos um breve relance de outros personagens que já conhecemos de outra altura. E um pouco egocentrista, mas deixemos esta última passar.
Por isso, aquilo que posso dizer, é que continuo satisfeita com esta fórmula da autora e enquanto não me fartar, posso dizer que vou continuar a ler os seus livros. Entretém-me, como sempre digo. São leituras leves, com sabor a férias e que me permitem voar para sítios distantes que gostaria, algum dia, de visitar.

[Merty · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've read about 3 or 4 Elizabeth Adler books and they are such a guilty pleasure! She has a new one coming out this year too! Something about Monte Carlo.

This was the ultimate beach read or the perfect Memorial weekend read. Ok, so I've spent my money on re-modeling the house, no money for a vacation, thank goodness for Elizabeth Adler! I loved Invitation to Provence, I think it's the best one yet! I still have three more to read, each one of her books has been the perfect get-a-way. The food and the setting, oh, it's all perfect. Loved the plot in this one with Franny Marten, very suspenseful in the end! Will be reading Sailing To Capri next.
And someday, I'll go visit all these places on my own!

[Janel · Rating 2 out of 5]

I picked up this book over the summer at a flea market, and being in a breezy mood I was attracted to the cover and hoped to learn a bit about Provence. This really was a fine book, but I just didn't find it very engaging. I found the characters a little flat and could never really lose myself in the story. It didn't have much of the kind of humor I like, and everything just seemed a bit much to me....like the literary equivalent of a Hallmark TV movie. The descriptions of Provence were nice at times, but didn't transport me the way some other "on location" books have. There was just enough to keep me reading it, but it took me a while and the ending though okay wasn't worth the effort to me. I think others would like it, but it just wasn't for me.

[Cathryn Dolly · Rating 5 out of 5]

A cute and charming book a vet lady receives letter to a family in Provence ( she is a cusion to one of the relatives ) and senescing to go or not . Her friend roomate says excitedly " Heck why don't we try it might be thing you seek something differnt come on!" so off they go discover intersting things along the way ! ;-) I like this author want go get some more books later on!! :-)

[Sandysbookaday (taking a step back for a while) · Rating 1 out of 5]

I did not enjoy this book at all - in fact I only reached page 28 before I gave up on it. I was tempted to give up earlier and in hindsight ought to have.
The writing is stilted, formulaic and predictable.
I don't think I will be tempted to try any other of her books.

[Heidi · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was entertaining and a leisurely read. It was predictable at times though which is why I gave it four stars instead of five.

[Katie M. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun and makes me want to travel to the South of France - pronto!
or whatever in French...

[Alaska Young · Rating 1 out of 5]

I can't believe I managed to finish this. The writing is the worst.

[Rachelle · Rating 2 out of 5]

I almost DNFed this one. Several times. But I can’t give up on books even when they’re bad.

Is this the author’s first book? It feels amateurishly written - like something a high schooler would write for an English class. Got a bit better as it went on... but not by much.

Very simple, cliched characters that you’ve seen a million times.

Rushed scenes where food ordered at a restaurant takes the time of only two lines of dialogue to be delivered to the table (with no other shorthand or indication time has passed by) or where clothes are suddenly dissolved from a body without warning. How is this guy sucking on her nipples? When did she lose her shirt?

It’s as if it were written by someone who has never actually experienced anything they were writing about. Like a sheltered teenager pretending this is how the world works because that’s how they’ve read it in other novels.

Why is this book touted as a sweet girl-powered adventure to France, and not the cheap movie-of-the-week ‘romance’ it really is? I was very misled. But I was already too committed.

It’s like it couldn’t figure out what kind of book it wanted to be, so it just tried haphazardly mashing several genres together.

I would have liked it more if it didn’t have this romantic side story with the clichédly named Jake Bronson: man’s man who shuns fancy drinks for a Bud, wears boots, and has a cabin in the mountains (and *happens* to be super-rich, not that that’s important of course, so he’s perfect). *eyeroll* My problem with this overdone character trope is that some people tout it as someone who is more “down-to-earth” and “real” than a man who wears suits, drinks scotch, and wants to drive a nice car. But it’s just as much a cultivated image as those others. It’s no better (and no worse). It’s just overdone to hell. My opinion of the book immediately dropped a whole star when I saw this guy’s name and realized he’d be the romantic hero in the story.

To be honest if I just went off the descriptions of France, this would have been a four or five star review. But the two-dimensional characters and disconnected plots truly ruined it.

[Verna LaBounty · Rating 3 out of 5]

Franny Marten's life is unraveling--after arranging to meet her boyfriend Marcus for dinner she finds his wife waiting for her instead. After the initial shock wears off, Franny finds she has more in common with Clare Marks that she could ever have imagined. And, amazingly, the women become fast friends. But even more surprises are in store for Franny Marten: she is unexpectedly offered an all-expenses-paid invitation to go to a reunion of her estranged family in Provence. And Clare decides to charge the trip to Marcus (for his sins) and come along. Franny knows very little about the French side of her family, but how stressful can meeting long-lost aunts and cousins be after what she and Clare have just gone through?

Raefella Marten has arranged the reunion at her chateau, Jake Bronson is smitten with Clare, and Alain, the wicked son, is set to cause mischief to get the family fortune he considers his.
Romance and evil doings combine for a good read.

[Julie Akeman · Rating 5 out of 5]

I so want to run out and get a Red Wine, I may not be able to afford a rich and pricey French wine so I will settle for domestic. This story caught me by surprise, yes there was steamy romance scenes but there was a bit of danger of a nefarious character who wanted to take all that he believed was owed to him. I saw the signs that he was a sociopath. This is the second Adler book I read and it was a very pleasant read. Just set aside grapes, wine and a baguett, or else a croissont, sorry I can't correct my spelling my laptop won't let me, really I can't manage this built in mouse well. A very lovely easy read that's perfect for the summer. OK so it's fall but right now the weather has been super warm.

[Hui · Rating 2 out of 5]

Ok, it's a pretty bad book, and I say that even though I already started with low expectations.

I read the bad reviews, but since I was really just looking for an audio-book to put me to sleep, I thought so long as it was a passable portrayal of a nice holiday in Provence, I'd be ok with it. The story and the characters are, however, so unbelievable that even while being half asleep my mind would go "oh, pa-lease!" The characters are stereotypical and shallow, and there isn't much description of Provence that isn't, again, stereotypical. The setting could have been anywhere.

Giving it two stars because it was passable enough for me to finish it, which counts for something...

[Carrie · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was looking for a book to whisk me off to Provence since I haven't been there in over 25 years.

While those details are there and although this book was published after my last visit, it didn't age well (the book, not the region).

The characters are shallow, the premise absurd and phrases such as "That's just the way the heart went" just annoyed me.

I love books that take place in favorite vacation spots so I may give other books this author has written a try, but while I finished this one, it wasn't my favorite.

[KC · Rating 2 out of 5]

I finished this book, but I thought the story was saccharine, silly, and predictable--made worse by a bad narrator who made things sound even more saccharine and silly. The characters are all beautiful and improbable, including the villain... even the few bad things that happen are over the top and IMHO some were really quite unnecessary to the story. The plot idea might have had some merit, but the writing seemed amateurish to me. After two books, I won't read anything else by this author.

[Nese · Rating 4 out of 5]

When I bought this book I didn’t realize it is a romance book with a touch of murder mystery. Possibly because romance novels are not my preference, I couldn’t get in the story line, finding the characters one-dimensional, self-absorbed, and not relatable. However, the book became more like a character study and an interesting murder mystery halfway through. I liked the storytelling and the flow and enjoyed the second part of the book.

[Traci Wilson · Rating 1 out of 5]

Incredibly predictably and clique with shallow simple characters.
I listened to most of the book before I could not take it any more but I enjoyed learning about Provence and hearing how French words and towns were pronounced since we will be there in the Fall.
There are many other books set in France that are worth your time reading, this one was not unless you want a simply light "Hallmark Christmas Style Plot" and love story.

[Melanie]

DNF

The opening was alright with the main character a veterinarian who doesn't sound like a veterinarian. It made me miss the mysteries by Eileen Brady with the veterinarian Kate Turner.
As I read on the dialogue go a bit stilted and I was done.
I think this author has ability. As this story start to focus on an ex-spy I tend to roll my eyes.

[Angela · Rating 3 out of 5]

I would give this 3.50 stars if I could. A fun, quick read with a little mystery and decent characters. A bit over-the-top (ex: becomes best best friends with lover's wife VERY quickly.) But I could smell Provence, and that's not a bad thing. (At one point it also intertwined with characters from The Hotel Riviera which I had read right before. So, that was fun.)

[Anita · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a good mix relationships, romance and family drama. It is the story of a woman who is reviewing her life, her family and desire to bring life back to her home in Provence. She sets out to hold a family reunion, but forms a whole new family in the process.

[Lorraine · Rating 3 out of 5]

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. Okay it's not a great book, but it's not bad either.

[Vera Leandro · Rating 3 out of 5]

Uma história simples, com descrições que nos transmitem os cheiros, as cores e os sabores da Provença. É um livro agradável de ler e que nos transporta para locais encantadores, fazendo-nos alhear do nosso dia a dia. Gostei.