This was my first read of Emily Hourican and I will definitely be seeking out her other stories. This was a fascinating period of our history, The conflicting opinions regarding Germany, the characters and the lifestyles they led are brought together so well.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for allowing me to read An Invitation to the Kennedys.

I enjoyed this snapshot of life involving the Kennedy's and the Guinness family. The main focus is the younger members of each family, Kathleen 'Kick; Kennedy and Lady Brigid Guinness.

This is a long book but a good book. It did take me a while to read it but that was not due to boredom. It is a lovely book and one I want to enjoy and savour. And that is what I did.

This is a beautifully written story, historical, dramatic, passionate and emotional. A book inspired by real events and real people it is very interesting and puts a different slant on a family that is well known. It is a book that is a joy to read and I highly recommend it.

Thank you NetGalley and Hachette Books Ireland for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book.

Beautifully written historical fiction at its best.Love the real characters portrayed here.I was drawn right Into this saga and read late into the night .#netgalley #hatchetteireland

I am a big fan of historical fiction and I really was drawn to this one. The fact that it is based on real people makes it even more intriguing. I thought that the characters really came to life and I was mezmerized by the story.

This is the 4th novel I have read set in the world of the glamorous guiness family and friends. What can I say other that this is epic and I lost myself completely in the story.

A historical novel with real people brought to life - I spent a long time after reading the book looking them up.
It's a snapshot in time, with complicated relationships against the background of a war you know will come.

Kathleen “Kick” Kennedy moves to London in 1938 and her father Joseph P. Sr. is appointed as America’s 44th Ambassador to the United Kingdom. Kick is a bit of a tomboy, she likes to play football with her brothers, swim and go sailing.

Kick is very different to her English peers, because of her father’s position she’s invited to social events, here she meets William ‘Billy’ Cavendish, the future Duke of Devonshire and his parents wouldn’t approve of Kick being a suitable match for their son and heir.

Lady Brigid Guinness has seen her older sisters marry and have children and she’s not in a hurry to join them. Her brother-in-law Henry ‘Chips Channon’ is married to her older sister Honor, he thinks he’s found her the perfect man for Brigid and he’s a German prince.

Chips invites the Kennedy’s, friends Maureen and Basil ‘Duff’ Blackwood, his sister-in-law Brigid Guinness and Prince Fredrick of Prussia to Kelvedon Hall in Essex, his newly renovated country estate and some uninvited people turn up! Brigid and Kick discover that beneath the facade of politeness, most marriages and the couples are unhappy, the women aren’t prepared for being wives and mothers, children are raised by nannies, men are often unfaithful and have mistresses.

With war clouds quickly gathering in Europe, Joseph Kennedy Sr. has been sent to England and to prevent another World War from starting, his antiwar stance doesn’t go down well and with the next generation of Englishmen who are prepared to fight.

During the week at Kelvedon Hall, Kick and Brigid become friends, Kick swims laps of the pool, plays tennis and she want's to win and she’s a ball of energy. Kick and Brigid notice the atmosphere at Kelvedon Hall is tense, everyone is jumpy, is it because of their marital problems, differences in political sides and the threat of another war?

I received a digital copy of An Invitation to the Kennedys by Emily Hourican from Hachette Ireland and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. The author was inspired by true events and real people to write her latest novel and it includes some fictional characters. Ms. Hourican has thoroughly done her research and she includes the growing anti-Jewish sentiment in Germany in her narrative. The Kennedy’s are a large Irish-American Catholic family, they had nine children, it's an issue with the people they're mixing with and most are members of the Church of England.

I didn’t know a lot a Kathleen Kennedy and she sounded so full of life, fun and effervescent. I admired her mother Rose, she was steadfast in her faith and she wanted to raise her children to make a difference in the world and they did. My favourite quote from the book is "bad deeds begin with vicious thoughts and foolish words and it’s so true." Five stars from me, I find the Kennedy family fascinating and I'm keen to read The Guniess Girls series by Ms. Hourican.

An Invitation to the Kennedys by Emily Hourican is a great historical fiction that includes one of my most favorite families: The Kennedys.

I have read so much, nonfiction and fiction alike, involving the Kennedys, so of course I had to read this book which involves some of the clan during Mr. Kennedy’s time as ambassador to England.

There is fact, fiction, drama, family, passion, emotion…and I enjoyed every moment of it. This does loosely tie in with her other Glorious Guinness Girls series, but can easily be read independently.

I was really impressed with the author’s research and how hard she worked at making sure the fictional narrative fit into the facts. Her Afterword added a lot more context and how she created that tapestry.

4/5 stars

Thank you NG and Hachette Books Ireland for this wonderful arc and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion.

I am posting this review to my GR and Bookbub accounts immediately and will post it to my Amazon, Instagram, and B&N accounts upon publication on 9/14/23.

Very excited to read, review, and acquire this title. I absolutely love historical things pertaining to the Kennedy and I think this will be such an interesting read! I will be sharing more thoughts and a full review soon, but it is so interesting to see how people loved at that period of time and the famous family dynasty that is the Kennedys.