It sounds like you are playing from a desktop browser. The link will open up the game on Facebook. Then a window will pop up asking if you want to accept the friend. The link still works on my desktop, except that I have already accepted the invitation few days ago.
This happened to me several times. In hind sight, I think the bug has something to do with the use of multiple devices in my case. It works fine if I keep playing on the same device. There were times that I didn't want waste time to scroll down the map to play some old levels to collect candies for the chocolate box. So, Iβ¦
Friends from Japan and Taiwan can't even have their names display on my friends list. I have to change my phone language to Japanese in order to see their names. Used to be able to see them without changing language setting.
I personally don't like the idea of the blanket request for lives. It will be good if King can restore the function to send lives to all friends. Perhaps King should do it in this way: you need to send a live in order to earn a right to request for one.