REVIEW: Hate Notes by Vi Keeland and Penelope Ward

Hate Notes by Vi Keeland and Penelope Ward: It all started with love gone wrong…. Charlotte is feisty, creative, and driven to live her life on her own terms. Charlotte thought she was happily engaged until she learned that her fiancé was cheating on her. Her life is turned upside down when she leaves him and quits her job at his family’s company. Selling her wedding dress leads to finding an amazing dress with the most romantic love note sewn inside.

Reed is a textbook workaholic. He really doesn’t have anything in his life after a broken engagement other than selling real estate in the family firm. He is very professional and keeps his own counsel. He’s successful, difficult, stubborn, wonderful to look at, cynical, generous, and charming when he wants to be.

Reed and Charlotte don’t get off on the right foot. Charlotte has her reasons for how they meet, but Reed isn’t one to stand for anyone wasting his time and he makes that crystal clear. After that initial meeting, Reed is very unhappy to learn that Charlotte is the newest hire and that he will have to work with her.

“How do you know about that?” She snapped her fingers. “Ah…you were on my Instagram page.”
“Well, it’s public, unlike-oh, I don’t know-sifting through someone’s personal files.”
Charlotte laughed. “You’re a stalker.”
“Takes one to know one, I suppose.”

Charlotte is quirky and unique, which Reed tends to find annoying, amusing, or annoying because he’s reluctantly amused by her. They banter and bicker and challenge each other as they get to know each other. Charlotte proves herself to be quite valuable to the office even though she’s a constant distraction for him. There is a definite attraction and a lot of not so suitable matchmaking.

“I never would’ve guessed…”
“Shut up. Did you call for a reason, or did you just get the urge to poke fun at someone so you automatically dialed my extension?”
“Actually, I called for a reason. You just make it so easy to poke fun.”

Hate Notes is fun, steamy, emotional, and quite the slow burn. Vi Keeland and Penelope Ward keep the tension and anticipation high with conflict and family interference. Ms. Keeland and Ms. Ward created a really fun and heartwarming cast of characters. Fans of Sawyer Bennett and Christina Lauren will enjoy Hate Notes.

Book Info:

Publication: November 6th 2018 | Montlake Romance |

It all started with a mysterious blue note sewn into a wedding dress.

Something blue.

I’d gone to sell my own unworn bridal gown at a vintage clothing store. That’s when I found another bride’s “something old.”

Stitched into the lining of a fabulously feathered design was the loveliest message I’d ever read: Thank you for making all of my dreams come true.

The name embossed on the blue stationery: Reed Eastwood, obviously the most romantic man who ever lived. I also discovered he’s the most gorgeous. If only my true-love fantasies had stopped there. Because I’ve since found out something else about Mr. Starry-Eyed.

He’s arrogant, cynical, and demanding. I should know. Thanks to a twist of fate, he’s my new boss. But that’s not going to stop me from discovering the story behind his last love letter. A love letter that did not result in a happily ever after.

But that story is nothing compared to the one unfolding between us. It’s getting hotter, sweeter, and more surprising than anything I could have imagined.

Something new.

But I have no idea how this one is going to end . . .