From New York Times Bestselling authors Penelope Ward and Vi Keeland comes a new, sexy standalone novel.
My planned trip for two unexpectedly turned into a trip for one. Rather than let my breakup get me down, I packed my bags and decided a week at a luxury resort was just what I needed.
But one calamity after the next, and suddenly I was stuck without a hotel room, along with a few hundred … room, along with a few hundred other people.
It looked like my fancy vacation was about to turn into me sleeping on the hotel lobby floor.
Until I overheard a gorgeous man pretending to be someone he wasn’t in order to steal a reservation from a guest who hadn’t shown up yet.
When I realized there were two rooms, instead of calling him out, I pretended to be his sister. That’s how the story of “Milo and Maddie Hooker” began.
We were the Hookers.
My depressing trip quickly made a U-turn into an adventure.
My fake brother spent the next few days showing me around his hometown. When it was time to leave, neither of us really wanted to go yet.
So, instead of flying back to our respective homes, we ventured on a road trip.
At every stop, we’d pick up souvenirs.
But as hot as our chemistry was, we never crossed the line.
Milo knew I’d just come out of a tough relationship and didn’t want to mess with a vulnerable woman.
So instead, at the end of our trip, we made a pact to meet again in three months.
It was always my intention to meet him.
But when I got back home, reality hit in a big way.
And I worried I may have lost my handsome stranger forever.
Was there a place for him in my future?
Or had the memory of him just become my favorite souvenir?
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H O. LEE. SHIITAKE MUSHROOMS. This may very well be my favorite combined book by these wonderful authors. I loved this book so much. It’s truly unique and such an amazing story. These are the types of characters that really stick with you long after you’ve let them go. They’re the type where you’ll want to revisit them and often. I was almost sad when I read the last word but it’s hard to be sad when I’ve gotten to know and become so attached to Matteo and Hazel. It’s rare to want to read a book as soon as you end it. You’re going to love this story. It was perfect!
I loved Milo/Mateo and Maddie’s/Hazel’s story in My Favorite Souvenir. Maddie was a sweet, loving, carefree, and a fiery red head. She is feeling confused and uncertain about what is next for her after her fiancé called off their wedding. She was once carefree and full of life, but feels like she has lost her true self and forgot about her dreams and aspirations. While alone on her honeymoon in Vale, she meets Milo during a blizzard that will forever change both their lives and open their eyes and hearts. Milo is everything! Milo is gorgeous, talented, thoughtful, protective and a total gentleman. When they are pushed together by their conditions, fate seems to take over that puts them on path that has them rethinking their past and their future. I saw the twist coming, but it did not take anything away from enjoying their journey. My Favorite Souvenir was fun, sweet, sexy and had all the feels. I highly recommend!
This book couldn’t have come at a better time!! I needed something fun & flirty to read. Maddie & Milo did not disappoint:) I loved their ability to be free with a complete stranger and find themselves on their journey. I guess when the heart finds it’s soulmate it knows I laughed out loud, swooned, told Felicity to stuff it and cheered when Matteo opened the door
Another great read by these two co-authors. Sometimes it felt as I’ve read some pieces of the story before and that was strange for me but that’s something personal. It was a very enjoyable read and the story was very well written. I really enjoyed Maddie and Milo’s story.
Hazel never thought she would be in this position, to be on a trip that was supposed to be her honeymoon but yet here she is. With a storm coming in, she will need to stay at a hotel but it seems like there’s no room left. When she overhears a stranger taking someone else’s reservation, she decides to take a chance and introduces herself as his sister to take the second bedroom. There’s just one catch, they’ll have to go by Maddie & Milo. Matteo never imagined himself being stuck at a hotel with a stranger but yet there’s some kind of freedom in not knowing each other’s real name. What begins as a chance encounter is leading towards an adventure. They get to know each other and grow closer each day. When the time comes to say goodbye it’s hard to do as they don’t know whether or not they’ll see each other again and they make a promise to meet up in a few months… But life has a way to intervene and may have some surprises in store… Will they find their way back to each other?…
My Favorite Souvenir quickly became my favorite escape from reality. It was an emotional, soul searching, wild adventure across the country.
Hazel and Matteo meet completely by chance when both stranded in Colorado and trying to get a hotel room. This simple meeting quickly formed a faux sibling relationship of Maddie and Milo Hooker and led to an adventure that neither of them expected. What happens when the adventure is over and real life sets in?
I LOVED every single moment of this book. Hazel and Matteo’s adventures were fun and it felt like you were joining them on this wild ride. Watching their relationship grow over the course of two weeks was magical. They bonded, they got to know each other (minus their real names), they both opened up and came out of the shells they were hiding in. I loved their chemistry and their sweet relationship. There was attraction instantly which led to a lot of tension throughout the course of the book.
An expected turn occurs and the story takes an emotional turn that will gut you. There were times this frustrated me and I was yelling at my kindle. However, I loved watching Hazel grow and really find who she is and what she wants in life.
My Favorite Souvenir is a MUST READ and a TOP BOOK of 2020 for me.
My Favorite Souvenir
Vi Keeland and Penelope Ward
This Dynamic Duo does it again with an unique storyline, hot characters and humor thrown all over the pages
Matteo and Hazel’s adventures across the country leave you with an itch to travel and be adventurous as them. Only problem is, I won’t look a any pineapple ever the same
When Vi and Penelope blend their creative writing skills together, we know we’re in for a real treat. Sweet stories, great banter, a pinch of intrigue and lovable characters are guaranteed and My Favourite Souvenir is of no exception. Firstly, I’m still trying to work out how they come up with the names! It certainly didn’t take me long to realize I’d be in for some laugh-out-loud moments.
My Favorite Souvenir isn’t your typical boy meets girl standalone novel. Not only did the authors nail the story’s premise, but the pace of the protagonists’ journey was so embracing that I couldn’t put the book down. As I don’t want to spoil the read for you, I’m not going to mention any names; however, observing them fall into a comfortable friendship was a joy to read. Of course, this isn’t just about them learning how each other tick…there’s so much more to be had from their viewpoints.
“You are just like a big brother, teasing and scaring the crap out of me.”
I’m still not sure I’d have done what the heroine did. Certainly, there are quite a few what-ifs attached to this story. A planned trip gone wrong even before it got off the ground was there for the taking, so why not grab it? Who just happened to be in the right place at the right time was this cocky drop-dead gorgeous guy, selling himself as someone else! I loved the playful ribbing, the way she was on the ball. But the mere fact that timing can at times backfire on us is what gives this contemporary romance its strength.
“…Have any of the destinations we’ve hit mattered? It’s the experience, the thrill of the unknown. It’s never the destination.”
Both the protagonists have their issues to resolve which is done without either of them relying on the other. I liked this. So often the hero jumps in to save his lady only to complicate matters. I’m not saying there aren’t complications though, and I honestly marveled at the overwhelming odds which occurred.
‘We were both the apparent victims of bad luck.’
Part two is when all the emotions kick in. It’s also where the reader gets to know a dislikable chap who we’d heard of earlier in the story and ooh boy, did he exasperate me or what! I tell you…on many an occasion I would have gladly jumped into my Kindle to make him disappear! How the story pans out from here on in is fast-moving, frustrating in the respect that the reader can see what’s going on but the person we want to can’t.
“…If we’re meant to be together, I’m sure fate will find a way to fix us.”
A couple of scenes and passages took me by surprise, especially as I felt they weren’t quite in keeping with the story. Nonetheless, I enjoyed hating the baddy and the result of the gradual buildup was most certainly worth waiting for. Yes, ladies…it’s a scorcher! I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend this standalone with its smiles, tears, giggles and I can vouch for the cuteness overload. Bravo!
Absolutely brilliant!! Kudos to Penelope and Vi for coming up with a really special and different storyline, when I can’t even imagine how difficult that must be! You ladies truly make magic together!
My Favorite Souvenir, or as I will always affectionately think of it, The Adventures of Milo & Maddie Hooker, lol, is one of my favorite reads of the year so far! It starts out fun and just keeps getting better. It has everything I look for in a contemporary romance! Amazing characters to fall in love with and cheer for in Milo/Matteo and Maddie/Hazel, check. Fun, flirty, fabulous adventures, check. Real and true connection and emotion, check. Sexy times, check. Adorable pets, check. Happily ever after, check. Honestly I enjoyed this book so much I hated for it to end. But what an ending! This is a must read if you are looking for an enjoyable, sweet and fun adventure wrapped in an incredible romance.
I loved this book!!!! Keeland and Ward always gives us readers pure greatness!!!! They’re 100% book royalty!!!! My Favorite Souvenir was amazing!!! Unputdownable!!!!
(3.8 stars)
One chance meeting…one fun and outrageous road trip across country…and two lovable characters. That is what you get in My Favorite Souvenir with an emotional twist of course. Hazel Appleton is stuck when her hotel is booked during a snow storm. That’s where Matteo aka “Milo Hooker” walks in to her life looking to “steal” a hotel reservation. Hazel befriends “Milo” and concocts the “I’m his sister” plan to get a room. As faux brother & sister named Maddie and Milo Hooker, they decide to embark on a road trip that won’t soon be forgotten but within such close quarters will their newly found friendship turn into more? They both are hiding from what awaits them in the regular world but when both worlds collide can they stay friends…or more? This is a sweet and fun road trip romance about taking chances. I enjoyed this book but do admit parts dragged a little for me. If you like a slower friends to lovers story with an emotional twist you will like this one. Told in dual POV.