Amazon’s #1 Most Unputdownable Book of the Year. An Amazon Charts bestseller.A Wall Street Journal bestseller.A Washington Post bestseller. From New York Times bestselling authors Vi Keeland and Penelope Ward comes an unexpected love story of secondhand hearts and second chances… 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…
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It’s really good! I really enjoyed this story. Such a SWEET romance that I really enjoyed reading. A great escape from reality.
Audio Review from 2018
This was my first listen for their duets and it was great!
This couple went from strangers to enemies to frenemies to friends to epic lovers!
Their journey was hard fought and the end of their begging was beautiful!
And that epilogue was GORGEOUS!!
“I can’t make you love me if you don’t” — Bonnie Raitt
The following ratings are out of 5:
Romance:
Heat/Steam:
Story/Plot:
World building:
Character development:
Favorite Quote: “I’d joked about Charlotte Darling and her pixie dust. There was always something magical about her”
The heroine: Charlotte Darling – after finding her fiancé in a compromising position, charlotte goes to sell her wedding dress to a store that sells vintage dresses. While waiting at the store she finds a dress she loves and tries it on, finding a blue note sewn inside. The note was a love note to the former owner of the dress.
The Hero(es): Reed Eastwood – runs a successful real estate/property management business with his brother and grandmother. Reed is aloof, acrimonious and assertive. He has become cynical since he and his fiancé broke up.
The story: Intrigued by the blue note in the dress, Charlotte cyber-stalks Reed’s facebook account and sets up a meeting with him. Charlotte somehow ends up working for Reed’s company and spends a lot of time with the prickly man. The more time the pair spend together, the more curious they get about each other.
This book was a slow burn grumpy boss romance. The writing was good and I really enjoyed the dynamic between the two main characters. I also liked some of the supporting characters, Reed’s grandmother Iris was an awesome character and his brother Max.
I don’t usually like the slow burn romance, but when they are written well, they actually can be really great. When a book isn’t written as well, it can seem like most of the interactions between the couple are just scenes thrown in that don’t serve much purpose except to take up space. While if the writing is good, each scene is part of the romance and building to it’s ultimate conclusion, adding background and color to the book.
I probably say this too much but I loved everything about this story. Charlotte and Reed are adorable, separately and together. Charlotte is wonderfully quirky and immediately loveable. Reed took some getting used to because he frustrated me to no end at first, but he has his reasons for being so standoffish and he does come around eventually.
Charlotte stalking Reed online might have been slightly disturbing if it wasn’t so hilarious but their initial meeting was just so good. This book deals with some surprisingly heavy subject matter but handles the topics respectfully while still managing to be a romantic comedy, so this story is the whole package. It’s a slow burn with a lot of obstacles for the couple so I wasn’t confident this was going to be a true HEA but I enjoyed the ending very much, especially the epilogue.
The secondary characters are awesome here so I really wish the authors would tell Max’s story and give us more Iris. This is a sweet, funny, heartwarming read and it’s just what I needed during a tough week. This author combo hasn’t let me down yet so I’m excited to read more of their work.
I couldn’t put it down. The love story had me wanting the happy ending, yet I didn’t want book to end!
Exquisite from Beginning to End
That was the most beautiful heartfelt read ever.
It was a hard won journey of love that I thoroughly enjoyed going on.
I loved everything about this Read/Listen.
Utter perfection… BRAVA!!!
I’m kicking myself for not reading this sooner. These ladies really know how to capture you with their words. Their stories will always grab you from the moment you start. Reed and Charlotte will have you rooting for them throughout. Loved this! Absolute must read!!
Charlotte and Reed are two complex characters that have each have their own issues but have such an amazing story. It’s a sweet love story where the characters are well written and loveable. Reed is guarded and the reasoning is surprising and not what I expected. I loved every minute of it and will not hesitate to pick up a book by these authors.
Hate Notes by Vi Keeland was a beautiful story that took me on one HECK of an emotional rollercoaster ride of a journey and I loved every single moment of it!
We have Charlotte and we have Reed, and these are two amazingly developed characters that you cannot help but fall head over heels for!
Charlotte has this amazing zest for life, even after a ton of knock backs. Reed is stoic, grumpy, driven, and amazing.
Their connection is instant, vibrant, and one that takes twists and turns as they fight it and are continuously drawn together.
The CHEMISTRY is FIRE. The story evocative, and touching, making you laugh, making you cry, making you swoon, but most importantly making you cheer them on as love is explored, is experienced, is honoured, is found.
If you’re looking for a story that will wreck you and mend you page after page in the best possible way, Hate Notes is the book for you!
P. S. I adore Iris. Everyone needs an Iris!
Loved this book, did not want it to end!!! The notes in the wedding dresses wow!!!
Hate Notes is a slow burn so none of that burning sheets on page three here. Reed Eastwood is intriguing while the heroine is hilarious.
I enjoyed this book. I want to find more from these authors! I was glad to see it wasn’t quite as rounchy that I thought it would be. I would definitely recommend this book.
This book is a fantastic enemies-to-lovers, work place romance. Its funny, sexy, and heartbreakingly beautiful.
When Charlotte Darling went to sell her unused wedding gown, she found a peculiar gown that caught her attention. Trying it on, she discovered a blue note stitched to it. Falling in love with both the dress and the note, she takes them home. Wondering what happened to the couple, way more than two glasses of wine in her system, and some internet stalking she finds the mystery man who wrote the note.
Reed Eastwood is in real estate and meets Charlotte while showing a property. To say this meeting wasn’t a pleasant one, is an understatement. Reed is a total jerk to her, but considering the circumstances, we can’t honestly blame him.
Though the meeting was definitely a downside to her day, if it didn’t happened, she wouldn’t have received a job offer she couldn’t resist. She’s ecstatic that her life is getting back on track and that she finally got a break from life, that is until she finds out she is working for Reed Eastwood.
This starts a chain reaction of intense chemistry, amusing banter, and heartbreaking moments. If you’re looking for a funny, sexy read that will twist your heart at the same time in the best possible way, I would give this book a try!
This book started out as a delicious enemies-to-lovers romance, with a quirky heroine and a grumpy hero that I absolutely loved. But that was only the beginning.
As the story develops, both main characters take on unexpected layers, giving them real depth and substance as they battle each other. The authors introduce some tough topics, but they do it with impressive grace and sensitivity.
By the end, you’ll be feeling ALL the feels, and loving every swoony minute of it.
I REALLY LOVED this story.
Vi Keeland and Penelope Ward are always Magical together,and Hate Notes was no exception.
Charlotte and Reed gave me all the feels,I laughed and cried in equal measure.
This is a slow burn,and they take their time with their romance ,but it is so worth it and my heart was left happy.
This is a story of Hope that Love can conquer everything,despite any obstacles that feel impossible to overcome,they can with faith, belief and the right person excepting you for everything you are.It surprised me with the issue Reed had,and I thought oh no this book is going to break my heart.But it did the opposite it left me fully satisfied and my heart full.
This is a wonderful Romance and I highly recommend it.
5 stars
This was my first book by either author and I’ll definitely be checking out more! u2063
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This was an interesting setup…When Charlotte goes to sell her unused wedding dress she finds a blue note sewn into another dress in the shop. She thinks the note is the most romantic thing she’s ever read, so she decides to track down the man who wrote it. Reed Eastwood. Turns out, he’s an arrogant ass but in a not-surprising twist of fate, he’s also her new boss. u2063
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I really enjoyed this one! The chemistry between Charlotte and Reed was intense from the very beginning. They form a sort of friendship by helping each other check items off their “fuck-it lists” and we get to watch that friendship grow into something more…eventually. Say it with me, friends – Sloooooooow Burn. Like, REALLY slow! I will say, however, that the return on investment is worth it in the end. u2063
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The story does actually have a heavier issue that becomes key to the story. I thought it was handled very well and given the attention it deserved. u2063
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I teared up reading the epilogue for this one. So beautifully well done! u2063
Reed is a workaholic and when his mother hires Charlotte who is not afraid to talk back to him. He keeps his distance and is very short with her but the attraction is undeniable. Charlotte is also attracted to Reed but he keeps pushing her away. Can they be together? Great characters and storyline. Highly recommended. Awesome book
“It was fate…I’ll always believe that I was meant to find you”
Just wow!
I think this is like the 4th/5th time I reread this story, and every time is like falling in love again with Charlotte and Reed’s story.
This book always leave me on a rollercoaster of emotions with no way out.
Fate has always a strange way to work , I have always believed in it , maybe because I’m an helpless romantic but If it’s meant to be there’s no way to avoid it. And this story proved just that.
Two broken people , two souls who just need to love and to be loved . Both too much stubborn to accept what it was meant to be theirs since their first meeting .
It was all about learning how to start really living life at 100% , love and finding what really matter in life and then never letting it go.
“But you need to figure out how to love the life that you have, while you work on the life that you want.”
Charlotte has become one of my favorite character so far. Her kindness, compassion , strength and passion towards everything was so much inspiring . She saw the best in people even in cold and careless men like Reed .
She challenged him like no one else, she brought back some colors in his life after having his heart broken , and he loved every second of it , even if he was very good at hiding it.
“Love wasn’t about a beautiful dress, a note, or even poignant words. It was about being with someone through thick and thin, about seeing them through not only the best moments of life but also the worst. It was about being there for someone like I would have been there for Reed if he’d let me. I thought of my birth mother. True love was also about forgiveness.”
In no time she grow on him , he couldn’t find a way to resist her any longer . He tried so hard , but it was too late . She owned him. He had just to admit it to himself before it was to late.
There were so much funny dialogues and also really sweet and meaning-full moments that melted me .
“You can’t make someone love a person. But the opposite is also true. Nothing can make someone unlove a person, either.”
I gave it 5 stars
I hope you’ll enjoy it like I did!
I loved this book from the beginning all the way until the end. The love and romance of the two main characters Reed and Charlotte was incredible. Such a sweet story that will stick with me for quite some time. One of my favorites that I have read this year so far. I could not put it down. Penelope and Vi you are two of my favorite authors for a reason. I cannot get enough of your writing. That ending tho was perfect!! I love how this story all started out with a note.
An adorably sweet, heartfelt, witty, and charming story. Vi Keeland and Penelope Ward are the ultimate duo, I have enjoyed every single moment of their books.