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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Hazel is in Vail on her honeymoon – by herself, during a snowstorm, with no where to go and no one along for the ride. Matteo is home for his best friends wedding that is now cancelled. They meet as Hookers and agree to explore part of the country instead of heading straight home. They agree to see where the wind takes them, but did they didn’t agree to surrender their heart to the other. They both needed time to heal from their own form to heart break, but could they mend each other along the way?
“…I’d at least given her a souvenir to remember from New Orleans – the smile she longed to have from her favorite photo.”
This is a wild adventure. It’s a wild love story. It hurts your heart and it makes you believe in true soul mates. It make you want to flee for New Orleans and find Zara so you too can have your future told.
You know that feeling you get when you’ve read an incredible book? The feeling of your heart being squeezed? The anxious and happy emotion? Well, My Favorite Souvenir did just that!! All sorts of emotions were experienced!! So many adventures and life lessons were revealed along the way!! An unexpected love, difficult decisions and a warmth that was experienced filled my heart and soul!! And i’ll never be able to look at a pineapple again without laughing!! Vi Keeland and Penelope Ward takes you on a thrilling journey filled with an unexpected love and passion! This one gave me the worst book hangover ever!! Incredible story on all levels!! Simply Phenomenal!!
As soon as this arc popped up on my kindle, I drove in. This amazing 5 star story gave me all the feels. Another heartfelt story by a duo of great authors.
They met by a stroke of luck, had the road trip of a lifetime and then to come full circle. Mr & Mrs. Hooker made memories that neither could forget.
This story came at me full force, made me feel a whirlwind of emotions. I was sad, pissed off to the point I wanted to throw my kindle a time or two and most of all, happy. This storyline took a turn that I never expected, I was left baffled and speechless. But of course I got the heartfelt HEA. Bottomline, this is a must read.
Standalone told in a dual POV with an HEA. I strongly recommend this story.
My Favorite Souvenir, from the fabulous duo of Penelope Ward &Vi Keeland, has just jumped to my favorite of all their books! From the best meet cute to an epic road trip “Milo and Maddie Hooker” are a great adventure to go on. I loved each moment. This book is about remembering who you are and to love adventure and to go for what you want. This couple did all that and more and you won’t want to miss this great story about them.
“My Favorite Souvenir” is a fantastic read, it is loaded with fun, passion, romance, friends, angst, and adventure. It also has a little twist that I truly was not expected, kudos to the authors on that one.
You have to read this book, you have to meet the Hookers, Milo and Maddie. That is not their real names but at this time those names fit them perfectly. They are hilarious, passionate and just plain fun.
I highly recommend this book to all romance lovers and to all readers who love to bring home souvenirs from their trips and adventures!
Another smash! I loved this book! Lol it had so many hilarious and heartwarming moments and the chemistry between these two was INTENSE! I also loved the road trip but it was a little short for my liking! Definitely would of liked to see more of that! I liked how sweet and charming the characters were. It was definitely a feel good book with some angst thrown in there near the end!
Oh my word. My Favorite Souvenir is MY favorite book of 2020. It took me on an absolute emotional rollercoaster. There are rare times that I immediately fall in love with both characters, but I fell for Matteo and Hazel fast. I was instantly hooked into this book (I guess you could say I was a hooker ), completely invested in their stories and absolutely loved their slow burn, attraction and once in a lifetime love story. If I’m being completely honest, I cried several times and had FULL BODY CHILLS at different moments and that is how you know just how phenomenal this book was. u2063
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The character development was spot on for each of them. Matteo has a past that has left him broken and an empty shell of what he used to be. He was looking for something or someone to bring the adventure and spark back into his life. The way he loves Hazel, the way he respects everything about her will make every reader swoon. u2063
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Hazel lost her sense of adventure through her relationship or failed engagement. She changed without meaning to and it was just one choice or decision that done it. She embarked on an adventure with a virtual stranger and not only rediscovered herself but was able to help Matteo come full circle. u2063
This book had such a feel good story to it. I have read all of Penelope and Vi’s cowrites and am so honored to be able to read this one. Matteo an Hazel’s story (aka Milo and Maddie) is not what you think it’s going to end up being about. Ye, they meet and form an instant bond of sorts but it is so much more. Hazel is feeling down about what has recently happened in her personal life and goes to a resort to sort things out and think about what her next move is going to be. Matteo has gone home to visit his family and recently has taken time off from teaching to work through some issues from the past that still plague him. The two meet in a most unlikely way and form an instant friendship. “Milo” offers to show “Maddie” around his hometown and the two explore it for a few days. The time comes to leave and they discover they are heading in same direction. Thus begins an adventurous road trip where they learn more about each other and collect souvenirs along the way. Milo and Maddie agree to keep things on a platonic level due to what each has been through. Knowing that there is definitely chemistry between them. They agree to meet up in three months to see if what they feel for one another is still there. What happens when they part ways is what Penelope and Vi are known for. A plot twist you never see coming. This book was full of so much emotion and great adventure. You can’t help but root for Matteo and Hazel. The passion and chemistry these two have and how they understand and support each other and want what is best for one another is so amazi\ng. I absolutely loved this book and the HEA. One of my favorite co writes from this talented team!
I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book.
I fell in love with Maddie and Milo aka (Hazel and Matteo) from there very first night. Penelope Ward and Vi Keeland wrote a story where you can feel the sizzling chemistry of these characters come right off the page. These characters literally go on a journey across the country which leads to healing, self discovery and finding true love. I enjoyed every minute of My Favorite Souvenir and these great characters!
Hazel’s stuck and can’t find a hotel room, anywhere. When she spies a suspicious guy lying to the front desk about his identity, she uses it as a way to wiggle her way into sharing the room he just lied his way into. And what transpires after that is an epic road trip, a slow burn friendship turned more, between two people whose connection to each other isn’t going to reveal itself until far enough into it to make things very difficult for them, as they’re already falling – HARD.
Damn but I loved Hazel and Matteo (Maddie and Milo Hooker) and their witty, seriously sexy adventure. And I felt for them when their connection is revealed and their hearts hurt because it made whatever had come before almost impossible to develop into more. I always love it when an author presents a character outside of the norm, and I found Matteo outside of the norm in that though sexy, he’s not a playboy, he’s not an ass, and he’s just plain adorable without being a wimp. That is one swoony af man. If only all men, both real and fictional, could be more like him! And Hazel, though I wanted her to tell off her douchey ex really early on, I loved her spirit, and how perfect she and Matteo were together. Penelope and Vi write some of the most amazing, loving romances, with sometimes damaged, always substantial, always lovable characters who always have electric chemistry. My Favorite Souvenir is in great company among this writing duo’s very best love stories.
It was impossible not to fall a little bit in love with My Favorite Souvenir. “Milo” and “Maddie” lit up my Kindle with their chemistry which sparked and sizzled from the moment their paths crossed during their adorably unorthodox meet-cute, and only burned hotter as the story progressed. I found myself full-on heart-eyeballed and smiling moonily at my screen while they connected and began their super fun adventure.
It was impossible not to love them. They were both wounded characters in need of healing – but they weren’t looking for that in each other. Indeed, this is a story of love found where it was least expected. And in some ways that turned their lives completely upside down. In other ways it put all the puzzle pieces snugly together. Their story is a bit of a rollercoaster, but their chemistry together was never dulled. When together, the story lit me up inside, it shone so brightly and was so much fun to read.
Some of the moments they were apart were harder for me to connect with. There are elements of this story that were not my favorite thing to read. I skimmed through some parts that dragged a bit for me, left me feeling impatient and irritated. I don’t think it was poorly written or even necessarily untrue to the characters here – but there were some things I didn’t love, and I kind of wish things had played out differently.
That said – those moments didn’t take away from the gloriousness that was Milo and Maddie. By the end of the book that giant smile was pasted back on my face and I was wiping away happy tears. I loved every moment of them together. I loved their quirky, fun, and occasionally heart-wrenching story. But most of all I loved the very true way they loved each other, and how satisfying that was to read in the end. Definitely one of my favorites from this author duo and definitely worth checking out! ~ Shelly, 4 Stars
My Favorite Souvenir is so charming and beautiful and perfect. The story of Hazel and Matteo is a love story that can only be told by the likes of Vi Keeland and Penelope Ward. It’s why I always come back to their books.
Maddie, aka Hazel, is nursing a broken heart and decides to take advantage of a pre-planned vacation she should have taken with her ex. Milo, aka Matteo, is suffering from the long-term loss of his love, facing his own existential crisis. Like the snowstorm that strands them in Vail, Colorado, Maddie and Milo are thrown together in what can only be seen as an act of nature, or an act of fate.
Together they embark on an adventure that will hopefully lead to healing both of their hearts. Maddie is sweet, trusting, and up-for-anything. Milo is cute and sexy and a true gentleman. And in true Keeland & Ward style, there are twists and turns to tug at every heartstring you possess (and some you didn’t realize you had) and coax the tears from your eyes. This story had me smiling and laughing and crying throughout. I absolutely loved it!
I thoroughly enjoyed going on a road trip with Milo and Maddie Hooker!! Penelope and Vi bring us another amazing couple who definitely pulled at my heartstrings!
I really loved the premise of the book, two people stuck in a snowstorm with no hotel room, ending up together by falsely claiming to be other people to secure a room. Then to go on an adventure together under these aliases, experiencing all kinds of fun things, getting to know each other all while never knowing each other’s real names. Getting to know each other on a deeply personal level, with no outside influences to interfere with their journey.
Then when they go back to reality, all kinds of curveballs come at them. How are they going to handle what they learn about each other? Can the slow burn romance that’s been brewing between them survive in the real world or are they going to be relegated to brother and sister Milo and Maddie Hooker forever? I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough to find out!!
Penelope and Vi sure are masters at throwing in some pretty hefty plot twists, and the one in this story was a doozy. Talk about fate, destiny, serendipity, whatever you want to call it, Hazel and Matteo get hit with some challenges in part 2 of this story, and I was holding my breath and crossing my fingers that everything was going to work out!! What a ride!
My absolute favorite part of this story was the road trip!! Particularly the stop in New Orleans. All their adventures were fun and funny and I loved the souvenirs they picked up along the way. What a great story this is!!
My Rating: 5 Adventurous stars!
In this latest hit by Penelope and Vi, we are introduced to Hazel and Matteo, two people who share a connection unknowingly but embark on an adventure of a lifetime under false pretenses.
When Hazel’s world comes crashing down after her wedding has been called off, she decides to venture off to Vail, Colorado, for her solo honeymoon. What she hadn’t counted on was running into Matteo and realizing that her entire world has just been turned upside down in the best way possible.
Hazel and Matteo quickly begin an adventure as fake siblings “Milo and Maddie” Hooker, and what an adventure Penelope and Vi weave for us to enjoy!
This novel will have you swooning, laughing, and maybe even shedding a happy tear (ortwo). It is a fantastic co-authored book that I will certainly read again and again!
NO SPOILERS!
My Favorite Souvenir has hands down been the BEST and my FAVORITE co-written romance from Penelope Ward and Vi Keeland, and I absolutely LOVED Matteo and Hazel’s sweet, sexy, swoon-worthy, and entertaining story!
The storyline was superb and so much better than I anticipated. Penelope Ward and Vi Keeland have never failed to give readers romantic stories with unique and intriguing plots, and My Favorite Souvenir has been the best one yet. I absolutely loved the journey these two talented authors took me on with Matteo and Hazel’s story, and I truly couldn’t have loved it more. The ending was PERFECTION, and made me beyond ecstatic.
The characters were outstanding, and I fell head over heels in love with Matteo and Hazel. They were amazing in every way, and I adored their personalities and red-hot chemistry together. I also loved the deep and easy connection they shared and all of their banter and interactions with each other. Matteo and Hazel’s situation was extremely unique, and despite a few things that happened, I loved how their relationship progressed throughout.
My Favorite Souvenir was beyond phenomenal in every single way, and I absolutely loved Matteo and Hazel’s unique, sweet, sexy, and swoon-worthy love story! Penelope Ward and Vi Keeland created pure romance magic and perfection with My Favorite Souvenir, and it has definitely been their BEST co-written novel to date!
Ah! Be still my heart! This book had everything that I look for in a book. It had lust, angst, chemistry, love, and it was a lot of fun to read.
Milo and Maddie (if that is even their real names ) met during a snowstorm in Colorado hot it off as friends immediately. They decide to head out on an adventure instead of heading home just yet.
After real life hits them over the head, decisions have to be made and inevitably someone is bound to get hurt.
My Favorite Souvenir is everything I love about romance books wrapped up in a charming, witty, smart, sexy, feel-good story of finding love just when least expected. Just when you thought life had dealt the worst of hands, you pick an ace and suddenly you’ve won the whole pot.
I devoured the tale of “Maddie and Milo Hooker” in mere hours. I couldn’t put down My Favorite Souvenir until I read the last word. I had to find out where the fun and fantasy of anonymity ended and real life began. Had to know they reached their happily ever after.
And they did, but, oof, it wasn’t a turbulence free trip. From their very first meet-cute to their pact to meet again, I couldn’t help but root for Maddie and Milo to figure things out and make their relationship real. They both had things to overcome from their pasts—pasts fraught with insecurities and getting over previous relationships.
But once they worked through the issues and finally realized what they had was real and true, Maddie and Milo never looked back. And that’s amazingly well written romance at its finest!
Not sure how they do it! I always think Penelope and Vi have wrote the best book, then they go and out do themselves! My Favorite Souvenir was phenomenal! I have been in a book funk lately and have not read in over a month, just could not get any interest in it. But I knew a new book by this power duo was coming out and would most likely jump start my interest again, and boy, I was not wrong! This book tells the story of Milo and Maddie (Matteo and Hazel) through their crazy adventure. Matteo and Hazel meet during a snowstorm in Vail and take over the identities of Milo and Maddie Hooker, a couple who did not show up for their hotel reservations. After a couple days of hanging out, it’s time to go their separate ways and head back to where they were heading to before the storm hit. They do not want to say goodbye yet, so Milo ask Maddie to come with him on a road trip adventure and they will go to wherever the wind takes them. During the road trip, they hit many stops and collect a souvenir at every stop. But their favorite souvenir is each other. This story is cute, laugh out loud funny and unlike anything I have read before. Way to hit it out of the ballpark ladies!!!
Sweet, adorable, romantic…what more can I say? I really adored this funny romance and swooned all over the place. Matteo and Hazel won me over from chapter one. They may have had the slow burn…complicated meet cute but what an epic soul mate story. I love romances that feel like destiny is guiding our hero and heroine and I feel like this book was clever and funny and just entertaining to read. Definitely a great mood lifter and one I’ll recommend.
AND…..
GAHHHH!!!! I loved this book hard. So light and easy to read. Super easy to get lost in the characters and their unique stories. I fell for them instantly. Penelope and Vi are the dream team once again. This laid back read is definitely not to be missed. And the TWIST!!!! GAHHHH! I can usually predict these. Not this one. I didn’t know until the very end if things would end up kosher or not. The angst was amazing. MUST READ!!
I have to say, this story was not what I had expected. It was a little slow for me to get into, but as the story progressed, I found myself wrapped up in the adventure that Keeland and Ward gave us. Everything that both Hazel and Matteo endured to get to where they are… and become the Hookers. I laughed so much as well as felt their raw emotions. I mean, helle pineapples! Their connection was spellbinding and intense even when things imploded for them.
Overall, this was a great read and once I really got into it, I could not put it down and totally devoured it. It was quirky and fun. Emotional but also uplifting at the same time. Very much a must read for 2020!