Hate Notes

*Big Spoilers***Unpopular Opinion**Look, I highlighted the crap out of this book because the whole thing was just too improbable and the plot sort of ran itself ragged, lacking a cohesive arc.Not helping were our protagonists, Reed and Charlotte, whom I felt were recycled and also an amalgam of this duo's other book characters - namely, Stuck-up Suit, Bossman, and EgomaniacIf you’ve read the blurb then you know Charlotte was recently cheated on by her fiancé, which precipitated losing her job and home. The thing is, Charlotte is a ditz who seemingly has no clue how to navigate life without a man. And, as with most of Keeland’s and Ward’s heroines, she’s without friends (which I find preposterous as nobody is an island). Anyway, moving on.By a stroke of luck, Charlotte finds a love note that, as it turns out, leads her to Reed.By another stroke of luck, she’s immediately hired by Reed’s grandmother because, of course, Reed was mean to her and while she was hiding in the bathroom, crying her eyes out, serendipity happens.Imagine for a second all the ducks that needed to be in that one row, managing to somehow create a circuitous meeting for these two. Seriously, can we say plot manipulation?Never mind.Reed, of course, has a big secret (not the ex, thank small mercies) that only he must know....leading to a situation where Charlotte all but chased him around like the coyote and the road-runner. Mad props to Char for tenacity, but mehn, that woman needed a dose of self-love.Eventually, and only when it seems Char might prefer another bloke, Reed roused from his pity party enough to pursue her right all the way to France.And....well, you can read my notes because I'm suddenly just tired and disillusioned. I had such high hopes for this book, I mean, just look at that cover. Le sigh.

Such a sweet story! Not what I expected going in but so much more that I couldn't put it down. I loved Reed and Charlotte! Everything that happened with the both of them made them that much more real. There were also some laugh out loud moments so watch out for those if you're reading in a public place or else people will look at you like you're crazy... You just gotta love Miss Darling! 😏👌

I always get so excited when I see a new book by these two authors. They always write unique stories that you can’t put down, this one was no different. I loved everything about this book and the cover.Charlotte is looking at wedding dresses at a second hand store. She is trying to sell her unused wedding dress but the store will only give credit. So she walks out of the store with a gorgeous wedding dress with a hand written blue note stitched inside.Reed is in real estate and sells very big expensive properties. While doing a showing he meets Charlotte and their meeting doesn’t go so well. After the awful showing she receives a job offer she can’t turn down. She never expected she would be working for Reed.The chemistry between these two was off the charts. I loved the banter between them. There were times this book would have me in tears and then I would be laughing. Hate Notes had it all and was perfection! I highly recommend this book and can’t wait for more work from these amazing authors.

Perhaps because I'm a grown-up I had to stop at 47%. This passage was the last straw: "And I knew I'd taken this too far. I was her boss, and I'd just demanded to see her underwear. I was fondling it." Ya think? Early on I had intimations of rocky reading ahead when our heroine, newly hired personal assistant Charlotte, cheerily remarks to her new boss: "You know I'm naked under here. But that doesn't mean I have to show you my breasts." One awkwardly contrived situation after another spotlights the couple's mutual lust; situations which, in the real world, would've earned Reed a sexual harassment conviction and gotten Charlotte fired for inappropriate behavior. He manages his pain over his ex-fiancee's betrayal by treating his assistant like excrement and Charlotte takes it and bounces back, so I guess they're made for each other. Come on, people, surely we can do better than this.

I love love love LOVE this book so much. Reed is afraid to love because of his illness but he fell so hard for Charlotte that he is more afraid of losing her than loving her. This book does not have much sexual scenes, but it sure yanks your heartstrings a lot. I teared up twice.

What is happening to me? I actually pride myself on not being a romance reader. Romance in general has not been my thing. Sure, I go through spurts where I like them. There are even some subgenres that I particularly find myself enjoying more than others, but I feel like I am going soft. I have fallen for more romance books lately than usual. Am I going soft?This book is so good! From the plot, the writing, the characters... I enjoyed this book from the beginning. I couldn't wait to get the HEA I knew I was in store for, but at the same time I wasn't so sure I wanted the book to end. From the sweet moments, to the mishaps, to the giggles, to the swooning, I was a goner after the first chapter.How can anyone not love these characters. So full of passion and life. So full of attitude and snark. The entire cast of characters were written so well, there is no way anyone can not like this book, no matter the plot. However, frenemies is the perfect trope for them. I enjoyed not only watching the characters grow and learn about themselves, but I enjoyed their slow burn of enemies to friends to lovers.I am so glad that my book club chose this as our group read for this month. It was everything I didn't know I was looking for right now. It's a perfect mixture of angst, laughs, romance, and happenstance I have read in a really long time.

Charlotte was abandoned on church steps by her birth mother , luckily she was adopted by two wonderful caring people and grew up in a loving home . Charlotte’s life had recently taken battering having just broken up with her cheating fiancé after she caught him and his PA in a compromising position , subsequently she also lost her job as she worked at her ex fiancés family’s company . Now without a job and in desperate need of money , Charlotte takes her unused wedding dress to a second hand dress shop where she sees an absolutely fabulous wedding dress that she falls in love with so she gets it . When she looks closer at the garment Charlotte finds a blue love note pinned on the inside and signed by Reed Eastwood . Searching on the internet Charlotte finds that he never did get married and automatically thinks the worst about him . After getting drunk one evening she hatches a plan to meet him but it doesn’t go the way she’s hoping it would ,with said plan in tatters and upset she leaves but not before bumping into a lady by the name of Iris , little does Charlotte know that her life is going to take a path that is destined to change her life completely . The story continues the exchanges between Reed & Charlotte are so sweet she’s quirky with a good sense of humour but Reed is very guarded and the reason why he’s like that soon becomes apparent . All in all it’s a thoroughly enjoyable very sweet love story with a very beautiful ending .

This is my first book by these authors and I had heard great things about it so I knew I had to pick it up! It's been a long time since I have up sleep for a book! I honestly couldn't put it down and finished it in one sitting!Charlotte is hilarious, yes she's crazy and very clumsy when Reed is around but I haven't stopped laughing at her awkwardness. But she shows no care in what other people think of her, especially not Reed. I also love how she doesn't put up with Reed's crap, she gives him as good as he gets. I hate female characters who are meek and feeble but these are two words I won't use to describe Charlotte. Charlotte may be a little qwerky but she has a much deeper, sensitive side and it was really nice to see that 'real' side of her and how quickly Reed understood and supported her.Reed is an ass, an alphahole but a lovable one (if you search deep, deep down 😂) You can tell from the start that he's hiding something, but I would never have guessed what! Talk about curve ball......Reed may be an ass but in his mind, he has reason to be. Despite his reluctance towards Charlotte, you could clearly see that he cared for her deeply and that was what made me fall for him."It's killing me that your hurting. Come home with me. Let me take care of you. I love you. I love you Charlotte."Grandma Iris, oh who doesn't love an interfering grandmother 😂😂 this woman is everything! And she is ALWAYS right."My grandmother always said a lady gave them an angel's smile and kept her devilish thoughts to herself."This book is filled with clichès but I love it. It's nothing like I was expecting. These authors have had me laughing, swooning and almost, almost crying. The ending was more beautiful than i could have imagined. This book is now in my top 5 for 2018, there's no other place for it!"Love isn'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."

I really enjoyed reading another joint effort by Vi Keeland and Penelope Ward. In this book their partnership has produced an exciting, unpredictable and very readable story. One I found hard to put down.Whilst Charlotte Darling is in the process of selling her unused wedding gown she finds a hand written blue love note sown in the hem of another not worn gown. 'Something blue'. This note was signed by Reed Eastwood and in her desire to find who he is online and the reasons why he declared his feelings in such an endearing manner, she makes a fascinating discovery. Reed sells expensive, high-end property and is in fact a wealthy real estate company owner. He had previously been set to marry.It appears that both Charlotte and Reed have taken different routes in overcoming their failed relationships which would have led to marriage. Charlotte is positive about her situation, is truthful, impulsive, cheerful and full of fun. And currently looking for work. Whereas, Reed's attitude is generally negative, he is emotionally closed-off and is not interested in having any intimate relationship. But even on their first meeting his outlook on life changed drastically when faced with the fireball that is Charlotte Darling. l recommend you read and find out.

Who ever thought a little blue note hidden in a wedding dress would lead to such a beautifully written story that takes you on a journey of Broken Hearts to fun, laughs, tears and a Heart filled with LOVE!Yes this story is all about LOVE!!When heartbroken Charlotte finds a mystery note in a wedding dress, she's driven to find out if the writer of the note had the romantic ending or ended up with losing faith in Love, as she had, when finding her cheating fiance.So a drunken night with friends and a meeting, an older woman's kindness and Charlottes life is just about taking a 360 turn, for be better?Well her new boss is Reed Eastwood, cynical, moody a man totally closed off to love, devoted to his highly successful job, but also the author of the mystery note!I absolutely loved both these characters, Reed, even though obnoxious just about stole my heart. Charlotte was just so adorable and I truly loved her unfiltered mouth and her outlooks on life. She definitely give me a permanent smile and i looked forward to every page to see what fun their banter would bring next !! Even though both Charlotte and Reed were like two opposites, it was also obvious that they really complemented each other and the attraction and chemistry between the two bounced right out of the pages into your heart. I think this is the best yet from these two authors, and from beginning to end this book keeps you totally engaged. It's a perfect beginning, a middle and an end, that has your emotions fully involved because you can't help but become fully entangled with their lives.

I thought this book was utterly adorable.I loved quirky Charlotte Darling with her air typing, love of squirrels and her $uck-it list. She made me giggle on the bus. She is pure sunshine with fairy dust.Reed Eastwood and Charlotte together are hilarious. She is the perfect antidote to his grumpiness. How can you not smile at a dog surfing teacher especially one that called her own dog Richard Stamps? I want to be more Charlotte.The premise of the book, girl finds romantic note in a second hand wedding dress then finds the man who wrote said note through the wonder of the internet grabbed me. How Charlotte then moves into the role of his assistant is a bit far fetched but I don’t care. It’s fiction. It’s allowed to be whatever.I feel a bit bereft now and don’t know what to do with myself. I might google blush pink feathered wedding dresses, that will cheer me up.