This is the first book in a new series about a Filipino-American family that has opened a resort in the Outer Banks of NC aimed at helping couples that are drifting apart come back together.

The book starts at a wedding 4 years previously and there is a hook up between Brandon and Geneva that didn't last too long. Perhaps it was expectations, or lack thereof, or that they were too close since they were family friends. But whatever the cause, it takes time for them both to realize that maybe they shouldn't have given up so soon.

While billed as a romance, the romance portion was very light in my opinion. I think it is more of a second chance at romance and Brandon and Geneva working out their issues with each other and on their own. Of course, keeping all of this a secret from their families....who aren't as clueless as you might think. And what better place that the resort for couples that they are helping rebuild after a hurricane took down part of the buildings. Outside of the chemistry between the two, they have their own issues to work through including a lack of commitment and fear of the unknown.

I enjoyed the back and forth between all of the families but I have to say that Chris needs to lighten up. He is the oldest brother of the Puso family and runs the resort and he is a bit of a control freak. I had to laugh at some of the dialogue that involved his wife, Eden. She is an author and I think the funniest part when she said that her characters were not following the outline and were going rogue!  I have heard this from many authors that they have a plan and then the character decides to go down another path.

The book does go back and forth in time so that we can see what happened between Brandon and Geneva in the past. The book did feel longer than normal and while I enjoyed the book, it didn't draw me in as much as other books. I did enjoy the story and the family and am curious what might happen for other siblings in this series. I did learn some new words that are Filipino which I really enjoyed. And of course the food discussions...left me hungry for more!

We give this book 3 paws up.

I love this book. Everything about it was wonderful. The characters were fun, relatable, and interesting. The setting of the Outer Banks was beautiful and brought to life with Tif Marcelo’s wonderful detailing. The storyline of Brandon and Geneva was fun, sweet, sexy, and real. I love the Puso family and all their dynamics.

At the beginning there were plenty of characters to keep track of but quickly it became obvious that they were one big family. I quickly figured out the dynamics between the different characters and how they all fit together. Chris was the boss, the oldest, and in charge. He rubbed many others wrong, but he did not know how to stop being who he was. Geneva was not actually part of the family, but she was welcomed to Heart Resort as if it was where she belonged. Brandon, the youngest, seemed to be pushed aside often. His thoughts were not important, and he felt like he was not needed. There are other characters also, but these were the three that intrigued me most.

I would love to have more to read about the Puso family and see how the family continues their Heart Resort and their relationships. There is a little romance but mostly this is a family drama book.

Tropes:
Best friend's brother/sisters best friend
Second chance
Fake relationship

This book moved a bit slow for me. I also didn't connect very well with the hero, Bran. He's kind of a jerk to his best friend, his brothers are all jerks to him, and I'm confused by the choices he makes. He wanted to sell the Annapolis house 4 years ago but then yelled at Geneva when she wanted to throw out tuperware?

I appreciated the Filipino culture and how Bran had been in therapy for four years. But I wonder, if Bran had trouble taking to his brothers, dealing with storms, and sharing his feelings with Geneva now, what was he like four years ago? Did he grow between then and now?

Very slow burn (80%), the end wrapped up a bit too fast for me, low heat level. I found the side plot of Eden injecting the romance novel plot points a bit too heavy handed.

I was really looking forward to this story about a Filipino-American family and their resort built on a heart shaped peninsula in the Outer Banks, it was billed as a romance but in reality is was more of a family drama with bits of a romance thrown in. That’s not bad per se, but I was expecting a romance novel and I didn’t get that. The first book in a series is always tough as it sets the scene for the series, introduces series characters, and give the reader a feel for the series, and I’ll be honest at times I wish authors would write a prequel that sets that scene and introduces the characters so when the first book comes around, we get an actual story about the two people it’s supposed to be about. As women’s fiction or even just a straight up fiction novel, It Takes Heart mostly works, but as a romance it fails.

From the first chapter I was a bit lost and honestly thought there must have been a first book in the series even though this was labeled the first in a series. It all begins at a wedding reception for the oldest son of the Puso family that lost their parents in an accident four years prior. The youngest son, Brandon, is nursing a sore knee after the garter toss when he is approached by his older sister’s best friend and his long time crush Geneva. The two have a short lived secret relationship that leaves them both sad and hurt. Four years later following a hurricane that has damaged the Puso family’s couples resort named Heart Resort (which sorry IMHO is not a great name), they face each other again for the first time as they help Brandon’s family rebuild and get ready for a grand re-opening .

This book was filled with sibling drama with no one really communicating very well. There were so many secrets between them all despite the fact they promised open communication when they went into business together to buy the resort to pay homage to their late parents. I’m honestly still a bit confused as to why they decided this, the family vacationed in the outer banks, but it was never really spelled out why they felt the need to ditch everything in their lives to open this resort that quite honestly no one seemed thrilled to be running. Between all of that we have Brandon and Geneva first trying to ignore one another, then thrown together working on projects with longing and supposed heat which I never felt, and then trapped together during a tropical storm where they rekindled their previous relationship only to break off again. At times I felt like I was slogging through quick sand trying to get through this book, the characters were not well developed, the plot was all over the place, and to be quite honest because we never really got to know any of the characters well, just bits and pieces doled out I guess to tease future books, I honestly didn’t care about any of them and that’s sad. I feel like the premise of this book was good, the idea was fabulous, but the execution missed the mark big time.

This is my first novel by Ms. Marcelo, one I was very excited to read. I loved the premise of the story - a hidden relationship years ago with his older sister's best friend. A falling out of some sort with the family, and a prodigal son returning to help the family after a hurricance closes the family resort.

I admit I struggled with this story, because I felt as if I missed the very beginning and the story was already in progress right from the start. I hate feeling like I'm lagging behind, like I should already have information crucial to the storyline, so this put a damper on my reading enjoyment.

This really didn't feel like much of a romance between Brandon and Geneva, that felt more like a secondary storyline. But I thought it was supposed to be the primary focus of this book. The family drama really permeated everything, but as this is the first book in the series, perhaps it all needed to be to set the stage for the subsequent books. As a romance book, I wish it had focused more on just Brandon and Geneva.

Overall, I loved the setting of the book and being in the Outer Banks. I enjoyed meeting all of the family members, and I look forward to the rest of the books in the series.

Many thanks to the publisher, Montlake, and Netgalley for providing me with an advanced review copy of this book in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.

les personnages sont sympathiques mais j'ai surtout aimé le contexte et les lieux dans lesquels ils évoluent. Certains passages sont un peu long et l'héroïne m'a parfois agacée, Geneva est une insatisfaite permanente ce qui m'a fait lever les yeux au ciel alors que Brandon essaye de donner le meilleur de lui même en s'oubliant parfois au passage et sans vouloir blesser son entourage. Les pages se tournent rapidement et j'ai aimé leur évolution, tout comme le final qui est vraiment sympathique !

3.5 stars. I enjoyed this first entry in Tif Marcelo's new Heart Resort series, featuring the sprawling, endearing Puso family of siblings who run a couples' retreat resort together in North Carolina. Black sheep brother Brandon is first to get his own book, as he encounters a blast from his past, in the form of his older sister's best friend, Geneva. No one in the family knows they had a secret fling several years ago, which resulted in heartbreak for both. When they both show up to help the resort rebuild after a hurricane, the truth is bound to come out. And there's definitely still something between them, but can they possibly start over?

I spent a lot of this book yelling "just talk to each other!", but no one (except my neighbors) seemed to hear me. There are communication issues between Geneva and Brandon, between Brandon and his semi-estranged siblings, between Geneva and her parents. There's definitely a theme here, of meeting people where they are, and of learning to speak your truth. This book could have been about 25% shorter, but I am looking forward to the next installment.

Thanks to Netgalley, the publisher, and the author for the ARC to review. All opinions are my own.

It Takes Heart is set in the Outer Banks of North Carolina and as a person who has lived in NC for many years and hasn't visited the OBX, this definitely made me want to.

We meet the Puso family, who owns the Heart Resort, a couples resort that has been damaged by a hurricane. With the reopening looming, they have to work as hard and as fast as possible to get it finished. Brandon, one of the sons, returns to the resort to help out and what he doesn't know is that the woman who broke his heart, his sister's best friend, Geneva, is also there helping out.

Geneva and Brandon spent three amazing weeks together, but it didn't end well. That was four years ago, but there is still a lot to unpack between the two of them. They've both had growing to do. Will it have been enough for them to make it work between them?

While we see these two navigate their new relationship, we also get glimpses of the rest of the family, who I expect will play roles throughout the rest of the series. Also, with this being a Filipino-American family, we got to hear phrases, introduced to foods and learned about the culture, which was enjoyable.

I enjoyed this new-to-me author and I look forward to what comes to us next!

**I voluntarily read an early copy of this title courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review**

This is the first book I’ve read by this author, and the cover and blurb had me very intrigued. I wanted to love it, but instead of reading like a romance, this read more like chick-lit or a family drama, so perhaps that’s why I can’t say I loved it. There’s a lot to unpack, so let me break it down a bit.

What I didn’t like: From the very beginning, I felt as if I’d plopped right down about a quarter of the way into the story. It just continually felt like I was missing something that never really was explained. I understand this is the first in a series, and the author won’t resolve a lot until later books, but it honestly felt like a bit more backstory needed to happen. It also read pretty choppily to me. I had to fight to get through the first half of the book, but it did get more interesting from about halfway through the story, so I’m glad I hung in there.

What I did like: Learning the cultural differences between my family and theirs was fascinating. Yet, there were also a lot of similarities that were heartwarming. And second-chance romances are my 2nd fave trope of all time, coming in only slightly behind romantic suspense.

All in all, the book was reasonably entertaining. Enough so that I’m absolutely willing to give book two a chance. Sometimes I fall in love with a new-to-me author’s writing right away, sometimes I hate it, and sometimes I’m a bit ambivalent. At the moment, it’s the latter, but there’s always room for improvement, and I really hope she wows me with the next book in the series.

NICUnurse’s Rating: 🌟🌟🌟

Synopsis: Heart Resort, a private resort in the Outer Banks, is a romantic getaway for couples but a hotbed of family drama for its proprietors, the Puso family. Brandon Puso, the youngest of the four siblings, prefers life on his own as a licensed contractor in DC after a falling-out with his eldest brother.
After a hurricane plows through the Outer Banks, Brandon has a change of heart. He returns to the resort to help with the grand reopening but encounters his big sister’s best friend, designer Geneva Harris, who’s there to do the same thing. But Geneva and Brandon have a secret. Years ago, they had a secret romance that ended in heartbreak.
With the resort’s future at stake, Brandon and Geneva decide to put the past aside and to keep peace with the family. But as their mutual attraction heats up, they have to decide if history will repeat itself—or if this time, love gets a second chance.

Review; I enjoyed the family dynamics of this story a lot more than the main characters. I felt like I had missed some backstory as I read through the book. Little pieces of that backstory were parsed out bit by bit, but overall, I felt confused much of the time. The timeline on this story also put a lot of pressure on me to read it, so I felt stressed out the whole time. Overall, I wanted Brandan and Geneva to have their crap together a little bit better before they ran into each other again. Poor Geneva was a total nomad and then all the sudden she settles down? There wer just some inconsistincies that made it hard for me to get behid the story.

It Takes Heart is about family, both found and blood, and the ties that hold us together and maybe hold us back if we let them. It's a second chance romance for Geneva and Brandon, who had a love affair four years ago but broke up. Brandon is the younger brother of Geneva's best friend, so they've also basically grown up together. And younger doesn't mean age gap, they are only a couple of years apart in age. They come together again to work on the Puso family resort, damaged in a hurricane and racing the clock for a grand reopening before another storm hits.

With a large family involved, there are a lot of characters introduced both for the current story's conflict as well as what will presumably be several more books in the series for the other family members. Everyone has their issues and secrets. It will be a full series. The only drawback is sometimes I felt those other glimpses into what is going on with the siblings, slowed down Geneva and Brandon's story. That said, we can fully see all the family dynamics at play. We also see many of the cultural touchstones of a Filipino American family, from phrases to food, and I really enjoyed that.

There is a lot of chemistry between Geneva and Brandon. Sexy times are on the page but not explicit, so I don't call this high heat. It's more high angst. Both characters have a lot of growth to do related to their roles in the respective families, to their parents, and what they want to be when they grow up, for lack of a better way to state it. In that respect, the characters feel young to me, but it's a common place for young professionals who need to decide if they are on the right path or if it's time to pivot. Both Geneva and Brandon have had certain roles in their families and need to assert themselves for their own dreams and goals, as well as decide if there is a place for their love in these new roles and goals. It hits all the beats in a romance. And I had to chuckle at the sister in law who is a romance writer, calling out certain "plot" points, it was light humor in just the right places.

So yes, there is also only one bed, and a danger bang in the middle of the storm. Add in tropes of family, found family, second chance, love interest is best friend's sibling. plus a gorgeous beach setting and there is something here for everyone.

Brandon and Geneva have known each other forever. Geneva is best friends with his sister. So, these two do everything they can to keep their past romance, which crashed and burned, a secret. But, when they come together for a family business venture…the chemistry is just too much to hide!

There is just something about Tif Marcelo’s characters. They are always just a bit more unique than you expect. And this story is no different. I adore Brandon. He has family issues and he is trying so hard to fit back in where he belongs. Then there is Geneva. She is hardworking but a tad bit insecure about herself.

These two characters get together…after a few hits and misses…and they end up helping each other see their real potential.

I just love a story which is truly inspiring and encouraging! Need a quick, easy, heartwarming read…THIS IS IT!

I received this novel from the author for a honest review.

Once again Tif Marcelo has written another book I totally enjoyed reading! It Takes Heart is a heartwarming story of romance and family drama. The story takes place at The Outer Banks, NC and the authors descriptions will make you feel like you were there with them! She also adds into it Filipino language and cultures that makes it very interesting! The characters are well rounded and interesting. The family dynamics are very real and raw. This story adds all that together along with taking second chances on love and Marcelo has put together another winner. I highly recommend this book and hope there is another one in the works!

Thank you NetGalley, Montlake Publishing and Tif Marcelo for an ARC of this enlivening story in exchange for an honest review.
#ittakesheart #tifmarcelo #montlakepublishing #netgalley #arc

This is a sweet, family-oriented, second chance romance. It's not bad, but the writing felt older/slow/boring to me, and it never really pulled me in. And this is not a short book, so it was very easy to set down and walk away from. I'm sure some readers will enjoy it, but it was a forgettable read for me.

Set in the Outer Banks, NC, It Takes Heart was an engaging second chance romance. That introduces the Puso family who are a Filipino-American family that are full of drama and issues. Especially between the eldest brother Chris and youngest brother Brandon. Who's at the centre of this romance as he's reunited with his sister Beatrice's best friend Geneva the woman he spent three amazing weeks with four years ago. But then it all went wrong. And now they are back together working to rebuild the Puso family resort and try to forget the past that the rest of the Pusos know nothing about. But time spent together soon has Brandon and Geneva reconnecting and hoping this time everything can and will be different.

Yet, all the family drama did kind of take over the romance, and if I'm honest I did find the pacing a little on the slow side. Still, I can't deny it was a sweet read that was full of heart, emotion and warmth. And as a new author to me, I would certainly read more from Tif Marcelo and the Puso family in the future.

Would recommend.

**I was kindly provided with an ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review**

I’ve read several books by this author so I was excited to get an early copy of her newest book. I thought the story started out good, they meet at the wedding and are going back to his room. I turn to the next chapter and I was like what??!! It became confusing and I had a hard time following the story. It jumps around too much.
It’s a new series and I’m sure there will be many who will enjoy this start to it.
Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the early copy

Will appear on the RRT website soon. http://romrevtoday.com/

IT TAKES HEART – Tif Marcelo
Heart Resort, Book 1
Montlake
ISBN: 9781542029650
August 10, 2021
Contemporary Romance

Outer Banks, North Carolina – Present Day

Brandon “Bran” Puso and Geneva Harris dated a few years ago, but they broke up when she “ghosted” him. Bran arrives at his family’s couples resort on the Outer Banks of North Carolina after a hurricane tears through the property. Bran is a licensed contractor and can help his family rebuild. The only problem is that he is estranged from his oldest brother, and they weren’t expecting Bran to come. Except for his sister, Beatrice, he is not exactly being welcomed with open arms. Bran discovers shortly after he arrives that his ex, Geneva, is also there as a designer to help people repair their homes from the hurricane. Their reunion is awkward, which is further amplified by the fact that their romance had been a secret from the family. So, Bran’s family doesn’t understand why they don’t want to be around each other.

Geneva can’t really explain why she decided to end things with Bran four years ago. Maybe because it felt like being with him wasn’t the right thing. Their romance was only four weeks long, so it wasn’t as though they were deep into each other. Or were they? Maybe Geneva was afraid that she was falling hard for him and chose to break it off instead? But here she is with Bran once again. Things are awkward between them at first since they are working together. He’s sweet and funny, and they do get along. Both are intent on helping in the rebuild. Meanwhile, Bran is having to contend with his contentious family. They aren’t making his presence a happy one. Are they angry because he went out on his own and has made a success of things instead of sticking to the family business? Maybe he will get a chance to rebuild his relationship with them. But what about one with Geneva? She’s what he wants in a woman. Can he make a reunion work between them?

IT TAKES HEART is a fun and emotional read that will tickle your fancy. There’s even a cat in the story that belongs to Geneva. Things aren’t easy for either Geneva or Bran at first, but soon they’re back getting to know each other. That four weeks together before had been all about lust and not building a relationship. Now they get that chance to get to know each other. This tale is cute, and the main couple are enjoyable, with plenty of fun dialogue between them and the rest of the characters. Will their relationship—and romance—be rekindled and fired up by the end of IT TAKES HEART? Grab a copy to find out.

Patti Fischer
Romance Reviews Today

Tif Marcelo’s fourth novel, It Takes Heart, is a love story. It includes a family working together to rebuild a resort from a hurricane. Geneva is a family friend who is on the resort to help the family with interior design. What she does not except is Brandon, the youngest in the family who she had a 3 week relationship with, to show up.

While the plot is a common one, old lovers meet again and will they/won’t they get back together, it does not read like a standard book. The vivid writing had me picturing being at the resort. Tif always intricately weaves Filipino culture into the book. It is in the names of the villas, the terms the family calls each other, and the food. I enjoy this part of her books as I get to see a different culture.

I loved this book so much I read it in one day. I have read all of Tif Marcelo’s books and love them all.

This book gets 4.5 stars for me!!

This was a super cute second-chance romance with a heavy emphasis on family.

The story follows Brandon and Geneva as they navigate seeing each other again four years after their secret relationship exploded. Additionally it focuses on the stress of familial relationships as they conflict with work and ambition which I thought was very well written with great resolution tbh.

The characters are pretty much all Filipino-American so we get beautiful little insights into the culture, through Tagolog words and mentions of traditions.

The relationship between Brandon and Geneva was really cute with the way that they understood each other and relied on each other. The scenery of a beach-side resort was also so amazing. Overall I really enjoyed this light and fun read! It wasn’t super spicy, more of a fade to black so if that’s your jam this is definitely the book for you!

Thank you Netgalley and Montlake for the opportunity to review! All thoughts are my own!

The review will be posted on my instagram on or before August 10th!

Rating: 3.5 Stars

After an absence, Brandon returns to the family resort in order to help prepare for the grand re-opening. Little did he know, he would be working alongside the woman who broke his heart. With a new storm brewing, and family and romantic tensions growing, will Brandon be able to deny his heart’s true desire?

Overall, I did enjoy this book. I loved the beach setting, all the food, watching the resort come together, and learning about the family dynamics. With that said, I thought the romance took a bit of a backseat to the family drama.

As the first book in the series, I understand the need to introduce the family. I cannot lie, it was a pleasure meeting them. I can almost imagine their stories, especially Gil’s which I hope results in a reunion. However, I still wish there had been a bigger focus on the central romance between Geneva and Brandon.

I thought Brandon and Geneva shared something really special and I was rooting for them. Both had some baggage to unpack before they could really be together, but it was easy to see how they were deeply embedded in each other’s lives. They shared so much history, so many memories, and I appreciated getting to peek into their past.

Overall: An enjoyable story with a strong ending that left me with a warm heart.