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catreader18's review against another edition
5.0
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.
mags_louise's review against another edition
4.0
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 culture, 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 unwillingly 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**
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**
lianareadsblog's review against another edition
4.0
Blog tour: http://lianareads.home.blog/2021/08/09/it-takes-heart-by-tif-marcelo-blog-tour/
If you know me, you may know that I love romance and especially second chance romance stories.
What a great story. I loved so much the setting that I feel like it’s a must on my to see list if I ever get to visit the country.
Everyone is like a big family that come together to help and build each other’s lives through good and bad things. I loved the support and friendship that comes along with this community.
And of course, I loved the romance side of the story. It has heart and emotions, chemistry and great dialogue.
I haven’t read any of the author’s previous books but I know now that it’s a must because her writing is great and it really makes you feel like being there with the characters and feeling all the great things they do. From heartbreak to happiness and love.
If you know me, you may know that I love romance and especially second chance romance stories.
What a great story. I loved so much the setting that I feel like it’s a must on my to see list if I ever get to visit the country.
Everyone is like a big family that come together to help and build each other’s lives through good and bad things. I loved the support and friendship that comes along with this community.
And of course, I loved the romance side of the story. It has heart and emotions, chemistry and great dialogue.
I haven’t read any of the author’s previous books but I know now that it’s a must because her writing is great and it really makes you feel like being there with the characters and feeling all the great things they do. From heartbreak to happiness and love.
thebashfulbookworm's review against another edition
4.0
Four Stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐
It Takes Heart, by Tif Marcelo is a romance filled with angsty, family drama, with interesting characters and a heroine and hero worth rooting for.
Publishers Blurb:
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.
My take:
I read to learn about new experiences, places, cultures and ideas, and “It Takes Heart” by Tif Marcelo, gave me all that. I enjoyed learning about this Filipino/American family and how they integrate their culture into their business, family and daily lives. I also enjoyed the main location, the Outer Banks, as it’s always fun to learn about places I’ve never been to in person.
The main characters, Geneva and Brandon, each have their share of emotional baggage and this book fully explores how they each deal with it and learn how to move on and learn to love.
The family dynamics and drama in this book is very good. I hope the author gives some of the brothers and the sister their own story too. The cast of supporting characters are also well rounded and full of their own drama. I enjoyed the way the family supports each other and loves each other.
I highly recommend this book and I plan to explore the Authors’ other titles as I like her writing style and her character development.
This review is based on NetGalley ARC provided in exchange for an honest, unbiased opinion.
It Takes Heart, by Tif Marcelo is a romance filled with angsty, family drama, with interesting characters and a heroine and hero worth rooting for.
Publishers Blurb:
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.
My take:
I read to learn about new experiences, places, cultures and ideas, and “It Takes Heart” by Tif Marcelo, gave me all that. I enjoyed learning about this Filipino/American family and how they integrate their culture into their business, family and daily lives. I also enjoyed the main location, the Outer Banks, as it’s always fun to learn about places I’ve never been to in person.
The main characters, Geneva and Brandon, each have their share of emotional baggage and this book fully explores how they each deal with it and learn how to move on and learn to love.
The family dynamics and drama in this book is very good. I hope the author gives some of the brothers and the sister their own story too. The cast of supporting characters are also well rounded and full of their own drama. I enjoyed the way the family supports each other and loves each other.
I highly recommend this book and I plan to explore the Authors’ other titles as I like her writing style and her character development.
This review is based on NetGalley ARC provided in exchange for an honest, unbiased opinion.
thepolishedbibliophile's review against another edition
inspiring
lighthearted
medium-paced
4.0
I have read some of the Heart Resort stories out of order but that did not stop me from enjoying the beginning of the Puso family's adventures. Brendan and Geneva get a second chance at love, how will they navigate a relationship and working towards their professional goals. I love travelling to the Outer Banks scenes in Tif Marcelo's series. I get so invested that each member of the family feels like a friend after. Thank you to NetGalley and Montlake for a copy! All thoughts and opinions are my own!
libertyreads789's review against another edition
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.0
I want to say “Thank God” I’m done with this book, but that feels over dramatic for the flaws of the book. It’s not like it said or did anything to personally offend me. But there was so little to like. It wasn’t a fun rom-com that requires zero brain cells from you to enjoy and it wasn’t a serious and heart wrenching romance. This novel keeps the reader at arm’s length and never brings them any closer. I felt like I didn’t know any of the characters. Including the two love interests! And every emotion this novel tried to pull out of me fell flat. I didn't care about their romance, or their conflict, or the family drama. Everything was so bland. I’m struggling to come up with more to say about this one. All of the plot points, all of the romance, all of the drama just passed by me without making any real impression. And my usual refrain of “if it only had more pages, it would be better.” Because I don’t know that 25 to 50 pages (or even 100 pages) could make this better. It’s the writing style, the narration keeping the reader at a distance, the lack of emotion that keeps this at a two star for me despite having so many elements I normally love in a romance.
nerdy_book_lover_1987's review against another edition
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.0
"Are you ready to stay? And unpack your entire life from that duffle bag of yours?"
This was the cutest second chance romance that I've read in a while! Following Brandon and Geneva around Heart Resort was so fun and they had no idea how to really deal with their feelings for each other especially with Brandons family not knowing all their secrets. Geneva was used to moving constantly and being busy with work to settle down and Brandon didn't know how to convince her to stay and let her know he was worth staying for! I loved the relationship that Brandon had with his siblings and that Geneva was just as close to them. And who doesn't love a kitty named Luna!! So cute! Definitely recommend picking this up for a cute resort romance!
This was the cutest second chance romance that I've read in a while! Following Brandon and Geneva around Heart Resort was so fun and they had no idea how to really deal with their feelings for each other especially with Brandons family not knowing all their secrets. Geneva was used to moving constantly and being busy with work to settle down and Brandon didn't know how to convince her to stay and let her know he was worth staying for! I loved the relationship that Brandon had with his siblings and that Geneva was just as close to them. And who doesn't love a kitty named Luna!! So cute! Definitely recommend picking this up for a cute resort romance!
knitterlybooklady's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
fast-paced
5.0