It Takes Heart by Tif Marcelo a heart warming five-star read. This didn’t always deserve to be five-stars, as at points I felt like this was the second in a series and I had missed the first, but overall, by the end of the story I loved it. All of the tiny details warmed me as much as much as the tiny, detailed houses. Brandon and Geneva have insane chemistry and it climbs off the page as you read, chemistry I was surprised had allowed them to stay apart, but they each have a compelling story that stopped them from being together. I can’t wait to hear more about the Puso’s and the island shaped like a heart.

There's some books that just feel long, even if their page count is low. This is one of them. I never wanted to pick it up, and it became a fight to finish. There wasn't anything bad about it, it just wasn't particularly good either.

I think my main problem with this was the romance, or lack thereof. This is mistakenly marked as a romance, it's more of a general fiction or family novel. I started this expecting a romcom or a light read, and instead I got a family drama. I wasn't in the right mood for a family drama, so I wasn't in the mood for this.

My feelings toward this are pretty nondescript, so I really don't have much else to say. The setting was fun, and the characters were interesting, but I didn't care about the plot. It wasn't my type of book, bit I can see other peopl enjoying it!

Thanks to Tif Marcelo and Netgalley for providing a free copy in exchange for an honest review!

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.

I found this story to be a bit slow for me, I did finish this book but found it a struggle., Geneva and Brandon just didn’t really work for me.