It could be because I am in a reading slump, but I just could not finish the book. I did not know this is the second book in the series so I fell straight into a marriage-for-convenience trope (which I like) but that was already almost 5 years in. Five years... I normally like that the MC's fall for each other but when they take five years it bothers me. Overall the story just did not grab me as I had hoped. Better next time. Maybe if I had read book 1 I would have been more invested.

I was very interested in Chris and Eden after reading about them in It Takes Heart, but unfortunately this one fell a flat for me. I found the characters to not be that compelling or interesting. It was slow, repetitive, and honestly a little confusing at times. I think there's something about the author's writing style and the abundance of run-on sentences and over usage of punctuation that's just hard for me to mesh with.

I fell in love with the Puso family when I read It Takes Heart last year and I really enjoyed reconnecting with all of them. I was definitely curious about Chris and Eden through all the little glimpses we got of them in book one and now that we finally get their whole story, I’m even more curious to see what else we have in store for us!

Know You By Heart is a marriage of convenience that turns into a marriage in crisis, forced proximity, slow burn romance that features a CEO marrying a romance novelist so they can both achieve what they’ve set out to do with their lives. Chris and Eden were so interesting and while I was confused about the flow at first, I have to say that I really liked that after the first chapter, the book picks up right when the conflict and crisis in their marriage kicks in. The author took a familiar set of tropes and twisted it up to keep you on your toes!

When she overhears a conversation Chris is having with the family lawyer about his trust coming to him only if he’s married, she suggests that they get married. After all, being married will benefit them both. They don’t have to love each other, anyway. So they draw up a contract with all kinds of rules and stipulations and they get married. Only their best friends know the truth, to everyone else it looks like they’re happily married and chugging along. Fast forward to four and a half years later, and things are steady, but all kinds of chaos starts mounting. With a rival resort poking at Chris in hopes of buying him out, things escalate. The Heart Resort is famous for their couples retreats to guide relationships in the right direction, so to preserve the family business, Chris and Eden participate in the retreat. Except, all the things they’ve been holding back and hiding suddenly comes to the surface and things get a little difficult before they can get better.

While the book felt slow and repetitive at times, I really love the whole concept of The Heart Resort and what they set out to do with couples. So that element of the story really got me excited. With flashbacks to show us how the relationship started and builds, you get a better feel for Eden and Chris’ relationship—it’s contractual, but it’s also got all of the feels that they keep ignoring. It’s helped Eden build her career as a romance novelist under the name Everly Heart and it’s allowed Chris to work on the resort without people breathing down his neck. But their relationship has taken a hit. And I loved that you could feel just how much work was going into putting on this show regularly. I also liked seeing the moments when they slipped up and did or said something that would completely upend the balance they’ve set in place.

There were a lot of moving parts, with moments of the other siblings and the mystery behind Beatrice’s life and everything to do with Gil. I did miss seeing a lot of Brandon and Geneva, but given that they got their own book, I think we can let them have their peace and quiet. I’m definitely curious to see what happens with the remaining two siblings, because I love their family dynamics. I love how they come together every single time and try to fix things as a family, as opposed to doing things individually and then announcing what they’ve done.

I was so happy to get access to an eARC for this book. this was a beautiful romance with sprinkles fo comedy, a relatable main character a swoon-worthy male interest and the writing style was great the pacing was good and the length was spot on.

This was a really good romance. The story kept me turning the pages and following this couple through their ups and downs. I would like to read more from this author. Very well written.

Aaahhh this was so sweet, it got me giggling like a schoolgirl! This was such a good feel story, Chris and Eden both started not expecting feelings or relationships and after 5 years developed deeper feelings. the whole story is so beautifully written that you fall in love with the characters as they fall for eachother. You know that saying I love love? this was it

I loved this installment of a series that is a complete escape. This cute way of weaving romance stories and real
Life has me hoping for a HEA. Absolutely wonderful

Thank you for the opportunity to review this new novel.

I have read several of the author's earlier books and enjoyed them so I had high hopes. Unfortunately the novel didn't live up to my expectations. The plot didn't engage me and the characters felt a bit shallow. I'm sorry I didn't like it better.

Rating: 4.5

Thank you to NetGalley and Montlake for the ARC in exchange for an honest review

I am so glad I decided to read Know you by heart by Tif Marcelo. To start with, I loved how the story starts towards the end of the contract instead of the beginning like we usually see in marriages of convenience books. I think it was such a fun, unique and interesting twist to see how each character had experienced said contract and their respective feelings about their expiration date. Additionally, I loved how the information about their feelings and relationship was revealed via the split timeline, I think it was wonderfully done.

My favorite thing about this book, however, was that since the very beginning Eden and Chris referred to each other as husband/wife. It had me squealing and swooning all at one. At the end of the day Eden and Chris were the perfect couple for me to read. I just loved them and their journey into becoming more attuned with each other.

When I read this book, I was unaware it was part of a series, but I have to say I didn’t feel like I was missing something. As I was reading, I was able to understand every piece of information.

Great if you’re looking for:
- marriage of convenience
- marriage in trouble
- only one bed (sort of)
- fake marriage that refers to the other party as wife/husband even though it’s “not real”

cw: loss of baby (ectopic pregnancy), grief

loved the timeline; loved the premise; simply loved this book

taking a look at the end of a contract marriage was so different from the usual(seeing the beginning). also, the split timeline worked so well. it made the story so complete and so compelling to read!

Tif writes sweet romance that is a comfort read every time. You can always expect to come out of her books like you had a warm mug of tea and a hug from your grandma. Comfort, sweet and great escape-ism. She never fails at this.

Watch my Amazon Live with Tif here: https://amazon.com/live/broadcast/79eb4b19-9ce8-4a2a-a4ce-c024269ee5b2?ref=social&tag=erinmbransco-20&linkCode=ilv

3.5⭐️
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Im glad the author didn’t rush Chris and Eden into falling in love like happens in many other romance books. They enter a marriage of convenience, both going into it with eyes wide open and both benefiting equally. It’s not until nearing 5 years do they each begin to develop deeper feelings for the other person. I got a good sense of both main characters’ feelings, triumphs, struggles, etc throughout the book, such as Chris’s anxiety about entering into a fake marriage. The story went back and forth between time periods in their marriage, as well as between their viewpoints, and it was easy to follow.

I wasn’t aware this book was part of a series until after I finished reading it. Tif Marcelo did an excellent job of writing it so that the reader could still understand this story even as a stand-alone book.

The marriage of convenience is one of my favorite tropes. However, I found the beginning of this story a little difficult to get into. I was aware that the five year marriage contract was soon expiring but even though the MCs, Chris and Eden, expressed some unease with the end of this contract, it didn’t feel that there was any emotional connection between them. It was only when they went on the relationship counseling that I got a more revealing look at the emotional state of the MCs (told in dual POV) in their intimate relationship with each other and within their individual families. I felt it dragged in the middle as there were a lot of repetitive thoughts and dialogs. I liked that even though there was a low steam physical attraction between the MCs, it was more the opening up and emotional growth of the characters that culminated in the HFN.

DNF
Not bad just not for me! Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the free preview in exchange for an honest review.

Unputdownable

I couldn't stop reading it!

This was a different read (not the story line but the way of writing etc.) for me and I loved it.

Chris and Eden - made for each other.

An MOC falling in love trope and beautifully written.

Waiting for the next books in the series!

I am a sucker for this trope and couldn't resist reading this book. I can easily keep up with the story without reading the first book in the series.

Chris and Eden agreed to five-year contract marriage to pursue their dreams. They always stick to the rules, respect each other but love, they believe, has no space in their lives. One threat to Heart Resort's reputation led Chris and Eden to the retreat to protect it, a retreat that promises Happily Ever After when this retreat begins to reveal their suppressed feelings not only to them but to the entire world. The secret of their conventional marriage, relationship, and emotions are too near to being revealed, or maybe it is the end of their marriage.

This novel wowed me by portraying the final days of a contract marriage rather than the beginning. The swing between the past and present in the book provides additional facts, secrets, and realities about their bond while never leaving you puzzled. Every aspect of the narrative moves at leisurely speed to allow the characters to grow.

Eden is a romance novelist, and I applaud Tif Marcelo for portraying the authors' battle with deadlines and how difficult it is to juggle their personal and professional lives. Christopher charms me with his passion for his family and career, and I empathize with his struggle to express his thoughts. It's tough to overlook their chemistry and tension.

I'm completely smitten with the book's last section, which offers me a full exploration of reality experience for returning to reality after the high of the some day's lots of adventures, as well as for Chirs and Eden returning to regular life after their retreat. If I said tears never welled up in my eyes after reading its raw and heavy emotion, I'd be lying.

It falls short of portraying the bond between the siblings and best friends. There are a few moments, but I like to read more details to feel their connection.

There is no way I can tell you not to read this funny, mature, heavy, and emotion-filled romance book. This book comes in a must-read.

A really great marriage of convenience with a five yr expiry date, both parties have feelings for each other and watching them develop to love and understanding of each other is heartwarming. It’s the second in series but that doesn’t detract from the book rather encourages you to read the third, to answer the question, what is Beatrice hiding??
I would definitely recommend this book.

This book is the second in the Heart Resort series; I hadn't previously read the first book but have now ordered it. Chris and Eden appear the perfect couple on the surface but their marriage is one of convenience. I fell in love with Chris and Eden as well as Heart resort so much so I read it in one sitting.

I absolutely loved this story! It starts with a marriage of convenience but with our main characters secretly longing for each other, and then events start conspiring against them. Such a heartwarming romance, and I’m happy to learn is part of a series as I’m keen to know what Beatrice is hiding. 10/10 would recommend

Know You by Heart a five-star read that would warm even the coldest of hearts. This is number two in the Heart Resort series, but they could each be read as stand-alone as they focus on a different couple, they do have some cross over, but not so much that it’s the only thing you focus on, they complement each other, so if you enjoy a good series do pick it up. Chris Puso, is the big brother, he has the world on his shoulders he is trying to support everyone, but that doesn’t always make him happy. Eden is the same, she is supporting everyone and not feeling the support she needs, if only they would allow the other to support them. The resort needs the help and so does their marriage. The story will show you how hard it can be to accept that help, will you do it for the sake of your life? Get this great story to find out.