This was a joy from start to finish for so many reasons. This story was about way more than just the relationship between Dani and Rene. It was about family, music, reconnecting with your roots. It was about art and the beauty of Puerto Rico. As someone with family from PR but has never actually been there, I felt really seen by Dani’s story in a way no other story has ever made me feel. I loved the supporting cast and how they all had their own stories going on. They existed as their own people and not just there to push along the romance. It’s so well done and emotional and rich in culture. I can’t wait to read more from this author.

Dani is a first generation American that has fallen in love with the island that holds all of her culture, all of her history that she has never been to, but her father who had recently passed had spent all his life telling her about. Once he died, she took over the household and put everyone else before herself, she started fulfilling everyone else's wishes instead of her own. Until an opportunity at work for a promotion to manage a new artist, which just so happens takes her to the motherland Puerto Rico.

With the beautiful island of Peurto Rico as the setting. Jasmine and Rene, become unlikely friends. He ends up becoming a safe place for her to let down her guard in order for her to do the work for self discovery. It was such a beautiful story of finding the person that makes you feel safe. My only critique was the ending being a little rushed other than that it was perfect.

Thanks to NET Galley and to Forever for the ARC in exchange for an honest review as always, all words are my own.

Did I enjoy it? Yes I really did. I Would I recommend this as a romance novel, No. Hear me out. I think this had the potential to be a truly great romance novel however it felt more of a contemporary novel rather than a romance. The romance aspect didn't really contribute much to the overall story. What truly holds your attention in this book isn't the romance, but the powerful themes of self-discovery and processing grief.
Dani’s Cuban and Puerto Rican heritage is central to the story. As she spends time in Puerto Rico, she reconnects with her father’s roots and begins to fall in love with the island. It’s deeply moving to see her not only embrace her culture but also navigate the grief connected to her father.

The romance felt like it could have benefited from more build-up. I wish it had been explored in more depth. While the chemistry between Daniella and Rene is undeniable, and the moments between were sweet but they lacked that tension and longing that make you believe they characters have chemistry besides physical attraction.

Overall, I’m so grateful I had the chance to read this book. It’s a beautiful love letter to music, reggaeton, Puerto Rico, and the Latinx community.

Thank you Forever for providing this ARC.

I absolutely loved Rene and Dani! Their fiery enemies-to-lovers tension, the opposites-attract dynamic, and their undeniable chemistry had me hooked from page one. Rene is so sexy (seriously, swoon-worthy), and I adored how the Puerto Rican vibes and atmosphere brought the story to life. The music, the culture, the energy—it all made this book feel so immersive and vibrant.

Beyond the romance, the character arcs were so well done. Dani’s journey of learning to let go and embrace the music, and Rene’s depth beyond his public persona, made this story more than just a swoony rom-com—it had real heart.

If you love sizzling chemistry, vibrant settings, and a romance that will make you swoon, Takes One to Know One is the perfect read. Add it to your TBR now!

Going into this, I wasn't sure what I should expect. My first experience with this author and this was a success. This book follows Daniela (Dani), who works for the record label that is set to produce René "El Rico" Rodriquez's first solo album. What ensues is a bit of a disaster meet cute where the characters are living on the same property in Puerto Rico while René records his album. Dani has ideas on how to bring this to life with behind the scenes content.

This was a delight. The tension rolled off the page between Dani and René and I loved every moment of it. While there's tension, there's also a soft side to René that further propelled my love of these two together. Dani's late father was a musician, and after hearing the tape (yes a cassette tape) of his (Dani's father) music, René makes it his mission to find all of the places mentioned in the song. This was such a fun subplot that gave Dani the space to grieve and begin to find joy again something for herself. While Dani is growing to find joy, René also grows as a character, specifically in his trust of Dani and what she's looking to do for the album.

We are in Dani's head throughout the whole story, so all the growth and perception of René that we see is from her perspective. In this case, it worked super well for me and gave me everything that I needed. I think it helped create the tension.

Overall, this is a story of love, grief, empowerment, finding joy and learning to trust others. I loved it and devoured this in half a day. This story made me hungry (the descriptions of food were amazing) and want to listen to nothing but Reggaeton. Content warnings for loss of parent (historical; discussed) and grief. This is also a fade to black, closed door romance but there is delicious tension.

Thank you to the publisher for the advanced copy!

Thank you to NetGalley, Dreamscape Media, and Lissette Decos for the chance to read this book in exchange for my honest review.

Forced proximity, opposite attraction and a connection to our FMC's heritage brought these two together so well. I enjoyed being along for the journey of the recording of the MMC's album and all the emotion that came with it. This book shares pieces of the Puerto Rican culture that I've never learned of before- and now I want to listen to the music, eat the food and visit!

As I often say when I'm reading a book with a culture and language that are outside of my own- I LOOOOVE narration with pronunciation. It's like listening to a song. The narration was so well done.

An opposites attract rom com with a bit more. Dani has been sent to Puerto Rico to work with Rene, a regeton singer with a scandalous reputation. What she finds is that's he's not his image. What she also finds is her personal history. Rene helps her begin to understand Puerto Rico and her family. I liked this aspect of the novel because it gave it depth although I know some might have wanted more romance. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. A good read.

I appreciate a rom-com that has a little more meat to it and this one definitely has themes of family, trust, grief, and self-discovery. I loved the Puerto Rican setting! A fun change of scenery and I loved that Dani got to do a little self-examination of her own family while she traveled through her father’s beautiful country for the first time. The problem I had was that Dani’s character feels so flat. She’s not emotional at all and while she does develop some over the course of the book, it doesn’t seem like enough. Along the same lines, because she’s not super dynamic I had a hard time buying into the love story that tries to develop. There wasn’t much chemistry and it just wasn’t super believable. I really wanted to love Dani and Rene’ and I rooted for her them along the way, but I just didn’t love their relationship by the end.

Takes One to Know One is a delightful, witty rom-com that expertly balances humor, heart, and a vibrant exploration of music and self discovery. Set against the lively backdrop of Puerto Rico, the book follows Daniela, a risk-averse music industry professional who unexpectedly finds herself working with the very genre she despises! reggaeton.

Dani’s journey is both hilarious and heartfelt as she struggles to navigate a world that is far outside her comfort zone. Her forced proximity to the charming yet scandal-ridden Rene ‘El Rico’ Rodriguez makes for plenty of tension, banter, and undeniable chemistry.

Takes One to Know One is a fun and fresh romance that blends humor, music, and self-discovery into an irresistible story. Fans of contemporary rom-coms, particularly those with a strong cultural backdrop, will find this novel a highly entertaining and satisfying read.

This was a heartfelt opposites attract, forced proximity, workplace romance that sees type A music exec Daniela being roped into traveling to her father's homeland of Puerto Rico to help develop a popular reggaeton star's new album.

Sparks fly as singer Rene 'El Rico' Rodriguez tries to thwart Dani's attempts to interfere while also challenging her to confront the assumptions she's made about the genre of music he loves and the country she's never been to before.

I really enjoyed the contrast between the two main characters and the Puerto Rican setting. There was a lot of emotional depth involving Dani's sister and her memories about her dead father. Rene was a bit of mysterious figure throughout much of the book but you could tell he was intrigued by all of Dani's contradictions and truly wanted to help her reconnect with her roots.

The narration by Ramona Master was excellent and while I always prefer dual POV love stories, this single pov from Dani's perspective worked for how much of it was about her own personal growth and journey. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital and audio copy in exchange for my honest review!

I really enjoyed this. I really enjoyed this. I really enjoyed this. I really enjoyed this. I really enjoyed this. I really enjoyed this. I really enjoyed this. I really enjoyed this. I really enjoyed this. I really enjoyed this. I really enjoyed this. I really enjoyed this. I really enjoyed this. I really enjoyed this. I really enjoyed this. I really enjoyed this. I really enjoyed this. I really enjoyed this. I really enjoyed this. I really enjoyed this. I really enjoyed this. I really enjoyed this. I really enjoyed this. I really enjoyed this. I really enjoyed this. I really enjoyed this. I really enjoyed this. I really enjoyed this. I really enjoyed this. I really enjoyed this.

First thank you for giving me the arc vis NetGalley.

I went into this book thinking about how it’s going to be a romance with a reggaetonero and there was going to be some steamy scenes BUT i didn’t get that. Maybe it was a case of cover art so cute.

Dani to me was very judgey and uptight which is something that is very seen through the book but it annoyed me. One thing that really annoyed me were the inconsistency of the writing when it came to Puerto Rico especially La isla de Culebra. I know it’s fiction but I think there should have been more research on the island and the way it’s written.

Overall I give it a 2.5/5 rating.

I really enjoyed the premise of this book! I love that it was partially set in Puerto Rico (as a Puerto Rican myself). Definitely more of a slow burn romance between a reggaeton artist his marketing coordinator for his record label.

I wish there was more dialogue between both characters, especially when Rene starts to finally open. This took me on a very fun ride! I would absolutely recommend if you're looking for something fun, full of culture!

Decided to read this ARC because it looked fun and different. Did not expect it to burrow itself into my heart the way it did.

To start with, the setting was beautiful thanks to Lissette Decos’s immersive descriptions. I‘ve never known too much about Puerto Rico and its culture, and she made me want to hop on a plane immediately. I also know nothing about reggaeton, but her writing made me feel as if I could hear the beats and music in my head.

Following along as Dani connected with her roots was so satisfying, and the love story between Dani and René was fun and tender. I felt both their growing pains as they tried to become their true selves and also trust each other.

The best, most emotional parts were the scenes where René helped Dani check off the list of places and experiences her father loved, culminating in an ending that was no less powerful for having been the obvious conclusion, because honestly there couldn’t have been any other thing that would have felt right!

Overall, just a really great book that I think stands out in a crowded field, and I hope it finds its readers!

Thank you to Forever for providing this ARC in exchange for my honest review!

There's so much I loved about this story from the uptight Daniela working on the most important assignment of her career to the suave elusive music star, Rene, to the beautiful setting of Puerto Rico. Daniela was a great FMC with the stress of holding her family together to still grieving her father's death.

I enjoyed seeing her journey to crack the nut of her newest client, to get him to open up and get what she needs for her assignment. Puerto Rico was such an integral part of the story and it was told so beautifully.

As this is a romance story, I did not buy the romance. Nothing with their interactions hinted at their desire. They had a few moments of hanging out together and the slowest of burn.

Thank you @readforeverpub for a copy of this book.

This book features Puerto Rico and its culture so beautiful in the way Rene and Dani get to experience it. Rene has this mysterious aura about him that had me wanting to see what he'll reveal of himself to Dani. The music descriptions really brought the melody off the page for me. It was like I could imagine hearing the songs. There's also a side plot in my opinion of Dani connecting with her father through this trip to Puerto Rico. This book has a fiery enemies to lovers with a blazer baddie and musician in an ultimate slow burn. Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the gifted eARC. All opinions are my own.

Instagram post will be live 28Mar25

I know I've been struggling with long book reviews but this one felt important to me to do it now before it's release next week.

I had a couple of issues with this book, from the narrator to be my least favorite narrator to the way Culebra was used as the setting for the guy to record his album to it being promoted as a reguetonero romance and it's barely a romance.

This book very much felt like women's fiction than romance, the romance is not the main point of this book. It very much is all about the female main character with her grief, learning to love the land of her deceased father and her place at her job. I did not feel there was a lot of chemistry with Rene and she is so fucking annoying. I don't know if my hate for the narrator affected my hate for the character. She was so annoying and so pick me. "I don't like regueton"

Can I also talk about how they used the FMC like a token latine persona and it's not addressed. Like so many little things just made me want more of this book.

I really try to not criticize the way second language speakers speak the second language, but this narrator really made me role my eyes so much!!!!! When she tried to make the coqui sound had me laughing so hard.

The way Culebra was used in this really made me uncomfortable because if you know about the issues with the power grid in Puerto Rico, you should know that Viequez and Culebra (the smaller island) suffer the brunt of it because its not the metro area. They get lots of power outages and they do treat tourist better than the people that live there. There is no hospital in Culebra. There are small restaurants and small supermarkets there, it's not like you can walk up to a small DONUT shop on the corner.

These are some of my issues with this book, and I'm not saying don't read it. Overall it was an okay book.

4.25⭐️
This was a sweet and touching romance novel. Very much a slow burn romance, but it was also a detailed love story about the culture of Puerto Rico, with a mixture of grief and self discovery.

Dani is a very strait laced, by the book publicist for a major record label. She is made the team lead for a major international reggaeton bad boy singer.
René “El Rico” Rodriguez is trying to release his first solo album, after only being a collaborator with other artists.
René wants to go home to Puerto Rico to record his album, to help his creativity. But Dani is still dealing with major grief after the loss of her father. René helps Dani see that her own Puerto Rican heritage will help her remember her father, not cause her pain. Dani starts to realize there may be a lot more under the El Rico persona René hides under as well.

This was more than a slow burn love story. Decos writes a love story to Puerto Rico in this novel. I felt I was there experiencing everything alongside Dani, from the ocean, the music, the food, and then Dani’s grief as she lets herself experience all the places her father used to talk about.

I do wish the reader experienced a few more scenes one on one with Dani and René. It was a slow burn, but I personally would have enjoyed a little more connection between the characters prior to the 60% point.

I would still definitely recommend picking this one up. I absolutely loved the self discovery of Dani and the author did an amazing job portraying what grief can look like when you need to step into the role as the caregiver for the household.

Thank you to NetGalley & Forever publishing, for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

QUE TEMAZO!!!!!!! Takes One To Know One written by Lissette Decos was such a phenomenal banger. In my honest opinion, Takes One To Know One was honestly one of the best musical romance novels I have ever read, but it's so much more than just a story about romance and music, it's about grief, self discovery, and moving forward in life. I have never read a book written by Lissette Decos before, but this certainly won't be my last because I had the best time. After reading this lovely book, it made me want to pack my bags immediately and go off the grid and spend months in Puerto Rico. I picked up this book for a few different reasons, the cover is just stunning, the musical aspect, of course, and the self discovery. Takes One To Know One is an enemies-to-lovers rom-com. I absolutely applaud when characters are at their lowest and watching them overcome their obstacles is just a special moment, it's so hard not to root for characters when their life is in shambles, but as their self growth takes place it's just beautiful to witness. For my musical lovers, please mark your calendars for April 1st, 2025 to get your hands on Takes One To Know One. I know this book won't be for everyone, but I truly thought it was so well written and captures the beauty of music. I adore how the aspect of music can bring so many people together, it can often bring you life long friendships.

THANK YOU TO NETGALLEY AND FOREVER GRAND CENTRAL PUBLISHING FOR AN ARC OF THIS BOOK IN EXCHANGE FOR AN HONEST REVIEW!!!!!!

You Had Me At Hola meets Dirty Dancing in this musical romance set in Puerto Rico's music industry.

"I don't just care about music, I care about people and how music changes their lives".

"Tomorrow is a new day. Buck it up, Buttercup".

"feel the heartbeat of a hidden waterfall
give up fear for flying".

For anyone who isn't too familiar with Reggaeton, like myself, the characters describe it as Salson on ecstasy. It's sexy dance music that combines rap with Caribbean rhythms. Daniela is a risk adverse, blazer obsessed, and a people pleaser workaholic. Daniela has been a marketing coordinator at Ocean Records in Miami, Florida for seven years. Daniela is half Puerto Rican and half Cuban, she grew up on salsa and merengue. Daniela is now grieving the loss of her father, he died at work from a heart attack, so work has always been Daniela's safe place. Daniela's father wrote a song about Puerto Rico which was truly beautiful. Daniela is the type of person who puts other people before herself. Daniela hates Reggaeton, it's supposed to inspire sensual hip swinging dance moves, and Dani's hips do not swing. Despite hating Reggaeton, Daniela lands an interview for a publicist position at a record label, out of desperation, Dani says she loves Reggaeton which lands her a plane ticket to Puerto Rico to clean up the scandalous image of international Reggaeton singer René "El Rico" Rodriguez. Ocean Records has never worked with a Reggaeton artist before, so it's Dani's job to ace this interview. My heart goes out to Daniela, it was so hard watching her hit rock bottom meanwhile grieving the loss of her father, I often wanted to reach into my kindle and give her the biggest hug, this poor girl.

René "El Rico" Rodriguez is best described as an asshat, he's not much of a talker, but he asks so many questions. René is a thirty-one year old Reggaeton artist. René is so handsome, he's covered in tattoos, he even has a Puerto Rican flag tattooed on his heart. René has a roller coaster of a personality, one minute he's sweet, the next minute he's a jerk. René is as big as a jerk in his songs and he is in real life, but behind his tough exterior, he's really a sweetheart. There's one thing about René, he never takes off his designer sunglasses. As an artist, René wants to capture his culture and Puerto Rico for his first ever album. René and Daniela showcase the musical nuance, culture, and beauty of Puerto Rico. Daniela is assigned to work on promoting René's album, but René wants to have his first ever solo album to be recorded in Puerto Rico. As Daniela and René spend time together doing interviews, René takes Daniela to all of the places her father wrote about in his song, which was truly precious. All René has ever wanted to do was make music that melts away people's troubles and lose their inhibitions. René might seem like a jerk, but as you get to know him, you will see that he has one of the biggest hearts despite what other people say about him or what his own music says. I loved watching Daniela and René work together, their interactions and banter were truly wholesome. Despite saying she loves Reggaeton, René can see right through Daniela's lies, but now it's his mission to make Daniela appreciate what this genre of music has to offer.

This book is perfect if you want something to set the mood for spring/summer! The descriptions of Puerto Rico, the beaches, and the food were so vivid. Based on the cover and first few chapters, I thought this would be a rom-com, but it is more of a mix of contemporary/women's fiction. This is a single POV, so we learn a lot about Dani's journey of grieving her father, as well as other issues with her mother and sister. This book is also a slow burn! I usually like slow burns, but this lacked tension and chemistry between the FMC and MMC. I think I would have enjoyed this more if Rene's POV was included. Read this if you enjoy:

-Slow burns
-Closed door romances
-Latinx leads
-Romances with hints of contemporary and women's fiction!