✨✨ARC REVIEW✨✨
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

‼️‼️TW|CW‼️‼️
- Mentions death of a parent
- Some use of alcohol
- MMC is rumored to have cheated on a previous partner
💕💕Tropes💕💕
- Miscommunication
- He falls first
- Workplace romance
❤️❤️Quotes I loved❤️❤️
- When you’re going through hell, don’t pitch a tent.
- Life. It’s all just a matter of perspective, isn’t it? Whether something is good or bad depends on how you look at it.
- “When they stop us, we’ll just say, ‘Sorry, Officer, we thought this property was only private for people who walked slowly. Not us quick walkers.’”
- bomba es el latido de mi corazón Playa Resaca, mi pulmón en el muelle bajo el mar encontré la fé y aprendí a amar
- “What are you doing to me?” “Whatever you want,”
- But if the road ever leads me back to you I’ll never leave, ’cause wherever you are is my country Wherever we are is home
✨✨ONTO THE REVIEW✨✨
Thank you forever publishing and NetGalley for sending me this wonderful EARC!
I was so excited to read this book! I love me some Reggaeton, especially Bad Bunny and so I was excited to read a book where the MMC was basically him!
I’m one of those weirdos who kinda like a miscommunication trope and this book is one huge miscommunication trope until the last few chapters. But I loved seeing these two characters come together! The history book is currently available on Amazon and I think if you want a fun workplace romance where he’s an upcoming music artist and she’s Newley promoted to her position managing him and knows nothing of his music genre definitely go give this book a read!

I absolutely loved this book and followed along with the audiobook, which was chef's kiss—the narrator did an incredible job! Their performance really brought the story to life, making it feel like I was actually in Puerto Rico. There’s so much to love about both the book and the audiobook, especially the way the author, Deco, developed each character. The descriptions of Puerto Rico were so vivid—it felt like you were right there on the island, experiencing the culture, the music, and the food. Everything was so well-described, it truly transported me.

Dani’s job at a record label is on the line, so in an effort to save her position, she takes on a project for a genre she doesn’t usually listen to—reggaeton. She heads to Puerto Rico to collaborate with singer Rene ‘El Rico’ Rodriguez. This is where her journey begins, and it’s such a fun ride!

The chemistry between Dani and Rene is undeniable. Things don’t start off smoothly between them, and the tension kept me hooked throughout. There are so many amazing moments between these two, from their initial misunderstandings to the development of their relationship. And the ending? Absolutely heartwarming!

This wasn’t just a romance story; it was also a journey of self-discovery and self-love. I particularly loved how music played such an important role in Dani and Rene’s story. As a huge fan of reggaeton, it was a treat to see how much it was woven into the narrative. Music really does have a way of giving you life!

Takes One to Know One is a must-read. With irresistible chemistry, vibrant settings, and a romance that’ll make your heart skip a beat, this book belongs on your TBR list! Oh, and let’s not forget—if you’re a fan of music, especially reggaeton, you definitely won’t want to miss this!

I loved Takes one to Know one by Lissette Decos! Dani is a publicist for a record label and in order to maintain her job lies and says she’s familiar with and a fan of reggaeton music, her least favorite genre. Enter Rene ‘El Rico’ who will be making his debut reggaeton album. The story takes us to Puerto Rico, where Rene will be recording his album. It’s Dani’s first time on the island she heard so much about from her dad, who has since passed. I loved seeing Dani discover the island, the core memories she unlocked when eating the food on the island, how much the island changed Dani’s attitude and the relationship with her mother and sister and how it helped her grieve her father and heal her. Depicted as a romance novel, I found it to be so much more than that and felt it was actually lacking when it came to the romance. I would’ve also loved to have had Rene’s POV. It was so fun to read the behind the scenes of the making of an album and the music business.. This was my first novel by Lissette Decos and I’m looking forward to discovering & reading more of her work.

Imagine being sent to interview a hip new and upcoming reggaeton artist and you have no idea who he is, you have not done your homework, and oh, by the way, you hate reggaeton to the point you seriously considered getting an extra job to buy your little sister her own car so you wouldn’t have to listen to the beat. That’s Dani, and she immediately dislikes Rene, the scandal-ridden reggaeton musician.

I really enjoyed the setting of this novel, Culebra island in Puerto Rico. A year ago we made it to Vieques, but its neighboring Culebra sounded so similar in the book, with its quiet beach vibe, wild horses and mosquito nets.

This enemies-to-lovers romance was emotional and at times even heartwrenching! Closed door, kissing only, it was right up my alley. I also enjoyed the side theme of going back to your roots and Dani visiting her late father’s home island and sharing the songs that he wrote with Rene. Dani’s love and care for her younger sister and mother was also such great theme in this book. Capturing sound vs. image was an interesting concept as well.

I love Lissette Decos’s writing and her real relatable characters! The author’s love for music, Latin culture and family traditions shines through. What a great read! The audiobook was amazing and I highly recommend it because of the accents and Spanish in the book.

Takes One to Know One is the sophomore romance novel from Lissette Decos. Although romance is part of this novel, it wasn't the main focus. I feel like it was a novel about our main character finding herself with a splash of romance. Daniela (Dani) is all about work. She works to survive and keep her mind off of other things. With a merger at work, Dani takes a job helping to create and market the upcoming album for reggaeton musician, Rene (El Rico). When Dani and Rene meet their first interaction isn't pleasant. When Rene wants to record the album near his home in Puerto Rico, Dani follows him to make sure everything stays on course and to create behind-the-scenes content to be released with the album. Dani's deceased father was from Puerto Rico, but she has never been. With a recording of a song her father wrote, Dani sets to find out her lineage, overcome her past, and be content with her present.

This wasn't a sophomore slump at all. If you enjoyed Lissette's previous novel, Ana Takes Manhattan, I think you'll really enjoy it. Although they give off very different feelings, I really enjoyed Lissette's writing. I found myself looking up reggaeton artists too while I was reading it. Her writing helped to transport me to somewhere I've never been before, but heard a lot about thanks to a co-worker who's from Puerto Rico. I can't wait to see what Lissette will write next.

Rating: 3.5

Thank you to Forever and Netgalley for a copy in exchange for review consideration.

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.