I’ve been reading a lot of musician based romances this year and Takes One to Know One is a great addition.

René and Dani showcase the musical nuance, culture and beauty of Puerto Rico. Genres of music are rooted in their own history and reggaeton while now recognized internationally came from artists that found their own way of storytelling rooted in community and storytelling. Lissette does that beautifully in Takes One to Know One. As someone that loves a good blazer the diss track was shocking, but stick around until it comes full circle.

But at times It felt like something was missing from the book. Rene’s not fully revealed to readers and we only get so much from him. I felt like we didn’t get enough interactions from the characters and I guess I needed more in that aspect. Nevertheless, giving this 4 stars and thank you Hachette Book Group Canada for the digital arc!

This sizzling rom com is perfect for the readers who enjoy:

🎤 Enemies to lovers
💃 Forced proximity
🏝️ Island destination
✨ Rockstar romance

Daniela has just landed her dream job as a publisher at a record label and her first assignment is to help improve the image of playboy / bad boy international reggaeton star Rene "El Rico" Rodriguez. Immediately the pair butt heads and I felt Lissette Decos did an incredible job building the tension between the two main characters. The dialogue was witty, the barbs were sharp and the pair could not have been more different.

However as the pair travels to Puerto Rico to allow Rene to complete the work on his next album, the pair are forced to spend extended time together and their walls begin to come down. Set on the beautiful island of Puerto Rico, I felt Lissette transported the reader to the island especially as the pair visited Rene's childhood town and attending a large music festival.

The chemistry was moderate and I would classify this as a slow burn as the pair moved from enemies to lovers, but the wait was worth it 😉 There was an even balance between plot + spice, which I appreciated (🔥🔥🔥/5)

This is definitely a novel to add to your TBR list to read this Summer! Thank you Forever for the ARC!

How can you not want to add this to your summer reads. The cover immediately takes you to a beautiful tropical location and the story give Dirty Dancing vibes. Obsessed. I am a spanish floridian and could not get get enough of this latin representation. Thank you for the ARC copy!

Dani works for a Miami music label and is given her first client, El Rico. In a chess match of wits, the two end up on a small island in Puerto Rico to record/document the making of his first album, and a romance starts to heat up between them.

Lissette did such a great job immersing the reader in the story and making them feel like they are there with the characters, experiencing the Puerto Rican culture and music. The settings were vividly descriptive and leave you with a feeling that you know the places intimately.

The romance between Dani and René was very slow to build, but the payoff is worth it. I can’t believe it took so long. HE TAKES HER TO THE PLACES IN HER DADS SONG. Excuse Me?! Green Flag! Green Flag!
Overall, I enjoyed the book.

I loved this book! Before I even had finished I texted several friends to tell them to pick this up.

From the very beginning, I was immediately pulled into the story, and I had a hard time putting this book down. The setting (Culebra in Puerto Rico) is so well described, I felt like I could picture everywhere they’re going. The author took the same care into the food - I had to google a few items, and immediately try to find a restaurant near me where I could try them.

There’s some Spanish in this book, but the author did a great job of weaving it into the story - despite not speaking Spanish, I didn’t feel like I was missing anything - it only added to the culture.

The side characters are all well flushed out, and felt really real as well. I was rooting for every single person in this story.

I do think for being billed a romance, there’s not actually a lot of romance in this story, but I loved it anyways.

This book had the coolest vibes! Mostly set in Puerto Rico, I could clearly visualize everything happening in it and wanted to be there to experience it. Loved the enemies to lovers aspect and that it was a slow burn romance as well.

Thanks as always to NetGalley for the ARC.

Absolutely loved this book. Was some of it predictable? Absolutely. In the end the predictability of the genre didn’t matter to me. I love how the characters and their intentions were developed and uncovered as you read. This was one of my top reads this year. Easy to get through and had my smiling throughout.

It's hard to rate a book when you dislike one of the main characters. Rene was just so... meh. I didn't really get the feeling that he really liked Daniela. His actions said he didn't.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this arc in exchange for an honest review!

K I really really liked this book! I knew from
The first chapter that it was going to be fun, sexy, and so romantic. the characters were a bit prickly but they grew on me fast. The romance felt authentic and real. Loved it!

Dani is a Miami marketing coordinator with a well-known record label. She listens to just about any genre of music--except reggaeton.
I really enjoyed this one from start to finish, a one day read and a good representation of enemies to lovers.
Thank you to Netgalley and Forever (Grand Central Publishing)-Forever for the arc of this book in exchange for my honest review. Releasing on April 1, 2025

wow
How do I talk about this book?

Dani works for a record company for seven years, after so much they finally gave her a project that she could handle. What he thought would be easy will be a non-stop roller coaster, when she finds out that the musical genre she has to work with is the reggaeton that he hates so much. Out of desperation to keep her job, Dani lies and says she loves reggaeton. But Dani not only gets the job, but also gets a ticket to Puerto Rico where everything will change. . . for better or for worse? She has the mission of cleaning up the scandalous image of the international reggaeton singer René “El Rico” Rodríguez.

I still haven't processed the story very well, it had me trapped, I was 100% absorbed by the book, I didn't even sleep a full day. As a Puertorriqueña, I loved the honest descriptions, the passion the characters felt for their country, and Dani's connection with her father even though he was no longer here. Dani's character surprised me a lot and it was for the better, his way of being and how she saw other people. Dani is someone who overthinks everything and has to analyze everything. So when she was given the opportunity to work with René, she was desperate that something was going to get out of hand. In the development we can see how Dani discovers a part of herself that she was looking for so much. Now I liked the character of René “El Rico” Rodriguez but I didn't love him, he is mysterious and very reserved. The development of the story is in Dani's POV so you can't know much about it, but things were left in the air about the relationship that would have greatly improved the book. Dani has a beautiful relationship with her family, she is always looking out for her mother and sister, she puts them first before everything.

I really loved René's interest in Dani being able to see the places that her father sings about in the song he composed for her. They had beautiful moments that were very tender and had me with butterflies in my stomach and laughing every moment. Although they finally got to be together in 70% of the book. But at the same time there was nothing between them. I give it 4.25 because I feel like things were really left untold and the romance has potential to grow. I need more moments of René and Dani together in Puerto Rico.

Thanks to the author Lissette Decos for this beautiful book about my beautiful country. Thank you to Netgalley and Forever for the opportunity to review this incredible book in exchange for an honest opinion.

Thank you Forever and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this eARC.

I really enjoyed this one from start to finish. Can't go wrong with enemies to lovers! The exploration of reggaetón and the island of Puerto Rico were done so beautifully. I felt like I was hearing the music. I felt like I was brought along to all the places Dani's dad spoke and sang of. Rene making that happen for her was pure gold. I loved it!

Can't wait for what else this author has up their sleeve.

If you love enemies to lovers and romcoms, this book is for you. Plus it's set in Puerto Rico, how fun!

The author does a great job immersing the reader in the setting. The descriptions were so great, I felt like I was in the book with the characters. The author really brought the setting to live.

I also liked seeing Daniella's relationship with her family. It was interesting to see the dynamic and how her family influences her character.

The romance is a delicious slow burn with some enemies to lovers. The tension is high but the chemistry is hot. I felt their relationship developed organically and was believable.

Overall, this was a very enjoyable romance and would the perfect beach/vacation read!

He takes her to places her dad wrote about in a song!! 🥹❤️

This was a cute slow burn romance between Rene, a Puerto Rican reggeaton artist, and his label's marketing coordinator, Dani. Dani is getting her first big shot at calling the shots for an upcoming project from Rene. Knowing nothing about him as an artist or the genre of music, there are some hiccups to start. I loved that Dani didn't automatically love Reggaeton because she's Latina (half Puerto Rican and half Cuban), but learned to love it once she listened to it.

Eventually, they end up going to Puerto Rico, where Rene is recording his album. Let me say, the descriptions of PR were beautiful and I really loved the imagery. I loved seeing Dani reconnect with her roots and find herself there. Dani's dad was Puerto Rican, and she got to explore the places he loved and missed. ❤️

Rene was a bit reserved (maybe going for mysterious), and it took me a minute to warm up to him. Still, I loved that his actions spoke for him, and I ended up enjoying him as an MMC.

As for the relationship, I will say this is a SLOW BURN. SLOW. I happen to like a slow burn, so I didn't mind it, but I know it's not always for everyone. I happened to like them together, but I wish we could have gotten more time with them as an actual couple. Because it's such a slow burn and there is a third act conflict, we don't actually get too much time of the full fledged romance. The spice is closed door, which isn't a bad thing, but between the closed door scenes and the lack of time together, we didn't get Dani and Rene very long.

Dani is a Miami marketing coordinator with a well-known record label. She listens to just about any genre of music--except reggaeton. Her label is making cuts and the only way she'll be able to avoid a pink slip is to lie her way to a job that puts her, let's just say *closer* than arm's length to one of the top reggaeton stars of the moment, René "El Rico" Rodriguez.

The vibes of this book are understandably uptight FMC meets sexy reggaetonero set in the backdrop of the beautiful island of Culebra in Puerto Rico. I love a book that can achieve romantic tension that's subtle yet still palpable. Dani's mom and sister were fun characters that showed how much Dani grew by the end, and were able to spread their wings, too. This one was a win for me, and I look forward to reading more from this author!

4.5 stars

This book kicks off with the most painfully relatable meeting of our two main characters, Dani and Rene as Dani is tasked with interviewing the biggest up and coming artist in her least favorite genre: reggaeton. the relatable part of this first scene is not the situation of meeting a global super star, but rather Dani's anxiety and panic throughout it. While she stumbles through a "fake it till you make it" conversation with Rene about his music, you learn so much about her character, the upcoming major plot line of the book, and the personality of Rene and what readers can expect from him. It was such a strong start that carries the reader through the story of Dani traveling to Puerto Rico with Rene as he works on his next album and growing closer to him and his music.

This was a super fun read that had me itching to create a reggaeton playlist and book a trip to Puerto Rico. Lissette Dicos does a great job of immersing readers into the setting with the characters, which will definitely have me reaching for more of her work in the future!

Takes One to Know One by Lissette Decos was impossible to put down—I had an absolute blast reading this book. The story follows Daniella, a marketing executive at a Miami music label, who is tasked with promoting their first reggaeton artist, El Rico. The caveat - Daniella doesn’t like reggaeton, and El Rico sees right through her pretense.

Decos does a stunning job immersing readers in Puerto Rican culture. I truly felt like I was there—tasting the ocean air, smelling the food cooking in the kitchens and food trucks, and hearing the music playing from car windows. The setting is truly vibrant, rich, and authentic. It made me feel so proud to be Latina.

But it’s not just about the culture, and the love story between Danielle and Rene. Daniella’s grief over losing her Puerto Rican father adds a deep emotional layer to the story. Her struggle to manage her grief by being the family’s caretaker—always trying to fix things for her mother and little sister—brings a lot of complexity to her character. She’s spent her entire adult life putting others first, and the story delves beautifully into the emotional toll that takes on her. Watching her shed some layers was beautiful.

Daniella’s relationship with her family, especially her younger sister, is portrayed with such tenderness, adding even more depth to her character. And the slow burn romance between Daniella and Rene (El Rico) is just perfect—there’s a natural sensuality that Decos captures effortlessly, reflecting the warmth and ease that comes with being part of the Latino community.

That being said, the romance felt like it could’ve used a bit more build-up. I wish it had been fleshed out a little more. While the chemistry between Daniella and Rene is undeniable, I wished their feelings for each other had developed a little more organically. The moments we do get are great, but with the song "Take It Off" being written and produced before they even shared a truly vulnerable moment, I felt like there was a missed opportunity to deepen their connection. If this aspect had been fleshed out more, their eventual separation and reunion would have had a deeper emotional impact on me.

All in all, I am so incredibly happy I got the chance to read this book. It is a love letter to music, to reguetton, to Puerto Rico, and to the Latinx community. Obsessed!

This was a fun, easygoing read that I flew through in no time. The writing was engaging and the premise had a lot of potential. I enjoyed the overall story, but there were a few things that kept me from fully loving it.

One of the biggest issues for me was the character development. It felt like the book really did nothing to flesh out the characters. I love being able to connect with characters on a deeper level but that connection felt a little out of reach. Because of this, certain moments that should have been emotionally impactful didn’t hit as hard as they could have.

Another thing that stood out was the pacing of the romance. I don’t usually mind a slow burn but in this case, it felt too slow, especially since the characters weren’t fully developed. Without that emotional connection, the slow progression of the romance made parts of the book drag a bit. It wasn’t until things finally picked up that I felt more invested but unfortunately a lot of people won’t stick around if they don’t feel that initial pull.

That being said, I did enjoy this book. It had charm, a solid concept and was an easy read. If the characters had been given more depth and the pacing had been a bit tighter, I think I would have enjoyed it even more.

3.75/5

i really enjoyed this novel, i finished it in under a day and it finally got me out of my slump! i really enjoyed the descriptions of puerto rico and the parts of dani finally visiting the island his father is from and exploring the places her father sang about. it wasn't a totally perfect book, but i definitely recommend it and i think i will also check out the author's previous and upcoming works!

As a Dominican woman who has loved Reggaeton since childhood, I was immediately hooked by the premise of this book. I feel as if this kind of Latino fiction is underrepresented (from the Caribbean), so I was happy to be able to obtain a copy of this book. It is a rather niche topic for some readers, but I feel it is a novel anyone can enjoy, although I wish the Spanish wasn’t translated, and that the songs were written in Spanish.

I want to go into a few of the positives. I absolutely love the author’s depictions of Puerto Rico in this book. The landscapes are described so beautifully, they really made me miss my motherland, and did the island justice! I loved all the cultural references to the music and food of Puerto Rico. That was all very fun. Dani was fine as a protagonist, she was smart and ambitious if a bit stuffy and buttoned up. The relationship with her dad was so sweet and that may have been my favorite part of the book.

Here come some of the negatives. I did not particularly enjoy Rene, and I would’ve rooted more for the main couple if he had just been a more fleshed-out character. The only explanation we get for why he is mysterious is because he is “shy”. But he is not endearing, he’s kind of a jerk, uber sensitive, and kind of a Bad Bunny ripoff but in a bad way. I am all for a slow burn romance, however, the burn on this one was like a lit match. Immediately put out. Nothing very exciting happened between the romantic leads until about 80% of the book. The lead up was sweet at times, and I understand that some romances do take time to develop. But even the lead up was not particularly interesting. There was more thought and detail put into the outfits that the characters wore every day (especially Rene, what a fashionista!) than into the romantic aspect.

The side characters were very much just “there”, nothing to them really, especially Camila. What was the actual point of her lol. And James and his backstory with Dani…no point. I like that the author described activities that Dani was doing, but some of them just made no sense as to why she was doing them or were boring. There were times when I didn’t even know what was happening, either because there was very little detail explained beforehand and/or because the dialogue and inner monologue didn’t make sense.

All in all, I wish I had liked it more. It was OK for a brief Saturday read, but I found myself more frustrated than I would like. Thank you, Netgalley.