Unfortunately, this was not my new favourite Libby Hubscher book. The adventure part was fun and the writing itself was decent, but I really disliked how long it took us to get to the first breakup, and I really didn't like how that conflict came around, and how it was handled by the characters.

HUCK!!! The heart-eyed emoji personified. That is all.

Just kidding (kind of)! But I loooooved Stella and Huck's banter and the journey of them finding their way back to each other <3 I also really enjoyed the treasure hunt/adventure!

Stella randomly meets her favorite author, Huck, in a bar in Iceland not knowing he’s a longtime friend of Teddy, one of her treasure hunting friends. There are immediate sparks between Stella and Huck, and he helps solve some of a riddle that leads to a treasure find for their group. Stella and Huck then spend a magical, passion-filled night together, but in the morning, Huck is gone with no explanation. He goes on to write a hit novel when a treasure hunting female character suspiciously similar to Stella.

One year later, much to Stella’s surprise, Huck is back to join their latest adventure hunting down sunken treasure in the Florida Keys. Stella’s not thrilled and determined to keep him at arm’s length. However, it’s obvious Huck is full of regret and it’s hard to resist when he’s so sweet.

I really felt for both Stella and Huck. They both had crappy parents and dealt with insecurities stemming from that, but I was not pleased with Huck when he just up and left Stella in the beginning. There was an explanation, but still. Being in his head during his chapters was a little frustrating at times as he was constantly berating himself, letting his father’s awful digs creep in. That being said, I did like him a lot and I was rooting for them to sort out the past and get to their HEA.

Loved Stella’s friend Zoe and Gus, both were supportive and steady. Teddy was another matter altogether! He was awful to both Stella and Huck!

Heart Marks the Spot was a fun, page-turning adventure romance and I really enjoyed the treasure hunting parts and the setting of Iceland and the Florida Keys!

I've absolutely enjoyed this author's other novels. They've wrecked me and put me back together and I couldn't wait to dive into this one.

And it was, okay? It felt a little like the movies fool's gold, the treasure hunting, the romance sub plot and band of besties. For the connection that the author built up between Stella and Huck, it didnt really come off the page as well as I would have liked. There were some things that additionally felt a little glossed over (what's up with Teddy) that really needed more depth. I desperately would love to see a book on Gus and Zoe, I was rooting for them even more than anyone else in the book, they just felt so wholesome and genuine and I wanted more of them.

All in all an okay read and can't wait to pick up whatever comes next from this author!




Thank you Netgalley and Berkley Publishing Group | Berkley for the ARC in exchange for my review!

I was excited about this story and thought it would be a story of adventure with some romance. This wasn't what I was expecting.

This story focused more on the blooming romance between Huck and Stella. Part one of the book is just the two of them talking about how much they are attracted to one another and I quickly lost interest.

I liked relationship among the group of friends and how they were brought together by their love for treasure hunting. The characters themselves seemed ok.

This book is not for me.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC.

This was a fun adventure filled read with a little bit of romance and a dash of spice. The story flowed well and made for an easy engaging read. The characters were fun and no one was overwhelmingly twee or annoying. A good setting in many ways,lots of treasure talk and places visited.

I was disappointed with this book.

The characters were into each other from the very beginning, which meant we didn't get to see them actually explore any deeper feelings. Even when they had liked each other, I didn't feel connected to them and I didn't see the connection between them.

The overall idea and plot of this novel were really intriguing, but unfortunately it fell flat for me.

I was pretty hooked on this book right from the start. I love a treasure hunt or quest, and I love National Treasure unironically so this book was a perfect fit for me. The story was fun with a focus on the relationships between real life treasure hunters.

I think our main character Stella is maybe the coolest person alive. Her backstory was heartbreaking and I thought it manifested in her current life in believable ways. Even though I could see some of the issues brewing from a mile away, I thought her friendships with the whole crew were really special. And then of COURSE I loved the romance here. Stella and Huck had a palpable chemistry that was more than physical. You could sense that they understood each other fully.

While full of adventure, the book felt pretty cozy to me. Libby Hubscher writes in a really grounded and thoughtful way that keeps the heart and romance of the story at the forefront. I loved the dual POVs and the time jump. I feel like most books that play with the timeline do alternating timelines, so a straightforward time jump was a nice change of pace.

This one made me want to pick up more from Libby Hubscher. I really just love her mature tone - it’s light and fun but still feels more substantial than a lot of other contemporary romances out there. She ride that line between “women’s fiction” and romance beautifully.

Heart Marks The Spot is the story of a woman who, together with her friends, is in search of a treasure that her deceased father had been hunting for prior to his passing. And a novelist in a slump who ends up in the mix with the treasure hunters. This was a cute deviation from the standard romcoms with the excitement of the treasure hunt and deep scuba dives mixed in. More adventure than I am used to and I liked mixing things up. I really liked the dynamics of the group and their bantering. And the romance was the perfect amount of sweetness and believability.

I enjoyed the storyline and how the characters got together. I felt that the story was slow for me. Although there are heavy parent centered topics, they are written in a way that doesn't feel heavy. I also wasn't surprised by the twists. I'm not crazy about miscommunication and 3rd act breakups. I loved that he was a writer and you got to see a snippet of his book. I love that she was a treasure hunter, and she brought excitement to history.

There is spice, about 2 peppers. The tension build is decent. There's not a ton of details or anything too crazy. You could probably skip them without losing too much.

I think romance readers that like adventure, Indiana Jones inspired characters, contemporary, and found family - would enjoy this story.

This was a fun story though a bit long. The detail about sea searching and artifact research was great. Stella was very knowledgeable and independent. Her past drove her passion for the hunt. Huck was fascinated with Stella and her job, but he made a big mistake, putting their future at risk. I loved what he went through to get her back.

I received a copy through Netgalley, and this is my unsolicited review.

This one was fun!

I loved the treasure hunting aspects, especially in the second half of the book when they were on the boat.

Huck and Stella had so much chemistry. I loved them together. They definitely both made mistakes, but they were so good for each other.

Stella's friend group was fantastic - especially Zoe. I loved how close they all were.

I would probably have rated this one slightly higher, but I was honestly really annoyed by the fact that Teddy was in love with Stella for so many years and sabotaged her relationship with Huck. It just made me dislike him, which was frustrating because I had enjoyed her friendship with him throughout the book. Still, it was a solid 4 star read.

Review: HEART MARKS THE SPOT by Libby Hubscher https://bit.ly/4ooWQVS
Publication Date: 07/22/2025
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Reviewed by: Reading in Pajamas/ Donna
Rated 4 Stars

I enjoyed this contemporary romance wrapped around treasure hunts. There is no swashbuckling danger, but it held my attention all the same. I think it was the group dynamic and banter with the treasure hunters. Huck fit right in with the easy camaraderie, making the romance seem natural. The world building and backstory seemed effortless and pulled me in.

I liked Stella’s personality, independence and strength, despite issues from her past. I also liked Huck, though I thought an author would be capable of explaining his feelings better. They were great together in part 1 of the story. Their growing relationship was a delight to watch. Part 2 had their behavior rather tense and confusing. Again, Huck, an author, could not find the words to communicate? The only reason I knew that he still loved her was because he told me. How was she to know enough to trust him?  However, like a treasure hunt, it takes time for all to be revealed.

*Review copy provided by Penguin Random House in exchange for an honest review.


Kindle https://amzn.to/3Jkik6c

Stella was born into a treasure hunting family, and had heard stories from her parents about treasure her entire life. But her mother and father both abandoned her and she managed to make a family with 3 friends she made, Teddy, Zoe and Gus. Every summer they come together for a month of treasure hunting. A year and a half ago she met a man in a bar, who turned about to be the author of her favourite adventure series, Huck Sullivan. He helps her decode some clues and they find some treasure and they even have a couple nights of connection, then he disappears the next morning without saying anything.

Now she is bombarded with his face when his latest novel comes out and the main character strikes a resemblance to her and the time they spent together her feelings start to resurface. Then she learns he is going to join them on their next trip, and she is going to be forced to be in his proximity.

For a girl who loves National Treasure with her whole heart and soul I was so excited to read a treasure hunting romance. I had a lovely time reading this one, the characters were fun, the chemistry was there, and it dived into heavier topics that was balanced well with the lighter moments. The storyline with one of the side characters felt a but forced but overall I enjoyed the book.

My first treasure hunting book and I loved it! A treasure hunter falls for a famous author, who’s suffering from writer’s block, by chance in Iceland! They have a small fling while there where something happens that separates them. Fast forward a year and a half, and they’re thrown together again due to their mutual friend who agrees to let our MMC join their treasure hunt for research for the MMC’s next book! There is a dual timeline, which I usually dislike, but I enjoyed it in this book! The book gives adult Outer Banks vibes! It’s fun and adventurous with emotions!

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing for the eARC!

Thank you to Berkley Romance for the free book and to PRH Audio for the complimentary audiobook. These opinions are my own. #Berkley #BerkleyPartner

Stella is a treasure hunter. She runs into Huck in a bar in Iceland. And it turns out he is one of her favorite writers and a friend of a friend. I would not have thought there were many similarities between being a treasure hunter and writer, but the story drew parallels between the two quite well.

I greatly appreciated the book's structure. There was a part one focused on the past and a part two present. And that means I knew what happened and wasn't left guessing for the most part. I was in the same space as Stella throughout, and that made for a more enjoyable experience for me.

My favorite parts of the book included the adventure. I especially enjoyed the Northern Lights in Iceland and the scuba diving off a ship. However, in terms of the romance and friendships, there was somewhat of a tonal change near the end. For me, that means I liked the start of the book more than the conclusion.

This is a fade to black romance, for those who prefer more of a closed door. And I did ultimately root for a lasting happily ever after between Stella and Huck.

I chose to mostly listen to this book because Brittany Pressley is one of the narrators. Aaron Shedlock didn't perform female voices as well as I prefer. I think a duet narration might have improved this. It was just over 10 hours, and I enjoyed each one.

This is the perfect summer read! I heard treasure hunt and was immediately sold (plus I love the cover and title!) I loved the premise, the different scenic settings, the adventure, the found family, the drama, and the love between Stella and Huck. I could not put this book down! The characters were intriguing and complex, and easy to root for, and had me feeling all the feels. I hope this one gets the hype it deserves!

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗰𝘁 ⇣
Second chance
Treasure Hunter x author
Forced proximity
Found family
Dual POV
Spice

Thank you to Berkley Romance for the gifted copy!

This story was thoroughly enjoyable. Both Stella and Huck have issues due to poor parenting. He's a famous author; she's a treasure hunter. They meet, spend a few days together, fall in love in a matter of days and then it's over. The story picks back up a year or so later and Huck is joining Stella and her crew of friends who treasure hunt with her. One of those people happens to also be a long time friend of Huck's. Liked this story and will have to search my TBR pile because I know I have some of the author's other books that I haven't yet read. 4 1/2 stars.

DNF @ 11%

The language and descriptions in this book just wasn’t for me. There were a lot of cringy slang that took me out of the book. The male pov was not for me as well. Huck’s internal thoughts make me uncomfortable and I just didn’t enjoy his sections of the book.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this arc in exchange for my honest review

I enjoyed Heart Marks the Spot. The characters were well done. The story well researched and intriguing. The challenges, physical and emotional, realistic and gripping. The Happily Ever After was hard fought for.

Stella and Hack have both had challenging lives that have left them emotionally scarred and unable to function completely. They get through life. That's not their challenge. It's the internal damage caused by their parents that plagues them. It drives them both but stymies them as well. Both are so externally focused seeking their success that they aren't growing. They've both tasted success in their careers. Huck has had great success but his lauded and best selling book series but it ended on a sour note and he's been unable to find his writing voice since. Thanks in large part to actions of his father. Stella has found some treasures but not the ultimate one she seeks. Together they find an amazing trove of Viking treasure which she believes is a clue to the Heart she's spent her life pursuing. After the find and an amazing couple of days culminating in an intense night together, Huck ghosts Stella. She's devastated. He is too. Their mutual friend, Teddy, begins to spiral further into his drinking and partying. He's got secrets of his own that Stella and Huck's relationship threatens.

As all three struggle, Stella plans their next summer adventure to find the Heart. What Teddy hasn't told anyone is that he's lost his vast fortune. He can no longer finance the treks. Huck has written another best seller, with characters very much life him, Stella, Teddy and the crew, and has plenty of money. He regrets leaving Stella and wants desperately to see her again. He's happy to step up and finance the expedition, though only he and Teddy know about it. Stella is torn. She's been hurt so deeply by Huck but still has feelings for him. She starts out using her anger when dealing with him and it takes a lot to get over that.

As they battle the weather, the inherent danger of searching the ocean floor for ancient wreckage and the emotional battles warring among the entire crew, the trip is rife with conflict and difficulties. Can this group get through all this? Can they find the Heart? I'll stop here to avoid spoilers.

The book has plenty of action. The characters were alternatively damaged and difficult and sweet, caring, loving and lovable. I really enjoyed it all. These tormented souls deserved to find happiness.