"A treasure hunter and the bestselling adventure novelist who broke her heart after one successful expedition reunite for a summer to search for lost riches.

Treasure hunter Stella Moore dreams of having it all - wealth, love, and a flourishing career - but knows she'll never be that lucky. Every summer she and her childhood friends travel to search for hidden treasure, but she can barely manage her bills, let alone a relationship. Then, a chance encounter with alluring novelist Huck Sullivan during an expedition in Iceland has Stella thinking maybe her fortune has changed.

After his last book bombed, Huck hasn't written a word. Joining Stella and her crew on an adventure seems like the perfect distraction from his problems, and when the crew finally uncovers hidden treasure, he is certain that he's found more than just inspiration for his next novel. Huck and Stella's undeniable connection gives way to an unforgettable night on a black sand beach.

After Huck disappears without a goodbye, Stella vows to put the heartbreak behind her - but that's easier said than done when, a year later, every bookstore has a life-size cutout of her ex-lover next to stacks of his latest record-breaking bestseller. Good thing it's time for another summer treasure hunt. Stella throws herself into mapping the path to a shipwreck off Key West, but the last thing she expects is an extra crew member showing up in search of material for a sequel and a second chance.

Stella and Huck are prepared for storms, sharks, sea sickness, even a tentative truce. But facing the feelings they buried and confronting the devastating truth about why Huck left is the only way to find what their hearts have been searching for all along."

You know, hunting for treasure sounds so fun until you get into all the legalities. Stick with romance.

This was a fun summer read!
In this story, Stella is a part time treasure hunter with her friends Teddy, Zoe, and Gus. The book opens with their latest expedition in Iceland. Stella meets Teddy's former roommate and author, Huck, in a bar. Sparks fly as Stella and Huck are instantly drawn to one another, and Huck joins their treasure hunt. However, just as they're falling for each other, Huck leaves, and Stella is left reeling. Fast forward a year or so, and the friends are on their next expedition to find treasure, this time in Key West, and Teddy invites Huck along. Stella, who never told her friends how much Huck's leaving hurt her, has to hide her true feelings while leading the group to find the largest treasure yet. However, it's clear that she and Huck are still drawn to each other.
I really enjoyed this book. The thrill of treasure hunting with the romance brewing between Stella and Huck made it a great summer read. I really liked how fleshed out all of the main characters were in the book. Stella and Huck, especially, had deep backstories and were complex characters. I also loved the sense of found family between the group members. The backdrops of Iceland and Key West for the treasure hunting were fun settings.
My only complaints are that it doesn't make sense until the end of the book why Huck left, and that the story was a bit far fetched. Since the book is written in dual POV alternating between Stella and Huck, it felt strange to not get the reason why Huck left until the end of the book when the reader has been seeing things from his POV for a good portion of the book. I feel like it would have been more impactful to get a scene when Huck left showing why he did rather than having to wait until the end of the book to find out the reason why. Also, the book was a bit far fetched. For a group of amateur treasure hunters, they found treasure in the book pretty fast and easily. There is a lot of what seems like foreshadowing of obstacles in their treasure hunt, but then hardly any of them come to pass.
Overall, this was a fun read, and I look forward to reading more from Libby Hubscher! 4 stars

Thank you for the free book, Berkley Romance!

In this adventurous rom com, Huck and Stella first connect when Stella is hunting for treasure on an expedition in Iceland. Huck is the author of Stella’s favorite book series and the former boarding school roommate of her best friend, Teddy. They hit it off right away, but Stella is hurt when Huck disappears without warning. Later, they reconnect for a future treasure hunt in the Florida Keys but she is guarding her heart much more carefully.

I have read a past novel of this author’s and it was so devastatingly sad, so I was pleasantly surprised that this one was much more filled with lighthearted moments. It’s the perfect summer read, packed with adventure, humor, beachy settings, and starry skies. Fans of Outer Banks and movies like National Treasure will love this book and get carried away along with Stella in uncovering the hidden treasures she seeks. The found family elements were top notch, and fans of second chance romance will enjoy seeing Huck reconnect with Stella. The Iceland and Key West settings are exciting and add so much to the story.

This felt like playing Tomb Raider or Uncharted but with romance.

I love the idea of a team of best friend treasure hunters, and I love that the nature of what they do has made them so in tune with each other… until they all start keeping secrets.

Huck is so funny to me because he’s this character who seems suave and clever and put together, but then we see his perspective and he is fumbling and nervous and filled with self doubt. Stella is whip-smart and determined and confident, but her bruises come back as armor that is nearly impenetrable.

Everyone was so truly terrible at communicating with each other but still aggressive about diving safety, which I appreciated - their friendships starting young combined with Stella keeping things close to her chest resulted in a lot of “established roles” for each of them that they were actively outgrowing.

Despite literal near death experiences, this actually felt quite low-stakes but in a good way. I love a good treasure map and forced proximity, and Stella is not nearly as good at holding people at arms length as she would like to think she is.

Thanks to Netgalley & Berkley Publishing Group for the E-ARC! So cute! Loved the characters & the themes. Fun romance too. Perfect summer read! Will read more from this author.

it’s been a LOOOONG time since i’ve given a contemporary romance book 5 stars… but wow, i just adored this one!

this book follows treasure hunter stella moore & her crew of friends as they, you guessed it, hunt treasure. along the way they are joined by adventure book author huck sullivan & the sparks fly!

it’s important to me that the romance books i read have a fun plot & not be COMPLETELY centered around the main relationship. this story absolutely delivered. of course i was invested in the love story, but i was also obsessed with the treasure hunting storyline & was at the edge of my seat waiting to see what they would find next!

the two main settings in this book are iceland & key west, florida. you can tell that the author really did a lot of research. as a key west local myself, i loved reading about the places around town that the characters went because they’re places i frequent in my real life! the author was also able to throw in some key west history in a way that wasn’t forced or boring. so i might be a *tad* biased, but i loved the island setting. props to the author for the scuba diving scenes as well!

also!! these characters stole my freaking heart. i relate to stella AND huck so deeply. i don’t think i’ve read a book before this one where i could truly relate to both main characters & that made this book all the more enjoyable. i loved the side characters too BUT MY MAN TEDDY?!?!! i don’t care i don’t care i don’t care I LOVE HIM. i’m gonna say it one more time - I DONT CARE I LOVE HIM!

heart marks the spot is a MUST-READ for summer! with lots of adventure and plenty of heart, you’re not gonna want to miss this one!

thank you to netgalley and berkley publishing for the ARC in exchange for my honest review!

I had high hopes for this novel but a lack of chemistry between the main characters and slow pacing made me struggle through it. This is supposed to be a second chance romance between a famous author and a treasure hunter. However, the first 1/3 of the book was spent getting to know these two as they meet each other and develop a relationship. Then it abruptly ends for no reason and we pick up the story a year later.

The pacing felt off for a second chance romance story and their chemistry was even worse the second time around. I've adored Libby's other romances but this one wasn't for me.

Had a lot of fun with this book. I found the treasure hunt moments fun and entertaining, though the best part for me was the romance. Huck's character was so complex and I enjoyed seeing the MMC being the mystery for once. I also loved Stella, but I really think that he steals the show. Very happy with this read!

I enjoyed the way Stella and Huck met and how their lives were connected through a mutual best friend. They started off with excellent banter and chemistry and then that all faded away until the end of the novel. I never really felt their attraction to each other and that made me not really care if they ended up together or not. While I enjoy novels told in dual points of view, this one fell into the internal monologuing trap and I got more telling about Stella's and Huck's feelings than actual interaction. The dialogue that was given often felt stilted and unnatural.

What I enjoyed about this novel was the treasure hunting and the amazing settings. I also enjoyed the fierce friendships. The plot seemed to drag at times until the twist at the end that I didn't see coming. After that I didn't want to stop reading. I received a digital copy from Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

It took me a little while to get into the story, but soon I was all in for the treasure hunt romance.

Stella Moore enjoys going on summer treasure hunts with her friends. She meets novelist Huck Sullivan and he joins in on the hunt. He suddenly disappears, only to reappear later as a cardboard cutout by his latest book in bookstores. When he and Stella meet again on a treasure hunt, sparks fly and adventure awaits!

I wanted to read Heart Marks the Spot because it sounded like such a fun, unique book - romance and treasure hunting all at once! The description was apt and this read was a lot of fun. I recommend it as a summer read.

This book was such an adventure!

Stella’s annual treasure hunt takes an unexpected turn when a charming author joins the crew and leaves her heartbroken. A year later, he’s back for a sequel!

I absolutely adored this friend group. It felt so authentic!

The second chance romance was done so well!

I didn’t expect the story to go so deep into feelings of inadequacy, and that emotional layer really hit. And maybe it’s because I just watched Outer Banks, but the beachy, adventurous vibes were so much fun!

If you’re into second chances, sunken treasure, and a cute love story, this book is for you!

Thank you NetGalley and Berkley for the free ARC.

Thank you @berkleyromance @netgalley for the advanced copy of @libbyhubscher newest book!

Wow, this book was so incredibly fun and unique, while also deeply emotional! And I shouldn’t be surprised…Meet Me in Paradise is one of my all time favorite emotional romances!
The two MCs were highly motivated by their pasts, which gave us such well developed characters. The friends who were like family added such a great dynamic. I couldn’t put this one down as I was captivated by the treasure hunting in this second chance romance!

I can read anything that Libby Hubscher writes. She knows how to write emotional romance stories that have my heart breaking but also swooning as well. And it’s no different when I picked up Heart Marks the Spot.

Heart Marks the Spot brings two former lovers together again as they both search for hidden treasure. Stella never knew that she could get attached to someone very quickly when she typically does one-night stands. There is just something about Huck that makes Stella want more than her typical one-night stand. However, the universe isn’t on her side when Huck ditches her with no note or explanation.

It doesn’t help that Huck writes a book based on her a few months after. Good thing Stella has a trip coming up that she can use to avoid thinking about Huck. Fate has other plans. Huck knows that he messed up his chance with Stella, but he is more than willing to gain it back again. That’s why Huck is more than willing to join Stella and her friends’ excursion.

You know what they say about forced proximity between former lovers? It’s going to be messy, and there will be a lot of tension between Stella and Huck. I think it’s a good thing because both of them need to step out of their comfort zones and deal with their feelings. It isn’t easy for Stella because people typically abandon her, so she tends to close off her feelings. And yet, Stella still harbors feelings toward Huck. It hasn’t gone away. And it probably won’t either whenever she talks to Huck more and more.

A nice blend of adventure, emotions and romance!

A combination between a treasure hunter and well known author sounds like a match made in heaven! Especially when said author is known for his book series that is based on an adventurous character!

Stella and Huck met each other right when they needed each other and the rest as they say was history.

Now it wouldn’t be a romance book if it didn’t have its ups and downs and Stella and Huck didn’t disappoint.

As someone who isn’t the biggest fan of second chance romance I’m really happy I enjoyed this one (while I hate how the situation was handled by Huck it did become clear why he did what he did)

I do wish there was a little bit more on the emotional connection between the characters but overall it was nice! And I could smell the Teddy situation from a 1000 miles away! And boy was I right!

A fun read!

Within the first two chapters, I knew Stella and I were not a good fit: she's dumb as a rock. She said she bought a second copy of the bad conclusion to her favorite book series, convinced the first copy was a misprint and was maybe missing fifty pages. Girl. You don't have to buy another copy to verify that. Why throw money at a bad book TWICE? And she had these poems which contained the location of some treasure and couldn't figure it out until Huck read them with his writer's eyes and then oh wow it's behind a waterfall?! GIRL, please!

And the way Huck is immediately infatuated with her, saying things like he hasn't laughed with another human in years, until her... Sir. Please.

Thanks to the publisher for the invitation to read, but this one already feels like a waste of my time. I'd forgotten that I've read a previous book by this author (If You Ask Me), and I didn't like it.

I really enjoyed this. It was a good mix of adventure, romance, and friendship. I loved the chapters being told between Stella and Huck. I thought it added a nice difference in the storytelling to keep the book moving. I found it slow to start and it kinda just steaded out, but never got too fast. I do wish there had been a little more adventure and treasure hunting, but the character growth was great. I also loved the adult friendship built into the story. As an adult it's hard to maintain and keep friendship so it was nice reading about people who were doing that. I thought the end was pretty satisfying as well.

Thanks NetGalley for the advanced read.

This was such a delightful romance read!! I loved the characters, treasure hunting, and the character development. And a fabulous ending to cap it off! A great feel good read that also explores deep themes. 5 stars!

I loved this book so much. It’s about much more than being a novelist and/or treasure hunting. Its abandonment issues, feelings of inadequacy, found family and taking risks. It’s a beautifully written romance. Thanks to Berkley for the ARC.

This was such a cute book. Apparently this is the year of treasure hunting tropes as I have read three books already and it’s only April. But, I digress… I loved this book, the world building and the excitement of feeling like we’re apart of the treasure hunt with the crew was amazing. Stella and Huck’s relationship was so cute and even with the time jump the author keeps you just as engaged in the story. I will admit that the ending felt a little anticlimactic so I was a little bummed at that but overall as a whole this book was such a fun read and is perfect for fans of the outer banks and treasure hunting.