An adventure filled romance with Fool's Gold vibes! It took me awhile to get into this one. I struggled to connect with the characters at first but glad I stick with it. I was a little surprised that it was a second chance romance (I went in blind) because they meet for the first time at the beginning of the book. The treasure hunting part was very cool! And loved the supporting characters. Overall good read!

Thanks to @berkleypub and @berkleyromance for the free published copy and e-ARC and to @prhaudio for the review copy of this audiobook!

I desperately wanted to like this one. This one is told in two parts. In part one, Stella, a professional treasure hunter with her crew of best friends, meets Huck the author of her favorite books, who is riding out writers block in Iceland. Together they uncover a treasure Stella’s been hunting for years. They have instant connection. But after one night together, Huck walks away without a word. A few years later, after writing a best seller about their experiences, Huck reappears, asking to join Stella’s crew once again to research another book.

The premise of treasure hunting was thrilling. But unfortunately it was less clue solving and more miscommunication. Most of research/clue solving took place off page. And even most of the searching happened between the ending and epilogue. Which meant that seriously the whole book was one miscommunication after another. No one shared. For a group of best friends they sure kept a lot of secrets. And Stella and Huck talked a lot but still never shared anything of substance, both before and after the breakup. Not sure how you call someone the love of your life without going deep emotionally. Even after their first encounter ended badly, rather than talk about it they stuffed everything down and didn’t talk about it while still working together and having lots of other conversations. And the rest of the crew, who knew the truth about why they broke up, didn’t tell her either. It was so frustrating. I wanted more talking AND more treasure hunting.

The narrators did a good job with the material. Brittany Pressley is always an amazing narrator.

3.5 stars

Pretty standard romcom that is good for passing the time. A group of friends use their vacation time to travel the world in search of treasure. They are introduced to a a struggling writer while at a bar in Iceland, who happens to be the distant bff of one of the guys on the trip. The FMC and writer hook up but he bails with no explanation then uses her as a muse for his next novel.
The whole MMC ghosting the FMC thing wasn’t executed very well, even though it did make sense for the plot. There is a two-part twist at the end, one that makes sense and one that doesn’t add to the plot. And I didn’t feel as connected to the characters as I would have liked.

A treasure hunter and the bestselling adventure novelist who broke her heart after one successful expedition reunite for a summer treasure hunt.

This book was unputdownable!! The writing and characters were superb. I loved our MC’s and their connection together. The premise was so unique and I had the best time reading about their adventures. The only thing I didn’t love about these characters was all of the lies & hidden truths hidden between this crew. This was my first from this author and I can’t wait to read more!

rating: 5⭐️

read if you like:
- dual POV
- family trauma
- found family
- second chances
- treasure hunting
- adventure romance

quotes:

“I spent two paragraphs on these lips, and it’s the best fucking thing I’ve ever written.”

“Nope. I woke you up to be my bitch. And you’re going to like it.”

“The terrain of you as a person will never be the same.”

“Instead, I thrash around like a f*cking octopus on coke and manage to get a mouthful of water and a view of my imminent demise.”

“You’re like gravity, Stella, impossible to resist.”

thank you so much to @berkleyromance @berkleypub for allowing me to be an early reader. All thoughts are my own!

I love romance novels, and books dealing with archeology and history! As soon as I heard about this book, I just knew I needed to read it!

Libby Hubscher's writing is so full of heart (no pun intended!), and the storytelling and world-building throughout is truly spectacular. Each and every element of this book; from the plot, to the characters, to the relationships, to the settings, to the conflicts, etc. truly all jump right off of the page in such an immersive way, that, as the reader, I felt like I was right there in the story watching it occur.

In this beautifully written second-chance romance, Stella and Huck get another chance at their happily-ever-after. Told in two timelines, once early in their story, and then at the current time, this book truly has so much in it: adventure, romance, found family, deep emotional depth, strong character development, powerful and poignant themes that resonated with me so much, and so much more.

I highly recommend this book!

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for the e-ARC of this incredible novel, and to Berkley Publishing Group for having me on the Blog Tour! All opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Another fun adventure romance! It's more than just adventure, though; this one was packed with heart, romance, and plenty of emotion. I liked that in this one, the FMC is the adventure seeker and the MMC is the novelist, as in the few adventure-seeking romance novels I have read, it is always the MMC who is the adventurer. Stella is such a strong and independent FMC, and she doesn't let Huck have it easy at first by any means, but he perseveres lol. I truly enjoyed this one and am looking forward to reading more by Libby.

Stella has abandonment issues. Her parents were treasure hunters, and she grew up following them on various hunts all over the world. Yet, treasure seeking tore her family apart. If I remember correctly, her mother left first. And then her father, shortly after, ended up abandoning Stella. Stella was a teenager at this point, and she was kind of adopted by a group of friends on a beach one day. Since then, she's worked hard to find a treasure that her mother was searching for. The exact treasure that broke her family apart. She thinks that if she locates it, her parents will realize that she is worth sticking around for. Her friends have been hunting with her every summer, but they do it for Stella and for fun, not the borderline fanatic way she searches.

Huck is an author. His father has always talked down to him, basically telling him that he will amount to nothing, no matter how well he did. Turns out that Stella and Huck have a friend in common, Teddy. Teddy was friends with Huck in school...best friends in fact. Yet Teddy is the one who first adopted Stella into their friend group. Teddy spies Huck in Iceland on their treasure hunting adventure at a bar one night. They reconnect, and Huck is invited to tag along on some of the adventures. Huck has had writer's block for a while now. He had a successful book series, but the last book kind of tanked, and he hasn't been able to write a single word since. His dad's voice is playing on loop in his head, so having an adventure and meeting a beautiful woman that he connects with immediately sounds right up his alley.

The side characters were easy to love. Teddy is a fun character, yet he annoyed me. And I know if I knew him in person, I wouldn't really want to hang out with him. The excessive drinking and sleeping around aren't things I can be supportive of. Zoe and Gus make up the last of their quad. Zoe is a lawyer and Stella's best friend. She and Gus have slowly turned into more, and Stella isn't quite sure how their changed relationship will affect their friend group and their adventures. I enjoyed seeing this aspect, as no matter how much we might want to freeze time in place and our friends in certain roles and physical proximity to us, life is always moving, always changing.

As the book description says (too much information if you ask me, but since it's out there, I'll discuss it), Huck leaves Stella after they've had a night together on the beach. There is so on-page action, but at this point, it isn't described in too much detail. Stella wakes up the next morning alone, abandoned again--triggering all of her previous childhood trauma. She does her best to move on, but that's not easy at all. Huck went on to write an adventure novel about treasure hunters, and he and Stella are the main characters. Stella would know that, but she can't bring herself to read his book.

Around a year later, the group is meeting up for another hunting session, and Teddy springs it on Stella that he's invited Huck. Stella is livid and determined to ignore Huck as much as possible. But their attraction is too strong. And they have to face the reason why Huck left in the first place. Heart Marks the Spot was entirely predictable to me. I wasn't surprised by anything that happened. At all. But that doesn't mean it wasn't an enjoyable story or journey to go on. Even though the group didn't spend a large amount of time in Iceland compared to the entire story, I could picture the country and landmarks very well from the description. And even Key West--a little easier since I've actually been to Key West before. This book triggered a desire to travel in me.

***A spoiler I am dying to discuss: (highlight for spoiler) Teddy tells Stella that he's been in love with her and that's why he told Huck to leave. I LOVE that Stella told him that he doesn't actually love her, because you don't treat someone you love like that. So often, especially in literature, we see characters or people doing things they claim to be spurred on by love, but really it's selfishness, a desire to be with someone. But when those actions are done to the detriment of the other party, that cannot be considered love. At all. I love that Stella called Teddy on this. And I appreciate the author not letting it fly. End spoiler****

Favorite quote:
-It's something precious and rare to be chosen.

Heart Marks the Spot was a fun read. I doubt I'll ever scuba dive or go to Iceland, so it was fun to live vicariously through the characters on these adventures. Nothing surprised me, but I did enjoy the journey. I'd recommend this one. Heart Marks the Spot gets 4 Stars. Have you read Heart Marks the Spot? What did you think? Let me know!

PS I will note coarse language and physical scenes are present. I skim these, but if that bothers you, now you know.

Stella Moore has been determined to prove both to her parents and herself that the treasure she has been searching for for years is out there. When Stella unexpectedly meets writer Huck Sullivan during an expedition in Iceland with her friends, she can’t deny the sparks that fly between them. After Huck tags along with Stella and her crew and helping them solve clues along the way, Huck then disbands from the group leaving Stella hurt and confused. When the two reconnect again, this time in the Florida Keys, discoveries will lead to life changing decisions.

As usual, Libby Hubscher tugs at your heartstrings while also crafting a wonderful romance. The character's learn to deal with their own demons such as divorce and verbal abuse. I also connected with Stella feeling like she is stagnant while the world is moving on around her. Not the mention the locations for the expeditions were so immersive and fun to read about! I absolutely loved this adventure romance!

I love romance mixed with adventure and as a certified SCUBA diver this book was just that much more special. I enjoyed all the diving references and especially the possibility of finding a long lost treasure. Stella and Huck have great chemistry and the secondary characters added a lot of fun and a touch of danger to the story. The audiobook is a fantastic way to experience this love story on the high seas.

I am a big fan of Libby Hubscher and am very grateful to the wonderful folks at Berkley for giving me an ARC and allowing me to read this one early!

I love a romance, and ones with some adventure elements are even more fun for me!! This one captured my attention right away. It was incredibly readable - I tore through it.

While I overall enjoyed it, I wanted to like it more than I did. I struggled a bit with the last fourth of the book. It didn't feel as earned as I wanted it to, and I was genuinely confused by the last twist.

I normally don't mind a second-chance romance, but for some reason, I could not get past what Huck did. As I kept reading, I just kept fuming, and I just couldn't forgive him for what he did to Stella.

That said, the writing is good. The adventures are grand. The romance just wasn't meant to be for me.

Heart Marks the Spot by Libby Hubscher is filled with adventures, lost treasures, a shy bestselling author, and romance. The story is set in Iceland and Key West, before they sail off into the sunset.

Treasure hunter Stella and her team, Ted, Zoe, and Gus, encounter author Huck, coincidentally a friend of Ted’s from school, licking his wounds from his failed last novel and suffering from writer’s block in Iceland. Huck is invited to join the crew on their adventure, which may be the perfect diversion from his troubles. We get to know each of them a little at a time, but Stella and Huck tell the story from their points of view throughout.

The descriptions are vivid, with a wealth of details that make me feel like I was there, whether on land, at sea, or on their dives. Huck’s latest book was an interesting choice for him to write, especially since it’s a series.

Stella and Huck have an immediate attraction, but things go awry, and Stella has a hard time trusting him. They circle around each other, occasionally taking one step forward and many more back, until they finally find common ground. There is closure on several fronts by the end of the book, but the story ended abruptly. The discussion questions at the back of the book made me think.

Heart Marks the Spot paints a picture of living life on the water for an extended period while fulfilling dreams. The author richly described the adventures and treasures.

I rated the book 4.5 stars but rounded to 5 stars here and on other sites.

The review is posted on NovelsAlive.

If you love treasure hunts, forced proximity, second chances, and adventure fueled romance, this one’s for you!

One summer. One unforgettable night. One very public betrayal.

Treasure hunter Stella Moore is used to chasing riches, but when it comes to love? Not so lucky. Last year, she found both: hidden treasure and Huck Sullivan, the broody adventure novelist who swept her off her feet… then disappeared without a trace. 😤

Fast forward a year, and every bookstore is screaming his name. His new, bestselling novel? Basically their entire story. 🔥 And now, on her latest expedition, guess who shows up uninvited, looking for material for his sequel?

👀 Huck. Freaking. Sullivan.

💖 What I loved:
✔️ High stakes adventure meets sizzling romance
✔️ Childhood friends turned found family crew
✔️ The forced proximity & reluctant truce
✔️ Top tier groveling

🙄 What frustrated me:
🚫 Huck, why did you do that to Stella?! 😤
🚫 The emotional whiplash
🚫 I wanted more of the treasure hunt itself! 🏝️

This is an adventurous, emotional, and totally gripping second chance romance with high seas, hidden treasures, and heartache. If you love epic love stories with equal parts angst and adventure, this book marks the spot!

Thank you to NetGalley, Libby Hubscher, and Berkley for the eARC of this book.

I received an ARC via Netgalley. All opinions expressed are my own.

3.5 stars rounded up

I am in the midst of a reading slump. This book hasn't change that - and it would be unfair to put that expectations on any book - but I DID read this book within 3 days. I was charmed by the adventure/treasure hunting aspect of this book.

Our protagonists are Stella, a treasure hunter with a tragic backstory, and Huck, author with a multi-year writing block and his own tragic backstory. I found it interesting how the author showed how the trauma from the past (both Stella and Huck had shit parents) affected their current decisions.

Stella and Huck meet in Iceland with a fun few days spent together. When Huck disappears without a word, Stella is more devastated than she would ever let on.

When Huck joins them on their summer treasure hunt near Key West, both Stella wants to ignore him. But time together reveals that their sizzling chemistry is still intact. And when the reason for Huck's abandonment is revealed, no one is spared the effects.

🌟: 2.5

I will say that the premise is fun (I love a good treasure hunting romance). Huck and Stella are cute together, and I enjoyed their writer/muse dynamic (it felt like a spin on Castle which I adore). Their relationship was pretty insta-lovey, and that is hurt by the way the book is structured. The story would have been better served if their history was told in flashbacks (it's a tried and true method of doing the second chance romance for a reason). But at the same time, I was invested in seeing the pair reunite, and I loved being able to read excerpts of his book along with Stella.

The other bright point of this book was Zoe. I loved how she was a sounding board for both Stella and Huck. She told it the way she saw it, and didn't hesitate to call either character out on the feelings they were ignoring. I would have liked to see her take on the full context of Stella and Teddy's confrontation. All she says is that she knows there was an argument, but it shouldn't negate a decade of their friendship, but I would have preferred if either Stella or Huck went to her and told her the whole story, and if Zoe reinforced that, while the friendship may be repairable, Teddy's behavior was *not* okay.

Now, to the main issue of the book... Teddy.

I would have loved the found family dynamic were it not for Teddy obviously having unrequited feelings for Stella. It isn't revealed until later in the story, but I saw the writing on the wall from the beginning, and as much I was hoping the story wouldn't fall into the cliche of "men and women can't be friends without one catching feelings" it unfortunately went that route. I will admit his storyline is a trigger for me, but the way his "love" for Stella borders on emotional manipulation should have been addressed as a content warning at the start of the book. His not-so-subtle digs, how he uses his words to hurt Huck, and how he uses money as a thinly veiled form of control, I could go ON AND ON. And don't even get me started on how quickly he earns forgiveness. I'm not against a redemption arc, he just needed to earn it. With how intentional he is with his words, using them to get what he wants, it would have been so much more satisfying if some time had passed, giving the readers the chance to see the real actions Teddy took to show his development (like the AA meetings and finding someone better suited to him), before seeing him and Stella and Huck rekindle their friendship. To forgive his character so quickly sends the message that his behavior and manipulation is somehow okay (which it's NOT).

In short, I had high hopes for this, but it ultimately left me disappointed.

(4.5 Stars) Thank you @berkleyromance and @prhaudio for the #gifted digital and audio copies of this incredibly entertaining treasure-hunting romance! #berkley #berkleypartner #prhaudioinfluener

It is no surprise that Stella Moore is a treasure hunter; she was raised by parents who put treasure hunting above all else - including her. But now she has a found family of her own and her three best friends adventure with her each year in hopes of finding the elusive treasure Stella’s mother once sought. They haven’t had any luck in the past, and it is looking about the same on their Iceland adventure, but a chance encounter with novelist Huck Sullivan changes everything.

Huck is in Iceland to reset and see if he can find inspiration for a new novel. It isn’t looking good until he joins up with Stella and her crew. Not only does he find inspiration, he finds an electric and undeniable connection with Stella. Then one morning Stella wakes up and Huck is gone, leaving her heartbroken.

A year later, Huck has published a bestselling novel with a heroine suspiciously similar to Stella. And when fate throws them back together, this time on a shipwreck expedition in Key West, Stella’s not exactly thrilled. Cue: sizzling tension, buried secrets, wild antics, danger, second chances…and a whole lot of unresolved feelings.

Ok, I’ve discovered that adventure and suspense-based romances are something I REALLY enjoy! This story unfolds in two parts: first, the magical falling-in-love phase in Iceland, and then the messy, fiery reunion in Key West, where Huck must win back the woman he hurt. The found family dynamics, laugh-out-loud moments, sharp dialogue, and emotional undercurrents all made this a standout. It’s fun, heartfelt, and brimming with chemistry.

🎧 Audiobook Thoughts - I knew immediately upon seeing that Aaron Shedlock and Brittany Pressley were narrating that I’d want to snag the audio of this one to go along with the print. Their voices captured the intensity, humor, and emotion of the story perfectly. They are two of my favorites and, as expected, they were great!

Book: 🌟🌟🌟🌟💫

🎧 Audio: 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
🔥 Spice: 1.5 🌶️

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Libby Hubscher for providing me with a complimentary digital ARC for Heart Marks the Spot coming out July 22, 2025. The honest opinions expressed in this review are my own.

This is the first book I’ve read by this author. I thought it would be a really fun adventure story. It sounds similar to the Lost City movie with Sandra Bullock. I thought the characters were interesting. I don’t think the second half was as strong as the first half. I would check out other books by this author.

Thank you to @berkleyromance for the digital ARC, @PRHAudio for the ALC, and to #talkingtomybookstravelingarc hosted by @bookswithnopictures and @just_talking_to_my_shelf for the traveling ARC.
This is a story of adventure, love, and forgiveness. Stella is a treasure-hunter with some past hurts that motivate her to keep searching for a specific find. Huck is an author who is dealing with a lack of creativity and ends up meeting Stella. The story takes place over two different time periods, making this a second chance romance, and I really enjoyed the final resolution between Huck and Stella. Both Stella and Huck have some emotional pain from their family and I think the healing process for them throughout this was authentic and honest. There is also a great story of found family among Stella’s group of treasure-hunting friends. Their adventure and travels were exciting to read about.
This book gave me Fool’s Gold vibes (Kate Hudson & Matthew McConaughey) even though the characters are different. I just love the mix of treasure hunting and romance. ❤️
The audio is great and I especially loved Brittany Pressley’s narration. I enjoyed seeing everyone’s notes and highlights in our traveling ARC. Can’t wait for Libby to see it.

Okay, this book is just plain fun...perfect to toss in your beach bag or read on the couch for the perfect escape. Stella is a literal treasure hunter. She and her found family of friends spend time on a trip each summer hunting for missing treasure and have ever since her parents left her as a child. They were the ones that got Stella hooked on finding the Elephant's Heart, and Stella hasn't stopped looking for it ever since.

The book kicks off in Iceland where Stella runs into one of her favorite authors, Huck. Little does she know that Huck is long time friends with Stella's best friend, and fellow treasure hunter, Teddy. What is cool about this book is that we sort of get a second chance romance, but get to see both timelines. First is the initial budding romance between Huck and Stella in Iceland. The vibes were great and the connection believable. For reasons, Huck and Stella part ways until over a year later when they meet up on Stella's next expedition to Key West.

I loved both settings of Iceland and Key West. Hubscher does this so well. You feel like you can easily picture both locales right along with the characters. Stella's fiery determination was great. She had gumption. It was also hard not to love Huck, even though he wasn't perfect. Teddy, the best friend, was an adorable goofball who made me laugh so much. Really, the whole crew just made this book. It had all the vacation vibes with a side of friendship, fun, and adventure. Plus, there was true character growth. If you want to escape for any reason, this is the book I would pick up. You're going to have a great time in Hubscher's world.

This was such a beautiful, adventurous second chance romance.

When treasure hunter Stella meets famous author Huck Sullivan at a bar in Iceland, they hit it off instantly. But when he leaves her without a word of explanation, she knows she'll never trust him again. A year and a half later Huck finally has a new book out after his last one was a total flop. And Stella's friend Teddy announces that Huck will be joining their next expedition as research for his next one.

Unlike many second chance romances, which have dual timelines that roate throughout the book, this one had two distinct parts. Part one was when Stella and Huck met. I loved seeing them fall for each other. They had amazing chemistry, and I loved seeing them learn who the other was. The breakup was devastating and I was so confused as to why Huck simply left.

The second part was a little slower than the first, but that allowed for more in-depth exploration of these two broken characters and the ways they used their respective work to hide from their true feelings. I loved watching them learn to trust each other again and grow emotionally. It was also nice to learn more about why they are the way they are and how life circumstances affected the decisions they make now.

The treasure hunting aspect of the story was a lot of fun, and although it was exciting and adventurous, it felt low-stakes and exciting, even during times of peril.

From the minute I started this book, I knew it would be a 5 star read. Those vibes stayed with me throughout the whole book, even when there were things I didn't necessarily love. Some of the character's choices made me irritated and I felt like the story dragged a little in the middle.But the way I felt for the characters and the story never wavered and it was the perfect mix of romance, adventure, friendship and emotion. I definitely recommend this one!!