Latinx romance
Audio read
Takes place mostly in Puerto Rico. We follow Daniela who lies to her boss (who doesn’t? lol) by saying she loves reggaeton. She gets assigned a project interviewing reggaeton artist Rene/El Rico. He can tell she doesn’t know him or most of his music from their first meeting. Enemies to lovers 👀
Workplace romance? But…

The romance wasn’t romantic enough for me. Unfortunately, I didn’t feel the tension between them. One thing I loved was the love shown for PR and the music.

I think we can all agree alcapurrias are one of the least attractive foods but are delicious. 😆😋
As a Puertorican it bothered me that in Puerto Rico pegao called “raspita”. Dani got a pass but the others?What?

I did love the narrator’s voice. Only one Spanish word was mispronounced.

This book features a powerful and heartfelt story centered around a dedicated, workaholic big sister who is the rock of her family. She’s tasked with helping the mmc, a rising reggaeton singer, get his career off the ground. As a representative from his producing company, she’s there to ensure his success. However, he wants something different—he decides to return to his hometown in Puerto Rico to create an album that feels authentic to his roots, instead of recording it in Florida, where the studio and her home is.

I was captivated by the narration—if it had been a paperback alone, I might not have connected with the story in the same way. The narrator truly brought the characters and the setting to life. I felt as if I was right there in Puerto Rico, experiencing their journey firsthand. The culture, the music, and the emotional depth of their story really resonated with me, and I highly recommend it for anyone looking for an immersive, heartfelt listen.

I am so obsessed with this book. Dani gets assigned to work with Rene, a reggaeton artist—because she's lied about liking both the genre and his music specifically. But the gig involves going to Puerto Rico for a month, to the same town her dad grew up in. And being there helps Dani feel closer to her father's memory...and allowed her to get closer to Rene.

Takes One to Know One is sweet and full of nostalgia and longing. It's so so beautiful while also being very funny. It's very low heat and definitely a slow burn, and while I often read (and love) books with a lot of spice, I really liked that this one focused more on the other stuff—the characters' individual wants and needs and how those shaped their interactions as they got to know each other. I LOVED how Rene showed his interest in subtle ways (and some more obvious ones, like giving her the experiences from the song). The pacing of it all felt a little less like a romance novel and more like real life.
I absolutely adored Takes One to Know One and am excited to read more by Lisette Decos.

3.5⭐️ rounded up.

This book was so fun! Taking place partially in Puerto Rico, record label marketing director Dani travels to follow Rene “El Rico” Rodriguez during the making of his very first solo album. They butt heads at first, but over time sparks start to fly. This is definitely a slow-burn and overall feels more like women’s fiction than a straight up romance. That wasn’t a problem for me and this story was really refreshing.
The setting in this book was beautiful and it made me feel like I was on the beach in Puerto Rico. Dani exploring the places her dad wanted her to see really took me through her grieving process and I felt connected to her.
Ramona Master did a great job narrating and I enjoyed it from beginning to end.
If you’re looking for a fun beach read this is the one!

Thank you to Dreamscape Media and the author for the ALC!

3 out of 5 stars

I liked this, but it was lacking something. Rene is on and off again (in a do I like you as a person way?) with Dani, almost the entire book. She is a music label employee trying hard to do her job and he is antagonistic from day one because she doesn't know him. He was unprofessional but despite this, Dani goes out of her way to be respectful of his space & risking her job to help him record the album in Puerto Rico. Then after hearing her father's music, he does all these grand gestures to help her connect with him, which but this point I feel its too late and such a character slide from where we were at the start. She dislikes thing that he thinks she should like and eventually writes a diss track mocking her being uptight. Which she probably is but that's not a bad thing and she is trying her hardest to be a professional and has a lot of family responsibilities on her shoulders. After confronting him he decides to get offended and says she's got it wrong, no dear she didn't you are a bit of a d*ck. Bit of a rant however it was an accurate way of how relationships are I'm afraid.

Three word to describe this book:
reggaeton
music
holiday

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to listen to this book before publication!

I had such a great time listening to it. Loved the music industry aspect and I thought the characters were well done. Would definitely recommend this book for a nice summer read

I listened to this audiobook in a single afternoon—I truly couldn’t stop. I loved every second of Takes One to Know One and only wish there had been more. Lisette Decos has such a gift for immersing readers in Puerto Rican culture. I felt like I was there, soaking up every sight, sound, and flavor. I’ve only been to Puerto Rico once, but this book made me want to go back because after reading this book, I don’t think I experienced it fully. This wasn’t just a love story between two characters—it felt like a love story to Puerto Rico itself.

I also really loved how layered the characters were, especially Daniella. She’s navigating so much—grief, expectations from family and society, and rediscovering her heritage. Watching her retrace her father’s memories through his music and connect with Rene along the way was emotional and beautiful. Rene doesn’t just help her fall in love—he helps her reconnect with a part of herself.

This is a true slow burn (and I love a slow burn!) and it was the kind that had me hooked the whole way through. My only complaint is that I wish there were just a few more moments between Daniella and Rene. I wanted to live in those scenes a little longer. Still, this book was filled with depth, emotion, and joy. I adored it and will be recommending it to everyone. The audiobook narration was also incredible—I felt completely immersed from beginning to end.

Thank you NetGalley for the ALC!

This book checked all my boxes. It gave me that perfect feeling of a slow burn romance but also beautiful writing and plot to go alongside it. I fell in love with the authors descriptions and attention to detail - it was so easy to paint the picture (and soundtrack!) of Puerto Rico in my head. It felt really special and I listened to this all in one day. It had me giggling, crying, feeling so much. Such a unique story but full of life and culture. I would recommend to anyone!

Audiobook - LOVED the narrator. While I think this would be great duet (I strongly believe any audiobook is better duet), I was really impressed with how Ramona brought these characters to life. She did an excellent job, she’s a new narrator to me but I can easily say she’s got talent and most definitely enhanced the experience for me.

Themes:
Slow burn romance
Grief - processing over time
Character growth
Reggaton star / music exec
Cuban & Puerto Rican FMC

Looking forward to more from this author!

Cute story of forced proximity, enemies to lovers trope. It was incredible to see representation of Puerto Rico and the beauty of the island and its people. I will say, I struggled a little with the lack of chemistry and tension. It just didn’t feel like it was there throughout the story. Tbh I think this book was great in exploring grief, eldest Latina daughter struggles, and how to redefine identity and belonging after losing a parent.

Thank you NetGalley, Publisher, and author for a copy of this eARC.

I don't know that I would categorize this as a romance. It's a slowburn and the banter is good when it's happening, but I wish we got to explore more of Dani and Rene's chemistry. The audiobook narrator also wasn't my favorite, their voice for Dani's sister was especially obnoxious. An overall wholesome fiction with a side of romance.

Many thanks to Forever, Dreamscape, and NetGalley for early access to ebook and audio copies in exchange for my honest opinion. I listened/read on a Sunday while running errands around town, and I enjoyed the story. It's not related to Ana Takes Manhattan, Lissette's debut.
Takes One to Know One starts in Miami, where Dani works for a record company and gets a new reggaeton client. She is not a fan of the music, unlike her sister, but she lies to her boss to make her seem like the best fit for this client. Rene, the star, is described as super sexy, and he convinces Dani and her boss to record the new album in Puerto Rico, specifically in Culebra. While Dani has Puerto Rican roots, she has never been there, and her father is actually from Culebra.
I was swept away by the beautiful descriptions - I could vividly picture the beaches and the recording studio and everything. I breezed through the book (11.5 hours/400 pages) in one day because I was enjoying it too much to turn it off. If you've ever been to Puerto Rico (or the Caribbean in general), I think you'll enjoy the setting. And if you know reggaeton, I bet you'll enjoy the music portion. For me, the book felt like a mini getaway from a cold, gross weekend in Boston! While this is categorized as a romance, I felt like that plotline could/should have been emphasized more, because this read as more women's fiction than romance.

Takes One to Know One by Lissette Decos
Contemporary diverse romance.
Daniela is a publicist at a record label. She loves her job but when the company is bought by a larger conglomerate, she has to put everything on the line and agree to work with a reggaeton band in Puerto Rico. She’s not a fan of the music but she needs the job so she will figure out who Rene ‘El Rico’ Rodriguez is behind the sound and what it means to him. She’s never been to Puerto Rico before although that’s where her father grew up. Rene takes it upon himself to show Dani around to his favorite places, his childhood home, and more.

🎧 I alternated between an ebook and audiobook. The narration is performed by Ramona Master who does an excellent job with the Spanish accent and dialogue. The emotional expression is great, in particular Dani’s desperation, dislike and uncertainty. There are clear and distinct voices for Dani and Rene and the dialog is easy to follow. The audiobook really brought to life Dani’s personality as well as her heritage.
I listened to the playback at 1.5 to more closely match my reading and conversation speed.

I’m a fan of “fake it until you make it” attitude but not so much lying. I didn’t connect with the characters at first and took at break at 25% for a few days. They seemed to have no respect for each other and argue a lot. When I restarted the story, I tried to remember it’s a romance and I can trust there will be a connection between the two soon. Dani and Rene did connect as Dani began to appreciate the music and not just the job, and Rene found all the places mentioned in her father’s music which also helped to connect them.
I was surprised by some of the decisions near the end and ultimately happy for the hea.

I was gifted a copy of this from NetGalley and publisher Dreamscape Media.

This was cute read! I liked the aspect of a potential enemies to lovers as it deals with Daniela, a marketing coordinator for a record label who gets paired with René, a reggaeton artist working on his next album. Daniela is desperate to prove herself, but the two immediately clash when René quickly realizes she knows nothing about him or his music.

I listened to the book and the narration behind it was great! Now for the book itself. The setting that the author creates is beautiful and I really love how there was an incorporated of music and Spanish in the book. I love reading books that incorporate different cultural aspects. One thing that I was a little hesitant about was the slow-burn romance, I just didn’t really feel their chemistry. and kept think that maybe there would be more later... but little did I know I was almost done with the book. I felt that the book lacked that tension, buildup, and excitement for the romance, but I did enjoy the plot and the setting. All in all, I would say this book was a 3.5 ⭐ close door romance.

Thank you NetGalley for this ALC in exchange for my honest review.

This book beautifully showcases Puerto Rico and its vibrant culture through the experiences of Rene and Dani. Rene has an intriguing vibe that kept me curious about what he would share with Dani. The way the music is described truly brought the tunes to life for me. Additionally, I felt there was a subplot about Dani bonding with her father during their trip to Puerto Rico. The story features a passionate enemies-to-lovers dynamic, with a stylish baddie and a musician in a slow-burn romance. A big thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the complimentary eARC.

This week saw the release of Lissette Decos‘s second novel, Takes One to Know One. Set primarily in Puerto Rico, this enemies-to-lovers romance follows up-and-coming reggaetonero Rene ‘El Rico’ Rodriguez… and Daniela, the reggaeton-hating record label executive working with him while he records his debut album.

Why I Chose This Book:
I never pass up to read a book about music, and Takes One to Know One instantly captured my interest not only for its focus on reggaeton (a genre I haven’t yet seen featured in a book), but also for its setting in Puerto Rico. I also loved that it was between a musician and a label exec. Fun fact: With my degree in music business, my original career plan was to work at a record label. So I already liked Dani going into this!

What I Liked:
- Reggaeton and peek into making music. I admit that, like Dani, I don’t really listen to reggaeton. But I enjoyed getting to know it here and loved the behind-the-scenes into how Rene crafted the songs for his debut album. I especially loved the song he writes for Dani and the one her dad had previously written.
- Artist-label dynamics. As a hardcore music fan, I know a fair amount about the complications that can exist between the music business side of things versus the artists. Dani falls into the former category, and it takes some time for her and Rene to see eye to eye. At least she genuinely cares about music and telling his story right.
- Puerto Rico is on fully display! I loved getting to know Puerto Rico here! From frogs and wild horses and waterfalls to their delicious food and warm culture, it’s portrayed beautifully here.
- Dani’s dealing with her grief over her late father. I can completely relate to her feelings of grief after losing her father six years prior to this novel. But I loved getting to see her connect with him again through his song, getting to know his Puerto Rican home, and learning to talk about him again.
- Perfectly done relationship. The enemies-to-lovers dynamic is built up so well, and I love how Rene eventually shows his hand by writing a song about Dani. Omg! And showing her around the island? Loved it all!

Audiobook:
Ramona Master goes beyond simply narrating Takes One to Know One and fully into voice acting here. She really brings Dani’s character to life, infusing her with so much personality! It was almost like listening to a movie adaptation. This was one of the most vibrantly done audiobooks I’ve had the pleasure of listening to.

Final Thoughts
Takes One to Know One is a fabulous romance for anyone who loves music (especially reggaeton), Puerto Rico, and a slightly workaholic main character. It was such a fun, emotional, beautiful book! I will absolutely be reading more from Lissette Decos!

Thank you Forever books and Dreamscape Audio for review copies! I really loved the premise and promise of this read, and the voice acting for the audiobook was strong, but the themes and romance never quite got to can't put this down, loved it level. For me some of the premise felt a little rushed and the chemistry for the main characters was hard to connect with, I wasn't quite there with the emerging feelings and relationship as much as I wanted to be. What does work is the exploration of culture and music, even the ideas of professional growth and challenges and perhaps the push /pull of themes made for a less than cohesive read.

This was such a fun listen! The story follows Daniela, a blazer-loving marketing executive. She was recently assigned a reggaeton singer, Rene ‘El Rico.’ The only problem is that Daniela doesn't know anything about Rene or reggaeton. Rene makes it very clear he did not want to work with her. I enjoyed their journey of getting to know each other. We also followed Daniela's journey to learning more about her father and healing. The narrator, Ramona Master, did a wonderful job bringing the story to life. Highly recommend. It is giving ALL of the spring/summer vibes.

Takes One to Know One was so much fun!! I loved watching uptight Dani's layers of control slowly unravel, loved the Puerto Rican setting, and I'm obsessed with the fact that Rene took her around to see all the places mentioned in her dad's song. It was a lovely, light-hearted read that I devoured in under 2 days (a feat for me!).

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc/alc.



This was a very cute romance. I personally think that "Ana Takes Manhattan" by Lissette Decos was better than this book of hers, but I still enjoyed it. I think anyone who is looking for a swoonworthy romance will enjoy this book!


I also think the audiobook narrator did a good job with the narration and how she brought the characters to life.

A fun rom-com set in the reggaeton world in Puerto Rico, with Dani and Rene butting heads and falling in love in a flirty slow burn. Dani is also confronted with her father’s birthplace in Puerto Rico, six years later she is still grieving him. Rene takes it upon himself to show her the island and help her connect with her dad. This was a heartfelt read but also fun and flirty.