Published by Berkley on July 22, 2025
Age/Genres: Adult, Adventure, Romance
Goodreads
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.
A year ago, he helped her find treasure then broke her heart. Now, they are reunited to continue the search for the Elephant Heart diamond, but will Stella and Huck be able to overcome their past?
I LOVED Heart Marks the Spot! The story started super strong, wrapped itself around me, and never let go. Hubscher combine a multitude of elements I love in this tale which blended perfectly resulting in a hit for me.
- Stella - I usually always gush about the hero in the books I read, but this time, it was Stella who won me over. Her backstory was heartbreaking, being abandoned by both parents by seventeen, but she was lucky to cross paths with Ted, Zoe, and Gus. Though her parental abandonment affected her in some ways, Stella was still strong and tenacious. She was sharp and spunky, and like Huck, I was drawn to her.
- Found Family - I mentioned how lucky Stella was to find Ted, Zoe, and Gus when she needed support, and they were there for her. In the ten years since they met, they formed a strong bond and became her family. I loved that they kept up their tradition of yearly treasure hunting trips, as it was their love of history and adventure that initially bonded them. But their friendships did grow and change over the years, as they grew and changed. This trip to the keys was a big evolution for this group, but I had faith that their friendship could withstand any challenges.
- Treasure Hunting - I am not the most adventurous person, but I really enjoyed reading about all the hunts. Hubscher did an incredible job transporting me to Iceland and the Keys, and it was fun watching them put all the pieces together. When they found something, I was just as excited as Stella or Huck or any of them, too. Lots of vicarious thrills here.
- Second Chance Romance - This is one of my favorite tropes, though I will admit, I was quite angry with Huck. At first, I was puzzled as to what happened, but details emerged, and I guessed why he left. AND I was still mad at Huck, but I was glad that he and Stella were getting a second chance to explore their connection. I truly believed they belonged to each other. I liked how Huck settled Stella while she made him push his boundaries when it came to adventure. They were simply better together.
- The Book - Huck was an author who had just crashed and burned prior to meeting Stella. He was in Iceland seeking inspiration, and he found it in her. I liked all the peeks we got into the book, and it really hammered home how much his time with Stella meant to Huck.
Heart Marks the Spot was a perfect blend of friendship, family, romance, and adventure. It had humor and warmth, and just the right amount of emotion. And the epilogue was perfection! I am trash for a good epilogue, and this one had me shedding some happy tears. Another solid hit from Hubscher!
Published by Canary Street Press on July 22, 2025
Age/Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance
Goodreads
Always each other’s plus-ones, but never each other’s real dates, two childhood best friends have one last summer wedding to fall in love in this dual-narrative debut.
Best friends Joni and Ren have been inseparable since childhood. So when Joni moves across the country for her job, the two devise a creative way to stay in they’ll be each other’s plus-ones every year for wedding season, no matter what else is happening in their lives.
It’s a tradition that works, until a line is crossed and the friendship they once thought was forever is ruined.
Now Joni is back at their families’ shared summer home for her sister’s wedding, and she’s determined to make the week perfect, even if it means faking a friendship with Ren—and avoiding the truth of why they have to fake it in the first place. How hard can it be to pretend to be friends with the person who once knew you best?
But as sunny beach days together turn into starry nights, Joni begins to question what her life is without Ren in it. And when the wedding arrives, bringing past heartaches to the surface, she’ll be forced to decide if loving Ren means letting him go, or if theirs is a love story worth fighting for.
Perfect for fans The Summer I Turned Pretty and People We Meet on Vacation Reunion romances Forced Proximity Dual narratives & Single POV
They were best friends since the age of three and always served as each other's plus-one, but something happened two and a half years ago that fractured their friendship. Reunited for another wedding, this could be Joni and Ren's chance to mend what broke but it could also be their second chance at love.
I am trash for friends-to-lovers, but throw in another of my favorite tropes, second-chance romance, and the story was bound to be a huge hit for me. How could I resist a love story that started when they were preschoolers? As if!
Ren and Joni's parents had been best friends and even purchased a beach house together. They were always in each other's lives until Joni took a job on the east coast. She and Ren were determined to maintain their friendship and their plus-one tradition. I enjoyed watching their love story unfold at these weddings and thought it was a fun way to visit the past timeline and letting me see those vital moments of their history.
The present timeline was set at the family beach house during Joni's sister's wedding week. Joni and Ren were NOT each other's plus-one this time. In fact, they hadn't spoken in years. The present timeline was filled with lots of wedding fun, but it was also where Ren and Joni finally confront their breakup, where they slowly mend (in many ways for Joni), and where they recover an important part of their lives.
I adored the beach house setting and was rooting so hard for Joni and Ren. Knowing that they had both been walking around with holes in their hearts made mine ache. It was obvious that their feelings ran deep and that they were two halves of a whole. I will admit that when we finally got to THAT wedding, the one that broke these two, I sort of hated the conflict, but I was happy they were getting a chance to make things right.
Friends to Lovers was filled with warmth, humor, and nostalgia. This tale of best friends and broken hearts was emotional and had me fully invested in cheering Joni and Ren on as they followed their hearts and took a second chance on each other.
*ARCS PROVIDED BY THE PUBLISHER
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