#raidersofthelostheart:⁣
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Thank you @berkleyromance @prhaudio [partner] for my gifted copy!⁣
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First off, y’all know I love a good title. This is perfection. Think Indiana Jones (He’s named Ford as in Harrison Ford y’all), Goonies, and The Mummy, but spicy adult romcom. Raiders of the Lost Heart was such a fun read and listen. I love Corrito Burrito (I know exactly what laugh this was) so much. She was a strong woman that still kept being authentically her in a field that wanted her to be anything but. ⁣
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Also, can we give a shoutout to older second chance lovers? Corrie was 35, Ford was 38. Like, these my accomplished friends that travel the world and have the best life, go head y’all! This book was very open in sexuality and steaminess, and Frankie Corzo hit even sentence with the snark and steam it deserved. I already knew it would be great because Frankie Corzo is a favorite audiobook reader, but this was so good. ⁣
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I wasn’t a major fan of the third act breakup. I just wanted to yell, “get up”. Honestly, I would have left Ford in the dust next to the TTs, but Corrie has a heart of gold, so you go girl. ⁣
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Overall, a fun and quick read for all the archaeology and exploring readers alike! Out 12/5!⁣
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QOTD: What’s your Roman Empire?

Thank you to PRHAudio and Berkley Romance for my review copies of Raiders of the Lost Heart!

Happy pub day to Raiders of the Lost Heart!

I hope I can do justice to this absolutely delightful book. I did devour it in one sitting, so I hope the details aren’t too fuzzy!

I was hooked from page one of Raiders of the Lost Heart. Author Jo Segura said she was inspired by romantic adventure movies like Romancing the Stone and The Mummy. I absolutely adore The Mummy and was looking forward to a book with those vibes!

The rivals to lovers setup was perfect - my absolute favorite trope. Especially (this is clear by chapter two) when the male love interest is clearly attracted to the female main character!

Now, does the book live up to a comparison to The Mummy? While they are on an archaeological dig, and there is definitely some action at the climax of the book, I would say it’s not quite as action packed as The Mummy! This was perfect for me, as I was looking for more of a contemporary romance book feel. I would compare it to Something Wilder by Christina Lauren, which I also loved!

🎧 Frankie Corzo did a wonderful job narrating this one! I actually thought there was dual narrators until I looked it up. The whole cast came alive with the voices, and since most of the book took place in Mexico it was nice to have someone who could pronounce all of the names and locations fluently.

Diverse representation: Mexican heritage

What a fun romp. A cross between National Treasure and Indiana Jones. An adventure, a romance, a few laughs and some spice thrown in.

I am not sure I’ve ever read an adventure romance, but I might have to look up this genre. While having the adventure, there was also great character building and fun banter between the MCs. I liked that their enemies portion included some one upmanship that was almost a little playful as they challenged each other. Personally I find I like romcoms best unless the romance is suspenseful and this one delivered the chuckles for a win from me.

There were a few serious moments added in, but not enough to deter from the fun of the rest of the story.

I was able to both read and listen to this one and both versions are winners. Frankie Corzo brings the right tone to the narration and I don’t think this one was a disservice to the romance by only having one narrator.

And that ending made me think there might either be a sequel or at least another set in this universe. I’m in.

Thanks Berkley Romance and PRH Audio for my arc/alcs.

This is such a fun and sexy story! It has a fresh and interesting premise, danger, adventure, and intrigue, and a fun rivals-to-lovers romance.

Corrie has total Lara Croft vibes. A badass archeologist, she is one of the best in her field, as is Ford, who is most definitely named after the actor who played Indiana Jones. They both have interesting backstories, and they also have a history together. Rivals to lovers romances are one of my faves, so I loved the chemistry, bickering, and banter between these two. They also have an opposites-attract dynamic that works really well. Both characters are brilliant, and the tension between them is so well done. It’s a great blend of comical, exasperating, and steamy.

I love all the fun pop culture references and the discussions about archeology and their specific dig. I also like that the story talks about the sexism, double standards, and gender and racial biases that Corrie faces in her field. Corrie spent much of her career trying to prove there was more to her than her voluptuous body, and as a Latina female, she hasn’t had all of the advantages as Ford, who fits the mold in this male-dominated world. These themes are relevant and realistic, and I think a lot of readers will find them relatable.

With the vivid and captivating setting and a fun and adventurous plot, the story is so engaging, and the mystery behind possible theft and deceit on their site adds to the tension. It’s a fun read and a great debut novel from Jo Segura! I can’t wait to read more by the author, and I wouldn’t be surprised if this book became a series. It definitely leaves open some possibilities, and I would love to see how Corrie and Ford’s story and adventures continue!

Special thanks to NetGalley and Berkley Books for providing me with a copy of the book. All thoughts are my own.

I’m a National Treasure girlie so this kind of treasure hunt was a lot of fun to read! I liked both Carrie and Ford - both passionate about the work they were doing. They both grew a lot over the course of the book, as they allowed themselves to lean on each other.

Things seemed to go off the rails a bit in the second half of the book, but it did keep me interested. I wish the writing was a bit more refined, and maybe less focused on they physical attraction between Corrie and Ford. Because Corrie is so determined that people focus on her brain and not her body, it felt odd that the narration included so many reminders about how sexy she is.

Overall, a cute and quick read if you’re looking for something with a bit of adventure!

This one was fun. There were times that I did get annoyed with both of the main characters for various reasons - the way they avoided talking about things for a bit then would get frustrated.

I felt for Corrie and the struggles she goes through as a woman in her field. I was surprised at how quick Ford was to join the expedition. It seems like he just didn’t think things through, which I guess you need to suspend disbelief there.

The romance was nice; and I am glad there wasn’t super crazy drama. It did make sense to the story and wasn’t miscommunication thing.

Overall, this was entertaining and I would read another book featuring the team. (3.75)

Thank you to Netgalley and Berkley Publishing Group for the ARC.

🌟🌟🌟🌟 4/5 stars

Raiders of the Lost Heart is an entertaining and fun adventure romance. It follows rival archeologists, Corrie and Ford, as they attempt to find the long-lost remains of an ancient warrior of the Aztec empire. Corrie and Ford find they still have chemistry as they battle artifact smugglers, the Mexican authorities, and the lies they are telling each other.

This one was very fun and different from the typical romcom. I loved the adventure aspect and the Mummy vibes. The archeology aspect was very interesting and it had the enemies to lovers banter that I require. I can’t wait to see what Segura writes next.

ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I love sleep. I do not sacrifice it lightly, but I literally stayed up until 3am despite having COVID and the impending doom of my children waking up at 6:30 because I needed them to hate f*ck.

I think it's important to remember that this is a romance book 1st and foremost. It happens to take place on an archaeological dig site, but it is not a thriller or an action book. The banter and tension was PERFECT. I was kind of hoping for some epic booby trapped maze or puzzle that they would have to get through to find hidden treasure, but that wasn't the vibe. Ultimately, it was a hella fun, angsty, perfectly executed rivals to lovers romance.

Thank you @berkleyromance for the gifted ARC. My thoughts and opinions on my own

This one was aiming at "fun" but didn't quite get there for us. We wanted it to be either MORE bananas in the Indiana Jones/The Mummy style: curses, artifacts that melt your eyes, scarabs that come alive... or more realistic. As it is, the book focuses a lot on academic rivalry that ends up focusing on the reality that Ford has benefited from a lot of privilege as a white man that he hasn't acknowledged or pushed back on, and that Corrie, as a latina and a woman, has been struggling with for her entire career. Obviously this is an important theme, but we're not sure a book of OTT opposites attract (she's the Lara Croft/Indiana Jones "by the seat of her pants" archaeologist while he's a "by the books" kind of guy) is the right place to delve into it.

We want to highlight our favorite parts: really liked that the archaeological dig took place in Mexico! The sex is STEAMY and not just because they're in the jungle. There's an "only one tent" sitch that worked really, really well for us.

On paper, this should have been made for us. In reality, we were left disappointed.

This objective review is based on a complimentary copy of the novel.

Raiders of the Lost Heart by Jo Segura was a fun, entertaining read. I really enjoyed the Latine representation and that the main character was Mexican. The world definitely needs more romance books with diverse representation. Overall, I enjoyed the story and thought it was well done. It was a little over the top but still very much enjoyable. I will say that I really didn’t like the male love interest so it took away from the romance/chemistry a little. The plot line where he takes away TWO different opportunities from her for his own advantage made it hard to redeem him.

I’m glad to have been given the opportunity to read Raiders of the Lost Heart and I think a lot of people will really enjoy it.

3.5ish stars—maybe 3.75?
The premise and plot of this book are so fun and so strong. The pacing was fast and engaging. However, I wanted more from the writing and characters.
There were several points at which I almost DNFed this book in the first 30%—and I probably would have if not for the fact that it was an ARC and I’ve met the author and she was so nice that I desperately wanted to like this book. Ultimately, I’m glad I didn’t DNF. I had a good time with the latter half of that book, but man was that first 30% rough. The writing was not up to par. It was shallow, and the diologue was especially rough, very unnatural. My main issue, however, was how much I could not stand to be in Ford’s mind. I liked Corrie, but Ford was annoying as hell to read about. He was <i>so whiny</i> and melodramatic, I genuinely could not stand it. He did mellow out as the book went on—or maybe I just got used to him-but I still never really got to the point of actually enjoying his POV.
The book was also extremely instalove-y. Technically, it was more insta-lust, but that’s not a trope that works for me either, especially when there wasn’t much chemistry between the characters early on. They did have a spark later in the book, but that first 1/4 of the book was unconvincing and just cringey.
That said, it was a genuinely fun book. The setting was beautiful and well described, the plot was, as I said, so fun and very unique. The premise and plot really are the main selling points of this book, and they were both well executed. I thoroughly enjoyed learning about the archaelogical dig and reading about Corrie and Ford’s explorations.
As the story wears on, we also get more character depth and development, and by the 50-60% mark, my original complaints had faded. The writing still wasn’t to the level I personally wanted it to be, but I was enjoying myself, and I no longer wanted to throw the book against a wall every time the chapters switched to Ford’s POV. The plot twists were predictable, but they were still engaging to read, and I think that’s the most important part.
While this wasn’t my favorite, I did overall enjoy it more than not. I think Jo Segura has a lot of potential, and I’m excited to see what she will do next.

4 romance and allusion stars

It's a spicy romance/adventure story set in the Mexican jungle, and I loved that we have a Latina main character, Corrie, and she’s a great archaeologist! How often does that happen?

Her competition is gorgeous Ford Matthews, named after a famous Hollywood actor who portrayed a handsome archaeologist who we all know and love. This one has so many allusions like that, but they worked for me!

Corrie is the world expert on Chimalli, an ancient warrior of the Aztec empire who is thought to be one of her ancestors. She wrote her dissertation on him and had been hoping to find his last hideaway for years.

She’s stunned when she’s invited to join an expedition that has already been searching for three months. Why wasn’t she invited initially? And will Corrie and Ford continue to compete or work together to find the remains? What about that simmering tension between them?

What will they do to ferret out the thief who is taking their artifacts? And will Ford ever fess up about his motives and why Corrie wasn’t invited at first? Will the discovery bolster their careers or ruin them?

This one almost reads like a sequel as we hear everything about Corrie’s previous archaeological adventures and how she’s compared to Lara Croft. I would read that one, too! I liked this fun read and would definitely read more from this author.

“A vibrator. She’s actually brought a vibrator on an archaeological dig.”

Corrie Mejia has spent a lifetime trying to prove herself as more than just a pretty face. After years of enduring people judging her by her looks, Corrie hoped she would finally gain credibility after earning her doctorate in archaeology. But even with impressive credentials under her belt, she is still encountering her fair share of people caring more about what’s under her clothes instead.

So when an expedition into the Mexican jungle comes her way, she can’t help but to be excited. Not only does this trip offer the promise of the elusive respect she’s craved, it also gives her a chance to unearth the long lost remains of her potential ancestors.

But when she gets on site, she’s taken aback by her first discovery- that the lead of the expedition is none other than Dr. Ford Matthews. Digging into the past reveals a long buried competition between the two explorers, and it seems Ford, who is wrestling with his own set of struggles, feels the same way. As the duo attempts to break bread while also breaking ground, a thief threatens to steal more than just the credit. Can these archaeologists excavate not only professional revelations, but also unexpected unveilings as they pertain to the heart?

Raiders of the Lost Heart is an adventure romance for readers who can recall the days of such classics as Raiders of the Lost Ark or Romancing the Stone. Finding a profession that hasn’t been beaten to death in the romance genre is not easy, but Segura managed to do just that. However, when it came to the romance itself, I found the strategically placed, sexual innuendo a little too obvious in a book that’s all about keeping things hidden. I also felt that the dig itself took a backseat to the cheesy sexual attraction instead of the other way around.

While Raiders of the Lost Heart doesn’t exactly dig deep, if circling the ruins of a relationship while navigating actual ruins is your thing, you might want to explore this action packed romance.

Appreciated the fresh storyline and setting but the plotting and dialogue fell a little flat for me. This would be a great read for someone newer to contemporary romance. Thank you NetGalley for the advance ecopy.

Format - EARC (NetGalley)

Rating- ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️

Spice- 🌶 🌶

Series- N/A

Troupes- enemies to lovers, miscommunication, forced proximity, only one tent, he falls first

Representation-

CW- violence and on page stabbing

I feel so lucky to get to ARC for this book, not just because its a Berkley book and they never pick me but because I got to meet this awesome new author at Steamy Lit Con and she was as nice and sweet as could be! Now that I have read this book I can say with honest authority that you need to be on the look out for Jo Segura cause she’s gonna be your new auto buy authors!

If you like Indiana Jones, Laura croft, the Lost City or even Ross from “Friends” then you are gonna love this book! I don’t even particularly like those things (except “The Lost City” that movie is hilarious) and I freaking loved this book!

Two rival Archaeologist’s end up on the same dig, one because it’s her life’s goal to find this particular old thing and the other cause he needs to money. There’s a lot of history between these two and most if it is fraught with misunderstandings and some bad desirous on both their parts and usually I would be all over the miscommunication nonsense of it all but Jo does a really good job making it all pretty understandable.

Corrie is my favorite kind of heroine, she’s kicking ass in a field that is male dominated, is basically and a real life action hero and has special Archaeologist superpowers that make it all possible. Now Ford my be named after Indiana Jones himself but he’s had a lot of luck on his side to get to where he’s at and while plenty smart in his own respect he’s not quite the vine swinging type.

I loved the dynamic between these two there’s so much animosity flaming those electric chemistry sparking between them and it’s awesome and hilarious to read! The spice is hot and plentiful with these two. And we get some interesting locals 😉

I loved this book the history and adventure of it all really is a great escape and Jo did a great job making is all feel like a action movie right up to the end!

Thank you Jo Segura, Berkeley and Netgalley for the advanced copy all opinions are my own!

I tried something new and didn’t love this and that’s okay. I know many people will but this was def not my favorite.

DNF at chapter 10. The male main character is too pretentious and rude. I can’t stand reading about him as for the female main character she’s immature and plain

If you love romance filled with mystery and adventure, read Raiders of the Lost Heart. In addition to a terrific plot, Jo Segura writes characters with sizzling chemistry and top notch banter.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Rival archaeologists Corrie and Ford have competed and bickered since grad school. Except for that one night in the library that they don’t talk about. When Ford is picked for a coveted fellowship after Corrie catches him kissing the professor’s daughter, she’s devastated. Now, years later, she’s invited to join a dig searching for Aztec warrior Chimalli. Chimalli research is Corrie’s life’s work, but when she arrives at the site, Ford is leading the dig. Can they get past their animosity and underlying attraction to find Chimalli’s remains and also outwit an on-site theft trying to upend their research?

This romance is filled with fantastic bickering and banter. It’s immediately clear that Corrie is infuriated by Ford, while he’s gone for her and always has been. Corrie is strong, smart and sassy, and both her and Ford’s professional competence is on display throughout the story.
It’s a treat to read about characters in their 30s who are established in their careers, and are really good at what they do.

Oh, and did I mention that when they initially meet up again, there is only one tent? The sparks fly whenever Corrie and Ford are on page together, and it just reinforces the premise that they can’t stay away from each other.

I had a great time reading Raiders of the Lost Heart. This steamy romantic adventure is tons of fun. I adore the smart characters and their dedication to archeology, and each other. If you are a fan of Raiders of the Lost Ark and Romancing the Stone, you’ll love this book.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advance copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This book was so much fun! As a fan of Romancing the Stone, this one definitely scratched the adventure romance itch. The tension and banter was top notch, and I loved the unique backdrop of the dig for this story. It kept me on the edge of my seat and I stayed up way too late finishing this one!

Read if you like:
😡 Enemies to Lovers
🥵 Spice
💋 mutual pining
🦴 Archeology
🛏️ One Bed Trope
🤠 Indiana Jones and Laura Croft

This book was pretty dang fun! I really enjoyed the tropes in the book with the MC’s having known each other and having been interested in each other then turning to enemies and then being brought together years later.

I really liked the forced proximity and one bed tropes with how they were done and found this one to be a fun and spicy read I think a lot of people will enjoy!

Overall, if you like some adventure with your romance and the tropes above, I highly recommend checking this one out!

Thank you Berkley for my ARC in exchange for my honest review!