This was a surprisingly steamy romance in the guise of an archaeology adventure between 2 rivals. It's a lot of fun, though, and it's the perfect book to read while you're on winter vacation or planning your next warm-weather adventure!

Lots of unexpected twists and turns kept the pages turning in this Digital Review Copy that I read while on vacation this past fall.

I cannot believe there is 1) a book about Aztec Lara Drift and that 2) that when she wasn't boring she was annoying.

I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Adventures and romance, oh my! This was a fun filled romp from debut author Jo Segura that I absolutely loved! I'm a super fan of a romance that has an adventurous subplot and Raiders of the Lost Heart has that. The chemistry between Ford and Crrie was steaming and he radiates such protective energy that I really enjoyed reading about them. This is definitely a book with a unique premise: two archeologists on an expedition in the Aztecs to find an artifact of something that they've been chasing forever for. Not to mention, Ford and Corrie are academic rivals that have a lot of pent up feelings for one another that come into view in this book. A fun story from Jo Segura that I'm excited to talk more about when it releases.

A fun, romantic adventure!

I enjoyed the banter between Corrie and Ford and how they played on years of competition and sexual tension. This book gave me “Romancing the Stone” vibes and was incredibly enjoyable. Fast paced and entertaining, I will definitely recommend this book to adventure romance lovers.

Tropes: rivals to lovers, second chance romance, forced proximity,

This romance ticks off all the boxes for me. I main characters are archaeologists who have been rivals since graduate school days. Socorro Mejia has always come out second to Ford Matthews which she claims is the result of his using his charm to take unfair advantage.

Events come to a head when she is asked to join a dig which is supposed to finally locate Aztec warrior Chimalli. She believes herself to be a descendent of Chimalli and has made searching for him and discovering the truth about him one focus of her life's work. She wrote her thesis about him.

Ford is in charge of the dig which is almost enough to make her get right back on the plane to Berkley. But the draw of finally getting answers about Chimalli is enough to keep her there. Ford is keeping secrets about the purpose of the dig and his reasons for undercutting Corrie's chance to have been chosen to lead the expedition. His mother is suffering from cancer and needs expensive treatments he can't afford if he doesn't find what his investor wants.

As the two are forced to work together, feelings that they have had buried since graduate school come out. She's always had feelings for him but focus on her career and convincing everyone that she's more than a beautiful body means denying those feelings. Ford has also had feelings for her but ambition was more important than exploring them.

Now the two rivals need to work together and work out their feelings because something isn't right on the dig and with their mysterious investor.

This was a fast-paced and entertaining romance.

"Raiders of the Lost Heart" by Jo Segura is an exhilarating adventure of rival archaeologists turned reluctant partners in a quest to uncover the secrets of the Aztec empire. This book was an absolute delight to read, and I couldn't put it down.

As a fan of the Indiana Jones franchise, I knew I was in for a treat, and this story did not disappoint. The enemies-to-lovers dynamic between Ford and Corrie added an extra layer of excitement to the Aztec expedition. The tension between them was palpable, making every interaction between the two characters bristle with electricity.

The adventure aspect of the story was brilliantly executed, and I was captivated by the hunt for the long-lost remains of Corrie's ancestor, Chimalli. The Mexican jungle setting added an element of mystery and danger that kept me on the edge of my seat. I could vividly picture the lush and treacherous landscapes as the characters embarked on their expedition.

Jo Segura's writing skillfully weaves together romance, adventure, and intrigue. The gradual shift from rivalry to partnership between Ford and Corrie was beautifully portrayed, and their lingering attraction added a layer of complexity to the story. It was impossible not to root for their budding romance amidst the challenges they faced.

The presence of artifact smugglers, the Mexican authorities, and the thief lurking around their campsite added an element of suspense and danger that kept me guessing until the very end. The story builds to an explosive climax that had my heart racing.

"Raiders of the Lost Heart" left me craving more adventure romance, and I can't wait to read more from Jo Segura in the future. If you're a fan of thrilling adventures, sizzling romance, and engaging characters, this book is a must-read. It's a captivating and heart-pounding journey through the Aztec jungle that will leave you thoroughly entertained and wanting more.

Dr. Corrie’s professional dream has come true- she’s been invited on an archaeological dig to uncover an Aztec mystery. But there’s one big catch- her longtime rival Dr. Ford is the lead on the expedition. As they become better acquainted, their animosity transforms into an undeniable attraction. That is until the truth behind Ford's motivations comes to light. Will they be able to find their happily ever after? This thrilling and steamy debut will appeal to fans of adventurous romances.

Things I loved about this book- how fast-paced and entertaining it was. It really did feel like an old school Indiana Jones movie, but this time with a bad-ass Latin woman lead. I loved Corrie because she was amazing- tough, smart and caring, but also a nuanced person with insecurities. I loved Ford too because he certainly wasn't perfect but he became a better person and found redemption and love with Corrie.

Also - the cover is fantastic!

I'm excited to read more from Jo Segura.

I love that the author was influenced by 80s movies like Romancing the Stone and Raiders of the Lost Arc because those are both personal faves of mine.
I also like that she focused on the Aztecs and archeology. Who hasn’t dreamt of digging deep and making history by recovering the past?
The jungle heat isn’t the only scorcher as the flames burning between Ford and Corrie, nice nod to Indy Jones by the way.
The read is jammed packed full of action, villains, love, resentment, discovery, and also defeat.
It’s a great way to combine romance, history, and archeology all in one.
Check it out.

This was tons of fun! Corrie and Ford had great enemies-to-lovers chemistry, although they both started out as a bit of a mess (but that's what make the journey worth it). The setting and archeology details also really made for a unique experience, and it was nice to see Segura didn't shy away from the sexism in academia. Looking forward to more adventures!

*Received as a free ARC*
A delightful little romp. As someone with an undergrad degree in archaeology, I absolutely had to check this out. Very enjoyable, if a little steamier than I normally go for. Would absolutely recommend.

This was a really fun one! If you have any love for Indiana Jones, The Mummy and those type of vibes then dive into this one as soon as it releases on December 5th.

Read this for:

- Indiana Jones/Mummy vibes
- Enemies to lovers
- Forced proximity
- Just a hookup
- Only one tent
- Opposites attract
- Workplace
- Some mystery and suspense

Dr. Socorro “Corrie” Mejía finds herself on her dream dig for Chimalli, the only problem is that her sworn enemy Dr. Ford Matthews is the one leading the dig. She can't pass up this offer and is forced to start working with Ford.

Ford is hiding a lot about why he is really wanting to find Chimalli. As he starts to open up to Corrie, she finds herself softening to him and leaning into the attraction that has always been there between the two of them.

The two make progress on the dig and in their relationship as they become closer and start a secret just a hookup relationship. As they continue to spend time with one another, they each start to develop feelings they cannot deny.

Issues start to develop with the dig and who is really behind mysterious artifacts going missing. At the same time, the secrets Ford has been keeping are exposed and Corrie and Ford find themselves fighting for their relationship and their lives.

The adventure and mystery were a fun add on to the relationship and chemistry that developed between Corrie and Ford. I had fun going on the adventure with them and I think you will too!

Thanks to Berkley and NetGalley for providing the #JoyfulChaosBookClub with ARCs.

This book had the bones of being a great action packed rom com and mucked it up in the execution. The premise was great but gosh, is it so impossible to ask for a contemporary romance these days that doesn't have a parental cancer subplot in there? In this one, both MCs have a parental cancer thing, Corrie's mom died of cancer years ago, before the book begins and Ford's is going through very expensive treatment for cancer currently which plays a large part in the overall plot of the book. I love a competent heroine and perhaps this tried to be an enemies to lovers but really that's not what this is, these two have a complicated history, most of it predicated on Ford inadvertently (and sometimes intentionally) screwing Corrie over professionally. And I hate that cancer storyline is used to make Ford sympathetic despite him professionally undermining Corrie. He really comes off as a "poor misunderstood white man" and I'm sorry but I'm least interested in that particular character archetype. Also, I wish we could have character development that wasn't just about parental cancer trauma. Again, the book had promise, I really liked the premise, but I wish I liked the hero more.

I'm a huge fan of The Mummy and Indiana Jones, and this book gave the same general vibes. Plus who doesn't love a punny title? I really think there should be more adventure romance novels out there, and so I am thankful for this book! It's cute and fun, nothing groundbreaking, in my opinion, and a little cheesy, but an enjoyable read.

This book raided my heart! Stories featuring a search for treasure have always been a favorite of mine (Goonies never say die!) and this book did not disappoint on that, or any of its other tropes. Corrie and Ford have an addictive tension right from their first reintroduction. I loved to see their story unfold, especially amongst the beautiful setting of their dig. The academic/career rivalry yet overwhelming attraction they have to each other is easy to believe and so entertaining to watch play out. I loved the twists in the plot, and found myself audibly gasping, which is rare! I also loved the role that Ethan played as the voice of reason between the two of them. This was such an enjoyable read, it completely transported me.

Dr. Corrie Meija has long considered Ford Matthews to be her rival. She absolutely hates him and thinks the feeling is mutual. Imagine her surprise when she gets invited to a an archeological dig and he’s the boss? As they search for a legendary Aztec and his family they have to learn to work together - and they fall in love in the process. But the world of archeology is cutthroat and dirty, so it won’t be easy.

Overall I liked the concept of the book, but found some of it to be too cheesy. I couldn’t tell if it was on on the joke and mocking itself or if it was completely serious.

Corrie and Ford both bothered me a bit as protagonists. She blames a lot of her failure/reputation on other people but continues to do the things that have garnered her a bad reputation. Ford is well aware of the mistakes he’s made in the past but doesn’t actually make an attempt to resolve them until 3/4 of the way through the book.

By the time we get through their personal problems the book was nearly over. The end felt rushed and the last chapter was predictable but felt like it was just tacked on instead of being included. It could have been an epilogue.

It was a fun and silly romp through the jungle.

I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for a review.

NetGalley sent me info about this book, so I thought, sure, why not. It was such fun. I loved the disdain between the two characters and how they eventually worked through things. It was fun and adventurous, and had plot twists I didn't see coming (which was nice, because I've been able to predict a lot of books lately).

This book really disappointed me. I was so excited for it based off of the synopsis. It sounded just like something I'd love. My main issue was with the writing. I immediately noticed something was off but decided to keep with it. Sadly, from there I just kept finding more issues. It had so much potential but fell flat. Overall, if your able to overlook writing and a romance that doesn't give you all the feels then this might be for you.

Unfortunately DNF'd at about 25%. I didn't like either main character and honestly, they probably shouldn't end up together! I was hoping for an adventure-y romcom but based on other reviews, that's not really what we get. Also, I'm all for supporting women in their rights and wrongs but packing sex toys and slinky nightwear to an archaeological dig where you are a professional and want to be taken seriously in a field that regularly doesn't was a...choice.

I put this book down and immediately called my best friend to insist we do it for book club. Fun, adventurous, cutting at times, and just lovely all around.

If you like Indiana Jones & wish that it was a rom-com featuring a female lead (NOT a sidekick), then you may enjoy Raiders of the Lost Heart.

It was a fun archaeology rom-com that showed that woman are just as bad ass archaeologists as men can be - if not more.

Enemies to Lovers, but maybe also second chance romance? I loved the interactions between Ford and Corrie & how their relationship developed. It nicely showed that even after two characters get together, they are still going to have bumps along the way that can worked out. I also really loved the side characters - they were fun & memorable and written just as well as the main characters were.

I would love if there was a second book - whether it was following in another adventure for Corrie & Ford or whether it followed Ethan & Sunny. Also, we need more Agnes. She was one of my faves.

Overall, this was a 4 star book for me. One that was a very quick read and once I really got into it, I didn't want to put it down.

Huge thank you to NetGalley and Berkley for the ARCs for #joyfulchaosbookclub, in exchange for my honest review.