I so desperately wanted to love this book. The cover is stunning and the premise is so fun and unique for a romcom, but it unfortunately fell flat for me.

The chemistry between Corrie and Ford was lacking (though the spicy scenes were pretty hot!) and I just didn’t vibe with the authors style of writing.

If you grew up watching Indiana Jones or playing Lara Croft, I think you’ll enjoy this one, even if it’s just for the nostalgia!

Thank you to Berkeley for this eARC!!!! This book was seriously so good 😩 The plot twist at the end is honestly something I never saw coming!

Corrie is offered the archaeological dig of a lifetime/her career but there’s one problem, she has to work with the man who royally screwed her over in school, Dr. Ford Matthews, who also happens to be totally in love with her.

Can they put aside their differences and finish the job? Or will all hell break loose?

So...the blurb says a female Indy Jones. Well, this book packs a little more than boulder running and snake throwing (although....) It's a fun little romp through Mexican archeology with a couple of hotty archeologists hating on one another.

Fun for all if you are a fan of racing through forests for forgotten lands and finding some love along the way.

Dr. Corrie Mejia has worked her entire career to lead an expedition into the Mexican jungle to search for Chimalli, an ancient Aztec warrior. When a stranger approaches her about joining an expedition she is equal parts intrigued and furious. She becomes even more furious when she arrives at the camp in the jungle in Mexico to discover the expedition is being lead by her smoking hot nemesis Dr. Ford Matthews. They have been competing and bickering since grad school and he always seems to end up with what Corrie was working for, the job and now this expedition. Corrie isn't going to leave the dig and all the glory to him but that doesn't mean she will make it easy for him. Ford is struggling with his own things as his life implodes and he is desperate for Corrie's help, but he can't admit it to her. Every time the two are together the sparks fly. Will they make it through the expedition without getting burned?

This was so much fun!

Raiders of the Lost Heart is an adventure/romance about two archaeologists (who also happen to have had a crush on each other forever, but it seems like they hate each other 🤷‍♀️) who work together on an archaeological dig in Mexico. Sparks fly, artefacts are discovered…
I was intrigued because this book reminded me of Something Wilder by Christina Lauren. However the romance fell flat for me, with love interest Ford spouting platitudes and just generally being boring and predictable. The archaeology was also boring, with an element of tension being introduced at about 80% of the way through the book.
Definitely some missed potential here!

This was my Batman. I think enough is said.
It has the elemnts of my all time favorite movies, it has a pretty cover and a boss b*tch fmc.
5 freaking stars /5

I had such high hopes for this book and though I didnt hate it, it was definitely not all that I wanted it to be. I think i wanted it to be more adventurous and less pining. The characters were just ok. I liked the forward thinking and sexual positivity of the FMC and how they highlighted the struggle to be an professional in a male dominated field. The MMC was insecure but a little charming.
I liked the description of the jungle and the overall plot was good but it seemed like once sex entered the picture it was all the characters and author could think about. I could have done with less of that and more adventure. But I guess that would all depend on what you go in to this book looking for, if you tease Indiana Jones and Lara Croft, that kind of what I expect.

Ok.. did anyone think Raiders of the Lost Heart wasn't going to be an adorably adventurous rom-com? 🌴🌅🐍🗺️🦜🔦 If you loved Fools Good, National Treasure, or any of the Indiana Jones movies - you'll love this! P.S. Just enough adventure that I think even a guy would love this rom-com!

THOUGHTS:
- First, I'd like to point out the author's sensitivity to the cultural/heritage/customs of the ancient peoples being discussed. Even though this wasn't all about the Mexican people - in many ways, Raiders of the Lost Heart felt like an 'own-voices' read, and I loved that!

- Women in STEM: So much of the academic sphere is dominated by men, who historically have been the only ones to have access to academic institutions. I always remind myself when I read these kinds of books about women in any circle of academia that isn't considered 'womanly' - how hard our feminine predecessors had to fight to be there. So often, their work is maligned or even stolen... and don't get me started on not being invited to express opinions on the subject they've dedicated their whole lives to studying!! But Raiders of the Lost Heart does an incredible job painting our heroine, Corrie, as a fierce warrior who isn't letting anything stand in her way!

- Adventure Level: When I say the characters get to be adventurous, I really mean that!! I could picture this whole book in my head! As a history lover myself, it was so fun to read that perfect mix of romance surrounding the discovery of preserved artifacts! I also really do think a guy could read and love this. The smchmex scenes are even written in some instances from a man's POV sometimes.

NOTES:
- Enemies to lovers
- Feminist themes
- Mature romance - we're talking two hotties in their early 30s doing the academia life. Smart people with big dreams and big goals past the 'bloom of youth'!
- Fast read (I read it in 2 days!)
- would be a REALLY great audiobook
- HEA Ending - desperately hoping there will be a book two!
- 🌶️🌶️🌶️/5 (short spurts of conversation about d!ldos lol)
- CWs: None

Update 10-5-2023: Finished this morning!

I really can't explain how excited I am for this one!! I LOVED Laura Croft Tombraider movies for years! And to experience it as a romance? Heck yes!!!

Update 10-2-2023: Just Started!

**Thank you to Berkley Publishing Group & NetGalley for the advanced reader copy. I received this book for free, but all thoughts are my own. – SLR 🖤

I thought this was a really fun adventure. It definitely has Mummy, Indiana Jones, or Sahara vibes. I knocked off a few stars becuase I feel like the pacing was a bit off, its too quick in some places and too long in others. I also thought the different conflicts were all kind of silly. Everyone acts like Corrie had no right to hold a grudge for Ford but really... she's right. He got everything she worked for and for what? Beause he's a dude? I feel like no one really validated her feelings on the matter, except for Ford who at the time of validating her was actively lying about how he duped her and her career once again.

This was really fun! The MC's enemies to lovers relationship dragged on a bit too long in the enemies department for my liking but the spice was great. I liked the historical/archeological aspects a lot. More than the love story actually. Overall a 4 star for me! I'll be pre-ordering it for my library.

Raiders of the Lost Heart by Jo Segura is a fun contemporary romance that has a dash of adventure and action. This was a fun, sassy, and entertaining romance that had a dash of action, adventure, and suspense tossed in. I liked the concept of adding the traditional enemies to lovers trope with the archeology elements. It added a nice edge to the narrative. I could have used more of that, though. 4/5 stars Thank you NG and Berkley Publishing Group for this wonderful arc and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion. I am posting this review to my GR and Bookbub accounts immediately and will post it to my Amazon, Instagram, and B&N accounts upon publication on 12/5/23.

<b> Thank you to Jo Segura, Berkley and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review. </b>

Deep in the Mexican Jungle is an archeological dig that Dr Socorro "Corrie" Mejia should be leading. After all, she is THE expert on Chimalli, the lost warrior of the Aztec empire. Instead, she finds that the mysterious offer she received to join the dig in progress came from her grad school rival and personal nemesis Dr Ford Matthews. Desperate to finally be taken seriously as a sexy Latina Archeologist Corrie decides to stay on to help her old classmate save his dig. Ford isn't excited he has to ask for Corrie's help either, his life is in shambles, he desperately needs the money the discoveries of this dig will provide and on top of that, he's now got to deal with the one woman who pushes all of his buttons.

This action-packed rom-com is perfect for fans of rivals-to-lovers, 2nd chance, and workplace romances with fun "only one tent", and sexy banter moments. This is a really fun and spicy read for anyone looking for an Indiana Jones meets Lara Croft book.

Stars: 4/5
Spice: 3.5/5

Note: review was posted to Insta stories and a Post review will be posted around 2 weeks before pub date.

I think I had my hopes too high. I was expecting a heart pounding adventure story full of mystery, danger, discoveries, and romance. What I got was a story very heavy on the raunchy romance side and extremely light on the adventure side. I still mostly enjoyed the book, especially the parts about the dig, but I wish there had been more focus on that side of things. The cover is five stars though!

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley for access to this arc.

This is not a perfect book, but I had so much fun reading it that I'm giving it five stars. This is an enemies/rivals to lovers romance set against the backdrop of an archaeological dig in Mexico. Definitely lots of nods to Indiana Jones but I was also getting some Lost City vibes, and even a little bit of, weirdly, Jurassic Park (there aren't any dinosaurs, there's just a mysterious offer from a rich guy that gets the main character down to the dig). Dr. Corrie Mejia is a well-known archaeologist, though not necessarily in the way that she wants to be. She's known for getting into dangerous scrapes while on her archaeological adventures - being chased by authorities, facing off with wild animals, stealing back stolen artifacts, that kind of thing. But she's also just as well known for being a hot, curvy, Latina archaeologist, and she has trouble getting the respect she deserves. She thinks the mysterious dig she's been invited to in Mexico - where she'll have the opportunity to find the remains of elusive and legendary Aztec Warrior Chimalli - might be her ticket. But she almost heads back home immediately when she sees that the dig is led by her grad school nemesis, Dr. Ford Matthews. They have a very intense, long-standing rivalry, and the enemies to lovers action starts early on. I really enjoyed the unique setting of this, as well as the sharp banter between Corrie and Ford that's tempered with some very touching moments of shared grief and trauma as they begin to get more comfortable with one another. Again, not perfect, but just exactly what I was in the mood to read.

Indiana Jones is literally one of my very favorite movies and fandoms, so when I saw that this was coming out and available on NetGalley I was so excited!!! Raiders of the Lost Heart was so adorable and good. I loved every second of it. It filled a piece of my heart, truly. So very good!

Thank you Jo Segura and NetGalley for the e-ARC!

This rom-com mixed with archaeology was very entertaining, I enjoyed this book and hope to see it turned into a series.

Thank you NetGalley Berkley Romance and the #joyfulchaos group for the free e-ARC in exchange for my honest review. Thank you #joyfulchaos for putting thua book on my radar i think i need to try the audio when available and see if listening to it changes my review. Sometimes when i force reading and not pick up when I'm in the mood it doesn't hit the same.

3.5/5

Although it's billed as an adventure romance, Raiders of the Lost Heart is really just a contemporary between two archeologists, on a dig in the jungles of Mexico. It does some good work highlighting sexism and nepotism in male dominated fields and presents an FMC who's all about her sexuality and sex positivity. But at the same time, the FMC is still hung up on a kiss that didn't happen eight years ago -- huh?

The Latinx rep and the FMC's possible Aztec ancestry add an interesting element to the story, but it doesn't change the fact that this is still about "The Investor" hiring archeologists to secure artifacts to sell on the gray market. The FMC is doing it for personal/professional reasons, but it still makes you scratch your head that she'd let herself be complicit in that kind of scheme without checking it out first. Especially in a story set in current day.

Ultimately, for me, it's just too light on adventure. The second half of the book is where the story really starts to get going. You just have to make it through the first half to get there.

CW: Parent currently battling cancer, deceased parent with breast cancer; sexism, nepotism, blackmail,

I received an ARC on Netgalley for honest opinion.
Pretty good overall, bit boring in the middle, but it picked back up when it got back to the archeology. I love the story idea and all of the characters, especially the cook! LOL! Great place description and action. Is this going to be a series?

In this enemies to lovers steamy romance, Raiders of the Lost Heart follows archeologists Corrie and Ford as they traverse the Mexican jungle searching for the grave of Chimalli. I absolutely loved the Indiana Jones vibes and thought this book was such an original idea and was full of adventure. The history aspect of the Aztecs was super interesting and I appreciated the author's note at the end explaining what was true and where she took liberties with history. I appreciated Corrie being strong-willed and not taking no for an answer, especially as a woman in her field. She also was incredibly supportive of Ford and his emotional struggles. I enjoyed their bickering at the beginning of the book. While I really loved Corrie's no nonsense nature, Ford rubbed me the wrong way at times. His internal struggle of goodness felt whiny at times and as the story progressed, the forced sexual tension and conversations between the pair seemed over the top and odd. Overall, this was a fun book with originality and adventure.