This fast paced, closed doors romance features an archeologist looking for a lost city and a photographer joining the jungle expedition to document the discovery. Before going into the jungle to start this adventure, it becomes clear that the professor has a chip on his shoulder when it comes to working with women. And so starts this grumpy/sunshine story full of banter, sass and adventure.

Winter is a feisty and defying FMC who doesn’t only have looks & brains, but can also hold her own in a gun fight. I really enjoyed her interactions with a flirty Archie, who is a great side character. Some of his scenes even gave me JP Cane feels 💖.
This story wouldn’t be an adventure without its very own Indiana Jones … in this case Dr. Logan Spencer. He starts off as standoffish and kinda boring for me. But once the story unfolds more, our love interests’ force proximity starts building some tension & a nicer Logan. Throwing in a dose of adrenaline and a ‘Romancing the Stone’ style escape, it’s impossible even for the main characters to deny their chemistry.

This is an enjoyable rom-com for lovers of adventure movies like Indiana Jones or Romancing the Stone. It’s an opposites attract, forced proximity, grumpy/sunshine novel with a dual POV entertaining adventure story. So ideal summer holiday reading !!

Thank you to Boldwood Books and NetGalley for the chance to read a free advanced copy of this ebook in exchange for an honest review

Love Quest is a charming romantic comedy that transports readers to Thailand's rainforests for an exciting and entertaining voyage. This enemies-to-lovers rom-com is likely to win readers over with its delicious combination of witty banter, sexual romance, and exciting adventures.

Winter Knowles, an adventurous travel photographer, had no idea that her time in Thailand would include a nude meeting with the gruff and mysterious Dr Logan Spencer. Logan, who is in charge of the group's jungle trip, is entirely focused on his goal of finding a long-lost city of riches and needs more patience for side pursuits, especially not Winter with her seductive beauty.

From their initial clash of personalities, it's clear that Winter and Logan are the epitome of the phrase "opposites attract." Readers look forward to each contact as a result of the pleasant tension their humorous and heated exchanges produce. Their hatred slowly turns into a searing desire as they work together to overcome the obstacles in the forest and deal with perilous scenarios.

A wonderful balance is achieved between heart-pounding moments and touching relationships as the author deftly mixes the exciting journey with the developing romance. The voyage of Winter and Logan is not only fraught with peril but also offers opportunities for self-reflection and development. Their personal boundaries come down as they learn to trust one another and let go of their guard, allowing a strong and sincere bond to emerge.

The writing is engaging and humorous, capturing the essence of a romantic comedy with effortless charm. The vivid descriptions of the lush Thai jungle transport readers into the heart of the adventure, while the blossoming romance between Winter and Logan adds an irresistible layer of sweetness and passion. Love Quest is a feel-good and entertaining read that will leave readers with a smile on their faces and a warm glow in their hearts. With its engaging storyline, lovable characters, and a healthy dose of humour and romance, this book is a delightful choice for fans of enemies-to-lovers tropes and light-hearted rom-com.

Love Quest is a captivating and enjoyable novel that proves that sometimes the most unexpected journeys lead us to the greatest adventures of all—both in love and in life.

A cute, quick read with the right amount of adventure, romance and banter!

This is my first Camilla Isley book, and I devoured it in three hours. We meet Winter Knowles, a talented photographer who is one of the crew members of Dr Logan Spencer's expedition to discover a lost city of gold in Thailand. Talk about a horrible first impression; the protagonists despise and vex one another. Until the depths of the jungle bring them closer with nail-biting action and fighting for survival. While this is a fast-paced read, Camilla's storytelling is well-paced. Seeing the characters grow organically was terrific; the dialogues and references were refreshing, and the ending clicked well. The love scenes (fade to black) provide a dash of passion, and the supporting characters complement the plot. I can't wait to read book three, where it's Summer's turn to find her happy ending.

Thank you, NetGalley & Boldwood Books, for the invitation to review this e-ARC. This honest review is left voluntarily.

This adventurous rom-com was exactly the kind of read I needed. It's a light read with plenty of adrenaline-packed scenes!

You have a travel photographer named Winter who joins a jungle expedition that is run by Dr Logan Spencer. Their meet-cute was hilarious and it set for a great tone. When they officially meet, you get the sense that Winter is a very capable woman, who cannot tolerate mansplaining men who think women can be a hindrance. And of course Logan is that kind of guy! So they definitely clash in the beginning.

As the journey moves on, I found myself being more Team Logan than Team Winter. I completely understood why he came off rough around the edges, but I could not understand why Winter still thought of him as "Satan." At some point, he stopped being rude and yet she still held onto that. Of course, things work out and their connection makes sense again... Overall, I really do enjoy their dynamic and I definitely can see the two of them together. I just struggled with that part of Winter's arc and I struggled with the word 'love' being tossed around a lot in the end. That's honestly a personal preference for me - I'm sure there are plenty who wouldn't have an issue with it. But because of those two struggling moments, I gave it a four-star rating.

Now, I'm a sucker for plot. On that, this book delivers! I can absolutely picture this as a rom-com adventure movie. Oh I really did enjoy their jungle adventure. Honestly, I wish there was more of it!

If you love movies like Indiana Jones and if you love rom-coms with an HEA, then you absolutely need to pick up this book.

Thank you NetGalley for giving me an ARC for review!

Love Quest by Camilla Insley
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Read if you liked:
📘Something Wilder
📺 National Treasure

Thank you Netgalley and Boldwood Book for this digital ARC!

🏕️ dual POV
🏕️ enemies-to-lovers

What a fun little read! Just the right amount of romance and adventure. This is the second book in a series of interconnected novels, but it can be read as a stand-alone. I love how Winter is just unapologetically herself. The supporting characters add extra humour to the storyline.

This book was entertaining and could easily be finished in one sitting. It would be a great summer read for the poolside or lake.

This was such a fun Indiana Jones style story! Adventure, treasure hunting, banter, rivals to lovers, and danger? While yes it was predictable I enjoyed the overall story and the side characters were fun to meet as well. Love Quest is a closed door adventure/romance. Very quick, easy summer read. My only big complaint is the football speech when it's barely even referenced, it would've made more sense to use descriptors from the main passion that brought them together.

though i was not a major fan of ‘love quest’ i can see why some would be. though it is a romcom, the story strays into an adventure / action quite quickly and stays that way. it’s an unconventional plot that makes for a nice change as you never know where it’s heading next. the book is also short, a quick read and has a cute cover.

my main issue with the story came from the fact that i could never really warm up to the protagonists — specifically the male lead, logan. i understand that it’s an enemies to lovers and that at the beginning of all stories like this, these characters are at their most irritable as they annoy and vex one another, but ultimately by the end, their actions are supposed to be forgivable as we root for them to be together. however, when we first meet logan and for at least half of the book, he is blatantly misogynistic and his outward dislike for women is somewhat baffling. by the end if the book, it’s brought up and joked about and clearly resolved between the characters, but i could never fully like him because of this.

I decided to give this a 2, though it should probably be a one. Let me explain.
There is so much about this that could be fun and interesting. Exploring in a jungle in search of a lost city and then romance ensues? I'm interested. Unfortunately, most of it came off kind of cartoonish and one-dimensional. The characters didn't appear to have depth and I found them to be incredibly annoying on top of that. The villain was also cartoonish and very surface level. I wanted to like it so bad, but found that I simply couldn't.

It was a real cute rom-com. It's funny, distracting, sweet and still quit smart. I like the characters. You could see kind of a chemistry between them. And the dual pov was so nice to read.

In Love Quest we follow photographer Winter as she heads to Thailand with a group of Archaeologists on their trek to find a lost city that will become headline news upon discovery. However, things don't go as planned and when our main character finds herself alone with grumpy expedition leader Logan they have to put their differences aside and join forces if they want to make it home.

This was a fun meet-cute, perfect for the summer and part of a larger series of books set in the same world which I would like to check out.

Thank you to Netgalley and Boldwood Books for the chance to read Love Quest.

This book is a trip from your typical romance. It’s action packed and feels a little bit like Indiana Jones. It’s fun for an easy read. It was lacking depth for me personally and I think I was wanting something with a more believable plot. I feel the switch from enemies-to-lovers was super quick, a little too insta-love for my personal tastes. Overall a good read!

⭐⭐⭐⭐
🌶️

CW
🟢 Claustrophobic Situation
🟢 Gun Violence

TROPES
📷 Enemies to Lovers
📷 One Bed (but it’s a tent)

Love Quest follows Winter, a travel photographer, and Logan, an archaeologist, as they try to find a lost city of treasure in Thailand. After initially getting off on the wrong foot, a sticky situation causes them to band together to make it out of the forest alive.

This was a fun read. Winter was introduced in The Love Theorem, and it was great to see her have her own story. There was always a surprising turn, as I could have never guessed what was going to happen once they were out there in the forest. It was a welcome change since I feel like I can usually guess what the major conflict will be. Thinking back, it makes sense that it played out the way it did because I really don’t know a better way the plot would’ve moved forward.

As someone with an archaeology-based degree, it was fun to see how the group was planning to carry out their fieldwork and how discoveries were handled. It definitely had an Indiana Jones vibe for a second, and with the new Indiana Jones movie out now, it felt like great timing. Like The Love Theorem, it was a quick and easy read, though I wish there had been a bit more characterization.

As someone who wanted to do something in the science field growing up I was immediately drawn to this book based solely on the fact that it was about an archeologist. Tie in the fact that it was also going to be a romance involving a grumpy boss and an energetic photographer I was sold without having even read the first page. Upon starting the book I found that was a very fast read, which under normal circumstances is a great thing to discover. However for me I found this was a very fast read because it was written very plainly. Yes there was a conflict but there didn't really feel like there was any buildup to said conflict. I also felt like there wasn't any substance to the book. Everything felt very rushed with little to no tension at all exp. "I don't like him because he doesn't think I can do my job. Oh darn he's so hot though. I'm gonna kiss his face now because we are in danger." At the beginning of the book it was an extremely big deal that Logan made them all sign an NDA and yet our main female character goes on to literally discuss the whole thing with multiple people. Nothing ever comes from it! In fact one of those discussions literally gets back to Logan and all he does is use it to his advantage so he can run and find Winter. I don't really understand why it was even mentioned if it wasn't there for a particular reason.

I did really enjoy that we got both points of view, however I felt like Logan didn't get near as much of a look into what he was thinking and feeling as Winter did. I also really enjoyed how descriptive the author was with locations, food, the discovery. I think that had this book had more of a sexual tension buildup and a bit more discussion between all of the explorers it would have given them more substance and there would have been more of an impact for me. I did enjoy the book and I'm glad I got the chance to read it thanks to Netgalley. I will be trying more books by this author in the future!

Wow, Camilla Isley exceeded my expectations and delivered an incredible reading experience with "Love Quest." While I enjoyed "The Love Theorem," I absolutely adored this book.

"Love Quest" takes us on a thrilling journey alongside Winter Knowles, a talented photographer, who embarks on an expedition led by the grumpy yet captivating archaeologist, Dr. Logan Spencer, in search of a lost city of gold in Thailand. What was initially anticipated as a challenging exploration through dense forests quickly becomes a perilous and life-altering adventure they will never forget.

One aspect I adored about "Love Quest" was the well-paced storytelling. Camilla Isley takes the time to develop the relationship between Winter and Logan, allowing me to truly feel that they deserved the satisfying ending they received. It was refreshing to read a story that focused not only on physical attraction but also on the emotional growth and shared experiences of the characters. I also appreciate the closed-door romance, sparing unnecessary explicit content.

Winter's character is truly badass. She is confident in her worth as both a woman and a professional, and her hidden talents impress Logan. Similarly, I admire the way Logan's character is portrayed. He is the epitome of an ideal man, yet grounded in his imperfections, which makes him relatable and authentic.

"Love Quest" is filled with heart-stopping action scenes and delightful moments that kept me fully engaged throughout. Camilla Isley continues to excel in this book series, and I eagerly await delving into Summer's story and witnessing her journey towards a well-deserved happily ever after. Although I have reservations about Summer, I am confident that Camilla has something up her sleeve to redeem her from her dark past. I cannot wait to find out!

What a delightful romp. Romancing the Stone was a favorite movie. Indiana Jones then became my favorite. Take an adventurous trip to Thailand and enjoy the journey. Light, entertaining, escapism reading. Thanks to the publisher for providing a copy via NetGalley. My review is voluntary. I look forward to the next one with Summer and Archie.

I received an ARC from Boldwood Books and Netgalley. All opinions expressed are my own.

Winter is a travel photographer on assignment in Thailand. She's joining a team lead by Dr. Logan whose goal is to discover a missing city of gold located deep in a Thai jungle. Their initial meeting doesn't go well and both dislike the other.

The mission goes sideways and suddenly Logan and Winter must rely on each other to save the expedition.

While reading this book, I struggled putting my finger on why this book fell short. I finally decided that I needed the chapters to end in a moment of suspense (you know when you'll finish this chapter then go to sleep, but your eyeballs jump to the next page because you need to keep reading). It felt like there were dozen of small problems but they all were resolved within the chapter and I needed more emotional tension.

This books was a fun light read with lots of adventures but I think it would make a better movie.

This book tells the love story of Archeologists Logan and Photographer Winter who team up together and with a group of experts to go on a exploration in Thailand to discover lost city of gold. As with what always happens tension runs high with both Logan and Winters when Logan doubts if Winters in strong enough to be able to cope and survive in the jungle. So obviously Winters is highly determined to prove him wrong at all costs. As you can imagine there is a unexpected blip in their exploration and the two of them have to support and rely on each other in order to survive.

The plot of the story was very predictable. Logan with his assumptions of the female gender is very off putting. I also didn't feel the connection between Logan and Winters. I personally think she should have ended up with Archie. Overall no one that was really for me.

Love Quest was a perfect adventure-filled romance- I gobbled it up by the pool, which was perhaps the perfect spot for it. The story is full of lovable characters, excellent chemistry, and enough adventure to make my Indiana Jones-loving heart sing! I loved seeing Winter and Logan soften toward each other- I would have loved to have gotten to know both of them a little more; I feel like we are so in the action of the plot that we miss out on a little of the depth of what’s in their pasts. Even so, the book was a lovely read and I thoroughly enjoyed it!

This is the second book by Camilla Isley that I have read, and I loved it just as much as the first one! They have both been part of the First Comes Love series, and I truly wish I had read the first ones, I will have to circle back for sure!

Camilly Isley has a lovely way of mixing romance and witty banter in the most perfect way. I truly become so engrossed in the stories! This book unlike the first had quite a bit of action, and adventure which was a different take than the last book! Winter is a headstrong, confident woman that knows her worth and her abilities, and when Logan the leader of their archeological group misjudges Winter simply because she is a woman, she quickly shows him how wrong he is, and how much of an asset she can be! They adventure, they fight, they escape a what seemed to be inescapable room, and they fall in love! This book has so many elements, I couldn't put it down!

Finding out that the next book is about Summer, I can't wait to pick the book up!

This was such an entertaining and adventurous read, I loved it!

💫 It's an uptight archaeologist MMC / bubbly photographer FMC ship, and every one of their conversations was so banter-y and snarky and fun
💫 There's so much adventure packed into this plot, I loved it! The book is paced really well, giving enough time for the world to set in and for the characters to become well-acquainted, and also giving enough time for the danger + its resolution part of the plot
💫 The grand gesture at the end was <33
💫 I particularly loved the FMC's narration, she's just so bright and lovely

TWs - mentions of cheating (past, secondary character), gun violence, kidnapping, near brushes with death similar to any adventure/action movie

-- ty to the author, the publisher and Netgalley for an advanced copy!