3.7 ⭐️
I thought this book was really fun! I’m a lover of adventure romance and Indiana jones. I was very excited for this book especially because I loved book one. While it was fun and kept my interest, I struggled with the pacing a little bit. There were dips in the middle with a more clipped pace end sequence. Did I enjoy it? Yes! Will I read more Jo Segura? For sure. I just didn’t connect quite as much to the story as I did the first book.

📖 ARC REVIEW 📖

Thank you @berkleypub and @berkleyromance for an early copy of Temple of Swoon by Jo Segura. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. 🤍

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐/5
Release date: January 7th, 2025

Blurb: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/211025397-temple-of-swoon?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=gB6wtTd5nC&rank=1

🛑Read on with caution; review may contain spoilers🛑

Temple of Swoon was a fun read with lots of romance and spice, but a little less adventure than I would have liked.

Miri is a badass character despite her lack of confidence in herself, her abilities, and her accomplishments. She seems fearless (borderline reckless really) in an expedition regardless of the possible dangers in the Amazon. She’s witty, corny, and hilarious, and I just admire her strength and willingness to give up credit for her discovery for the preservation of the Lost City of the Moon.

Rafa, on the other hand, I feel is just an accessory/supporting character in the story. I didn’t see much character growth in him apart from him being guilty of sabotaging Miri’s search. And although they had a lot of spicy moments, I feel like their chemistry is a bit forced, and it kind off annoyed me how much they’re like really horny teenagers in an expedition, similar to my comments about Corrie and Ford in Raiders of the Lost Heart. Miri and Rafa’s romantic connection though feels a tad bit more natural than Corrie and Ford’s.

Although it lacked the adventure and thrill I was looking for, this was an overall fun and spicy read!

Jo Segura is back with their sophomore novel and it is spectacular, just like their first but in some ways even better. I really enjoyed being back in the archeology world, which I didn’t realize was quite so entertaining. Okay yes Indian Jones, but that’s a movie. I think that this adventure was more captivating and really drew me in. The romantic pairing in this one was spot on. Dr. Miri was so much fun. She was a strong female main character and so intelligent while still having some humanistic type flaws. I loved her quirks as they were a lot of fun and helped add depth to her character. Rafa was also entertaining but above all his admiration with Miri was what drew me in. Even though he was supposed to be steering her on the wrong path he wanted her to succeed, and he was so conflicted. The reveal was also a lot of fun and the tie to the first book was a nice touch. While you don’t have to read the first one to understand the book, those who have read the first book will appreciate and understand the reference, it was great.

If you are wanting an action-adventure novel set in the jungles of Brazil with a little spice thrown in, then you need to read this book!

DNF but not for any fault of the book. It just wasn't for me! Good writing, fun setting and characters but it just didn't strike my fancy

This was another fun archeology romance. There was less actual archeology in this one but it was still a fun setting.

There is something about Jo’s books that suck me in and leave me wanting to not put the book down.

Miri- our lead archeologist is completely taken by surprise to named a leader, well, co- leader. She’s charming in a nerdy sense but people have laughed at her and put her down for as long as she can remember

Rafa- out to sabotage her hunt for a lost city happens to be completely smitten by her

I loved the banter, it’s very Indiana Jones (and who doesn’t love Indiana Jones) filled with some action, an entertaining plot, fun characters, tension, slow burn and some gooood spice.

I have been on the hunt for a true Indiana Jones type of romance rebook and this absolutely delivered.


Thank you NetGalley and Berkeley for an ARC in exchange for a review!

An adventurous rom com set in the jungles of Brazil. It was a fun, light read with action and steamy chemistry.

Thank you, Netgalley, for giving me the opportunity to read this book in advance!

What a wonderful follow-up to Raiders of the Lost Heart! For those of us out there that love the romance side of an adventure story just as much as the high stakes world building action, this is the perfect book!

I enjoyed this second installment in the series more than the first. We have a quirky main character swinging her way through the jungle, cutting her teeth as a leader, and standing up to the "mans world" archaeologists while falling for a journalist who just can't resist her charm.

The action side of the novel is well-written and has a cinematic element where you can picture the scenes happening on the big screen with your favorite leads. The setting was a wonderful component of the storytelling; you can picture Mira swinging on vines and jumping across piranha-infested waters to commandeer a boat. This is the perfect escapism book! I'll be recommending it to patrons who enjoy the romance side of The Mummy, Lara Croft, and Indiana Jones.

📣 a female archaeologist who has jungle adventures 🐒 🔥 💋 🪓

Thanks to the publisher & Netgalley for the complimentary ARC. All opinions provided are my own.

📖 what’s your current read? I’m about 70% into Voyage of the Damned. It’s been an interesting one!

Jo Segura’s books have been a fun slice of epic adventure in the jungle. I love the idea of female archaeologists making their mark on history, combating misogyny & mansplaining, heat, & the difficulty of elusive treasures, & falling in love too.

FMC Miri is surprised to be named lead on the expedition to look for an ancient site. Unbeknownst to her, the reporter she’s crushing on—Rafa—is actually a descendant of the people who lived in the site, & he feels responsible for continuing to hide & protect it.

If you like a nerdy heroine who saves the day, a fast-moving relationship, jungle smooching, & some baddies, you might like Temple of Swoon.

4 ⭐️. Out 01/07/25

Please see a trusted reviewer’s list of CWs.

[ID: Jess holds the ebook in front of three horses & palm trees.]

Big thank you to Berkley Publishing and NetGalley for providing me an arc in exchange for my honest review!

I hate to admit it, but the first book in this series Raiders of the Lost Heart was not my favorite. It wasn’t bad by any means but I just expected more especially after being pitched as an Indiana Jones Rom Com Adventure. So when I heard Jo Segura was coming out "Temple of Swoon" another high stakes Indiana Jones Romcom. I figured what the heck let’s give this another try. And boy am I glad I did.

Temple of Swoon gave me everything I wanted and expected from Raiders of the Lost Heart. We’ve got action immediately from the get to go, great banter between the main characters and mystery twist I didn’t see coming.

I think one of the biggest things in this book I enjoyed more than its predecessor is our MFC & MMC. Miri is a great character, she’s quirky and badass. And also has the fabulous nickname of Pringles. I’m also a fellow snack fiend so I related so much to Miri. And then we have Rafe, a great love interest for Miri. And even though he does make some questionable choices at least I can understand his reasoning. Unlike our main MMC from Raiders of the Lost Heart.

With all that being said I absolutely adored this book and highly recommend checking out this book when it releases January 2025!

I received this book as an advance copy from NetGalley.

Miri is in charge of an archeological expedition to the Lost City of the Moon. But it's her first expedition and her self-confidence need a bit of work. Rafe is taking photos for his journalism job primarily but is also sabotaging the group to "save" the lost city. While these two move towards love, their secrets may destroy their happily ever after, it's the danger of the notoriously dangerous relic hunter that holds the true threats. Will the Lost City be found and saved, along with the feelings of these two?

I found this book to be awkwardly adorable. While these "misunderstandings" and serving two separate causes has been done before, the MC getting to know themselves is enough to keep me reading. Like Jo Segura's first book, I still get Romancing the Stone vibes in a good way. A joyful romp through a jungle of cute, that doesn't take their concept so serious that it halts the fast-paced flow of the writing.

I enjoyed Raiders of the Lost Heart enough that I was excited to read the follow up. And it's a cute story, but a bit too spicy for me (I'm not a prude, but it feels like sometimes the spicy aspect overtakes the plot). I enjoyed the interaction between Miri and Rafa and learning a bit about archeology. And just like the first one, Temple of Swoon has a beautiful cover!

📖📖 Book Review 📖📖 For far too long, women were either the sidekick or completely missing from the action and adventure and I am so grateful that Jo Segura has rewritten the script on that outdated stereotype. What I loved about this book beyond the absolutely amazing adventure of a lifetime is that while it can be a standalone novel, it carries the tone of the Raiders of the Lost Heart and just builds a beautiful sense of female empowerment in such a unique and really fun manner. Especially in a male dominated field, there is always room for more women and seeing the female mentorship that segues the two novels is uplifting.

Temple of Swoon wastes no time kicking off with the adrenaline when Dr. Miriam Jacobs takes over her mentor, Dr. Corrie Mejjía’s expedition in a pinch and from there, the adventure never stops! The search for Cidade da Lua is full of hurdles from the beginning and this action-packed book is such a fun read. Jo Segura weaves in the right amount of peril in their jungle excursions and a steamy and swoon worthy romance, allowing the book to absolutely live up to the hype in its title. I generally like to live by the motto that you are never too old to try something new but I do not foresee any wild archeology expeditions to the jungle in my future so I am so grateful to Jo Segura for bringing these absolutely delightful adventures to readers like me so I can live vicariously through these wonderful female characters!

Review is on Goodreads and will be posted on instagram closer to publication date and on Amazon when published!

I really enjoyed this book. The characters were well developed and lovable. The pacing was perfect and left you wanting to read more. I can't wait to read more by this author!

Gosh I just love Jo Segura’s adventure romances. They are action-packed, they are swoony, and they are so much fun.

This time around, Dr. Miriam Jacobs is leading the charge by the request of Dr. Corrie Mejía (love to see little glimpses of Corrie and Ford, even from a distance) on a search for the Lost City of the Moon. She’s joined by the handsome Rafael Monfils, a journalist assigned to cover the journey. Little does Miri know, his actual goal is to make sure she and her crew get nowhere near the lost city. Little does Rafa know, Miri is more charming than she realizes and he’ll soon be wondering which side he really wants to help.

I absolutely loved Miri’s character. She was so intelligent and competent, but she also had doubts and insecurities about her abilities in her field which felt very realistic given the challenges women undoubtedly face in that space. Miri was so resilient in the face of obstacles, whether those obstacles were human, nature, or her own self-doubts. She had admirable determination to push past her doubts and keep moving forward. She was also delightfully quirky and uniquely funny. She felt like such an authentic person. I found her incredibly endearing.

I also love Rafa in his own right, but what I loved most was how he saw and admired Miri. He saw all the good in the qualities she doubted about herself, and he offered up words and actions to reinforce his observations and respect. Even as he was trying to sabotage the mission, he couldn’t resist or deny her tenacity to keep going. He never tried to overshadow her or undermine her. He let her lead and backed her up. I enjoyed the push and pull between the two of them and the way it felt like they found a balance together.

The adventure to find the Lost City of the Moon kept me invested hoping they would be successful and wondering what obstacles they would run into next. There were surprises and suspense, and I loved the moments Miri really got to shine as they forged ahead.

I had such a great time reading this book. Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

I loved everything single thing about this. It had everything I’ve ever wanted in an action/ romance book. It was a great follow up from the first and Jo Segura has quickly moved up in my must read authors!

I will admit that Raiders of the Lost Heart wasn't my favorite, and not because it wasn't bad in any way. That wasn't the case; my biggest qualm was that so much of the action and Indiana Jones-esque action happened off the page, and we, as the reader, spent our time with the characters in the camp. I mention this because "Temple of Swoon" gave me everything I wanted and expected from ROTLH. We're plopped into the action from the get-go. Miri is a great character, and I adore her nickname, Pringles. I wouldn't deem all of the "action" incredibly serious but instead quirky (which fits the story and the characters). I did read a huge spoiler for the big reveal in the story, and I thought I'd be frustrated by it, but I wasn't. The trick with this book was having no expectations and suspending all disbelief, which worked. I liked Rafa and Miri, though, by the end of the story, Rafa's mission felt like a moot point once the villain arrived. The attraction simultaneously felt instant but also slow because it took them almost the entire length of the book before they got intimate (which, again, is understandable because they had many, MANY obstacles to work through). Overall, I enjoyed this book, and I'd recommend it, especially if you wanted more of the archeology/Indiana Jones aspect from the first book.

Perfect for any library collection, the Temple of Swoon is a fantastic addition to the literary world of Jo Segura!

Perfect for patrons who are looking for the quirky banter of India Holton or the academic wit of Ali Hazelwood, Jo Segura offers readers a delightfully madcap adventure through dangerous jungles (academic and Amazonian) and beautifully realized relationships (with snacks and co-adventurers alike). While Temple of Swoon will certainly appeal to fans of the first book (Raiders of the Lost Heart) it can be read on its own, satisfying both the established romance reader and the patron new to the genre. An excellent addition to a library display pairing books with films (with obvious links to The Mummy and the early Indiana Jones films) or a lighthearted display of books linked to culture and career (drawing on the themes of technological innovation and indigenous rights that run through Segura's books). While the fictional artifacts may or may not belong in a museum, this very real book belongs in every public library. Thank you to NetGalley for access to this wonderful arc.

Her mission: find the Lost City of the Moon in the Amazon rainforest. His mission: protect the holy temple...and his heart. While her mentor may be the world’s most badass archaeologist, the only thing bad about Dr. Miriam Jacobs are her corny jokes. But when Miri is charged with leading an unmapped expedition through the Amazon for the fabled Lost City of the Moon, she finally has her chance to prove to Dr. Mejía that she’s capable—and hopefully prove it to herself, too. Journalist Rafael Monfils has joined the archaeological team to chronicle their search for the lost city. Or at least, that’s what they think he’s doing. Rafa’s real goal? Make sure the team does not reach a Cidade Da Lua, stopping the desecration of the holy city and protecting his mother's legacy. All he needs to do is keep them on the wrong path. If only the endearingly quirky Dr. Jacobs wasn't so damn tenacious—each of Rafa's purposeful wrong turns and tricks only seem to fuel Miri's determination. Even worse, he’s charmed by her goofy attempts to channel Lara Croft as they traverse the dangerous Brazilian rainforest. But they’re not the only crew hunting for the Moon City, and soon, the untamed jungle—and their untamed hearts—might be the least of their worries…


This book was a great read. I enjoyed the simplicity of the love story along with the adventure. I have never read "Raider's of the Lost Heart", but it is now on my TBR list. I enjoyed both of the characters and could really relate. The twist with the villain was a nice setup as well. I would definitely read a book from this author again. It has been on of my favorite romance books, I have read within the last year. Some of the book was a little corny, but I did enjoy the content.

i adored the first book and this absolutely killed! it felt a bit rushed with the whole instant love but i love miri and rafa together they're so cute this was amazing