I am not publicly rating this book because I did not finish it. I could not get past how horny the characters were. I read romance. Love it. But these characters were over the top. They could not focus on anything, even when in danger, because they were too focused on sex. It was exhausting. If you can get past that, it was setting up to be a nice adventure. I didn't make it that far. God speed to those who make it. Thank you NetGalley for the chance to read the arc.

first of all, thank you @ netgalley for letting me in on this ARC 🫶🏻

second of all,,,, ugh. i so so wanted this to be amazing, especially since meeting colby wilkens at romance con in milwaukee. plus, who wouldn’t pick up this book based on the cute cover alone?! however, i was disappointed :(

the tea is - i know this book is objectively well written. the sentence structure was great and i f so heavily with the representation. but the chemistry wasn’t sizzling, the tension wasn’t making me giggle, and the friends to lovers wasn’t giving. overall, i think this might have been a dnf for me had i not wanted to push through for colby and netgalley.

i haven’t read colby’s first book but i own it and still plan to. maybe i’ll vibe more with those characters? let’s hope so.

3.75 stars
thank you to netgalley, author colby wilkens and st. martins press for this arc copy of “if i dig you”.
this gives queer national treasure or the mummy with some moderate spice.
the adventure was great and so was the tension between isa and louise. i liked the story, setting and the conclusion.
this will be our march 25, 2025 and i highly recommend checking it out.

It was super cute and fun to read about these two characters, especially since they had PhDs and were archaeologists. The romance is kind of cute but there was not a lot of chemistry to go off and it dragged too long so it was more of a chore to read. The treasure they were hunting was somewhat interesting, but again there was just not much there. We get the basics about the treasure, Isi's mom, and Louise and Isi's past relationship. It felt like bare bones and there wasn't much plot. I suppose since it's a romance book it's ok to not expect a detailed story line about the treasure hunting, Tamora Ross, and the enemies they were fighting. It also felt like everything was perfectly aligned for them and there was no real conflict. The fighting and treasure hunting almost felt childish in a way but again it's just a romance book, not an adventure book so I guess it's not such a bad thing, which is why I gave it three stars. Overall a fun read for when you need a cute sapphic romance just for fun!

Thank you to NetGalley for this Arc of If I Dig You!

2 stars out of 5. I wanted to love this book as the premise sounds like the lesbian Indiana Jones of my dreams, but ultimately it fell flat. The main characters weren’t likable enough for me to root for them as a couple and often times the book felt extremely repetitive which made moving the plot incredibly slow. The 2 stars is primarily for the Native representation which stood out as the shining star of the book. While it might not have been my cup of tea, I’m sure this will be the sapphic adventure of someone else’s dream

After falling in love with Colby's first book, this was an automatic add to tbr for me. This is a sapphic romance (friends-to-lovers, mutual pining) with a full on Indiana Jones style treasure hunt adventure with some gorgeous Cherokee mysticism sprinkled in.

Unfortunately I have a lot of the same complaints about this story as I did about Colby's first book. For me the book had a slow start and it was hard for me to feel pulled into the story. But once the adventure got rolling, I was definitely hooked. I also felt like there was a lot of unnecessary repetitive thoughts (though that might just be because I'm not the biggest fan of friends-to-lovers). Neither of these complaints made me dislike the story, however!

It's an adorable romance with added adventure. It is first and foremost a ROMANCE. Which means that the adventure aspect does have some plot holes/plot armor, so don't go into it expecting it to be flawless. (I feel like I shouldn't even have to say that, but I know that people will complain about it and I don't feel like it's a valid complaint if you go in expecting it to be a romance. But maybe that's just my opinion.) As long as you're going into it expecting a heartwarming and spicy romance, you'll enjoy it!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an e-ARC of this book.

I wanna thank St. Martin’s Griffin, NetGalley for allowing me to read this book, and the publisher for reaching out to me by email and giving me an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

4.5!⭐️ Holy shit this book was insane. I read “if I stopped haunting you” and loved it and this one was no different!! I grew up playing Indiana Jones games on Xbox. I loved the thrill, the adventure those games used to give me and this book was exactly that! It had all of the adventure, thrill and hot romance you could want! 2 archeologists on a mission in the mountains to find and retrieve lost gold all while both struggle to admit their feelings for one another. It was so action packed every chapter! I usually don’t go for books with plots like these but the minute I saw the cover and was reached out for this sapphic/adventure romance I knew I had to give it a chance. Sooo glad I did🫶🏻

You had me at sapphic archaeologist romance. The second I started reading this book, (While I was in line to ride the mummy at universal) I was hooked. I found myself getting completely engrossed in the plot. This was a pretty quick read for me, and it was the first time I’ve ever read something from Colby Wilkins. If you are a fan of good sapphic romance books as well as adventure books, this is the perfect book for you.

I do plan on checking out Wilkins other book, and I hope to see more releases from them in the future.

Thank you NetGalley for this arc!!

This book was kind of unique, I don’t really pick up too many of this genre.

I will definitely check out more books from this author.

This fully leans into the puns, actually gives us several on page sex scenes as our mains become lovers and finally admit how they feel for each other, and some pretty damn fun riffing on National Treasure but with indigenous American tribes. Just a fun, hot, ridiculous read, in the best kind of way. Yes, there are some moments of rough info dumps, but it could be a lot worse. Pick it up when it comes out this spring.

wowwwww this has a whole bunch of, ahem, self pleasure 🫣😳 i’m not typically a fan of treasure hunts so knowing this i tried to go in with an open mind, but the forced proximity and tension of it all really helped. i will say, i’m not sure if i ever fully rooted for them due to either a lack of chemistry or underdeveloped characters. bear in mind- i have a personal preference for first person and this being in third might’ve thrown me off! overall it was a cutesy sapphic romance

Sapphic archaeologist romance? SIGN ME UP! This was such a sweet and action packed read. It's easy to root for Isi and Lou right away, and even though they're fighting for their lives nonstop, the angst and yearning of this friends to lovers romance works so well. A must read for all the queer girls who went through an archaeology obsession. :D

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

*If I Dig You* by Colby Wilkens is an exhilarating f/f adventure romance that intertwines themes of friendship, love, and the thrill of discovery. The story follows archaeologists Isadora Ross and Louise Morgenstern, whose sixteen-year friendship is put to the test after Lou takes a transformative job on a dig in Turkey, leaving Isi grappling with feelings of resentment and unrequited love. As Isi immerses herself in her quest to find her mother, who disappeared during a research trip years ago, the emotional distance between the two women grows, creating a palpable tension that drives the narrative.

When Isi uncovers an old journal suggesting that legends of lost Cherokee gold may hold truth, their dynamic takes a dramatic turn. Kidnapped by a wealthy collector who shares their interest in the treasure, Isi and Lou are thrust into a high-stakes adventure that forces them to confront both external dangers and their complicated feelings for each other. The plot takes unexpected twists that heighten the suspense and keep readers on the edge of their seats, as they must navigate not only predators and the harsh elements but also their evolving relationship.

Wilkens masterfully blends heart-pounding action with poignant emotional moments, creating a compelling narrative filled with surprises and tension. The chemistry between Isi and Lou shines as they face life-threatening challenges, making *If I Dig You* a captivating read. This novel is not just about the quest for treasure but also about the treasure of love that awaits when we dare to confront our true feelings, leaving readers eagerly anticipating each new turn in their journey.

Oh my god!!!! This book had me from the first time I read the blurb and it did not disappoint.

As a lesbian myself, sapphic books are always high up on my reading list and I adore almost every one.

With this book, there was something so special about having the friends to lovers connection that makes reading so much more enjoyable. The different aspects of adventure and the culture and romance blended together to make a fantastic book.

I look forward to reading more by Colby Wilkens after this!

Thank you St. Martin's Press and Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I. I'm in love. Give me sapphic. Give me spooky vibes. This book gives me everything and then some! I'm in love. I would read a grocery receipt by this author at this point. Like this book is amazing!

Okay SPICE! Love the ambiance and the atmosphere the author created with this read. The love story got a little dull and repetitive but overall worth the read!

This was 4-4.5 stars for me!

I was so giddy to receive this book and I was absolutely loving the academia involved throughout this plot. Think Indiana Jones but make it queer and you've got If I Dig You.

This book was magical in all the right places. It involves heartache, adventure, self discovery, secrets, and so much growth.

Isadora and Louise are both strong minded characters that share their love of archaeology while trying to maneuver the obstacles of their friendship. I loved the sapphic aspects of this book as well as the archeology. The reader can see how much research when into the history and Cherokee legends.

I loved how Wilkens kept the plot moving with interesting facts and adventure, while also keeping the reader engaged with the banter of her characters.

I've been a fan of Wilkens since her debut If I Stopped Haunting You and her second book didn't disappoint. I cannot wait to see what else they have in store for their readers!

I found this book to be a tad slow. I don’t tend to like third person and this book was no exception. I did like the sapphic elements and the plot was interesting/something I hadn’t seen before. I also liked the spooky aspect around Halloween! I would read another book by this author.

Good book if you like sapphic romance! I just didn’t vibe with the characters too well so it made it harder for me to enjoy it.

I’ve been looking forward to this book for months since I first heard about it! Overall, I loved it and the archaeology storyline as I tend to love anything Indiana Jones-esque. I loved the romance but felt that the conflict became repetitive between the characters having the same fight over and over again when it felt it had already been resolved 5 times over. I loved the ending and felt it really tied everything together in a beautiful way. I would recommend this book and gave it 3 stars.