From the moment I saw the title reveal for this book, I knew I was going to be a goner… and after finishing?? IT DID NOT DISAPPOINT!!

Following Adriana’s perspective, the journey starts in Costa Rica where her brother, William, took her on a vacation after her life *temporarily* fell apart. She received a mysterious package one morning with an emerald bracelet and decided to slap the beauty on.

Adriana works hard, but karma works harder and shortly after latching the gorgeous bracelet on, she runs into Andrew Jones, the actual person the package was supposed to be opened by.

After being unable to remove the bracelet, Andrew propositions Adriana to join him on what is essentially the treasure hunt of a life time, offering compensation (which helps with that whole life falling apart situation) to travel with him for said treasure hunt.

Not only was this a fun and entertaining read but it also discussed harder topics surrounding anxiety and fear.

I absolutely loved every single adventurer referenced made and throughly enjoyed reading about a FMC that wasn’t short and petite.

Pub Date May 2 2025

ARC provided by HarperCollins UK, One More Chapter and NetGalley. Thank you.

review posted to NetGalley & Goodreads

My new favorite rom-com!

Olivia Jackson had me at the 1st line. That was all I needed to know that I would love Digging Dr Jones.

The story follows Adriana Jones, who mistakenly receives a bracelet intended for Dr. Andrew Jones (Don't worry, they are in no way related!). She puts on the bracelet thinking it was for her, without knowing it would set off the chain reaction for the adventure of a lifetime she didn't even ask for.

This book had me smiling, kicking my feet happy. It 100% boosted my mood and I never wanted to put it down. I loved the movie references, the back and forth banter, the spice and more. The only thing I didn't like was that it ended.

This is a must read for anyone looking for a book to brighten their life, make them smile, and for lovers of an adventure romance.

Olivia Jackson has a new fan and I can't wait to read more from her in the future.

Thank you NetGalley and HarperCollinsUK, One More Chapter for the chance to read this early.

Digging Dr Jones by Olivia Jackson 💰🪲💀

‘A stupid grin grew on my face.
“Tell me,” I said, leaning forward in my seat, “do you own a whip?”

If Schitts Creek and Indiana Jones had a baby, it’d be this book. Adriana and her brother, William, find themselves in the middle of a high-stakes treasure hunt, where Andrew Jones (mmc) offers to pay them for their assistance and cooperation after Adriana accidentally inserts herself in the quest.

I found this book a little slow to get into. Adriana (the fmc) and William (her brother) have an extremely codependent relationship and if I’m being completely honest, I found them both a little insufferable at first. But their character growth was extremely satisfying and I grew to love them by the end of the book.
Dr Andrew Jones, however, is an Angel that could do no harm. Man’s the personification of a golden retriever - sweet, kind, curious, and always up for an adventure - I love him.

The imagery was excellent, the smut was hot as hell, and the adventure was super reminiscent of Indiana Jones, which I loved. This book really grew on me and I’m super excited to read more of Olivia’s work going forward.

Digging Dr Jones by Olivia Jackson comes out on the 2nd of May 2025 ✨🤩

Thank you @netgalley @onemorechapterhc @harpercollinsuk for sending me this arc in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

⭐️ 3.5/5
🌶️ 2.5/5

I'm always up for an adventure romcom!

What’s to love…
- adventure & Indian Jones vibes
- forced proximity
- fast-paced & action-packed
- brother-sister relationship/ family forward side plot
- disastrous meet-cute (I love when they meet under ridiculous circumstances)

What’s not to love…
- Some might find this a bit insta-love
- a little lacking in the angst and tension for my taste
- the characters were pretty flat and I had a hard time caring about the FMCs background
- I found the humor and some of the prose to read a bit cheesy at times.

🌶️ - Ch. 21, 23, 24, 25 (explicit scenes) - Once the spice starts it pretty much doesn't stop. Its also discussed in other chapters

Thank you NetGalley and Harper Collins UK (One More Chapter) for the eARC. All opinions are my own.

Digging Dr Jones was not for me. The characters were pretty unlikeable and I did not believe they were in love by the end. I was hoping the adventure aspect of this book would at least provide enough fun to counteract that for me but, while it had its fun moments, it also disappointed as it was a bit repetitive for me. The author also randomly inserted dictionary definitions of words at certain points in the story, and they were always jarring and I really wasn’t sure why they were a thing at all.

Adriana and her brother William are relaxing at a tropical resort when a mistaken delivery connects them to treasure hunter Andrew. After Andrew graciously promises to pay Adriana for her time (she needs the money for a business she is trying to start back home), the trio leave together to begin a historical treasure hunt. Andrew and Adriana bond as they travel from location to location, attempting to decipher clues about the treasures location before Andrew’s nemesis does.

Not a bad book, but I was definitely hoping for more perilous, high stakes close-calls in this adventure. If we are referencing Indiana Jones in our advertising, I am expecting rolling boulders, poison darts, dastardly villains, rope swinging escapes. Unfortunately, we didn’t get much of anything like that. I wanted Adriana to get thrown into this wild, treasure hunting adventure and in the end, it felt like like she gently walked into one of those South American tourist experiences you can pay for when you stay at an all inclusive resort.

The book, sadly, went further downhill for me when the couple started sleeping together. At that point, I didn’t really want spice, I wanted an actual adventure.

Trying to lift this review out of the negative a bit — I did enjoy the setting. The South American locations and food were cool to read about. Premise in general was also unique! I’d love to read more adventure based romance novels. I also liked that Adriana’s brother went with them on this adventure. It helped me to better understand her and her motivations for her choices, since she had someone close to her to talk with.

Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins for an early copy of this book!

3.5 ⭐️
1.5 🌶️

This was a quick, fun, and quite adventurous novel!! I was hooked from the first chapter and once the story between Adriana and Andrew started to unfold? Loved it. They had great chemistry and I was rooting for them the entire adventure. The additional characters (mainly William, her brother) were a great addition to the story!

Thanks NetGalley and HarperCollins UK, One More Chapter for an ARC!

This felt like Indiana Jones had a baby with National Treaure and the Mummy and I’m ALL here for this.

So our fmc Adriana is really just here for a relaxing vacation. However, the world has other plans for her and instead, she gets an ancient, cursed bracelet and a one-way ticket to jungle chaos with the the one and only very attractive Dr. Andrew Jones (that should be but frankly I’ll never have the chance to be in a situation like this if I’m always in my bedroom reading).

Forced proximity? Check.
Opposites attract? Absolutely.
Tropical adventure? You bet.

The only thing hotter than the jungle heat? Their undeniable burning chemistry. What makes it even more fun is the fact that they are stuck in this situation which make it much more hilarious as it is romantic. These are the type of stories that really keep me at the tip of my toes.

Genuinely this was the most funniest, heartfelt book I’ve read in a while. I NEED MORE OF THIS TYPE RIGHT NOW🤭

This book was just good FUN! Im a huge fan of Indiana Jones and I love adventure romances and this hit the spot! The spice was good, Adriana and Andrew were loveable and so sexy together, and I’m also obsessed with her brother! Read if you love:

Forced Proximity
Opposites Attract
Fish out of Water
Destination romcom
Spicy

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC opportunity. This book was a cute, fast and easy read, perfect for escapism. Great main characters, ok side characters, and busy/quickly moving plot with tons of adventure. I like that even though there was insta attraction, it wasn't instalove and they seemed like mature adults. It might just have one of my favorite book quotes of all time (involves consequences and lube).

This was a really fun adventure Rom-Com. It had Indiana Jones and National Treasure vibes but with more romances which was great to see. Adriana and Andrew are some amazing characters it was great to see Andrew being so supportive of Adriana’s ideas and contributions in a field she isn’t overly familiar with . Very enjoyable and worth the read.

This was a very fun concept! I'd love to see more adventure romance in the pipeline.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc! Opinions are my own.

Adventure romcom for the WIN! This book was hilarious and so cute! Adriana and Andrew were opposites and yet the perfect team!!

I have always loved adventure movies and a book with all my fave elements was an immediate heck yes and I was not disappointed. I loved the friendship and curiosity that bloomed the more time Adriana and Andrew spent together. They rounded each other out and I love that Andrew never made her feel less than.

This is a definite must read for anyone who love The Mummy movies and Indiana Jones! Such a great story with a fun vibe and some seriously hot chemistry!!

This book had everything—an engaging plot, great characters, sizzling chemistry, and a high-stakes adventure that kept me hooked. It was fast-paced, fun, and felt like watching a movie unfold, giving me The Lost City vibes but even better.

I really liked Adriana. She could be a bit snobby, but given her background, it made sense, and I enjoyed seeing her grow. Her dynamic with Andrew was a highlight—he always treated her as an equal, and their chemistry was fantastic. Her brother, William, added an interesting layer to the story, though I wish we’d gotten to know him a little better. The treasure hunt aspect was my favorite part, and while the ending was satisfying, I would have loved a setup for a sequel because I didn’t want their adventures to end.

Overall, Digging Dr. Jones is a fun, action-packed read with the perfect blend of romance and adventure. If you love treasure hunts, mystery, and swoon-worthy chemistry, this one is worth picking up!

Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins UK, One More Chapter for the eARC!

Oh, you thought this was going to be a fun adventure with a little archaeology sprinkled in? WRONG. This was an absolute trainwreck of a book that had me contemplating throwing my Kindle into a pit of snakes just to make the suffering stop.

First off, let’s address the elephant in the tomb—this book has zero understanding of archaeology. None. Nada. Zilch. It reads like someone skimmed an Indiana Jones movie while half-asleep and thought, Yeah, that’s probably how archaeology works. Spoiler alert: IT IS NOT. Museums do not auction off artifacts (seriously, what the actual hell), and no real archaeologist is out here swinging from vines and wearing “Dr. Jones” like it’s a WWE title belt.

But hey, maybe if the writing had been strong, I could’ve turned off my brain and enjoyed the ridiculousness. Unfortunately, the prose had all the depth of a kiddie pool and the maturity of a middle school group chat. I’m talking painfully juvenile dialogue, plot holes you could lose an entire excavation team in, and forced “banter” that made me want to physically fight the English language.

Look, I went in hoping for a fun, archaeology-adjacent romcom, and instead, I got a fever dream of bad writing, historical inaccuracy, and secondhand embarrassment. If you have even a passing knowledge of archaeology, do yourself a favor and run in the opposite direction. Preferably into an actual jungle, because at least that would be a more authentic experience than whatever this was.

This was an enjoyable read.
Full of adventure and romance. It made me laugh out loud more than once and to top it off there is a little spice.
I did miss having a pov from both characters.
The FMC did irritate me a little but not enough for me not to enjoy the book.
Thank you to the author and Netgalley for the chance to read this ARC.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for providing me with an advanced copy of this book.

Digging Dr Jones is quite accurately marketed as a romcom reminiscing of the recent romcom film The Lost City. Adriana Jones, the owner of a building that will hopefully soon be an artisanal boutique, gets sucked into an expedition in Columbia to find the missing treasures of a pirate while she’s supposed to be recovering on holiday in Costa Rica. This expedition wouldn’t exist without the hot archaeologist from Cambridge, Dr Andrew Jones. The book is a chase after mysterious riddle clues through jungles interspersed with tension and romance.

I’d say Digging Dr Jones is certainly a fun read, in a similar way in which The Lost City was a fun film to watch. the writing style wasn’t for me personally, the humour and romance ended up falling flat for me because of that. I can totally see this book being enjoyable for many people, especially when you’re maybe on a holiday yourself, it just didn’t quite work itself into my heart.

This was a very fun book. Loved the romance and the adventures. Has indiana Jones vibes and I really enjoyed it.
Thank you Netgalley for an arc of this book.

This was a super fun adventure romance! Obviously inspired by Indiana Jones, I loved the premise forcing Adriana and Andrew into a grand adventure hunting for treasure and trying to keep it out of the hands of the bad guys. The story had just the right amount of spice and was the perfect example of a slow burn, forced proximity story. Thank you NetGalley and Harper Collins One More Chapter for the ARC.

I enjoyed this book. I would’ve liked high steak scenarios a little bit sooner but the ending was super fun. I liked the banter. I missed a dual pov but the MMC was super likable and communicative so I felt secure in their slow burn. I really liked the relationship between the main characters and their siblings.