If Schitt's Creek and Indiana Jones had a child, it would be this novel. I chose this ARC primarily because of my deep love for Indiana Jones—I grew up watching the films, and to be honest, I couldn’t help but picture a young Harrison Ford as Andrew.

The story follows Adriana and her brother, William, who, while on a long vacation, unexpectedly find themselves caught up in a thrilling treasure hunt. When Adriana inadvertently gets involved, Andrew Jones (the MMC) offers to pay them for their assistance.

I’ll admit, it took me a little while to get into the story. Adriana and William’s highly codependent relationship was initially a bit off-putting. However, their character growth was immensely satisfying, and by the end, I genuinely grew to like them.

Dr. Andrew Jones, on the other hand, is an absolute gem. The man is a walking green flag—completely flawless! His warmth, charm, insatiable curiosity, and adventurous spirit make him the perfect golden retriever of a man. I adored him.

The action, romance, and vivid descriptions gave me all the Indiana Jones nostalgia I was hoping for. My only complaint? The ending felt rushed. I would have loved five or six more chapters to let the story breathe a little. That said, this was such a fun read! For a debut novel, the author did a fantastic job, and I’m excited to see what Olivia writes next.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for providing me with this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I received an ARC from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

This adventure romcom had an exciting premise, treasure hunting, high stakes, and a romance set against an action packed backdrop. The setting was immersive, but I feel the story itself lacked depth, and certain elements felt underdeveloped.

Adriana was a bit difficult to connect with. She makes mistakes but rarely takes accountability, which made her character feel entitled despite her tragic past. Her brother, William, also felt one-dimensional. In contrast, Andrew, the love interest, was a standout, bringing charm and energy to the story and made me want to continue the read.

The romance felt slightly rushed, especially giving Adriana’s resistance to love. The banter and flirtation had its moments, but I feel the frequent spice sometimes felt unnecessary. Additionally, miscommunication between characters created more frustration than tension. I don't mind it when the two love interests have this beautiful connection, but this one didn't have that for me unfortunately.

While this wasn’t a favorite for me, it works as a light, escapist read, and recommend it as a fun palate cleanser. Stronger character development and a more natural romance would have made it much more engaging.

Digging Dr Jones is a super cute and easy read for those who love romance and adventure. This book definitely reminded me of The Mummy with Dr. Jones giving Rick O'Connell vibes in the best way! If you're looking for a book to take with you to the beach or the pool this summer, this is a great pick! Adriana and Andrew were such a fun duo and the adventures they went on through Colombia to find the treasure made the book really upbeat and exciting!

Thank you Harper Collins Uk One More Chapter for allowing me to read this ARC!

First let me start by saying thank you to NetGalley, author Olivia Jackson and One More Chapter/ HarperCollins UK publishing for this E-ARC of Digging Dr. Jones!

A historical fiction adventure with good spice, yes please! And it’s Olivia’s debut novel which she nailed! I feel like the title of this book really gives you a good idea of what you’re getting into, in the best way possible. Dr. Jones is very much our own “Indiana Jones” to whom our FMC Adriana even compares him to a few times. Speaking of the leading lady, Adriana is just a girl who is trying to make her dream come true of owning her own business and I feel like everyone can relate to having a dream of their own.

This rom-com adventure gives the vibes of Fools Gold, The Lost City, and Romancing the Stone! I really had so much fun reading this book, it was light and funny, while also having a high risk but high reward search for history/treasure. And don’t worry our Dr Jones is the good guy, with the mentality that, “it belongs in a museum”! 😉

If you’re looking for a new historical fiction adventure rom-com, I highly suggest picking this when up when it comes out on May 2nd 2025! Also I just thought this cover was perfect and adorable! 💗

The book was immersed with information and adventure, and unfortunately in this situation that was the problem. As much as I liked this book, this book was too long. I felt like we were taking forever to get anywhere and made me want to not finish it at times. I'm glad I did because I loved the characters and ai loved how much it felt like it was a romance inside an adventure book.

Okay, first of all—the cover is stunning and immediately grabbed my attention. I’m a sucker for an adventure romcom, so I was excited to dive in, but wow—the beginning was absolute chaos. Around the 50% mark the story really took off for me and I was completely into it!
The sibling banter felt like Schitt’s Creek sibling banter which I found hilarious. The book continued to be quirky and silly through the adventures and it was a blast!

“Digging Dr. Jones” by Olivia Jackson is a spicy adventure rom-com.
Thank you HarperCollins UK, One More Chapter for the digital advance reader copy.
Opinions from this review are completely my own.

After she receives a bracelet that was not meant for her and cannot take it off, Adriana agrees to go in an adventure with Andrew, a handsome archaeologist. The book is full of action, historical facts, mystery and romance. I liked the characters and plot was not predictable. There is a lot of chemistry between Adriana and Andrew from the beginning, but there is a slow burn (especially because she though he was married in the beginning).
I enjoyed the fast pace of the story and the interactions between the characters, but it would have been even better if we also had some chapters from Andrew’s POV.

4 stars. A great read!

Adriana Jones gets a beautiful bracelet that she attaches to her wrist. Except it’s not for her, it’s for Dr Andrew Jones. And now the bracelet is stuck. Oops.

What a fun adventure this was! Easy to read, good pacing, great chemistry between main characters. This is a debut novel and it’s a great one! I’m absolutely going to read more Olivia Jackson’s books.

WHAT I LIKED: Andrew was swooooony! And I liked the mystery and treasure hunt even though it wasn’t realistic at all. But it was fun!

WHAT I DIDN’T LIKE: At first, William was quite annoying.

WHAT TO EXPECT:

Pov: heroine, 1st person
Heat: open doors
Pacing: slowburn
Communication: healthy communication
Third act: external crisis
Ending: HEA

Main characters:
* Alpha Hero
* Opposites attract

What?
* Forbidden love (a bit)
* Forced proximity
* One night stand turned more

Where?
* Colombia
* Traveling together

Drama?
* Difficult past
* There are other people wanting to find the same treasure

Other vibes:
* Mystery
* ”Touch her and die”

Thanks to Harper Collins UK, One More Chapter, and NetGalley for this eARC in exchange for my honest review. I felt like this book had a lot of promise but sadly it missed the mark for me. There were parts that were overly descriptive/wordy that made the story drag on and parts that needed more description but fell flat. I didn’t enjoy how repetitive the trope of “oh I’m poor and they’re rich” was throughout the book from the FMC. There was a good amount of spice but you had to wade through a lot of the whining from the FMC before you get to it.

Digging Dr Jones is the absolute definition of fun! Who doesn't love an impromptu treasure hunt through the Colombian rainforests with a ruggedly handsome? Olivia Jackson manages to pack it all - romance, pirates, family dynamics, treasure poachers, you name it - into this story, without it every feeling too much or over done. Digging Dr Jones has everything from laugh out loud funny one-liners to absolute tear-jerk moments that will keep readers flying through the pages.

very cute rom com!! i liked the couple, the dynamic and banter between the two, and i felt like there was the perfect little sprinkle of spice into the story. 4/5 stars

🧲 Opposites Attract
✨ Forced Proximity
☀️ Destination Romcom

Review:
I LOVED IT. It has the perfect mix of cringe, spice and tension. It is advertised as an Indiana-Jones-style romance, but I couldn't help but think Adriana has a very Bridget-Jones feel to her narration, with the adventure of Uncharted and unexpected romance of The Lost City.
It was such an easy read, very lighthearted and made me laugh a lot! I've seen a lot of reviews suggest the writing is 'quirky' or a bit 'cheesy' but this is absolutely part of the charm. There are instances of miscommunication, fake marriage, running into exes etc. that fuel the drama further. Adriana and William seem to bumble through life: they are very close as siblings but this seems to be a direct result of shared trauma in their childhood. It doesn't go into a huge amount of detail about this, which keeps the story very light.

I really enjoyed it overall! I've been reading some quite heavy romantasy books and this was the perfect mix of romance and comedy!

This was a very solid romance book, but for me, something was missing.

I was hooked from the start, when we headed straight from the all inclusive hotel into jungles of Colombia. The Indiana Jones vibes were there and they were amazing, and I adored both Adriana and William. They had a very believable brother sister moments, and I loved that they seemed to always be there for each other. Sadly, I didn't care nearly as much about Andrew. I mean he was just too perfect in all the ways. Handsome, rich, friendly and kind to strangers? I couldn't find one single flaw in that man! And as I didn't like the man, the whole romance side of the plot didn't thus interest me. I was in for the treasure!

And what a ride it was! From church basements, to the middle of the jungle! I would have loved to see even more of the archeological adventures! The stakes were high, but everything still felt fun. I loved these parts of the books. But like I said, the romance part wasn't for me, and as so as the two main characters very fast well in love, my interest in the story just died.

But all in all, very solid romance book, especially if you love Indiana jones

This book was a lot of fun! Packed with action and romance, dangerous twists and steamy encounters, Digging Dr Jones was a treat from beginning to end.

When Adriana Jones receives a surprise bracelet, she doesn't think twice before putting it on, only to discover that not only is it not intended for her, it also won't come off until the end of a high-stakes treasure hunt. Her relaxing holiday becomes a trek through jungles, museums and crypts, but Adriana is much more interested in the archaeologist leading her across Columbia - it's too bad they're only together while she's stuck in her bracelet.

As well as its great romance plot, I also really enjoyed the sibling relationship in Digging Dr Jones - Adriana and William's bond was lovely, and I enjoyed how supportive they were of each other.

This was simply not for me. I thought I could be the target audience, but I am not. It felt too juvenile, like I was in the head of a teenager when it’s supposed to be a group of adults in their thirties. The insta-love isn’t my cup of tea. The archeological adventures were entertaining but definitely a caricature. It didn’t bother me at first, I was down to go for the ride but it kept getting more and more ridiculous with one-dimensional super villains. I can see how it can be a fun, easy, brainless read for some. However, it was a distracting, eye rolling and slightly infuriating experience for me.

When a bracelet mysteriously gets delivered to Adriana Jones's hotel room, she tries it on... only to later realize it wasn't meant for her. Oh, and now it won't come off! Turns out, it's not just a bracelet but the key to an ancient treasure hidden in Colombia.  The intended recipient, Dr. Andrew Jones, invites Adriana and her brother, William, to join him on an archeological adventure filled with secrets, danger, and unexpected chemistry. Will they uncover the lost treasure or find something even more valuable?
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I love a good adventure rom-com. While this story starts off slow, if you stick with it, it turns into a fun, action-packed read!

The romance between Adriana and Andrew starts as a slow burn with plenty of tension... but they don't even kiss until around the middle of the book. Once that happens, it heats up quickly! There were moments that leaned into insta-love vibes but they do try to get to know each other.

Adriana was tough to connect with - she's stuck in self doubt and some of the dialogue felt forced. But Andrew is the real star of the show, with that golden retriever energy.

The adventure could have been trimmed in some places (I would've liked more focus on the adventure portion at the end of the book!), but the mix of romance and action kept things interesting!

First off, the writing in this book left a bit to be desired- it was a bit flat and lackluster. With that being said, I did enjoy the story. It was a fun and cute read that had me giggling all the way through!

This was an enjoyable read. It reminded me a little of Romancing the Stone in the best way, that movie is one of my comfort watches. It was an enjoyable book, I really enjoyed the secondary character of her brother.

Bonus points for the use of the phrase “the dildo of consequence rarely arrives lubed”. Not sure if there’s extra bonus points, or those are removed since I had the song ‘Doctor Jones” stuck in my head the while time I was reading it.

But pick up the book, especially if you need a fun, easy read to break up all of the dark romances that you’ve been reading recently.

I loved that this rom com was like nothing I have ever read before.

It was light hearted, funny, had a cute romance, and had a fast paced action like story.

However, it some parts it fell a little flat for me, then would pick up again, then fall flat again. It was also very much not like how I would expect actual archaeology to be, but it’s also fiction so there’s that.

If you’re a fan of the lost city movie, then you’d enjoy this! Very similar vibes.

Idk I may come back and change my rating a little higher once I’ve sat with it because I did really enjoy it despite a few things.

This is a very enjoyable rom com! I did find the writing a little bit lacklustre to start with, but once the adventure gets going the silly hijinks of the plot and the drive of the romance carry it along nicely. It would make a great summer read as it's pretty light-hearted!