I love a good adventure romance, but I definitely ended up enjoying book one much more than this one. I liked the beginning, but this is more on the rom-com side and the humor was just a bit too over the top for my taste. Then, the ending was pretty rushed and they never really addressed what went wrong...the heroine never made the hero grovel for what he was doing? WE know he felt bad when we were in his POV, but he was literally sabotaging her search for the lost temple...while they were hooking up!? I wanted him to grovel a bit more in the end.

This book was so fun! I was a little hesitant to start it bc while I loved a lot of her first book I hated How mysognistic the mmc was but I’m so glad I read it. Rafa is nothing like Ford. I love a good adventure romance and archeology is my jam (it’s what my degree is in albeit I don’t use it nowadays) and this one had all the fun elements of adventure fiction.

Peter Vatrous is back trying to foil yet another dig, this time the search for a hidden city, and Dr Miriam Jones is out to prove her worth to her employers and herself. Then there’s Rafa who is there as a journalist but really there to make sure nobody ever finds the lost city. I didn’t love Rafa’s mission but I understood his reasoning, and I enjoyed Rafa and Miri together and the search for the lost city was so much fun.

I LOVED Raiders of the Lost Heart so was super pumped to get my hands on the next book in the series! Dr. Miri Jacobs, is a sort of mentee of Corries so I enjoyed that connection, she was cute and quirky, a little insecure and suffering from some major imposter syndrome but girl did not give up! She is leading her very first expedition to find the lost city of the moon. Rafael Monfils is a journalist/photographer there to document the expedition, but he's on a secret mission to keep them from finding the lost city and protect his mother's legacy! Some of the events in this book were beyond ridiculous and silly but it was charming! I saw a lot of reviews saying that the villain and twist were boring but I really enjoyed them and while it felt a tad predictable, I was still engaged and having fun! Can't wait for the next book!

I enjoyed the book - it was nice getting back into the world of women leading in male dominated fields. I enjoyed following someone, Miri, who is a little clumsy, fumbly, and quirky. I enjoyed the flow of the story, the twist towards the end was pretty cool as well. The only thing is wish was different was that Miri didn't pine after Corrie so much. In almost every situation she was wondering "What would Corrie Mejia do?". I get that Corrie is someone she looks up to, but until the very end, Miri wasn't embracing her own self.

In temple of soon we follow Dr. Miriam Jacobs and her archaeologist expedition crew in search of the Lost City of the Moon (Ciadade da Lia) in the Amazon of Brazil. Part of her crew is an expert of the city named Dr. Quinn and a journalist, Rafael Monfils. Rafa, though has a secret agenda, which is to protect his mother‘s legacy. He must keep the expedition crew off the correct path to the city..

Dr. Miriam Jacobs is a quirky, cute, funny, woman. She lacks confidence in herself and and how well she may be able to do her job/ find the city using her knowledge of archaeology..

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. It was super cute. The romance was cute. I love that Miriam was very quirky. I had so much fun reading this book because it was like an action movie. It was so action packed. It kept me on the edge of my seat, and I was just constantly turning the pages. I love that we delve into Miriam‘s insecurities, and how she grows to become more confident in herself and become a total bad ass in these action scenes.. I love that Rafa his familial drama, and discover a lot more about the city and his family, and who he can and cannot trust.
I did love the plot twist in regards to the second crew looking for the city as well. I don’t want to spoil anything in my review, but the plot twist is kind of separated into two parts. The first part was very predictable. The second part at the ending really had me going. I did not expect that.

I was not a fan of the spicy scenes occurred or how they were written. They were just a little bit on the cringe side for me, but the romance was still cute..

Thank you to NetGalley for the arc and exchange for an honest review

𖣘ꜰɪʀꜱᴛ ᴛʜᴏᴜɢʜᴛꜱ: I would absolutely risk it all for a lost city and a soft-hearted, secretive guide.
ꕤᴍᴏᴏᴅ ᴡʜɪʟᴇ ʀᴇᴀᴅɪɴɢ: adventurous, flirty, craving mangoes and danger
•♫•ꜱᴏɴɢ: Eyes Closed by Taylor Swift

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Just like Raiders of the Lost Heart, I loved this adventure-packed, swoony sequel and I’m officially begging Jo Segura for more!

Miri is the lovable, pun-cracking archaeologist I didn’t know I needed more of, and her mission to find the Lost City of the Moon in the Amazon is filled with danger, romance, and so much heart. Add in Rafa, mysterious, protective, and deeply connected to the land they’re exploring, and you’ve got the perfect recipe for a jungle-set rivals-to-lovers slow burn that completely delivers.

The banter? On point. The stakes? High. The chemistry? Off the charts. I laughed, I swooned, I wanted to swing from vines in solidarity.

This book gave me the thrill of an Indiana Jones-style quest but with a heroine who’s just as passionate as she is awkwardly charming. I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough, and now I need the next book yesterday.

Thank you Berkley Publishing for granting me access to this title!

Temple of Swoon by Jo Segura has interesting characters, a quest for a lost city, and romance. However, the story moved a little slow in sections to me. Temple of Swoon will appeal to readers who have enjoyed books about adventure, strong female protagonists, and other books by Sequra. Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for my review copy. All opinions and thoughts are my own.

What an adventure this book was. Miri was such a funny character and I definitely connected with her in her awkwardness. Rafa definitely fell quickly and was trying so hard to not love her and do his job. I did kind of see the “twist” coming but it definitely made sense for the story. I would love to see a new story in this world and see these characters again.

"Temple of Swoon" by Jo Segura is an absolutely captivating, steamy romance that pulls you in from the very first page. The chemistry between the characters is electric, and the twists and turns keep things exciting and fresh. Segura does an amazing job blending sensual tension with emotional depth, making this an unputdownable read. Huge thanks to the publisher for the ARC! I’ve already added a copy to my library system. If you’re looking for a passionate, thrilling read with complex characters, this one is a must-read! Highly recommend it!

Thank you to Kristin , NetGalley, and Berkley Publishing for the opportunity to be a part of this blog tour! I appreciate the gifted eARC and am leaving this review voluntarily!

1. 𝐈𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐚𝐧𝐚 𝐉𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐬 • This play on words for Temple of Doom was the kicker for me immediately. Huge fan. Add in some eventual serious spice and we have a winner folks. 👏🏼 👏🏼

2. 𝐅𝐚𝐫-𝐅𝐞𝐭𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐝 • Miriam’s seemingly aloof attitude to the expedition was a bit too improbable. This quest is going to make or break her career and she is constantly inundated with spicy thoughts about Rafael. However, this is why we call it fiction, and nevertheless, it entertained me through its entirety!

3. 𝐒𝐥𝐨𝐰 𝐁𝐮𝐫𝐧 • For me, I read this as more of a slow burn romance between Miri and Rafa instead of an enemies to lovers. I felt like they hit it off right away, and while they did try to step away from each other a bit, they were truly never far at heart.

4. 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐁𝐚𝐝 𝐆𝐮𝐲𝐬 • First, let’s hone in on the fact of what a pompous ahole Dr. Quinn is. Then, lurking in the background, we have Vautour. The guy who is after the treasures and is sending people to thwart the expedition. When his identity comes to light, it is a shocking revelation.

5. 𝐖𝐢𝐭𝐭𝐲 • Miri’s sense of humor and funny quips had me giggling many times throughout. It is, after all, what brings Rafa’s fondness to the forefront right away! And Rafa’s nickname of Pringles made me smile every time!

While Temple of Swoon was an enjoyable read, it didn’t quite capture the magic of Raiders of the Lost Heart for me. It felt a bit like a copy/paste scenario—especially with the return of the same villain, which made the plot feel a little too familiar. I did enjoy the twist at the end, but overall, the story lacked some spark.

Miri and Rafa were likable enough, though I have to admit, his nickname for her made me cringe a bit—particularly during the steamy scenes.

With all of that being said, Jo Segura’s writing is fun and fast-paced, making it a solid pick for a light weekend read.

If you’re looking for a quick, adventurous rom-com with a side of archaeology, then you may enjoy this series!

Jo Segura does it again in this fun follow up to Raiders of the Lost Heart. I loved this funny story and absolutely LOL-ed many times! I will continue to pick up whatever Jo comes out with.

Temple of Swoon is the second book by Jo Segura and is filled with just as much fun, adventure, and romance as her first book Raiders of the Lost Heart. Miri and Rafa’s story is so fun filled with some twists and turns. I loved the unconventional workplace setting and the Indiana Jones vibes. Highly recommend if you love a romantic adventure!

This book officially cemented the fact that I love romance novels set against the backdrop of Indiana Jones-style archaeological adventures. The story feels fast-paced, thrilling, and endearingly cute all at the same time.

Taking a star away because a couple of character choices felt a bit out of character, especially towards the final third of the book. However, if you enjoyed “The Lost City” movie, definitely grab this book! And if you haven’t watched that film yet, I’d highly recommend that too - it’s the perfect companion piece!

Thank you @netgalley and @berkeleyromance for sending this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

This was the absolute perfect mix of romance, adventure and suspense all wrapped into one book. I love the whole archeological side and getting to see an expedition going on while also getting some spicy romance scenes.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️

Rafa and Miri - while they had their issues - were so cute together and I spent half the book just wishing they would tell each other the truth.

Then that PLOT TWIST (the gasp I audibly gasped when that was revealed!!!) was amazing. I quite literally never would have guessed and I’m BEGGING for her next book to have an update on that whole situation.

The spice was good. I have to say though I loved the tension before the spice. There wasn’t a lot just a couple of scenes but they were done in a way that didn’t interfere with the story or take over it. THE RAIN SCENE 🥵

Highly recommend this to anyone who loves a good adventure, a tale of a lost city and a badass FMC who won’t take no for an answer.

Big thanks to Berkley, Jo Segura and NetGalley for a copy of this book in exchange for my honest thoughts!

The strength of Jo Segura's archeology series lies in its balance between fun adventure romp and respecting the history and culture creating the books' backdrops. Here, that balance is built right into the plot: Miri is the archaeologist looking for proof and trying to solve an ancient mystery, and Rafa is there to protect his mother's people and what they've kept safe for generations. The clashes that occur when these two sides meet are exciting and fresh, and Segura's proven to be a welcome new voice in the romance world.

Thank you NetGalley for this review copy.
This was a great romance adventure book and I loved every minute of it!

This was such a cute quick read! The writing in this definitely got better since the first book and I was giggling/ kicking my feet the entire time reading this. The romance was SIZZLING and I loved the chemistry between the two characters

This is amazing. An nerdy insecure archeologist and a suave camera man. A plot thick enough to be quicksand. With plenty of laughs along the way. This is a definite read from me.

# Temple of Swoon
# 3/4/2025 ~ 3/4/2025
# 5.0 / 5.0

A novel following Dr. Mejia’s protege Dr. Miriam Jacob’s a cute quirky snack obsessed Fanny pack wearer. After a change up in leads on an exhibition to discover the lost ancient moon city Miri finds herself in charge. Miri looks up to her protege’s smarts and sexiness which forces her to realize that she can be the best version of herself just by being herself. And armed with the clues Dr. Mejia passed to her for safe keeping she starts to figure out what no one else has before in her field. However she is facing the secret opposition of Rafa, a journalist photographer who is documenting the finds but also leading them astray in a misguided attempt at being a protector of the site. And also a a criminal underground art thief boss who wants to find the site first and not for any of the right reasons. As team members drop like flies in pursuit of less dangerous jobs Miri is faced with make or break career choices and a deeper passion of protecting history and learning about those before us.