Thank you Berkley Publishing & Netgalley for the eARC.

Temple of Swoon is another installment of “badass female archaeologists exploring long lost ancient civilizations.” Dr. Miriam Jacobs has been treated as the understudy and is now given the chance to prove her leadership skills on this mission to find the Lost City of the Moon. She’s joined by journalist Rafael Monfils who is on a mission of his own - protect the Lost City and do whatever he can to keep this team from finding it. His plan would be much easier if he wasn’t completely charmed by Miri from the very minute they meet.

I’m so glad we get dual POV in this book so we can really see Rafa’s inner turmoil with what he’s supposed to do and his incredibly strong feelings for Miri. I also loved that we see Miri’s character transformation from “fake it to you make it” leadership to true confidence. As in Raiders of the Lost Heart, there were twists and turns along the way, and this is another adventure book so it definitely is a fast paced read.

Thank you to the publisher for the early reading copy. She's such a fun main character. Packed with hijinks and swoony moments. Super cute and fun. If you love the mix of action movies and rom-coms, this is for you.

3.5 stars. Love the title, love the cover. This is a pretty solid adventure. I didn't give two shits about the actual destination--this time I was all about the journey. Rafa and Miri are so adorkable--love them. They're both smart and ambitious. Several very cheesy parts in this though. The photo shoot scene was particularly cringy. Romance was great. Fun and entertaining book. Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC

This was so cute! I knew that I wanted to read this as soon as I saw that it was coming out. I loved the first book because Jo writes characters that are so likable and relatable, and this one didn’t let me down! I found myself smiling at the banter, and yes, sometimes it’s cheesy, but I think the book world needs more cheesy romance.

I also really liked the setting! It’s so different than other rom-coms because it really takes you out of the typical city-scapes and puts you in the middle of the wild. Super cute!

Cute and easy read! It is a nice change from the romantasy and dark romance trends (which I'm going back to right after this! LOL). I recommend Temple of Swoon!

Miriam is on the quest of her life - find the Lost City of the Moon, or lose everything she has worked for. But as one thing after another goes wrong, she's less and less sure she's up to the job. Especially with all of the extra distractions from the expedition's photographer Rafa.

After their meet-cute at the bus stop, Miri is sure she's seen the last of Rafa. But when they are thrown together on their search through the Amazonian rainforest, there may be more than just the lost city on their minds. When the small mishaps grow into large danger - and then become a deadly threat - Miri and Rafa will need to rely on each other to make it out alive.

I really enjoyed the banter and chemistry between the two MCs. The little private jokes and personal asides into their thoughts really keeps engagement throughout the story. While fairly predictable (as it is somewhat intended to be to get to the HEA), this was still a very enjoyable ride through the steamy setting of the Amazon. Both Rafa and Miri undergo some decent personal growth and come out in the end as worthy partners for each other. I also really enjoyed the sense of adventure and danger that brought the story to life.

This was not as good as the first one, and that's saying something.

Though I love, love the idea/premise of these books, they are just so very unbelievable it's nearly impossible to get through them. I get it; that's how they're meant to be. I understand, I really do. But there are authors out there who do camp and do it really well. This is not an example of that.

While the stories are fun if you put your brain on pause, there are still so many things that are eye-roll inducing that it makes it very hard to enjoy the narrative at all.

Will I read the third book in this series? Of course, because I'm an Indiana Jones fan, and this *type* of adventure story laced with romance is my holy grail. But I will also read it knowing that I'll have to do eye stretches ahead of time so as to not pull any eyeball muscles.

Get ready for a wild ride in the Amazon!

Miriam, an archaeologist with a flair for corny jokes, is on a mission to prove her worth by leading an expedition to find the Lost City of the Moon deep in the Amazon rainforest.

She’s not the only one with a mission. Rafael, a journalist with a hidden agenda, is determined to keep the expedition from reaching its destination to protect his mother’s legacy.

I absolutely loved this book!

It was a blast from start to finish. Imagine Indiana Jones, but add a romantic twist, and you’ve got Temple of Swoon.

The chemistry between Miri and Rafa is amazing, with their banter and those hilarious snack jokes keeping me entertained throughout.

The story had everything I could ask for—adventure, action, villains, treasure, and, of course, love.

If you’ve ever dreamed of being swept off your feet in the midst of an Indiana Jones-style adventure, Miri and Rafa are the perfect guides!

Thank you NetGalley and Berkley for this ARC!

DNF at 36 percent

I just couldn’t connect to the story or characters. There was lots of action but I didn’t feel invested in the stakes.

Hold onto your potatoes! Or should I say Pringles? (You’ll have to read to see why 😆) This book was so action packed and the laughs were non-stop. It’s such an easy and fun read.

I loved their relationship even more than the couple in the first book. It’s the perfect light pick-me-up book that you can devour quickly. It had a shocking twist and the plot had me on my toes throughout.

Jo is a new favorite of mine and a new auto-buy author for me. I can’t wait for more of her books! These are just GOLD! If you love adventure, humor, mystery, and some spicy romance then these books are perfect for you too!

Another fast paced adventure! Such a fun read. I loved Miri- she was such a goof! There were twists and turns I didn’t see coming! Definitely should check this one out

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Miriam and Rafael’s story is so fun! I loved it so much! I loved the first book in this “series” and knew I had to read this one! So glad I got to! Highly recommend, especially if you loved Lara Croft Tomb Raider!

I will literally read anything Jo Segura writes from here on out! Another fabulous adventure rom com that is equal parts sexy and adventurous!

This adventurous story starring Miriam and Rafael is a perfect read for lovers of quirky heroines and trouble making hero's. Dr. Miriam Jacobs has so much on the line for her career. However, she comes to realize that finding ancient and lost civilizations may be better off left lost. Cute story!

Temple of Swoon is what its title and cover promise: an absolutely swoonworthy, deliciously slowburn adventure romcom following Miri, an archeologist in search of her first big career break discovering a lost city, and Rafa, a journalist sent to document it with secret (and yet totally understandable!) motives for being there. From the get go, Miri is amazing: she talks a lot, she wears glasses and a fanny pack, and she's hot AF in that "I don't yet realize what a boss babe I am" kinda way. Rafa is the dreamboat who DOES realize what a boss babe she is, and they take a haphazard journey to both love and an archeological find that is full of danger, hijinx, and heat. I absolutely love these characters and this might be insignificant but this book has SNACKS and also a brief mention of an adorable family of CAPYBARAS and in conclusion, has everything I want. Full disclosure, the snacks are throughout the whole novel, and the capybaras are only mentioned once, but if you have seen a picture of a capybara ever, you know that this is enough.

Thank you so much to Jo Segura, Berkley Books, and NetGalley for this eARC in exchange for my honest review. And thank you, again, Jo, for these CAPYBARAS. And the snacks. And also the slowburn. This was just an epic steamy romcom, friends.

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.