As with Raiders of the Last Heart, this book was a humorous nod to Indiana Jones while revealing that not all archeology excavations are as simple as the movies make them seem. I acknowledge that there are still likely inaccuracies that I won't know about as I'm not an archeologist, but I really appreciate how Jo Segura is able to intertwine a discussion of the issues with archeology with a fantastic love story. The characters are great, the plot is fun, and I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Bring on any more that may be written, because I will keep coming back for them!

Short synopsis: Miri is on the hunt for the Lost City of the Moon in the Amazonian Rainforest.

What I liked: I love a strong female character, defeating the odds placed on her and kicking butt (especially in a male dominated career field). Miri was fun and spunky, and I gotta give the girl some credit, I’m also a huge fan of snacks. There is definitely a feeling of Instalove, but I liked the meetcute and the chemistry felt real.

I really liked the atmosphere, I think the author did a great job describing the rainforest I felt transported.

What didn’t work for me: I enjoyed Raiders of the Lost Heart when it came out, but this felt like almost the same book. Even the “Villian” was the same. It was predictable and I saw the “twist” coming from really early in the book.

Overall a cute quick story!

Read if you love:
* Fanny packs and snacks
* Instalove and meet cutes
* Exploring the jungle
* Strong fmc - Archeologist
* Indiana Jones

Thank you NetGalley for this early copy for an honest review!

Temple of Swoon has a unique premise that really drew me to this book. I was excited to read more when I learned that our main character, Miri, was a badass archeologist. Unfortunately, this fell just a bit flat for me. Both of our main characters read much younger to me than they were. I also was hoping for a lot more storyline surrounding the expedition. While I enjoyed Rafa and Miri as characters, I couldn’t really get as invested in this story as I wanted to.

Dr. Miriam Jacobs agreed to join her mentor on a journey into the Amazon rainforest to find the Lost City of the Moon, but then her mentor has to bow out, so now Miri is leading the expedition. She’s been on digs before, but this is her first time taking the reins. After years of being ignored, Miri is ready to take on the Amazon and find its secrets.

Journalist Rafael Monfils is part of the expedition team, to report it for his magazine. But secretly, he’s trying to sabotage the mission. The Lost City of the Moon has stayed hidden in part because there have been protectors keeping explorers away for generations. His mother was one of the protectors, and Rafa wants to live up to her memory. He can’t let Miri and her team find the city.

Miri knows that finding the Lost City of the Moon won’t be easy. Surviving in the Amazon will be difficult enough. Between the rains, the snakes, the spiders, and the lack of communication with the rest of the world, the expedition is dangerous. But add in the fact that there are those trying to keep them away, and the expedition gets more dangerous. There is a notorious explorer who would love nothing more than to beat them to the Lost City and loot it before Miri and her team can find it and preserve it. Known as the Vulture, he’s the reason Miri’s mentor couldn’t make the trip, and he has all of his resources focused on the Lost City.

But as Miri comes up against challenges, she manages to outthink, outrun, and outmaneuver all of them. The one thing she can’t get around is her growing feelings for Rafa. She is drawn to him from the first moment she met him, even going so far as to sharing her snacks with him. And her snacks are sacred. She’s got the M&Ms. She’s got the Pringles. And she’s got the hots for the reporter.

Rafa finds himself drawn to Miri as well. He wants to protect her from the dangers of the Amazon and the jerks who try to hold her back. But he has to protect the Lost City of the Moon too. It’s his family’s legacy, and he has to respect that. He’s walking a very fine line, with his head on one side and his heart on the other.

But when the Vulture swoops in and puts the team and the expedition in jeopardy, Miri and Rafa have to decide just how far they’ll go to find the Lost City. And how far they’ll go to protect the love growing between them.

Jo Segura’s Temple of Swoon is another adventure-filled rom com that blends archeology, strong women, and spicy love scenes in stories that rival The Jewel of the Nile. There are scenes of danger and scenes of lust, and a lot of intelligent dialogue and sweet-natured humor in between.

I had a lot of fun reading Temple of Swoon. I loved these characters together. They were both really interesting, but it felt like they brought the best out in each other, which just made it that much better for me. As someone who is a strong believer in snacks, so I was on board with Miri right away, and I didn’t really have any doubt that she would succeed. She is such a strong woman, and I was rooting for her on every page. And when she found love as well, I was all in with this story. Grab your favorite chips and candy, and settle in for a wild ride with this one!

Egalleys for Temple of Swoon were provided by Berkley through NetGalley, with many thanks.

If I ever hear that the main character has “sapphire eyes” one more fucking time.

This is just the first one all over again but worse because only one main character is vaguely interesting and he’s a liar mcliarson soooo.

This was a fun insta love but then normally paced rom com set in the Amazon rainforest. I found the awkwardness of the FMC endearing but also annoying. I enjoy the Indiana Jones vibes it has going for it.

If you’re into Indiana Jones or Tomb Raider you may really love this book! This one had a lot more action and danger than the first, so while it’s firmly a contemporary romance, there’s a ton of adventure and a bit of a thriller aspect.

I thought Miri and Rafa had great chemistry - flirty banter was off the CHARTS - but I wished the book was actually a bit slower paced. The ending felt so rushed and I really wanted to sink into the story and the atmosphere a bit more.

On the plus side, it’s a quick read with plenty of excitement and some solid spice.

If Indiana Jones were a quirky, sharp-witted woman with a penchant for breaking rules and dodging traps in ancient ruins, she'd be Dr. Miriam Jackson—better known as Miri to those brave enough to keep up with her. Jo Segura's Temple of Swoon delivers a thrilling, laugh-out-loud, action-packed adventure. I couldn't help but get swept away by its irresistible charm.

First, let's talk about Miri. She's the kind of protagonist who jumps off the page, all determination and sass, with just enough vulnerability to make her relatable. I was hooked from the moment she pulled out her stash of snacks when stranded in a remote area, earning her the nickname "Pringles." Miri's wit and determination are the driving forces of the story, making her the perfect mix of brains, determination, and sass.

Then there's Rafe, the journalist/saboteur-turned-love-interest. Their romance? Classic instalove gold. It was a delight to watch Miri and Rafe banter and bicker their way through death traps, cryptic puzzles, and ancient curses. The tension between them builds perfectly, and every stolen glance, snarky remark, and begrudging moment of trust pulls me deeper into their relationship. When they moved from adversaries to fighting for each other, I was swooning along with the title.
The story's pacing is as relentless as the obstacles Miri and Rafe face. Segura keeps the stakes high and the action flowing with ancient legends, dangerous expeditions, and plenty of "oh no, how are they getting out of this?" moments. I barely had time to catch my breath before another twist hurtled the characters into more danger (and often, hilarious chaos).

Why four stars instead of five? While I adored romance and action, I wished more depth in the secondary characters and world-building. The supporting cast and mythology surrounding the "Temple of Swoon" were intriguing. Still, they could've been explored just a bit more. That said, it didn't stop me from devouring this book and grinning the whole way through.

Temple of Swoon is a treasure you'll want to uncover if you love fast-paced adventures, banter-filled romance, and a leading lady who's as clever as she is bold. Miri and Rafe's journey will leave you rooting for them long after the final page—and maybe planning your next (fictional) expedition.

Set in the Amazon rainforest and featuring a quirky archaeologist who just wants to prove herself in her field (and maybe attempt to channel her inner Lara Croft along the way), Segura’s latest novel, Temple of Swoon, is another winner!

Dr. Miriam (Miri) Jacobs feels like she has been trying to prove herself forever, but when an accident takes her mentor out of commission, Miri is picked to lead an unmapped expedition into the Brazilian rainforest in search of the Lost City of the Moon. If she can find it, she will finally feel like she has earned the respect of her colleagues.

Journalist Rafa Monfils is also taking part in this expedition on the pretense of documenting, but his real goal is to sabotage the expedition so that the Lost City remains hidden. From the moment they head out on the expedition, there are non stop obstacles and danger, many of which are orchestrated by Rafa, unbeknownst to Miri. Rafa is conflicted though, because he and Miri are definitely attracted to one another another, whether they want to admit it or not.

Miri was such an easy protagonist to love. She is so smart and resilient, and I loved her tenacity and her quirkiness. That said, I also laughed out loud at the silly scenes where she tried to channel her inner Lara Croft. I’m all about a character trying to prove themselves, and I was rooting hard for Miri, especially since she was paired up with another colleague who was such a condescending jerk. This guy was so awful that even Rafa found himself wanting to see Miri succeed!

I also really liked Rafa in spite of his questionable reasons for being on the trip, loved his chemistry with Miri, and was rooting for him to redeem himself since the two of them really did seem to make a pretty great team.

🌟:4.75

The title of this book perfectly captures the wonderful mix of adventure and adorable-ness that you get when you read it.

Also, I need you to know I read this in one sitting. ONE. SITTING.

I was hooked on the story, but why? Because of Miri and Rafa. Their chemistry together was perfect from their first adorably awkward encounters. Their goals are also fundamentally opposed, which made for a lot of entertaining moments to read (though I, like Rafa, did feel bad for Miri struggling as a result of his sabotage). I was simply addicted to their goofy banter, and how they continued to be drawn to each other despite their attempts to stay away.

This book does a great job of weaving the high stakes moments of action in with the romance. You could feel Miri’s urgency to reach the city before anyone else, and I felt totally immersed in her quest to decipher the clues to its location.

Oh, and that twist? I so, totally, called it (I’m amazing).

So yeah, this book is a lot of fun, and I definitely recommend it if you like movies like The Lost City.

Thank you to Berkley Publishing for the e-arc of this book! These opinions are all my own.

I didn’t really enjoy Jo Segura’s debut novel, Raiders of the Lost Heart, but I wanted to give her another chance with Temple of Swoon. Unfortunately, I liked this one even less. My biggest issue with this novel is the characterization. Everyone in this book feels like a cartoony, mustache twirling villain, or just a single stereotype for a personality. There’s no dimension to any of them. There aren’t strong arcs for either of our main characters, nor for their relationship. I didn’t buy them as a couple, because they weren’t strong as individuals. Also, Miri was not good at her job!
My other big issue with this book is that it does not do a great job at representing the community it’s about. This is not a Latine romance; the main female character is fully white, and our male main character is half-white, half-Brazilian. Rafa knows nothing about his Brazilian side, and it could have been interesting to have Rafa discover more about his heritage but that isn’t delved into nearly enough in my opinion. His motivations were very surface level, which meant we got little to no valuable Brazilian rep in this book.
This book fell very flat for me and I cannot recommend it. Overdone stereotypes, too many tropes crammed in with not enough depth to the characters, and the action/adventure portions of the book were incredibly boring.

In a continuation of what readers can likely guess is a twist on Indiana Jones-meets-romance, this follow-up to Raiders of the Lost Heart follows Dr Miri Jacobs, ready to embark on her first archaeological expedition as a team lead, exploring the Amazon to find the Lost City of the Moon, an existence long rumored but never located. She’s joined by journalist Rafael Monfils who has his own secret reasons for joining this expedition: making sure the team doesn’t find the site through whatever shenanigans he can work in. However, soon the team finds themselves in danger, crossing paths with a criminal known for pillaging rare sites and selling things on the black market. And with danger comes heightened emotions — like a budding romance between Miri & Rafa.
This was a fun story with a unique setting and high stakes. I wasn’t necessarily a fan of the spice as it seemed to make its way into the story at the most random times but liked the sparks and banter between the leads.
Thank you to Berkley for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

“The world is our snack bar—we can choose to do whatever we want.”

TLDR: Need a little adventure in your life? A little suspense? This book will do that and also bring the *swoon* much like the title implies. No need to pack your bags to escape to the Amazon rainforest.

I read and loved Jo Segura’s debut novel, RAIDERS OF THE LOST HEART. It was my first romance with action and adventure. I was completely sucked in, especially as someone who grew up watching Indiana Jones and Romancing the Stone. I knew I wanted (i.e. needed) more. This ended up being another fun adventure filled with a great mix of suspense and romance. I loved Miri and Rafa’s meet-cute. I quickly fell in love with them, especially Rafa. I’m a sucker for nicknames, and the one he gave Miri from their funny and slightly disastrous first meeting was just adorable. It had me giggling and swooning the whole book.

A few things I love about these books: women discovering and leaning into their inner bad*ss, and their deep respect for the land and the people they are rearching. Add in the sweet and swoon and it’s a fun little escape. So, grab your favorite travel snack (might I suggest M&Ms or Pringles? 😉) and head off to find the Lost City of the Moon.

Tropes + things
archeologist FMC
journalist MMC
workplace romance
forced proximity
dual POV/3rd person

3.5 stars

This book is connected to Jo Segura’s novel Raiders of the Lost Heart (but can be read as a standalone). I’m obsessed with the covers and titles of these books! However, I had a really hard time rating this book.

There were so many good things about this book. The FMC is a quirky archaeologist on an expedition to discover the fabled Lost City of the Moon. Miri is endearing from chapter one. She is a bumbling hot mess with an amazing sense of humor that made me laugh out loud. She has no experience leading a mission, but it was fun to watch her grow from an inexperienced archaeologist endangering her team to a pure badass. I also loved the adventure aspect of the book, the setting, and all the clues Miri has to solve.

My problem with the book came with the MMC, who is a journalist/photographer hired to document the search for the lost city. Except that Rafa does not actually want the team to succeed, and sabotages them the whole time. I had a really hard time with the lying and deceit while Miri was starting to fall for him. The romance between Miri and Rafa was insta-lust, and then took a loooong time to build to anything more. The slow burn actually worked for me, but I didn’t want Miri to end up with him in the end, so it was hard for me to be excited about it. I thought that Rafa did sort of redeem himself, but it was hard for me to forgive him.

Thank you to Jo Segura, Berkley, and NetGalley for this e-ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Read if you like:
💕 Quirky FMC in male-dominated fields
💕 Workplace romance
💕 Forced proximity
💕 Cheesy action movies
💕 Pringles

currently mad at whoever gatekept raiders of the lost heart from me because I could have jumped on these sooner.
i had so much fun reading this, swooning did occur on both my part and miriam's. miriam was so deeply relatable with wanting to prove yourself and having a bit of imposter syndrome. she was headstrong in the best way and I really loved how she found her confidence throughout the book. these books truly read like an action adventure movie that's heavy on the romance, and it's just perfect. no notes, I love it!

I absolutely lover Raiders of The Lost Heart by Jo Segura so Temple of Swoon was a very highly anticipated read for me. Unfortunately it was a big let down. I kinda felt like I was reading almost the exact same story as the first one but with less sparkle of adventure. There were a few points that felt fresh and new but the over arc of the storyline felt bland and recycled.

I really really wanted to love this book so much and it was just ok to me, good but not great.

This cozy adventure romance was a fun ride. The characters are lovable and relatable. The author's writing is humorous while still being swoon-worthy. The story gave me "Romancing the Stone" vibes in the best way.

I am so grateful to have been given the chance to read this book early, and as someone who loved the Raiders of the Lost Heart, I am a bit disappointed in this book. I struggled to make it to the 148 pages, the point I decided this book was not for me. There was just so much going on that I couldn't keep up, while I felt the heat of the characters' passion for each other, I couldn't help but think about how this adventure would lead them into their lives together in the future. And I simply felt as though they barely connected. The entire concept of the adventure and purpose of the male main character, Rafa, was to sabotage Miri's search of the Lost City of the Moon. This level of purposeful miscommunication did not sit right with me, and I could not bear to see how it would play out. I am a fan of the miscommunication trope to a certain extent, and this level of deceitfulness on behalf of Rafa and his father put me off completely.

I enjoyed the quirkiness of the FMC and her drive for this archeological adventure but I felt like the book was centered around the FMC internal monologue and the romance aspect fell short.

Likes: STEM FMC, rom com vibes, forced proximity in workplace
Dislikes: conclusion felt forced, lack of connection between characters, felt like I was reading fmc thoughts only which I think makes me feel like there was a lack of connection

I've been eagerly awaiting this book since reading Segura's Raiders of the Lost Heart, and it was so much fun! I love an adventure romance and Temple of Swoon delivers. Archaeologist Miri and journalist Rafa are adorable together and I loved the dual POV just to see how much they swooned over each other.

I love that this story takes place in the Amazon (I've always wanted to go!) with Miri leading a team to search for the fabled Lost City of the Moon and Rafa documenting their journey...and perhaps taking part in a little sabotage. There is plenty of intrigue, sexy moments, a twist I did not see coming, plus some cameos from Raiders of the Lost Heart! Beyond their journey through the Amazon, both Miri and Rafa also go through internal journeys. Miri is trying to discover her innate badassery and confidence as a leader, while Rafa is trying to balance what he really wants from life and his father's expectations.

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed Temple of Swoon. There were some areas where the pacing felt a little rushed, but it didn't affect my enjoyment of these lovely characters!

If you enjoy adventure romance with charming characters and exciting action scenes, definitely pick this one up!