Temple of Swoon

Get ready to swing from the vines in this sophomore novel from Jo Segura!

On an adventure to find the lost city of the moon, Miri is unexpectedly thrust into a leadership role and struggling to find her footing as lead archeologist. We always stan a badass woman dominating in male dominated fields! Unfortunately, it feels like everything that can go wrong does - in part due to the incredibly handsome photographer on the dig team, who is trying to prevent the team from finding the lost city for family reasons.

Check this one out if you’re looking for:
- insta love/lust
- forced proximity / workplace romance
- Amazon rainforest adventure romance
- badass woman in male dominated fields (archeology)
- Literal swinging from vines

Thank you to Berkley for this ARC! Temple of Swoon is on shelves January 7, 2025. My opinions are my own.

If you like Indiana Jones, Lara Croft, and smut… then this is the book for you!!!

Dr. Miriam Jacobs, an ambitious archaeologist, is ready to prove herself on her first major expedition in the Amazon rainforest. She’s out to find the Lost City of the Moon—but things get complicated when a HOT journalist, named Rafa, joins the team. While Miriam is focused on making the discovery of a lifetime, Rafa has a hidden agenda…

Now as a former archaeologist, the “treasure hunting” aspect of this book kind of drove me crazy. Despite what the movies may tell you, never once was there an evil treasure hunter that I had to race against to find the world's greatest treasure. But the 90s baby in me who grew up watching soooo many treasure hunting movies LOVED this book. It was a super fun, action packed read. And it was filled with some veryyyy nice steamy, rainforest romance. 

And I will definitely never forget about the phrase “danger banging.”

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkeley Publishing for an advanced copy of this book! 

Tropes:
- strangers-to-lovers
- forced proximity
- archeologist fmc x journalist/photographer mmc
- workplace/adventure romance
- slow burn
- insta love

I love this whole Indiana Jones with a female lead vibe this book gives off.

There is a nice amount of action as the main character, Dr. Miriam Jacobs, is searching for a lost city in the Amazon.

I like the fact that Miriam is trying really hard to build her own self confidence up.

There is a bit of family conflict between the MMC, Rafael Monfils, and his father. It’s a nice touch that Rafael is trying to thwart Miriam’s success at finding the lost city.

There are also mentions and a minor appearance to the main characters from Segura’s first book, RAIDERS OF THE LOST HEART.

The spice level is medium.

Rating: 4/5
I received an eARC for my honest opinion.

This book is about two adults who want to start their lives, doing what they want to do and not what is expected of them and to be taken seriously. Ok. Ok. Ok. There are a lot of cute, fun rom-com moments in this book and yes, they’re hunting for the Lost City of the Moon. One is doing it so they can understand the history of the people that lived there, and the other one is there to take pictures and to make sure that the Lost City will not be found. However, you cannot help who and where you fall in love.

This was my first Segura book, and it will not be my last book. Well, this book can be read as a standalone, it is a second book. Just different characters and of course a different plot. I liked getting to know about little parts of the first book through this one and I will be reading it. I thought this plot was cute, a nerdy archaeologist is ready for the world to take her seriously and to be the badass that she knows can be. However, the problem might be that she doesn’t believe in herself that much. I loved getting to know the characters more throughout the book and seeing their development. I found this book to be fast paced, and easy to read. I normally find insta love annoying but the way that the author wrote the insta love I didn’t have any issues with it at all.

I loved Miri, I found myself able to connect with her character. I loved that she had a dream but was scared to believe in herself enough to help her get to the point where she would glow. It's hard to be a strong female in a male dominated world and this author writes it and makes it fun to show people that women are just as awesome as men… maybe a little more awesome. I loved that even though Miri would be stressed and having a hard time she wouldn’t take it out on people but would lean on her friend or talk it out with Rafael. I loved that she was a little bit of a space cadet, and I loved how she would talk to herself out loud. I found myself laughing at a couple of moments when she would be talking out loud and Rafeal would walk up and scare her. I found Rafeal to be a fun MMC, he would know the right thing to say to get Miri to get out of her head, he was looking out for her (even when he was attempting to sabotage the mission. I liked that he fell first, and I didn’t mind the whole figuring out if it was love or really, really like this woman; moments not to be annoying. For me it helped me to understand why he was falling so fast and helped to wrap up the book really well. I enjoyed the banter that the characters had, and I found myself laughing out loud at a few parts. I think my favorite would have to be hands down the moment in the jungle with the vines and trying to do a cool swinging flip off it. I found how the book ended with a big reveal to have been well, and with those little twists at the end. You can see how that would shake Rafeal more than Miri but still it does affect her.

This book has action, family drama, romcom moments, some spicy scenes and an overall, fun book to read.

I want to thank NetGalley & Berkley Pub for the opportunity to review this book.

Temple of Swoon is a fabulous, fun adventure rom-com that I could not put down.

I was a bit nervous starting this book because I didn't necessarily love the previous book the author had written. It was a little boring and lacked that fun adventure component I hoped it would have. I am thrilled to say that this book is a woot and a half and was everything I wanted the first book to be. I adored the story and its characters. This book really is bursting with fun, quirky adventure vibes. The author leaned hard into that adventure rom-com element, and I am so glad that she did. Miri is the best and is what made this book shine in my eyes. She is a quirky, nerdy goofball of a character, and her enthusiasm is just contagious. I instantly fell in love with her the moment she appeared on the page with her backpack full of snacks. Between Rafa sabotaging the search, an enemy team trying to get to the lost city first, and just the prevails and trails of exploring the jungle, Miri's journey is not a smooth or boring one.

The story is perfectly paced, and I loved that it was bursting with fun and chaotic shenanigans that just had me chuckling. Miri is just one of those characters that chaos seems to follow. She wants to prove that she is just as badass and smart as Corrie (the MC from the first book). Miri's character is full of a lot of self-doubt and doesn't believe that if she were to be her true self, she would be able to become a recognized archaeologist. It was great watching Miri's character realize that she doesn't have to pretend to be someone else to be happy or successful. Rafa was the perfect match for Miri's character. It was pretty obvious that he was absolutely smitten right from the first meet-cute. Miri's corny sense of humour and her tendency to babble just have his heart pitter-pattering a little faster. Rafa cannot believe that Miri doesn't see how fabulous, badass, and amazing she is. I enjoyed Rafa's character, who struggles and suffers quite a bit in this book, which I just loved. He's been tasked with trying to get Miri to quit her search for the lost city, but he likes Miri and wants her to succeed. He finds himself stuck between a rock and a hard place, and I thoroughly enjoyed that inner struggle Rafa found himself in.

The romance is this wonderful blend of sweet and spicy. These two are meant for each other. Both characters are smitten with each other right from the moment they meet. That instant attraction is both physical and emotional. Rafa definitely falls harder in this book, and that is because he just loves Miri's quirkiness. He is like a moth drawn to the light; he can't stay away from her. Overall, I really enjoyed these two as a couple. Everything in their relationship journey was well balanced out. You have the spicy bits, the fun laugh-out-loud bits, and the emotional quieter bits. All these different bits worked together to create a relationship that felt real and possessed some depth.

Temple of Swoon is a lough-out-loud adventure rom-com, and I would recommend it to anyone who needs a pick-me-up romance.

Thank you so much to @berkleyromance @berkleypub @acebookspub @netgalley and @josegurabooks for a copy of this book.

Dr. Miriam Jacobs (Miri) is on a mission deep in the Amazon to find the Lost City of the Moon. No pressure, but her career as an archeologist depends on this mission being a success. Nothing can stand in her way….except maybe for Rafael Monfils (Rafa). Rafa has been sent to the Amazon on a different mission, to uphold his mother’s legacy as protector of the temple and stop anyone from finding it. This includes sabotaging Miri’s work at every turn. What he didn’t count on was her fiery personality and her persistence…and how well they seemed to understand each other. When they realize they aren’t the only ones looking for the temple, their lives depend on getting there first.

I thought it was absolutely adorable and really enjoyed reading it! Miri’s personality of being dorky and awkward but fierce and determined was the perfect match for Rafa’s cool, world-traveler vibes. Overall I definitely recommend this book!

Temple of Swoon follows Miri on a trek to find The City of the Moon. Many have tried, all have failed, but failure isn't an option for Miri; if she comes back with nothing she also loses her job. Things go awry immediately when she meets handsome journalist, Rafa and sparks fly. She needs to avoid distraction, but Rafa isn't just there for a story. He's there to sabotage the whole mission.

Temple of Swoon was a really fun read. Miri was quirky and relatable. I really felt for Rafa. I loved that there were twists I didn't see coming and I can't wait to read more works from Jo Segura.

Thank you Netgalley, Jo Segura, and Penguin Random House!

Where the first book’s heroine was overconfident, this one is finding her inner sparkle.

Miriam Jacobs is unexpectedly put in charge of an archeological search in Brazil. Part of the team is photojournalist Rafa, and the two are smitten with each other from the first moment they make eye contact.

There’s mythical protectors, sabotage, betrayal, and a pulse-pounding sexy tension between the leads. Once again, a fun adventure exploring cultures and histories and what it means to honor the past.

4.5/5⭐️

thank you so much Berkley for the arc!

yes I did in fact swoon lol
omggg this book was so much fun!
I just LIVED for the chemistry between miri and rafa, they had this instant connection, their silly banter was just too good! their conversations just flowed so well! I had no choice but to giggle and kick my feet!

i loved miri, she was dorky, smart, her energy was just so bright, and she’s such a badass, I became quite obsessed with her just like rafa 🙂‍↕️
miri finding her own voice is truly the best part of the book, taking a stand for herself, gaining that confidence, and knowing what to do with her career in archaeology, she’s just admirable, I LOVE HERRR 💕💕

rafa, rafa was just down bad, he was in awe of our girl, even with his secret mission to stop the team from reaching the lost city, he had weak moments and was rooting for her success lol because all he wants is for her to have everything and I JUST *swoon*

I think they’re my new favs 🥰

it’s fun, there’s tension, there’s adventure and plot twists, it’s just a good easy read!

tropes:
💜 archaeologist fmc
💜 photojournalist mmc (on a secret mission)
💜 forced proximity
💜 insta-chemistry followed by a slow burn

Why I Chose This Book:
Just over a year ago, I enjoyed Jo Segura’s debut novel, Raiders of the Lost Heart. Archaeology, Mexico, and a sweltering romance? Yes please! I was excited for the sequel, Temple of Swoon, which follows two all-new characters deep into the Amazon Rainforest in Brazil. Full of adventure and a beautiful backdrop for romance to bloom, this was a book I couldn’t pass up on.

What I Liked:
- Brazil setting! The Amazon Rainforest!
- Searching for the long lost Cidade da Lua (City of the Moon)
- Career struggles, sexism, and taking opportunities to finally advance
- Family complications
- She’s plucky, determined, kind of silly, and always ready with snacks
- He’s kind-hearted and family-oriented… with a secret she won’t like
- Learning about archaeology and treating ancient civilizations with care

Final Thoughts
I really loved Temple of Swoon! Possibly even more than the first book, truth be told. It has the best setting, deep in the Amazon Rainforest. It’s adventurous, action-packed, fun, humorous, and sweet, with lovable main characters, questions about how to treat ancient civilizations, and complicated family and career paths. This was a quick read, and a joy from start to finish.

Thank you to Berkley Romance for the advance reader copy and to PRH Audio for the complimentary audiobook. These opinions are my own.

Temple of Swoon is the second book from Jo Segura featuring archaeologists. I recommend reading Raiders of the Lost Heart first. It features Dr. Corrie Mejía, and she and her adventures in the first book are regularly referenced in this one.

In this book, her mentee, Miriam finally gets a chance to lead her own expedition. Rafa joins the team as a photojournalist documenting it. But little does she know, he plans to sabotage her quest to find the lost city, Cidade da Lua.

I enjoyed the adventure. This book had as much archaeology and danger as I expected from the synopsis. And I was kept guessing as to whether they would find the lost city. I also kept thinking about whether I wanted them to. This book really pushes us to question the appropriate treatment of cultures and artifacts and how best to safeguard history.

There's a bit more deception and secrets than I typically prefer, but they worked well here. And it featured one of the greatest epilogues ever. Miriam may have worried about being in Corrie's shadow, but this book surpasses Raiders of the Lost Heart.

I was incredibly impressed by Kyla Garcia's narration. I literally confirmed it was all a single narrator because her voices were so good.

Temple of Swoon by Jo Segura 💜
Book 2
Interconnected Standalone

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Adult • RomCom Adventure
ARC Review
368 pages
🗓️ January 7

💜Indiana Jones inspired
💚workplace romance
💜close proximity
💚secretly frenemies

📍“You think I’m bad*ss?”
“I think you’re everything.”

📍“All I know is that I don’t want to be without you. The world is our snack bar — we can choose to do whatever we want.”

This was my last read of 2024. And boy, oh boy did the year end on a high note. Temple of Swoon?! I sure was swooning at this temple because this was amazing 👏🏼👏🏼 and I’m not even sure who had me swooning more… Rafa? Miri? Anissa? Logan and Felix? All. All of them. What a cast 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼 not you Dr. Quinn. Definitely not you.

I loved every insecurity and every strength of Miriam. I loved every self doubt and tenderness of Rafa. I loved them apart. I loved them together. And I sure did love looking for the lost city of the moon 🌙

Thank you so much @josegurabooks @berkleyromance @berkleypub and @netgalley for this gifted ARC. 2024 couldn’t have ended in better company 🫶🏼

GIMME MORE!!! 😍

This book was like Indiana Jones but make it girly with an archaeology packed adventure that was SO much fun to read! Dr. Miriam Jacobs is on a mission to find the Lost City of the Moon, and her expedition is all set with a great crew which obviously it includes a hansome journalist/photographer Rafael Monfils, whose real purpose is to sabotage her work 👀 to protect the city.

The way the author brought these two together, the storyline, and how Rafa tried to "sabotage" the expedition was freaking awesome. I loved how this book took the action packed vibe we usually see in movies and how Miriam’s personality with her determination to prove herself in a male-dominated field as an archaeologist. And let me tell you, she is a TOTAL BADASS!!!

The woman empowerment throughout this book? IMMACULATE 🙌 Miri swinging on vines, fighting off hunters, and telling the sexy man to step back HECK YES!!! The vibes were EVERYTHING.

Rafa & Miri 4EVER. Their romance was such a strangers-to-lovers situation with a dash of insta-love, but honestly, I treated this book like a fun action movie and ATE IT UP. And when the tension finally broke? HELLO spicy spice 🌶️ This book was EVERYTHING I didn’t know I needed.

tropes
💜 strangers-to-lovers
💜 forced proximity
💜 archeologist fmc x journalist/photographer mmc
💜 workplace romance
💜 slow burn
💜 insta love

I adore these adventure rom-coms Jo Segura is writing. Raiders of the Lost Heart was so fun and enjoyable and so is Temple of Swoon.

Temple of Swoon follows Miri on an expedition to find the lost city of the moon. She's awkward, overlooked, and underestimated. But she's out to prove herself, and she does so in awkward glory. I don't want to spoil any particular moments but I loved Miri's spirit. She just charges in and sometimes it's calamitous, sometimes it's hilarious, and sometimes it's a success. How could you not love her?

Rafa is sent on the expedition as a journalist, but he has a secret mission too. And I normally don't love when the guy is hiding something. It's just a red flag and I always have a hard with the resolution later. But Rafa struggles with his lies and genuinely tries to keep his distance from Miri because he knows pursuing her while lying to her is obviously wrong. I loved how tortured he was trying to stay away when he was so down bad for Miri.

I had a great time reading Temple of Swoon and look forward to whatever Jo Segura writes next. Thanks to NetGalley and Berkley for the advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

JO!!! I am really enjoying this series. While I did not love this as much as her previous work, I love being back in the archeologist world.
I did not really see the big reveal coming, so it was a fun surprise, and I really enjoyed how it all wrapped up. Overall, a really enjoyable series!!

For Dr. Miriam Jacobs, this expedition to find the Lost City of the Moon is her last shot at keeping her job. Miriam knows she has worked hard, but she still sees herself as an amateur in comparison to Dr. Corrie Mejia, someone she looks up to and is excited to work beside on this expedition. Unexpected circumstances arise and Miri suddenly finds herself thrust into the role of leader. Which is fine - totally fine - until everything that can go wrong does.

Enter Rafael Monfils. Rafa is on the team as a journalist, photographer….and saboteur. Rafa has a personal connection to the Lost City of the Moon and his family wants to make sure it stays hidden through any means necessary. Then it appears that actual bad guys might be hot on their tails, and Rafa must decide what means more to him: fulfilling the role he’s been given or his new feelings for Miri?

I had a fun time while reading this book and liked how different it was from most contemporary romances out there. I loved spending time with our main characters and despite being at odds, it was easy to feel their connection. They just made sense, and I actually giggled aloud a few times at just how dorky Miri and Rafa were together. I’m also a sucker for a cute nickname and I swooned a little every time Rafa called her Pringles.

Before reading Segura’s debut novel last year I don’t think I had ever read an adventure romance. However, I did feel like Temple of Swoon didn’t really offer anything that Raiders of the Lost Heart didn’t. The expedition may be different, but the romance (including the twists) was very similar and I think RotLH did it a bit better. We also know Miri is an accomplished archeologist, but it seems like most of the discoveries she makes are found by pure luck or on accident. This is probably just a random me thing, but I feel like it downplayed her accomplishments for the sake of making her more quirky.

Thank you to Berkley and NetGalley for a review copy. I look forward to reading from this author again and hope Anissa’s story is next!

For an action adventure book, this fell a little flat and at times was a little bit boring. I really don't like to say that because I loved the first book but this one just did not quite hit the same.

In this book you have Miriam who is an archaeologist out to prove herself and is tasked with leading an expedition to search for the Lost City of the Moon. On this expedition there is Rafa who is tasked by his father to sabotage this mission in order to prevent this lost city from being found.

There were a lot of points in this book where it fell very flat and leaning towards predictable. And ultimately neither one of the main characters you really find yourself rooting for Rafa is an awful liar. I mean he is tasked with lying to her and everybody the entirety of the time.

And Miriam is so lacking in self-confidence that she's really just a self-deprecating individual the entire time to the point where you get kind of annoyed with her.

Ultimately for me this fell under the sophomore book thing where the first book is great and the second one doesn't quite live up to it, but I can see myself reading more from her in the future.

An action adventure romance with some Indiana Jones vibes? Sign me up!
I think this will be a huge hit for many readers. It was fun and adventurous. I loved the beginning with the awkward meet cute!

I did feel like the book was lacking something, but I don’t think most people will feel that way. It seemed very YA to me, like this was a class trip and Miri was just along for the ride instead of being the leading archaeologist, because she was so insecure and inexperienced. That also made the romance almost feel out of place. The cartoonish villain vibes definitely added to YA feeling as well. It seems like most people really enjoyed this and didn’t have the same criticisms, so perhaps it was just me and my mood. I really love Indiana Jones and I’m wondering if my expectations for the adventure portion were too high.

Overall, I would recommend this and thought it was fun to read!

Thank you to Berkley Publishing Group for giving me this arc in exchange for my honest review.

I went into this book not having read the first book in this series but thankfully this book can be read as a standalone so I didn't get confused.
The premise of this book was interesting! Trying to find a lost city? Sign me up! I'm also a huge fan of Dual POV. Unfortuntely the book fell flat for me in the romance and relationship aspect.
The instant attraction wasn't very believable and I was wanting more with their banter.

Temple of Swoon is a fun adventurous romcom. It definitely gave off Indiana Jones vibes. Unfortunately, I never really bought into them as a couple and I found it hard to connect to the story as a result