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

A delightful adventure romp filled with funny banter, mild suspense and lots of heartwarming and also steamy romance! Love it

When I first saw RAIDERS OF THE LOST HEART, it immediately became one of my most anticipated books of the year. There’s something about a romance with a super unique, adventure-filled premise that intrigues me. I enjoyed the general concept of SOMETHING WILDER by Christina Lauren for example – yes that one got a little far-fetched at times but this kind of ~adventure~ story mixed with rom-com elements has me written all over it for some reason.

I ended up enjoying RAIDERS quite a bit, and seeing TEMPLE OF SWOON announced soonafter was a dream come true. Another rom-com with archeologists and Indiana Jones vibes? Yes, keep them coming, Jo Segura!

TEMPLE OF SWOON follows Miri (mentee of the MC from the first book) and Rafael (a journalist with an overbearing father who forced him on this mission even though he tried to quit). Miri is looking for the lost City of the Moon and leading her first expedition without any help. Rafael’s mother and her ancestors had been protecting the lost city for years; his real reason for being there is to sabotage the mission on her behalf (and his father’s) to ensure its legacy remains intact. He didn’t expect to start falling for Miri and her tenacity though!

This book was even better than Segura’s debut – the same Indiana Jones adventure vibes were prevalent without being too unrealistic. The romance was excellent. Yes, the two had a little bit of instalove, but I enjoyed it a lot. Miri was kind of a weirdo in an endearing way, which was nice to read!

Despite the big secrets Rafael was keeping from Miri, there wasn’t a lot of miscommunication or frustration while reading this book. There was a certain character that I HATED early in the book – I won’t say who for spoiler reasons – who luckily left the story and eliminated some annoyance.

There was some twists that I genuinely did not see coming – it was really unexpected to be surprised by certain characters and plot points in a romance! I really hope that Segura keeps writing books like this, and other romance authors implement some fun adventure elements in their books!

Temple of Swoon by Jo Segura
Narrator: Kyla Garcia
Rating: 4 stars
Steam: 2 chilis
Pub date: 1/7

Thank you so much Berkley Romance for my free book! #berkleypartner #berkley And thank you to PRH Audio for my complimentary audiobook.
This book is a lot of fun! It’s a perfect mix of action, romance, and laugh-out-loud moments, all set against the stunning backdrop of the Brazilian jungle. Whether you’re new to Segura’s books or a returning fan, this one’s got something for everyone.

Dr. Miriam Jacobs, or Miri, is such a great character. She’s smart, determined, and just the right amount of awkward, with her cheesy jokes making her super relatable. Her adventure through the jungle to find the Lost City of the Moon is packed with challenges, but her perseverance and quirky charm steal the show.

And then there’s Rafael Monfils, the journalist who’s definitely not just there to write a story. Rafa’s secret mission to derail the team’s expedition adds a juicy layer of tension, especially as he starts falling for Miri. Their chemistry is top-notch—sweet, fiery, and full of heart. Watching Rafa struggle between his goals and his growing feelings for Miri is so satisfying, especially since he’s clearly her biggest fan, even when he’s working against her. There’s an insta-love vibe that I usually don’t love, but I enjoyed it here.

The jungle setting is intense and beautifully described, with just the right amount of danger to keep things exciting. There’s even a fun tie-in to Segura’s first book that fans will appreciate, though you can totally read this as a standalone.

I followed along with this on audio and I thought the narrator did an amazing job voicing all of the characters.

If you’re in the mood for a fast-paced adventure with a lovable heroine, a bit of romance, and tons of excitement, Temple of Swoon is definitely worth picking up!

Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom was one of my favorite movies as a kid, and Temple of Swoon was such a fun (and yes, swoony) read as an adult!

Dr. Miri Jacobs needs to prove herself on the archaeological mission of a lifetime in the Amazon. She didn’t count on handsome journalist/photographer Rafa DeMonfils being part of the mission. But Rafa has secrets that he’s keeping. And neither of them could have imagined what the Amazon had in store for them - broken down trucks, knife fights, vine-swinging, and an unexpected villain trying to beat them to the site.

This book was full of ups and downs, and it was a fast-paced, delightful read. I highly recommend it for romance readers who love a little adventure!

I Received an advanced reading copy, receipt of which did not impact my review.

I really enjoyed Raiders of the Lost Heart and so I was looking forward to reading this one but I just could not get into it. I didn't really understand her motivation for lying to him about why she was travelling which made it hard to get invested in the characters

*SIGH* 2.5 stars
It is with a heavy heart that I rate and review this book. This is the second book by Jo Segura I've read and the once again we have a secretive and sabotaging MMC which is just so hard to get behind and love. Like she forgave him SO fast and I just don't get it. He just blindly followed his fathers instructions to ruin her life and career and jeopardize the lives of the crew and for what? UGHHHHH

The romance and tension was lack luster and my favorite part of the book is the cover. . Even the action felt less intentional and not as detailed as book one which made it tough to really feel while reading. Admittedly tho he calls her "Pringles" and I LOVED THAT

I was so excited to get this ARC bc I read book 1 and loved the Indiana Jones and Tomb Raider vibes but the romance, characters and stakes in this book were just a let down.

Temple of Swoon was a highly anticipated read for me as I really enjoyed Jo Segura's debut, set in the same world. However; I ended up "not finishing" Jo's latest at the 33 % mark as I found it to be predictable and semi following the same storyline as the first novel. I wanted to read something with "lol" jungle moments and captivating characters but was hit with more of the "lol he's the bad guy oh this again" and probably will not continue my Jo Segura journey.

Great banter and lots of action and adventure.

I love a strong female lead in romance books, but I don't like when they get taken advantage of so much that they look silly on page. Lie of omission is tricky in this sense. It has to be done carefully and not at the expense of the female lead's success.

Overall a fun read with great steam.

Temple of Swoon is perfect for someone looking to find adventure with a heavy sprinkle of quirky humor and just the perfect amount of spice!

As a big fan of Indiana Jones and a lover of the first book in this series, I was STOKED for this. But it was such a letdown. The FMC acted so dumb and it became nearly unbearable. The love was also a little too insta lovey for me. I’ll hold out hope for another great adventure romance but this one didn’t do it for me.

It’s hard to be a badass archaeologist when you’re wearing a fanny pack, err money belt, but Dr. Miriam Jacobs is going to try.

Miri’s mission is to find the Lost City of the Moon in the Amazon rainforest. While Journalist Rafael Monfils’ mission is to stop her. You would think that would make them natural born enemies, but it doesn’t. And, I think this is one of the things I missed. While I loved that Rafa fell for Miri’s adorable dorkiness almost immediately. I did miss some good old banter and tension that you get from two people that are trying to despise each other.

Overall, I enjoyed this book. I liked the action and adventure. Also, I love a book with a latin flare, and this one delivered.

Thank you to Netgalley & the publisher for an early copy in exchange for my honest review.

This was just as adventurous as the first book was! Between the non-stop Jungle Action, with a side of some swoony romance, this book was easy to fly through.

I really enjoyed Miriam. She pushed herself to be her best and definitely had a lot of growth by the end, with Rafa as her biggest cheerleader even if things didn’t start out so pure. I loved the shenanigans they got themselves into and how their relationship slowly developed over time. This was absolutely a slow burn and I was cheering in my seat when they finally got together for the first time, over 50% into the book.

I would love to see a third installment of this series follow Anissa. Now that we have seen Dr. Meijas and Dr. Jacobs have their career altering moments and happily-ever-after romances, it’s time for Anissa to shine!

This is my last read of 2024 and it was a good one! A sign that my next read in 2025 will be just as good.

One of the standout aspects of "Temple of Swoon" is its vivid and immersive world-building. Segura's creation is richly detailed and steeped in mythology and folklore, with a depth and complexity that is simply stunning. The temple itself is a character in its own right, a labyrinthine and mystical place that seems to pulse with its own rhythm and magic.