In theory, I would have loved this. In reality, it was pretty good but also I found myself finishing it just to be finished with it. The pacing felt rushed at times and dragged on at others. Something about the way the characters spoke felt pretty childish to me. Outside of that, I really enjoyed the action packed into this:

Digging Dr Jones, by Olivia Jackson, is a fast-paced novel you'll easily finish in one sitting. It's a fun rom-com with a definite Indiana Jones feel, and while it is an easy read, it is written in a way that keeps you engaged and wanting to know what happens next.
I appreciate NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with the ARC ebook I read and reviewed. All opinions are my own.

I loved Indiana Jones growing up and was excited to dive into a world with treasure hunts, running through the jungle, and finding lost artifacts. Sadly, this didn’t give we the warm and fuzzy nostalgia I was hoping for. My biggest complaint was the pacing. Everything just felt too rushed. She finds an expensive looking piece of jewelry and goes “Oh, this must be from you know who. Let me put it on” and then agrees to go on a trip where she’ll face perilous situations in a hostile environment with a strange man she’s known less than a week. Normally I give fiction novels some grace because I know a lot of it is for entertainment but with this it just took me out of the story.

If you’re a fan of Indiana Jones or The Lost City, you’ll absolutely love Digging Dr. Jones. This story has that same adventurous spirit that includes treasure hunts, ancient artifacts, danger lurking in the jungle (or under churches) but with the added bonus of a heartfelt slow burn romance that had me completely hooked.

I adored the chemistry between Adriana and Andrew. Their connection felt so natural even with the banter, it was built with trust through the adventures they faced together. I genuinely loved every wild moment they shared from decoding clues to barely escaping tight spots and how those experiences brought them closer. Each adventure wasn’t just a physical journey, it was emotional too, helping them open up and learn to trust one another.

Adriana was such a relatable and lovable character. She has insecurities and fears, but she never lets them hold her back. And even when she’s scared, she trusts Andrew and that trust was one of my favorite parts of the story. He never pushed her too far, but instead found quiet, meaningful ways to show her she mattered. I loved how he remembered the little things she told him making the romance feel so genuine and tender.

Andrew was the perfect mix of charming and steady. He was patient with Adriana, supportive without being overbearing, and the way he looked out for her, even when she didn’t realize it, made me swoon more than once. He would have given the whole journey up if it would protect her in the end.

The pacing of the romance was spot-on with just enough slow burn to keep the tension high, but with enough payoff to make it feel satisfying. The humor, the danger, the emotional beats, it all came together in such a fun and memorable way.

Digging Dr. Jones is a feel-good adventure that blends humor, heart, and a touch of danger. If you’re looking for a romance with a pulse-pounding backdrop and a hero who shows love through the little things, this one is definitely worth picking up. I can’t wait to see what Olivia Jackson writes next!

Thank you to HarperCollins, One More Chapter, Netgallery and Olivia Jackson for the early copy to read and review!

I have never wanted to close a book so quickly. I love movies with this exact vibe and I was genuinely so excited upon reading the description.

All the characters were immediately annoying. Who in their right mind would agree within ONE page to go to a foreign country with a man for a mission he’s not even sure it would pan out.

The dialogue is young adult levels of juvenile. I would rather read a frat bros tinder profile than watch these main characters interact.

I genuinely don’t understand who this book was written for. DNFing before I go into a reading slump.

Thank you NetGalley for the arc!

I loved the movie The Lost City and I've been looking for something similar and I've officially found it! This was so much fun! I love the romance and the mystery

I knew from the moment Adriana and William spoke acronyms out loud that this wouldn't be for me, but I persevered 😭 I wish I could say the pay-off was worth it.

The pacing was hard for me to get a grip on - the story itself is very fast paced and takes place over the span of less than two weeks, but so much of that time is dragged out in hotel room scenes that make it feel much longer than it is; not to mention the sheer amount of times we're reminded about Adriana's sad upbringing and her financial insecurity - a lot of words are used but it doesn't forward the plot in any meaningful way.

I wasn't fond of any of the characters - I was probably least annoyed by Andrew (though his weirdly clunky declarations of love for Adriana did make me roll my eyes). Adriana and William are extremely juvenile and got on my nerves a great deal, and William is a walking stereotype. There are a host of evil side characters but I sometimes found it hard to differentiate between them because they have no real impact on the stakes. The inclusion of Andrew's ex was baffling, she seemed to only exist to drive Adriana's internalised misogyny.

A lot of telling instead of showing, I couldn't really visualise the environments they were exploring or connect with the mystery they were meant to be solving which is a pity because it sounded so fun in the synopsis!

"The dildo of consequences rarely comes lubed" is a real sentence that's about to be published so. It feels like I'm witnessing history happening in real time if nothing else.

This was a 3.5 ⭐️ and 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️

A fun debut novel with lots of action, adventure and romance. If you like Indiana Jones, Raiders of the Lost Heart and The Lost City you’ll like this book. The search for a pirates lost treasure is well thought out and engaging. The romance is a little insta-lust but blooms naturally considering the high stakes and adrenaline they go through together.

One issue I had with this book was how Colombia was represented times. A dirty hole in the gas station bathroom in chapter 16 felt unnecessary. It could have just been a broken toilet. It could be seen as trying to paint Colombia as a third world country. There was also little interaction with the locals. Also the FMCs relationship with her brother was too close at times that it was a little uncomfortable.

Overall it was a fun and quick read.

Thanks for Olivia Jackson for an ARC copy.

This book was beyond brilliant!! It’s so funny so engaging and will have you addicted from page one!
I absolutely loved the slow burn, it felt so right and had me excited to read the next chapter just to see them glance at each other.
The story was so well done! The amount of twists and turns was so exciting, it felt like I was on the adventure with them!!

I can’t wait to tell everyone to read this! Immediately a five star read! Was so perfect in every way!!

This book started out great with the characters and plot established pretty quickly. The tension between the romantic leads was definitely something I ate up.

It was a fun ride, with lots of clues and adventures, and overall a fun and enjoyable read. But I did have some minor issues with it. I felt that it lacked the urgency that I would expect from the plot, and that the story dragged a bit at some points. I also found the characters to behave a bit childishly at times and that they could be slightly annoying.

That being said, it was a fun adventure with a charming love interest, evil antagonists and a heroine trying to get a break from her regular life (oh boy did she get more than she bargained for!).

⭐️⭐️⭐️.5

This book was definitely very cute and fun!

It did take awhile for me to get into this book and I did find some of the dialogue felt very forced by the main character.

However I did enjoy the meet cute and the premise of this as it was unique, fantastical and fun.

I struggled to at first root for Andrew and Adriana but once their relationship started I really liked seeing them together and their banter was very cute.

*thank you Netgalley and One More Chapter for a copy of this arc in exchange for an honest review*

For fans of Indiana Jones, Tomb Raider and Romancing the Stone this book is a spicy romantic adventure. I received an ARC copy of this book and I could tell just by the title it was going to be a fun one. when a bracelet accidentally is delivered to Adriana Jones' hotel room she finds herself whisked away by Archeology professor and treasure hunter Dr. Andrew Jones. Soon Adriana, her brother William and Andrew find themselves racing against another team of treasure hunters to find hidden valuables in the jungles of Colombia. With spice and sass, Adriana begins to feel herself drawing closer to Andrew but her past has taught her not to trust her heart. However Andrew is not giving up the hunt for the treasure nor for removing all of Adriana"s defenses. I found this the perfect mix of adventure, romance and dramedy.

Huge thank you to NetGalley & HarperCollins UK, One More Chapter for this ARC of Digging Dr Jones.

Synopsis:
A surprise gift is exactly what Adriana Jones needs to improve her vacation, and a bracelet with gems will do the trick.

Except once it’s on, she’s faced with two problems:

The bracelet is actually meant for Andrew Jones – the renowned and utterly gorgeous archaeologist
It will not come off, no matter how hard she tries…
Andrew Jones needs this bracelet if he wants to find an ancient lost treasure deep in the jungles of Colombia. And there’s no way he’s letting Adriana’s mistake cost him his career.

There’s only one solution: Adriana must accompany him on his quest. Trekking through jungles and crawling through crypts wasn’t on Adriana’s vacation agenda, but an adventure with the very sexy Dr Jones might just be the treasure she’s been seeking…

My thoughts:

Overall, this book was good, but it was not completely for me. This is honestly just a "me" problem. There were some really silly quotes that I loved in here and the actual plot of the book was great. I had a rough upbringing, so listening to FMCs in my books complain about that really pulls me from the fantasy of it all.

What Worked:
-Action Packed Plot
-Super Sweet MMC
-Fast paced read

What didn't work:
-Whiny FMC
-Insta love (i am fine with insta lust, and knowing someone is the one really early, but to say I love you after 10 days was a bit too quick for me)
-stereotypical gay brother

This book was a slow burn romance with adventure aspect in it but for me the fact that the characters had an insta love situation just didn't sit right with me. They did work as a couple and that was the only saving grace for me

Ah, I'm conflicted on my rating because I loved the two main characters - just loved them. I also loved Adriana's brother as well. However:

The problem for me was I felt like the first half of the book was a fun, Indiana Jones adventure with the main character falling in love. It was great EXCEPT she had so many hang-ups about her dad. I understood where she was coming from and her poverty trauma and she was so upset at her mom as well (rightfully so), but the dad was brought up too much. It became distracting and was too many "daddy issues" for me.

The second half was page after page of "spice." I'm at work so....being careful how I say this. haha. It was great the FIRST time, maybe even the second time, but became too repetitive and I ended up glossing over most of it. That was disappointing because it did not match the plot/romance pace of the first half of the book.

At times the romance (not the spice, but the romance itself) took a backseat to the treasure hunting. There were too many details that, again, made things feel repetitive. By the end of the story, I did not care if the treasure was found or not.

However, I loved the premise and the adventure and the male main character so much.

Thank you NetGalley and Harper Collins UK, One More Chapter for an e-copy of DIGGING DR JONES to review.

I rate DIGGING DR. JONES three out of five stars.

This is a fun and adventurous rom-com. Adriana Jones and her brother are enjoying a tropical vacation when she receives a mystery package containing a bracelet. It turns out that package was meant for a different A. Jones - Andrew Jones, British adventure explorer/treasurer hunter.
The bracelet will help unlock and lead to a lost treasure. Adventure ensues when the team travels to Columbia to hunt for the treasure.
Adriana and her brother have a lot of childhood trauma due to their fractured upbringing so Adriana fears love and commitment. Things turn around about 60% through the book when things heat up between her and Andrew and then they can't keep their hands off of each other.
This was a fun ride and I loved the ending.
Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for access to this eARC.

2/5 Indiana Jones fedoras!

This book felt a lot like Indiana Jones fan fiction. I mean it’s in the title, the MMC is called Dr Jones and he’s an archeologist saving rare historical artifacts from rich buyers…. It’s all right there. And don’t get me wrong I’ve had many a steamy dream about Harrison Ford as Dr Jones in my lifetime, but what falls down for me here is the drag of the story. It feels so unbelievably long even though it’s only a standard length for a romance. It is a slow burn, but in saying that it doesn’t really feel that way because all the MFC does for the duration of the book is drool all over how hot Dr Jones is and mostly (and weirdly) his forearm muscles.
I found a lot of the writing lacked the similes and metaphor that gives more of the “show me” style of writing opposed to this book that was more in the style of explicitly telling me how to feel.

The bits that worked well for me were when they went on an Indiana Jones style adventure. Those were written well and I was engaged whenever they were trying to solve the mystery throughout South America.

I think this book just wasn’t my jam, but if you are into sexy archeologists, who want children and an everlasting love and a MFC who is just a hot mess of childhood and young adult trauma. This book is for you!

Thank you to Harper Collins UK and One More Chapter for this eARC.

This was a fun read and perfect for fans of action with a side of romance. I really enjoyed the ever changing locations, it made the pacing of the book quick and made for a fast read.

I really enjoyed Adriana, especially her relationship with her brother. It was very much them against the world and they managed to become (mostly) successful adults without too much emotional damage. Andrew was a great character as well. He also went thru a lot of emotional damage and still managed to be a calm and resilient person for his family. He was also very noble with his cause for historical artifacts.

The chemistry between Adriana and Andrew was great!! I also really enjoyed the attention to detail in regards to Adriana’s career. She was always describing scents and it made sense she was in the fine wine business.

Overall this was a funny and romantic trip through Colombia hunting treasure.

I wanted to like this book, sounded like such as fun premise. But I could not like the characters, as they did not feel believable to me.

I didn't love it, but I also didn't hate it.
There are, like with any book, good things and not so good things.
I loved the different little ties to Indiana Jones. The whole idea of the book was wonderful, it was definitely an adventure. I just wish there was more to the adventures, more consequences to their choices.
One thing that I wasn't entirely crazy about was the way William was perceived. This has nothing to do with the William being gay. It has to do with the way it was done, it felt very stereotypical, to me, with the way things are said and actions. That portrayal definitely could have been done better.