Book Stats:

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐(3.25/5)

Spice Rating: 🌶️🌶️🌶️(3/5)

Tropes: Forced Proximity, Destination RomCom, Opposites Attract

Publisher: Harper Collins UK/One More Chapter
Review:
*Thank you so much to Harper Collins UK/One More Chapter for a free copy of the book in exchange for a honest review, it really means a lot that you trust little old me!*

Let's start with the good things... shall we? The chemistry was really well written. I liked the growth the FMC went thru, and enjoyed the smut. I also think it was well written. The Indiana Jones Meet Cute vibes were Definity there. This book also has very fast pacing that as someone who is in a very bad reading slump, I can appreciate. Also, Cover art Definity makes me want to read this book, so there's that.

Now on to the bad things. First off, the sibling relationship was a little weird. As someone who has siblings, I would feel weird talking in detail with my brothers about sex. I feel that the relationship would be better if they were "family by choice" especially given the FMC's background. Second, there was wayyyy to much trauma dumping in the beginning. When I am reading a romcom, especially a warm and fluffy one like this advertised, being bombarded by how hard the FMC's life is not the move. Third, the FMC and the overall conflict in the novel, felt very pick me girlish. The idea that "you will never understand me no matter what" is very picky me girl. The whole conflict felt a little stupid to be honest. Fourth and finally, while I do appreciate the fast pacing, the relationship in the actual novel was very much rushed, and felt like it was almost instant.

Adriana Jones ends up with a bracelet that was actually meant for Andrew Jones, who is an archaeologist who needs the bracelet to find an ancient lost treasure. However, the bracelet will not come off so Adriana ends up accompanying him on his quest in the jungles of Colombia. Maybe Adriana will find a lot more treasure than she bargained for...

This is such a cute, spicy romance. I thought the treasure hunt adventure aspect was so interesting and really added another layer to Adriana and Andrew's characters, as well as seeing them fall for each other. Although the romance happens over a short amount of time, it didn't feel like it - it actually felt like the main characters had known each other for a lot longer than they had and felt natural that they gravitated towards each other. I love how both of their flaws (especially Adriana's) were explored and then overcame - it was refreshing to see them both being relatable and feel like real people. Another of my favourite characters was Adriana's brother, William - he was absolutely hilarious and I loved his and Adriana's sibling bond.

I had such a fun time imagining the settings in this book - they sounded so rich and lush, that it felt easy to picture where they were in the story. It also helped to make me feel absorbed in this story because I flew through it so fast, as I was hooked! The only thing I had an issue with but didn't deduct any stars for was the ending - I wish that it was a little longer just so everything could be answered without feeling like it was a bit rushed to squeeze everything in.

Thank you One More Chapter and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book early, in exchange for an honest review.

⚠️ CWs: alcohol use, absent parent, derogatory language, sexual situations, injury details, blood, bugs; mentions murder, sexual harassment, death, cheating, physical assault ⚠️

I really liked the premise of this one and it’s a great holiday read. If you’re not on holiday reading it, it’ll make you want to book a trip immediately. I was hoping for more of a slow burn but I enjoyed the adventure!

If Lara Croft and Bridget Jones had a lovechild, and that lovechild went on a treasure hunt with a swoon-worthy archaeologist, you’d get Digging Dr. Jones. This story is a swoon worthy, laugh out loud, sizzling adventure through Colombia’s jungles, complete with booby traps, secret codes, and a slow-burn romance that could melt the Amazon.

Adriana’s journey from vacation mishap to treasure hunting is both hilarious and heartwarming. And we can’t forget about Andrew! With his British charm he’s the perfect partner in crime (and love interest!) Also their chemistry? Off the charts.

This book is the perfect read that blends humor, adventure, and romance seamlessly. Just don’t be surprised if you start checking your mail for mysterious ancient artifacts.

Digging Dr. Jones is available now!

Thank you NetGalley and HarperCollins UK, One More Chapter for an arc of this book. All opinions are my own.

Huge thank you to Harper-collins one more chapter for having review this brilliant read .

wow this was such a fun read with every swoon worthy moment and what a great adventure . the story gave me Indiana and national treasure vibes which i love so much

the characters i thought were so captivating and endearing , Andrew has got to be one of my favourite meal characters I have read so far this year . both very strong and they both had me turning the pages .

i thought that Olivia writing was totally well paced she was very clever at making you think you were on this adventure with them .

the book kept me on my toes the book was very fast and had me thinking about what was going to happen next .

one of the best opposites attract and the forced proximity had me giggling at times the banter 10 out of 10

im giving the book 4 hot adventure stars

this sounded so exciting but I got bored fast. I wanted to love it but it was so insta lovey I couldn’t buy into the relationship and ended up cringing at the main characters interactions. The premise of an adventure was intriguing but towards the end I didn’t really care all that much.
However I do think if you’re looking for a quick read this could be for you it just wasn’t for me unfortunately.

*Thank you to One More Chapter and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for my honest review*

Be warned: don't read this book if you have wanderlust, because you'll quickly find yourself rationalizing plane tickets to Colombia. Full of action, heart, and Indiana Jones references, this book was a much needed vacation from dark fantasy novels and high-stakes thrillers. The spice hits, I laughed out loud throughout, and the side characters are everything. Plus the bad guys get their just desserts, so I'm happy. While it's certainly not the best romance book I've ever read, it was a lot of fun and that's what I needed.

Such a cute enjoyable read!
I enjoyed the plot and loved the characters.
This was a really nice read, and altho i didnt love the instalove between the two main characters, it didnt put me off enjoying this book.
A nice rom com!!

Thankyou for letting me read this :)

Oh I loved this! I've been really into archeology and that because I just took a class with an archeologist professor and she had been talking about it so of course this was right up my alley! I loved the romance and I thought the two main characters had great chemistry together and I loved the story as well.

this book started so promising with a unique plot and interesting characters. i loved seeing the discovering part of the book and characters getting together. at some point chemistry was also pretty good. but that was it. even with good characters, some relationships were weird and confusing to me. main character and her brother were pretty closed together, at some point i forgot they were related. they were openly talking about sex in details. maybe it is normal to some siblings but it was awkward.

the conflict at 80% was horrible and the stupidest thing i’ve read. she actually liked, even loved him and out of nowhere she goes “your people won’t understand me”. there was no leading thoughts to this moment and nothing pointing to her thinking this before now. also, he’s not that different and why would you care what others thing about your relationship. for some reason it really irritated me because the plot was going so well.

it started at 4 stars for me but with the out of nowhere relationship and unnecessary conflict, the rating felt a little lower

This was a fun read!

The plot is so much fun. I really love the setting, South America and on the hunt for treasures. The romance part fits perfectly with the scene.
The characters are very well-developed for a romance book and I can honestly say that this is one of the best books this year so far.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the eArc in exchange for my honest opinions.

Do you ever feel like the settings and occupations in romance novels tend to follow the same trends year after year? This is the third archaeology-themed romance set in Central or South America that I’ve read this year. While all three followed a similar premise, this one was arguably the best.

Andrew and Adriana Jones—unrelated—meet after Adriana opens a package mistakenly delivered to her hotel room containing a priceless artifact that Andrew needs for his job. They must travel to Colombia and work together to find a missing pirate treasure before black-market antiquities dealers get to it first!

This was a fast-paced read that was equal parts sweet, fun, and suspenseful. Throw in a clueless brother, Dr. Jones’s ex-girlfriend and her new husband, and you’ve got a well-rounded cast that brings both tension and comedic relief.

3.75 stars, rounded up to 4.

Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins for the advanced copy!

Cute adventure rom com! This would make a great summer beach read. I think the set up with a little "meh" and unbelievable and didn't care for the crazy insta-love, but overall this was am enjoyable read.

DNF at 29%

I think I was swayed by the pretty cover for this book. It’s not that it was bad but there was a lot of archaeological content that I was not interested in.

I chose not to leave a rating on GR

I really enjoyed "Digging Dr Jones". I read it while traveling and being full of adventure, mild suspense, and romance this was a perfect travel read.

I love rom coms with interesting professions or adventure elements and this really delivered. I loved following Adriana and Andrew on their adventure and also witnessing their emotional journey. I will say, this did not feel like a true to life depiction of archeology (not that I have any authority to say this). Rather than organized digs with permits and red tape, this was much an Indiana Jones inspired adventure romp. I wouldn't say this is a criticism, but if you're going to be bothered by the MMC's casual disrespect of what are probably sacred and historic spaces, I'd maybe skip this one.

If I had one major criticism of this book it's that there seemed to be quite a few parts or lines about weight and dieting that I thought were both unnecessary and toxic. Primarily, the MMC follows a restrictive diet that he attributes to his weight as a child. This contributes to the plot in no way whatsoever and I wish it were omitted.

4 stars

Thank you NetGalley and HarperCollins for the eARC. All opinions are my own.

This book had such an interesting and hooking premise, and honestly I’ve been on the lookout for romance that gives Indiana Jones/The Mummy vibes, and while this book delivered and some aspects, some aspects just fell a bit flat for me - mainly that the relationship felt a little too insta-lovey for me, and that I was missing a lot of romance and build up between Adriana and Adrian! The vibes were all there, and I did have fun during the book but I think there was a little bit of a distance in the emotions of the book - I never really felt the danger that the characters were in and never really felt invested in their love story. It was a fun read for the sun, but not one that I’m desperate to know what happens next.

Digging Dr. Jones by Olivia Jackson is an adventure romcom and the story of Adriana and Andrew.
 
Adriana just wanted to enjoy her vacation when she came across a beautiful bracelet, and she just took it. But it’s not just a normal bracelet and wasn’t meant for her and I loved how this brought the protagonists together even though it was a bit constructed. Adriana is such a fierce woman who goes with the flow and that brought her love and adventure and I aspire for that as well.
 
And then there’s Andrew aka Dr. Jones and let me tell you, I totally dig him as well. He is not only knowledgeable but also has great humor and charm. I totally saw why Adriana fell in love with him and I wouldn’t mind a jungle adventure of my own. I love how invested he is for seeking out pirate treasures and it totally swaps over to the other characters and even the reader.
 
This is the type of romance that is just pure fun and lighthearted and I wish I had read it on vacation because that would have been perfect. You can easily get lost in this world and it was great to follow Adriana and Andrew on an adventure with lots of sparks and heart. I loved their conversations and how they built a friendship as well.
 
If you’re looking for an adventure romance with lovely characters and The Lost City vibes, you need to check out Digging Dr. Jones.
 
(Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with an arc.)

I am such a huge fan of adventure romance, and the cover and title immediately screamed out to me! Overall, really enjoyed this one, and highly recommend it to any fans of adventure romance

ARC REVIEW

3.5ish stars

what I loved:

The Indiana Jones references and similarities, loved that.

Loved William *the brother* he was amazing

Loved Dr. Jones 🩷

what didn't work for me:

I think this was fairly slow paced for an adventure book for me. Some sections truly dragged on.

This is a little insta-lust which I don't typically like.

I feel like there were several times throughout the book where Adriana reacted in a very immature way and that immediate reaction almost always annoys me.

This was a cute read though with a little spice 🩷

There were bits of this I loved, other bits I'm not sure about. It was fun for the most part, but I didnt really feel any of the emotion. Not the lust, the fear, anything really. The set-up was fun but the next parts didnt seem fleshed out enough to get invested in.

If you are looking for a lighthearted adventure story, this could be right up your alley ... or take you down some dark tunnel.

I'd round up to 3.5 stars.