This book was…something. Fun, entertaining, ridiculous, predictable, smutty, insta-lovey, derivative, one-dimensional, nonsensical, annoying, and a good time. I didn’t like it, but I liked it? Does that even make sense?

There were times while reading that I rolled my eyes and wanted to DNF, and times when I laughed out loud. It is a contradiction, so enter at your own risk. But know, it isn’t particularly well written, the plot is thin, there is smut just for repetitive smut’s sake, and the characters are one-dimensional and, honestly, annoying at times.

I’m going with a generous three stars.

Thank you NetGalley and publisher for a eArc in exchange for an honest review!

DNF at 20%.

I couldn't get through the developing stages of the plot, it felt very surface-level and the seemed like the characters were just there not interacting with the plot.

I did love the premise and had very high hopes, but it just wasn't for me.

This was a fun and easy read with a likable main character and a mystery that kept me guessing at least for a while. I really enjoyed the setting and the bits of humor sprinkled throughout. It didn’t take itself too seriously, which made it feel refreshing. That said, some of the twists were a bit too obvious, and a few moments dragged more than I expected. Still, I stayed invested and looked forward to seeing how it all wrapped up. I’d give it a 3.5 entertaining and charming

‘The man offered you a lot of money for a little trouble. And an adventure’

Digging Dr. Jones is a spicy, adventure filled quest to uncover a lost pirate treasure hidden somewhere deep within the jungles of Colombia.
Adriana Jones, an entrepreneur down on her luck, is brought along for a high stakes expedition when she puts on a bracelet intended to be used as a key to a great treasure by the world renowned archaeologist, Dr. Andrew Jones. Her inability to remove the bracelet leads her to follow him on his quest, where she finds herself not only in dangerous, hilarious, and thrilling predicaments, but also in a race to prevent the treasure from falling into the wrong hands.
Andrew and Adriana are two people who would have never crossed paths. But fate, as it is, has a funny way of bringing the unlikeliest of people together and sending them on an adventure of a lifetime.

REVIEW
It is hard to believe that this is the work of a debut novelist.
Through this book, Olivia Jackson has showcased an incredible talent for storytelling, and weaved humour, tension, complex archaeological vernacular and steamy romance all into one adventure packed book.

Though the reader is hit with a healthy dose of insta-love, it is the complex themes of trauma and self-doubt that give the romance depth and weight. The core of the story is anchored in the development of this love, which takes nearly half the book to truly set off. The reality is, though it can be classified as an insta-love situation, it is also simultaneously a slower burn romance.
It was wonderful to read of lingering touches and fleeting glances which built up the tension, all whilst the reader is made aware of the undeniable attraction between the two main characters. Their romance was fun, beautiful and introspective. And while there may have not been two people more different, I loved how that dynamic only served to strengthen their connection and attraction to the other

Though romance plays a significant role in the book, the plot itself of unearthing a lost treasure moves the narrative forward.
I was really impressed by Olivia’s attention to detail, her evident research in the topic, and what could very well be seen as her own love for adventure.
It truly makes me the happiest person in the world to read about something an author is genuinely interested in. This translates onto the page beautifully, and I could see the author’s passion come through her words.

There were one or two moments in which it felt like the pacing lagged slightly, but I do believe that this is a natural consequence of writing on a complex topic like archaeology.
Many things must be explained to the reader, however for the most part, it was easy to follow.
(Perhaps this is because my own love for archaeology and adventure were reignited through this novel)

CHARACTERS
ADRIANA JONES
She is brilliant, snarky, humourous, insightful, and beautiful. All things that she struggles to accept about herself given her past.
I saw so much of myself in her, and for that reason, I have a tremendous soft spot for her and her trauma. Her journey to self discovery, and the overcoming of her own self was the highlight of the story

DR. ANDREW JONES
Swoon. Just swoon. I spent most of the book swooning over this man who is as green as the jungles that he travels through. He is SO HOT.I can’t even explain just how much I love him as a male lead. He is refined and polished. Capable and resourceful. He is EVERY adventure hero in book form.

SIDE CHARACTERS
While Adriana’s brother, William was fun and easy to relate to, the other side characters did feel a little one dimensional (with the exception of one female side character). Regardless, they were still fun and added wonderful depth to the story.

FINAL THOUGHTS
I truly had a blast reading this story. I was hooked from the first word til its last. And while I have tried to provide as unbiased a review as possible, I will say that this trope (an archaeology/adventure romance) will always be my favourite genre of books.

Digging Dr. Jones was everything that it promised to be and more. It was humourous, romantic, fun, thrilling, spicy and all things adventure. This has quickly become one of my favourites reads of 2025, and I cannot wait to read more from Olivia 🤎

5/5 🤎

RELEASE DATE: 02 MAY 2025
TROPES:
🤎Forced Proximity
🤎Opposites Attract
🤎Fish out of Water
🤎Destination romcom
🤎Spicy

Thank you to Olivia Jones, NetGalley, HarperCollins UK, One More Chapter for an early copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

The Mummy III/Scorpion King meets Indiana Jones in this modern day romance.

Time is clicking as the two have to race to 1. Find a treasure; and 2. Get the key/Bracelet off before the competition takes it.

I really liked how all the two main characters were adults throughout this book. They talked out their problems and saw things from the others' perspective. Personally I really liked the pace of the book. It's a medium a paced book with a decent amount of romance scenes. Also, it was great that the author stayed on the plot the whole time. She followed it through instead of adding random events that delayed the ending of the book. What kept me glued was the puzzles and searching for clues. It was exciting as a read and I felt like I was there with them.

Spice 3/5


Tropes
MMC Instant love
Forced Proximity
Enemies to lovers
Explorer
Different upbringings
Travel
Sunshine Grumpy

Received my free copy from NG!

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I devoured this book, it was such a joy to read from start to finish, and it was the perfect mix of romance and adventure. I immediately liked the FMC, and the slow burn of her relationship with the MMC had me on edge, the build up and sexual tension between them was perfect, it was just the right amount of slow burn, and once they got together, it was even better. The characters were well written, and I thought they had great depth, which I sometimes find we don’t get enough of in romance novels, but this just hit brilliantly. I loved it. Thank you to the publisher One More Chapter for providing me with an ARC of this book. It was brilliant.

A fun and sexy jungle romp, with crackling chemistry and laugh-out-loud moments! An absolutely perfect summer read, perfect for fans of National Treasure or The Lost City!

I loved this book. It reminded me a lot of movies like The Lost City with Sandra Bullock. It was such a fun book to read and now I want more.

I was lied to I thought we would get an adventure journey, action scenes, banter with some questionable choices and villains. I’m not saying I didn’t have fun or think it’s was cute buttt it could have been way better. I didn’t mind the hotel hopping but there could have been more details and drama for when they went after the clues. A lot was focused on the mc romance. Let’s start with FMC personality ✨ quirky and a bit annoying. With how she responded with the MMC rude, frustrated and snappy. I can understand but damn you just met the man he hasn’t done anything wrong but you’re all over the place. Our MMC was handsome very flirty and kind but the author was trying way too hard to put in those scenes. They had great tension, yearning and chemistry but the dialogue for when he was being sweet was very corny a bit too much that it felt unnatural for me. I liked that we had their backgrounds, the relationships with family and passions. The biggest problem I had were there characters were a bit too shallow, not enough to make them deep characters.

Thanks to NetGalley and One More Chapter publishing I received a ARC for an honest review !

Absolutely gorgeous! This romcom is my guilty pleasure! Hot doctor of archeology, Indiana Jones vibes, looking for some adventures, treasure and having an extraordinary adventure not only in the nature, but also discovering feeling to a total stranger ;)

Romantic, engaging - it was a pleasure

I was looking forward to a fun and silly romcom. And I think on the whole this delivered - the meet cute could not have been dafter with the bracelet but I was here for it. The romance was a bit insta love. The brother was the mvp.
My main issue with this story was I felt really quite uncomfortable with the portrayal of the latin American countries, particularly Colombia and the ickyness of a pair of white westerners going into lots of historic places and quite literally trashing them to get to the treasure. It was framed in a “for the public good way” and I know the premise is very Indiana Jones but I feel like I’m 2025 we can expect more.

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!!