REVIEW: Temple of Swoon by Jo Segura

Temple of Swoon by Jo Segura: When Dr Mariam Jacobs gets the chance to lead the charge to find the Lost City of The Moon in the wild Amazon jungle, she jumps at the chance to finally prove to herself and everyone else that she is a badass archeologist just like her boss, and not just the side kick with the corny jokes. However finding the elusive lost city is proving to be a bit harder than she expected, however there is one thing that Miri does not lack and that is determination and she is determined to find this lost treasure. Well not if journalist Rafael Monfils has anything to say about it. Rafa’s plan is simple, join the team under the guise of documenting the teams search while really trying to keep them as far away as possible from the Cidade de Lua and protecting his mothers legacy. While at first throwing the team of the correct path isn’t to hard, but the more time Rafa spends with the quirky and determined Miri, the harder it becomes to want to see her disappointed. However Rafa’s budding feelings for Miri are the least of their worries with other crews closing in on the hunt, will Rafa and Miri find the lost city or will they find themselves lost in a jungle of feelings?

I loved the first book in this series and I have to say for the most part I really enjoyed this one as well. While this book is loosely connected to the first book, I really liked the fact that it could be read as a standalone novel, though to be honest you are really going to want to read the first book as well. I loved the way we get a very quirky out of the normal work place romance in this book and that this allows for a slightly more playful read. There was something about this book that reminded me of the movies Shotgun Wedding and The Lost City, in the silly adventure fun that the main characters got up to. I think the only thing that I found a bit meh about this read was the slow build up at the start, but things do pick up around half way and this is when it really gets interesting.

I really liked Miri, she was such a cute and easy to like leading lady. Yes, there were moments that she came across as a bit rash and questionable but really can you blame her when her entire career depends on her finding the lost city? I think the biggest hurdle Miri faced was her fear of failing and not living up to her mentor and boss Corrie. This only made me want to see her succeed all the more, and let me just tell you our girl definitely did not lack in determination. Truly she was a blast to follow as she tried to fake it till she made it, and I loved all of her slightly quirky and corny jokes. As for our hero, well I really wanted to hate him for trying to hinder Miri and her mission, but this proved to be absolutely impossible! Rafa was just so charming and the more we got to know him and his reasons for wanting to keep the Cidade de Lua safe, the harder it became not to love this guy. I really liked that he was joining this expedition so that he could feel closer to his mother and learn a bit more about her and where she came from.

The chemistry between Miri and Rafa was just perfection, there was something very cute about this couple and the way they just understood each other. I loved their silly cute flirting and the way they kind of just clicked. I really liked the build up between them and getting to see them dance around their attraction for each other until it become to combustable to deny. The combination of forced proximity and trying to deny their attraction made for the perfect jungle romance.

Like with the first book, I really enjoyed the element of action and drama that came with the other treasure hunters. There was a nice mix of what will happen next in the treasure hunt and will our lead couple finally get together. All in all I really enjoyed reading Temple Of Swoon, this book was the prefect follow up to Raider of the Lost Heart. If you like a bit of action with your romance and are a Lara Croft fan then this book is definitely for you!

Book Info:

Publication: January 7, 2025 | Berkley |

Her mission: find the Lost City of the Moon in the Amazon rainforest.
His mission: protect the holy temple . . . and his heart.

While her mentor may be the world’s most badass archaeologist, the only thing bad about Dr. Miriam Jacobs are her corny jokes. But when Miri is charged with leading an unmapped expedition through the Amazon for the fabled Lost City of the Moon, she finally has her chance to prove to her colleagues that she’s capable—and hopefully prove it to herself, too.

Journalist Rafael Monfils has joined the archaeological team to chronicle their search for the lost city. Or at least, that’s what they think he’s doing. Rafa’s real goal? Make sure the team does not reach the Cidade da Lua, stopping the desecration of the holy city and protecting his mother’s legacy. All he needs to do is keep them on the wrong path.

If only the endearingly quirky Dr. Jacobs wasn’t so damn tenacious—each of Rafa’s tricks and purposeful wrong turns only seem to fuel her determination. Even worse, he’s charmed by her goofy attempts to channel Lara Croft as they traverse the dangerous Brazilian rainforest. But they’re not the only crew hunting for the lost city, and soon the untamed jungle—and their untamed hearts—might be the least of their worries…