With a title like that and the allusions to Lara Croft and Indiana Jones, there was no way I was missing out on reading Raiders of the Lost Heart, the debut novel by Jo Segura. The cover is tantalizing, the blurb ticks so many of my boxes, and I’m happy to report the story delivers. Filled with double entendres and sizzling sexual tension, Raiders of the Lost Heart is hilarious and exciting.
Affiliate Disclaimer: I participate in the Amazon Affiliate Program. As such, if you make a purchase through one of my links below, I’ll earn a small commission at no additional cost to you.
Raiders of the Lost Heart Review
🥭🥭🥭🥭🥭
🌶️🌶️🌶️
(you can find my rating and spice system here)
POV & Tense: Dual POV, third limited, past tense
Genre: MF Contemporary Romance, RomCom, Adventure
Tropes/Themes: Enemies-to-Lovers / Rivals-to-Lovers, Women in STEM, Badass Feisty Heroine, Forced Proximity, Only One Tent, Grief, Second Chance, Mexican Jungle setting, Archaeology, Action/Adventure
Location: Set in the Mexican jungle
Synopsis:
Badass archaeologist Dr. Socorro “Corrie” Mejía has worked for years to prove herself in her field. When the opportunity to achieve her lifelong dream—to find and excavate the remains of her ancestor, the Aztec warrior Chimalli, deep within the Mexican jungle—presents itself, it’s bittersweet. Her infuriatingly handsome nemesis, Dr. Ford Matthews, got there first and she’s there to assist. But with money-hungry smugglers and Mexican authorities closing in, the two must put their differences aside and get a handle on their explosive chemistry.
My Review:
Raiders of the Lost Heart is a wild ride and I loved every moment. The archaeology aspect is fun and interesting (but not overwhelming). Jo Segura’s passion for archaeology shines onto the pages. The chemistry between Ford and Corrie is explosive and evident in each interaction. I love a good enemies-to-lovers storyline and this one is turbulent and enjoyable. I love reading stories with Women in STEM, and this one is fantastic.
Now she’s fucking with me.
Except she wasn’t. That was just the way Corrie was without trying.
Plain and simple: Corrie was all that and a bag of chips.
And Ford liked chips. A lot.
Enemies-to-Lovers
You know how sometimes you pick up an enemies-to-lovers romance and they’re only enemies for a few pages before the feelings start? Well, this isn’t that. The enemies portion of this book goes on for a deliciously long time and just when you start to say “Oh wonderful, they’re finally making progr—” the rug gets pulled out and they’re still enemies. The relationship between Corrie and Ford takes a long time to crystallize and is very much a “one step forward and two steps back” dance, which makes it so satisfying. Yet the whole time, every interaction is charged with sexual tension. While I’ve given this a three on the chili scale for on-the-page spice, it’s a very sexy book.
With each step, the intensity in her core built up. If she couldn’t—or, rather, wouldn’t—hate-fuck Ford, she could at least picture doing it while using her vibrator.
Feminism / Women in STEM
Being taken seriously is a big issue facing women in many industries, especially those that are male-dominated. Corrie Mejía is brilliant and gorgeous, and unfortunately, most experts in her field only see her for her physical attributes. She’s been passed over for promotions and objectified in industry publications. So it’s incredible to hear the “Lara Croft-esque” tales that follow her around, see how archaeological students look up to her, and see her in her element in the Mexican jungle. I also really enjoyed how comfortable she was in her own skin and sexuality despite the negative attention.
Cultural Sensitivity
Jo Segura pays homage to her Mexican roots with a Latine main character named after her real-life grandmother, who was also kind of a badass according to the author’s notes. Jo researched Aztec culture and illustrated the customs with sensitivity and care. Although part of the history is real and part is made up for the story, I fell deeply in love with the historical characters and the idea of discovering and preserving their remains.
Humor and Heart
As this is a romantic comedy, there are many hilarious moments, from Ford accidentally grabbing Corrie’s vibrator (named Barney because it’s purple!) to the amusing double entendres. I especially love the references to hunting for bones and the temples at Lake Titicaca. Corrie has a dirty mind and delivers zingers along with the rest of the crew. But underneath all the humor, there are many heartfelt moments too, especially surrounding the main characters’ insecurities and the declining health of Ford’s mother.
Corrie ran into the mess tent and back, returning just in time to witness Ford emerging from his tent mid-shirt change They were both filthy and hadn’t showered, yet Corrie would still drag her tongue across his abs right now if she had the opportunity.
Raiders of the Lost Heart by Jo Segura
Final Thoughts:
Raiders of the Lost Heart is exactly what I’d hoped it would be. It’s a fun, sexy, and intriguing romcom filled with twists and turns and oozing with sexual tension. I’m so intrigued with where the story ended up. There could easily be a sequel, but there doesn’t need to be. There’s just enough fodder to keep the imagination working beyond the closing lines. I can’t wait to see what Jo Segura comes out with next.
Author Stalking (but not in a creepy way):
Raiders of the Lost Heart is Jo Segura’s debut novel. She’s passionate about stories with strong female characters.
Website
Instagram
Goodreads
Bookbub
Banner Image Credit: Jungle Leaves
Leave a Reply