As someone who has watched way too many episodes of Bones, you know I had to read Raiders of the Lost Heart. And I ate this up. I loved the rivals to lovers meets “we’ve got a past”. This one is perfect for those who want to read a spicy heartfelt romance about second chances. Keep reading this book review for my full thoughts.
Summary
Archaeologist Dr. Socorro “Corrie” Mejía has a bone to pick. Literally.
It’s been Corrie’s life goal to lead an expedition deep into the Mexican jungle in search of the long-lost remains of her ancestor, Chimalli, an ancient warrior of the Aztec empire. But when she is invited to join an all-expenses-paid dig to do just that, Corrie is sure it’s too good to be true…and she’s right.
As the world-renowned expert on Chimalli, by rights Corrie should be leading the expedition, not sharing the glory with her disgustingly handsome nemesis. But Dr. Ford Matthews has been finding new ways to best her since they were in grad school. Ford certainly isn’t thrilled either—with his life in shambles, the last thing he needs is a reminder of their rocky past.
But as the dig begins, it becomes clear they’ll need to work together when they realize a thief is lurking around their campsite, forcing the pair to keep their discoveries—and lingering attraction—under wraps. With money-hungry artifact smugglers, the Mexican authorities, and the lies between them closing in, there’s only one way this all ends—explosively.
Review
(Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. This has not impacted my review which is unbiased and honest.)
My main thought of Raiders of the Lost Heart is that this is perfect for fans of archaeology, action scenes and exploration, and swoons. I loved the premise of the archaeology, exploring the past, and also Corrie’s connection to Chimalli. There’s plenty of forced proximity and hilarious obstacles thrown in their way, Raiders of the Lost Heart is fun through and through. What I also loved were the conversations about the sexism within the archaeology field and the lack of representation. All the ways in which Corrie is seen for her physical appearance, expectations and prejudices thrown her way.
It’s a romance book that delivers two characters with a history who are forced to figure out what went wrong. If they can allow themselves to be vulnerable again. If each of them are what they always thought or what they hoped. And if, at the end of the day, when all the secrets come out do they have the strength to make something work? I ended up falling off the waterfall that is Raiders of the Lost Heart and would gladly read a sequel. This was fun, action packed, and sweet all at once.
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Find Raiders of the Lost Heart on Goodreads, Storygraph, Amazon, Bookshop.org, & Blackwells.