I adored this book. It was so so cute! It had adventure, romance and some spice. What's there not to love. Would definitely recommend as a cute beach read this year!

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the opportunity to review this!

First off, thank you to the author, publisher, and Netgalley for an ARC of this book.

HOLY COW! Okay, I loved every second of this book from the first page to the last. The banter between Adriana and William is so fun, the romance with Andriana and Andrew (NOT ANDY) is swoon worthy.

Now, I might be a bit bias because my soon to be husband is an Archeologist, but I love these classic romance books with a hint of adventure and history. Also, can we just appreciate that there is no miscommunication troupe in this?!?!?!?! Like they actually talk to each other like adults! Also, no third act break up?!?!

I adore this book, and Olivia's writing, I cannot wait for more <3

If you like your romcoms with adventure, sizzling chemistry, and just a tiny bit of life-threatening danger, Digging Dr. Jones is the perfect read for you. It’s The Lost City meets Romancing the Stone with a sprinkle of National Treasure—and trust me, you’ll want to book a vacation (or maybe an archaeology degree) after reading it.

Adriana Jones planned on a relaxing getaway, but instead, she accidentally handcuffs herself (well, sort of) to a grumpy, ridiculously attractive archaeologist named Andrew Jones. One cursed bracelet and one very urgent treasure hunt later, she’s trudging through the jungles of Colombia, dodging danger, and falling hard for the man who definitely did not sign up for this level of chaos.

The tropes? Chef’s kiss. Forced proximity, opposites attract, and a fish-out-of-water heroine who somehow thrives under pressure (and looks great doing it). Andrew is peak “reluctant hero with a heart of gold,” and their banter? Top-tier. Also, we need to talk about Adriana’s brother, William—scene-stealer, comedic gold, and quite possibly my new favorite fictional sibling.

This book is fast-paced, fun, and full of spice (both the romantic and near-death-experience variety). Whether you’re lounging on a beach or just dreaming of one, Digging Dr. Jones is the perfect escape.

Think National Treasure meets Indiana Jones, make it spicy and add more humour. This was a fun time, definitely an easy-going reading experience and I enjoyed the banter between characters.

Personally the romance was a little too insta-love for my liking and there was a lot of Apple product references which felt strange to me. But this was fun & would make a good holiday read.

*Thank you HarperCollins, One More Chapter and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

If you love The Mummy or Indiana Jones then this book is calling your name! It was totally reminding me The Mummy Returns regarding the bracelet that keeps our main couple in close proximity.

At times I found the brother and sister annoying but overall it was a fun read. It’s more plot focused than character focused so I wished we had more development.

3.5/5

*Spoilers*

I did truly enjoy the unique storyline and nods to Indiana Jones and the like. This was a cute and easy read which was much harder to put down once the story truly gained momentum. I will say, I felt there was a bit too much quirky-ness and "like, duh" to Adriana's character, which made the beginning a little cringe, but again, once things got moving and the tension began to build between her and Andrew she seemed to become much more bearable.
I absolutely loved William and I would love to read a novel about him or his POV.
Giving the antagonist the name Richard Head was fucking hilarious and I laughed out loud every time he popped up.

Overall didn't hate this one, but probably won't be buying it.

It's cute and it had it's moments, but it is definitely longer than it should be.

I love the sense of adventure but there was so many steps to the journey that it was starting to drag and I felt like skimming through each discovery to get to the romance. The pace is slower than I would've anticipated, especially considering how Adriana is attracted to him and has that push-and-pull from the get-go.

I did enjoy Andrew plenty, he was a total cinnamon roll/Rick O'Connell type of lead that I adored from the beginning. Adrianna kept repeating the same internal monologue over and over again about her traumas and at this point, I know where she's coming from, but after about 60% in, she's still repeating the same things and doesn't show much semblance of growth. Especially after that heart to heart with her brother just pages before where he tells her to let go of what's been dragging her for ten years. Girl.

If you're looking for an adventure with a splash for romance, this will be good enough for it. Just prepare for how slow then burn actually is.

Thank you to HarperCollins UK, One More Chapter, and NetGalley for the eArc in exchange for an honest review.

Fun book but the author seemed to prioritize plot development over character development. Still fun read though

Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The Indiana Jones vibe and storyline were really fun. But saying that, the majority of the book was plot-focused, and thus the characters were very 1- and 2-dimensional. Plus, the romance was just very childish and boring as well.
3

Thank You NetGalley and the publishers for letting me read this book before the release date.

If you enjoy, Indiana Jones, The Mummy, and The Goonies you might enjoy this book. You should read this book for fun not historical accuracy.

The main characters were fun and thought out. Andrew has past trauma as well as Adriana. They form a relationship throughout their adventure together. Once they get together they “get together” a lot.

Another thing I enjoyed in this book is the play on words. The author played with her influences as mentioned before or just fun names for the MMC “Dr Long Dong Silver”.

Digging Dr. Jones by Olivia Jackson is an opposites attract, forced proximity, full of adventure romance that was an absolute DELIGHT!

Adriana Jones is on a luxury vacation with her brother in Costa Rica, attempting to come to terms with her dream business plan falling apart. A bracelet arrives at her room, but unfortunately it was not meant for her and now they cannot get it off. Dr. Andrew Jones is a handsome archaeologist and professor, who was meant to receive the bracelet. They end up on an amazing adventure to Columbia searching for treasure, immersed in history, and falling in love. This story was so much fun, I loved the banter between Adriana and Andrew as well as getting to know their back stories and character development. I got a little lost/bored in some of the historical aspects of the book, but overall this was a great read!

Thank you to NetGalley, Harper Collins UK, One More Chapter, and the author for this e-ARC.

If you love that Indiana Jones romance feel than this book is definitely for you. When a mistaken identity causes a braclet to be delivered to the wrong room, Dr Jones meet Miss Jones. The braclet is the start of amazing fun and quick paced adventure. Andrew is our main archeologist and Adriana is just in the right place at the right time. It's sweet and swoony with mystery and anticipation. Richard is our dreaded bad guy who is always just a Step behind. Definitely a fun easy read.

It's a very nice book, I really enjoyed reading it. Is it a favorite? No. Would I come back to it? Hell yeah. It’s good, just not overwhelmingly amazing. I had fun, though.

There were a lot of great things about it, like the writing in general, the spice (very nicely written and sprinkled in), the tension between Andrew and Adriana, and the adventure part. I actually liked the main characters and the nods to Indiana Jones. I think there was some depth there, though it wasn’t oceans, more like a big pool or a small lake.

Overall, I liked it. Great debut. I'd happily read more from the author, and I hope to have the opportunity in the future.

There are many small things which prevent me from saying that it's brilliant, even though
it's fun, like:
*SOFT SPOILERS, NOTHING MAJOR BUT STILL*
- objectifying Dr Jones a lot right from the start (I get he's hot, but it can't be his only trait that leads to FMC falling in love, I'm sorry, I need more),
- introducing and immediately forgetting about FMC's fear of relationships (it wasn't completely forgotten, but I think it also wasn't discussed enough? fears like that don't go away easily just because your boyfriend is hot and says everything is fine),
- very schematic and typical characters with no redeeming qualities (I'm sorry but as much as I enjoyed Dr Dickhead's name, it didn't make sense for Brie to be with him, and for Andrew to ever be with Brie),
- a very annoying brother (I'm half-sure that the sole purpose of William's existence was to annoy me).

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC!

If Schitt's Creek and Indiana Jones had a child, it would be this novel. I chose this ARC primarily because of my deep love for Indiana Jones—I grew up watching the films, and to be honest, I couldn’t help but picture a young Harrison Ford as Andrew.

The story follows Adriana and her brother, William, who, while on a long vacation, unexpectedly find themselves caught up in a thrilling treasure hunt. When Adriana inadvertently gets involved, Andrew Jones (the MMC) offers to pay them for their assistance.

I’ll admit, it took me a little while to get into the story. Adriana and William’s highly codependent relationship was initially a bit off-putting. However, their character growth was immensely satisfying, and by the end, I genuinely grew to like them.

Dr. Andrew Jones, on the other hand, is an absolute gem. The man is a walking green flag—completely flawless! His warmth, charm, insatiable curiosity, and adventurous spirit make him the perfect golden retriever of a man. I adored him.

The action, romance, and vivid descriptions gave me all the Indiana Jones nostalgia I was hoping for. My only complaint? The ending felt rushed. I would have loved five or six more chapters to let the story breathe a little. That said, this was such a fun read! For a debut novel, the author did a fantastic job, and I’m excited to see what Olivia writes next.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for providing me with this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I received an ARC from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

This adventure romcom had an exciting premise, treasure hunting, high stakes, and a romance set against an action packed backdrop. The setting was immersive, but I feel the story itself lacked depth, and certain elements felt underdeveloped.

Adriana was a bit difficult to connect with. She makes mistakes but rarely takes accountability, which made her character feel entitled despite her tragic past. Her brother, William, also felt one-dimensional. In contrast, Andrew, the love interest, was a standout, bringing charm and energy to the story and made me want to continue the read.

The romance felt slightly rushed, especially giving Adriana’s resistance to love. The banter and flirtation had its moments, but I feel the frequent spice sometimes felt unnecessary. Additionally, miscommunication between characters created more frustration than tension. I don't mind it when the two love interests have this beautiful connection, but this one didn't have that for me unfortunately.

While this wasn’t a favorite for me, it works as a light, escapist read, and recommend it as a fun palate cleanser. Stronger character development and a more natural romance would have made it much more engaging.

Digging Dr Jones is a super cute and easy read for those who love romance and adventure. This book definitely reminded me of The Mummy with Dr. Jones giving Rick O'Connell vibes in the best way! If you're looking for a book to take with you to the beach or the pool this summer, this is a great pick! Adriana and Andrew were such a fun duo and the adventures they went on through Colombia to find the treasure made the book really upbeat and exciting!

Thank you Harper Collins Uk One More Chapter for allowing me to read this ARC!

First let me start by saying thank you to NetGalley, author Olivia Jackson and One More Chapter/ HarperCollins UK publishing for this E-ARC of Digging Dr. Jones!

A historical fiction adventure with good spice, yes please! And it’s Olivia’s debut novel which she nailed! I feel like the title of this book really gives you a good idea of what you’re getting into, in the best way possible. Dr. Jones is very much our own “Indiana Jones” to whom our FMC Adriana even compares him to a few times. Speaking of the leading lady, Adriana is just a girl who is trying to make her dream come true of owning her own business and I feel like everyone can relate to having a dream of their own.

This rom-com adventure gives the vibes of Fools Gold, The Lost City, and Romancing the Stone! I really had so much fun reading this book, it was light and funny, while also having a high risk but high reward search for history/treasure. And don’t worry our Dr Jones is the good guy, with the mentality that, “it belongs in a museum”! 😉

If you’re looking for a new historical fiction adventure rom-com, I highly suggest picking this when up when it comes out on May 2nd 2025! Also I just thought this cover was perfect and adorable! 💗

The book was immersed with information and adventure, and unfortunately in this situation that was the problem. As much as I liked this book, this book was too long. I felt like we were taking forever to get anywhere and made me want to not finish it at times. I'm glad I did because I loved the characters and ai loved how much it felt like it was a romance inside an adventure book.

Okay, first of all—the cover is stunning and immediately grabbed my attention. I’m a sucker for an adventure romcom, so I was excited to dive in, but wow—the beginning was absolute chaos. Around the 50% mark the story really took off for me and I was completely into it!
The sibling banter felt like Schitt’s Creek sibling banter which I found hilarious. The book continued to be quirky and silly through the adventures and it was a blast!

“Digging Dr. Jones” by Olivia Jackson is a spicy adventure rom-com.
Thank you HarperCollins UK, One More Chapter for the digital advance reader copy.
Opinions from this review are completely my own.

After she receives a bracelet that was not meant for her and cannot take it off, Adriana agrees to go in an adventure with Andrew, a handsome archaeologist. The book is full of action, historical facts, mystery and romance. I liked the characters and plot was not predictable. There is a lot of chemistry between Adriana and Andrew from the beginning, but there is a slow burn (especially because she though he was married in the beginning).
I enjoyed the fast pace of the story and the interactions between the characters, but it would have been even better if we also had some chapters from Andrew’s POV.