The treasure-hunting premise was what ultimately won me over in this story. It added a sense of discovery and momentum that kept me engaged, especially in the latter half. I found myself genuinely excited to see how the adventure would unfold, and that element ended up being one of the book’s strongest features.

Before that point, though, I struggled a bit. The tone early on was a bit too offbeat for me—the humor in the main character’s narration felt like it was trying a little too hard, which made it difficult to connect with her. Adriana and her brother William also felt more juvenile than endearing at first, which threw off my immersion in the story. Similarly, the romance with Andrew kicked off so quickly that it lacked the buildup I usually enjoy in slow-burn relationships.

Thankfully, things took a turn for the better around the halfway mark. The characters began to mature, and their interactions felt more genuine. Adriana and Andrew’s relationship, in particular, started to shine. They shared some sweet, tender, and even steamy moments that made their connection far more believable. Andrew really stood out as a character—quiet, protective, and full of heart. I came to appreciate him more with every scene.

Visually, the book is a stunner—the cover art is absolutely gorgeous and was a big part of what drew me to the story in the first place. I'm really glad I had the chance to read this ARC, thanks to NetGalley. While the beginning didn’t entirely work for me, the story found its stride and delivered a satisfying, entertaining read by the end.

I had a lot of difficulty with this book. I was excited to read it as I studied archaeology and love a good romance. I found the characters hard to love and connect with and the writing/ prose was a bit too unserious for lack of better words.

Thank you One More Chapter for the #gifted ARC of Digging Dr Jones by Olivia Jackson.

This book had a premise that immediately intrigued me—an adventurous rom-com with strong Indiana Jones vibes? Count me in! I was genuinely excited to dive into a story that promised both romance and action.

While the setup was fun and the concept creative, somewhere around the halfway point I found myself losing interest. The plot didn’t quite hold my attention as I had hoped, and I struggled to stay engaged with the characters and pacing.

That said, although it didn’t quite work for me, I can see this being a great pick for readers who enjoy romances with a twist, a dose of adventure, and a light-hearted escape. It’s a unique blend that may hit the right spot for others!

If you like Indiana Jones, Romancing the Stone and want a lighthearted read with a treasure hunt then I would suggest to check this out. I give it 3.5 stars. I thought the book was entertaining, but I felt like the FMC Adriana was written to act almost like a character in a YA book and had no substance. The character felt very flat and Andrew felt like the typical good looking MMC who is obsessed with the FMC after knowing her a few days. If you enjoy the insta-love trope this may be up your alley but it isn't a favorite of mine. While this wasn't a fav I still thought it was entertaining and worth a read, especially if you are into treasure hunting and forced proximity.

a typical filler romcom. it's a light, simple read where you shouldn't overthink things. unfortunately...i did and the way it just use archaeology as a trope and has zero actual understanding of it is kinda iffy.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the digital ARC!

Okay, this was a thoroughly fun read! The perfect choice for a light summer read.

Adriana is in Costa Rica with her brother, William, when she puts on a bracelet that is sent to her room. It quickly becomes apparent that the bracelet was meant for another guest - Dr Andrew Jones, not Ms Adriana Jones. Unfortunately, she can't take it off, and Andrew needs it to help solve the mystery of an 18th-century pirate's hidden treasure. What follows is Adriana and William going along with Andrew to Colombia in an Indiana Jones/Lara Croft style adventure involving jungles, tombs and even a fedora.

I enjoyed the characters in this - Adriana was raised dirt-poor in Atlanta, with her dad leaving when she was young, and her mum being more interested in running off with her latest boyfriend. That, plus a college boyfriend, has caused a serious dent in her self-esteem and confidence, which comes through very strongly. William seems to be more adjusted, but I wonder if that's because he's older and has done some self-searching.

Andrew is a professor at the University of Cambridge, who moonlights occasionally for a company that believes artefacts should be found and displayed for the public, not hoarded away in a rich person's collection. They all end up colliding together, and whilst Adriana starts as a slightly unlikable character, I appreciated how her character grew. She became more confident and willing to acknowledge and go for what she wanted. Despite what she thinks, she is also astute and key to finding clues.

Andrew was a delight - if anything, I could've done with more personalisation for him. I felt like he was just a little too good for everything. Of course, this makes sense considering he's been doing this since he was 8. It's also because we see from Adriana's perspective, and she views him very positively. Still, he's not afraid to call out when Adriana is being unreasonable (something William is also happy to do), but I appreciate how he doesn't act cruel.

The story of the treasure was fun as well - there was the typical villain who was cheesy and somehow always one step ahead (or just slightly behind). Colombia was portrayed beautifully, and I felt that the author is either familiar with the country or loves the food.

Overall, a very fun book!

This book had one of my biggest jams – a bit of a The Mummy/Indiana Jones style action adventure and a dash of romance.

I’m afraid I found this a slog and couldn’t get past 26% (with a skim towards the final two chapters). A huge part of it was Adriana. I get that the mistakenly sent bracelet is this is the catalyst for the adventure, but who on earth would just wear a bracelet when they don’t know where it came from without checking if the parcel was for her? Then she behaved like a brat when Andrew confronted her about the bracelet being his.

Also, for a romance it was a lot of instalust that I was told rather than shown and there was no real banter to even make me believe they were compatible. I didn’t see any chemistry between them and Andrew just felt like an American’s idea of a British man.

Thanks to One More Chapter and NetGalley for the ARC.

I always love a forced proximity and this book met the trope expectations with additional vibes of National Treasure/ Indiana Jones/ The Mummy. The storyline is true to the blurb and the cover art - a romance with action packed discoveries and treasure hunting.
I really enjoyed the writing of this book - I was instantly drawn in and kept engaged throughout the whole book with great pacing for the story. I think the story really solidified for me once they got to exploring - like the church scene similar to National Treasure. Then once I got to the spice I was even more invested in the characters. It was a fun read!
Thank you Netgalley for the electronic advance copy! All opinions are my own.

Where was the romance? The spice? The adventure? Very show going and sadly never picked up! The plot was ok, just not what I needed from an adventure romance!

Adriana and Andrew meet when she accidently receives a bracelet meant for him. She ends up accompanying him on a trip to Colombia, along with her brother. but someone wants to stop them and will do anything to keep them from finding the treasure first. A great read.

This was a great read. I actually laughed out loud a bunch of times during this crazy adventure. Adriana is an interesting character because she constantly sets herself up for disappointment by overthinking her way through a hypothetical end to any relationship she might start. Her brother William sees right through her self-sabotage and bides his time to give her the advice she desperately needs to be happy. Once you know their backstory, the over active imagination makes sense but you are also hopeful that she can overcome her childhood trauma and take a risk on her obvious attraction to Andrew. These two make a great team and it's easy to hope that they go on more adventures since they complement each other and make each other better. Once Adriana gets past her own overthinking and talks about what she's feeling, you can't help but relate to her inner struggles while simultaneously wanting to give her a swat for being so self-deprecating. It thoroughly enjoyed this Indiana Jones-esque story and will definitely recommend it to my customers.

Thankyou Netgalley, HarperCollins UK, One More Chapter for the eArc on return of my honest review.

Digging Dr Jones was such a fun read perfect for lovers of Indiana Jones and National Treasure.

I did feel like it was a very slow start but the second half did pick up. There is a few spicy scenes but not too many that you lose touch with the romance. The characters are likeable and I enjoyed the plot.

This was ok. I do love an archeology, Indiana Jones vibe.
This did lean heavily into that. Probably too much. Like straight up saying Indiana Jones. the MMC was Dr. Jones.
Adriana Jones- yes same last name as MMC, unrelated -was not my favorite character. I can't put my finger on why. She was a little whiny and very co dependent on her brother. In an unhealthy way, she emotionally held him back from moving to be with a guy he loved.

18+ had a couple of spicy scenes. I just remember meh. Good tension at the beginning though.

Thank you Netgalley and Harper Collins UK One More Chapter for this digital ARC.

What would happen if National Treasure was on HBO instead of Disney? This book, this book is spicy treasure hunting fun!

I love a bit of bickering strangers to lovers so this was up my alley from the get go, add in some clever clues and a bad guy and I’m sold.

Oh and this is one of those ones where you think “oh is this actually spicy?” In the first 40% and then once they bang they just never stop banging 😂.

If you're a fan of...The Lost City, National Treasure, Indiana Jones, and/or hot, tall, British hunks...

I absolutely LOVED this book. I flew through this one - and truly hope we get a sequel, because Adriana and Andrew are an absolute vibe. When she mistakenly puts on a bracelet delivered to her on vacation, Adriana inadvertently sets the wheels in motion for a quest that will take her to the deepest caves and the dreamiest eyes - oh and a little fortune too.

I loved that the FMC is in her 30s and a business owner - and while she's a little lost and adrift when we meet her, you get the sense that she's a driven lady who's going to land on her feet. She comes to life in a way that I felt that I've met her before (maybe seeing a little bit of myself and some of my friends in her) and while at some points I wanted to just be like GIRL HE LIKES YOU!!! this slow burn had me rooting for her from the beginning.

Dr Andrew Jones is a dreamboat - and the way his character is so devoted to his family makes him super easy to love. I greatly enjoyed the banter between him and Adriana - he was super nice to a girl who accidently steals his bracelet, and the way his character unfolds through the story will make you swoon for him too.

Both characters have some great adventures in the books, but they each come with complicated childhood/family issues that brings a surprising layer to what could be just an unserious, flirty romance. I really loved this side of the story, and commend Olivia Jackson for writing these arcs into the otherwise action packed and hilarious story that we get to enjoy.

If you love rom coms, slow burns, and men who save dogs - you have got to snag this one ASAP.

This book was a cross between "National Treasure" & "The Lost City." I enjoyed both of those movies, and that made the book even better in my eyes.

Because I've watched those movies multiple times, especially "National Treasure," which I love, the story wasn't totally original to me, but I still really liked it.

If you like an adventure-romance story, then this is the book for you.

Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you NetGalley and publishers for this arc!

This book was such a fun ride and I had a wonderful time. While reading this, I truly felt like I was watching a classic action adventure movie with an added sub plot! The characters and their backstory just makes sense and the mystery of the treasure hunting was fantastic as well!

This was good fun. The chemistry between Adriana and Andrew was good and I liked their dynamic. There was a nice, gentle sense of humour to this book in general that was very appealing. However, the plot didn’t fully grip me and I found some of it a little bit convoluted. I also found William’s character a bit overwhelming and unnecessary to the rest of the plot.

Overall this was an entertaining and a quick read, but not quite my cup of tea. I would recommend it if you’re looking for something light and pacy with a lot of adventure and sleuthing. I voluntarily read and reviewed a copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing a free copy of this book.

Content Notes: Violence, threat of violence, threat of gun violence, threats and intimidation, mild injuries, head injuries, blood, absent parent, on-page sex, oral sex, fingering, semi-public sex.

I received this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This was an engaging read! I enjoyed the plot and would read it again.

POV: Single-FMC
Spice: 🌶️ 🌶️ 🌶️

This is a cute romantic adventure read that obviously plays on Indiana Jones and the little girl in me who loved him is absolutely here for the modern day book version!

I’m not sure you can call something slow burn when they’ve only known each other for a week, but it felt like a slow burn mixed with insta-love. This may be a me thing, but I do have a harder time feeling the chemistry between two characters when it’s only told from one POV, but maybe others wouldn’t.

Overall, the adventure/suspense felt a little slow up until the last 80% of the book, but it was still an enjoyable read!