Temple of Swoon by Jo Segura

e-Audio, 10:30:02
Narrated by: Kyla Garcia
Release Date: January 7, 2025
Published by: Books on Tape
Read from: December 30, 2024- January 1, 2025
Stand-alone
Source: PRH (I received a copy of this e-ALC from the publisher and an e-ARC from Netgalley in exchange for a just and honest review. This did nothing to influence my review.)
Content Warning: Misogyny, Sexual Content, Violence, Toxic Relationship
For Readers Interested In: Action, Adventure, Adult, Audio, Contemporary Romance, Sparkly Covers, Realistic Fiction, Romance

      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…

*MY THOUGHTS*

If you remember when this author’s first book came out, I was so excited for it because the cover was amazing and the synopsis made it seem like an Indiana Jones movie. But then like when I read it there was one thing that happened that I couldn’t get out of my head. I thought since so many people said that was a bad look in the last one that someone would have told her not to do it again. But this book determined that that was a lie.

Ok so in the first book *SPOILER* the love interest is a yt man who steals the research of a colleague, a woman of color. As it turns out, this one has a really bad look too. *SPOILER* This one has the main character that falls for the love interest and as it turns out, the love interest is trying to sabotage the mission. *END SPOILER* I didn’t remember which one of them is actually Latinx (there was no real representation I saw an Insta review that someone said it was the FMC who was a yt American and he was from Brazil but never spent time there and while I’m not Latinx, the person who wrote the Insta review said they wouldn’t label this as Latinx romance. And I didn’t feel that was a good sign so I did in’s label it as that either. ) but even still, it was the sabotaging of a woman by a man. And I don’t like that lol But idk maybe it’s just me, but I don’t think he groveled enough for what he was doing to her. And the way that ended? There wasn’t enough done to them for me.

Also, for this to be an action and adventure title, there wasn’t much happening. With him doing what he was doing, it was just them walking around in circles. I just hate that this is labeled as action and adventure when they only spend like 25% of the book is them actually finding something. Idk I just wanted more. Especially because the things they DID find was actually really cool. But the waterfall and the rock were ok, but I wanted something more. I think it’s the descriptors I was missing. I’ve never been to the Amazon Rainforest, so I really wanted to be able to see it through their eyes. Idk it was weird. Why wouldn’t you write this into your book? The lush forest and the deep, different greens, etc. It could have been so cool.

But I did like it. The romance was a bit instalusty, but at the same time, I feel like that’s most forced proximity. Since they’re stuck together they just fall for each other. But I think these nerds were actually really cute together lol They were finishing each others’ sentences by the end lol I know it’s weird, but I thought it was cute. Again, I didn’t get LOVE it because of what he did, but if she was fine with it, whatever.

The plot twist is what carried this for me tho. I saw it coming, but I didn’t if that makes sense. I thought it was him. Close, but no cigar lol It really was crazy. And all the things they were doing was gross. I was happy that the one person who wasn’t scared the entire time was Miriam. I was hella proud of her. I was also happy that she wasn’t one to get rid of easily. Even when people were leaving. I was glad that Rafa found out the hard way.

This review was a little all over the place, but so was the book lmao I didn’t LOVE it, but I liked it more than the last one. It wasn’t as fun as the other one, but it was still good enough. And since this ended the way it did, hopefully there’s another and the author makes things right this time and only makes the villain the person who has been doing the running in this book and the first one.

Overall, I give this