Isn't It Romantic

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Raiders of the Lost Heart by Jo Segura
Published by Berkley on December 5, 2023
Age/Genres: Adult, Romance, Action/Adventure

Goodreads

Rival archaeologists must team up on a secret Aztec expedition, or it could leave their careers—and hearts—in ruins.

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.

Corrie Mejía has spent her life trying to get people to look beyond her body. When an opportunity to prove herself by joining an expedition searching for Aztec warrior (and her area of expertise) Chimalli, Corrie jumped at the chance even though it seemed too good to be true. And, it was too good to be true, as this dig reunited her with her nemesis, Ford Matthews. Ford, who had stolen her fellowship and broken her heart, and with whom she also still had a spark and connection.

I was so swept away by this story. It's the adventure romance I didn't know I needed! I had a good feeling about this rom-com from the get-go, and it only got better and better for me as I accompanied Corrie and Ford on their search for Chimalli.

So many aspects of this story won me over. First and foremost, I adored Corrie and Ford. What's not to love about an archaeologist who earned herself a reputation in the vein of Lara Croft. But, Corrie wasn't just sass and beauty, she was brilliant, and I was rooting for her to find Chimalli and prove to everyone that she was right all along.

Initially, I was a bit wary of Ford. I mean, he broke Corrie's heart! But, he earned my adoration with both his words and actions. I also found myself very sympathetic towards his personal woes. Though I didn't agree with his tactics, I understood his motivation, and I trusted that he would do the right thing in the end.

People are labeling this a rom-com, and it may be appropriate in this case. The story was bursting with humor and wit, but there was also a healthy dose of action and adventure. There were many challenges out in the Mexican jungle, and it was a thrill to watch Corrie and Ford conquer them. There was a bit of a nefarious plot as well. I guess we needed some high drama, and it was woven well into the story. Speaking of that subplot, I was pretty excited that it opened the door to a possible sequel, and should that book happen, I know I will be reading it.

Overall, I had an amazing time reading this fast-paced adventure romance that was filled with action, humor, swoons, and great characters who were easy to root foot. I am looking forward to more from Segura and really hope we get to enjoy more "Adventures of Badass Mejia and Weak Sauce Matthews".

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The Fake Mate by Lana Ferguson
Published by Berkley on December 5, 2023
Age/Genres: Adult, Paranormal, Romance

Goodreads

Two wolf shifters agree to be fake mates but unexpectedly find something real in this steamy paranormal romantic comedy by Lana Ferguson.

Mackenzie Carter has had some very bad dates lately. Model train experts, mansplainers, guys weirdly obsessed with her tail—she hasn’t had a successful date in months. Only a year out of residency, her grandmother’s obsession with Mackenzie finding the perfect mate to settle down with threatens to drive Mackenzie barking mad. Out of options, it feels like a small thing to tell her grandmother that she’s met someone. That is, until she blurts out the name of the first man she sees and the last man she would ever date: Noah Taylor, the big bad wolf of Denver General.

Noah Taylor, interventional cardiologist and all around grump, has spent his entire life hiding what he is. With outdated stigmas surrounding unmated alphas that have people wondering if they still howl at the moon, Noah has been careful to keep his designation under wraps. It’s worked for years, until an anonymous tip has everything coming to light. Noah is left with two options: come clean to the board and risk his career—or find himself a mate. The chatty, overly friendly ER doctor asking him to be her fake boyfriend on the same day he’s called to meet the board has to be kismet, right?

Mackenzie will keep her grandmother off her back, and Noah will get a chance to prove he can continue to work without a real mate—a mutually beneficial business transaction, they both rationalize. But when the fake-mate act turns into a very real friends-with-benefits arrangement, lines start to blur, and they quickly realize love is a whole different kind of animal.

I am a contemporary reader, through and through, but after enjoying The Nanny so much, I wanted to give The Fake Mate a try. I have never read a shifter romance before, and I must admit, those aspects of the story were a bit out there for me, but the characters, the romance, and the humor were so strong that it didn't hinder my enjoyment in any way.

Mackenzie was tired of her grandmother's endless matchmaking and fibbed that she was dating someone in an attempt to stop her grandmother's attempts. Her lie involved none other than broody Noah. Noah was dealing with own troubles. An anonymous tipster notified the board that Noah failed to disclose his status as an alpha. Due to the widespread beliefs that an unmated alpha is dangerous, Noah hatched a plan that could be mutually beneficial for both him and Mack. They would be fake mates solving Noah's issues with the board while also keeping Mack's grandmother at bay. As with most fake dating situations, real feelings got involved.

I found this to be a delightful grumpy-sunshine romance. I loved the banter and the way attraction gave way to sharing pieces of themselves with each other. Mack had a tendency to hold those at arm's length due to feelings of abandonment from her childhood. Noah was a workaholic who kept his distance from others as he hid his alpha status. Both slowly began to trust the other and found comfort together.

All that stuff made me mushy and I loved it, but I also spent a great deal of time laughing. As with her previous book, Ferguson packed this one with humor and hijinks which provided me with a great deal of amusement. Though I may have found the shifter aspects odd, those aspects were, at the same time, somewhat interesting.

Overall, I adored getting to know Mack and Noah. They were a couple I could root for. It pleased me to see them open their hearts to something real, and I was ecstatic that they found that in each other.

*ARCS PROVIDED BY THE PUBLISHER

Favorite shifter romance?
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