Raiders of the Lost Heart by Jo Segura

Author: Jo Segura

Title: Raiders of the Lost Heart

Genre: Romance

Publication Date: 12/5/2023

Number of Pages: 341

Geographical Setting: Mexico

Time Period: present day

Plot Summary: Corrie has spent her whole life dreaming of being the one to find the remains of the Ancient Aztec Warrior Chimalli. Her grandfather spent years telling her how he believed that they were descendants of this great warrior and so Corrie dedicated her career as an archaeologist to research surrounding Chimalli, his life, and where he could have possibly been hiding out in his last days. This is why Corrie is elated to be invited on the adventure of a lifetime: a dig in Mexico to find Chimalli and the tecpatl sacrificial knife that he supposedly stole from Moctezuma II. It is quickly revealed that this dig will not be the grand adventure that Corrie was hoping for when she learns that Dr. Ford Matthews, her (very attractive) nemesis, is the archaeologist leading the dig. 

While both Ford and Corrie agree that working together to find Chimalli is more important than their rivalry, they still find that there are plenty of reasons to argue. However, as they spend time together on this assignment, they realize that they may be more compatible than they originally thought. This new truce is put to the test though when it is discovered that there is a thief amongst the group and the lies that Ford has kept are revealed. Corrie, Ford, and the team race to finish this dig of a lifetime in the midst of danger and turmoil. 

Subject Headings: 

Archaeologists--Fiction

Aztecs--Fiction

Mexico--Fiction

Smugglers--Fiction

Jungles--Fiction

Man-woman relationships--Fiction

Appeal:

Plot/Setting: Those who are interested in archaeology and historical artifacts would enjoy this novel. Readers will be transported to the jungles of Mexico with Ford’s team of archaeologists through the pages of this story.

Genre: Those who are fans of romantic comedies will enjoy the fun banter between characters, the enemies-to-lovers romance, and the happily ever after that is expected of romantic comedies. 

Pacing: Segura sets a fast pace for this book that keeps you engaged until the end. Those who enjoy more action in their books would enjoy this story. 

3 terms that best describe this book: 

Adventurous

Entertaining 

Steamy

Relevant Non-Fiction Works and Authors

Exploration Fawcett by Percy Harrison Fawcett and Brian Fawcett

If the thought of exploring new places and uncovering lost historical artifacts and places appeals to you then Exploration Fawcett might be a good read for you. Percy Fawcett was a British explorer that was convinced he knew the location of a lost civilization located deep within the Amazon Rainforest. In 1925 Fawcett and his small team traveled into the Amazon in an attempt to discover this lost civilization and were never seen again. Brian Fawcett uses his father’s manuscripts, letters, and logbooks to tell the story of the last excursion of Percy Fawcett. 

The Lost City of the Monkey God by Douglas Preston 

This book about uncovering the Lost City of the Monkey Gods feels just like the adventure that Corrie and Ford took to uncover the remains of Chimalli, only with more danger and unfortunate outcomes. If the adventure aspect of Raiders of the Lost Heart appeals to you, then you may enjoy reading about this historical discovery and the trials they encountered deep in the jungle to find it.  

Fifth Sun: A New History of the Aztecs by Camilla Townsend

If you read the author’s note at the back Raiders of the Lost Heart you learn that some of the people, places, and events in this book are real, such as Moctezuma II, Tenochtitlán, and the downfall of the Aztecs. In this book, Townsend shares her expertise on The Aztecs, which includes information about Tenochtitlan and Moctezuma II. One thing that is interesting about this book is that you are not reading about these events from the viewpoint of the Europeans, which, according to the description of this work, is the most common way of talking about the downfall of the Aztecs. Fifth Sun tells about the story of Hernando Cortés, his meeting with Moctezuma, and the events that follow from information gained solely from texts written by the Aztecs themselves.

In Raiders of the Lost Heart, many archaeologists believe the accounts of history given by Moctezuma himself, but Corrie believes that they are looking at a false rendition of the story of Chimalli. There is another less accepted version to that story that she researches and that is what leads her to finding Chimalli’s remains. Both of these books deal with the same topics, along with looking at things from a different point of view. 

Relevant Fiction Works and Authors

The Recovery Agent by Janet E. 

While the main character in this novel is not an archaeologist, she does travel the world in search of missing or stolen treasures. Gabriela finds herself deep into the jungles of Peru to find the lost Ring of Solomon. Unfortunately, the only person who can help her is her ex-husband Rafer. If the idea of adventure and going to look for lost treasures/artifacts is what drew you into Raiders of the Lost Heart, then this book would be a great next read. 

Something Wilder by Christina Lauren

Just like Raiders of the Lost, the main characters in Something Wilder embark on a journey to find something that people have been unsuccessfully searching for for many years. This romantic comedy contains similar tones and themes as those found in Raiders of the Lost Heart.  

Digging Up Love by Chandra Blumberg

If you are drawn to the field of archaeology then Digging Up Love would be a good read for you. Both of these novels contain likable characters and engaging writing styles. While Raiders of the Lost Heart takes you to the jungles of Mexico, Digging Up Love will let you experience an archaeological dig in rural Illinois.