Kirkus
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An archaeological hunt in the Brazilian Amazon mixes romance with treasure-hunting baddies. In this spinoff fromRaiders of the Lost Heart (2023), UC Berkeley archaeologist Miriam Jacobs unexpectedly finds herself heading a search for the Cidade Perdida da Lua—the Lost City of the Moon—in the Brazilian jungle. Jittery about her sudden leadership role, Miriam is determined to channel her mentor, Dr. Corrie Mejía, a famous archaeologist, but worries about her ability to succeed. Accompanying the team isGlobal Geography reporter Rafael Monfils, who’s secretly trying to sabotage the expedition—his father insists he has a family obligation to keep the city hidden in accordance with the beliefs of his late mother’s Brazilian community. From Rafa and Miriam’s meet-cute at the station where they’ve missed the bus to Manacapuru, where their team is meeting, to a series of screwball moments spurred by Miriam’s manic-pixie zaniness, the novel is a goofy fantasy à laRomancing the Stone orThe Mummy. Both the protagonists and the villains are lightly sketched and there’s little by way of character development or complex motivations. A series of unfortunate escapades culminate in a confrontation with the chief baddie and a revelation of Rafa’s duplicity, which is smoothed over by some hurried sex scenes. The epilogue provides a slightly clunky resolution to the preceding events and gestures in passing to the ethics of archaeological excavations in developing nations. A frothy read for someone looking for a Lara Croft–esque rom-com. Copyright © Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.