A plucky librarian and an archaeologist on the run fake an engagement to save their lives, leading them into the labyrinth of their own desires.
Daniela Guiterrez has been in love with her brother’s best friend for as long as she can remember—until he went missing a year ago during an archaeological expedition. But on a solo trip to Greece, the intrepid librarian discovers that Theo is very much alive, although judging by the criminals holding him hostage, he is not doing well.
An expert in Ancient Greek archaeology, Dr. Theo Galanis has been abducted by artifact smugglers in search of a priceless gemstone—the Eye of the Minotaur. This ridiculous assignment was supposed to get Dani out of his system, not keep her tied up next to him. But when a little white lie spirals into his captors believing Theo and Dani are engaged, they must utilize her research skills and his expertise to solve the centuries’ old Minoan mystery, all while feigning a romance to keep each other alive.
Now with less than six days to find the jewel, underground societies, mythological beings, and pesky abductors are only half the battle. Because among the ancient ruins and temples they explore is an even bigger falling in love for real.
Daniela Guiterrez has been in love with her brother’s best friend for as long as she can remember—until he went missing a year ago during an archaeological expedition. But on a solo trip to Greece, the intrepid librarian discovers that Theo is very much alive, although judging by the criminals holding him hostage, he is not doing well.
An expert in Ancient Greek archaeology, Dr. Theo Galanis has been abducted by artifact smugglers in search of a priceless gemstone—the Eye of the Minotaur. This ridiculous assignment was supposed to get Dani out of his system, not keep her tied up next to him. But when a little white lie spirals into his captors believing Theo and Dani are engaged, they must utilize her research skills and his expertise to solve the centuries’ old Minoan mystery, all while feigning a romance to keep each other alive.
Now with less than six days to find the jewel, underground societies, mythological beings, and pesky abductors are only half the battle. Because among the ancient ruins and temples they explore is an even bigger falling in love for real.
Title: The Lust Crusade (Raiders of the Lost Heart #3)
Author: Jo Segura
Publisher: Berkley Publishing Group
Expected Publication Date: January 13, 2026
Review:
Thank you to Berkley Publishing Group and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this title to read and give my honest review. The opinions expressed here are my own.
I'm a huge Indiana Jones lover. Write a romance that has that as it's base and I'm hooked. I adored the first two books in this series. They were so cute and just a little bit spicy. Plus they hit my adventurous side. I was excited to dive into this one and see where it went.
While these books are a series, they can absolutely be read as stand alones. There are some cross over characters, particularly the villain, but you could still understand this story without reading the other. However, for me, it was fun to see the characters from the previous books pop up.
This book was so much fun. I loved the adventure the two main characters went on. I've never been to Greece but Segura really made me feel like I was there with her lush descriptions of the different areas the characters visit. It just made me want to visit Greece even more than I already wanted to. And I really enjoy Greek mythology, so this one hit a great spot with that.
While not strictly a second chance romance, this title gave that vibe. Childhood friends who were pining for each other. Brother's best friend banned from touching his sister. Families who spent holidays together. I loved the entire vibe Segura set. The FMC and MMC have so much chemistry. The longing each of them felt was palpable throughout the book. However, if you're not a fan of the miscommunication trope you're not going to like this one. For me, I don't hate it or love it but it was stretched out so long in this book. Which is why I only gave this book 4 stars.
The vibe of this book was quite different from the first two. While there is adventure, they are in civilization the whole time. But Segura set it up and made it fun despite it being a very different setting. She kept the pacing up, inserted lots of shenanigans, and gave a plot that was fun and mysterious.
I'm not sure if Segura is done with this series, since the villain technically got captured in this one but perhaps she has something up her sleeve. Whatever it is, even if it's a different series, I will be reading it!
Author:
USA Today bestselling author Jo Segura lives in the Pacific Northwest with her doggo, who vies for her attention with his sweet puppy dog eyes whenever she’s trying to write.
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