ABOUT THE BOOK
Ten days, two rivals, and a busload of tourists. How bad could it be?
For archaeologist Emilia Flores, landing a fellowship to work at the ancient ruins of Pompeii in Italy is a dream come true. The only catch? She’ll be digging alongside her infuriating nemesis, TJ Mayer, who’s been a constant thorn in her side.
TJ isn’t about to pass up the Pompeii project. Sure, he’ll be stuck working with Emilia, but he thrives on challenging her. And he hasn’t forgotten that secret kiss they shared at an archaeology conference last winter.
Though unearthing Pompeii’s treasures might be a dream, student debt is a nightmare that never takes a vacation. So, when TJ and Emilia are offered a lucrative side job to lead a ten-day tour through Southern Italy, they grudgingly agree to tackle it together.
Forced to set aside their animosity and work as a team, they forge an unexpected camaraderie. As the sparks between them ignite, their rivalry gives way to passion, making it easy to forget their years of fierce competition. But what happens when the tour ends and the real world steps in?
MY REVIEW
Refreshing! I needed this. With all the dark romance I’ve been reading, I missed the cozy romantic vibes of Carla Luna’s complex characters and enchanting locations.
Dr. Emilia Flores is an archaeobotantist looking for a teaching job, but she’ll take anything including an archaeological dig in Pompeii with her archnemesis Dr. TJ Mayor, a lithics specialist. It’s the moonlighting job as tour guides in Italy that Emilia and TJ open up and learn they have much more in common than just archaeology.
Emilia may not be the most likeable character. Her grumpy attitude and lack of social skills make her a tough sell in job interviews. It’s sad to see TJ walking on eggshells around her just to avoid provoking her. However, as the story progresses, Emilia starts to open up to new friends and especially to TJ. It’s heartwarming to see her walls come down, only to be dealt another blow.
TJ may come off as a little full of himself at first. All he wants is to make his family proud of him. However, he soon realizes that there’s more to life than just his career. He does the right thing by defending Emilia and risking his career to do so. His gregarious nature and love for playing the piano make him all the more charming. Nerdy guys are my jam and his honesty and respect for Emilia make him a truly admirable character.
Carla Luna’s books are always filled with history lessons and interesting factoids. The beautiful scenery and archaeology references are captivating and informative. One of my favorite quotes from the book is “you miss one hundred percent of the shots you don’t take.” This is an important life lesson for young and old alike reminding us that we should never be afraid to take chances.
It’s heartwarming to see how everyone rallies around Emilia and TJ. Emilia’s friends are true lifesavers. When she’s at her lowest, they give her a place to stay and a job to get her back on her feet. Also, TJ’s and Emilia’s new friends don’t hesitate to help TJ avenge Emilia.
I highly recommend this book. The characters are endearing and the settings are gorgeous. So grab a copy of this book, a cup of tea, and prepare to be transported to the charming Italian countryside.
Thank you to Ms. Luna for giving me the opportunity to read this book with no expectation of a positive review.
Romancing the Ruins Series
1 Field Rules (2022)
2 Troy Story (2023
3 Tour Wars (2024)
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Carla Luna writes contemporary romance with a dollop of humor and a pinch of spice. A former archaeologist, she still dreams of traveling to far-off places and channels that wanderlust into the settings of her stories. Her passions include baking, Broadway musicals, whimsical office supplies, and pop culture podcasts. Though she has roots in Los Angeles and Vancouver Island, she currently resides in Cedarburg, Wisconsin with her family and her feisty Siberian cat.
Follow Carla on her website, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Amazon, and Bookbub.
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