Fossil Feud: A Novel

by Maggie North

The hunt for fossils—and love—is on in this steamy, STEMinist romance about two paleontologists who join forces to prevent a fraudulent dinosaur discovery, but accidentally dig up feelings for each other along the way.

Renegade paleontologist Ripley Adams is this close to digging up a fossil treasure and vindication. She’s spent the last three years in academic exile after her ex-boyfriend stole her work, betrayed her trust, and broke her heart in one fell swoop. If she can unearth a complete specimen of her newest discovery—a never-before-seen missing link between dinosaurs and birds—it will put her back on the map and finally restore her ruined reputation.

But when unfairly hot Oxford professor James Smithson crashes Ripley’s dig site, she realizes she’s not the only one searching for redemption in the Montana dirt. James is convinced a splashy new fossil is a fraud, and he needs Ripley’s help to prove it. She’d tell the buttoned-up Brit where to stick his suspicions, but the fake fossil is eerily similar to hers . . . and the fraudster is her ex.

The race is on to reveal a T-rex-sized discovery. Polar opposites Ripley and James will have to find common ground if they’re going to take down a hoax that could ruin them both. And as they dig deeper into their unlikely attraction, Ripley’s excavation boots won’t be the only things getting a little dirty. . . .

Genres: Romance, Contemporary Romance, Contemporary, Adult, Rom Com, Fiction, Dinosaurs

Kindle Edition

Expected publication July 28, 2026

Reviews

[jenny reads a lot · Rating 5 out of 5]

RAWWWWRRRRRRRR! THIS BOOK IS EVERYTHING!

I’m obsessed with this book. This is a dinosaur-loving romance readers wet dream in book form.

Seriously. Whats better than two idiot (complementary) paleontologists falling in love during a dinosaur bone dig!

This book is sweet and swoony. The characters are perfectly flawed with emotional depth for days. The prose is gorgeous and utterly quotable. The side characters attempt to steal the show (complementary). The character growth is top tier. It is just SO FREAKING GOOD!

He is so down bad and would do anything to help her succeed! Everyone deserves a supportive down bad man like James Smithson!

She is wounded and flawed and watching her character growth was almost as good as watching these idiots fall in love.

DID I MENTION THE DINOSAURS! because… DINOSAURS!!!!!!!!

(brace yourself this is a long list…)

Whats to love…
- STEM romance
- SLUTTTTTTTTTTTYYYYYY MMC
- slutty little glasses
- Slutty thigh tattoo
- Slutty forearms.
- slutty little glasses
- slutty little hands
- slutty little accent
- slutty little bike shorts
- lovable af side characters
- found family
- “just for the summer” agreement
- beautiful prose
- HE TIES HER SHOES
- mommy trauma (complicated family dynamics)
- coming into your own/learning to love yourself so you can love others.

Honestly I could probably keep going and give you a million reasons you should read this but instead I’m just going to say GO READ THIS RIGHT NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

🌶️- a few open door scenes. I really loved the way the author did these. They are explicit but not overly so (if that makes sense). I’d let my teen niece read this!

| IG | TikTok |

Thank you Dell for the gifted book. All opinions are my own.

[Berry ⋆ ˚｡⋆୨୧˚ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to Maggie North, Dell, and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

5 / 5 ⭐️
2 / 5 🌶️

I looooved this book. It was such a refreshing take on a STEMinist type of romance! If you enjoy Ali Hazelwood's work, fossils, and/or academic rivals to lovers romance, then I highly recommend this one!

Ripley Adams is our FMC, who is just trying to make a name for herself in the paleontology world! I felt that she was such an intelligent, strong-hearted FMC. She was wronged by another paleontologist (who happens to also be her ex!), and she is very determined to make everything right. I loved her character so much!

And don't even get me started on the MMC.... Holy.
James. Smithson.
World renowned paleontologist. Just comes waltzing up to her dig site. On a horse.
What an entry!

I LOVED James. He was witty, charismatic, and so very swoon-worthy. Dear God. That man was one of the highlights of this book for me!
I also loved the side characters! Cara is a sweetheart and must be protected at all costs.

The tension between them was impeccable. I ate it all up. Left no crumbs.

In all, this book felt like such a breath of fresh air. Highly recommend!

♡ pre-read ♡

y'all. i wanted to be a paleontologist when i was a kid. this book called to me. SOOOO excited to start this one!

[hailee · Rating 5 out of 5]

thank you to netgalley and the publisher for the arc. all opinions are my own.

move aside everyone, there’s a new yearner in the house and his name is james smithson.

guys. YOU GUYS. oh my god?!?! this book was truly perfection and i was genuinely not expecting it. i was expecting this to be good, but this was amazing and is now one of my favorite romance books of all time.

like how could you not love james? he’s a tall british scientist who looks like clark kent, wears glasses, is also an artist, AND has a thigh tattoo?!?!???? (also he calls ripley “my darling” and now i genuinely understand why people swoon).

i LOVED ripley so much and i loved her character growth throughout the story. she was hurt and (understandably) has a lot of baggage but she was also determined and capable and so smart and caring. I simultaneously want to BE her but also be her best friend.

the romance was, to me, quite literally perfect. the banter was well written, the tension built up perfectly, the yearning (from both sides might i add!!) was incredibly well done, the spicy scenes were so authentic and tender. AH it was just so so good!!!!!!

i absolutely eat up when the MMC is down horrendously bad for the FMC and james was literally pathetic so i obviously devoured this. he would go anything for ripley and he was so TENDER and SWEET and i was kicking my feet giggling the entire time.

the paleontology elements of the story were so so interesting to me and i greatly enjoyed that aspect of the plot. i cried real tears when certain things (no spoilers) happened regarding their fossils and it felt like i was part of their crew.

overall, this was a fantastic STEM romance perfect for summer (and fans of jurassic park hehe) that was filled with yearning!!

[fromthestudyof · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really cute STEM romance between two paleontologists

Montana in the summer. Searching for dinosaurs. A hot British professor begging her to help him take down her ex. What’s not to love?

[lana · Rating 5 out of 5]

i am this book's number one fan and i can't wait until people fall in love with the badass that is ripley adams and her beloved mr. darcy-esque mmc, james smithson. with found family shenanigans and a scene in the rain that i will forever be thinking about, this book is a delight.

early copy was accessible to me as i work at PRH. all opinions expressed are my own.

[✨Poppy✨ · Rating 4 out of 5]

So good. So fun. And such an original concept!

A STEMinist romance about paleontology?? Immediately yes and this absolutely delivered.

I loved how fresh and unique this story felt. Fossil hunting, academic drama, professional betrayal, and romance all woven together in a way that felt smart, engaging, and genuinely exciting. Ripley is a fantastic heroine, brilliant, determined, and deeply wronged and rooting for her to reclaim both her work and her confidence was incredibly satisfying.

James was the perfect foil: buttoned-up, frustratingly attractive, and exactly the kind of rival-turned-ally that makes for delicious tension. Their chemistry sparked from the moment they teamed up, and the banter, forced proximity, and shared mission kept things moving at a great pace.

The plot itself was just as compelling as the romance. The fraud storyline added real stakes, and I loved how the science and emotional arcs complemented each other instead of competing for attention.

Smart, steamy, and refreshingly different, this was such a win for me. If you’re craving a romance with a truly original theme and strong STEM vibes, this one is a must-read!
Thank you NetGalley and Ballantine | Dell for the ARC!

[Rani · Rating 5 out of 5]

« Love knows no time. My bones will find yours. »

I loved this!!!! First of all, how cool is it that the author is an anaesthesiologist?? I love me a good STEM romance and this hit the spot. This is definitely a book to pick up for this summer, as the protagonists have a « just for the summer » fling.

I loved Ripley, the fmc, she’s resilient, and stands for herself. I related to her VERY hyper-independent behaviour and she also had people-pleasing tendencies.
James…what a pathetic yearning man.
I really enjoyed the political subtext whether it was about mansplaining, misogyny in STEM or even the colonialism of Native American lands.

Maggie’s writing was beautiful, it’s at the crossroads of practical scientific writing and poetry which is, again, right up my alley. There were so many innuendos, and references to earlier quotes in the book. I’m definitely going to look into the rest of her books.

Here’s some of the quotes I highlighted:
«  Life finds a way. »
« She writes professional emails without using a single exclamation mark. »
« If you ever need me—in any place, at any time, from any distance-you need only ask for me, and I will find you, Ripley. »

If you enjoy having trope lists, here’s one for this book:
- found family
- he has glasses he takes off to kiss her
- academic rivals (kind of?) to lovers
- workplace romance
- third act breakup
- slutty thigh tattoo


Thanks to NetGalley for the eARC.

[Elizabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

✰ ✰ ✰ ✰ ✰ ✰

I’m at such a loss of words writing this review, i don’t know how i can convey how truly amazing and beautiful and incredible this book was.
There is quite literally nothing i would change about this book, the history of it, the poetic love confessions and the pure YEARNING you can feel through the pages, nothing will compare !!
James Smithson!!! MY MANNNNNN, i’ve said it once and i will say it a thousand times over about this man, I LOVE A HOT NERD!!!! He has glasses and is british and like dinosaurs what more could you ask for! But he’s so so much more than that, he yearns and cares for Ripley and will make everyone’s life better by reading about him!!!
Ripley is by babygirl and i love her and i would protect her with my LIFE and i need to give her a hug! And she’s so inspiring and i also wanna be her when i grow up, shes an icon, a diva!!
And the side characters were so amazing i loved them, all except one (im looking at you Will, i would push you into moving traffic!!) and they were so funny and i truly felt their personalities
This book gave me the type of dopamine hit that only caffeine on a sunny day can give me! It’s truly just that good!!!!!!!

Thank you so much to Ballentine and Netgalley for this arc ily!!!

[Quilted.reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

I LOVEDDDDD this book. I say this a lot BUT one of my absolute favorites of this month and the year so far. I ate this up so fast and immediately wanted more.This is a STEMinist romance about two paleontologists (YES DINOSAURS) who team up to stop a fraudulent fossil discovery, and of course end up accidentally digging up feelings along the way. And it’s the perfect mix of smart ,steamy,funny,satisfying.We follow Ripley Adams, a renegade paleontologist who’s been stuck in basically academic exile for the last three years after her trash ex-boyfriend stole her work, ruined her reputation, and broke her heart. She’s so close to proving herself again by uncovering a huge discovery a missing link between dinosaurs and birds and if she can pull it off, it could change everything for her career.James Smithson, an unfairly hot Oxford professor who shows up at her dig site like he owns the place. He’s convinced a new fossil making headlines is fake, and he needs Ripley’s help to prove it. Ripley is obviously NOT thrilled about this British man barging into her life but the more they work together, the more the tension turns into something else 👀And on top of the romance, there’s actual plot!! There’s a race to expose the hoax, the ex is involved, the stakes are high, and the chemistry is so good. Like, this book is giving: enemies to lovers, forced proximity, polar opposites, competent woman in STEM getting her moment, and a man who is DOWN BAD.Also the writing made me laugh, the banter hit, and the romance was everything I could have asked for in a romance book.
If you want a romance with dinosaurs, revenge, and two nerds falling hard? Read this immediately. One of my top reads for sure. 🦴🦕 🦖

[Annie K · Rating 4 out of 5]

She’s a private paleontologist ousted from academia. He��s one of the most distinguished paleontologists in the world. On paper, they couldn’t be more different — but he needs her expertise to expose a fraud. And maybe, along the way, some feelings will surface as well…

Maggie North is a phenomenal writer. Women diagnosed with autism later in life seem to have a special knack for understanding human behavior, and Maggie’s insight shines through in her characters. As someone who masked for a long time myself, I felt an immediate kinship with her perspective. Her characters are always a little odd, a little out of step — until they find the right people and the right place for them. And it’s not just romantic connections she writes beautifully; her characters also find family, belonging, and a sense of home. That, to me, is Maggie North’s greatest gift. Her books are full of people who were misunderstood, overlooked, or misjudged — and finally, after so many false starts, find the people who see them for who they truly are. It’s quietly uplifting and deeply satisfying.

The story itself was fun and immersive. I loved the dig site setting — being outside, working together, uncovering history — it felt adventurous in a way that grounded the romance in a real, tangible world. James was sweet, honorable, and easy to root for, a perfect complement to Ripley’s guarded intelligence and wit. But the heart of the story is Ripley finally letting people in after years of hurt and disappointment. Watching her open up, trust, and accept connection felt genuinely moving.

This book isn’t just a romance; it’s a story about growth, trust, and finding the people and places that make life feel complete. Maggie North does this beautifully, with depth and warmth.

Thank you to Dell and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Melissa (honeybee.reads) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fossil Feud is an utterly original, super fun and bingeable romance that absolutely consumed me. Fans of Jurassic Park and Night at the Museum, you will fall madly in love with this swoony book. I was looking for something fun, this delivered on every single front. As much as I had a blast reading this one there was also a lot of emotional depth, healing and growth throughout the novel that I highly appreciated. This book does not solely focus on romance, the plot is plotting and it is super fun to follow along. It added stakes to the story and made me even more hooked. Once the romance is thrown in it just adds another layer and makes it that much more enjoyable. What I have to applaud North for is her amazing research for this book, absolutely outstanding. The terminology, the dinosaur names, the history, the paleontology (which she took some liberties in), but ultimately everything felt so real and true to life.

Ripley & James are two highly flawed characters with a lot of baggage. They each bring their struggles to the budding romance but eventually learn to overcome them together. The blending of the spice which is not overly spicy with the plot, it was honestly perfection. I absolutely commend the author on how she approached the spicy scenes. It never overshadowed the plot but it made the relationship and physical part of their relationship evolve and feel authentic.

Overall, I loved how unique and fresh this story felt to me. It was so different from anything I've read before and I needed it. The fun I had reading this book will definitely be marked in my brain. Having read all of Maggie's books this is by far my favorite of hers. Her prose was beautiful, her storytelling skills immaculate and the originality of the storyline chefs kiss!

✨️ Thank you to @netgalley, @dellromance & @maggienorth for my gifted ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Dozelina 666 · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book immediately caught my attention because the blurb felt so unique. You don’t often see romance mixed with paleontology, excavation sites, dinosaurs and fossil fraud (yayx), so I was very, very curious and excited going in. It honestly gave me a bit of Night at the Museum (literally!) and Jurassic Park vibes, which made the whole setup even more fun.

Ripley Adams is a renegade paleontologist trying to rebuild her career after her ex boyfriend stole her research and destroyed her reputation. Three years later she’s doing private digs, hoping to prove herself again. Then Oxford professor James Smithson suddenly appears at her dig site asking for help investigating a suspicious fossil discovery that might be a fraud. Of course, the situation becomes even more complicated since Ripley had previously reached out to him after the scandal and he turned her down, believing the rumors.

I was very excited to see Ripley get a chance to clear her name and expose her scheming ex. The mystery around the fossils and the investigation aspect was definitely fun to follow. The setting, the digs and the paleontology angle really make the story even more entertaining.

That said, I did feel like a few elements could have been developed a bit more. The storyline with the ex and the fraud investigation started strong, but then it faded into the background for a while before returning near the end. The conference and the final resolution also felt a little flat compared to the buildup, like...come onnnn I'm curious...

I really liked Ripley as a character and enjoyed her determination, though I had a slightly harder time connecting with James than I expected.

Overall this was still a fun and refreshing romance with a very unique theme. I just wish some parts had been explored more.

⭐ 3.5 stars

Thank you NetGalley and Ballantine for the ARC.

[Aaliyah · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars! Honestly if I wasn’t in a slump it would easily be 5 stars so that’s my fault. There’s nothing to hate. I felt connected to the characters and their story was so cute. I didn’t think a book about fossils and romance would make me cry but I did tear up a bit. Don’t worry tho it’s a happy ending. HIGHLY recommend! Best decision of my life.

[Michelle | BookTok✨ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rating: 4.25 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice: 2.75 🌶️🌶️🌶️

Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and Random House for the ARC!

If you love Jurassic Park, romance, and British accents… you should IMMEDIATELY pre-order or buy this book.

As a STEM girlie, this one really hit for me. I’ve been lucky to work in a more women-dominated field, but that’s not the reality for a lot of women—and I felt Ripley’s struggles so deeply. The author did such a great job portraying that experience in a way that felt real and impactful.

ALSO… as an Alien lover??? The references had me squealing. The second I caught the first one, I was obsessed.

There were so many things I loved about this book—I flew through it and found myself genuinely excited to pick it back up every time I got home from work.

Blurb:

Renegade paleontologist Ripley Adams is on the verge of a fossil discovery that could redeem her career. After being exiled from academia when her ex-boyfriend stole her research, betrayed her trust, and broke her heart, she’s determined to prove herself. If she can uncover a complete specimen of her latest find—a missing link between dinosaurs and birds—it could restore her reputation.

But when frustratingly attractive Oxford professor James Smithson shows up at her Montana dig site, everything gets complicated. James is convinced a flashy new fossil is a fraud—and he needs Ripley’s help to prove it. She’d love to shut him down, but the fossil in question looks eerily similar to hers… and the fraudster? Her ex.

Ripley and James couldn’t be more different, but that contrast is what makes them work. They challenge each other, see through each other’s flaws, and ultimately bring out the best in one another. The character development is there, the romance is swoony and even the side characters were so good!!

Maggie North’s writing is beautifully descriptive, from the setting to the character dynamics. I was so immersed that I genuinely felt lost in the story in the best way.

Overall, if there is anything you can get from this review, just buy the book.

[Gabby · Rating 5 out of 5]

5/5 ✨
Review of Advance Copy Received from NetGalley

Dinosaurs may be extinct but the tension is absolutely thriving.

Listen, I know archeology/paleontology may not sound all to thrilling. But this book makes it work, and I think I know why: it’s incredibly well-rounded. Not too heavy on the science, not too heavy on the romance, and packed with just the right amount of entertainment.

Ripley embodies someone who’s been burned but refuses to walk away from what she loves. While James is absolutely driven to do the right thing - even if it costs him is reputation. They’re tasked with navigating academic fraud, a race to unearth a beautiful fossil, AND their undeniable chemistry.

This is a perfect summer romance read, and I highly encourage anyone who’s even slightly interested to pick it up and give it a try.

I have to admit, a wave of nostalgia hit me while reading. My aunt and uncle are professors of anthropology, and I grew up fascinated by their work. I was always excited when they had another cool fossil to show off during visits. I truly appreciate the care and research poured into this story even more because of them; I can feel how much love the author put into it.🦕

Tropes
~ Crush to Enemies to Friends to Lovers (wild - stick with me here)
~ Western-esque vibes
~ Workplace romance

A special thank you to Ballantine, Maggie North, and NetGalley for this ARC.🫶🏻

[Isabella (Belleand_books) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book immediately hooked me and even though the middle dragged a bit, I still ate this up. Palaeontologist Ripley is on a mission to show that she didn’t actually lose it all when he ex was a shitty person, insert the best male love interest I’ve read since Adam Carlson and you have a summer romance book all about dinosaurs, finding yourself and the lengths one will go to for those they love.

Spoilers:


I just really enjoyed how Ripley HAD to get beauty out of the ground and how she was so obsessed with birds. As someone who likes modern birds, and dinosaurs, this was my book. Enter James and you get an artist forced into science and I think his character was well written on that aspect. Actually I think all the characters were well written and the silly little “heist” was good comedic relief with the heavier topics happening at that point.

The only thing I didn’t like is that she’s 28 years old but still acted like she was so young- the third act breakup isn’t necessarily bad, but it is something that could have been avoided if either of them talked about what Will did.

[kelsie · Rating 5 out of 5]

“love knows no time
my bones will find yours”
ARE YOU KIDDING????? FORREAL ILL CRY RN.

this was so much fun!!! i feel like everyone has to love dinosaurs, so this would be a good, interesting, quick read for anyone. i LOVE nerdy mmc’s with glasses & this one hit the spot 😮‍💨 james was obsessed from the get go & i ate it up. he was so sweet & gentle i wanted to just give him a big ol hug. also, he HAS A THIGH TATTOO!!!!!

our fmc ripley is AMAZING!! i love her!!! so smart & witty & resilient & i have a crush on her, too. i loved seeing her get (rightful) revenge on those that have wronged her. i would kill for u ripley adams.

overall, the banter, the tension, the yearning, I LOVED IT ALL. our little found dinosaur family was so cute 🥹 yall please pick up this book when it releases in july hehe. thank you to the publisher for providing this book for review via netgalley. all opinions are my own <3

quick mention: NO ONE IS ILLEGAL ON STOLEN LAND!!!!!!

[Chelsea]

YES. Just yes. I have been waiting for this one since the announcement, and as a certified dinosaur girlie, I truly did not realize how much I needed this book until I was elbows-deep in it.

First of all? That title. 👏
Then the cover art?? 👏👏
Immediate obsession.

This was my first read from Maggie, and if Fossil Feud is my introduction, it absolutely will not be my last. I LOVE being a STEM romance reader. Give me smart women, niche science fields, and hyper-specific passion any day. I will nerd out proudly.

Ripley is that girl. A brilliant, slightly feral, running-out-of-time paleontologist trying to keep her summer dig alive despite lacking funding, backing, and patience. She’s sitting on a potentially career-defining discovery but the clock is ticking. Enter James, ridiculously attractive British academic from Oxford, who needs Ripley’s expertise.

Of course she has reservations. She’s been burned before, by a man and by the very field she’s devoted her life to. So trusting another polished academic? Hard pass. Except she doesn’t really have another option. So she says yes to his proposal… professionally. (At first.)

Watching these two freakishly intelligent, wildly competent, and equally stubborn humans work together was EVERYTHING. The banter? Elite. The tension? Delicious. The chemistry? Off the charts without ever losing that nerdy, academic edge. Rivals-to-friends-to-lovers in a STEM setting just hits different.

And can we talk about Clever Girl Fossils?? I am OBSESSED with this team. The side characters were not background noise, they were fully formed, lovable, chaotic gems. The found-family vibes were immaculate. Also, Ripley’s dad? Absolute baddie. The apple did not fall far from that fossil site, and I adored their relationship so much.

This book was smart, sexy, funny, and heartfelt all at once. I ate up every single page, every debate, every dig site moment, every smoldering glance over ancient bones.

I adored this STEM rivals-to-lovers romance and I will not be shutting up about it anytime soon.

Prepared to be sick of me, Maggie.

[Katie · Rating 4 out of 5]

SO GOOD! So so so good! This was the paleontologist romance novel I never knew I needed! I loved nearly everything about it: lovable, complex characters with realistic flaws, a griping plot, beautiful writing, a unique setting dripping with atmosphere, feminist themes, and YEARNING! Add this to your TBR immediately!

So often characters in romance novels can feel a little cartoonish or one dimensional. Riley and James were the exception. Both were so fully formed with distinct personalities, voices, past mistakes and flaws to overcome. The conflict keeping them apart was both based in reality and high stakes.

I loved the way Maggie North described their attraction. Very poetic writing. Lots of showing versus telling.

My only minor criticism is I would have liked a little more conversation between the main characters before their feelings developed. It was the tiniest bit love at first sight (admittedly).

I maybe loved the plot even more than the romance??? Who am I???

This romance novel leans more heavily towards the angst side of the emotional spectrum. I, personally, am usually seeking more of a giddy/banter feeling. But if you love longing and bittersweetness—this will probably be 5 stars for you!

Publishers: send more Dino books immediately!

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Dell for the advanced reader copy.

[Michelle Charles · Rating 4 out of 5]

Paleontologists in love? A secret quest for the missing link between dinosaurs and birds? A smoke show of an academic who will stop at nothing to make sure that the girl of his dreams has everything she needs to make her prehistoric dreams come true? Say LESS.
The chemistry between Ripley and James positively crackles off the page. As with her other books, Maggie North is an expert at building tension, tenderness, and a deep emotional connection between her main characters. I loved every second I spent in the field with James and Ripley, and this story is so much more than their happily ever after. Thank you to Dell
And NetGalley for my gifted ARC.

[Ellie · Rating 3 out of 5]

A romance between two paleontologists isn't something I ever thought I need in my life, but I'm so glad I found it.

Incredibly refreshing to see romance in an original setting, and personally one I haven't seen before. As someone that loves dinosaurs this was very fun. I'd have loved to give it 4 stars, but the real life references were really throwing me off, mainly the Jurassic Park ones, which makes sense, but it felt like it was too much.

Also, love a strong woman in STEM standing up for herself!

Thank you to NetGalley, and the Publisher for this ARC!

[Melanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and the author for the arc!!!

I really really liked this. Do I know anything about paleontology outside of Jurassic park and vague terms Ross mentioned on Friends? No. Did I still read this in its entirety? Absolutely. She built such an atmosphere it felt like I was there dusting off the bones with them. The buildup and slow burn between the two main characters was amazing. Once released I will add some of my favorite quotes since she really hit it out of the park.

[Chelsea · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jurassic Park vibes with romance and female empowerment… 5 stars.

This was pure perfection. North has a unique eloquence to her writing style that I absolutely loved. And her ability to weave a story of romance with touches of grief and anxiety makes the reader feel the depth of these characters.

Ripley and James. The beauty that is their love. The inspiration. The yearning. The tension. The tears, mostly mine. The angst. The banter. The declarations. The Fossils. SWOON. SWOON.

Thank you Net Galley for this ARC. This story FOUND A WAY right to my heart.
🪨❤️🔨🪶🚘🦕✏️🗺️🪺

[Sowmya (bookishelflife) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you Dell Romance for my digital ARC!

I absolutely ADORED this book!! first of all what a fun take on STEM romance by choosing two Paleontology nerds as the MC's, it was unique and quite refreshing. I equally geeked out and swooned at the same time, kudos to Maggie North for pulling off this move haha. Aside from the characters being strong and fleshed up well, the romance was also perfect, it was filled with angst and yearningggg like a good slow burn yearning that supersedes everything for me. The side characters were so fun too, with well placed humor and emotional depth along with fantastic characters the book really worked well for me.

Ripley Adams, our FMC is strong willed, intelligent and persistent. As academia does its style of injustice to some women in STEM, she is also a victim of one such incident that upends her life and dreams all together. However, she doesn't let it deter her or her plans of giving. better life to her chronically ill father. When the tall, handsome and a well known British Paleontologist from her past approaches with an alliance request, she is not quite sure if she wants to be related to anything remotely attached to her past.

Her dire situations however forces her to join hands with James Smithson, he is such a nerdy, Clark Kent look alike MMC that is going to make you swoon and make puppy eyes. The banter and beautiful moments really works well in creating this romance. There are couple open door scenes that are done well without being over the top, I really enjoyed both of their character development through out the course of their partnership. It was an easy 5 star for me.

[Kylie · Rating 4 out of 5]

thank you netgalley for the ARC! paleontology is so fun. this was romantic, slightly confusing at points but overall very good. i love women in STEM

[Amanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

The writing was beautiful and I am in love with James and his wrist watch.

[Mai | mai.readingnook · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh, the absolute joy and privilege of reading a new Maggie North book. I swear to you, her writing just sings to my soul. I love how immersive it is, this is. Complex characters. Emotional depth. Found family. Slutty little glasses. I mean?! Dinosaurs. Drawings?! Tattoos. Like… Do you need me to go on or are you finally convinced?

I had an absolute blast reading this. I dig it. Deep.

Thank you so very much for the ARC!

[Kaylee Pereyra · Rating 5 out of 5]

BONEEEEEEE!!???!! 🦴🦖🩷🪨

—
First 5-star of the year, yippeeeeeee! I LOVED THIS SOOOOO MUCH

The premise of this sounded fun, but I honestly wasn’t expecting this story and these characters to bury themselves quite so deep in my heart. I legitimately sobbed my way through the last 20% of this book!

Ripley was amazing, I loved her passion, humor, and strength. She had moments of doubt and fear and she was all the more braver for pushing for what she wanted in spite of it. James Smithson is a YEARNER, folks!! So sweet and stubborn; I think he and Ripley are the perfect match and WOW, were there a lot of moments where I literally had to set my kindle down and freak the F out over something said or done between them. THE ROCK??????? HELLO?????? Romance at its peak.

In addition to all the lovey-dovey goodness, I also adored Ripley’s crew, especially Cara! And I liked the dialogue about corruption and sexism in the world of academia, I thought that was handled well. This is definitely not my last Maggie North book!

[Em · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book. For science. And I think it might be one of my favorite romances ever.

As a big fan of STEM romances - this book does not disappoint. This book is about Ripley Adams and James Smithson as they try to uncover a bird fossil and take down a rival paleontologist who is lying and stealing Ripley Adams and others work.

There are so many elements of this book that make it stand out. Trying to stand up to the messed up system that is academia and science was one element, as a person in STEM, that I found was so tragically and wonderfully done. Ripley Adams is brave and courageous but also has been stepped on over and over again. She needs this dig money. She needs to accept support. And she is fighting for it not only her own family troubles but her entire dig teams’ as well.

What else stood out? The romance. The banter. THE LOVE. The slutty forearms. Making sure shoelaces are tied. The references to her favorite dinosaurs and movies. THE PUNS. The boning (sorry I had to).

I don’t know how else to say I absolutely loved this book and I think you will too. I kicked my feet giggling and I cried and got ma. This was campy and funny and a true joy when I needed it most. So much love to Maggie North.

[Just Blue Through Books · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and to Ballantine for the ARC of Fossil Feud by Maggie North.

I am ranking this 3.5 stars, rounded up to 4.

This is my first Maggie North novel, and I wanted to read it because my niece is also named after Ellen Ripley of the Alien franchise. I ended up staying up until 12:30am to finish it in one sitting. Then, this morning, I went to my library website this morning to reserve her two other books. That all to say, while my rating isn't 5 stars like some other readers, I did really enjoy this book. This is a fun, cute read. It reminds me a bit of Christina Lauren's Something Wilder.

So, the good:
- The plot is a lot of fun. North explains in her intro that she did a lot of research into this field and that she tried to base the story around the types of scandals that do occur in the competitive world of paleontology. And, like, who doesn't love paleontology and lots of fun Jurassic Park references?
- My sister says Ellen Ripley is the strongest female lead in cinematic history, and Ripley Adams in Fossil Feud is a well written FMC. She has passion toward her career, love for her father, chinks in her armor from betrayals by family and lovers but she tries to support those around her and to do what's best for herself. I liked being in her head and watching her story play out.
- It is a cute romance with her and James and I appreciate that it takes place over an entire summer + some additional time so it's not insta-love or lust. There is development over a period of time of their relationship and it was nice to spend that time with them and watch it evolve.
- James is an interesting MMC. He has his own trauma and family issues, and he's the opposite of Ripley in so many ways by sacrificing the things he is passionate about and placing blame on himself, etc. I liked the differences between them, and I liked that Ripley was the tougher of the two. It worked for them.

The less good:
- I work in a university in a STEM program and I work very closely with PhD students. I've worked this job for well over a decade. Some of the academic references/PhD references/other references aren't how academia works. And, don't get me wrong, there are 100% issues in academia related to women, but the book does make them a lot more overt and dramatic than they play out in my day-to-day. Ali Hazelwood threads the needle in STEM academia with more nuance where this feels like a sledgehammer.
- James meets up with Ripley to provide funding in exchange for help investigating fraud. They spend one weekend investigating fraud the whole summer, but don't actually do anything about it until a sort of left field, unbelievable confrontation at the end of the book. While the ramp up is fun in an adventurous kind of way, it was just sort of odd to have this slow burn romance, these daily excavating adventures, etc. and then BAM, drama. And also, it really diminishes James and his apparent rock star status in the field that he is not spending more time resolving this before it blows up in Ripley's face.
- All the end drama with James is caused by Ripley never bothering to ask what happens after the excavation ends. She brings that on herself and it is frustrating considering how capable she is.
- I really didn't care for the introduction of another woman that James had been involved with so largely past the 50% mark. It felt like a low level attempt to make women-hate-women and to cause unnecessary drama. (Note to readers: There is no cheating -- this is just a former ex making an appearance). If anything, I would have expected James's connection with Oxford and the donors to have way more experts visiting to check the dirt and do other tests because he had a huge problem with the fraud case not doing that either - so the other woman bit felt extra off.

I do think, just because of the nature of my own job, I couldn't get my brain to a 5 on this -- I usually love to work to suspend my disbelieve but I struggled. But it is the kind of book I want to suspend my disbelief for -- the content is really interesting, it has fun Indiana Jones explorer vibes, and it is well written.