Finding Alexander

Lost Treasures #1

by Pandora Pine

Indiana Jones meets Clark Kent in this modern-day treasure hunt.

Archaeologist Cairo Vanderbilt was born to be a treasure hunter, whether he liked it or not. When his famous father dies in search of the tomb of Alexander the Great, Cairo picks up the trail to find the world's most famous lost treasure. Having failed once before, he's determined to find Alexander’s remains and fulfill his family's legacy.

History blogger Dillinger DeCosta has only written about the past from the safety of his South Boston office. After hearing Cairo speak about the coming expedition on the evening news, he
wants to join the hunt for Alexander and finally be on the front lines of history-in-the-making. By offering to come along, Dillinger is taking a huge risk, but he's banking on an even bigger reward.

Hot on Alexander’s trail, Cairo and Dillinger discover sparks between them that ignite unexpectedly. One of the men has a secret that may threaten not only the success of the expedition, but their new relationship as well. If they can't find a way past the challenge that lies between them, they might just lose the greatest treasure of all.

Each other.

Genres: M M Romance, Romance, Contemporary, LGBT, Audiobook, Adventure, Mystery

264 pages, ebook

First published June 11, 2019

About the author

Sick of the slogging rat-race of her 9-5 job, Pandora Pine put pen to paper (literally!) to make her ambition of becoming a romance novelist a reality. She cut her teeth in the dog-eat-dog world of fanfiction, still dreaming of the day when she would be a published author. She lives in Massachusetts with her blabbermouth muse who’ s a fan of middle of the night plot twists.

In her spare time, Pandora fancies herself an amateur nature photographer. She enjoys mucking around in swamps, hiking through the woods and crawling around on her hands and knees in her backyard seeking out the perfect shot. Pandora is a fan of roadside seafood shacks and always thinks Mexican food is a good idea at the time.

Some of Pandora’s favorite things are chocolate, writing longhand with purple pens and handsome men falling in love with each other.

Don't miss Pandora’s seductive new novel coming soon to an e-reader near you.

Reviews

[Joyfully Jay · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Joyfully Jay review.

3.75 stars

Finding Alexander grabbed me right away from the blurb. The story is billed as “Indiana Jones meets Clark Kent in this modern-day treasure hunt” and I am all here for that. The best parts of this story for me were definitely the elements that related to the archeology and the hunt for Alexander the Great. Pine does a nice job giving readers a feel for the history and Alexander’s significance as an archeological find. We get some great details on the dig, the research the men conduct in order to help figure out where Alexander might be buried, and the fierce rivalries that occur among archeologists. I really enjoyed sinking into this aspect of the story and it really made this book unique. I will say that I think this one falls a little short of the excitement that is implied in the blurb, however. The men find the tomb fairly quickly and the focus feels much more on the interpersonal relationship than the suspense or the archaeology. There is some tension at the end when the find is threatened by an interloper, but mostly this story felt a little more low key than I was expecting from the blurb.

Read Jay’s review in its entirety here.

[Annika]

Audiobook review

4,5 stars

Just like it says in the blurb, Finding Alexander is a modern day Indiana Jones adventure where we join Cairo and his twin brother Memphis, and their best friend Magnus in Egypt looking for Alexander the Great. A king who’s resting place have long been lost to the world. Along for the adventure is historian and blogger Dillinger who’s only been writing about history and historical sites, but never been there. When Cairo and Dillinger first meet it doesn’t go all that well but as time pass and they start to get to know each other they realise they have more in common than they first thought. They both have something to prove to the world, at least that’s what they believe. But in all honesty they only have to prove something to themselves, find themselves and letting go of the past. And along the way the might also find that special someone neither was searching for.

Listening to this book was fun, not in the laughing kind of way, but more in the sense of adventure and exploration. History has never been my thing, it has always bored me to tears when teachers tried to force me to remember dates of passed kings, historical battles and what not. It never stuck. This book however was interesting, I loved the history of it unearthing more of it. I also loved our main and side characters, their shared love for history and drive to find the lost treasures of the world. Not for the glory, or well not only for the glory but more for the history of it. Learning more of the past and sharing it with the world.

I love the sense of place that Pandora Pine created with this book. It really felt like you were in Egypt searching for clues in the sand, the excitement and the rush. But I also appreciate how she (and Pauley) managed to convey the history of the place. While listening you weren’t just in Alexandria, Egypt present day, with all the modern technology we could carry. But you also sensed and felt the history of the place, of all the thousands of years passed since it was built. Ancient tomb after ancient tomb, lives lived and gone. Few books anchor you that much to the setting, that you can see and feel it so clearly, and it was one of the things I loved the most with this book.

It comes as no surprise that Michael Pauley delivered a wonderful performance of this book. As I previously mentioned he and Pine really transports the listener to the halls of history. Pauley makes you feel the elation of each clue they find, the wonder of the ancient script, the reverie. He makes you feel all of it every single second you spend listening to this book.

I don’t know if this will turn into a series or not, but I for one sure hope so because I’m not finished digging around in the sand looking for clues from the past.

A copy of this book was generously provided by the author in exchange for an honest review

[Diane Dannenfeldt · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have read, and loved, Ms Pine’s paranormal series’ and was excited to read this contemporary one. I want to start off by saying that I hope that Memphis, Cairo’s twin, and his best friend Magnus get their own books as they deserve their own HEA. So we have Cairo who is the first born, having to live up to his family’s legacy by having to uncover a big archeological find. But while his father was alive, his dad wanted all the glory for himself and appeared to have been a real douche to Cairo, the whole you can’t do anything right and are useless. Dillinger is a blogger who makes contact with Memphis pitching an idea about going along on a dig with the twins to find Alexander, they will search for him and he will blog about the search. Cairo does not like Dillinger on first meeting, or really at all in the beginning and is a real a** towards him. But over time, that changes and we have a slowly budding romance. The only problem is that Dillinger is hiding a secret that might just destroy this fragile relationship. I got caught up in the hunt, from searching for clues to finding Alexander to the excitement of Dillinger seeing Alexandria and the original archeological diggings, to the discovery of a lifetime. Both of the heart and of the archeological type. The epilogue was just perfect and I couldn’t ask for better. IMO, Ms Pine knocked this out of the ball park.

ARC provided by LesCourt Services in exchange for an honest review.

Loved the audio version :) Still wish that Memphis & Magnus would get a book so they can find their HEA.

[Barb ~rede-2-read~ · Rating 3 out of 5]

ARC provided by the publisher through Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words in exchange for an impartial review.

Cairo Vanderbilt, the eldest twin son of famed archeologist Gordon Vanderbilt was born to carry on his family treasure hunting legacy—whether he liked it or not. When his father is killed on a dig as he’s trying to find the burial site of Alexander the Great, both the shame and the blame fall to Cairo’s shoulders. He has no choice other than to head a new expedition to find the lost king.

But now that the decisions are his, he’s going to go about the search his own way and he agrees to take history blogger Dillinger DeCosta with him. Dillinger has never visited the Middle East, nor any historically interesting place, for that matter. He’s only written about the past on his Absentee Historian blog. He convinces Cairo to take him with the group so he can finally be on the front lines of history-in-the-making. They agree to him documenting the trip in words, photos, and videos.

Along with Cairo’s twin brother, Memphis, and their best friend, Magnus, the group sets out to find Alexander, but Cairo and Dillinger find each other along the way. There’s ups and downs in their personal relationship in the story, but there’s also underhanded dealings by a competing archeologist and a big reveal about Dillinger’s past that may make finding their way to each other more impossible than finding Alexander.

This is my first book by this author and I enjoyed the pacing and the intriguing storyline. However, the main characters were a bit too “damsel in distress” for my taste. Some of their behaviors were very old-school romance novel. In fact, I could picture them more as heroines of an archeological dig dime novel than heroes in modern-day MM romance.

I’d recommend this book to those who like a sweet romance between two men who’ve lived their lives under their fathers’ thumbs and have found each other’s company compatible both on a friend level and a sexual level. There are sexy times in this story and there’s a Big Reveal that tears them apart and, eventually, good stuff that brings them back together. Personally, I wouldn’t have forgiven Cairothe big drama queen who ranted and raged and slammed the door in anger at Dillingerbut Dillinger was much more understanding and was a sweetheart that Cairo didn’t deserve. The story ends on a happy note with their future together set. So win-win for readers who love that sort of story.

[John Altman · Rating 3 out of 5]

Finding Alexander!

Total Rating: 3.4 Stars out of 5
Rating Review Rollout:
(1) Attention Keeper: 4 🌞🌞🌞🌞
(2) Blurb vs Story matchup: 3.5 🌟🌟🌟🌙
(3) Danger zone: 2 🌑🌑
(4) Digging deep in Character development: 3.5 🌟🌟🌟🌙
(5) Edit to Perfection!: 4 🌞🌞🌞🌞
(6) Feeling the Words: 3.5 🌟🌟🌟🌙
(7) Give me more please factor: 4 🌞🌞🌞🌞
(8) Going with the Flow of the Story: 3.5 🌟🌟🌟🌙
(9) Grammar Police: 4 🌞🌞🌞🌞
(10) It's all about the Chemistry, baby: 3 🌟🌟🌟
(11) Laugh out loud funny: N/A
(12) Love connection: 3 🌟🌟🌟
(13) Main characters appeal: 3.5 🌟🌟🌟🌙
(14) Plot Worthy: 3.5 🌟🌟🌟🌙
(15) Ramp up the Drama: 2 🌑🌑
(16) Show me Entertainment: 3.5 🌟🌟🌟🌙
(17) Super-Duper-Natural feels: N/A
(18) Supporting characters' appeal: 4 🌞🌞🌞🌞
(19) Suspenseful & Thrilling: 2 🌑🌑
(20) The Writing speaks for itself: 4 🌞🌞🌞🌞
(21) The Wrap Up of all loose ends in a tidy bow: 3.5 🌟🌟🌟🌙
(22) Too sexy for my shirt kinda sex: 3 🌟🌟🌟

[Rissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

New author to me! I've been seeing this author's books everywhere and I'm on her mailing list BUT I have never read any of her books so I thought that needed to be remedied, LOL.

This was a good introduction! I like Cairo and Dillinger (more the latter though, because Cairo is intense, LOL). I also like Memphis and Magnus - can't wait to read their books! ;)

I can't wait to read this author's backlist!

And when we find out the secret that Dillinger had, I KINDA HAD AN INKLING WHAT IT WAS, but I didn't know how it was going to be explained to the readers so kudos author!

[Cee Brown · Rating 5 out of 5]

♥.•🌟¨)☆♡¸.•🌟'¨)☆♡¸.•♥🌟'¨)☆♡♥
♡🌟(¸.•♥'🌟The weight of the Legacy

"I'd originally thought this journey to Egypt was about finding Alexander. It wasn't. Not entirely. It was about finding myself. I'd just done both."

All his life Cairo had lived in the shadows of his father, but with his death came greater pain. To prove that his life had not been wrong, Cairo set out to find the one thing that had always been kept from him. He was the Vanderbilt legacy, but a narcissist father had hindered his way of becoming more than he was. Now he had the opportunity to discover the biggest discovery of his career, but would it all be worth it in the end.

He'd always lived life of the periphery. Dillinger wanted excitement and freedom just this once to see what he'd been missing. One news report had him shifting his life and traveling to Egypt to record one of the biggest finds for a well known family. What Dillinger didn't expect was to find his own discovery.

Highly recommended. A fan of Pandora's work.

[Esther Alayeto · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this story! It pulled me in right from the very beginning and I could not put it down until the very end. Cairo and Dillinger have incredible chemistry and I love their back and forth banter and joking around. I really enjoyed that not only is this a romance but also an adventure as we follow them on an archaeological journey. I hope this is just the beginning and that we get the stories of the other characters introduced in this story. I voluntarily reviewed an advanced reader copy of this book.

[Teal Wolf · Rating 5 out of 5]

Finding Alexander by Pandora Pine is an adventure with romance mixed in. This is such an interesting book - I love that the are searching for something, digging and looking for a long lost history. The characters are fun.... Dillinger and Cairo bring the heat for sure, but also the supporting characters add to the excitement of this journey. We have a mystery to solve, secrets, hurts to overcome, sweet and hot moments and drama. Good times!

I received an advanced reader's copy of the book and I am voluntarily leaving my honest review and recommendation.

[Meg · Rating 4 out of 5]

It took me a while to get into this book. I was really struggling for longer than I usually do, but I do not like to give up on a story until at least the halfway point. I'm glad I stuck with it, though, because it did get much better the more I read.

This is a story of two men who have grown up in their father's shadow; never being good enough, and feeling resentful of the pressure put on them from a young age. One man chose to break free of his father's clutches and make his own way in the world. The other didn't even consider the possibility of walking away from the Legacy that had been placed on his shoulders when he was the first born.

Cairo, his twin brother Memphis, and their childhood friend Magnus, have been going on archeological digs most of their lives with Gordon Vanderbilt, Cairo and Memphis's father. Cairo has always been surly and dragging his feet on these expeditions, because he knows in his heart that he will never live up to his family's famous Legacy.

Dillinger is enthralled by history. He is a teacher, but he also runs a blog that has quite the following about historical events. His one true regret is that he's never been on the front lines; he's barely made it outside of his apartment in Boston. When he heard that the Vanderbilt twins are heading out for a new dig, he takes a chance and contacts them about recording the dig in his blog and possibly a video blog as well.

As the team searches for their biggest find to date, Cairo starts actually enjoying himself for the first time any of the others can remember. Part of this is due to the fact that his father is not there, but the other part is that Dillinger is. As they get closer to their goal, and Cairo and Dillinger get closer to each other, a secret past comes back to try to ruin both things in one blow.

Angry words and actions are taken, deceptions are believed, and it seems that all may be lost. But, due to some investigation into how this could have happened, and an overheard argument, things might possibly turn around.

Overall, once I got into the story, it was pretty entertaining. The "I love you"s were said a little early for my preference, but that's my own personal hang-up. It's well worth the read, especially if you're looking for an adventurous romance. And, it could very well have been my mindset going in that stalled my progress at first.

Happy reading!

* I received an ARC of this book and I am leaving my honest review. *

[❤Sharonica-Logic❤ · Rating 5 out of 5]

A treasure lost to time... A Treasure found in time!👑

Finding ATG!

The book:
• 264 Pages • Contemporary • Standalone • Happily Ever After • Third-Person Narrative • Dual POV •

The romantic theme:
• First Love • Second Chances • Friends To Lovers

The read:
• Low Angst • Family Drama • Good Pace • Engaging •

Heat level:
• 2 / 5 • This was a slow burn. The scenes that did happen were good, however.

Story ingredients:
• Grief • Family Secrets • Adventure • Big Romantic Gestures

MC1- Cairo...
• Legacy Heir Apparent • Cocky • Temperamental • Identical Twin • Archeologist •

MC2- Dillinger...
• Smart • Introvert w/ Extrovert Tendencies • Loyal • Loves History • Professor • Blogger •

Families can lay waste to each other faster than an ATG's (Alexander the Great) Army! Drama drama and more mo-fo drama! Sheesh!😲 Thankfully, when blood ties get to be too much, we have the ability to form our own tribe, or go it alone. Which was the case for one of our MCs, while the other stayed in his family in spite of all the drama-trauma. These two men, from two different lives, but so closely paralleled they could have been twins in their own right.

I am such a huge fan of Pandora Pine. I love the way her characters come to life for me. They are real and just complex enough that they are believable, as is the world created around them.

I am always left satisfied with the words, "The End," but still hopeful that more will come from the world she created in the story. This one ticked so many boxes for me. Anytime a book sends me to Google for visual aids, or in search of something the author has piqued my interest in, is a definite plus. I did this more than once, while reading, Finding Alexander. Let's just say, Alexandria is now on my bucket list. 😁

4.5 diggin'-it-stars 🌟🌟🌟🌟.🌟


I received a free copy of this book via LesCourt and am voluntarily leaving a review.💋

[Amanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is like a breath of fresh air with its Indiana Jones-style adventure and the search for Alexander the Great. I have always loved Ancient Egypt, and Pandora Pine does an excellent job of integrating the relevant history, as well as the significance of this hunt and such a find as Alexander in the archaeological community, into the narrative. The characters have depth and realistically flawed, but quite likable. I felt for Cairo from the start with the weight of his family legacy on his shoulders.. even if I wanted to throttle him a few times too. And Dillinger’s passion is infectious not only for me as a reader, but also for Cairo and his team.. once he manages to finagle his way onto said team, of course. Cairo and Dillinger are fire from the first time they meet, though they fall more on the side of hate than anything for a while. I really love watching Cairo finally find joy and fall in love with his work with Dillinger on the team. The passion that ignites between them is sizzling, but Dillinger has a secret.. and of course, things don’t quite go as planned.

Cairo and Dillinger are wonderful characters who grow over the course of this adventure. The hunt for Alexander had me just as excited as them!! I was upset when they were disappointed, and practically yelling “yes!” when they found anything. I was glued to the pages, rooting for them to find the lost king and bring him home. I was also saddened but the reality of what gay people face in that part of the world today...

With endless excitement and adventure, history and archaeology, romance and friendship, and a family legacy that leads to the biggest find in decades, Finding Alexander is sure to become one of the author’s most loved books to date.

[Beth · Rating 4 out of 5]

A unique, exciting story

The setting for this story is one new to me, an archeological dig. The basic premise is that an archeologist living in his father’s very burdensome shadow (Cairo) sets out to find the lost tomb of Alexander the Great. He is accompanied by his twin brother, Memphis, lifetime friend Magnus, and a blogger new to them all (Dillinger) who has his own reasons for wanting to participate in an adventure in Egypt.

The story arc proceeds at a good pace and along the way we learn more and more about the MCs. We also get to see the romance slowly and hesitatingly develop between Cairo and Dillinger.

There are bumps along the way, some of which don’t mesh well with the storyline for me (they seem inconsistent) but those are minor discrepancies in terms of the whole picture. Better editing might have smoothed some of this out and there were siting and proofreading errors I am not used to seeing in this author’s work.

The huge crisis moment is hold-your-breath awful and I wondered how the characters could come back from it. I don’t know that I could have been as forgiving. My emotions were tossed around like someone on the Tilt-a-Whirl! Seething anger, righteous indignation, heartbreaking sorrow, bittersweet triumph...all in the space of a few minutes. That’s damn fine writing! As I reflected on what had I occurred I tried to remember if I’d read another book where I wanted to throat punch so many family members of the MCs!!

The book’s ending is sweet and perfect. I’m not sure if this is the start of another series by Pine but certainly Memphis and Magnus need a story and I can imagine there would be other good tales to tell for these world travelers.

[Xanthe · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a great new story from Pandora Pine. Something different to the psychic stories I've been reading from her but there's some similarities in that there is a great cast of characters and a really good plot line to dive into.
Cairo is the man with the weight of a family legacy on his shoulders as he searches for treasures lost long ago and Dillinger is the man joining him on his first trip of a lifetime diving into history that he loves so much. The two have great chemistry and bounce off of each other with banter and a clear attraction on both sides. I love that we get both POV's as they develop a friendship and professional relationship around something that means so much to them both. There's also Cairo's twin, Memphis, and his best friend, Magnus, that make up their team of explorer's and there's a sense of family that they have built up together but also are having to rebuild after a recent tragedy in their past. As you would expect with a close group of guys, there's a fair amount of fun and brotherly love but they are serious about the work their doing and strong to defend and support each other.
Pandora has clearly done her research when it comes to ancient Egypt and Alexander the Great. Though I have no clue as to the history of that subject, everything is written so well and comes across as knowledgeable but still interesting and entertaining. She has once again given us a couple and their family that are easy to love and read about. Hoping this isn't the last that we hear from them.
A must read for Pandora's fans and those interested in romance, adventure and history. Definite recommendation!
I received an ARC and am happily giving a review.

[Terri · Rating 4 out of 5]

Finding Alexander is the story of a group of men on a quest to find Alexander the Great, and it's full of fascinating facts about history and archaeology. The men searching for Alexander's resting place are each very interesting and complicated characters. The romance here is between Cairo and Dillinger, and this is a very bumpy ride.
I enjoyed this story, and I absolutely loved Dillinger DeCosta. This man retaliated against his difficult upbringing by creating his own happy, though lonely, life. Every time Cairo had a mood swing or was just unable to hold his temper, and he lashed out at Dillinger, it was hard to read. I understood that Cairo's own troubled past was to blame, and he really worked to make things better, so I still liked him. When Cairo and Dillinger were together and getting along, they were perfection. It was these moments that kept me going.
This book has so much to offer. There is a great romance, an interesting history-based storyline, and well written characters who are engaging and sometimes enraging. It was a terrific read, and I know others will love it as much as I do.

[Rachwithheadinabook · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great story, The Great King

I love most of Pandora Pine’s books and this is no exception.

We meet Cairo an archaeologist who is going on the trip of a lifetime, Dillinger joins the team as their photographer/media Guru. Both Cairo and Dillinger come from the same sort of background one of privilege and luxury but also one of immensely high expectations, but one has found away free and the other is still being defined by it, they are drawn together in an irresistible way, I loved how both points of view were written showing their personalities.
What really captured my attention was the hunt for Alexander. All the research that was done for the archaeological dig practices, permits, how the Egyptian government regulate archaeological fines and Alexander the great himself is evident all the way through this book, which made me the reader hanker for what comes next.
I do hope this is the beginning of a new series as I would love to see more not only of Cairo and Dillinger but I would also love for Magnus and Memphis to get their own stories. This was a truly rewarding read for me.

[K.R. Phoenix · Rating 5 out of 5]

🌟🌟🌟🌟 4.5 stars
🔥🔥🔥 Heat Level: 3.5

Fantastic action adventure with perfect Pandora wit and romance!

Another winner from Pandora (even without Ten and Ro)!! I loved Cairo and Dillinger. They are great characters individually, had great chemistry together, and the story holds a little twist I loved; that I just didn't see coming!!

Dillinger is a wonderful character and I loved his personality and desire for adventure and self-sufficiency. He wishes to experience just one of the things he's researched as part of his Absentee History Blog. His sense of awe and wonder flies off the page and added to my own long-dormant desire to travel and explore. I loved the serious notes Pandora added to the story and the real truths of the safety of LGBTQ+ people and visitors in Eygpt and similar countries. 

The spark between Cairo and Dillinger is wonderful. I was surprised how their connection developed and a little disappointed in Cairo as the twist is revealed. Thankfully he comes to his senses and they get a wonderful happy ending with more adventure to come in their future. I hope to learn more about the rest of Cairo's team and hope there will be more stories of Cairo and Dillinger!!!

Thanks for reading! For great stories, reviews and more please visit https://bookstattoosandtea.wordpress.com 📚

[Lois - Who Reads · Rating 3 out of 5]

I had a few issues with this book even though I enjoyed it. Cairo has lived his whole life under the thumb of his father and with the immense pressure to fulfill the Vanderbilt legacy. Cairo has never felt the same passion as the rest of his family, but after the death of his father he makes the decision to go out again looking for Alexander the way he could not when his father was alive.

Cairo and Dillinger fit together perfectly after Cairo stopped hiding behind his “I don't trust anyone” wall. Everything between them happened pretty quickly, but the connection they made over their less than stellar upbringings made it seem a little plausible that they would click so quickly.

It was hinted from the beginning that Dillinger had a big secret, but once it was revealed I found it hard to believe that none of the other men wouldn't have noticed. Being so deeply involved in archeology since they were very young I just found it hard to swallow that they had no idea. How quickly they found the treasure was a little hard to believe. It all just happened so quickly.

[R · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dillinger has his own history blog. He loves having people experience history through his eyes. When he has a chance to go to Egypt to search for the tomb of Alexander the Great he can’t say no. Even if it means he has to spend time with the most irritating man he has ever met. An annoyingly gorgeous, difficult, needy, sweet man.

Cairo is a victim of his fathers vicious control. When his father unexpectedly dies, Cairo feels like he can finally breathe. Which makes him feel even worse. When he decides to do something to create his own legacy, he enlists Dillinger’s help. Not realizing he will get so much more than help.

I liked this book and its heroes. Dillinger, Cairo, Memphis and Magnus were all interesting characters. I’ve read several of the authors other books and this one was a much lighter story. Cute and fun to read. I hope there’s more to come from these guys.

I received an arc of this book.

[Heather · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cairo & Dillinger

This was a fantastic story! When I read this blurb, I was immediately pulled in! Adventurous romance, searching for hidden treasure?! Sign me up! Cairo and Dillinger pulled me into their story immediately. I both wanted to hurry up and finish to see how the adventure ended, but at the same time I didn’t want it to end! The chemistry between Cairo and Dillinger was off the charts and quite steamy. The adventure in the search for Alexander the Great kept me on my toes and wondering if their team could find their long buried treasure. Cairo and Dillinger’s story had me on a rollercoaster of emotions throughout. If you love an enemies to lovers, adventure, intrigue and the sweetest HEA then this is the read for you! I couldn’t recommend their story more! I hope we hear more from the characters in this book because I’d love to know if Cairo’s twin Memphis finds his long-awaited HEA.

[Shaz · Rating 5 out of 5]

It seems that this author really strikes a cord with me. Whenever I start with one of her books, I truly struggle to put it down and stop reading, lol. And with this one, it was no different. Once started, I didn't want to step away.

Cairo and Dillinger are both interesting characters. I'll admit, at times Cairo got on my nerves a little, especially with some of his angsting and he was also very quick to condemn. But then again, I suppose a lot was his upbringing coming into play. I'll admit to some confusion having a character named Cairo with a story set in Egypt though *grin* I see where the author was coming from, but a few times I had a WTH moment.

I don't know enough about archaeology and all the procedures and hoops that need to be jumped though to know if the author was using artistic licence or not, but it definitely made for a great story. It's definitely a series I'm planning on continuing!

[Sarita Chapdelaine · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a fun and entertaining story with wonderful characters and a great storyline. It is well written, the setting is amazing, there is an exciting mystery and just enough angst to keep it interesting. Cairo and Dillinger have a bit of a rough start but their strong connection and hot chemistry soon has their relationship changing for the better. They are in for a bumpy ride as they hunt for the ultimate treasure in Egypt but with the help of Cairo's brother Memphis and their best friend Magnus they will do everything they can to complete their quest. I love the secondary characters as they add a lot to this story and I hope we get to see more of them in the future.

I voluntarily reviewed an advanced copy of this book.

[Dixiecowgirl · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it! Had all the feels for me! Two men who are finding themselves, learning to be who they are meant to be, outside the shadow of their fathers's. One the creator of stories and one the teller of stories have so much to give each other.

Cairo and Dillinger are awesome characters who became three dimensional with the telling of this story. Their connection is complex and so very steamy. I really liked them together. The writing was great and the story-line was creative and engaging.

The archaeological world is a wonderful new story-land for this author to explore and i am excited to see what she might create. There are some really awesome characters, Memphis and Magnus that i would love to see more about.

Really fun read!!

[Sheridan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’ve never read a book about lost treasures and archeologists before so I was really intrigued!
I really enjoyed the story line of this book.
Cairo and his family all dedicated to the lost treasures of the world, the family legacy that was a huge burden and his past, turning this character from a butt head to someone we could fall in love with.
And Dillinger with his past battles, leaving his own family to stand on his own two feet.
They were both interesting characters. As well as Memphis and Magnus they intrigued me too! So I’m hoping they get a story!!!
But this was a wonderful story about trust, finding new passions, new adventures, new love! Definitely an interesting read and I really enjoyed it!

[Laurie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've read Pandora's other books with their paranormal elements and loved them. But this one isn't set in that type of world. So I was excited to see something new and different. And she didn't disappoint!

This story has it all. There's fun and excitement. Adventure, mystery, and intrigue. All of this keeps you turning the pages. And like all of her stories, there are great characters, Cairo and Dillinger. You understand them and how their pasts were still affecting their present lives. The side characters of Memphis and Magnus add so much to the story as well. (I'm hoping they get their own stories too)

I hope this is the start of another great series from this author. I would love to go on their worldwide travel adventures with them.

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

Have to admit, I struggled with this one. The story just felt flat to me. That is the best way I can explain it. I guess my expectations were different. They synopsis states, "Indiana Jones meets Clark Kent in this modern-day treasure hunt." I thought there would be mystery, adventure and romance, but none of those things really happened. They didn't have to work that hard to find the "treasure" and they knew exactly where to look so there was no adventure. The romance was brushed over to the point it was insta-love in my book, and I really dislike insta-love unless it is a paranormal romance. Cairo and Dillinger were saying "I love you," within a few weeks of knowing each other. The writing was solid which is why I gave the book 3 stars, but the story did nothing for me.

[Lindsay Hardin · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a new standalone by Pandora Pine. I have read several of her books and this was something very different from her other books. And while I have loved both her contemporary and paranormal series this book was something else. I absolutely adored the whole premise of this book. The book reminds me loosely of National Treasure the movie. Dillinger and Cairo are two peas in a pod and we’re so much fun to get to know. This book was packed with adventure with a side helping of romance. I hope to read books about Memphis and Magnus to hear their stories or if there is more to Cairo and Dillinger’s story I will inhale them.

[Jeff · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesome Adventure. As a standalone book, this one worked excellently. Pine manages to spin an adventure tale inside the romance tales that are her bread and butter, and she walks into this new ish arena boldly and executes it well. As a potential series starter, it does an excellent job in telling one complete tale while introducing and providing glimpses of supporting characters that can get their own tales down the road. Truly well done, and I for one would look forward to coming back to this world. Very much recommended.

[kathleen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I always know I am in for a good read when I begin a Pandora Pine story. Finding Alexander takes you on quite the ride. You will join Cairo and Dillinger on the adventure of a lifetime. Will they find the lost treasures of Alexander the Great? Will they find love along the way? You will have to read this amazing book to get those answers.

This book is full of adeventure, romance, humor and so much more! I'm really hoping for a story where Cairo’s twin Memphis finds his long-awaited HEA.

[Celine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful story

Once again Pandora Pine wrote a story that hit all my feels and more.

I loved Cairo and Dillinger. I had trouble connecting to Cairo at the beginning, but as the story progresses, you understand why he is how he is and you can't help loving him.
I loved everything about Dillinger, he was so fun, enthusiastic and sweet, but no pushover.

I loved the archeological plot, it was something I didn't know I was looking for, and she wrote it perfectly.

Overall a great book, really recommend