Fossil Feud
Author: Maggie North
Reviewer: Jen
Rating: A-/B+
What I’m Talking About:
Three years ago, Ripley Adams made it four-fifths through her paleobiology PhD before she was forced to step away from academia. Her then boyfriend, Will, took credit for her work, and when she refused to make him the author of her paper, she was asked to leave. Now she oversees a small citizen-run crew, Clever Girl, working for a tech-bro billionaire.
Dr. James A. Smithson is a name in the industry. Ripley always admired him, but he also helped put the nail in her academic coffin three years ago when he refused to take her on as a student. Ripley is annoyed but curious when James shows up unannounced at her dig site asking her to help him prove that Will’s latest finding is fraudulent. Needing the funds he can bring in to her work, she agrees.
Fossil Feud is a captivating romance between two genuinely good people. I absolutely adored Ripley and James. Both carry baggage. While Ripley’s dad made up for the lack of a caring mother, James’ dad is a real asshole, made worse after the death of his mom. Ripley cannot trust men in her field because of her ex, but also because of the male-dominated system that took Will’s side over hers.
It’s clear that the pair have chemistry. We know that Ripley has long been attracted to James, but it’s more than physical. They are kind, giving, and appreciate the talents of the other. Neither wants to change or limit the other, and lifts up the other instead. While I wish we had James’ POV, the story is balanced and full.
The supporting cast is fun and provides needed insight to Ripley, especially when she’s torn and emotionally twisted up. I love how Ripley slowly lets in the crew and makes friends as she moves outside her comfort zone and opens up. This comes full circle when her posse help her in her time of need.
In the end, Fossil Feud is a delightful read, filling my heart with joy and bringing a smile soul.
My Rating: A-/B+
Jen
About the Book:
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. . . .
Release Date: July 28, 2026
Publisher: Dell
Series: Standalone
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Format(s): paperback (384 pages), e-book, audiobook
Book Source: Publisher / NetGalley