Rating:

“I would burn the world twice over to save her life.”

Author: Isabel Ibanez

Olivera will do anything to stay in Egypt and right the wrongs she and her family have caused. The problem? Tio Ricardo is sending her home, regardless of her pleas. As a woman, she has no say, no control over her inherited fortune and where she goes. As the wife of the rough-edged adventurer, Whit, however, she has a lot more freedom. If that means a secret elopement and quick consummation, then so be it.

But wedded bliss and her schemes with Whit to stay in Egypt and force her murderous mother to pay for Elvira’s death are soon ruined by twisting events. Once again, Olivera is on her own. Her remaining family and her heart are in danger, and schemes years in the making are bringing everything to a dangerous conclusion. With no one to trust and nowhere to go, Olivera only has her foolhardy bravery and visions from Cleopatra to lead her to answers and redemption.

The first book, What the Rivers Knows, had its flaws. The magic in this world is weak, barely explained, and truly not necessary. Olivera is touted as smart, but her overly trusting nature leads her to make endless rookie mistakes (like trusting the last person to speak to her and falling for the alcoholic bad boy). But still, there was action, adventure, and a surprisingly sultry romance between the stereotypically secretive/dangerous/traumatized Whit and the unrealistically-independent-for-the-time Olivera. It just worked, and the Cleopatra stuff was cool. Add in Olivera’s heartbreak over her parent’s abandonment (choosing Egypt and wealth over her) and the shocking murder in the conclusion and it was a strong story that effectively captured the shadowy mystery of back-alley dealings, smuggling rings, and forbidden love. What the Library Hides is not quite so well-crafted and suffers with the initial story’s shortcomings without channeling any of its emotions and romantic flair.

First – we’re barely into the novel before the hinted at betrayal at the end of What the River Knows takes place, leaving Whit and Olivera on the outs and their new marriage a shambles. It’s no real spoiler, because the last book told us that Whit was using Olivera, that the romance was never real, but a means to an end. That made me buy What the Library Hides immediately because I had to know WHY Whit was doing this and how it tied into his dark, broody past.

Well . . . it’s dumb. Let me tell you. It makes absolutely no sense. It could have been avoided with a conversation – a simple one at that. Also, Whit proves himself just as foolish as Olivera and just as trusting. I can’t go into the details without revealing a major plot point, but let’s just say that Whit didn’t have to go as unquestioningly all-in nor be as honest with the people he was betraying Olivera too.

Image by Nah Cristina from Pixabay

But, of course, he has actually fallen in love with her. Best, then, to be broody and silent and definitely NOT answer any of her questions or just, you know, say “it started as a scam, clearly, but I love you.” No. We need to kill a couple of hundred pages with the characters eyeing each other, not talking, and yet thinking sexy thoughts about each other. Sigh.

Which brings me to Olivera, who, of course, is a wreck after yet another betrayal. This girl has some bad, bad luck. At first, she has a reasonable response: let’s get divorced. But, of course, she is going to go back and forth on loving him. Maybe he smiled at her just then because deep down he does love her? Maybe he just folded his napkin that way because, actually, he is head-over-heels in love with her. Girl, get some therapy and move on.

This entire silly betrayal is the catalyst to get Olivera on her own again. Tio Ricardo and Abdullah are easily set aside early on by being conveniently imprisoned. Isadora reappears, and after a brief reveal-all-convo, Olivera has a new pal with whom to share all her secrets.  Because that has worked really well in the past.

And this is where the entire narrative switches into that amateur detective / cozy mystery trope. Olivera and company bumble around, putting themselves in continual danger, running their mouths and revealing things to the villains, and, in the conclusion, literally not recognizing someone super important because of a fat-suit/disguise and fake facial hair. I wish I was kidding.

The only thing that saves our now entirely ditzy heroine is the convenient visions from Cleopatra. Seriously, Cleopatra is the only one with any sense, and I guess she is pulling the strings behind the scenes, because she seems to pop up just as all avenues are exhausted, leading our characters to some more betrayals and confrontations and then finally, an escape.

And about that escape. Don’t get super excited about the library in the title. You’ll barely see it, and it will be so poorly described that you won’t be able to envision it.

Also, don’t worry, because another major plot point will literally be handed to Olivera by one of the big bad villains in the end because, aww shucks, why not? Then we’ll get a happily-ever-after chapter with babies and cozy houses.

After so much promise and build up and that big cliff hanger at the end of What the River Knows, Where the Library Hides truly lets fans down. The first book wasn’t perfect, but it was addictive and we could see the vision. The second book, however, has more akin with a telenovela, complete with people coming back from the dead and betraying each other for no reason other than DRAMA. Sigh. So disappointed.

 

– Frances Carden

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Frances Carden
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