Reviews

The Library by the River by Debra Flores

zefrien's review

emotional medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

00leah00's review

emotional reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

corrie's review

5.0

As I reached the end of The Library by the River, Debra Flores had managed to reduce me to a sobbing mess. Her magnificent storytelling, that was already present in the 5 star time travel romance One Day You’ll Leave Me, has captivated me once again. This book is the absolute bomb. It stirred up a lot of feelings and as much as I wanted to utterly hate that one character (no spoilers) and her actions and put her on fire, I did get her. Only very talented writers can manage that, because they invest in the motivations and development of the main players in such a way I can even feel empathy for the bad girl. The narrative is a sweet slow burn, intimate and heartbreakingly beautiful but with this underpinning of sadness and unease.

Never stop writing, Ms. Flores!

f/f

Themes: the love that dare not speak its name, hell hath no fury like a woman scorned, the all sacrificing love of a mother.

5 stars