HER PERFECT AFFAIR

One night of passion with her secret crush has lasting consequences for a reserved librarian

At her sister’s wedding, librarian Rosa Fernandez finally makes a move on her crush, IT whiz Jeremy Taylor. He’s from a wealthy, old-money Chicago family, while her working-class parents emigrated from Puerto Rico. Casual friends for years, Jeremy was there for Rosa after her beloved father’s death. With her parents gone and her sisters making their own paths, Rosa, normally hyperresponsible and controlled, feels lonely and at loose ends. Deciding, for once, to act on an impulsive desire, she invites the tall, blond Jeremy to her room for a nightcap after the wedding. Unbeknownst to Rosa, her crush is mutual, and Jeremy can't believe his luck. While Oliveras (His Perfect Partner, 2017) keeps the bedroom door firmly closed on readers, a positive pregnancy test evidences Rosa and Jeremy's night of passion. Rosa, a devout Catholic who works as a librarian at the Queen of Peace Academy, never considers abortion. Jeremy’s offer of marriage leaves her feeling like a charity case. Oliveras excels at portraying the Fernandez family relationships and Latino culture, and while the "librarian lets loose” trope is familiar, details about Rosa’s work, including how her employer’s morality clause affects her, create interest. However, Rosa’s critical and distant attitude toward Jeremy wears thin. The relationship is a bit of a downer, missing the sexiness and spark that illuminate the best pairings.

A wan romance dilutes the second installment of a trilogy about three sisters in the close-knit Fernandez family.