The third book in the Chicago World’s Fair series, Whispers in the Reading Room, does not disappoint. This book has a fantastic combination of historical fiction, mystery, and romance that readers will love. The story focusus on librarian Lydia Bancroft, a woman that has fallen on hard financial times, and Sebastian Marks, the owner of a deep-rooted saloon and gambling establishment for men, the Silver Grotto. With well-developed characters and a delightful and engaging story back dropped in Chicago, readers will be hooked from page one.

Series: Chicago World’s Fair
Genre: historical, mystery, romance, Christian
Publisher: Zondervan
Publication date: November 10, 2015
Number of pages: 352

Other books in the series:
1-Secrets of Sloane House
2-Deception on Sable Hill

Content Rating: PG
Book Rating: 5 stars

A review copy of this book was provided by LitFuse.

Whispers in the Reading Room by Shelley Gray is Book 3 in the Chicago World Fair Mystery series. This was the first book that I've read by this author and it won't be the last. I actually want to read the first two books in the series now that I have finished this one.

This is the story of Lydia and Sebastian. Lydia is a librarian and she meets Sebstian at work, although he doesn't as much speak a word to her. She's intrigued, but nothing happens until he rescues her later, at the hotel that he just happens to own, from her irritating fiance.

Whispers in the Reading Room is a romance and a mystery. Although the Chicago World Fair is over by this book, and thus not really focused upon, the Chicago of that time is still very evident throughout the story, what with the poor conditions and just much of what that time was really like. The characters were well written. Lydia's mother was quite annoying, but still decently written. Overall, I'd recommend this book, and likely the series (once I read them) to others. Ms. Gray did a great job incorporating some of the historical aspects into the story!

This book felt evil and dark throughout. Because of that, I could not connect with it at all. I didn't really care what happened to any of the characters because they made stupid choices the whole way through, often compounding their own problems by choosing to "forget" they were "concerned" about their reputations or that they were under investigation (why would someone purposefully commit a crime when under investigation for another one???). The leading man was overly bossy and controlling. I'm not sure why Lydia liked him over her physically-abusive fiance. I certainly didn't, though I didn't much care for Avondale, either.

Honestly, this book was a colossal waste of my time. I will not be reading more from the series.

Content:
* evil overtones throughout
* alcohol
* expletive
* prostitutes
* bars/clubs
* gambling

I haven't read the first two books in this series, but after reading this one I don't have any plans on reading them. While I found the prologue to be very interesting, after that the story was pretty boring (at least to me). I never cared about the characters, the romance, or even the mystery. The ending was okay; but, by the time I finally got around to it, I just wanted the book to be over. Maybe if I had read the first two books I would have enjoyed this more, but I don't think so. All in all, this wasn't a book for me.

*Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention/review it on my blog. I was not required to give a positive review, only my honest opinion - which I've done. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own and I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.*

Do you believe you are valuable? Like, really?

Lydia Bancroft was maybe a lady once, but now she is a librarian, voluntarily lost in the pages of the books. After all, this is her only home after her father's death and subsequient financial losses, and her mother living only to restore the family wealth (and her own comfort) through her daughter's suitable marriage. But who would marry a mouse-like, glasses-wearing and quiet girl? And is having brains even attractive?

Sebastian Marks is, on the other hand, a very attractive man. And confident, capable and fear-inducing owner of a club with illegal game hall. Nobody would ever say that just a few years ago he was a hungry son of a prostitute, who fought for a better life. No one can ever know. No one can get close enough.

And yet - the shy librarian and the man of the world share a passion towards literature and knowledge, and the quiet time in Lydia's lending library. And when a man with double life mistreats Lydia, Sebastian is there to help. And what starts just with a help, changes into protection and a need to protect and to care. For both sides.

The best from the series! And I can't even pinpoint why - maybe because this is the most romantic from all of the series? Or maybe because it deals with the issues of self-value and self-worth in the way the most of all can relate to? There is no social class crash to solve (this aspect was a bit unrealistic for me in the previous books), just to realize one can have a dream, one can fight for it - and one is worthy of love the way they are. And yes, one should follow its conscience (Sebastian is truly a dashing hero, but also a gambling hall owner, right?).
And I also love how realistic the motivations of all of the characters are (including the second leads Vincent and Bridget, who are my favourite second lead couple of all of the series). The book deals with poverty and opportunities, and the fear hidden behind the need of solidity and stability (now, don't get me wrong, there is nothing wrong with solidity and stability themselves. But characters here hid in their comfort zones and they need to get out of there - and the clinging to the to certainty of any kind can prevent their wings from flying to the sky.). This realistic aspects of adult life are one of most intriguing parts of the novel for me.

Sebastian is also a man making Lydia feel truly protected (and believably, I might add) - and this is very attractive characteristics of any romantic hero.

I liked the couples here (Bridget and Vincent all the way! Especially Bridget, as she is by far the most realistic character here) and my fingers are crossed for them. With them, I am sure they will be happy.

As far as the mystery - well, don't look for it. These books are simply not mysteries and the sinister evil happening in them is just a prop to make the characters to dote on each other. But at least the killer's motives are quite believable here.

I enjoyed reading this book. Shelley Gray is a skilled author with a great capacity to show the emotional warmth and here she runs her capacities with full force.

And I just want to give a shout out for the libraries and book lovers all around the world! :)

How I came to read Whispers in the Reading Room by Shelley Gray is so very typical of me. Set in Gilded Age Chicago (just after the World's Fair closes), there's some mystery, a hero with a dubious reputation, and a librarian heroine. Never mind the cover art. Published by Zondervan (an inspirational imprint of Harpercollins), my curiosity was piqued. Wendy catnip. While I wouldn't say that curiosity killed the cat in this instance, this turned out to be a slog of a read.

Lydia Bancroft is a librarian, a gently born lady who has fallen on hard times after the death of her father. The only hope of securing her future, and returning her mother to their former lifestyle, she must marry well. She's on the verge of doing that (so she thinks), when she finds herself intrigued by a mysterious patron who frequents her reading room.

Sebastian Marks was born on the wrong side of the tracks, his mother a prostitute, his father unknown. Through sheer grit and determine, Sebastian has become one of the most feared men in Chicago, owner a notorious gambling hall / bar. A big deal is made over the fact that he doesn't deal in women however, so like he's totally OK. Anyway, he's smitten with Lydia from afar, knowing she's way too good for him. However, when he spies her odious fiance' man-handling her in a hotel dining room, he swoops in to save the day. Her engagement now kaput, her mother positively apoplectic, Lydia and Sebastian become friends. That is until a shocking murder and Sebastian's over stimulated sense of self pity rear their ugly heads.

From a marketing standpoint this book is endlessly intriguing. Technically it's an inspirational. I guess. Sort of. But honestly? Outside of a few mentions of scripture and prayer this easily could be marketed as simply a "gentle romance" and it would have been fine. Also, while the sensuality of this story is very G-rated, I'll admit that I'm surprised I haven't seen more fire and brimstone reviews for this one. Sebastian is a club owner. He makes his living off of gambling and liquor. Yes, he doesn't deal in prostitutes (minor detail), but gambling is illegal. There's mention of bribing cops. And, let me repeat, THIS IS AN INSPIRATIONAL. Now obviously, I don't have a problem with this per se. I wouldn't consider faith to be a big driving theme in this story. It's there, but it's a light touch. The whole thing is such a dichotomy that even as I grew frustrated with the story I kept circling back around to this point. For an inspirational the plot points of the hero's background sure are risky.

So where does it go wrong? One word: Lydia. Good Lord is this girl clueless. Naive doesn't begin to cover it. To make matters worse the author keeps trying to sell the fact that she's "so smart" because she's a librarian and reads a lot. Well for someone who supposedly reads a lot (including Chicago newspapers) she sure is as dumb as a post when it comes to "the real world." Normally I would say this fits the time period and her character. She is a gently born lady after all and gently born ladies weren't expected to know much of anything that didn't involve needlepoint and playing the piano. But Lydia has fallen from grace. She's having to pawn family possessions to keep a roof (a ramshackle townhouse) over her head. Her mother puts the B in bitter. She's working for a living. To have her still be so naive is just annoying. To put it bluntly, if you dumped Lydia in the middle of the woods, all alone, she'd curl up into a little ball and be dead within 30 minutes.

In contrast, Sebastian is all wounded hero with a dark past which means, brace yourself, the romance here is Grade A, 100% Pure Rescue Fantasy. Lydia is the precious snowflake who cannot get her hands dirty and Sebastian is the hero determined to keep her in a gilded cage all while pulling a Pullman car's worth of self-pity behind him. And while Lydia has a nice moment of railing against Sebastian when he behaves like a jackass in the end, he does very little work to win her back and repent for his idiocy. I pretty much wanted these two shot dead by a gang of ruffians by the time it was all said and done.

This is marketed as the third book in the Chicago World's Fair Mysteries series. It stands alone extremely well, although this is much more a romance than a mystery - with the shocking murder not occurring until the final third of the book. Even then the identity of the whodunit wasn't exactly much of a mental stretch.

I liked Gray's writing style and thought she handled the historical settings and details well, but nothing else about this story moved me. If anything I was surprisingly close to DNF'ing it because I was so sick of Lydia's naivete and Sebastian's overbearing attitude, but persevered because I was that close to the finish. Were there intriguing risky elements? Certainly. But at the end of the day this Rescue Fantasy romance with a helpless heroine and an overbearing hero protecting her (constantly) meant it read very old-fashioned. Oh, what might have been.

Final Grade = C-