Review of “Little Liar” by Leigh Rivers

This review will contain major spoilers!

I somehow managed to write this review despite my exhaustion and disinterest, but honestly this book just felt so unnecessary. When I read the description, I figured Olivia was going to get kidnapped, but to my surprise it wasn't actually a major part of the story - it didn't happen until about 80% into the book. I truly just think that Leigh Rivers sucks at summarizing her books.

Anyway, you might be wondering - what was the story about then?

Well the first 40% of this book was just Malachi’s perspective from growing up with Olivia. It was many of the same scenes from the first book, so to be honest I was a little bored, but the smut was still spectacular.

After all the rehashing, we jump to the present - following the events of the first book - where Malachi and Olivia are finally together. Malachi is hesitant to trust Olivia (understandable because she literally put him in prison) so he doesn't want her to go back to work or leave his sight, but she ends up going back to work anyway. At one point he shows up at her work and fucks her on her desk. Spicy!

With Olivia back at work, Malachi goes to therapy and takes his meds like a good boy, but he’s still very unhinged. When he started watching Olivia through his cameras again I literally couldn't take it. Like get a fucking job, brother.

Meanwhile Olivia starts receiving threats from the dude she left at the altar in the last book. Her mother keeps pushing her to marry him regardless, but Olivia is persistent with her refusal, so she doesn’t find it necessary to tell Malachi. There’s no trust in this relationship.

A few chapters later, Olivia is kidnapped for the first time - yes, you heard that right - the FIRST time. It was very anticlimactic. Malachi basically just tracked her location and came in clutch with a screwdriver by nearly decapitating the kidnapper.

SIDE NOTE: This is also when we find out that Malachi has a bunch of bodies buried in his backyard. Just a bunch of random people he killed because they dared to show interest in Olivia. And when Malachi and his dad are burying the kidnapper his dad is like, “The bodies will be our little secret as long as you don't kill anyone else." Surely I misheard you?? Because that’s actually insane? But ok. Anyway Olivia never actually found out about these bodies so I don’t even know what the point was.

SIDE SIDE NOTE: And yes, Malachi is on speaking terms with his father despite fucking his daughter over his dying body. I don’t know, man. I didn’t write the book.

Very soon after the first kidnapping, we find out that Olivia’s mom was the one to organize the kidnapping. It was basically all for money. Her mom is a greedy bitch, but Malachi eventually takes care of her, so it’s fine.

The second and final time Olivia is kidnapped, it's after Malachi is stabbed and shot in the chest. He ends up in a coma while Olivia is locked up by her ex-fiancé’s father. Once Malachi wakes up from his coma, him and a bunch of random new characters hatch a plan to rescue Olivia, and without any problems at all, she gets rescued!

In the epilogue, Malachi and Olivia have a baby. I think it’s kind of questionable for a literal psychopath to be having a baby, but I digress - we got a happy ending. I was hoping it would be a tragedy and someone would die honestly.

Needless to say a lot happened in this book, but also nothing happened, and it was all super unnecessary. I should've just stopped after the first one. I don’t want to say that this wasn’t a good book because the first one wasn't necessarily good either. I just wasn't as entertained by this story. A lot of it felt recycled and what wasn't recycled was literally so insane and ridiculous that I was cracking up.

I still love Malachi’s crazy ass and I’d probably read more books by Leigh Rivers, but I probably wouldn't reread this duet.

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RATINGS:

Overall: 2/5 ⭐️

Spice: 4/5 🌶️