Why cant we add links to images in pages

Using Pages to create ebooks to be read in Apple's Books app. Sounds like a good plan right?

A nice authoring app where I use Page Layout mode because it behaves a little, just a little like Adobe inDesign.

Well, sorry but you cannot add a link to an image so you have to use the 'invisible text block with link over image trick'.

But. That. Doesn't. Work. In. BOOKS!

You would think that Apple wants us to use Pages to create ebooks to be read in BOOKS, right?

Well, if it had just this one other ability, it would not be necessary to pay $40/month just for inDesign which I will not ever do.

So, APPLE! I don't think I am asking a lot.

Here is what the text over image trick produces in Books when you export as an EPUB from Pages.

Event though I set the text to 0 transparency, it still shows in books. I don't know why Books does not respect transparency settings in this case.

I am not trying to use PDF because media embeds don't work unless you pay for the pro version of Acrobat. Apple gives you these great free apps so why would I want to start Paying A$OBE for teeny features that should be in PAGES.