book recs, author services, general badassery
  • Blog
    • Free Romance Reads
    • Our Thoughts
    • 1-Click Wonders
    • Author on Authors
    • Chattin' with Authors
    • So You're New To...
  • Book Recs
  • Reviews
    • 5-Star Reads
    • Contemporary Romance
    • Historical Romance
    • New Adult Romance
    • Paranormal Romance
    • Romantic Comedy
    • Romantic Erotica
    • Romantic Suspense
    • Teen Young Adult
    • Hall of Shame
  • About
    • Contact
    • Review Policy
    • Guest Post Guidelines
    • Advertising on Romance Rehab
  • For Authors
    • Romance novel blurb help
    • Referral Program
    • Romance Author Services
    • Online Writer's Resources
    • Do It Yourself Blurb Help
    • Proofreading Test >
      • Proofreading Test Answers
  • Blog
    • Free Romance Reads
    • Our Thoughts
    • 1-Click Wonders
    • Author on Authors
    • Chattin' with Authors
    • So You're New To...
  • Book Recs
  • Reviews
    • 5-Star Reads
    • Contemporary Romance
    • Historical Romance
    • New Adult Romance
    • Paranormal Romance
    • Romantic Comedy
    • Romantic Erotica
    • Romantic Suspense
    • Teen Young Adult
    • Hall of Shame
  • About
    • Contact
    • Review Policy
    • Guest Post Guidelines
    • Advertising on Romance Rehab
  • For Authors
    • Romance novel blurb help
    • Referral Program
    • Romance Author Services
    • Online Writer's Resources
    • Do It Yourself Blurb Help
    • Proofreading Test >
      • Proofreading Test Answers
Picture

The Elder by Celia Aaron

2/6/2018

0 Comments

 
Picture
Picture

​ROMANTIC SUSPENSE


Publication date: 02/06/2018
Kindle Unlimited: Yes
Cliffhanger: No
 
If you’ve read any of our reviews or weekly “best of” lists, you’ve seen plenty of Celia Aaron. I’ve read, reviewed and ADORED The Bad Guy, Nate and Incubus. Hell, I even read (and loved) her Reylo fanfiction. (Sidenote: there’s also some super hot The Walking Dead fanfiction there, too. But be warned: it’s not work appropriate, folks. Save this one for home, after hours, when the kids are asleep.) So, saying that I’m a big fan of Celia Aaron is an understatement. Kind of like saying, snow is a little cold and doughnuts are a little yummy. (Doughnuts are EVERYTHING. But I digress…)  That said, I’m sure it comes as no surprise that I loved The Elder.
The Elder is romantic suspense at its finest. There’s plenty of action and danger, with a little mystery thrown in for good measure, topped off with some awesome sexual tension between the hero and heroine. I’m not normally a big fan of romantic suspense, but if there was a school specifically for romantic suspense authors, this one should be taught on day 1 and studied in depth. It should be required reading for anyone hoping to author romantic suspense novels. (In my humble opinion)

Benton was a good hero. He was strong and brave and smart, not to mention good-looking. That’s all fine and good. But my favorite part of the story? That was BY FAR the heroine, Arabella. Why did I love Arabella? Let me count the ways:
  • Does Arabella get all flustered by Benton and lose focus? Nope. She’s a cop on an important case, and she acts like it at all times. At one point in the beginning of the story, when Benton encroaches on her personal space, Arabella doesn’t “fall prey to the heat in his eyes” like a heroine in a lesser romantic suspense novel would. Nope. She threatens him. Lets him know she’ll shoot him if he gets out of line. No simpering, weak-willed heroines here. #Girlpower!
  • Competence porn. Arabella does her job and does it well. Her partner, a male detective, is her subordinate. Yay for gender role reversal!
  • She hasn’t had an easy life, has made choices that didn’t make things any easier, but she never once feels sorry for herself or whines about how she’s been hurt in the past. She’s a single mom with a job to do. No time for wimping and whining in Arabella’s life.
  • When things do get physical for Benton and Arabella, does she doubt herself or go on for pages and pages, wondering if she’s doing the right thing by getting involved with Benton? No way! Not Arabella. She goes after what she wants, gets it, then goes right back to work. She’s a cop on an important case, after all!
  • She’s not a blonde white girl. I say that with absolutely no disrespect intended towards blonde white girls, but diversity in romance novels is something I crave and rarely get to see enough of.

Arabella’s daughter is also adorable and speaks age-appropriately. I get so tired of toddlers speaking like ten-year-olds in romance novels. Seldom, if ever, do young children give sage love advice, and you’d be surprised how many times that happens in romance novels. But Vivi was perfect. (Every time she said “Bennon”, it warmed up my old, bitter heart a little bit. I might’ve even smiled a time or two. Don’t tell anyone, though.)

Long-story-short, this is a highly 1-clickable romantic suspense read that I can’t say enough good things about. And I want to be Arabella when I grow up. That is all.    
   
Disclaimer: We received an ARC from the author at no charge.

Does this book contribute to or help crush the romance stigma?
Stomps the bejesus out of it! No rehab needed. This one is clean and sober.

Other reading suggestions
Get to the author’s backlist immediately!  Read everything there. Seriously, why are you still reading this review? Click that link and start reading more Celia Aaron. There's no time to waste.

0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    Romance Rehab newsletter sign up

    FOLLOW US 
    Reedsy Top Book Reviewer 2019

    RSS Feed

    Archives

    February 2025
    January 2025
    July 2024
    May 2024
    April 2024
    March 2024
    January 2024
    November 2023
    September 2023
    July 2023
    June 2023
    May 2023
    April 2023
    March 2023
    February 2023
    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017

Picture

BLOG
FREE Romance books
​Book Recommendations

Our Thoughts
1-Click Wonders
5-Star Reads
Authors on Authors
Chattin' with Authors
So You're New To...
What Not to Read
REVIEWS
​
Contemporary Romance
Historical Romance
New Adult Romance
Paranormal Romance
Romantic Comedy
Romantic Erotica
Romantic Suspense
Teen/Young Adult
ABOUT
Contact
Review Policy
Guest Post Guidelines
Advertising on
​Romance Rehab

​
FOR AUTHORS
Online Writer's Resources
Proofreading Test
ROMANCE AUTHOR SERVICES 
Romance novel blurb help
Romance Remedy program

Referral program

Romance author services
  • Book cover critique
  • Animated book covers and social media graphics
  • Beta reading
FREE Romance Rehab newsletter: ​Subscribe here
KnockinBooks LLC is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.
​© 2020 KnockinBooks LLC