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 Remedy
    • Romance Author Services
    • Online Writer's Resources
    • 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 Remedy
    • Romance Author Services
    • Online Writer's Resources
    • Proofreading Test >
      • Proofreading Test Answers
Picture

Why romance novel lovers NEED to go see The Last Jedi. Like, NOW.

1/8/2018

4 Comments

 
Why romance novel lovers NEED to go see The Last Jedi. Like, NOW.
When I first watched The Force Awakens, I told my husband about the crazy-sexy chemistry I noticed between the Big Bad, Kylo Ren, and Rey, the last-nameless junk dealer who is just brimming with raw Jedi talent. He looked at me like I was nuts. (Not exactly a rare occurrence in our house, but still, it was mildly insulting) He pointed out that the film was clearly setting up a relationship between Finn, the Stormtrooper turned rebel hero and Rey, to which I said, Pfffttt. Those two will never be anything more than friends. There’s no chemistry there. (Now, Finn’s chemistry with fly boy Poe...well, that’s another story entirely. But I digress…)
Then just last week we went to see The Last Jedi, and I came away from it feeling pretty darn smug. This time around, there’s NO denying that the real relationship in this film series is between Kylo Ren and Rey. (Known from this point forward as “Reylo”) And I doubt there’s a romance novel lover out there who would disagree with me. Let me prove it.

(****Contains spoilers for The Last Jedi*****Proceed at your own risk*******)
Now, before the hate mail starts rolling in, I want to clarify something. Yes, I’m perfectly aware that the state of Reylo’s relationship at the moment is what many consider to be abusive. They fight. They physically harm each other. And Kylo Ren says some not-so-nice things to Rey in an effort to get her to turn her back on the resistance and rule the galaxy with him instead. But I think I speak for most Reylo shippers when I say that a ship for these two is actually a ship for Rey and a REDEEMED Kylo Ren, aka: Ben Solo. No one actually wants Rey to go dark, bend to the will of Kylo Ren, and enter into an abusive relationship where he isolates her from her friends and makes her do terrible things. (At least I hope they don’t.) 
Kylo Ren has made some horrific mistakes (not sure I’ll ever totally forgive him for the whole Han Solo thing) and decisions, and his redemption won’t be easy, but with Rey’s help (and love), I 100%  believe Ben Solo can have a healthy HEA with Rey. (Key word there, folks: healthy.) Now, if you still feel the need to come at me, internet, BRING IT ON. Because in the immortal words of Dido, I will go down with this ship.

​Now that 
that’s out of the way, here’s why romance novel lovers will ADORE Reylo in The Last Jedi:
Kylo Ren and Rey dueling light sabers
A classic enemies to lovers romance
One trope that consistently rates high with romance novel lovers is enemies to lovers. Reylo are star-crossed in the worst possible way. He’s the darkness, she’s the light. She’s inherently good, and while there’s conflict in him, he tends to skew more towards evil. And yet they still have an intense connection. Sure, that connection was strengthened by Snoke, but it was there long before Snoke set up their Force-fueled Skype sessions. (Remember the look on Rey’s face when Kylo removed his helmet in The Force Awakens, and he looked more like a Disney prince than a villain? We sure as hell do.)  

If romance novels have taught us anything, it’s that there’s a fine line between love and hate, and it doesn’t take much for both parties to cross that line in an attempt to find their HEA. We’ve seen a childhood bully fall ass-over elbow for the girl whose life he once ruined, a hitman fall for the woman he’s supposed to kill, and a young vampire slayer fall for a centuries-old vampire. (All phenomenal 5-star reads, by the way)
Vicious by L.J. Shen
Dark Protector by Celia Aaron
Halfway to the Grave by Jeaniene Frost
Long-story-short: fans of the enemies to lovers trope will find a lot to love about Reylo.
Picture
Off-the-charts sexual chemistry
There’s nothing overtly sexual about Reylo’s interactions in this movie. There’s no kissing, there are no love declarations. And yet their scenes together are more intense and powerful and rife with sexual tension than anything that happened in Attack of the Clones, which was an overt love story (and a ham-handed one, at that). The moment Reylo touched hands was sexier than any full-blown make-out session ever could have been. And if there’s one thing romance novel fans adore it’s good sexual chemistry. Jill Shalvis, Melanie Harlow, Penelope Ward, Vi Keeland, Kylie Scott, Kristen Ashley, Emma Chase,  Lauren Blakely...they’re all MASTERS of writing gut-wrenching sexual tension that leaves readers panting for more. Anyone who has read and enjoyed their books will undoubtedly enjoy watching Reylo. ​
Kylo Ren The Last Jedi
Beauty and the Beast
Who doesn’t love the old Beauty and the Beast trope? God knows we do.
Rey The Last Jedi
A strong heroine
And we don’t just mean that Rey is strong with the Force and a lightsaber. A lesser heroine might’ve caved when Kylo held his hand out to her, begged her to join him, then threw in that absolutely heart-crushing please, complete with spectacular puppy-dog eyes. (I for SURE would’ve caved at the please.)
Rey and Kylo Ren The Last Jedi
But not our Rey. She chose instead to leave Kylo behind and help her friends (and the resistance) fight for freedom in the galaxy. And if there’s one thing we’ve learned here at Romance Rehab, it’s that romance readers ADORE strong, kick-ass heroines. Rey more than qualifies.   

So, if you haven’t already, it’s time to get to the theatre, romance lovers!

#Reylo #IWillGoDownWithThisShip

What about y’all? Anything you’d like to discuss? Let us know! We’d love to hear from you!

4 Comments
Darknesss
6/22/2019 05:29:45 pm

No ! I hope Reylo will never happen because it's insane ! I will never accept this disgusting relationship (I'm sure Daisy Ridley will approve) -- sorry I'm French and I have enough suffer with this "war"

Reply
Jennifer, Romance Rehab
6/22/2019 05:48:13 pm

Are you close personal friends with Daisy Ridley? If not, I'm not buying it. I'm sure she'll do whatever the script tells her to do. But of course, you're entitled to your opinion, just like we're entitled to ours. That's how we roll here in America. Cheers!

Reply
carlyloves
6/24/2019 03:41:54 pm

I believe in Jennifer. Daisy ridley never said she hated reylo. All she said was she didn't like kylo ren with rey because he killed alot of people. I mean if you think about it shes playing rey and sometimes actors get consumed with their character. So if shes playing rey he killed almost everyone who came close to her,han indirectly luke, and put finn in a coma. It doesnt mean she doesnt believe in bendemption and honestly i don't understand why people spend hours of their day hating something its like get a hobby

Reply
Jennifer, Romance Rehab
6/24/2019 04:53:39 pm

I'm with you 100%! Redemption is always possible. I mean, Darth Vadar did some pretty awful things, and he was able to redeem himself by the end of Return of the Jedi. No one is saying they want evil Kylo Ren with Rey. They (we) want redeemed Ben Solo with Rey. And there's nothing wrong with that!




Leave a Reply.

    Romance Rehab newsletter sign up

    FOLLOW US 
    Reedsy Top Book Reviewer 2019

    RSS Feed

    Archives

    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