Elias by Erin E. Keller (Arc) Review! (re-post)

Elias by Erin E. Keller
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Elias (ARC) was graciously provided to me by IndiGo Marketing & Design for an honest review. I have voluntarily read this book and have provided my honest opinion.

                                                “Through the Arms of a Warm Embrace..”

Wow.. I’m kind of speechless right now, and..that really doesn’t happen that very often. I just finished reading an upcoming very good book.  It’s a book that contains one of my most favorite tropes. It’s about a somewhat older man, who comes to the aide of a slightly younger man. The story delves into the lives of both men, as they both attempt to come to terms with their past, while trying to continue with their future. This book is called, Elias, by Erin E. Keller, and, as I’ve never read anything by this author before, and, I’m glad to have come across this very interesting and gripping story.

Elias, is a story filled with heart-break, sadness, heart-ache, abuse, and strength.  I was initially drawn to this book through its cover. This stunningly beautiful cover spoke volumes when I first came across it. Because of this, I just had to find out what was actually running through the mind of that beautiful and seemingly haunted young man..

Elias is about two men, Thomas Doyle and Elias Byrne, two struggling souls, who are trying to survive as a result of very different circumstances, which have caused both men to stutter through countless difficult times and because of this, finally realize they actually need help..

Taking place in Ireland, Thomas finds himself barely surviving after the untimely passing of his long-time love. As he resolutely tries to occupy his mind and body through working long hours as a police officer, and visiting a local pub, he finds that this strategy doesn’t always seem to work for him. On one of those days, he comes across Elias. Like a young savior who’s been thrust into his life, this young man, with the beautiful name, who, in fact, is a very lost and desperate young man because of a haunted and difficult life, begins to help Thomas, even as he also continues to try, by the thin skin of his fingers, to..live.

Throughout this cat and mouse story, both men try to deal with life’s strong and constricting arms, which have found a way to firmly wrap themselves around both men. As life, at times, gets to be too much for both men, they began to realize that they are in need of something more. Something warm and protective. Something that would serve as a healing mechanism in order to provide them with a means of actually healing. Throughout reading this book, I found myself either melting or crying, or even both, as the writing had successfully described the absolutely incredible need for help, for actual warmth, the need for the simple presence of another human being, a warm body, to provide some sort of comfort, instead of the isolation or the worthlessness the men had been drowning in.  Wow, right? As I read, I sat with grabby hands so as to try and grab out for both men so that I could be there for them throughout their difficult journey. Their actual storyline was incredible…

In this story, there were limited secondary characters. And, the one that did exist, while at times, was very helpful, was for the most part annoying, and for this, there was a strong wish for additional secondary characters to even it all out.

While this story has a great storyline, it really needs another run through with the editing process, as there had existed issues with syntax, pace, and, overall mechanics that had contributed to an emotional detachment to the plot as a whole.

I absolutely loved the premise of this story. I also absolutely loved Elias and Thomas. Throughout reading their story, I couldn’t figure out if it would be a standalone, or a series. At this particular juncture, it looks like it may be a standalone with tons of insta-love. I’m still hoping for a series for these two characters because I felt like the story had so much potential with many different avenues which could be taken.  For example, I would have loved to have seen more of a description of Ireland and the village that Thomas and Elias seem to be living in, their prospective jobs, friends, and even more of a description of the large home which was so important to Thomas. I’m so glad to have read this book and hope to re-visit it sometime in the future, as it is such an incredible story with a great storyline and wonderful main characters that has me itching to revisit them once again..:)

*star rating: 3.95 ‘I really liked it’ stars*