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His Elder: A Latter-day Saint/Mormon Forbidden MM Romance
To save his soul, he has to follow the rules. To save his heart, he has to break the biggest one of all.
Elder Samuel Price is the perfect missionary. He follows the schedule and memorizes the scriptures. He suppresses the "unnatural" thoughts that have terrified him since puberty. His plan is simple. Serve a perfect mission, return to Utah, and be cured by his obedience.
Then he meets his new companion.
Elder "Eli" Vance is everything Sam is not. He is cynical, rebellious, and dangerously observant. He is the "problem missionary" everyone warns you about. And thanks to strict mission rules, Sam is legally required to be within sight and sound of him 24 hours a day.
Trapped in a tiny apartment in Barcelona, the friction between them sparks into something forbidden. Eli sees through Sam’s perfect armour to the lonely, broken man underneath. He offers Sam a freedom he never thought possible and a desire he can no longer pray away.
But in their world, falling in love isn't just a rule violation. It is a one-way ticket to disgrace, disownment, and eternal damnation.
As the heat between them rises from stolen glances to secret touches, Sam faces an impossible choice. He can be the saint his family expects, or he can be the sinner who falls for the one man he can’t have.
His Elder is a high-angst, forced proximity MM romance set in the high-pressure world of a Mormon mission. It features enemies-to-lovers tension, a crisis of faith, a touch of humour, and a hard-won Happily Ever After.
Elder Samuel Price is the perfect missionary. He follows the schedule and memorizes the scriptures. He suppresses the "unnatural" thoughts that have terrified him since puberty. His plan is simple. Serve a perfect mission, return to Utah, and be cured by his obedience.
Then he meets his new companion.
Elder "Eli" Vance is everything Sam is not. He is cynical, rebellious, and dangerously observant. He is the "problem missionary" everyone warns you about. And thanks to strict mission rules, Sam is legally required to be within sight and sound of him 24 hours a day.
Trapped in a tiny apartment in Barcelona, the friction between them sparks into something forbidden. Eli sees through Sam’s perfect armour to the lonely, broken man underneath. He offers Sam a freedom he never thought possible and a desire he can no longer pray away.
But in their world, falling in love isn't just a rule violation. It is a one-way ticket to disgrace, disownment, and eternal damnation.
As the heat between them rises from stolen glances to secret touches, Sam faces an impossible choice. He can be the saint his family expects, or he can be the sinner who falls for the one man he can’t have.
His Elder is a high-angst, forced proximity MM romance set in the high-pressure world of a Mormon mission. It features enemies-to-lovers tension, a crisis of faith, a touch of humour, and a hard-won Happily Ever After.
- GenresM M Romance
220 pages, Kindle Edition
Published December 19, 2025
4 people are currently reading
26 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
November 26, 2025
I LOVE blasphemous Elias.
"Because hating myself doesn't change who I am. It just makes me miserable."
Dare I say it? Do we finally have a happy Macington book? Well. Not sunshine and rainbows because.....Macington. But happy in comparison to how heartbreaking his books can be.
This features Samuel, a very uptight 19 year old on his Mormon missionary placement (?) who's holding himself to very stringent church standards in a very 'pray the gay away' fashion.
Spoiler alert- it's not working. Hasn't been since he figured it out at 14 and he's 19 now but hopes the different environment will be what finally makes it stick.
Then we have Eli. My beloved. The blasphemer(according to Samuel). Who is clearly not in Barcelona for religious reasons, even though he's also on a missionary trip.
Eli's only there to check a box. He's not interested in knocking on doors, or convincing people to convert, or giving testimony he doesn't believe in. He's just interested in his art.
And pointing out all the issues in the gospel Samuel is trying to spread.
Sadly for Samuel, they're paired as companions. Who are supposed to be together at all times. What could possibly go wrong?
Turns out, a lot can go wrong. They clash on everything. Eli tempts Samuel in ways he's been trying to avoid. Spiritually. Carnally.
Samuel sees a man just like himself who doesn't seem to hate himself for it, and in a moment of weakness, shares his secret.
Then immediately panic spirals. Only for Eli to be all, 'Oh, yeah, that. Same.'
I love that once they knew about each other, Eli decided there was no point hiding his coffee 'habit'.
Basically said you already know my biggest secret so at least I'll start my mornings with joy. Before this missionary stuff sucks it out of me.
Meanwhile Samuel is having a crisis of everything😂faith, body, spirit, body, conscience. Body again.
I also loved (and was tortured by) Samuel being uptight Elder Price by day but a freak in the sheets by night.
Whiplash worthy scenes, let me tell you.
Because how are you falling apart about it all day then the minute it gets dark you're astride like the best cowboy to ever do it?
Cumming his brains out only to IMMEDIATELY get tense and feel the need to memorize his scriptures.
Eli's a better man than I, because I'd have told him to pick a struggle. You know that feeling when you commit a 'crime' jointly but your accomplice can NOT KEEP IT TOGETHER?
Spend the day doing crisis management then at night he's like um, can we👀.
I THOUGHT YOU WEREN'T TALKING TO HIM?
Also, such an educational experience.
'He tasted like sin and scripture.'
Okay. So this is what ass tastes like, then.
Noted.
I will say, though.
The fetish stuff hit me like a semi💀
I WAS NOT READY.
Aside from seeing it talked about on the internet, and the Tarantino suspicions, I don't think I've ever been this close to it.
It's not even extreme in any sense of the word. But I did not expect it from Elder Price and Elder Vance.
That's on me.
Of course shit hits the wall. Not literal shit, that's not the kink. I felt it necessary to clarify lol.
And these old ass men are calling a nineteen year old kid 'spiritually dangerous' like he's the devil incarnate of something.
As if he's a weapon formed against the Mormon church.
For shame.
Realistic consequences ensue. And I think it needs to be said that this is a palatable long term separation between MCs(looking at you, C. P. Harris with your trademark 11 years apart).
Still. Realism aside, I loved this one.
Nobody dies! Nobody gets electro shock therapy! Nobody starves themselves because they'd rather die than live without their beloved! Nobody's outing gets discussed globally or affects currency values! Nobody gets beaten up almost to death by a partner!
To be fair, religious angst is a top 5 things I love seeing MCs get past.
4.5 rounded up. My one nitpick is that this is not enemies to lovers imo, even though Samuel DOES have a tendency to act like Eli is there solely to ruin him or something.
Which, well. Sort of happens? But not in a way where I'd really say they were ever enemies.
Shoutout to my two favorite secondary characters whose names I can't remember but are two other missionary bros who are treating their missionary work like some sort of Rumspringa(but they're straight so the church elders sort of brush it away).
Their testimonies are the true blasphemies.
"Because hating myself doesn't change who I am. It just makes me miserable."
Dare I say it? Do we finally have a happy Macington book? Well. Not sunshine and rainbows because.....Macington. But happy in comparison to how heartbreaking his books can be.
This features Samuel, a very uptight 19 year old on his Mormon missionary placement (?) who's holding himself to very stringent church standards in a very 'pray the gay away' fashion.
Spoiler alert- it's not working. Hasn't been since he figured it out at 14 and he's 19 now but hopes the different environment will be what finally makes it stick.
Then we have Eli. My beloved. The blasphemer(according to Samuel). Who is clearly not in Barcelona for religious reasons, even though he's also on a missionary trip.
Eli's only there to check a box. He's not interested in knocking on doors, or convincing people to convert, or giving testimony he doesn't believe in. He's just interested in his art.
And pointing out all the issues in the gospel Samuel is trying to spread.
Sadly for Samuel, they're paired as companions. Who are supposed to be together at all times. What could possibly go wrong?
Turns out, a lot can go wrong. They clash on everything. Eli tempts Samuel in ways he's been trying to avoid. Spiritually. Carnally.
Samuel sees a man just like himself who doesn't seem to hate himself for it, and in a moment of weakness, shares his secret.
Then immediately panic spirals. Only for Eli to be all, 'Oh, yeah, that. Same.'
I love that once they knew about each other, Eli decided there was no point hiding his coffee 'habit'.
Basically said you already know my biggest secret so at least I'll start my mornings with joy. Before this missionary stuff sucks it out of me.
Meanwhile Samuel is having a crisis of everything😂faith, body, spirit, body, conscience. Body again.
I also loved (and was tortured by) Samuel being uptight Elder Price by day but a freak in the sheets by night.
Whiplash worthy scenes, let me tell you.
Because how are you falling apart about it all day then the minute it gets dark you're astride like the best cowboy to ever do it?
Cumming his brains out only to IMMEDIATELY get tense and feel the need to memorize his scriptures.
Eli's a better man than I, because I'd have told him to pick a struggle. You know that feeling when you commit a 'crime' jointly but your accomplice can NOT KEEP IT TOGETHER?
Spend the day doing crisis management then at night he's like um, can we👀.
I THOUGHT YOU WEREN'T TALKING TO HIM?
Also, such an educational experience.
'He tasted like sin and scripture.'
Okay. So this is what ass tastes like, then.
Noted.
I will say, though.
The fetish stuff hit me like a semi💀
I WAS NOT READY.
Aside from seeing it talked about on the internet, and the Tarantino suspicions, I don't think I've ever been this close to it.
It's not even extreme in any sense of the word. But I did not expect it from Elder Price and Elder Vance.
That's on me.
Of course shit hits the wall. Not literal shit, that's not the kink. I felt it necessary to clarify lol.
And these old ass men are calling a nineteen year old kid 'spiritually dangerous' like he's the devil incarnate of something.
As if he's a weapon formed against the Mormon church.
For shame.
Realistic consequences ensue. And I think it needs to be said that this is a palatable long term separation between MCs(looking at you, C. P. Harris with your trademark 11 years apart).
Still. Realism aside, I loved this one.
Nobody dies! Nobody gets electro shock therapy! Nobody starves themselves because they'd rather die than live without their beloved! Nobody's outing gets discussed globally or affects currency values! Nobody gets beaten up almost to death by a partner!
To be fair, religious angst is a top 5 things I love seeing MCs get past.
4.5 rounded up. My one nitpick is that this is not enemies to lovers imo, even though Samuel DOES have a tendency to act like Eli is there solely to ruin him or something.
Which, well. Sort of happens? But not in a way where I'd really say they were ever enemies.
Shoutout to my two favorite secondary characters whose names I can't remember but are two other missionary bros who are treating their missionary work like some sort of Rumspringa(but they're straight so the church elders sort of brush it away).
Their testimonies are the true blasphemies.
December 19, 2025
This was a beautifully written story. It’s about two Mormon missionaries in Barcelona.
Elder Samuel Price is nineteen years old, lives strictly by the book, but struggles hard with his forbidden feelings and who he really is.
His new roommate, Elder Eli Vance, is completely the opposite of Samuel. Eli is sceptical and critical, everything Samuel isn’t. Eli has different motives to be here.
With the proximity 24/7 things are shifting. Samuel can be the strict Elder by day, but by night, read about this yourself.
Eli was a breath of fresh air, just delightful. His blasphemy was the best.
Their journey was one of a kind. It felt so real and honest.
The religious parts were harsh, the calculated acts, the conditional love, the indoctrination ugh. I was raised religious but not strict. These days I’m more SBNR ‘spiritual but not religious’, tend to atheism. Reading about religion still makes my neck hair stand on end.
The way this story was written was absolutely breathtaking, the struggles and the pressure were palpable, the feelings, the private matters of the two men, the development of the whole journey, it’s all beautifully captured.
Elder Samuel Price is nineteen years old, lives strictly by the book, but struggles hard with his forbidden feelings and who he really is.
His new roommate, Elder Eli Vance, is completely the opposite of Samuel. Eli is sceptical and critical, everything Samuel isn’t. Eli has different motives to be here.
With the proximity 24/7 things are shifting. Samuel can be the strict Elder by day, but by night, read about this yourself.
Eli was a breath of fresh air, just delightful. His blasphemy was the best.
Their journey was one of a kind. It felt so real and honest.
The religious parts were harsh, the calculated acts, the conditional love, the indoctrination ugh. I was raised religious but not strict. These days I’m more SBNR ‘spiritual but not religious’, tend to atheism. Reading about religion still makes my neck hair stand on end.
The way this story was written was absolutely breathtaking, the struggles and the pressure were palpable, the feelings, the private matters of the two men, the development of the whole journey, it’s all beautifully captured.
December 26, 2025
2.5 stars, rounding up for immersive story telling. Strong conflict in a forbidden romance featuring two young men born into the Mormon religion and awakening to its faults and contradictions. As a layperson who knows little about religion, I don’t know how accurate this is, but as someone with Mormon relatives, it seemed authentic in intent.
I enjoyed a lot of the story, the struggles the two young Elders have on their mission in Barcelona, where they’re supposed to share their beliefs and bring converts into the Mormon church. The hypocrisy of a religion that is conditional is on full display as these two young gay men become reluctant mission companions and then attracted to each other. One, Elias, is the screwup, assigned to work with the other, Samuel, the golden boy who strives for perfection in every aspect of the mission and in his devotion to their cause.
But Samuel is deeply conflicted, and having Eli accept him and assure him that not only is he not broken for his attraction to men, but perfect in every way, gay and all, is an affirmation he does not expect but desperately responds to. Of course it’s a combo for absolute disaster, as those in charge have zero wish to change and no tolerance for anyone stepping outside the dogma.
They share beautiful moments, passion and acceptance…and when it all falls apart, despite the dire emotional circumstances and sacrifices made for their fragile, fledgling love, each individually finds strength to move forward and figure out what he truly wants and makes decisions, separately, for himself. One isn’t ready to reimagine his future, and of course everything seems impossible in the bleak moment.
Note: there is an abrupt 2-year separation time leap that jerks everything forward but doesn’t offer much in the way of explanations or character evolution, and that left me confused and sad. Samuel somehow is in college with a roommate. How is he paying for it? Eli is…I don’t know. An artist, but, is that paying the bills? Did he go to school? Why is he in the city where they re-meet? He says he’ll tell Samuel all about it, but the reader never finds out how he made it, why he didn’t bother contacting Samuel ever despite knowing about Things, or why he’s open to re-getting to know Samuel now.
It fell apart for me. I never learned enough about Eli’s perspective and present situation to understand why/how/whether he even still loved Samuel, what he’d been doing all that time, what his motivations were, or why they’d still be good for each other now. He was a closed book, he’s become kinda of cold and hardened, and the impetus is put on the reader to fill in the many, many blanks. I have no idea if he’d been dating other people, though none are ever mentioned for either of them (I assumed Samuel was a virgin when they met, but, I wasn’t sure about Eli, who seems to have confidence and some experience, and dating during separation would have made sense as part of his effort to move on from Samuel. It isn’t addressed at all, and while I didn’t want to know details, it seemed bizarre that they don’t’ even discuss it. Do they need STI tests? Condoms are never mentioned, ever.)
What made it not work for me ultimately is that Eli never would have reached out at all, despite knowing Samuel wanted to and tried to find him. I couldn’t buy into their romance in the end, despite how sweet they are together. There’s no rhyme or reason to them ending up in the same exact place in the entire world, so far from their original homes, no explanation. It seemed to me that Eli would have ultimately been fine moving on and meeting someone else, and planned to. He had no intention of ever looking for Samuel. Samuel seemed truly dedicated to finding Eli and cared about him still. It just wasn’t reciprocated in quite the same way, and that was disappointing.
HFN, hints of HEA, but, I was left in doubt about it lasting; it seemed more lucky happenstance than earned/truly wanted. Triumph for unconditional love though, and not accepting hypocritical religious dogma, so, that was a win. No OM drama, no others or sharing or dating anyone else mentioned at all, but, who knows what happened during the 2 years separation and time skip. I was left wondering about a lot of things that seemed important for the future. Recommended for a strong romantic conflict, but not my favorite from this author; I liked his take on the Pope falling in love and changing things for the better…better.
My thanks to BookSirens for the ARC; this is my free and impartial opinion.
I enjoyed a lot of the story, the struggles the two young Elders have on their mission in Barcelona, where they’re supposed to share their beliefs and bring converts into the Mormon church. The hypocrisy of a religion that is conditional is on full display as these two young gay men become reluctant mission companions and then attracted to each other. One, Elias, is the screwup, assigned to work with the other, Samuel, the golden boy who strives for perfection in every aspect of the mission and in his devotion to their cause.
But Samuel is deeply conflicted, and having Eli accept him and assure him that not only is he not broken for his attraction to men, but perfect in every way, gay and all, is an affirmation he does not expect but desperately responds to. Of course it’s a combo for absolute disaster, as those in charge have zero wish to change and no tolerance for anyone stepping outside the dogma.
They share beautiful moments, passion and acceptance…and when it all falls apart, despite the dire emotional circumstances and sacrifices made for their fragile, fledgling love, each individually finds strength to move forward and figure out what he truly wants and makes decisions, separately, for himself. One isn’t ready to reimagine his future, and of course everything seems impossible in the bleak moment.
Note: there is an abrupt 2-year separation time leap that jerks everything forward but doesn’t offer much in the way of explanations or character evolution, and that left me confused and sad. Samuel somehow is in college with a roommate. How is he paying for it? Eli is…I don’t know. An artist, but, is that paying the bills? Did he go to school? Why is he in the city where they re-meet? He says he’ll tell Samuel all about it, but the reader never finds out how he made it, why he didn’t bother contacting Samuel ever despite knowing about Things, or why he’s open to re-getting to know Samuel now.
It fell apart for me. I never learned enough about Eli’s perspective and present situation to understand why/how/whether he even still loved Samuel, what he’d been doing all that time, what his motivations were, or why they’d still be good for each other now. He was a closed book, he’s become kinda of cold and hardened, and the impetus is put on the reader to fill in the many, many blanks. I have no idea if he’d been dating other people, though none are ever mentioned for either of them (I assumed Samuel was a virgin when they met, but, I wasn’t sure about Eli, who seems to have confidence and some experience, and dating during separation would have made sense as part of his effort to move on from Samuel. It isn’t addressed at all, and while I didn’t want to know details, it seemed bizarre that they don’t’ even discuss it. Do they need STI tests? Condoms are never mentioned, ever.)
What made it not work for me ultimately is that Eli never would have reached out at all, despite knowing Samuel wanted to and tried to find him. I couldn’t buy into their romance in the end, despite how sweet they are together. There’s no rhyme or reason to them ending up in the same exact place in the entire world, so far from their original homes, no explanation. It seemed to me that Eli would have ultimately been fine moving on and meeting someone else, and planned to. He had no intention of ever looking for Samuel. Samuel seemed truly dedicated to finding Eli and cared about him still. It just wasn’t reciprocated in quite the same way, and that was disappointing.
HFN, hints of HEA, but, I was left in doubt about it lasting; it seemed more lucky happenstance than earned/truly wanted. Triumph for unconditional love though, and not accepting hypocritical religious dogma, so, that was a win. No OM drama, no others or sharing or dating anyone else mentioned at all, but, who knows what happened during the 2 years separation and time skip. I was left wondering about a lot of things that seemed important for the future. Recommended for a strong romantic conflict, but not my favorite from this author; I liked his take on the Pope falling in love and changing things for the better…better.
My thanks to BookSirens for the ARC; this is my free and impartial opinion.
January 7, 2026
This author is amazing in the way the characters are written, the background is given for whatever the setting, the realism in the characters and the story, and the journey to a happy ending, all keep me riveted and engaged from beginning to end. The blurb sets the basics for this story up very well, then as you read more, there is a lot of information for the uneducated about the mission that Mormon young people go on(I knew boys went but not girls); the strict rules that must be followed (I wondered if the reason why they are companions, together 24/7, is the reason Eli alluded to when discussing with Samuel); and some of the teachings of Mormonism regarding family here and after death, as well as the stand on homosexuality. I have known a little about Mormon teachings, but obviously not enough, as there were things that surprised me.
While on his mission in Barcelona, Samuel is given a new companion, Eli, his new partner in their quest for new members to join the church. Eli is quiet, not as convinced about what they tell prospective converts as Samuel is, which causes some friction between the two. Samuel is very much a “by the book” missionary, not deviating from the memorized presentation, with a very narrow perspective, and I found following the dialogue the missionaries used when talking about the church with prospects, how scripted it was, and the (not always subtle) pressure put on the prospective member by the Elders to be somewhat disturbing. But Samuel continues in the way he’s been trained, not openly questioning anything until a young woman pins him down on the teaching on homosexuality and how some of the “promises” with converting don’t apply to everyone, with Eli having a different take than the “party line. This gets Samuel thinking, challenging himself on some of the things he has been taught. He knows he is attracted to men, and he has prayed and done everything he has been told to do to, praying for God to fix him so he can be like he is supposed to be. When Eli shares that he is gay, too, and that it is okay, they aren’t broken, a crisis of faith begins for Samuel. Eli continues to tell Samuel he is okay the way he is, he is the way God made him, so why should he be punished for it. But the attraction between them is strong, and eventually lines are crossed, with consequences for both. But even so, eventually they reach their happy ending, leaving me with a smile on my face and contentment in my heart.
When Samuel was talking with Maria after his encounter with Elder Kempton, there were some statements made that sort of crystallized thoughts I have personally had about religions in general for a long time. In a way, it was an indictment on the ‘loving God’ when the religion teaches “that love is conditional. That acceptance requires conformity. That being yourself is a sin.” And further, “Any religion that destroys people for being honest about who they are has lost its way. Any God that demands you hate yourself to earn His love isn’t God. He’s a tyrant.” That, to me, is a truth. A loving God should not require self-hate if you are different than others, at least in my view, and that is what I took the most for the book. Love is the ultimate truth to me, be it spiritual, physical, emotional, whatever inspires it, love is the ultimate proof there is a God and He is love. (Or is it “She”? 😉)
I received an advance copy of the book for free and this is my voluntary review.
While on his mission in Barcelona, Samuel is given a new companion, Eli, his new partner in their quest for new members to join the church. Eli is quiet, not as convinced about what they tell prospective converts as Samuel is, which causes some friction between the two. Samuel is very much a “by the book” missionary, not deviating from the memorized presentation, with a very narrow perspective, and I found following the dialogue the missionaries used when talking about the church with prospects, how scripted it was, and the (not always subtle) pressure put on the prospective member by the Elders to be somewhat disturbing. But Samuel continues in the way he’s been trained, not openly questioning anything until a young woman pins him down on the teaching on homosexuality and how some of the “promises” with converting don’t apply to everyone, with Eli having a different take than the “party line. This gets Samuel thinking, challenging himself on some of the things he has been taught. He knows he is attracted to men, and he has prayed and done everything he has been told to do to, praying for God to fix him so he can be like he is supposed to be. When Eli shares that he is gay, too, and that it is okay, they aren’t broken, a crisis of faith begins for Samuel. Eli continues to tell Samuel he is okay the way he is, he is the way God made him, so why should he be punished for it. But the attraction between them is strong, and eventually lines are crossed, with consequences for both. But even so, eventually they reach their happy ending, leaving me with a smile on my face and contentment in my heart.
When Samuel was talking with Maria after his encounter with Elder Kempton, there were some statements made that sort of crystallized thoughts I have personally had about religions in general for a long time. In a way, it was an indictment on the ‘loving God’ when the religion teaches “that love is conditional. That acceptance requires conformity. That being yourself is a sin.” And further, “Any religion that destroys people for being honest about who they are has lost its way. Any God that demands you hate yourself to earn His love isn’t God. He’s a tyrant.” That, to me, is a truth. A loving God should not require self-hate if you are different than others, at least in my view, and that is what I took the most for the book. Love is the ultimate truth to me, be it spiritual, physical, emotional, whatever inspires it, love is the ultimate proof there is a God and He is love. (Or is it “She”? 😉)
I received an advance copy of the book for free and this is my voluntary review.
November 26, 2025
This was a hard read, very hard read, because it’s so real, so raw, so honest, so powerful, so true… this isn’t a simple MM romance book, this is a journey of religious deconstruction, of finding out who you are, what you believe in, and figure out how to mesh those two together, and what to do when you can’t. The expressions, the tidbits of Spanish here and there, the streets… this book reminds me of home, it is perfect. The only problem I see is for those who aren’t familiar with the Mormon church, they’re going to miss out on a beautiful journey. Some of the lingo and the amazingly accurate portrayal of the hold that the religion has on its members might get lost (like trunks, it’s explained, but it’s meaningful to me because I know what it is), but I’m not sure, because I’m very familiar with the Mormons, so maybe I’m wrong there. But this was a healing book, this was very validating, this was more than just an MM romance, this was a journey that many people find themselves in, and it was good to find such good company for it. It’s a very moving, very powerful story. I hope nobody thinks that any of the rigidity or ideals portrayed are being exaggerated, they’re very much true, and I loved how Eli was giving a nuanced personal of the religion, finding a less strict, more approachable take on the Mormons than you usually find. It is very well written, the journey is absolutely heartbreakingly beautiful. The lack of support by others is so real, the desire to do what’s right in the eyes of our loved ones and a strict God who loves conditionally was powerful, the struggle to be honest and true to who we are is incredible. This is more than a journey to discover that maybe being gay isn’t a sin, maybe what they taught you wasn’t the whole truth, maybe God isn’t a restrictive being, maybe what it’s been portrayed doesn’t work for everyone, and that’s okay. Maybe there’s more to life, God, beliefs, love and family than what Samuel thinks, and maybe it’s okay to make mistakes, be messy, and blunder through life, as long as you are true to yourself. Maybe Samuel wouldn’t have changed his mind without Eli, or maybe Eli was the key to set Samuel free. Maybe you need to read this book to see how amazing this writer is, to see how incredible Samuel’s and Eli’s journey is, and maybe you’ll learn that you aren’t as alone as you thought in your doubts and fears. Give it a go, because you’ll learn a lot about the Mormons, a lot of hidden truths, a lot of unimaginable struggles, and a lot of beautiful things as well. I absolutely loved it, and felt deeply for both of the MCs, because they’re so realistically portrayed, they’re very relatable, and I wish they were real, because I would love to have them as friends.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
December 28, 2025
4.5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I adore C.G. Macington’s writings, I’ve read several and none of them follow a trope. Each and everyone I’ve read has been set in very diverse worlds all involving main characters who are gay and facing troubles in various situations. ‘His Elder’ is the story of Elder Samuel Price and Elder Eli Vance, both US missionaries of the Mormon religion, and serving their first mission in Barcelona, Spain. The mission plan is set in stone, serve two years abroad preaching and gaining converts, return home to Brigham Young University, marry a nice Mormon girl and have a family.
Both Sam and Eli are doing what’s expected of them by their parents. Eli is only doing it for his mother to try to save her marriage. Sam’s goal is to please his father who serves in the hierarchy of the Mormon faith in their State. Eli has already ‘lost’ his belief in what has been drummed into him all his life. It’s killing him. Eli has been moved from Madrid due to his misbehaviour and failure to bring in new members to the faith. They have both been assigned as each others companion in service and share an apartment in the beautiful city of Barcelona. The Leaders feel that golden boy Sam will get Eli back on the right path. Eli’s questions and lack of belief shocks Sam to his core, but it also brings his inner doubts about his own ‘denials’ to the forefront. Sam’s heart struggles even more when he hears the loud sobbing from Eli’s bed in the middle of the night. He tries consoling Eli and his efforts breaks down more of the uncertainties that Sam has been struggling with his he was 14 years old..
I’d received an ARC copy of ‘His Elder’ via author and I’m leaving this review voluntarily.
I really should be kinder to myself and avoid reading books where stifling religions plays a huge part of the protagonist’s lives. I always end up with anger pounding through me and tears flowing at the cruelty inflicted in the name of a gawd. Then I realise that a good read is what gives me strong feelings, whether it’s joy, sadness or makes me laugh, it gets my emotions involved big time to see them suffer such cruelty.
And Sam and Eli did suffer. I hated the nature of the interrogation they both endured, the awful aftermath and their separation. Do they find each other again? Well, I’m smiling happily now, so go find this book and enjoy this author’s diverse range of book for yourself.
So aside from that I enjoyed watching Eli and Sam struggling with each other initially, sussing each other out, facing hard truths eventually and also recognising that they are both willing to face what they need to do to be their true selves. Sam and Eli made me want to be more understanding towards their ‘fellow Elders’ when they come knocking on my door IRL.
I adore C.G. Macington’s writings, I’ve read several and none of them follow a trope. Each and everyone I’ve read has been set in very diverse worlds all involving main characters who are gay and facing troubles in various situations. ‘His Elder’ is the story of Elder Samuel Price and Elder Eli Vance, both US missionaries of the Mormon religion, and serving their first mission in Barcelona, Spain. The mission plan is set in stone, serve two years abroad preaching and gaining converts, return home to Brigham Young University, marry a nice Mormon girl and have a family.
Both Sam and Eli are doing what’s expected of them by their parents. Eli is only doing it for his mother to try to save her marriage. Sam’s goal is to please his father who serves in the hierarchy of the Mormon faith in their State. Eli has already ‘lost’ his belief in what has been drummed into him all his life. It’s killing him. Eli has been moved from Madrid due to his misbehaviour and failure to bring in new members to the faith. They have both been assigned as each others companion in service and share an apartment in the beautiful city of Barcelona. The Leaders feel that golden boy Sam will get Eli back on the right path. Eli’s questions and lack of belief shocks Sam to his core, but it also brings his inner doubts about his own ‘denials’ to the forefront. Sam’s heart struggles even more when he hears the loud sobbing from Eli’s bed in the middle of the night. He tries consoling Eli and his efforts breaks down more of the uncertainties that Sam has been struggling with his he was 14 years old..
I’d received an ARC copy of ‘His Elder’ via author and I’m leaving this review voluntarily.
I really should be kinder to myself and avoid reading books where stifling religions plays a huge part of the protagonist’s lives. I always end up with anger pounding through me and tears flowing at the cruelty inflicted in the name of a gawd. Then I realise that a good read is what gives me strong feelings, whether it’s joy, sadness or makes me laugh, it gets my emotions involved big time to see them suffer such cruelty.
And Sam and Eli did suffer. I hated the nature of the interrogation they both endured, the awful aftermath and their separation. Do they find each other again? Well, I’m smiling happily now, so go find this book and enjoy this author’s diverse range of book for yourself.
So aside from that I enjoyed watching Eli and Sam struggling with each other initially, sussing each other out, facing hard truths eventually and also recognising that they are both willing to face what they need to do to be their true selves. Sam and Eli made me want to be more understanding towards their ‘fellow Elders’ when they come knocking on my door IRL.
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December 9, 2025The church has so much to answer for when it comes to demonizing the LGBTQA community. Samuel and Elias are missionaries for the Mormon church in Spain. These two are quite the opposite of each other. Samuel is devout and committed to the cause. Elias is more laid back and sees the church's doctrines for what they are and the harm they are doing. Samuel knows he's attracted to men but is so deep into the rules and doctrine of the church that he's suffocating. Elias is on the mission for his mother's sake and has long ago seen the church's doctrines for the hypocrisy they are. Over time the two young men grow closer and a true love develops between them which is beautiful. This story obviously focuses on the policies and practices of the Mormon church but this same story could come from any number of faiths in the past or the present day. So much could be avoided if faith communities lived the central rule of love instead of judgment.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
November 29, 2025
I will not be able to put this book out of my mind. It is extremely well-written, flowing between Samuel and Elias. Samuel is the consumate Missionary for the Mormon Church in Barcelona, son of a family with deep roots in the Church hierarchy. At the start of the book Elias is transferred from some problem placements in Madrid to be Samuel's Companion.
Elias senses that part of Samiel's dedication is because he is hiding his homosexuality from himself and the world and when he brings it up to Samuel, Elias admits his own homosexuality. The book explores from there the issue of whether a loving God would willingly wish to ostracize someone who is born with a same-sex attraction.
The cruelty of the Institutional Church on this issue is vividly demonstarted and in the end both Sam and Eli are excommunicated but find their love in each other.
I highly recommend this book which I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Elias senses that part of Samiel's dedication is because he is hiding his homosexuality from himself and the world and when he brings it up to Samuel, Elias admits his own homosexuality. The book explores from there the issue of whether a loving God would willingly wish to ostracize someone who is born with a same-sex attraction.
The cruelty of the Institutional Church on this issue is vividly demonstarted and in the end both Sam and Eli are excommunicated but find their love in each other.
I highly recommend this book which I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
January 7, 2026
C.G. Macington has once again delivered a stellar book. I am new to this author, but both reads have been stories that hooked me from the very beginning and made it impossible for me to put down.
The depth at which he delivers and builds on both Samuel and Elias throughout the book brings these two to life making them very relatable. I was connected in a way with both characters which made it possible to experience every emotion they felt during their journey.
C.G. managed to surprise me during this book as I was convinced things would happen differently in Samuel and Elias story at one point. It was a good surprise and made total sense why he wrote it this way once I read it.
I am looking forward to reading more books by this author and would highly recommend His Elder to any one who enjoys this genre.
I received an advance review copy for free and I am voluntarily leaving this review.
The depth at which he delivers and builds on both Samuel and Elias throughout the book brings these two to life making them very relatable. I was connected in a way with both characters which made it possible to experience every emotion they felt during their journey.
C.G. managed to surprise me during this book as I was convinced things would happen differently in Samuel and Elias story at one point. It was a good surprise and made total sense why he wrote it this way once I read it.
I am looking forward to reading more books by this author and would highly recommend His Elder to any one who enjoys this genre.
I received an advance review copy for free and I am voluntarily leaving this review.
January 6, 2026
This one was intense, to say the least, and I said that about the author's previous wonderful book, Unbound. But wow, this one turned up the intensity a lot. Samuel is a perfect Mormon Elder, doing everything right and rigid as he should. Eli Vance is essentially Samuel's opposite. But given how the missions work, they are with each other twenty four hours a day. A difficult but wonderful read, the issues are real and dealt with well but the book is so very well written that knowing they will get through the issues is sometimes the only way through as a reader, too. Loved this. I will re-read but carefully. Amazing story.
December 5, 2025
Another wonderful read from C.G. Macington!
Everything I've read of his has been so beautifully articulated, heartfelt, and at times devastating. The way he brings the story to life, it's like you are in it.
You know their struggles, their own self hatred and doubt, and then the mind opening realization that things can be how they truly want them to be. Their happiness is what matters, not anybody else's thoughts or beliefs.
I received an ARC from Book Sirens for my honest review.
Everything I've read of his has been so beautifully articulated, heartfelt, and at times devastating. The way he brings the story to life, it's like you are in it.
You know their struggles, their own self hatred and doubt, and then the mind opening realization that things can be how they truly want them to be. Their happiness is what matters, not anybody else's thoughts or beliefs.
I received an ARC from Book Sirens for my honest review.
December 23, 2025
A touching forbidden romance. Eli & Sam are missionaries of the Latter day saints. A religious sect that forbids just about everything, Homosexuality, relations before marriage etc. When Eli becomes roommate to Sam, Sam begins to realize his forbidden feeling towards men just doesn't feel as wrong as what he's been taught. Low to medium angst, HEA. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
December 21, 2025
Good pace and Sam’s crisis of faith felt well explored, there was tension and attraction between the mmc but imo the love element wasn’t sufficiently fleshed out to feel real enough to justify Eli’s sacrifice.
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