• Absolution

  • The Protectors, Book 1
  • By: Sloane Kennedy
  • Narrated by: Joel Leslie
  • Length: 7 hrs and 16 mins
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars (844 ratings)

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Absolution  By  cover art

Absolution

By: Sloane Kennedy
Narrated by: Joel Leslie
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Publisher's summary

After four years abroad, artist Jonas Davenport has come home to start building his dream of owning his own art studio and gallery. But just as he's ready to put the darkness of his past behind him forever, it comes roaring back with a vengeance.

The only thing keeping ex-cop Mace Calhoun from eating his own gun after an unthinkable loss is his role in an underground syndicate that seeks to get justice for the innocent by taking the lives of the guilty. Ending the life of the young artist who committed unspeakable crimes against the most vulnerable of victims should have been the easiest thing in the world. So why can't he bring himself to pull the trigger?

After years of fighting in an endless, soul-sucking war, Navy SEAL Cole Bridgerton has come home to fight another battle - dealing with the discovery that the younger sister who ran away from home eight years earlier is lost to him forever. He needs answers and the only person who can give them to him is a young man struggling to put his life back together. But he never expected to feel something more for the haunted artist.

Cole and Mace. One lives by the rules, the other makes his own. One seeks justice through the law while the other seeks it with his gun. Two men, one light, one dark, will find themselves and each other when they're forced to stand side by side to protect Jonas from an unseen evil that will stop at nothing to silence the young artist forever.

But each man's scars run deep and even the strength of three may not be enough to save them.

Note: Contains m/m/m scenes and is intended for mature audiences.

©2016 Sloane Kennedy (P)2016 Sloane Kennedy

What listeners say about Absolution

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  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Pleasant Surprise!!

I bought this book because it was a whispersync deal and I liked the cover. I never even read the synopsis so I had no idea it was a M/M/M romance. I have read a few M/M but usually dnf and up until this book there was only 1 I had finished and loved. There are just certain things I don't like in m/m romance and I've found that most of them have all of those things but this one did not! I listened to this one straight through! I enjoyed the characters, all 3 of them were so different and I loved that. I think it made their attraction to each other seem so easy and natural (I mean natural like it couldn't be any other way, it just made perfect sense and it was there from the very first time they met). The only downfall for me was the insta-love. I absolutely felt the pull between them, I felt the attraction and I felt like I could see them falling in love one day but.... the first week. I can not wrap my head around being in love when you barely know each other and that was what was happening here. If the story would have been a little longer with a little more time for scenes that helped show the progression of their relationship I think it might have been a 5 star read for me. The story was action packed with lots of baggage and lots of sexy scenes. I can't wait to check out book 2!

The narrator does a great job doing all 3 voices so different that I never once was confused about who was talking and that isn't easy for me normally with single narrated audiobook! I didn't think his voice was perfect for the characters but that's just casting.

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24 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

The narration is as intense as the story.

What made the experience of listening to Absolution the most enjoyable?

The narrators ability to take on many different characters, and give each one their own distinct personality.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Absolution?

When Jonas finally, fully opens up to Cole and Mace. Emotionally, physically, mentally... he lets down every barrier and truly lets them love him.

What about Joel Leslie’s performance did you like?

Is that a trick question? Everything! I will say that he's an Auto-buy for me i enjoy his talent just that much. For this book particularly he was able to take 2 strong, overbearing, alpha male types and stay true to their character while not overloading the voicing with testosterone. It really worked, which was also my favorite aspect of the storyline.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

I just really enjoyed it. So much so that I'll probably listen to it over and over again.

Any additional comments?

This is a new Author to me, I've not read any of her books. As I said, I get everything Joel Leslie narrates because I enjoy his talent so much. It was amazing to listen to how he brought Kennedy's story to life. There are two alpha males in this threesome, but for whatever reason, it works. I love that Kennedy found a way to write these characters, Cole and Mace, and Leslie was able to convey that in the voicing that stayed true to their personality and characterization. Each man wants to be in charge, but for different reasons. Each man brings something different and valuable to the relationship and they when to bend, so it flows well. I'll definitely be looking for more books by this Author, highly recommend this lovely listen.

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8 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars
  • kp
  • 08-27-16

LOVED IT!!!

What did you like best about this story?

Having read and loved Absolution I couldn't wait to listen to the audio version of this book! I was certainly not disappointed! Hearing the great job Joel Leslie did with the characters just made me love this story even more! Can't wait for the rest of this series to be available in audio!

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7 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

One of the best Trio love stories ever

This book ranks as my second favorite polyamory (menage) story behind Bound by Law by S.E. Jakes. It was one of the most angst filled books I’ve ever read and I loved it! I enjoyed the narration, but I was the only one in our group read that liked the narrator. I found him easy to listen to and was able to follow the various voices quite easily,

Mace Calhoun was a hired mercenary with an assignment to take out Jonas Davenport, a gay pedophile who supposedly used his art to lure young artists and molest them. In the course of his surveillance, Mace began having doubts about Jonas’ culpability, so Mace began insinuating himself into Jonas’ life for more tangible proof of his crimes against little boys. Mace learned that Jonas was still recovering from the murder of his roommate, which he was an eyewitness too. Soon Mace and Jonas became attracted to each other. Just as their attraction was peaking, Mace’s plan was discovered by an ex-navy seal Cole Bridgerton, who was the older brother of Jonas’ murdered roommate.

When it was revealed that someone was after Jonas, Mace & Cole teamed up to protect Jonas and that’s when the three of them came to rely on each other. The three men had such baggage and were so emotionally damaged. It was a group of drowning men barely holding to each other to keep from drowning. It was an emotion plot, and I felt for all three equally. I really applaud this author for not making one character “more” important in the trio. Despite having different needs, I felt like Mace, Cole and Jonas were equally important members of their triad. Each person had chemistry with the other so any two of the trio could have been a hot couple. The author balanced them really well and thus I never saw them as anything but a threesome.

I wish the rest were available in audio because I would have gone right into the next book. It appears that there are at least 2 more books in this series so I am planning to read them as soon as I can.

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6 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

A good book, an outstanding voice performance

What made the experience of listening to Absolution the most enjoyable?

The unique voices, along with expert delivery and pacing, made this audiobook a cut above others I've listened to in this genre. The narrator's interpretation and rendition of dialog and narrative passages was riveting and made this story hard to put down.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Absolution?

At the point where the three main characters came to a realization their fates were aligned in totally unexpected ways was the high point of this novel. What followed from that was engrossing, immensely sensual, and had me completely invested in them as a unit rather than as individuals.

Which character – as performed by Joel Leslie – was your favorite?

I can't honestly pick one character above another, yet Mace's revelation about his past was especially gut-wrenching, yet, in truth, each man tread a perilous path toward recovery and healing.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

What it did was fully engage me. The writing had me invested in each character as an individual at first, then later—as events unfolded—their survival as a unit became paramount.

Any additional comments?

I had read Absolution prior to listening to the audiobook. I am delighted to share how the narrator elevated an already good book into one that became even more memorable through an excellence performance.

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6 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Hooked on this series!

Oh man this was good! I’m not usually one for dramatic suspense but this one had me HOOKED! I obviously knew Mace won’t end up killing Jonas, but the reason why wasn’t apparent for a good long while and in the meantime I kept worrying for our boys!

I loved the way all three members of this triad were equal and that virtually nothing happened without the other there. This is a true equal relationship where they all fell in love together at the same time. It’s remarkably well done.

The angst is painful and hard to read. I think Mace’s story hit me the hardest. As a parent there is NOTHING as hard to live through (or imagine) than the death of a child and Mace’s guilt in this is gut wrenching.

I appreciated the imperfect way that things ended for our guys. I liked the work around the author gave us for solving some of the trickier problems, and the way that some issues just can’t be readily fixed.

Cole’s father and his situation was a nice side story as was the leading in to the next story with Ronan. I’m already hooked and his story hasn’t even started yet! (But you can bet I’m reading it next!)

This was a wonderful book – sweet, sexy, tense, dramatic, romantic, suspenseful and sappy. Just perfect!

Audio:

Joel Leslie gave us another outstanding performance. He manages to differentiate the MCs and the other guys in Mace’s group. (I love, love, loved Mav’s voice!) He does a good job with the female characters and the children as well. He has a great sense of timing and emotion and moves the story along at a good pace, too. He definitely added to the overall enjoyment of this story.

4.5 of 5 stars




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6 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

A definite hit

This was my first Audible experience and I must say it was amazing. I had already read Absolution but was offered the chance to listen and review for free. Can't pass up on that :)
Being able to hear the voices gives another level of meaning to the story. You can just feel it more. I was not disappointed and will definitely do more audio in the future.

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5 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Heart and panty melting!

The title of this book says it all. Who wouldn't want to be set free from the guilt of past actions, sad memories, traumas or experiences? Sloane Kennedy manages to tell the story of three men who in their way have something to overcome and they do it while discovering love for each other. As a woman I never thought that the description of three men having sex would be so arousing! As a reader I feel I am going through the emotions of each character as they tell the story from each of their point of view. I read the book before I had a chance to listen to the story on Audible and I wasn't sure what to expect. Joel Leslie manages to give each character their own voice and I really couldn't stop until I was able to listen to the whole book in the space of 24hrs. I really cannot wait for the other books in this series to be released. Well done Sloane for the amazing writing you do and great choice of narrator for these books.

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4 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Absolutely Riveting!

Absolution is my first book by Sloane Kennedy but won't be my last. This story hooked you from the beginning and has so many surprises I kept looking up and finding myself saying WTF? NO! Huh? and many other things. My hubby questioned me until I lifted my hair, showed him my earbud, he shook his head and walked away. I don't want to give away any of the story, so I am not gonna do a run down.
All I am going to say is I loved all of the characters, the plot, the twists, the drama, angst, and the sex scenes as well. Absolution is a grade-A perfect book for mystery/suspense lovers that like lots of heat.

Joel Leslie is one of my favorite narrators, and he really brought this book to life. Each character had a very discernable unique voice and personality. Now that's talent.He brought out the action, the fear, the panic, and the passion.

If you like romantic suspense, hitmen, hot, angst, men that have survived horrific pasts, military men, artists, drama, twists and turns and hot, passionate man-sex this is definitely for you. I highly recommend you get this one in audio!

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

The Power of Three

I absolutely love this book! I have read this book already but to put a voice to the characters brought it more to life for me.

The raw emotion that is felt between the characters of Jonas, Mace and Cole is so intense and I was able to feel it through the narrators voice!

Three lost souls searching for love and a way to forgive themselves of their horrible pasts come together sharing, their strengths, weakness, fears, and love!

Mace a once cop struggling with a past that has made him hard and at unable at times to see the good in people only the absolute bad.

Jonas kicked out at 14, struggled living in the streets suffered at the hands of some horrible people. Now as an adult never let's anyone close to him in fear of what they may take from him.

Cole former Navy lost his family the day his sister was brutally murder, his mother slowly died of a broken heart/illness and he lost his father to alcohol! Just wants some the pain to go away and wants to start to life again but doesn't know how!

Lies and betrayal bring these three men together but will love keep them together once the dust settles?

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2 people found this helpful