But what I felt most was the perfection of what these two men were giving me. And I knew in that moment that I would do anything to keep it. Anything. –ColeAfter 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 … 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: This book contains M/M/M sexual content and is intended for mature audiences.
Trigger Warning: This book contains references to childhood sexual abuse.
This is Book 1 in the series, but can be read as a stand-alone story – no cliffhangers.
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This was one of my first MMM books, and I absolutely loved it. The characters (Jonas, Cole, and Mace) are all very real, very broken, and very compelling. I admit, when Cole first came on the scene, I almost didn’t want him in the picture, as Mace and Jonas had been the main focus of the first couple of chapters, but he quickly captured my heart as well, and I began to see how all three men evolved as their relationship grew.
Like all of Ms. Kennedy’s books, Absolution left me in tears at least once. These three characters will stay with me for a very long time. This is also a very good introduction to the worlds Ms. Kennedy writes in, as many of her series intersect with one another. Many of the supporting characters in Absolution feature in later books, and the taste you get of them here is just enough to leave you wondering what their stories are going to be.
I love this book, it’s one of my favourite re-reads. Sloane Kennedy writes an amazing book. Honestly the series is just awesome.
**********Contains Spoilers**********
Another great read by Sloane Kennedy. Mace has been sent on a Job to k*ll Jonas a young artist as there’s evidence that he’s done some extremely horrible stuff to little kids but he’s been struggling to pull the trigger as there’s something just not adding up about this job as he doesn’t seem like the type but looks can be deceiving but it gets even more confusing when Mace applies for the job that Jonas had put up for a cheap handyman while he gets his studio set up and he gets to know him. Jonas was kicked out of home when he was 14 years old and ended up in Chicago where he was forced into being sold to men for s*x by two brothers’ but he escaped and became friends with Cole’s sister Carrie who gets m*rdered and Jonas was a witness but doesn’t know until Cole shows up seeking answers only Jonas can give him that they’ve only just been notified that she was m*rdered after a complete mix up from the Coroner’s Office. They’re all damaged in their own way but they slowly help each other heal from their pasts. I love the connection between the three of them. I loved that Jonas had no qualms telling Ronan what he thought of him after he recruited Mace into his Protection Agency as Jonas thought that he was using him but really Ronan thought that it would help him focus on k*lling all the sick and twisted people who prey on kids instead of focusing on the guilt he was drowning in as he couldn’t save his son as it makes it easier for Ronan so why wouldn’t he think it would be best for Mace. I’m looking forward to reading Ronan’s story next. I’d definitely recommend this book, series, universe and author to everyone.
The first Sloane Kennedy book I ever read and loved it and all of the Protectors books. Highly recommended.
Finally got back to reading some Sloane Kennedy, and this did not disappoint in the least. If anything if was a bit more buildup then what I am used to, which made perfect sense for these broken men. Each man was broken in one way or another and together they were finally whole. There was not a ton of angst or steamy scenes in my opinion, so it was a perfect balance. I went into this pretty blind in that I did not know that it was an MMM, so that was just a very pleasant surprise. My favorite I would have to say would be Jonas. He overcame so much prior to meeting his men, that when he finally found them, he was already ready to start the intimate side of their relationship with them. I loved how both Mace & Cole were so accepting of Jonas’s needs and did not every make him feel bad about them. Cole was the biggest surprise in this as this was his first and now only time with men, and he just took it completely in stride. Joel Leslie narrated this, and I just cannot get enough of his narrations, just wow. Definitely recommend, heed a few triggers, but none on page.
First, this book requires you to suspend you disbelief. Once you do that, it’s an enjoyable and exciting ride with assassins, cops, and hot sex. The romance between Cole, Mace, and Jonas was incredible. I loved how all three of them ended up fitting together, and their relationship developed into true love. There was angst, drama, action, and of course, romance.
Joel Leslie does a fantastic job with the narration of this book. He performs each character perfectly and it makes for an exciting listen.
If I could give this book more than 5 stars I would.
Perfection perfection perfection! It’s all I need to say. This book has it all.
Re-Read – Jun 2017
One of the things I love most about this book is, that when it comes to sex it’s all three of them. I hate when I read mmm books, where they don’t wait until all three are together, at least the first time.
Mace, Cole and Jonas were a perfect pairing for the first book of this series! I loved how even though Cole sought Jonas after a horrible loss that he was automatically protective of him especially against Mace after his secret was out. But I loved even more how Mace and Cole just agreed that they would always protect Jonas together no matter what. There was no competition for affection or love it was just a continuous, easy flow between the three of them. I cannot wait to read the rest of the series!
Absolution: The Protectors, Book One by Sloane Kennedy was a whirlwind of emotions from the very beginning. Jonas, Mace and Cole have many demons from their past they just can’t escape. Will they be able to make each other whole again? The action in and out of the bedroom was amazing and it was really hard to put the book down. The author’s captivating writing style and strong voice had me losing a lot of sleep. The intense bedroom scenes made the lack of sleep oh so worth it though. The detail in every sentence was incredible like the author was painting a picture for all to see. I recommend this first installment to mature audiences and cannot wait to read book two. This novel is available on Amazon and free on KU!
I loved this book! I had written a long ass review on how awesome this book was but Goodreads didn’t save it so the next day when I went in to check up it was gone! So now I will try to make a new one and hope it is just as good as the one I was writing high on emotions from just finishing the book ( the best time to write a review)
This book/series has been on my tbr list forever but I kept pushing it back in line and now I am so sad I did that, but thank god I got started! This book is everything I needed.
I loved Jonas, Mace, and Cole together they just complete each other and they make the perfect pair’s.
Jonas and Mace meet first. Jonas is this sweet guy who has faith in people and love with all his heart despite his past. He gives off vibes that just make you want to protect and love him and Mace is not blind for that.
Mace is a man who is a little rough around the edges, with a sad past and a lot of anger. But he is drawn to Jonas from the beginning even though he shouldn’t be and he keeps struggling with it.
In come Cole. He is the perfect man for them and he completes the puzzle. He is a little rough around the edges too but with this soft heart that makes him fit both Jonas and Mace. After Cole showed up in the book it just seemed natural they should all be together there wasn’t a couple without all of them in it it was all or nothing. There was no doubt even from the beginning.
Many M/M/M or M/F/M books I feel have that weird part in them where they try to make them all come together without it being awkward or someone feeling left out. But there never was that part of this book. It was so easy and obviously from the beginning that they all were made for each other.
This book has it all. Heart melting moments, Some action (though I could have used more of that), not one, not two but three perfect book boyfriends! And some sexy time that will have you all hot and bothered what more can you ask for?
So grab a glass of wine, find a good reading spot and enjoy this amazing book.
The hurt, the angst, the drama!!! I loved it! Three men with painful pasts come together in times when they are drowning in guilt and fear to find love, redemption and absolution. Their love is quick to form but in times of everything going to hell they have something to hold onto. So I didn’t fault them for seeking each other – the closeness, the heart-wrenching confessions and the scorching heat made this book a wonderful read for me.
I liked that each man had a voice. They were so different yet at the same time they had this instinct to protect and desire to finally live. Mace’s story was gut-wrenching, and I am glad that he finally was able to let go. Jonas was a survivor, so didn’t deserve the troubles that his past brought him. Cole, I guess, couldn’t forgive himself for not being there for those he loved. All of them needed each other.
There was betrayal, intrigue, so much suffering but also hope that the wounds will finally start to heal. I loved how everything turned out for the guys. I really enjoyed reading this book and will definitely continue with the series. I highly recommend it!
Absolution is the first book in The Protectors series by Sloane Kennedy. We meet Jonas, who appears to be a young artist without a care in the world. But then we find out that Mace is looking to kill him, and for reasons that don’t appear to match the artist we see. And then along comes Cole, an ex-navy man desperate to find out what happened to his sister, and the only one who can tell him is Jonas. These three are intrinsically bound together as the story takes on more twists and turns than a bowl of spaghetti.
This was a fast-paced story with never a dull moment. Jonas, Cole, and Mace, all round each other out and soften those rough edges that life has given them. I have to say that I loved the cameos of Ronan, and can’t wait for his story. I may or may not have shed a few tears towards the end of this book, but I’ll never tell for sure 😉
A dark story that is enthralling reading. Fiction really doesn’t get much better than this. Absolutely recommended by me.
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and my comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian – I Dig Good Books!