“Please, don’t leave me here.”Those were the last, tearful words Gina Castillo spoke to me thirteen years ago. It killed me to go, but I was getting sucked further and further into a criminal lifestyle. I wanted more for myself. For her. So I left for the Army, knowing she’d be better off without me.Now I’m back: a better, stronger man, and Gina has grown into a beautiful woman. One who despises … woman. One who despises me.
Soon I discover that all the truths I thought I left behind had been lies, and that my leaving caused nothing but heartache and destruction. Now, I have to find a way to earn the forgiveness of the woman I’m coming to love.
When my boss, and fellow Dominant, assigns me to be the bodyguard to a submissive, every protective instinct inside me rises. Especially when it turns out to be Gina I’m protecting. There’s nothing I won’t do for her, including destroy the enemy who threatens us both.
*this book contains sensitive subject matter that may be difficult for some readers.
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This is the seventh book in this series. This is a well written story with complex characters. I will warn you some may find this one has some triggers to unpleasant memories. That being said I found this to be a very intense story. I would encourage you to give this one a chance. Please remember this is a BDSM story. You get to revisit old friends from the previous books.
Absolution is Book 7 in the Doms of Club Eden series. This is the first book that I read in the series and had no problems following the story but it is so riveting, exciting, filled with suspense and fast paced that I will definitely read the series from the beginning. Gina and Leo’s story is full of emotion and learning about oneself. Gina has a past which affects hinders her relationship with Leo. Leo has always cared for Gina and tried to protect her, he does not know why she rejects him. As, the story unfolds and the fears and secrets are revealed the chemistry between them cannot be denied. It is explosive and amazing.
Thank you L K Shaw for a story that is well written with characters that are well developed. It is filled with adventure, romance, sexy, HOT Alpha males!
A story of two people that endured a hard lifetime while apart. When united later in life they are able to reconnect, and become the savior for each other. While helping each other cope with their past they fall in love all over again.
Gina is a submissive at Eden. She has been here for a few years and uses her scenes to work off stress and anxiety from her past. One day someone from her past shows up in her safe haven and her life is not the same.
Years ago when Leo left his foster home to attempt to better himself in the military, he thought that he left his admirer in the safety and protection of a fellow foster. He has learned otherwise and he must protect Gina now.
As the story unfolds, and we learn what happened to Gina and why she is so angry with Leo, it is understandable. But as she works through her past with his help and his saving her, the growth and love throughout the story shows that people can overcome the past to move toward a better future.
Absolution by L.K. Shaw is book 7 in the Doms of Club Eden series. This is Leo and Gina’s story.
This is a 2nd chance romance that is 13 years in the making. Gina’s life went downhill after Leo went in the military. She was abused by her previous master. She has never forgiven Leo for leaving her behind. She finally finds people who care about her and love her for who she is. Yet just as she is healing well , the man who she hates with a vengeance comes back into her life.
Leo thought when he left, he was doing the right thing but actually he left Gina with the devil. Now that evil has come back and is seeking to end her for good. Leo wants to save her and protect her and show her that they do belong. The plot is poignant, heartbreaking, emotional and wonderfully inspiring. There are some steamy scenes..love the message its is saying yet also tells a good story.
My Rating: 4.5 stars *******
Book Review: Absolution (Doms of Club Eden)
Author: L.K. Shaw
FIVE STARS
Gina and Leo have a history that no one knows about. But will Gina let go of the past long enough to let Leo back in? Leo left to join the military and get himself out of trouble and avoid a life of crime, but now that he is back and Gina is a member at Club Eden, can he control his urges and keep his distance?
A second chance romance, will Gina and Leo find their way back to each other?
This book is a dark romance and there are triggers. Drug usage, as well as strong language, violence and sexual encounters.
Mature audiences only
KLH
I loved the struggle that Gina and Leo had to go through to get to their HEA. The angst and suspense in this book are real. I felt all the emotions Gina felt. My heart broke at the despair. Please have tissue ready when you read this book. It’s a very emotional story. Loved the love/hate relationship. From a True Fan… Pam James.
An excellent, excellent book.so magnificent
Leo has no idea when he leaves Gina, age 13, to enter the army thatshe would be so abused at the foster home she was in. Gideonhad promised Leo that he would take care of Gina but what he did was the total opposite. Destroying her in the process. When Gina sees Leo again 13 years later the intense love she had for him when she was age 13 is now the most hateful hate she’s ever felt for anyone. Gina blames Leo for everything that happened to her although it was not his fault. Gina finally explains everything and Leo is distraught beyond belief. The man he thought Gideon was to take care of Gina was nowhere close to what Gideon did to her. Gina was responsible for putting Gideon in jail, and he promises her when he gets out in eight years he will find her and give her what she deserves. Leo is incensed by this and promises he will protect her. This book is fantastic. Bad things happen to good people but thank goodness there are good people that can make you see who is really responsible and help you deal with your feelings, emotions, nightmares and relationships. filled with emotional ups and downs and guilt that will eat you alive. But everyone comes out safe and sound on the other side with an incredible happily ever after ending. Just wonderful in every way.
LK does what she does best and gives you a book packed full of emotion with Absolution. Gina and Leo have a tragic story, filled with angst and heartache. Gina has been suffering for years after Leo left her to join the service. The victim of physical and emotional abuse by those closest to her, she falls into addiction and does everything to get herself clean and to put away those that wronged her. When her abuser is set free from prison, her life spirals out of control and Leo steps in to protect her.
As a person who has witnessed those with addiction problems, this story really hit home for me and I was in tears in multiple parts of the book. Gina struggles so much with her past and has to look internally to gain strength, but also reach out and ask for help from her friends and to forgive Leo for the past.
While the book is light on the D/s aspect, there are still great moments of passion and heat between Gina and Leo that are so much more powerful because of all of the emotions behind them.
Another great LK book!
An enjoyable and well written romantic suspense
This was an easy to read, enjoyable and well written story that deals with some dark and difficult issues. These were very sensitively dealt with and it felt as though the author had definitely done her homework on the subject. Gina and Leo are two likeable and believable characters and I very much enjoyed their story.
I was surprised at how slow burn this was, though it fitted perfectly with the trials and tribulations Gina had suffered in the past and was going through now. Leo was the perfect strong rock in a storm to provide her a safe harbour to anchor her life too. The full plot meant that I almost missed how little ‘action’ there was in the book. I was too caught up in the wonderful story telling.
Absolution is my first foray into the world of the Doms of Club Eden and I found it easy to read as a standalone. We didn’t actually see much of the club, or any real BDSM action at all, leaving this feeling much more of a romantic suspense than anything else. It would actually be a suitable read for those who aren’t into BDSM romance, since it featured so briefly within the book and was in an ‘at home’ bedroom scene.
The writing flows smoothly and the prose is easy to follow. I never found it a struggle to follow either the action or the dialogue. I’d be happy to recommend this well written and entertaining book to others.
First of all this is the 7th book in a series of standalones with HEAs. although this series is modeled around a bdsm club. this book is more about drug addiction and overcoming it. also there is suspence and this is a friends to enemies to lovers romance i know crazy right? This is a definant page turner and your sure to fall in love with the characters in this book.
Gina has a past that she wants to keep in her past but Leo knows something is wrong and he wants his old Gina again….. not going to post spoilers but when Gina past comes back big time lets say Leo is her hero…. I loved this book and love all the books of this series
ABSOLUTION by LK Shaw
Well, I didn’t see ANY of that coming! Way to go LK Shaw .. great story, great storylines, great characters. I used a little bit of kleenex, had a few reminiscent moments of youth past, and understood a lot of what Gina was going through, BUT, I did not see any of the end coming. I love the way LK writes. She let’s you feel. I do love both Gina and Leo and wish they could have stayed just a little longer by my reading chair, so I could get to know them a lot better. Enjoy another great book!
A well-written, intriguing & suspenseful romance, that is somewhat dark & is quite heartbreaking to read at times. The characters are quite well-developed & go through a lot of trials & tribulations to ultimately complement each other. The plot is exceptional well-written & flows smoothly throughout the story line, there is good scene descriptions & world building. There are character crossovers from previous books but this book can be read as a standalone.
There is: A young woman (Gina) with devastating memories, a man (Leo) filled with regrets, a despicable man (Gideon) filled with hatred, twists & turns, intrigue, suspense, memories, secrets, threats, danger, confrontations, abduction, sarcasm, hatred, complication, some domination/submission, trust issues, insecurities, surprises, contentment, mild steam & a satisfying conclusion.
Gina begged Leo not to leave her behind when he left for the army. Now years later he is back and realizes all the things he was told were lies. Gina went through hell and won’t forgive Leo. Leo is a working with a dominant at Club Eden and is assigned to protect Gina. This is light on BDSM and has a romantic suspense element. An enjoyable read that I recommend.
I absolutely loved this story!
Gina and Leo lived in the same foster home. Leo left for the service leaving Gina behind. When they meet again Gina is angry and doesn’t want anything to do with him. Leo will do anything he can to make it up to her.
Absolution is a powerful, heartbreaking and suspenseful read. It’s an emotional roller coaster ride that I’m glad I was on! It captured my attention from the first page and I couldn’t put it down! You couldn’t help but root for them! I really enjoyed the cameos from the characters from past stories. I really enjoyed this book! Read it and you’ll love it too!
Absolution
L K Shaw has done it again! Another intense and gripping story in the world of the Doms of Eden.
In this story, we fall deeper into the lives of Leo and Gina, finding out what fuels Gina’s hatred for her childhood love and what Leo really feels for Gina.
Many truths are uncovered and Gina has a many painful journey to make, one of honesty, bravery, forgiveness and redemption. This story is truly bittersweet and I fell in love with both Gina and Leo as well as their circle of friends throughout it all.
A gritty, honest, beautifully brutal tale of long lost love and second chances.
You just know from the beginning that something happened to Gina in the past…..the question is what?
Leo has no idea, all he knows is the old Gina, the one he left behind was his best friend.
Sometimes hate is all you have, the only thing that keeps you going day after day, Gina is infinitely familiar with this.
When her past comes back at her with a vengeance, she’s left with an impossible choice, or so she feels.
This one touched me, it hits some emotional hot spots and leaves me wanting more. The care and concern Leo shows Gina is the side of a Dominant that’s woefully unexplored in most stories. He’s my top pick for what a Dominant needs to be, very aware of what his Sub wants and needs. Sometimes the emotional care is lacking in some stories…..this one nails it for me.
I also find myself in the weird position of having a book crush on a supporting character! Jacob, oh Jacob……I feel the need for his story now please!
I’m up for another story, spin off, new series, what ever works!
Absolution by L.K. Shaw is book 7 in the Doms of Club Eden Series. This is the story of Gina and Leo.
Gina and Leo where young friends several years ago but Leo ending up leaving her. Leo had thought at the time he was doing the right thing. Now all those years later Leo and Gina meet again. Leo sees that Gina isn’t the same person he once knew. Something has happened to change her greatly. Gina has been a survivor and the one person she loved had left her..Leo. Now he is back and she doesn’t seem to want to reopen the past.
Enjoyed their story.
Pasts collide to bring Leo and Gina back together after 13 years apart! L.K. Shaw brings every emotion into one story! She makes you feel like your right there living this story with the characters. I can never get enough of the Club Eden Series! A must read. Can’t wait to see what she writes next!