Absolution

by P.L. Parker

From the mists of time…dark powers arise. Born in blood and entombed for six hundred years, the dhampir Chloe awakens. Zaccarius, the most feared Slayer of all, is sent to determine her worth and, if necessary, to render justice. Enthralled by the purity of her mind, he becomes her protector, only to fall beneath the armies of the Dark Master Jochad. Ancient and dying, Jochad demands Chloe choose—her blood for the life of her lover!

Genres: Paranormal, Adult Fiction, Contemporary

345 pages, Kindle Edition

First published March 7, 2011

About the author

I write stories with alpha males and strong, determined women.

I am a dreamer, an avid reader of fiction, a sometimes gardener and an inept crafter. I live in Idaho. I have three sons, a daughter-in-law, a granddaughter, little grandson and a new great-granddaughter. Over the years, I taught dance but as time passed, I decided to try my hand at a new endeavor - writing. I enjoy life and all its promises.

Reviews

[N.N. Heaven · Rating 5 out of 5]

"I would never let anyone hurt you. If I had to run forever to keep you safe, I would do it."

After six hundred years entombed underground, Chloe awakens. All she wants is to not be alone. The only problem: she craves her elixir, only she has no idea it's blood. Is she a blood-thirsty monster who will lead the world into darkness? Or is she an innocent? The Council sends feared slayer Zaccarius to discover the truth and see if she is redeemable. Chloe's artlessness breaks through all of jaded Zaccarius' walls and they fall in love. When he is captured, Chloe must choose between love and death. Can she save her beloved before it's too late?

Absolution is a magnificent paranormal romance with originality woven throughout. Can a creature who needs blood to survive be pure? I've read a lot of paranormal and urban fantasy novels over the years and never have I read anything like Absolution. The story unfolds in a predictable way, to be sure, but then takes the reader in a totally different direction. P.L. Parker's writing has a very gothic romance vibe which added an interesting depth to the plot. I connected with the characters right away, especially Chloe. I kept waiting for her vicious visage to take over, but I was pleasantly surprised by the outcome. Nope, no spoilers here. The plot moves at a great pace and the ending was so fulfilling. If you're looking for a paranormal romance with a gothic vibe, pick up Absolution. If you're looking for a paranormal romance that's original, pick up Absolution. Highly recommend!

Disclaimer: I purchased a copy on Amazon CA.

My Rating: 5+ stars

Reviewed by: Mrs. N

This review first appeared: https://www.nnlightsbookheaven.com/po...

[Loves To Dive · Rating 4 out of 5]

For six centuries Chloe, a half vampire, has been buried in the French Vosges Mountains, awake the whole time, wailing at first, despairing of never being found and quiet in the end. Two young archeology students stumble upon Chloe’s casket and open it up, not knowing that in doing so they have brought her hiding place to the attention of the Council of Nine, who send out their best slayer, Zaccarius to judge her. Jochad, the Dark Master, has also felt Chloe’s release and seeks her in order to claim her for his own evil purposes. Chloe and the two students who discovered her (Benny and Earl) must now run and with Zaccarius’ help, and ultimately fight the ultimate battle against evil.

Written in a style that alternates between telling Chloe’s story six centuries earlier, and present day, the author has managed to make the transitions virtually seamless and easily understood. Chloe was her father’s darling in her early lifetime and because of her circumstances spent most of her life isolated from normal people. This caused her to have a certain innocence of how the world works that carries over into this century. While she is sweet and innocent, she is no pushover and manages to be both strong when needed and still maintain her sweetness.

Zaccarius is the best of the best for a reason, he can fight better than anyone, is fair in his judgments and one fine looking male. Benny and Earl give us great comedy relief and are determined to protect Chloe no matter what. Jochad is a truly nasty, evil villain, and you just love to hate him. All are well written, we are given enough back story to understand what makes them tick and they all have plenty of face time. There are a number of supporting cast members who round out the story, giving us peeks into the main character’s pasts. We are given hints along the way as to why Jochad is so eager to get his hands on Chloe, and there is even a surprise twist in the end.

I really enjoyed this book, once I sat down to read it, I couldn’t put it down and read well into the night to finish it. Chloe had just the right amount of spunk about her to make me like her, and her reactions to modern changes were believable. The chemistry between Chloe and Zaccarius was immediate and it was fun to watch it develop. I do have to say, the picture of Zaccarius on the cover did not do him justice, he just doesn’t look as intense as described.

There are a few yucky scenes where the bad guys do some damage, no graphic sex, just fade to black kind of scenes. I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a strong man who just so happens to be a vampire, a sweet woman/child who just so happens to be able to kick some hiney when she puts her mind to it, some good laughs and maybe a tear or two.


Member of the Paranormal Romance Guild

[Cyle · Rating 4 out of 5]

GENRE: Paranormal Romance
THEME: Vampires
RECEIVED: From Author
AUTHOR: P.L. Parker
PUBLISHER: Eternal Press
MY BLOG: http://seeingnight.blogspot.com

REVIEW:
I’ve read a lot of vampire books in my time, but not one that actually has portrayed a vampire who isn’t either beautiful or scary looking. In Absolution the lead female vampire is very much in the state of mummification. I really thought this was a different twist to the normally intrigue that most vampire books carry.

Chloe is the lead female character found in her coffin by two young archeologists. Earl and Benny both are scared but fascinated by her existence and how she is still alive after all these years. They set of on a adventurous journey to help her survive. Both the guys are hilarious together always bickering and doing something outrageous. They later meet up with Benny’s relative who is a great addition to the human companions that are trying to help. She not only is trying to recover from being in a coffin for years but powerful vampires are now after her too. A lot of action lies ahead with many vampires coming their way.

Some of the story goes into how Chloe ended up in her coffin, she doesn’t remember how she got there. Parker does a great backstory about what Chloe is and how she came be and what her family hand to go through. My only complaint and this is probably only me, but the speech in the 1300s is hard for me to read. I’m not much of a fan with the words ye and yer that was used back in that time. I guess it’s just an annoying speech for me to read. But that’s only my opinion.

My favorite part of the story was the three mortals Benny, Earl and Shauna, With Chloe trying to figure out who and what she is, the three of them use fiction books from the present to see what powers she has. It’s humorous and made me laugh a couple of times at all the stuff they had Chloe try out.

Zaccarius, the male lead is a slayer of evil vampires and is set out to check on Chloe once they hear of her awakening. He was the normal male hero, strong bold, and sexy with a passion for protecting Chloe. I liked the attraction between him and Chloe; their connection was sweet and passionate.
Absolution was a good love story, with comedy, vampires, adventure and romance. It carried a different appeal to me because its unique characters and suspense that surprised me till the end.

RECOMMENDATION:
This is an adult novel with some sexual content, fans of Paranormal Romance and vampires with definitely enjoy this.

[Judy & Marianne from Long and Short Reviews · Rating 4 out of 5]

Born on the night of her mother's death after an attack by a vampire, Lady Chloe, daughter of Lord Alric the Good and the Lady Isabet, was born in the year 1382. She is raised by a loving father and doted on. It isn't until after she turns eighteen that it becomes apparent what she is. Seeking to shelter her, her father brings her a special elixir each night and when he can no longer shelter her, he seeks to protect her in the only way he knows how. It is only after she re-awakens in modern times that it is made clear to her that she is half-vampire. Through the hilarious escapades of her erstwhile rescuers, Chloe learns to come into her own as a person rather than as a sheltered, wealthy daughter of a Lord.

Meanwhile Zaccarius, a feared slayer of bad vampires, is sent on a mission to find the Lady Chloe and determine whether she will become one of the good vampires or one of the bad ones. At the same time, a bad vampire named Jochad also seeks Chloe for his own nefarious reasons.

Part of the book takes place in the past, as Chloe's history is explained, with the majority of the book taking place in the present. As a result, Chloe's language is a bit archaic with a lot of “ye” and “wouldst” type of language since Chloe has been out of commission for several hundred years and hasn't yet assimilated to the modern world. This also leads to an occasional humorous misunderstanding as Chloe struggles to understand slang.

Some of the funniest parts of the book involve Earl, Benny and Shauna (Chloe's rescuers) not only trying to teach Chloe how to be a vampire from books but also just their antics in general. These are easily some of the funniest secondary characters that I have read in quite a long time and I can guarantee you will get a laugh. The author also does a very good job at making the bad vampires into creepy and scary figures.

Though there are clues given, it is never fully explained what marks the difference between the good and bad vampires. Vaguely reminiscent of Feehan's “Dark” vampires, there are marked similarities between certain general traits of the vampires as well as the difference between them and how they become the bad ones (if I am correct in my assumptions).

This is a thoroughly enjoyable, quick read with lots of page-turning action and laughs along the way that ends too soon. You'll only regret this one if you don't check it out.

originally posted at http://longandshortreviews.blogspot.c...

[Michelle Greathouse · Rating 4 out of 5]

Absolution is a Paranormal Romance novel by P.L. Parker from Eternal Press.

Book Blurb:

For years, travelers in the French Vosges Mountains heard the wailing of a woman echo in the hollows. Her cries went unbidden. No one was brave enough to seek out the source. Over time, the screams lessen, then stop. Eventually, even the memories slipped away, forgotten.

Six centuries later, two over-eager research assistants find and release the young half vampire, Chloe-unaware of events they unwittingly unleash with her.

Far away, other forces are aware of her awakening. Zaccarius, greatest of all the Slayers, is sent by the Council of Nine to seek out Chloe, determine her worth and render justice. Enticed by her purity and innocence, he becomes her protector. However, Jochad, the Dark Master and his army of evil vampires are eager to claim Chloe.

In the battle that ensues, Zaccarius falls beneath Jochad's army. To save her lover, Chloe must make a choice. Ancient and dying, Jochad needs her blood to reanimate. His ultimatum-her blood or Zaccarius' life.

My thoughts:

Born in the fourteenth century, Lady Clothilde de Grenet, was the sheltered daughter of Lord Alric the Good and the late Lady Isabet de Arreio. Born the night her mother died, Chloe spent her first five years with the house staff while her father went off to war in the hopes of overcoming his grief for his lost wife.

Years later Chloe developed a ‘sickness’ that her father told her was the same ‘sickness’ that took her mother.

But it was not a sickness. It was a condition.

In the hopes of keeping his daughter from suffering the same fate as his wife, Lord Alric and his most trusted man Gavin, devised a plan that would keep Chloe alive - and innocent to what she had become.

Centuries later Chloe is being hunted by the evil being responsible for her mother’s death. But there is another - one who would help her in this new life - and Chloe is determined to live.

Absolution is a unique read and I enjoyed it very much.

I think the time period of fourteenth century is what makes Absolution plausible. Chloe was sheltered and naive, trusting her father and those around her - she never questioned her condition, or when she did, she easily accepted the explanations given.

I give Absolution 4 out of 5 stars.

Product Details

Paperback: 276 pages
Publisher: Eternal Press (3-8-11)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 161572317X
ISBN-13: 978-1615723171

[A.J. Nuest · Rating 5 out of 5]

A private war is raging, and Slayer Zaccarius unwittingly holds the fate of the world in his hands. Sent to judge Lady Chloe's vampiric destiny, and a deadly vampire in his own right, Zaccarius sets out on a quest to determine her moral fiber. Only one problem exists, Lady Chloe doesn't know she's a vampire. Birthed the night her mother suffered a vicious attack by the evil Jochad, Chloe spends her first eighteen years living normally under the doting eye of herfather, Lord Alric. But when mysterious symptoms develop,Lord Alric tends to her needs with a special "tonic", keeping her true nature hidden. Only a few trusted servants know the truth, and on the night of Lord Alric's death, his manservant, Gavin, finalizes Lord Alric's plan to protect his daughter, secreting Chloe away to a special tomb in the French Vosges mountains. There she sleeps for six centuries, awaiting a cure for her 'disease', until two research students uncover her grisly chamber. With her waking, the battle heats up. Both good and evil forces seek to capture her, each for their own specific reasons. Chloe struggles to acclimate herself to modern times with the help of three friends, while at the same time her love for the mysterious Zaccarius deepens, a dark stranger who seems determined to protect her despite all the risks. Set in both the past and present, Ms. Parker does an excellent job of weaving history throughout this story, while at the same time maintaining a high level of intensity, action and page-turning romance. Chapters that took place in the past were expertly written, with great dialogue and scenery, and the present-day battles were epic, edge of your seat nail-biters. I loved this story...and more importantly I loved the characters. Chloe's innocence coupled with her determination to do the right thing, made me empathize with her plight. And Zaccarirus, I dare any woman NOT to fall in love with him. He was the perfect hero, trying to sort out his deep connection with Chloe while at the same time struggling to do the job he was born to do. A highly recommended read.

[Alyson Reuben · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Vampire Story You Won’t Soon Forget:

Without doubt, Absolution is the most unique vampire story I’ve ever read. It’s the best of both worlds — a lush historical, sumptuous with details from the 14th century, and yet it’s also a perfect contemporary paranormal when it jumps to the present. There’s a deliciously sensual undercurrent rippling through the words, carrying you along at a brisk pace. Throw in a healthy dose of humor and superb secondary characters, and this is one you DON’T want to miss!

Chloe, a naïve vampiress, was so protected by her father she didn’t even realize what she was, and believed she had an illness rather than the irreversible condition of being a vampire. Eventually entombed for six centuries, the story switches to the present, where she is awakened by a couple of research assistants.

An evil vampire, Jochad is out to capture Chloe and literally suck her lifeblood, which will give him the strength he desperately needs. Jochad and his cronies are dark enough to be believable. You’ll thoroughly hate them as much as you’ll adore Chloe and her new friends.

Hindering Jochad’s dangerous pursuit is sexy slayer Zaccarius. Instantly attracted to Chloe, he's willing to kick some serious vampire butt to defend her. You'll find yourself viewing Zaccarius through Chloe's eyes, falling in love him for his gorgeous good looks, strength, and big heart. I don’t want to say too much and give away spoilers, but I WILL say this: Absolution has it all — a sweet, but seductive romance, a bone-chilling (or maybe I should say blood-chilling) villain, high adventure, and a generous measure of humor tempered by just the right amount of tears.

Five stars all the way!

[Cara · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fasten your seatbelt for a wild, sometimes horrifying, always entertaining ride. In Absolution, PL Parker’s vivid imagination has scored another amazing tale - scary, dark, humorous, and uniquely satisfying. This is a very different vampire story.

Lady Chloe is born in 1382 on the night her mother is attacked by a vampire, one of the nastiest creatures I’ve ever read. A sweet girl, doted on by her father, when Chloe turns eighteen, her true nature surfaces. She too is a vampire. Only she doesn’t know it. Her father and his trusted servant Gavin keep her supplied with fresh blood. Finally, running for their lives, they save Chloe the only way they know - by burying her alive.

Absolution grabbed me from the first page. Chloe is so sweet, and her plight so horrible, it touched my heart. Rescued from her grave centuries later by humans who are alternately foolish and heroic, the story goes off into even more wild tangents. Her human companions provide comic relief, reminding me at times of Abbott and Costello, and I mean that in a good way. Zaccarius is a terrific hero, a Slayer who only wants to rid the world of evil, a man who craves love but feels it’s beyond his grasp. The connection between Zaccarious and Chloe is immediate and powerful. Their love blossoms despite their many hazards.

Absolution is a great love story, an action tale with a sprinkling of comedy, topped with a sweeping battle. There were twists and danger piled on danger. Ms. Parker had me turning the virtual pages. For lovers of action, vampires and romance, this is the book for you.

[Dina Rae · Rating 5 out of 5]

Book Title: Absolution by PL Parker
Review by Dina Rae
Two archeologists, Earl and Benny, discover a woman’s body in a cave hidden deep in the mountains of France. The body wakes up and introduces herself as Chloe. Earl and Benny assume she is a vampire after she requests her papa’s crimson elixir. At first they’re afraid, but Chloe’s sweet disposition puts them at ease. She tells them about growing up in the 1300’s as King Alric’s daughter.
Benny, Earl, and Chloe form a friendship. They soon learn there are other vampires interested in Chloe and smuggle her out of France. Benny calls in a favor from his gangster uncle who crosses them over the English Channel in his yacht. Their good fortune comes to an end as their boat ride turns into a hellish nightmare. Shauna, the gangster’s daughter, sides with Benny, Earl, and Chloe over her father and his goons.
Meanwhile, other forces known as the Slayers keep tabs on Chloe, protecting her when the humans can’t. Another fascinating character is Zaccarious, her Slayer protector. I see him as an ancient Greek god.
I found Absolution to be a wild adventure and immensely enjoyed reading it. Parker’s fast-paced style and witty dialogue kept me frantically turning the page. I loved her concept of Chloe. Without giving too much away, she never murdered for blood and remained ignorant to her supernatural powers. Her innocence has the power to absolve other vampires who have killed for good, for survival, but never evil. I highly recommend this novel and rate it 5 stars.
Dina Rae, author

[Mimi Barbour · Rating 5 out of 5]

This convoluted, humorous tale kept me completely engrossed through each segment as the story progressed. In the beginning, two young archaeological students stumble into a cave and find a tomb. They open it to discover a creature so ugly and vile they fear to touch it. Until she opens her eyes and steals their hearts. She needs her elixir to heal and resume her earlier beauty and so they find some for her...pig's blood. Seems their young friend has strange tastes, which is all explained away when they read the journal left beside her in the coffin.

This part of the story takes us back to 1382 and the day she was born, the day her mother became a vampire and passed the malady onto her child. Her early life as a beloved daughter of Lord Alric is written in such a way as we can see clearly that she's unaware of her affliction. And that drinking blood provided by her father's henchmen, what she calls her elixir, has kept her the same age while they all grew older.

Then we return to present time and the ongoing problems our two young heroes face once they decide that she's theirs to look after. My sympathy for Chloe is now firmly engaged as they begin to battle against the world's most vicious, evil vampire who desperately wants her blood. Thankfully, a strong, handsome vampire slayer joins in the fight and adds the element of romance that makes this a beautiful love story.

Incredible plotting, constant conflict, and wonderful humor made it very hard for me to put the book down.

[Dariel Raye · Rating 5 out of 5]

To say the least, author P.L. Parker has created a rather unique character in her heroine, Chloe. A desiccated, decomposing vampire slowly reanimating before my eyes was not what I expected, and certainly not the norm, but it worked.

The hero, Zaccarius, is a swashbuckling, good-looking, dark vampire – one of my favorite characters! He’s protective, loving, tortured, and redeemable. What more could a girl ask for? To top everything off, Chloe turns out to be a fighter.

As an author, I must say I was impressed by P.L.’s use of rich character accents to denote point-of-view instead of awkward scene breaks. She slips easily from one point-of-view to the next, breaking every rule and making it work.

You will love the supporting characters, Earl, Benny, and Shauna, as they add comic relief and somehow win you over with their endearing, if bumbling loyalty. Zaccarius’ trusted mentor, Alisdair already has a wife, but I’d enjoy reading their story – I fell in love with him, too. The villains, Jochad and Deac don’t have much depth, but who cares? They served their purpose. LOL

This book teeters on the line between paranormal romance and horror with romantic elements, and since I don’t mind a little blood and gore with my romance, I LOVED it! Five (5*****) satin pillows!

[The Project · Rating 4 out of 5]

Here we read the story of an innocent half vampire Chloe and the saga that is her life. I thoroughly enjoyed Chloe, even though her ancient speak became annoying, she stayed true to herself. She was simply a lovely character even if she was beyond naive. She was well read and sharp witted yet didn't know there was something extraordinary about her. She does fit the pieces together in this page turner.

And what can I say about Zaccarius? He's just every heroine's wet dream. Best fighter, amazing lover and sweet and loving to the core once you got past the tough guy exterior. But my favorite people were Chloe's saviours as I thought of them. They keep the story light, and able to handle in between reading about the disgusting bad guys. We luckily didn't have to read to much about the depravities that the evil vampires but for all their evil there were the funny, obnoxious and loyal human of Earl, Benny and Shauna.

This pleasantly surprised me by how balanced this story truly was and proves once again, that love can conquer all.

--Brandi, The One Hundred Romances Project

[Maeve Greyson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fast-paced, gripping read that'll grab hold of you in the very first paragraph. Romance, humor, and even a few bits that'll draw a tear. What more could you want from a great story?

[P.S. Winn · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don't find a lot of vampire tales i enjoy, but this is a good story that takes readers into a mysterious legend of a wailing woman heard in the French mountains. Chloe and Zaccarius are going to fight the darkness as they team up in a search for answers and a fight against evil.

[Barbara Strickland · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a different take on vampires and an interesting read.