Review: Great start for the series!
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 04 20, 2010
Book one of the Trueblood trilogy, The Consolation Prize introduces the reader to the Trueblood vampires, an ancient bloodline with the ability to tolerate small amounts of sunlight at dawn and dusk. This ability makes them the envy of their peers. The fact that they are fertile and able to sire children is even more enticing to those who seek power, so Truebloods have gone underground, keeping their identity secret.Chloe is human, blissfully unaware that vampires exist outside of myth, and she's just had one of the worst days of her life. She lost her big promotion to a jerk that ripped off her ideas and earns a consolation prize instead. "You are invited to spend four days at Sunset Spa, Washburn Hall. Accommodation and nourishment provided. All spa treatments included."Returning to Washburn Hall is the last thing Chloe wants to do. She lived there as a child and lost her entire family in a tragic accident in that house. But the voices in her head won't let her rest until she makes her reservation.Luka is a Trueblood vampire, but it's a secret closely held. He runs a nightclub, and being rich and handsome makes him a magnet for women, so he leads everyone to believe he is gay with a hidden lover. He too has a bad night when he is abducted by unknown assailants who want to use him for breeding stock.When Chloe explores the hidden passages of Washburn Hall, places she played in as a child, she discovers a naked man in chains held in a basement room. At first she believes he is part of the menu of club services and is intrigued, then realizes he is being held against his will and determines to free him. All she needs is a really big pair of bolt cutters. Or so she thought.Things go awry when Chloe discovers her grandmother, a woman she hoped never to see again, is running the spa.The plot is finely woven and the characters well developed. Add to that Elsborg's humor and ability to craft erotic love scenes that always feel fresh and different, and you have a story that will keep you turning pages well into the night. I highly recommend this book. Not for those under eighteen.