REVIEW: Immortal Trust by Claire Ashgrove

Immortal Trust by Claire Ashgrove

Series:The Curse of the Templars, #3

Publication Date:March 26th 2013

Publisher:Tor Books

Mass Market Paperback, 464 pages
Useful Info: Goodreads, Author's Website, Book Depository

When archaeoloist Chloe Broussard acccepts the contract to lead a dig in Ornes, France, she has no idea she will uncover the Veil of Veronica. When she does, she discovers a danger far greater than the demons she's confronted since childhood. Azazel wants her, as well as the Veronica, and his chosen minion is her brother. Her hope lies with immortal Templar Knight Lucan. Her life depends on oaths she knows nothing about.

For countless centuries, Lucan of Seacourt has lived with the knowledge that his brother killed their family. Now, as Azazel's darkness eats away at his soul, old betrayal stirs suspicion. He trusts no one. Not even the seraph who can heal his dying spirit.

With the fate of the Almighty hanging in the balance, Lucan must find faith in something more terrifying than the dark lord's creations. He must learn to believe his heart.

Review first published at Book Lovers Inc

It's no secret that Claire Ashgrove's Curse of the Templars is among my favorite paranormal romance series currently. From the first book, Immortal Hope, I was fortunate enough to review until now, this series is just getting better book by book as well as more addictive :) Maybe because those books are about Templar Knights, whose myth I find very hard to resist, maybe because the writing style is simply amazing, but the bottom line is, that Claire Ashgrove has created a world that I just love to read about. Simple as that.

I mean, I really liked the first book. The second one was just as great but Immortal Trust was so good that I devoured it. And not only that but I didn't want it to end. I loved so much Chloe and Lucan's story that I didn't want for this book to reach its last page. Because who knows when the next book will be published? And Azazel is gaining more power book by book and I really need to see some of my favorite Knights find their Seraph and their salvation. See? Waiting for the next book to get published is plain torture!

Immortal Trust follows more or less the exact same pattern as the previous two books in the series but in this one I really loved both Chloe and Lucan as characters, more than I did the previous two couples. I really enjoyed how their romance developed and how believable Chloe was as a heroine, a quality that I found lacking a little bit both in Anne and definitely in Noelle. Chloe was as sceptical as any sane person would be when presented with the unbelievable without Noelle's stubbornness that made everything so difficult in the previous book. The only stubborn character in this book was Lucan, but still he was adorable.

One other reason I enjoyed so much Immortal Trust is Ashgrove's ability to describe beautiful places and artifacts in detail but in a way that she isn't tiring the reader. I had some problems with a few books recently, that delved into so much detail spoiling the whole narration. But Ashgrove's writing style is perfectly balanced, giving the reader the amount of detail and descriptions that are needed to imagine things and not lose your interest. And that is a balance not all authors can achieve so I really appreciate it when I find it.

All in all, The Curse of the Templars is among my favorite series at the moment and for a very good reason. The writing style is amazing, the world building unique and fresh and each story in this universe is just better than the previous was. And that says much when you're talking for a very good series of books to begin with. I just really hope that Immortal Trust won't be the last book published in this universe. There are so many things still left to be said!

* This title was provided for review from the author

REVIEW: Immortal Surrender by Claire Ashgrove

Immortal Surrender by Claire Ashgrove

Series:The Curse of the Templars, #2

Publication Date:September 25th 2012

Publisher:Tor Books

Mass Market Paperback, 448 pages

Useful Info: Goodreads, Author's Website, Book Depository

Farran de Clare, loyal member of the cursed Knights Templar, wants nothing to do with predestined mates. Even the Almighty won’t turn him into a fool again—he’d rather sacrifice his soul. Yet in the scientist Noelle Keane, a devout atheist, Farran meets the seraph designed for him.

Ordered by the archangel Gabriel to protect Noelle, the possessor of a sacred relic that could give Azazel incredible power, Farran swears to do his duty—but in name only. Fighting an attraction that grows with each day, he’s determined that he’ll never pledge himself to her.

As they war over her future, their mutual passion ignites a conflict far more damning. But before Noelle will agree to eternity with him, she demands the ultimate sacrifice – his heart.

Review first published at Book Lovers Inc

Immortal Surrender is as good as Immortal Hope was and then some! Claire Ashgrove does an amazing job on her paranormal series about hot Templar Knights!

I remember saying in my previous review on Immortal Hope, that Templar Knights always fascinated me. So The Curse of Templars series starts for me with a huge advantage over similar paranormal romance series that feature vampires or werewolves or any other paranormal creature. That particular myth is among my favorites and most intriguing. So, thumbs up to Claire Ashgrove for creating such a fresh and unique universe and story. I really needed that amongst the overuse of all the other paranormal elements.

I enjoyed reading Immortal Surrender, even more than I did the first book in the series, even if I didn't fall in love with Farran as much as I did with Merrick :) Farran was as alpha as one could hope, but he overdid it with his surliness and in more than one cases I hoped he would stop living in the past and do what he can with his present. So, Merrick was a far more preferable main hero for my taste I'm afraid... Not that I didn't like Farran at all, it's just that after a certain point I was tired seeing him acting the way he did towards Noelle and I couldn't help but think that he did so just because he was still in love with his first wife Brighid (who had died more than 500 years ago...).

Noelle on the other hand, was just the perfect leading lady. Smart, independent, full of insecurities and ready to sacrifice herself to save Farran. A damsel in distress that actually saved the guy of the story in more than one ways and at last someone who actually stops to think and not believe immediately every paranormal story she hears. I mean, I'm tired of characters just taking for granted every irrational story they hear. Yeah, it might be the truth, but when you're raised believing certain things you can't just assume that what you hear is the truth and not the product of some mental illness... Noelle in that department won me over and her character in overall was believable.

The romance between them was scorching hot, despite Farran's back and forths. There was unmistakable attraction between them and like in the first novel, Ashgrove did a splendid job with building some sexual tension and not throwing her characters in bed from the first chapters.

The story is action packed, with maybe a few less action scenes than Immortal Hope had, but they were far better and more powerful. The scene of the final battle was simply incredible. The pace is even, not boring for a single moment, even when nothing crucial happens.

And last but not least, one of my favorite things about Claire Ashgrove's writing is the way she develops her characters, both main and secondary ones. Everyone has a certain role in her world and the way she develops her characters sets the motions for the next books in the series.

All in all, I absolutely loved Immortal Surrender and I can't wait to get the next book in my hands. If you love paranormal romance, just give this series a chance. It won't disappoint you.

EARLY REVIEW: Immortal Hope (The Curse of the Templars,#1) by Claire Ashgrove

Immortal Hope by Claire Ashgrove

Publication Date: January 3rd 2012

Publisher: Tor Books

Mass Market Paperback, 368 pages

Buy via Book Depository

Centuries ago, Templar knights defied the archangels and unearthed the copper scroll that revealed the locations of the gates to hell. Cursed for their forbidden act, they now roam the earth, protecting mankind from evil. But darkness stalks them, and battles they fight bring them ever closer to eternal damnation. One promise remains to give them salvation—the return of the seraphs.

Embittered by his purpose, Merrick du Loire must honor an ancient pact and bring peace to his cousin’s soul, releasing him from the clutches of their enemy. When he stumbles upon history professor Anne MacPherson, he discovers that she possesses a sacred artifact that marks her as a seraph. Duty demands he set aside his personal quest and locate the knight she’s fated to heal. As Merrick struggles with conflicting oaths, Anne arouses buried hope and sparks forbidden desire that challenges everything he’s sworn to uphold.

Anne has six weeks to complete her thesis on the Knights Templar. When Merrick takes her to the Templar stronghold, he presents her with all she needs—and awakens a soul-deep ache that he alone can soothe. Yet loving Merrick comes with a price. If she admits she is destined for him, her gift of foresight predicts his death.

Review originally posted at Book Lovers Inc.

Immortal Hope surprised me!Really and truly surprised me in a really pleasant way! When I picked this title, all I knew about it was what the blurb revealed, there were no reviews about it at the time so to be honest, I didn't really know what to expect. And believe me, maybe knowing absolutelly nothing abou it was what made me love it as much as I did!

Immortal Hope is like reading BDB but with Templar Knights instead of vampires! Don't get me wrong, there aren't any similarities with BDB whatsoever, just the concept of a group of warriors who wait for their predestined mate. That's where the similarities between the two series begin and that's were they end.

From the very first pages of the story, the action is non stop and not only that, but the action scenes are so well written and vivid that it's like each battle is being unfolded before your eyes!

The characters are well developed and consistent and I'm not just talking about the main ones but about the secondary as well. I'm guessing that since some of the secondary characters appearing in Immortal Hope are going to be the main ones in future books, Ashgrove just wanted to give each of her knights the chance to tell something about him.

I was always fascinated by Templar Knights, and have read a number of books about them but most of them were mysteries. I could never imagine them starring in a paranormal romance and that's what intrigued me most about Immortal Hope. And I'm so glad I had the chance to read this book, cause let me tell you knights can be equally hot with vampires or any other paranormal creature out there, or at least, that's what Claire Ashgrove made me believe!

One other thing I was a bit afraid of was the religious connection that is unavoidably associated with the Templars and how would that be handled in a paranormal romance story. But once more, Ashgrove just proved wrong all my fears.

There are religious mentions in the book, there are angels in it but they are handled in such a way that they could as well not been there.

All in all, Immortal Hope is a very well written paranormal romance title, set in an intricate world, whose sequel I just can't wait to read!