08 Jan 2012 No Comments
Immortal Hope by Claire Ashgrove
Immortal Hope: the Curse of the Templars by Claire Ashgrove
ARC : 355 pages
Publisher: TOR Romance (January 3, 2012)
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.
I’m a long-time fan of historical fiction so it’s no surprise that Immortal Hope was very appealing to me, but the romance aspect kinda scared me a little. Romance has never been a favorite of mine but Claire Ashgrove has definitely changed my thoughts on the genre as a whole after devouring her latest tale. From the very first page, I was immersed in a world that took my breathe away and never let me go. I simply couldn’t put Immortal Hope down, and when I finished reading, I wanted the next book in the series right then and there.
The characters are exciting and very well developed, keeping you enthralled in every detail as the story progresses. Anne is a kick-ass heroine and a seraph that can barely be contained in the pages of this amazingly brilliant story. Merrick – oh my goodness – he is definitely the hottest thing since…umm…well dang, he’s just super awesome and definitely a character that is totally unforgettable. Together, they make Immortal Hope live up to its title and so much more. The romantic heat between them is startling, leaving you begging for more. The relationship grows in a realistic way so there’s none of that insta-love crap here.
The historical qualities of Immortal Hope are well researched, giving a real-world feel from beginning to end. Ashgrove really did her homework and you can feel her passion for history as you delve deeper into Anne and Merrick’s journey. Coupling history with the paranormal was a brilliant twist, giving readers that enjoy paranormal, romance, or historical fiction a tasty morsel to gnaw on that is sure to please.
Ashgrove has made a lover of romance out of me and I’m happy to say I will definitely be stalking her future works, and I will continue to read this amazing new series. Immortal Hope is packed with intense action, immortality, a romance that will make your heart skip a beat or two, and the most intoxicating descriptions a reader could hope for. The next installment in the series is Immortal Surrender. I’m dying to find out what happens next. I highly recommend that everyone add this captivating read to their reading pile. I’ll definitely be reading more of Claire’s works.
Special thanks to TOR for providing a review copy.
