Today we're hosting a stop on the Virtual Book Tour for Ascension, book one in The Demon Hunters series from A.S Fenichel and Lyrical Press/Kensington. Released on October 6th, Ascension is a sexy historical romance with a double-helping of paranormal fantasy. It's the start to a very intriguing series!
For all the stops on Ascension's Virtual Book Tour, check out Tasty Book Tours.
The Book
Lord Gabriel Thurston returns home from war to find his fiancée is not the sweet young girl he left behind. She’s grown into a mysterious woman who guards her dark secrets well. When he sees her sneaking away from a ball, he’s convinced it’s for a lover’s rendezvous. Following her to London’s slums, Gabriel watches in horror as his fiancée ruthlessly slays a man.
Lady Belinda Carlisle’s only concern was her dress for the next ball—until demons nearly killed her and changed everything. A lady by day, and a demon hunter by night, she knows where her duty lies. Ending her betrothal is the best way to protect Gabriel from death by a demon’s hand.
Gabriel soon realizes, like him, Belinda has been fighting for her country. He joins in the fight, determined to show her that their love can endure, stronger than ever.
Ascension is available now!
My thoughts:
Ascension fills a gap in my reading repertoire that I didn't realize existed. This book answers the question "What would an erotic historical romance look like if we mated it with urban fantasy?". The result is an awesome, action-filled love child that hits some really high notes.
The book weaves together a romantic story line - will they, won't they, can he accept her? - with an urban fantasy plot - the ascension/birth of a master controlling demons who are terrorizing the countryside, all while paying respect to the historical time frame. Questions of gender roles and social class are the forefront, and while you cannot agree with the demons' methodology, they're given motivation for their actions beyond simply 'evil.' These elements give the book depths that I didn't expect and definitely enjoyed. While the story has that fast-paced feel of urban fantasy, there are many moments to stop and examine these rich details.
I loved Belinda, a woman who has embraced the opportunities that being abducted by demons have presented her. She's made the most of the unconventional lifestyle she's adopting, while still toe-ing society's line. I loved that the tension between regular life and this paranormal-aware life was really underlined. I also appreciated that she was quite concerned about how Gabriel would react to it all. They both repeatedly acknowledge that the memories they have of each other are those of children. They've both grown up so much, having borne witness to the darker side of reality, and so maturely handle the realization that they are no longer the people they were when they first fell in love.
There's no fading to black in this very sexy romance, and I enjoyed that as well. If we're going to have all the darkness of the violence, why shouldn't we get all the sweetness of a good love scene? I liked that we saw the play of adrenaline and the aftermath of battle affecting our heroine and hero. I loved that they *were* so playful with each other. Good stuff!
The only downside to this book, for me, was that there is a bit of repetition in the demon-hunting. There's a similar formula in terms of set-up that on the one hand makes sense - the demons are trying to complete a/multiple rituals, and that on the other hand, I found a little bit "okay, we've been there and done that." While the stakes are more than adequately raised each time, I think that having an entirely different scenario arise might have spiced things up a bit.
I loved Belinda, a woman who has embraced the opportunities that being abducted by demons have presented her. She's made the most of the unconventional lifestyle she's adopting, while still toe-ing society's line. I loved that the tension between regular life and this paranormal-aware life was really underlined. I also appreciated that she was quite concerned about how Gabriel would react to it all. They both repeatedly acknowledge that the memories they have of each other are those of children. They've both grown up so much, having borne witness to the darker side of reality, and so maturely handle the realization that they are no longer the people they were when they first fell in love.
There's no fading to black in this very sexy romance, and I enjoyed that as well. If we're going to have all the darkness of the violence, why shouldn't we get all the sweetness of a good love scene? I liked that we saw the play of adrenaline and the aftermath of battle affecting our heroine and hero. I loved that they *were* so playful with each other. Good stuff!
The only downside to this book, for me, was that there is a bit of repetition in the demon-hunting. There's a similar formula in terms of set-up that on the one hand makes sense - the demons are trying to complete a/multiple rituals, and that on the other hand, I found a little bit "okay, we've been there and done that." While the stakes are more than adequately raised each time, I think that having an entirely different scenario arise might have spiced things up a bit.
Bottom line:
Ascension was an unexpected delight. It brought together two of my favorite genres and sets the scene for what I hope will be a very entertaining series. I definitely recommend to fans of historical romance and anything paranormal.
4.5 stars
The Author
A.S. adores writing stories filled with love, passion, desire, magic and maybe a little mayhem tossed in for good measure. Books have always been her perfect escape and she still relishes diving into one and staying up all night to finish a good story.
Multi-published in erotic paranormal, contemporary and historical romance, A.S. is the author of the Mayan Destiny series, Christmas Bliss and many more. With several books currently contracted to multiple publishers, A.S. will be bringing you her brand of romance for many years to come.
Originally from New York, she grew up in New Jersey, and now lives in the East Texas with her real life hero, her wonderful husband. When not reading or writing she enjoys cooking, travel, history, and puttering in her garden.
Find her on the web:
The Contest
A.S Fenichel is hosting a tour-wide giveaway of two (2) Amazon or B&N gift cards in the amount of $10.00. Enter below for your chance to win!
Rafflecopter giveaway
Thank you for having me here today. :) I'm so thrilled you liked Ascension.
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