The Last True Templar

A good adventure story. Character development is good. Characters are sympathetic and have good interaction. This is a good old fashion read

I received this eARC through Netgalley.com and am providing an unbiased opinion.

This continues the travels of Fox and Willa from the first novel. From the description above, you see they get involved in an attack that finds them fleeing with a woman they believe being attacked. Their "duty" they feel to help those in need surely would not fit in modern society, one could think. With their assistance, this Lady reveals a 40 year secret regarding the possible location of the riches held by the Templar bank, and the proof of a traitor that helped bring about the fall of the Templars.

There is quite a bit of traveling around Italy, and being an American, I don't know much of the country, or its rich history. The Morrisons have brought modern day architectural monuments, and recorded fact history to bring a detailed setting(s) that fictionally took place over 600 years ago. They have done a wonderful job creating not only an informative environment, with detailed description for imagining, but have kept the reader's attention (read: mine) with the adventure of the 'chase for gold'. Overall the book reminded me of a well-researched Clive Cussler novel, which is not a bad thing! Will be watching for more to possibly come....?

This is my first exposure to these authors and I was not disappointed. The Morrisons have delivered a fast paced and deliciously wicked tale. The characters are well rounded and come across as believable, whether you love them or hate them. This provocative, somewhat dark and twisted story grabs you from the first page and keeps you guessing until the very end where the authors insert a deliciously wicked twist.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Aria & Aries who provided me with a copy of this book. I am voluntarily leaving an honest review.

I am a huge fan of books about Templar's and this one certainly didn't disappoint. Fox and Willa make this book and I love there traumas, their difficulties and their strength.

This book has it all. There is drama, mystery, suspense, secrets, history, action and even a bit of travel. I love the settings and the way the book draws you in. Once I got into it I just couldn't put it down. Fast passed, well written, intense, dark and even a bit twisted this is a book that takes you on a journey. And it is one you are unlikely to forget.

Loved it and now have to find the first book (as I hear there is one that I missed!).

Thank you NetGalley and Aria & Aries, Head of Zeus for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book.

WOW, WOW. I absolutely loved this book. As I noticed it was book 2 I had to read book 1 first but that’s me I hate reading books out of order and on this one I am really glad I did. However, this can be read as a stand-alone novel, but for me getting to know the characters Sir Gerard Fox and Willa and how they met etc made book two so much better because you learn how they met and more back ground to them although book 2 does reference some of the things.

The story will keep you literally on the edge of your seat from start to finish. Full of adventure, battles. Fox and Willa are in Italy, when they come across a group of marauders robbing a lady and attacking her. Fox immediately comes to her rescue as does Willa. Once they manage to escape they insist on seeing the lady home. She is Luciana Corosi she is married to a man who is one of the wealthiest and unscrupulous bankers there are. When his wife arrives safely home he makes a show of being relieved that she had been rescued. But is that what he really wanted?

Gradually you learn more about Luciana’s life, her father, her first love and how she became married to the man she is with. They had lost their son to Pestilence. But Luciana has secrets she has kept for years her father was the last knight Templar, and he had buried the treasure. He had sent two lots of clues one had been sent to Luciana and the other to the man she was supposed to marry. With both sets of clues they have to follow each to guide them to where the treasure is. But it’s not just Luciana who is looking, her husband also has the clues and wants to get there first and wants his wife dead. This story is full of action, adventure, As they race across Italy to find the hidden clues and solve them to get to the next clue, but who will get there first?

I absolutely loved this book and look forward to book three I hope. This is such a fast paced read, it keeps you completely engrossed I was reading until 4.30 am as I didn’t want to put the book down. Everything seemed so real, like watching a movie in your head as the places are described the action is believable and you are really rooting for Fox, Willa and Luciana. I very highly recommend this book to anyone who likes a fast paced story with great characters that you will love.

I would like to thank #negalley for an eARC of this and @HofZ_Books for an ARC of this book all opinions are my own and have not been influenced in any way.

This was a really good book! It’s part of a series but seems to stand alone. It’s full of action and suspense. It has a mystery to solve and really becomes a page turner towards the end. Definitely looking forward to the next one
Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the early copy

THE LAST TRUE TEMPLAR is the second book in the Tales of the Lawless Land series that kicked off last year. The sibling authors Beth and Boyd Morrison take readers through a mighty quest in the year 1351. We meet Gerald and Willa not long after the events of the previous book, and as fate should have it, they get caught up in trouble for saving a woman from certain death because, you know, that’s what knights-errant do.

Read the full article in The Big Thrill

In reading the synopsis of this book, it promised the swashbuckling action that took me back to the movies of Errol Flynn. Boyd and Beth Morrison delivered on that promise. Excommunicated knight Gerald Fox and his companion Willa come upon an attack against Lady Luciana Corosi as she completes a financial deal. When they save her and return her to her home in Florence another attempt is made on her life. Luciana’s father was responsible for the Templar’s treasure. When they were betrayed and hunted he hid the treasure. Clues were left in two separate letters that must be combined to be deciphered. It was Luciana’s husband Riccardo who planned the attacks. If he can find the treasure it would make him the most powerful banker in Italy. It is a race through Florence, Siena, Venice and finally an encounter in Rhodes with Riccardo and his soldiers that is filled with fights, betrayals and secrets.

Gerard’s excommunication was unjust. He and Willa have been on a quest to have it reversed so that they can be married. She was a former maid who is a capable healer and proficient with a bow and arrow. They are both dedicated to helping those in need and refuse to leave Luciana until the treasure is found and she is safe. In his quest for riches and power, Riccardo has made enemies who would relish his downfall and willingly offer assistance to Luciana. The Last True Templar has a cinematic feel. It is easy to visualize the battles and the scenic piazzas of medieval Italy, making this a treat for historical adventure fans. I would like to thank NetGalley and Aria & Aries Publishers for providing this book for my review.

Yet again this sibling duo has brought the Middle Ages to life. I loved going on another adventure with Willa and Fox, and this time with a Davinci Code-esque scavenger hunt of clues and symbolism! A real test for any history buff on ancient Mediterranean history. The story was exciting, well plotted, and had a satisfying conclusion. The characters are colorful and lively, they capture the attention as you learn more through the story.

I'm usually quite wary when I read the world "Templar" in a title of blurb. This was an excellent adventure that kept entertained and hooked.
Loved it
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

Really enjoyed this latest Willa and Fox novel! I can’t wait for the next book! Boyd and Beth Morrison always takes us on a fast paced adventure

Rating of 4.5.

The impressive sibling team of Boyd and Beth Morrison return with an epic and compelling sequel to their first impressive novel, The Last True Templar.

Italy, 1351. After their first exciting adventure together, exiled English knight Gerard Fox and his determined companion, Willa, have decided to embark on a journey throughout a Europe still recovering from the ravishes of war and plague. Determined to get married, the two seek a way to escape their complex pasts and move on to a future free of violence and persecution. However, fate has something far more adventurous planned for them.

Arriving in a small village between Florence and Siena, Fox and Willa suddenly find themselves witnesses to a deadly ambush. A band of skilled, masked bandits are targeting Luciana Corosi, the wife of a prominent Sienna businessman, determined to kill her and steal the payment she carries for a lucrative deal. Intervening, Fox and Willa manage to save Luciana’s life, before escorting her home. However, it soon becomes apparent that not everything is as it seems, especially as Luciana’s scheming husband, Riccardo Corosi, is behind the attempts of Luciana’s life.

Escaping from Riccardo’s clutches with Luciana, Fox and Willa soon find themselves embroiled in a complex scheme that reaches all the way back to the fallen Knights Templar. Years ago, Luciana’s father helped the Templars hide their vast treasure from the Church before being betrayed by Riccardo. Determined to save her family’s legacy and finally expose her treacherous husband, Luciana recruits Fox and Willa to her cause and requests their help in solving a series of clues leading to the treasure. But with Riccardo and his men hot on their trail, can Fox and Willa find the legendary treasures of the Knights Templar, or have they finally met their match?

The Last True Templar was an interesting and enjoyable follow-up that captures the heart of the original book while changing some key story aspects and the background setting. The result is a fantastic and exciting read that I had a wonderful time reading and which I managed to power through in a very short amount of time.

To see the full review, click on the link below:
https://unseenlibrary.com/2023/12/20/the-last-true-templar-by-boyd-and-beth-morrison/

An abridged review of this book also ran in the Canberra Weekly on 28 September 2023:
https://unseenlibrary.com/2023/12/21/canberra-weekly-column-historical-fiction-28-september-2023/

For other exciting reviews and content, check out my blog at:
https://unseenlibrary.com/