Nora Roberts

An American searches for her Irish ancestors to learn more about her powers and break an ancient curse.

Dark witch

Celeste Richardson

While I know I’ve read this trilogy, it was years ago, and I remembered very little about Dark Witch. What I mostly recalled was the main protagonist, that her personality was as bubbly and excitable as a human puppy, that she loves horses with her entire being, that she moved the Ireland on a whim to meet family, and that she’s magic but has never tapped into her power until she meets her cousins. The Cousins O’Dwyer Trilogy isn’t my favorite of Nora’s works, but there’s still something magical about the setting and the found family and the, well, magic.

Nora’s descriptions of Ireland will also never get old. If I could live anywhere in the world, I would probably choose a little cottage in Ireland, near enough to a charming village to walk if I decided I felt like being around people. A large contributor to that desire are the literal dozens of novels Nora has written that share this setting. The way she describes the land and the communities, the music and the potential for magic will forever be enchanting.

I will never stop loving the way Nora brings together found families. The way she describes the ferocity of their devotion for one another, even when there’s no blood shared between them, strikes me as special no matter how many times I read and reread her stories. These connections are so integral to happiness, and I love witnessing people find those connections for themselves when they weren’t provided by biology. Even if those people are fictional.

It’s evident that Nora deeply values the entrepreneurial spirit, as almost every single main character in her gigantic back catalogue involve people working for themselves. I love the passion she imbues into every described profession, and that all of her characters manage to find a career they so dearly and deeply adore. The drive and passion her characters feel for their chosen careers are absolutely part of the charm of her novels.

How Nora envisions magic, should it exist, is absolutely lovely. In her novels, magic takes not only that spark of power that you’re born with, but a lot of hard work must be put in to properly harness it. This book is no exception. Iona has no magical knowledge and must work overtime to not only try to catch up to her cousins, but to prepare for an impending battle against a dark sorcerer who seeks to wipe out the magic in her family. Honestly, I wish a bit more detail about the magic itself was included, but this isn’t exactly a long book.

Romance isn’t what draws me to Nora’s novels, but I have to confess that she does a remarkable job with them. Don’t get me wrong, there always ends up being some kind of drama that makes me roll my eyes. But the way she conveys the emotions of her characters always moves me. And, while there was no plot resolution in this novel as it’s the first in a trilogy, I appreciated the romantic resolution. 

Speaking of resolution, that was one of my issues with this book. But my biggest issue is with the way the present-day portion of the story begins. It feels weirdly rushed, like entire previous chapters are missing. This made the story oddly difficult to follow. While I’m invested now, and will read the trilogy to the end, I have to admit that it simply isn’t Nora’s best work. There’s something almost translucent about it. The interpersonal connections are good, though even some of those felt somehow forced, but the plot itself presents itself as meaty but feels insubstantial.

As always, reading a Nora novel was a soothing experience. Again, it’s not my favorite trilogy of hers, and for some reason I find it forgettable. But it kept my attention when said attention was in very short supply. And it’s fun to find something of hers that I don’t truly remember. I’ll be starting the second installment immediately.

Renee Delcourt

This was so much fun! I was told recently that I would love this book. It's one of my sister's favorite Nora Roberts book which add so much more anxiety on the situation of me reading it. What if I didn't read it? So I put it off and let it sit on my TBR for way too long. 

And I did not regret it one bit. I so enjoyed the atmosphere of the book. I loved how bubbly and effervescent Iona's personality is. She was adorable and fun and her found family with her cousins and their friends in Ireland is heart warming. 

The magic system is very similar in context to Nora Robert's other series Three Sister's Island. There are also a few similar themes and troupes as her other series. If that doesn't bother you then I think you'll love this series.

Jennifer 

Diego

italy.

Moonchild

Brooklynn Whirls

Tina Rawls

Shay Henrion

Michaela Lee

Tameka Young

Elizabeth Neill

Shelby Caldwell

Madalena Oliveira Maia

Neisha Gabrysiak

Iona Sheehan has always felt a powerful connection to Ireland. So when her beloved grandmother confesses an extraordinary family secret, she can't resist visiting County Mayo to discover the truth for herself. Arriving at the atmospheric Castle Ashford, Iona is excited to meet her enigmatic cousins, Connor and Branna O'Dwyer. And when she lands a job at the local riding school she is soon drawn to its owner - the charismatic, fiercely independent Boyle McGrath. Perhaps she has found her true home at last... But Iona's arrival is no accident. The three cousins have each inherited a dangerous gift from an ancestor known as the Dark Witch. And they are about to discover that some old legends can return to haunt the present. The first in a magical new trilogy, Dark Witch is a captivating story of love, family and destiny.

Dark witch

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