Dark Witch (Cousins O'Dwyer Trilogy, #1)

by Nora Roberts

"[A] trilogy about the land we're drawn to, the family we learn to cherish, and the people we long to love. With indifferent parents, Iona Sheehan grew up craving devotion and acceptance. From her maternal grandmother, she learned where to find both: a land of lush forests, dazzling lakes, and centuries-old legends. Ireland. County Mayo, to be exact. Where her ancestors' blood and magic have flowed through generations-- and where her destiny awaits. Iona arrives in Ireland with nothing but her Nan's directions, an unfailingly optimistic attitude, and an innate talent with horses. Not far from the luxurious castle where she is spending a week, she finds her cousins, Branna and Connor O'Dwyer. And since family is family, they invite her into their home and their lives. When Iona lands a job at the local stables, she meets the owner, Boyle McGrath. Cowboy, pirate, wild tribal horsemen, he's three of her biggest fantasy weaknesses all in one big, bold package. Iona realizes that here she can make a home for herself-- and live her life as she wants, even if that means falling head over heels for Boyle. But nothing is as it seems. An ancient evil has wound its way around Iona's family tree and must be defeated. Family and friends will fight with each other and for each other to keep the promise of hope-- and love-- alive" -- from publisher's web page.

• ISBN10: 0606322442
• ISBN13: 9780606322447
• Publish Date: 29 October 2013
• Publish Status: Out of Print
• Out of Print: 6 April 2021
• Imprint: Turtleback Books
• Edition: Bound for Schools & Libraries ed.
• Format: Hardcover (Library Binding)
• Pages: 368
• Language: English

Reviews

[Kim Deister]

Dark Witch I have read Nora Roberts for years and she never ceases to carry me away with her novels. My favorites are the series like this one, the one that spins a tale of magic right along with the characters that are so easy to love. Dark Witch is the first in a new series, The Cousins O'Dwyer Trilogy.
 
There is so much to love about this book... love, magic, intrigue, friendship, and the eternal battle between good and evil. And all of this is woven with the lovely lilting language of Ireland and all of the magical mythology of that land. The romance between Iona and Boyle is wonderful, but the true focus of the story is the magic and the battle. I love a story that includes the romance we all love, but doesn't make it the entire focus of the story.
 
Iona is a fabulous female lead, American-born, but of Irish descent. Her life hasn't really been bad, but she has felt disconnected and at odds with her life. So she decides to turn her own life on end and move to Ireland, to the place of her grandmother's childhood, in an effort to find her roots and find the place where she truly belongs. Part of her journey was to seek out her cousins, Branna and Connor. Once the three are united, it is then the magic truly begins.
 
I really love that the magic of the story isn't limited to just the three cousins. It includes three of their friends as well, all of whom instantly accept Iona as one of their own. The circle that the six make include siblings, friends, lovers, cousins. Branna and Connor are siblings, cousins to Iona. Meara is Branna's best friend, not magical, but clearly a warrior in her own right. Boyle is friend to Connor, strong and steady and the perfect foil for Iona. And there is Fin, who has magic, and an interesting story, of his own. He is Connor and Boyle's friend and he clearly has a past with Branna. Each of the six brings something different to the table and the mixed cast of characters is so interesting.
 
Things to love...
 
--The blend of the past and the present. Most of the story is told in the present, but the beginnings of the battle between good and evil are rooted in the distant past of the late 1200's. --The blend of magic and romance. The romance adds spice to the story without overpowering a really fantastic plot. --The lovely lilt of the Irish spoken word. Love, love, love it and it comes through so clearly in Roberts' words.
 
My Recommendation
 
 
I can't say enough for this book. I love it! It's been out awhile, but I purposely held on to it until all three books were out. I knew that once I started, I would NEED the next book!

[kimbacaffeinate]

I am a huge fan of Nora Roberts and love her tales involving a little paranormal woo-woo. Dark Witch is the first book in her new Cousins O’Dwyer Trilogy, and I was eager to read it. I preordered this puppy and devoured it in a single day. Set in Ireland, with witches, curses, and evil this paranormal romance offers the perfect read for a cold fall night by the fire. Mini review: Magical, suspenseful with interesting characters and lore that draw you in and make you scream, “More!”

The book begins in the middle ages where we meet the Dark Witch and her three children. We also face the evil sorcerer who pursues her. Spells are cast, fate is set and then we are brought to present day Ireland to the day Iona Sheehan arrives in County Mayo. A blonde haired American and horse lover she has sold all of her possessions to move to the place of her ancestors. As a young child, her Nan shared the family history and spoke of the lush country side. The tale that unfolds draws together those from the legend. Iona begins to feel happy and at home for the first time, but evil draws near, and battle will soon begin.
From the beginning, I liked Iona, and as we got to know her I began to adore this feisty, warm-hearted, smart and fierce woman. A horse lover and one who just says what she thinks, I loved her snark, honesty and got caught up in her enthusiasm for life. She meets her cousins Branna and Conner, and they are all descendants of the Dark Witch. Each possesses power and Iona begins to harness hers. I liked them both. Branna is sort of the leader/mother figure and is hard and demanding of herself. She is probably the most complex character, and I look forward to seeing her revealed. Conner is sweet, even tempered and loyal to his friends and family. He was cute, and I am anxious to see what he is made of. Iona meets Boyle McGarth, who manages a stable. He is tall, broad, true and strong. Words don’t come easy to him, and I enjoyed watching them interact. Every time she looks at him she gets butterflies in her stomach. Boyle’s world is turned upside down by this pixie of a woman, and I loved the banter that develops. While the romance was nice it wasn’t my favorite. Thankfully it is served as a side dish to the overall arc. We also meet Fin; he owns the stables Boyle manages and may I just say oh-la-la. He is a key player in the overall arc, and you will have to discover why for yourself. We also meet Branna’s best friend and fellow stable worker Meara. These folks quickly become an intricate part of Iona’s life and will all play a role in battling the evil. Roberts did a lovely job of introduces them all, and I find myself connected and eager to learn more about them.

In Dark Witch, Nora Roberts weaves legends and magic against the beautiful landscape of Ireland with a story that grabbed me from the onset. Each book will share a romance with one of the cousins and bring us closer to destroying evil. I loved all the supernatural elements, and the spells. Each witch is tied to an animal, and I loved this element. This is a romantic mystery, and has powerful friendships which drawn on each other, and enhanced the tale. Fans of the Sign of Seven Trilogy and Gallaghers of Ardmore will immediately feel at home. While this is a stronger tale then Signs of Seven, it still has a predictable feeling, and was my only complaint. The romance had a little insta-love feel, but Robert’s slowed things down and made it believable. She has a gift for taking magic, legends, and supernatural elements and making them feel very real and powerful.

originally published @ Caffeinated Book Reviewer

[EBookObsessed]

Iona Sheehan has come to Ireland to find an acceptance and an understanding which she has never before known. As the only child of very cold parents, Iona has never known the love and closeness of family. The only time she came close is when she would spend time with her gramdmother, Nan.

It was Nan who told her the stories of her ancestor Sorcha, the Dark Witch, and how she gave her magick to her children and gave her life and her blood to destroy the sorcerer, Cabhan, who would steal her family’s magick with his dark powers. But Sorcha knew if she was not strong enough to destroy Cabhan, it would fall to her children and their descendants to combine their magick and kill Cabhan. Sorcha’s three children have animal familiars: a horse, a hawk and a dog.

When Iona arrives at the door of her cousins Branna and Connor O’Dwyer, she is surprised to find herself so welcome into their home and into their lives. They arrange for Iona to move in and find her a job at the local stable working for their good friend Boyle McGrath. Iona has always had such a way with horses that she knows what they are feeling.

But by coming to Ireland and meeting Branna and Connor, Iona has closed the circle of the three–the three descendants of Sorcha and Iona must quick learn to polish up her magick because Cabhan has been waiting for 750 years to face the three again and take their combined magick so that he may return to corporal form. The three witches, and their friends, will be facing a vicious darkness and they need to finally destroy Cabhan because their failure is just too frightening to contemplate.

THOUGHTS:
As with any Nora Roberts novel, it was a easy read, the characters were likeable and it was a well written story. I think by default, a Nora Roberts novel probably gets a five star rating as compared to most authors.

My only real issue here is that the whole premise of the story is very similar to her Circle Trilogy which I had greatly enjoyed. I am also noticing a trend in her trilogies: the first book is new acquaintances, the second book is friends to lovers (always my favorite premise), and the third usually involves a couple who fight their attraction since book #1.

There is no question that Nora Roberts knows how to write a good story. Nora is to romance what Stephen King is to horror. But it is not a good thing when I am being pulled out of the story to note that “this is just like that trilogy” or “these two remind me of _______.”

If you are a fan of romance with a paranormal twist or simple a fan of Nora Roberts, you will definitely enjoy this story. There’s no question of her talent as an author. I just think Nora needs to shake up her storytelling a bit since they are starting to get a bit predictable. With a discounted price tag of about $10, a reader shouldn’t feel like they already read the story.

Received an ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

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