Dark Witch by Nora RobertsAuthor Website Amazon (UK) Amazon.com Piatkus Books (hardback), 2013
368 Pages
WHAT'S IT'S ABOUT
Three cousins inherit a gift that will transform their lives...
Iona Sheehan has just taken the biggest gamble of her life. Leaving her job, her home and her family in Baltimore, she has come to Ireland in search of adventure - and answers.
Iona has always felt a powerful connection to the home of her ancestors. 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 beautiful and atmospheric Castle Ashford, Iona is excited to meet her cousins, Connor and Branna O'Dwyer, for the first time. And when she lands a job at the local riding school she finds herself drawn against her will to its owner - the hot-tempered but charismatic Boyle McGrath. Perhaps in County Mayo she has found her true home at last.
What Iona doesn't realise is that her cousins have been expecting her for a long time. Connor, Branna and Iona have all inherited a powerful but 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.
OPENING PARAGRAPH
NEAR THE SHADOW OF THE CASTLE, DEEP IN THE GREEN woods, Sorcha led her children through the gloom toward home. The two youngest rode the sturdy pony, with Tegan, barely three, nodding with every plod. Weary, Sorcha thought, after the excitement of Imbolg, the bonfires and the feasting.
This is my first time reading Nora Roberts. Dark Witch is the first book in the Cousins O'Dwyer trilogy. I've also borrowed the other two books from the library.
I thought Dark Witch was really good. I loved the fact the novel is set in Ireland. Ireland is a place I've always wanted to visit. Roberts make it sound really beautiful, the sort of place I could get lost in. I really like the witchcraft elements of the novel. They reminded me of the TV series Charmed with three cousins instead of three sisters. I liked reading about Iona learning her craft and the encounters with their nemesis. The only bit that left me a little cold was the romance between Iona and Boyle. This wasn't a central event in the novel and wasn't OTT but I found myself skipping these parts fairly quickly to get to the witch stuff. I did understand and believe in Iona and Boyle's attraction. Who hasn't fallen so hard for someone? I'm looking forward to reading the rest of the trilogy. The novel has a brilliant opening sequence as well.
I'd highly recommend Dark Witch.
