Book Review: Dark Witch by Nora Roberts

ISBN-13: 9780425259856

Publisher: Penguin Group (USA)

Publication date: 10/29/2013

Series: Cousins O'Dwyer Trilogy Series , #1

Synopsis:

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…

If you've read my blog, you know that I used to love Nora Roberts. But then, as I read more and more romance and romantic suspense authors, I started to get irritated with her books.

The last few books have been difficult for me to even get through mostly because of the stilted dialogue. I know she writes characters from a different part of the country, but her overwhelming lack of pronoun usage in her characters speech throws me for a loop. Instead of getting lost in the story, I want to scream "People don't talk like that!!"

BUT, this newest release, the Dark Witch, is more like the Nora Roberts I used to love to read. She's developing a three part series, her usual, with a magical suspense plot winding us through the romance. While some of the dialogue was still lacking in pronouns, I found I could still believe it because several of the characters are from Ireland. I don't know why that helps me, but it does.

The characters are very well developed, with unique personalities like in all her books. The romance plots for future books is set up nicely in this first of the series. This is where Roberts shines. I am hooked on the future characters. I really want to know what's going to happen with them!! So I will wade through the unrealistic conversations just to see the couples all get together. I'm a sap like that.

So, while this isn't the best book I've ever read by this author, it was a throwback to the books that propelled me into the romance genre. I look forward to the rest of the series.