I know Nora Roberts isn’t widely covered on this site, but maybe we should. If you have been reading my articles for any length of time, I am sure you have picked up on my love of myth and magick, and this trilogy has magick abounding. Nora Roberts writes magick so well that I wonder if she is a witch herself. I wholeheartedly respect Ms. Roberts’s ability to write believable magick. I aspire to write as well as her.
In the first book, Dark Witch, we meet Iona Sheehan, who moved to County Mayo in Ireland from America. Iona’s grandmother on her mother’s side is from Ireland. Iona is off to meet her cousins. Iona wants to make a new life here in Ireland and find the friends and family she always wanted. She feels the magick in her and wants to learn. Her Nan points her in the direction of Ireland. When we meet her beautiful cousins, Branna and Connor O’Dwyer, you are just confronted with magick. You can feel it but not in a bad way. Iona’s coming to Ireland also starts a chain of events that the cousins must see through to the end.
Back in 1263, a dark witch called Sorcha cared for her three small children while her husband, Dathi, was away with the clan. Sorcha’s children are Teagan, the youngest daughter, Eamon, her son, and her oldest daughter, Brannaugh. While her husband is away and Sorcha is not yet recovered from her miscarriage she is hounded by an evil witch, Cabhan. He desired to possess and use Sorcha. Cabhan pushes Sorcha until she must stand to allow her children to flee. She gifts her power to her children and binds their animals to them. Brannaugh the hound, Eamon the hawk, and Teagan the horse. Sorcha charges those who come from her to fight Cabhan until he is defeated. The guides continued to stay bound to the three that were born each generation to try to stop Cabhan. In the present day, Branna has the hound, Connor the hawk, and Iona the horse.
In meeting Branna and Connor, we are also introduced to Fin. He is one of Connor’s best friends and is Branna’s ex, even though they love each other desperately, she won’t let them be together because he is a descendant of Cabhan. Fin is a good man though. I mean, I kind of fell for him a little (don’t tell my husband). We also meet Meara a horsewoman, sword fighter, and singer. I hate her. Just kidding. I want to be her. I’d even take being her when mucking horse stalls. The final person we meet in main people is Boyle. Boyle is a mountain of a man and he, Fin, and Connor run the stables and falconry near the castle.
Right away, Branna, Iona, and Connor hit it off. Iona, having saved up for a big splurge on staying in the castle for a week, then moved in with Branna and Connor at Branna’s cottage. Iona, being an expert with horses, lands a job at the stable with Meara and Boyle. Connor works on the other side with the hawks. Iona dives head first into magick lessons and how to physically defend herself. Cabhan starts taking swipes at her right away. Branna and Connor grew up with magick all their lives and they helped Iona learn and she is a natural at it. She even meets Teagan, one of Sorcha’s three. I can’t tell you how shafted I feel being a witch and magick doesn’t work like that for me. Iona’s lucky.
This is a Nora Roberts novel so you know there is romance to it. Boyle and Iona together though, makes me giggle. The way I consistently picture their size difference is Jason Mamoa and Jada Pinkett Smith which kind of makes me laugh. But I can picture the idea tickling Iona too, so I don’t feel bad. I like how well-written the characters are and I feel like I know what they would and would not like. Like I know them. Usually, I like the romance part of Nora’s stories but this time, it was more of a side note than the focus. I was more frustrated with the romance portion of this one than I was happy with it, anyway. The magick was terrific though. The togetherness between the six of them is solid.
Do you read Nora Roberts? Have you read this trilogy or at least this book? What are your thoughts? Let me know in the comments below. Until next time, have fun storming the castle!
