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DARK WITCH by Nora Roberts Kirkus Star

DARK WITCH

From the Cousins O'Dwyer Trilogy series, volume 1

by Nora Roberts

Pub Date: Oct. 29th, 2013
ISBN: 978-0-425-25985-6
Publisher: Berkley

Seven hundred fifty years after an evil sorcerer attacks the Dark Witch Sorcha and leaves her children orphans, he comes back, and her descendants must depend on magic, friendship and love to repel him.

Iona Sheehan has sold most of what she owns and left everything she knows behind in America, convinced that Ireland is where she belongs. Her beloved Nan has directed her to County Mayo and the cousins she has there after filling her ears and imagination with tales of magic and family legends of an ancient, evil enemy. Once she meets her cousins Branna and Connor, they all realize that she is the final piece of an ancient power triangle designed to confront the magical enemy Cabhan, who killed their ancestor Sorcha, the Dark Witch, but only after she vanquished him for a time and imparted her power to her three children. Now, centuries later, when the three cousins are united, it is clear that they are each powerful in the ways Sorcha’s children were, and they have identical animal guardians. Something about Iona’s appearance seems to beckon Cabhan, and Branna, Connor and their three best friends will work to teach Iona everything she needs to know about magic in order to fight Cabhan when he confronts them—an event they can all feel is coming. At the same time, one of those friends, Boyle McGrath, may just be the man Iona’s been waiting for all of her life. If only she can convince him he loves her and they can both stay alive to savor a long and happy future. Roberts brings her A-game to this textured, expertly plotted magical romantic adventure. The author manages to create a flawed heroine who must learn she deserves the best from love, not a man who doesn’t know what to do with her magic, which is as much a part of her as her ability to work with horses or her newfound love of Ireland. Fans will be thrilled with the author’s return to Ireland and with the magical themes.

Magical, romantic, compelling and appealing—Roberts at her best.