Dark Witch: The Cousins O'Dwyer trilogy #1 Nora Roberts

Dark Witch
Nora Roberts
Published: Brilliance Audio 2013
Format: Audiobook
Length: 10hrs 40 min
Narrator: Katherine Kellgren
Source: Own book

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.…

Dark Witch the first in the Cousins O'Dwyer trilogy has sat in my library for a couple of years.  I was put off my the bad reviews that the narrator was given.  It goes to show I should sometimes be cautious about narrator reviews, because on the whole they were unfounded from my point of view. Too dramatic some said, another bad narrator said others and again over narrated!  Give me a break! She was totally adequate for this book and in fact really narrated the dramatic parts very well.  She certainly did not detract from my enjoyment of this book.  She added to it in fact. While I do have the second one on audio, there is a different narrator, but in any case I have this in paperback as well and I read faster than I listen!

The story is a pretty typical Nora Robert's trilogy that involves three cousins and their partners. There is the battle between good and evil, it's set in the west of Ireland near a beautiful castle.  Each of the three Iona, Connor and Branna have their own gifts and animals that work with them.  Iona is given a beautiful horse - she has the gift with horses and can sense what they want, where they hurt etc. Branna has a hound and Connor a hawk.

This story is about Iona learning her craft, meeting her relations and fighting against the dark Cabhan. The story opened back in the seventeenth century and gives the history of Cabhan and the O'Dwyer cousins ancestors and how their story links to the present.

A very enjoyable and easy listen.