Nora Roberts’ Dark Witch Features Adventure, Family, and Smoldering Romance

Romance readers who have always dreamed of abandoning everything in order to move to a new country and have adventures will have a serious case of envy when they read Dark Witch, the first book in Nora Roberts’ Cousins O’Dwyer trilogy. The book combines adventure, fantasy, familial love, and, of course, romance. The result is an entertaining read that gives readers a good dose of both otherworldly situations and matters that are more grounded in reality.
The book opens in the thirteenth century with Sorcha, who is known as the Dark Witch and is guarding her home and her three children while her husband is away at war. She is defending herself and her family against their enemy, Cabhan, a dark sorcerer who wants Sorcha’s power—and Sorcha—for himself. Sorcha does her best to fend him off, but to no avail, and her children’s fates are ultimately left hanging in the balance.
Readers are then transported to the present day. Our modern-day heroine, Iona Sheehan, is no ordinary woman. Acting on a hunch that she’s got some otherworldly powers, she moves to Ireland and seeks out distant relations who are not so different from her.
When we first meet Iona, she’s already in Ireland and she’s gotten rid of the vast majority of her possessions, including, tragically, her designer shoe collection. She treats herself to a proper mini vacation, one that includes spending a week at a local castle-turned-hotel, but then wastes no time finding her relations. She meets her distant cousins, Branna and Connor O’Dwyer, both of whom are also descendants of Sorcha. Connor gives her the warmer welcome, while Branna is a tad more reserved, but they are both ultimately happy to have her there, and Iona quickly forms a bond with both of them. Branna becomes Iona’s primary magick instructor, and teaches Iona how to use and control her abilities.

Of course, there’s day-to-day life to focus on, because this magick business isn’t going to pay for itself. Iona finds a job at a local stable, which is owned by Boyle McGrath. Within minutes, she’s got him pinned down, looks-wise, and finds him to be a mix of “Cowboy, pirate, wild tribal horseman,” which immediately has her feeling all “Sign me up!” Personality-wise, Boyle’s got that whole “strong and silent” thing down pat. In fact, “strong and silent” is probably a milder way of putting it. He’s not the most emotional guy, at least not outwardly, but even he cannot deny the attraction he feels for our girl.
Iona and Boyle are pretty much immediately attracted to each other, but he is not one for having open, flowery emotions. That said, he wants to take things slow with Iona, and he’s old-fashioned about being the one to ask women out. In the age of infinite dating websites and mobile apps, Boyle’s ideas almost seem brand-new. He generously gives Iona a “We’ll go have dinner sometime,” which Branna, who has known Boyle for many years, hilariously notes to Iona that, coming from him, “It’s all but a proposal of marriage.” When Boyle and Iona finally do get to know each other in the biblical way, it’s quite awesome. He may play the big, giant protector when they’re out and about, and keep his emotions in check, but he certainly knows who he is in the bedroom.
While Iona settles into her new life, everyone prepares to confront Cabhan, who has managed to stick around over the centuries and never truly disappear. What’s neat about all of the magick-related stuff is that Roberts doesn’t bog things down with too many details. We’re not tortured with long scenes detailing all there is to know about the magick these people create. That said, when there is a magick scene, it’s actually kind of fun, almost like a “Harry Potter” lesson, but one that’s for adults and ends with everyone drinking lots of wine and beer and eating comfort foods that they’ve cooked for each other.

Of course, no Nora Roberts book would be complete without memorable supporting characters, and this one is blessed with two other couples, Connor and Meara, and Branna and Finbar. Connor and Meara, whose story is explored in the second book in the trilogy, Shadow Spell, have known each other for many years, and are now inches away from finally getting it on.
As for Branna and Finbar, who we get to focus on in Blood Magick, we learn that they were sweethearts in their teen years. They separated due to magick-related drama, but, as we learn very quickly, that old loving feeling has never gone away. It makes sense that their story will be last in the trilogy, as they’ve really got that whole delicious, intense desire thing going on for each other.
Dark Witch is an excellent start to an exciting trilogy. The combination of magick, family, humor, and, of course, romance, make for a real page-turner. Iona’s pluckiness is to be admired, and her new, close-knit circle of family and friends would make anyone wish they could follow in her footsteps— magick abilities not required.
Have you read the Cousins O’Dwyer trilogy?