Review: Dark Witch

Dark Witch by Nora Roberts
Series: Cousins O’Dwyer Trilogy #1
Rating: ★★★☆☆

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 horseman, 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…

Nora Roberts has written about a million books*, and I’ve read the majority of them – she’s who I cut my teeth on in the Romance Genre back in the day, starting with my (still) favorite: Carolina Moon. And she’s consistently dependable to deliver a Nora Roberts book. This is both good, and bad.

When Nora Roberts is good, she’s very, very good. And I think that once upon a time she had a quarter of a million** different ideas and ways to present them. The problem is that we’re way past that now and the ideas and ways to present them continuously seem to be recycled.

Let me count the ways in just this book/series: there are witches (see also the Three Sisters Island trilogy, and the Key and Circle Trilogies, actually), and Ireland (see also the Born In Trilogy, and Gallaghers of Ardmore Trilogy). There’s an otherwordly BIG EVIL (see Key Trilogy and Sign of Seven). Then there’s the American come to **somewhere out of their comfort zone** to live (Born In, Gallaghers of Ardmore, Key, Three Sisters, and many more). There’s the apologetic female character (all of them), the untrusting female character (all of them), and the brash, tomboyish female character (all of them). There’s the intuitive male, the brawler, and the one that is so certain of the love that they fight for it always (all of them).

This is what I mean when I say that Nora Roberts can be counted on to deliver a “Nora Roberts” book. She does it, and it’s pleasing…as long as I haven’t over-indulged lately. I take LONG breaks between reading any Roberts books anymore. I can’t handle the sameness – unless it’s my old favorites (which will always hold a special place in my heart), like Carolina Moon, Chesapeake Bay Series, and a few others.

I enjoyed this book. I did. But it’s just more of the same from the author. I feel like everything’s recycled. Nothing is new. I’ve been here and done that. It’s not a bad thing, it’s just … meh.

*Seriously, it feels like it.
**Well, will a million books written, the ideas have to stop being original sometime, I suppose.