Although Nora Roberts has written over 200 novels, I must admit I’ve never read a single one her of books. Until now. While perusing our new book shelf, her new series, The Dragon Heart Legacy, caught my eye. I was looking for a new fantasy adventure to dive into, and The Awakening: The Dragon Heart Legacy, Book 1 definitely exceeded my expectations.
Breen Siobhan Kelly has always done what her demeaning and controlling mother has asked her to do. Now she’s thousands of dollars in debt, miserably trudging through her days as a middle school teacher in Philadelphia. Although her mother constantly reminds her she is just an ordinary woman, Breen feels like there should be more to her mundane life. She desperately misses her father that left their family years ago. She especially misses his singing and the stories he used to tell her of magical creatures and far off lands. When Breen discovers her trust fund, left to her by her father, she quits her job and escapes from under her mother’s thumb and goes Ireland to reconnect with him. There, she discovers a mystical parallel world called Talamh. She learns that her father is actually one of the Celtic fair folk, and she is the key to winning a war between the gentle faeries of Talamh and an evil god. After learning the truth of her lineage, Breen must decide if she’s to stay with her newfound family in Talamh or return to everything she’s ever known in Philadelphia. The fate of both Talamh and our world hangs in the balance. Will she make the right decision?
Nora Roberts’s The Awakening: The Dragon Heart Legacy, Book 1 really blew me away. Roberts is a master story teller, blending our mundane world with fantastical Irish mythology. Breen is a very relatable character and I thoroughly enjoyed her progression from a shy mouse into a beautiful and confident young woman. Her tale of self-discovery and self-love is amiable. Readers will be able to relate to the struggle of self-acceptance and appreciation Breen tangles with throughout the novel. The romance between the characters was a tantalizing slow burn. Roberts’ was able to transport me to Ireland while reading this book; I felt like I was right alongside Breen discovering the pastoral villages of her ancestral home. If you enjoy fantastical books with relatable female characters, this book is for you.
Availability: Book; Large Print Book; Book on CD; eBook & eAudiobook on cloudLibrary Rating: ***** Stars (I loved it) Reviewer: Katie, Reference Librarian
ARE YOU AND THIS BOOK A GOOD MATCH? DISCOVER MORE WITH NOVELIST APPEALS! The Awakening
GENRE: Paranormal Romances
THEME: Faerie Realm (The land of the immortal fae, other and apart from the human world, is a setting in these tales, though the heroes might not cross over into it. )
CHARACTER: Well-Developed
WRITING STYLE: Engaging
TONE: Heartwarming
LOCATION: Ireland; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
SUBJECT: Fairies; Family Secrets; Fate & Fatalism; Imaginary Places; Magic; Men/Women Relations; Money; Parallel Universes; Voyages & Travels; Young Women
IF YOU LIKE THIS BOOK, YOU MAY ALSO ENJOY THESE TITLES: