The Awakening by Nora Roberts – a Review

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Description:
In the realm of Talamh, a teenage warrior named Keegan emerges from a lake holding a sword—representing both power and the terrifying responsibility to protect the Fey. In another realm known as Philadelphia, a young woman has just discovered she possesses a treasure of her own…

When Breen Kelly was a girl, her father would tell her stories of magical places. Now she’s an anxious twentysomething mired in student debt and working a job she hates. But one day she stumbles upon a shocking discovery: her mother has been hiding an investment account in her name. It has been funded by her long-lost father—and it’s worth nearly four million dollars.

This newfound fortune would be life-changing for anyone. But little does Breen know that when she uses some of the money to journey to Ireland, it will unlock mysteries she couldn’t have imagined. Here, she will begin to understand why she kept seeing that silver-haired, elusive man, why she imagined his voice in her head saying Come home, Breen Siobhan. It’s time you came home. Why she dreamed of dragons. And where her true destiny lies—through a portal in Galway that takes her to a land of faeries and mermaids, to a man named Keegan, and to the courage in her own heart that will guide her through a powerful, dangerous destiny…

Review:

The Awakening by Nora Roberts is the 1^st book in her new Dragon Heart Legacy trilogy.  I am a huge fan of Nora Roberts books, especially her fabulous trilogies; I absolutely love each and everyone of them.  I was thrilled to find out about the first book in this new trilogy and am happy to say I loved it…another winner for Nora Roberts.

Breen Kelly, our heroine, is 26 years old and lives in Philadelphia; she hates her job, and is deep in debt.  Breen has strange dreams that keep her up many nights, with one message “Come Home, Breen Siobhan”.  With her mother away, she is cleaning up and discovers some papers that has an account with her name and a balance of close to 4 million dollars. Breen decides she wants to learn more about her father, and travels to Ireland with her friend Marco.  For two weeks they travel and enjoy Ireland, and when Marco goes home, Breen is determined to stay for a few months. She comes across a cute puppy (Bollocks), who leads her through a portal where she meets her grandmother, and learns her father is dead.

Breen will learn everything about the realm of Talamh, filled with magic, fairies, witches, dragons, elves, weres, falcons, as well as the beautiful incredible land and family/friends she knew when she was a young child, only to be taken away by her mother.  Roberts not only created a wonderful heroine, but I loved those family and friends in Talameh; Keegan (the young leader and love interest), Marg, Morena, Aisling, Mahon, Harken, Sedric, and her friend Marco, etc. In the midst of all these wonderful people, there is of course an evil villain, Odran, her grandfather, who is determined to kidnap her and take away her powers, which needs to be awakened. 

I do not want to give spoilers, as you need to read this from start to finish. What follows is a wonderful story that kept my attention throughout, unable to put the book down.  I loved watching Breen learn how to use her powers from her grandmother, as well as Keegan training her on how to fight with a sword or her own abilities such as fire.  I also loved how Breen wrote a children’s book about her puppy, and also starts to write a novel. 

The slow build romance between Breen and Keegan was nicely done, as they belong together, which I expect to see more in the next book.  I loved loved Bollocks, who was such an adorable puppy.  Breen needs to make a choice; does she go back home, or does she stay and help Talameh fight the oncoming evil. What will Breen do?  I loved everything about this book, as I devoured it from start to finish, and look forward to the next book.

Reviewed by Barb

Copy provided by publisher