Shadow Spell by Nora Roberts – a Review
Shadow Spell
The Cousins O’Dwyer – Book #2
by Nora Roberts
Release Date: March 25, 2014
Links to order Shadow Spell: Amazon / Barnes & Noble / Kobo / The Book Depository
Description:
With the legends and lore of Ireland running through his blood, falconer Connor O’Dwyer is proud to call County Mayo home. It’s where his sister, Branna, lives and works, where his cousin, Iona, has found true love, and where his childhood friends form a circle that can’t be broken…
A circle that is about to be stretched out of shape—by a long-awaited kiss.
Meara Quinn is Branna’s best friend, a sister in all but blood. Her and Connor’s paths cross almost daily, as Connor takes tourists on hawk walks and Meara guides them on horseback across the lush countryside. She has the eyes of a gypsy and the body of a goddess…things Connor has always taken for granted—until his brush with death propels them into a quick, hot tangle.
Plenty of women have found their way to Connor’s bed, but none to his heart until now. Frustratingly, Meara is okay with just the heat, afraid to lose herself—and their friendship—to something more. But soon, Connor will see the full force and fury of what runs in his blood. And he will need his family and friends around him when his past rolls in like the fog, threatening an end to all he loves…
Review:
Shadow Spell by Nora Roberts is the 2nd book in her The Cousins O’Dwyer Trilogy. In the first book in this series, Dark Witch, Branna, Connor, Iona, and their friends managed to hurt the evil sorcerer, Cabhan, very badly; but they did not kill him. The first book belonged to Iona, who moved to Ireland to learn about her Cousins, and her ancestry. Iona fell in love with Boyle, a longtime friend of the Cousins O’Dwyer, and Iona also learned that she was a witch, and one of the three that was destined to fight Cabhan, after centuries of her ancestor’s unsuccessful attempts.
Shadow Spell belongs to Connor and Meara, whom we just knew in the first book, were meant for each other. They just had to move past their longtime friendship, and discover their love for each other. Throughout this continuation of the cousins working together with the help of the other three (Fin, Boyle & Meara) to defeat Cabhan, this story was also a beautiful romance between Connor and Meara. It was special to watch Connor first discover he truly did love Meara. Then to see Meara try fight off admitting she was in love with Connor, because of her fears…the memory of her father leaving her mother.
The beginning of the book spends time in the past, when the three children of Sorcha escaped Cabhan and mourned the death of their mother, who as she lay dying, passed over her powers to each of her children. I thought since we knew the story from the first book, it was a bit slow to start for me. Once they went to the present, it picked up and was good the rest of the way.
A few months have passed since the battle with Cabhan, and Connor is the first to come upon him; the others are warned, but it is Meara, who is very much in danger. Cabhan is using a shadow spell, which allows him to sneak up on them, and it is Meara, who is the main target. Hurt Meara, you hurt Conner. Hurt Connor and you hurt the Circle of Three. So Cabhan lurks, sneaks, and attacks.Together they use protection spells to protect themselves until they come up with a plan to trick Cabhan, and destroy him once and for all.
What I loved about this book is the closeness and camaraderie of the 6 family and friends. I love all of Nora’s books set in Ireland. I loved seeing them use their powers, and learn more about their descendants from as far back as the 1200’s. I loved Connor and Meara together. I adore Branna, and cannot wait for the third book, when she will be the main part of finally destroying Cabhan with Fin’s help. Those two still love each other, despite Branna’s refusal to accept Fin, due to his blood relationship to Cabhan, even if Fin is one of the good guys. I also enjoyed the animal familiars that protect them, the hawk, the horse and the hound. They are a big part of this story.
How do I know that Branna and Fin will be the key to ending it all???? The Cousins O’ Dwyer trilogy is very similar to my favorite trilogy of Nora’s..Three Sisters Island. Whereas it is different, and to me, not quite as good, there is so much that is similar. Of course, not to mention, that Branna and Fin are the only two left to pair up for the last, and as in Three Sisters Island, the strongest one (Branna) is saved for last. 🙂
Shadow Spell is another very good story for Nora Roberts, who always makes us want to travel to Ireland, as she describes it so well. Her trilogies to me are her best stories, and Shadow Spell will continue the trend. I am looking forward to the final book, Blood Magick.
Reviewed by Barb
