It's Ireland time with Nora Roberts

Welcome to the garden. I specifically asked the garden staff to prepare some Irish fare. Dish up and find a place to sit. The last ten days of our grand adventure will be in Ireland. And as you all have heard I'm IRISH and so I'm very excited. When we planned this trip over two years ago, I hadn't done the DNA yet. I was still saying "I'm adopted I can be whatever the hell I want. SO I'm Irish."

Ashford Castle
When my husband asked me what I wanted to do for my big 6 0 birthday I said I wanted to visit Ireland (we had to visit London and Edinburgh because they're so close and we'll never get to go back). We visited a travel agent and started planning. She advised that if we could, we had to stay in a castle. I started researching castles. I read over, I don't know how many Web sites, but I settled on Ashford Castle. As I read over the activities and the description I thought, "why does this sound so familiar?" I'd just finished reading the Dark Witch by Nora Roberts, and I remembered that Iona Sheehan (main character) had stayed in a castle and the story was very close to that castle. I rushed to my kindle and looked it up. Sure enough it was Ashford Castle. And we'd already decided to stay there. And of course we'd already planned the trip before I did the DNA and found out I was Irish. And so now I can say... I'm going to the homeland!

When I visited London I had a friend who wrote historicals set nearby guest blog. And the same with Scotland. So in honor of my visit to Ireland, it just made sense to share Nora's Cousins O'Dwyer Trilogy. I give the series 5 stars. I loved it. But then Nora is one of my auto buys!

Dark Witch (The Cousins O'Dwyer Trilogy, Book 1)
By Nora Roberts
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 horsemen, 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…

Shadow Spell (The Cousins O'Dwyer Trilogy, Book 2)
By Nora Roberts
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…

Blood Magick (The Cousins O'Dwyer Trilogy, Book 3)
By Nora Roberts
Branna O'Dwyer has a rich and remarkable life. Her little shop in County Mayo is thriving and her close circle of friends and family have found love and happiness. But Branna's own heart remains closed - to protect herself and the man she loves from a terrible threat.

She reached out once to Finbar Burke - and it almost destroyed them both. Fin and Branna have both inherited a gift for magic, but Fin shares his blood with an old and terrible enemy. And so the two friends have kept their distance, both secretly yearning for the impossible.

That distance has kept them safe - and unhappy. But as a final battle draws close, Branna and Fin are brought irresistibly together. And while they succumb to the heat between them, there can be no promises for tomorrow.

Thanks for visiting! Next week I'll share some pics and experiences from my trip.

Comments

Popular Posts