nora roberts can do no wrong. this was amazing and makes me want the rest of the series right meow. her descriptions of ireland make me want to visit so bad. really enjoyed this!

Nora Roberts descriptions of Ireland will give you the biggest craving to visit immediately!! In The Awakening the scenery is so vibrant and authentic that I felt I was on the island myself. It’s proof how well the author has researched this place, visited herself and how much she loves Ireland. And it was palpable how much she put herself into this book.

If you haven’t been to Ireland yet, after reading this book you’ll put the island on the very top of your bucket list. The novel gives you the best kind of Wanderlust.

The Awakening is an introduction to what is to come. Similar to her last trilogy, Chronicles of The One, the author splits the trilogy into three parts. In the first book The Awakening, we are introduced to the characters, their connections, possible love interests, and the first glimpse of what is to come. The book has a slow build up, almost a bit too slow at times, but with a cast like this, and the world building the author put in place, there is a lot to cover.

As always the author loves to pitch Good agains Evil. And that’s exactly what she does with this new trilogy. I can only imagine what’s to come next! A big showdown, battles, wonderful relationships and friendships, and fantastic writing.

The Awakening was a massive start to a new fantastical trilogy, that will leave you wanting to book a flight to Ireland stat.

I'm gonna come out with it right away...thiswasmyfirstnorarobertsbook. Yeah I deserve those judgy eyes. One thing's for sure thought, it won't be my last book by her.

That she is an accomplished writer is crystal clear from the get-go. The world building, the landscape descriptions, the character development, it was all very well done. If you've never been to Ireland you'll want to go after reading THE AWAKENING. I saw every little detail in my mind, every beautiful place Breen visited. I loved to spend time in this world.

The inclusion of LGBT and non-binary characters in romance becomes more and more normal, as it should, and I couldn't be happier about it. Marco wasn't just Breen's best friend by name, he was amazing, a constant in her life. And Sally was a delight!
Two worlds, both somehow hers. How would she ever balance them?

Breen's journey from an insecure, meek teacher who hated her profession into a self confident, strong-willed witch was slow but rewarding. Her mom did a number on her and Breen always thought of herself as never being enough. Until she has to step up in a big way. Helping her along the way are well-meaning people - one of them Keegan, who becomes her teacher in all things warfare. Here is where I'll admit that I thought he wasn't very likable. We know the brooding type but they usually have a sweet and funny side about them too. I think the author failed for a majority of the book to let me see another side of him except the rude hardass and judgmental, impatient jerk he was.
“She’s beautiful. I’ve tried not to notice, but I’ve eyes in my head, after all. When that spirit flashes, she’s more beautiful than any I’ve known."

So when all of a sudden he admitted to himself being attracted to her I had a rough time believing it. From this point forward though I got to see a softer side of him. His connection with Breen though was a bit of a stretch. I hope that this will become more natural in the next book.
He’d wondered and wondered how she would feel under his hands, how her body would move under his, and now he knew and wanted hours of her, days of her, nights of her.

I also have to say that this book could have been a good 25% shorter. In parts it dragged and made it slower than it should have been. But niggles aside, I had fun with this first installment of this new series and enjoyed this world and its people. The cliffhanger will have you craving the next book. If you're a fan of Ireland and the magic this country is famous for, pixies, fairies, dragons, were, witches, any fantasy creature you can imagine, then this is definitely a recommendation for you.

Well, this was a little unexpected! Enjoyable, but unexpected. I anticipated the first book in a paranormal romance trilogy where each book had a separate couple, the adventure was complete, and there was an overarching story that carried across all three books. Instead I got something that feels a little like a set-up book for a fantasy series.
All her life Breen has kept herself small, tried to be as invisible as possible while struggling with overwhelming debt, and a job she hates. When she discovers her fortune and makes the decision to travel to Ireland her life changes dramatically. We spend the first half of the book with Breen, watching her come into her own, start a blog, write a middle grade and an adult fantasy novel, all the while fighting against limiting beliefs and low confidence.
Then something happens and she discovers a whole other world to her heritage. That is when we meet the love interest. You know immediately who it is, but the chemistry builds slowly. The book ends with a little bit of a cliffhanger. Again, not something I expected when I started reading, but the closer I got to the end the more I could prepare myself for that.
Overall, I enjoyed THE AWAKENING. The story very much fits the title. We follow Breen as she awakens and comes into her power. Nora Roberts has a compelling writing voice. You are sucked into the story and, like many others of her books, I ended up reading this in nearly one sitting. I did miss the romance. We get a little bit of it, but not enough for me. I’d been excited to read a new paranormal romance and felt a little let down, but am hopeful that book 2 will remedy that.
I also struggled a little with the way Breen’s writing was described. Her blog is basically an instant hit that grows day by day. She sends off her middle grade manuscript to one agent and ends up with a three book contract. I understand that this is fiction and she is an incredible writer (her best friend has been encouraging her for years), but couldn’t you have at least sent the query to more than one agent? And initially the younger book is described as middle grade, but when Breen meets her agent it’s described as YA. This may just be the ARC edition, but they. Are. Not. The. Same. Thing.
If you enjoy stories where the heroine is a Chosen One and comes into her powers THE AWAKENING is for you.

The Awakening is the first book in The Dragon Heart Legacy series by romance writer legend Nora Roberts. As I really started getting into the story I began to realize we were just being introduced to this magical land and a host of wonderful characters and this book was going to end on a cliffhanger. Nooooooooo! I HATE cliffhangers! But by that time it was too late for me...I was hooked. No quitting; I was already deeply invested in these people. Damn.

Breen Kelly is a young woman stuck in a job she couldn't stand. She wanted to be a writer, not a teacher, but her mother insisted she wasn't good enough. Her mother always insisted she wasn't good enough, no matter what Breen wanted to try or enjoyed doing. While taking care of her mother's home while she was out of town, Breen discovers by accident that her long-missing father left her investments worth close to $4 million. WHAT?! Breen is angry for being kept in the dark and decides to change her life with the help of her gay BFF Marco. They travel to Ireland, her father's homeland, intending to find out more about him. Staying in a charming cottage, Breen begins to have odd dreams that are so real as to appear to be memories. When Marco must return home, she decides to stay a while longer. When an adorable pup appears and seems to want Breen to follow him, she does...straight through a portal to the magickal world of Talamh, where she meets her grandmother, other people who seem somehow familiar, and the mysterious leader Keegan. She wanted change, but she never imagined this!

This book was a fun journey to faraway lands and ended up being really quite touching. I found myself tearing up quite a bit throughout the story. Breen was an incredible heroine! She was led to believe she was mediocre by her mother her entire life. (Not Marco, though....he totally knew Breen was all that and a bag of chips. I really, really want a Marco of my own!) She thought she was going crazy when she crossed over to Talamh, but she soon began to feel at home there and that she truly belonged. Breen found out there was a dark side coming over into this beautiful place; though it was hard for her, she did her best to learn how to fight under the tutelage of Keegan. It was beautiful when she learned just how strong a woman she truly was. Keegan was a bit hard to like and it took me quite a while to warm up to him. He was a hard and demanding task master and often criticized Breen. The more I learned about him, however, the more I understood his behavior - he truly had the weight of the world on his shoulders and was charged with protecting it all. Besides dear Marco, the other supporting characters were also greatly drawn, especially Breen's evil grandfather who was bent on destroying Talamh, her grandmother Nan and her friend Sally, who was the mother of Breen's heart. Of course, I can't forget adorable pup Bollocks! This was a fascinating world and one I can't wait to revisit!

I received an ARC of this book courtesy of the publisher and NetGalley. I received no compensation for my review, and all thoughts and opinions expressed are entirely my own.

Nora Roberts never lets me down. She is consistent, and even when writing fantasy, I enjoy the yarns she spins. The Awakening was no different. In a world where I’m now having difficulty concentrating on a story, I was so happy to be able to immerse myself and step into a land just as Breen steps into her new world.

Let’s talk about these characters. Breen has been overwhelmed by her mother, told she wasn’t good enough, and led to believe that she couldn’t have the things she dreamed of having. Oh, I hate reading about those kinds of mothers! When Breen went off to Ireland she developed a confidence that was fun to read. I enjoyed seeing her gain her strength and a spark of sassiness. Her best friend Marco was a really fun character. He was her strength when she was weak, but became her biggest champion as she found her voice. I’m hoping he is a bigger part of the second novel in the series. He deserves his own story! Keegan, is the leader (I’m not going to try to say the Gaelic or Fey term that Ms. Roberts used and I stupidly didn’t write it down) of the Fey in Talamh (pronounced Tala). He was arrogant and well kind of not nice. I wondered when he would turn into the hero and felt kind of let down by how he was portrayed. His is another character I hope we see flesh out in a more positive manner in the second novel. Especially since he is Breen’s love interest.

I would call this series romantic fantasy, but only in the sense that Ireland, the Fey, Elves, etc. are romantic to read about. I felt a little bit let down in the romance department, but if I threw out any notion that this was supposed to be a romance I would say I enjoyed this fantasy novel. So that is the reason why I’m giving this novel a 4.0 rating. I wasn’t really sure if there was supposed to be a romance between our two main characters. I mean the kind of romance that ends in a happily ever after instead of uncertainty. This novel definitely ended in a cliffhanger, so beware the abrupt ending! I rather liked it because it led me in an unexpected direction, but if cliffhangers are your thing, I thought I’d give the warning. ❤️❤️❤️❤️

I received a copy of this book through NetGalley for my honest review and it was honest.

A realm of magick is closer than you think in The Awakening. Nora Roberts kicks off her Dragon Heart Legacy series with a lush and lyrical fantasy. At its core is a woman coming into her own in lands quite far from her Philadelphia home.

Breen’s life is dull and her personality mousy in a way that doesn’t suit her at all. She grew up with a mother who made her feel inadequate, who shepherded her into a career that isn’t a good fit, and she’s working as hard as she can to make ends meet. The only reason Breen’s spirit hasn’t been completely squashed is because she’s made a family of her own with friends who support and believe in her. When Breen discovers that her long-lost father left her millions she never knew about, she – with the help of her best friend, Marco – quits her job and decides to take a trip to Ireland to find herself. As she does this, her dreams become increasingly fantastical. And there seems to be a silver-haired man who keeps appearing wherever she is. In Ireland, the magickal becomes all the more real when she finds herself in the world of Talamh, a place where the Wise, the elves, the fey, and more live. A place that holds a deeper connection to Breen than she ever could have dreamed. And a place where Breen may be the key to the light holding back the encroaching darkness…

Ms. Roberts really does an amazing job of bringing her worlds to life. Even before heading to the land of the fey, The Awakening is dreamy with its picturesque locations. The Ireland of Ms. Roberts’s stories is always gorgeous and welcoming and the places Breen and Marco travel in this book are no exception. And once Breen begins to unlock her destiny, we’re treated to a magickal world that’s fascinating and makes me want to learn more. I adored the world building in this story, but hesitate to say too much for fear of spoiling the discovery for others.

The Awakening is a fitting title for this book as it truly is about Breen awakening her true self. Breen has been shoved into a box that doesn’t fit her for most of her life and her journey slowly brings out the woman she truly is. It’s an organic growth that I loved to watch and though she has “awakened,” I cannot wait to see what she becomes by the end of this trilogy. Breen is the heart and soul of this book, but she’s not alone. Her human friends, Marco, Sally, and Derrick, are so full of love and caring they melted my heart. I wanted them to be real just so I could be friends with them. In Talamh there are all sorts of supporting characters whose destinies are sure to intertwine with Breen’s own. The most intriguing of them all is Keegan, a man who chose to pick up the staff and sword when destiny called at too young an age. Keegan isn’t what you’d call warm and cuddly, but then he has had no reason to be. He’s a good man, but it’s a heavy burden he carries, protecting and leading Talamh in the battle against the darkness. He and Breen clash repeatedly, but their chemistry is palpable when they share the page. And since this is Nora Roberts, I will note that this book isn’t a romance, though what does unfold is hopefully the beginning of a love story.

The Awakening is gorgeous and engaging, but it’s just the beginning of a larger story. The first leg of the journey has great character development and delightful world building. The only downside is that when the book ended I wanted to keep going, to delve further into this world of witches and dragons, of visions and magick; a world where those of the light must pull together to fight the encroaching dark and the villain who would destroy them all.

Excellent first book in a new trilogy. Really interesting characters and am intriguing storyline kept me engaged throughout the whole book.i didn't want to put it down. Highly Recommend.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. My thoughts and opinions are my own and without bias or favor.

“If you rock no boat, you never end up in the water to see where the waves might take you.” I love so many of the quotes from this book, but this one really speaks to me and feels like it summarizes the story line for Breen, the main character, very well. Breen is from two worlds, but was only aware of her home in Philadelphia, until a trip to Ireland became more than she could ever have thought would be part of her reality.

The Awakening is the first book in The Dragon Heart Trilogy by Nora Roberts. If you have ever read a book by Nora Roberts, you know you’re going to get characters that will work their way into your heart and a world that you daydream about visiting. In this first book in the series, we are drawn into a magickal world of Faeries, Trolls, Mer people, dragons, Elves, the Wise (witches), Sidhe, and a few humans, as we visit Talamh.

I love Breen’s character. We get to watch her grow as we learn about who and what she really is as she goes to Ireland in search of her father. We meet her as a young woman, living with her best friend and roommate, Marco, who is always trying to help her come out of her shell. She was always trying to live an “unseen” life. I loved watching her find the strength and courage to reach beyond her limited sight to become independent and adventurous, embracing her true self.

This story will pull you in and hold you until the very end, leaving you wanting more. The writing is as magical as the story; the characters, relationships, and world create the perfect blend of story, heart, and magical adventure. It’s the kind of story you think about when you’re not reading. You’ll cheer for Breen and soar along with her on her wins. The Awakening is a story about waking up and allowing yourself to be who you really are, despite the odds.

I recommend this book to everyone who has read anything by Nora Roberts, for lovers of fantasy with a sprinkling of romance, and to those looking for a story that will weave its way into your thoughts with relatable characters, and a world you’ll dream of visiting.

This is one of my top reads for 2020 and I want to thank St. Martin’s Press for sending me a copy of this book to read in exchange for my honest review.

I had thought for many years that Nora Roberts was the Queen of Romance but for the last few years she has shown that she is the Queen of about anything she chooses to write. The Awakening, The Dragon Heart Legacy, Book 1 is magical, combining the contemporary world with that of another realm.

Breen Kelly does not seem at all the type of character who will rise to the occasion needed to save herself let alone anything else. Oh, the progress this character makes from finding a unknown bank account to the cliffhanger at the conclusion. I began to believe in her. There is a battle coming between good and evil. The build-up is just beginning and yet I am completely invested in reading the outcome. This is what Ms. Roberts does so well; hook the reader in. The next book in this trilogy can’t come fast enough.

An ARC of the book was provided by the publisher through NetGalley which I voluntarily chose to read and reviewed. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I’ve been a fan of this author, both under this name and her pseudonym, for a lot of years. I like it when she delves into the paranormal as that’s my favorite genre. I was excited to pick up this latest, and I dived right in. I am going to say upfront that it took waaaaaay too long to get to the actual meat of the story. I think about half of the first part could have been pared down to make a tighter first part. It wasn’t boring by any stretch of the imagination, but I knew as a reader that this was just a set-up part of the story. Once we actually got to the heart of the story, it just flew by really quickly, and at the end even though I gasped, I actually cheered about what happened. Just stick with the first part of the story; it’s worth it in the end. Recommend. I was provided a complimentary copy which I voluntarily reviewed.

Breen Kelly lives her humdrum life working multiple jobs and trying to maintain a low profile. The winds of change however are blowing in her favor when a drawer in her mother's office blows open and a file showing Breen as the owner of a multi-million dollar account lies at her feet. Now tattooed with the word courage on her wrist, she's on her way to Ireland to rekindle the memories of her Irish father with her best friend in tow.  What a great beginning to a new trilogy that introduces readers to a wonderful cast of characters, parallel universes, magic and the looming epic battle between good and evil.
With her arrival in Ireland, its as if Breen is awakening from a long forgotten dream. As she writes her daily blog about her adventures in Ireland and starts to gather a following, her night time dreams inspire her to start writing her first novel it's like she's freed the walls that have caged her. There are some mysteries like the lady falconer who she clicked off with but can find no sign off at the falconry school attached to the hotel or the flowers that respond to her in the hotel garden. Added to that are the nightly dreams of dragons and magic that haunt her. On a personal note I had to cancel a planned trip to Ireland this year and Breen's adventures have just strengthened the desire to visit and as soon as possible.
 When Breen's childhood friend departs Ireland she finds a lost puppy in the woods who attaches himself to her. Soon she's writing about the goofy puppy's adventures in addition to her daily blog and her novel. One day she follows the puppy through the woods and ends up at an ancient tree that is a portal to a parallel magical universe and she falls through like Alice and ends up on the other side.  Disoriented she finds herself at a farm that she could swear she remembers, and then surprises pile up as the current occupant takes her to visit a grandmother she knows nothing about. Now she's plunged into a new set of adventures as she discovers that magic, and fey and weres are not a figment of her imagination and she actually has quite a bit of latent magic in her due to her blood. Sadly her beloved father is dead and that she now might be a target of an evil god who once successfully kidnapped her in childhood and will do all he can to reacquire her. 
I've been struggling lately to find a book that I enjoy and can read to the end but this one I had no trouble with. In fact I was totally disappointed to reach the end and can hardly bear to wait a year before the next one in this series will be published. What a wonderful colorful cast of characters in both words. The silver haired man whom she has been seeing is not only real but he's her grandmother's lover and a silver cat in his other form. Her world is expanding and she has more friends and love than she's ever had before. To balance the fey world the characters in the human world are just as colorful and inspiring. 
Another winner from the legendary Ms. Roberts with a theme of courage, empowerment, free choice and love.

This is the debut of a new fantasy series by Nora Roberts and what a fascinating read it is ! I loved the atmospheric setting of Ireland, the strong charcters and the "other" world descriptions by the author.
Thank you to the publisher and to Net Galley for the opportunity. My review opinion is my own for early ARC.

Rights away I liked the protagnist who is smart , strong and likable. Breen Kelly is living a very unhappy life, working at a job she doesn’t like and worrying about her student loans . She is shopping in thrift stores (good for her! Note to author most of us do ) and struggling day to day to keep her life afloat. Her life is not what she imagined when she was in college and she fears it will never get better. She is speechless when she finds out she has a account that has millions from her estranged Father. She promptly pays off her debts, grabs her best friend and takes off on a trip to Ireland to inquire about her estranged father who left her the money. While she is visiting Ireland she finds a secret portal that takes her to Talamh, the place of her birth and a magical land of fairies and all things magical. She finds out she has a reason for arriving in Talamh and is the one they are depending on to be strong enough to take up battle against a terrible being who wants to take over Talamh. The being just happens to be her Grandfather. The challenge she faces is deciding to return to her real life or stay and fight for those in the magical land .

This is the perfect escape reading. it has magic, a strong protagnist and great setting of Ireland. This is everything we readers need in escapism reading.

Nora Roberts has written a modern fairytale. It is glorious. And The Awakening is only the beginning. Breen comes to find out that her estranged father has secretly been sending her money every month for years that has been deposited into an account and amassed into millions. She decides to quit her job and spend the summer in her father's home country of Ireland to learn more about where her family comes from. She brings her best friend, Marco, with her for the initial few weeks. Once Marco returns home to Philadelphia, Breen is on her own for the first time in her life and ends up discovering, quite literally, a whole new part of her that she never knew existed as she finds her grandmother in an all-together other world.

This story is so beautifully told. The setting of Ireland is always fantastic but in Roberts's hands becomes magical and wonderful in all new ways. In re-discovering her past, Breen finds friendship and love and a strength in herself she didn't know she had. There are hints of a battle to come, sword play, witches and faeries and all the magical things that let you escape to another time and place. There is a gorgeous Irish warrior, Keegan, who is all strength and goodness and has a freaking dragon.

I'm normally not one for a cliffhanger but there isn't so much a cliffhanger as a stepping off point for a larger story to come. I cannot wait to read more. I found this book to be a quick, easy read and slightly less heavy than her most recent trilogy. It has both the feel of the original Nora Roberts writing style mixed in with some of the newer elements found her more recent books and the blend is perfection. I highly recommend!

The Awakening
Book 1 in "The Dragon Heart Legacy"
Rating: 3 stars
Thank you to the publisher for the ARC given through NetGalley for review. All opinions are my own.

I'll be honest and say that I almost DNF this book. I was almost at half way through with it that it finally caught my attention. For the first part of the book it seemed that nothing much happened. The description of the areas of where Breen goes are beautiful, but to me that was it. Once the story took off for me I really was not that interested to see what would happen to her.
I guess I made the mistake of going into to it thinking that it would me more of a romance fantasy. This first book is mostly about Breen finding out about her past and learning that she is someone very special to this fantasy world.
We learn with her about the lore and her key role in what will be told in the upcoming books.

I somehow read this WHOLE book in one day. I could not put it down. Roberts' ability to tell a story is without equal. If you want to fall into a book and be transported to another world, pick up a copy of The Awakening.

Once again Nora Roberts transported us to Ireland, the land of magic and enchantment. Roberts weaves the tale of Breen and Keegan and the destiny they share. In this first book of the newest trilogy, Breen discovers her past has been purposely hidden from her and her future is already written.

What I appreciate about Nora Roberts is that her star power means she doesn't have to adhere to the rules most romances, play, in a way I find exciting. This book does not have the pacing of a typical romance, and I found it relaxing to read, which was a nice change from how most books seemed to be pushed into tension and conflict so quickly. I liked that Nora had a gay male side character, even if it did seem a little "hello fellow kids" in the execution. Overall, as someone who dips in and out of Nora, I've found her consistent and reliable, and this book was no different.

Breen has spent most of her life under her mother’s thumb. She got a degree and works a job that she hates. When she discovers her mother has been lying to her she gets the courage to slip away and discovers a whole new world, literally. ARC from NetGalley.

Nora Roberts is at it again with a brilliant fantasy series, this one with a fantasy and romance bend. That was really all I needed to hear to know that I wanted to give this one a read! The Awakening is the first in her new The Dragon Heart Legacy.

The realm of Talamh is in danger – has been in grave danger for years, truth be told. Keegan, and those that came before him, did their best to hold the evil at bay, but all of their hopes now rest on one woman.

Enter Breen Kelly. She was raised having a normal life, if by normal one means she got used to being constantly told how average and normal she was. That is, until she finally learned the truth about herself. Now she has to make a decision. Her old life, or her new one. Unless a balance can be struck.

“If the fates deem who rises, why can't we see? Why can't you,' Keegan insisted, 'who sees the before and the yet to come?”

The Awakening is a fascinating read, one that formed a blooming world that is impossible to look away from. It's rich in detail, and portrays a variety of characters and motivations. In short, while it is very much a magical series, it still feels so human at the same time.

Needless to say, it captivated me. Though I really do mean it when I say that this is a detailed novel – it's four hundred and forty-eight pages of descriptions, character development, and world-building.

That did result in the occasional dip in pacing, if I'm being brutally honest. Though I did enjoy learning as much as possible about Breen and the dozens of characters that came into her life. It was wonderful, especially when her two worlds were put in direct comparison.

I was shocked by the BFF vibes that came with this book, it was a nice addition. I feel like it was important to show such a healthy relationship, especially considering that there were a few very unhealthy ones in the mix as well. Gotta adore the balance!

Honestly, it's almost impossible not to feel a little envious of Breen. Yes, her life isn't perfect. But she did suddenly come across a world of magic and people who loved her – not to mention a budding career in writing, and so much more.

Long story short: the world and magical systems have left me hoping for more, in a good way, that is. It's enough to guarantee that I'll be coming back for the next novel!

The Awakening starts The Dragon Heart Legacy series by Nora Roberts. I thought it was great. Five stars.