The story is amazing! This is very different from the usual Nora Roberts that I knew when I was growing up reading her romance novels. This is out of this world. The fairytale aspect integrating with the modern world is just perfect. The characters are just beginning and knowing that this will be a trilogy, I think at this point the characters are developing nicely. The sense of humor injected into the story by Breen's best friend is refreshing. I can't wait for the second book.

Barrie Kreinik did a wonderful job as a narrator. The pitch of her voice when reading from different characters' points of view is different enough to where I can differentiate between the characters. The pace at which she read was perfect. Her authentic Irish accent was a wonderful integration into the story that makes it seems real.

Thank you to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for letting me read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Hi Nora! Welcome back!

So, I'll start by saying that I'm a long-time reader of Nora Roberts and I was thrilled to get this ARC for review. I've felt for quite a long time that many of her novels are basically the same, with different characters, locations, etc. They're still so similar. This book felt so refreshing and new! It didn't instantly draw me in, though I was hooked pretty quickly. I gave it 5 stars, but it's probably more of a 4.5-star book. I felt that bits dragged on here and there, though nothing that was too bad. Oh, and Barrie Kreinik's performance was spot on. She did a wonderful job with the Irish accent and gave each character a unique voice that really brought them to life. I can't wait to listen to her in Book 2 of The Dragon Heart Legacy, The Becoming.

Breen is barely making it. She's working in a field she doesn't love and is working a few jobs just to make ends meet. Her mother isn't the kindest and most supportive, and her real family consists of her best friend Marco, and the drag queen Sally and her fiance. Breen happens upon the fact that her mother has been hiding a lot from her and, well, Breen and Marco end up taking a trip to Ireland, where Breen is determined to find her father, whom she hasn't seen since she was a little girl.

Not to give away spoilers, but Breen ends up finding her family and a whole new world where light versus dark is very real and consequences are often life or death. The book is full of fun, interesting characters and I cannot wait to see what happens in the next two books. Yes, the book ends on a cliffhanger, but it's a trilogy, so you shouldn't be surprised by this. This book is a lot more fantasy than Nora's typical novels, but at the heart of it all, she is still the same fabulous story crafter. I definitely recommend this one!

Thank you Netgalley, Ms. Roberts, and Macmillan Audio for this ARC!

Wow! Nora Roberts at her best! Love the characters, mixing present day in two different realms. As we known it and the land of fairies, witches, werewolves, dragons, etc. and god. Good trying to kept peace and harmony against evil. Bree is born of one world, but grows up in another, she has no knowledge of her previous life being brought to our world at the age of three. She does have dreams, but no idea what they mean. Her mother is a controlling person, always pointing out Bree’s failings. One day she discovers at her mother place papers that tells her she is rich! After years working 2 jobs, paying student loan, her apartment, etc. and her mother never told her. This starts a change of events that brings her to Ireland in search of her father that had setup the account. Also Leads her to find her grandmother and another world.
I listened to the audiobook and the best narration I never heard. She is wonderful and brings the story to life. Can’t wait to continue with the next book The Becoming.
Thank you NetGalley for this audiobook. I am voluntarily posting an honest review after reading an Advance Reader Copy of this story. #NetGalley #TheAwakening #NoraRoberts

I really enjoy Nora Roberts books and when I seen this new series I was super excited! I listened to the audio version of this and 100% loved it! The story line kept me hooked and the character development of Breen was amazing. I really got attached to her and the emotions she went through! So through the story she hoes through a journey of self discovery and in the process finds family she never meet and a whole new world opens to her! Also that end! Can I please listen to the next book right now!!!! Only a couple more week until it's released and I can't wait!

Thank you Netgalley and the publishers for the audio ARC.

**please note due to low rating I will not be leaving a public review for this book as I have not paid for it.**

Narrator 5 stars
Great voice

Story 2.5 star

I absolutely loved this audio book!! I love Nora Roberts and almost everything she writes. I wasn't able to stop listening. The characters, plot and setting had me wanting more and more. I loved how much Breen grow and become this amazing woman. I can not wait for the next book!!

Let me start by saying, I love Nora Roberts and was so very excited to be blessed with an audio ARC of The Awakening. With that being said, I loved this book! The Awakening is the first instalment in The Dragon Heart Legacy trilogy, where parallel worlds clash over the struggle between good and evil. The story is full of rich details and bits a fantasy, leaving the reader wanting more and more.

Thank you Netgalley and the publishers for the audio ARC.

The Awakening, by Nora Roberts, is a romantic fantasy novel with bits of family drama and suspense, for good measure. This isn't my usual genre but it's Nora Roberts so I figured that it would be good. I'm happy to say that I figured correctly. It took a couple chapters before the story really grabbed my interest but once I was hooked, I had a hard time putting it down. I thought the narrator did a wonderful job. Her cadence kept the story moving at the perfect pace. I thought she did well with all the different voices, as well.
Breen Kelly, a middle school teacher, accidentally discovers that her mother has been hiding some very important things from her. Firstly an account in her name that was funded by her Da and his family. Breen decides to use some of the money to visit Ireland and search for her Da and his family. She finds more than she could have ever imagined. She starts to understand why she's always had such wonderful dreams that included dragons.
With her destiny calling, she must decide if she will follow.

I was really hoping to like this book. It definitely had potential and moments, but it just dragged on.

I absolutely loved this book and cannot wait for the next one. This story was full of adventure but also full of inspiration. Breen learns so much about herself and her past after finding out her mother hid a large amount of money from her. I loved learning about Talamh and the Fey! I’m also hopeful that Breen finds love with Keegan in the future!

Thank you Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for a copy of this audiobook. This is my honest voluntary review.

I received this book as an eARC audiobook from Netgalley. All opinions are my own!

Breen has always wanted one thing: freedom. But when she stumbles upon a fortune, that newfound freedom leads her to secrets she never imagined could be true, and a world full of magic she had no idea she belonged to.

This was my first Nora Roberts book, and I really enjoyed it! I think my favorite part was the world that was created and the way that everything felt so real, even within fantasy realms. The way that Breen was so real and raw made everything come all the more alive, and I loved being part of her journey and watching her discover her true self. Breen was so real that it was hard to not relate to her and really start rooting for her to find who she was meant to be.

The only thing about this book that I didn't vibe with so much was that it felt slow at times. I wanted more adventure and fantasy elements from it, but this book was really about setting Breen up and her discovering who she wants to be. There were times where it felt like it was a slice-of-life for Breen, which can be hard for me to get through, but having it in audiobook format definitely helped!

Overall, I really enjoyed this book, and I can't wait to see where Breen's story goes! Especially after the cliffhanger ending! I would definitely recommend it for fantasy lovers everywhere!

Nora Roberts has been my favorite since high school. The suspense/mysteries followed by the classic romance have always been my go-to reads.
I rarely read fantasy type reads until Year One. I fell in love with that series and have read/listened to all 3 multiple times. I was excited to see NR was coming out with a new fantasy series. Then I saw the dragons, the word sci-fi and was completely turned off. Months after it was released, I decided to give it a go on audio. Once again, I fell in love! I have already listened to this book twice or maybe three times.
I really am trying to be more open to the fantasy genre when it comes to books and I have yet to be disappointed.
Yes, there is an alternate world that involves witches, the fae, and even a dragon or two but it is not over the top.
I highly recommend this book if you love NR. She never steers us wrong and I can not wait until the 2nd. This book definitely ends on quite the cliffhanger.