With the support of her maternal grandmother, Iona Sheehan arrives in County Mayo intent on finding out more about her family's history and legacy of magic. She has more than her share of the luck of the Irish when she meets her cousins Branna and Connor O'Dwyer on her first day. Not only do they welcome Iona into the family fold, they also don't think she's crazy when she tells them that she's had dreams about an evil sorcerer named Cabhan. More than 800 years earlier their ancestress, Sorcha, the original Dark Witch, thwarted Cabhan's plan to steal her powers, and he has been plotting his revenge ever since. After moving in with Branna and Connor and taking a job working for cranky but incredibly sexy stable owner, Boyle McGrath, Iona begins putting down roots in Ireland. But her newfound happiness may be short-lived unless she and her cousins can find a way to harness their powers and defeat Cabhan. Best-seller-extraordinaire Roberts works her own brand of literary magic as she begins a new trilogy featuring the cousins O'Dwyer.--Charles, John Copyright 2010 Booklist

Bestselling contemporary romance and women's fiction author Roberts (the Inn Boonsboro trilogy) ventures into paranormal territory with the competent first segment of the Cousins O'Dwyer trilogy. Iona Sheehan has come to Ireland in search of her roots. From her distant cousin Branna O'Dwyer, Iona learns she has inherited the "magick" of the legendary Dark Witch Sorcha, who sacrificed herself to destroy the evil wizard Cabhan. Sorcha passed her powers on to her three children, and Iona, Branna, and Branna's brother, Connor, are the latest group of three descendants to wield them. Unfortunately, Finbar Burke-Connor's best friend and possibly Branna's lover-has inherited the taint of Cabhan, though the evil has not yet affected him. Between magick lessons, Iona falls in love with handsome Boyle McGrath, "cowboy, pirate, wild tribal horseman... three of her biggest fantasy weaknesses all rolled into one big, bold package." Her happiness is threatened by frightening visions of a wolf and other hints of Cabhan's encroaching evil. The magick is never quite convincing, but Roberts's focus on romance will satisfy her core audience. (Nov.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.

Centuries ago, dark witch Sorcha spurned, marked, and nearly destroyed the evil sorcerer Cabhan as she gave her life to protect her three children. But Cabhan still lived-and waited. Now, with Iona Sheehan's arrival in County Mayo, the descendants of those offspring are finally together, and the time is right for Cabhan to take his revenge. But Iona and her cousins Branna and Connor O'Dwyer are far more powerful than Cabhan had imagined, as he discovers when he sets his sights on neophyte witch Iona. While this is definitely Iona and stable owner Boyle McGrath's romantic story, the other characters, including assorted friends, relatives, and animals (especially a brilliant horse named Alastar), are important elements in the mix, beautifully setting the stage for the stories to come. VERDICT Combining myth, magic, and legend with Ireland's wild beauty, Roberts spins a mesmerizing tale of good vs. evil, providing another trio of addictive romances that readers who love her trilogies-especially "Born In" and "Three Sisters Island"-are sure to enjoy. Roberts (Whiskey Beach) lives in Keedysville, MD. (c) Copyright 2013. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Seven hundred fifty years after an evil sorcerer attacks the Dark Witch Sorcha and leaves her children orphans, he comes back, and her descendants must depend on magic, friendship and love to repel him. Iona Sheehan has sold most of what she owns and left everything she knows behind in America, convinced that Ireland is where she belongs. Her beloved Nan has directed her to County Mayo and the cousins she has there after filling her ears and imagination with tales of magic and family legends of an ancient, evil enemy. Once she meets her cousins Branna and Connor, they all realize that she is the final piece of an ancient power triangle designed to confront the magical enemy Cabhan, who killed their ancestor Sorcha, the Dark Witch, but only after she vanquished him for a time and imparted her power to her three children. Now, centuries later, when the three cousins are united, it is clear that they are each powerful in the ways Sorcha's children were, and they have identical animal guardians. Something about Iona's appearance seems to beckon Cabhan, and Branna, Connor and their three best friends will work to teach Iona everything she needs to know about magic in order to fight Cabhan when he confronts them--an event they can all feel is coming. At the same time, one of those friends, Boyle McGrath, may just be the man Iona's been waiting for all of her life. If only she can convince him he loves her and they can both stay alive to savor a long and happy future. Roberts brings her A-game to this textured, expertly plotted magical romantic adventure. The author manages to create a flawed heroine who must learn she deserves the best from love, not a man who doesn't know what to do with her magic, which is as much a part of her as her ability to work with horses or her newfound love of Ireland. Fans will be thrilled with the author's return to Ireland and with the magical themes. Magical, romantic, compelling and appealing--Roberts at her best.]] Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.