The Awakening (The Dragon Heart Legacy #1) by Nora Roberts

SYNOPSIS

In the realm of Talamh, a teenage warrior named Keegan emerges from a lake holding a sword—representing both power and the terrifying responsibility to protect the Fey. In another realm known as Philadelphia, a young woman has just discovered she possesses a treasure of her own…

When Breen Kelly was a girl, her father would tell her stories of magical places. Now she’s an anxious twentysomething mired in student debt and working a job she hates. But one day she stumbles upon a shocking discovery: her mother has been hiding an investment account in her name.

​It has been funded by her long-lost father—and it’s worth nearly four million dollars.

This newfound fortune would be life-changing for anyone. But little does Breen know that when she uses some of the money to journey to Ireland, it will unlock mysteries she couldn’t have imagined. Here, she will begin to understand why she kept seeing that silver-haired, elusive man, why she imagined his voice in her head saying Come home, Breen Siobhan. It’s time you came home.

​Why she dreamed of dragons. And where her true destiny lies—through a portal in Galway that takes her to a land of faeries and mermaids, to a man named Keegan, and to the courage in her own heart that will guide her through a powerful, dangerous destiny… 

Synopsis from Goodreads

---

PERSONAL REVIEW

I don't think it's an exaggeration to say that I think I've read every Nora Roberts book published, so of course I was excited for a new trilogy to begin. However, Roberts continues to prove herself to be at her finest in her contemporary stories or her older fantasy series. This newest addition to Robertsland was an incredibly boring letdown with forgettable characters and lack of tension. 
​
Love Breen's Backstory and Her Best Friend 
I really enjoyed seeing Breen's life in Philadelphia, her found family there, as well as her family and history in Talamh. I would've loved more time with her mom to fully understand their relationship; likewise, more time with Sally and the rest would've been great because they are fabulous characters! Breen herself is ok (I'm assuming we'll see her grow in future books) but it's the people around her that really capture my attention. Looking forward to more time with them in the future.

Romance is Expected but Not Exciting 
We know that Breen and Keegan will end up together, but there was nothing particularly exciting, romantic, or surprising about it when they eventually do...which is really disappointing (especially for a Nora Roberts book!). The entire relationship was stiff, forced, and I just never felt like there was any real connection between them. Keegan as a character was incredibly depressing to read until the end of the novel - when he goes back to the capital, I finally felt like we were getting to know him. But why wait so long to give readers this insight? I'm hoping that something changes in the next book because right now I really couldn't care less about if Breen and Keegan end up together. 

Where's the Tension? 
For a story that's supposed to be about an impending doom/ attack happening in a magical realm, there is very little tension or drama in the actual tale. So there's a bad guy? Cool. I honestly can't remember his name or what his goal is (realm domination? Maybe?) and found myself fairly bored while reading about Breen's training. This book dragged a lot, especially in the middle, with the interest coming from Breen learning about her past and her family more than about her learning how to control her magic. This book was just bland. 

Overall, I didn't think this was a great start to a new trilogy by Roberts. I love her contemporary novels, but I don't think she's as strong when creating these "alternate world" stories. I fully appreciate an author trying something new, but these feels like a very watered down version of some of her previous books (which I actually enjoyed reading) and nothing really stand out for me. Even writing this review, I had to constantly remind myself what this book was about, which is fairly depressing and not at all what I expect after reading something from Roberts. While it sounds weird, I am planning to read the next book in the series because I'm hoping we see much more happening, but this isn't a book or series that I would currently recommend to anyone but the more ardent Roberts fans.

​FINAL RATING: 2/5

---