The Choice (The Dragon Heart Legacy #3) by Nora Roberts

What an outstanding book this was! Five stars isn’t enough. This book—as well as the previous books in the trilogy—has more than earned ALL the stars… and here’s why:

Fantastic settings… in all worlds

Okay, admission: I love to read books set in Ireland. It’s a gorgeous country, and I’ve (admittedly) romanticized it completely in my mind. My favorite Nora Roberts novels all take place in Ireland and, as I read them, I hear the dialogue being spoken in that lyrical Irish accent. 🙂 So it’s no surprise I love the fact that part of the story is set there.

Talamh, though… oh my goodness. Who can read this book and honestly say they didn’t wish it was real, so they could explore it at their leisure?

The same can’t be said for Odran’s Dark World, however. YIKES. It’s the stuff of nightmares… and we know this thanks to Roberts’ vivid descriptions and attention to detail.

Extremely vivid, well-written, and relatable characters

I can’t be the only one who found myself wishing several of them were real, and thinking it would be so AWESOME to hang out with them sometime, can I? Who wouldn’t love a Nan like Marg, with such vast wisdom and a never-ending amount of love (and some darn good advice) to give when you need it the most? Or a best friend like Marco, who always has your back and accepts you for you are, never failing to lift you up when you’re feeling down? Or a love like Keegan… who believes in you and knows (even though you have serious doubts about it) that you actually ARE capable of doing the things you’re most afraid of, if you’re only willing to try, and encourages you to accept that you ARE worthy of all the things you were once denied?

I’m blessed to have a “Keegan” of my own, actually… and I’m thankful for him every single day.

The masterful weaving of multiple storylines

There are multiple storylines dealing with relationships—friendships, family (both biological and created) and love interests. The prominent storyline, of course, is the struggle of good versus evil—Odran’s evil plan to rule all the worlds, and the determination of the people of Talamh to stop him at all costs. Regardless of which storyline was being focused on in a particular chapter, elements of all these things are present in the background. You never forget the big details about anything, because there are always little reminders of them throughout. I make mention of this because I’ve read many novels where I actually do forget things (temporarily) during the transition from one storyline to another, so the fact that I was constantly able to remember the major points of everything that happened is kind of a big deal, in my opinion.

Magic!

The older I get, the more I appreciate a novel where magic plays a major role in the story. There’s so much going on in the world right now that is distressing, and fantastical elements like magic are the ultimate escapism for me. It helps me forget all the bad things that are happening, and lightens my mood immeasurably. I suppose it harkens back to my childhood, when I spent many happy hours imagining what it would be like if I could fly… or how amazing it would be if a simple flick of the wrist and the splaying of fingers could enable flowers to bloom, clutter to neaten itself, or a gentle rain to be encouraged to fall from the sky on a hot summer’s day.

Dragons!

Since I ordinarily don’t care one way or another about dragons, it’s an extreme compliment that dragons are being included in this list. Who knew dragons—and what they’ve been forced to endure thanks to malevolent forces—could be capable of shattering your heart into a million pieces?! I never thought it was possible, until… remembers THAT portion of the story… sniffs, and wipes a tear from my eye… well, let’s just say that discovering it was possible has left an indelible scar on my heart, and I’ll be feeling devastated about it for a long, long time.

Minor Nitpicks

No book has ever been written (that I’ve read, at least) that doesn’t leave a little something to be desired once you reach the end. The Choice is no different in that regard. First: How dare it end?! I wanted to stay in Talamh forever. Okay, okay… I’m just joking. Sort of.

All kidding aside (and without putting any spoilers out there), I was deeply disappointed that Breen’s intentions—regarding her and Marco’s chosen family of Sally and Derrick—never came to fruition within the story. Once those plans were set in motion, I spent a fair amount of time imagining how that scene would play out, and eagerly looked forward to it. It wasn’t crucial to the story by any means, but it would have been a delight to read, and its omission was keenly felt by this reader.

The lack of this scene also meant that another scene, featuring Marco, also never occurred. Again, it was something I was looking forward to, and I was sad that it never took place in the story.

And just to be a little more vague, while venturing off into the territory of wishful thinking: I was hoping a particular thing might happen regarding the dragon that once belonged to Breen’s father, who hadn’t had a Rider since her father’s death many years prior. Things were perfectly set up for this to potentially happen (even though, admittedly, it was pretty unlikely), and yet… I found myself wishing (thanks to certain circumstances) that maybe, just maybe, it might… even though I understood the rules within the story about the bond between a dragon and its Rider. Of course, it didn’t happen—which was appropriate—but still… I’d have happily ignored the broken rule, if it had.

Confused yet? Sorry! Just read the book… you’ll know exactly what I’m talking about here if you do!

I once decided that The Cousins O’Dwyer was my favorite Nora Roberts trilogy. Later, I amended that to be the Chronicles of The One trilogy. Well… it’s time to make yet another amendment: The Dragon Heart Legacy has officially become my new favorite Nora Roberts trilogy, because I feel it’s absolutely outstanding in every way. And I’m certain it will always remain my favorite… until Roberts writes her next fantasy trilogy, at least. 😉

I hereby declare ALL the books in this trilogy—The Awakening, The Becoming, and The Choice—highly, highly, highly recommended!

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Rating: 5 out of 5.

Author: Nora Roberts
Title: The Choice
Series: The Dragon Heart Legacy #3
Genre: Fantasy
Publication Date: November 22, 2022 by St. Martin’s Press

About the Book

The conclusion of the epic trilogy from the #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Awakening and The Becoming.

Talamh is a land of green hills, high mountains, deep forests, and seas, where magicks thrive. But portals allow for passage in and out–and ultimately, each must choose their place, and choose between good and evil, war and peace, life and death…

Breen Siobhan Kelly grew up in the world of Man and was once unaware of her true nature. Now she is in Talamh, trying to heal after a terrible battle and heartbreaking losses. Her grandfather, the dark god Odran, has been defeated in his attempt to rule over Talamh, and over Breen–for now.

With the enemy cast out and the portal sealed, this is a time to rest and to prepare. Breen spreads her wings and realizes a power she’s never experienced before. It’s also a time for celebrations–of her first Christmas in both Talamh and Ireland, of solstice and weddings and births–and daring to find joy again in the wake of sorrow. She rededicates herself to writing her stories, and when his duties as taoiseach permit, she is together with Keegan, who has trained her as a warrior and whom she has grown to love.

It’s Keegan who’s at her side when the enemy’s witches, traitorous and power-mad, appear to her in her sleep, practicing black magick, sacrificing the innocent, and plotting a brutal destruction for Breen. And soon, united with him and with all of Talamh, she will seek out those in desperate need of rescue, and confront the darkness with every weapon she has: her sword, her magicks–and her courage…

About the Author

NORA ROBERTS is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of more than 200 novels, including Hideaway, Under Currents, Come Sundown, The Awakening, Legacy, and coming in November 2021 — The Becoming — the second book in The Dragon Heart Legacy. She is also the author of the futuristic suspense In Death series written under the pen name J.D. Robb. There are more than 500 million copies of her books in print.