The Awakening: The Dragon Heart Legacy, Book 1

Name: The Awakening: The Dragon Heart Legacy, Book 1
Rating: 4.7 (32700 reviews)
Author: Nora Roberts

by Nora Roberts

4.7

About this book

Breen Kelly leads an unremarkable, soul-crushing existence in Philadelphia, tethered to student debt and a job she despises. Her only escape is the lingering, inexplicable voice that calls her home—a summons she dismisses as a byproduct of stress. That is, until a sudden, massive inheritance from a father she barely knew grants her the freedom to travel to Ireland, where the boundaries between her reality and something far more ancient begin to dissolve.

In the mystical realm of Talamh, the warrior Keegan stands as a guardian of the Fey, carrying the heavy mantle of a destiny forged in dragon fire. As Breen crosses the threshold into this land of magic, mermaids, and peril, she discovers that her arrival is no coincidence. She is inextricably linked to a world she once thought existed only in folklore.

As Breen navigates her burgeoning powers and the visceral, magnetic pull toward Keegan, she must embrace a courage she never knew she possessed. Together, they face a gathering darkness that threatens both their worlds. In this awakening of magic and self, Breen must decide if she is ready to claim the legacy that has been waiting for her all along.

Available Formats

Kindle: $0.00 Audiobook: $0.00

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What readers are saying

Ashleigh B

THE AWAKENING is a Masterful Fantasy Foundation!

"Nora Roberts absolutely dazzles with *The Awakening*, the spellbinding first book in *The Dragon Heart Legacy*. From the very first page, this story sweeps you into a world of romance and magic, setting the stage for an epic adventure you won't want to miss. Roberts masterfully weaves together the everyday struggles of modern life with the breathtaking magic of Talamh. Breen Kelly is instantly relatable—a young woman weighed down by debt and a job she hates—until a shocking discovery about her father changes everything. Her journey to Ireland is pure magic, unraveling the secrets of her past and whisking her through a portal into a world brimming with fairies, mermaids, and dragons. Every page is filled with wonder and the promise of adventure. The world-building here is absolutely stunning—Roberts takes her time, but every detail is worth it. The pacing lets you truly sink into the lore and get to know these unforgettable characters. You’ll find yourself completely invested in their stories, eager to uncover every secret and twist along the way. The tension in this book is absolutely electric, with danger lurking around every corner as Breen is thrust into a world she barely understands. Her dynamic with Keegan—the fierce, silver-haired warrior sworn to protect the Fey—is pure magic. Their slow-burn romance crackles with chemistry, as Keegan struggles to trust Breen’s growing powers but never wavers in his dedication to her. Every interaction between them is charged with longing and suspense. *The Awakening* is a spectacular start to what promises to be an unforgettable series. If you love stories packed with lovable, complex characters and lush, magical worlds, you need to read this book right now. Trust me—this is the perfect escape before the adventure truly begins. ["

November 18, 2025 Verified Purchase

Pandorasbookshelf

It's everything Nora Roberts and so much more

"I will start by saying this ended on a cliffhanger. But let's face it, every single on of Nora's magical books have been in trilogies and this one is no different. She was upfront about the fact it would be a Trilogy. I knew this and when I pre ordered the first book I waited until I had the 2nd to read it. Read stand alone if you're gonna complain about cliffhangers. Because there are those of us who live for a series. Who love the characters and the worlds and want them to continue. Now with that being said, this book was amazing and different then her normal trope of romance. This one focused more on the story and not the love affair, it only lit the candle of love instead of having it be a roaring fire by the end of book one. I love everything about Ireland and her story takes me there. Takes me to the magic that I dream of every night. Her strong female characters give this mother of 3 daughters hope that this world will start to see female leaders become more and more of the norm. She incorporated LGBTQ into the story and their representation is gorgeous. Giving this mother of an LGBTQ child hope that more and more mainstream authors will give my children the representation they seek to know they are loved and cherished and very much a part of this world. The story ends on a cliffhanger yes but knowing ahead of time this was a Trilogy I knew that was gonna happen as it did with every other book, however this one was definitely more abrupt. However it will never stop me from pre-ordering any magical book that Nora ever writes. I'm about to start book 2 knowing I'm gonna be crying till November anxiously awaiting the third and final book, before starting the process over the following November with whatever amazing story Nora Takes us to next. Thank you for this gift and this adventure Nora!!! It's been a brilliant ride!! ["

November 30, 2021 Verified Purchase

Liz Thompson

Loved it! So good!

"I am so late the party, but I am so happy I finally started this series. I listened to the audiobook and was so captivated from start to finish. Nora built such an amazing world and I loved all the characters, from our hero, Keegan, to our heroine, Breen and all her friends and family. I loved Marco, Sally and Derrick and and her found family from Sally's. And then enter those from the realm of Talamh and what else could anyone ask for. This was a great foundation to what I know must be coming in the next two books in the series. I cannot wait to continue with this series! Happy listening! ["

September 12, 2025 Verified Purchase

WDW

Very Enjoyable!

"I really enjoyed this book and the somewhat unique plot. I found it to be only somewhat unique, because there are millions of stories in which a character finds out about their magick or superpowers late in life. The real “meat and potatoes” of the story are unique, though. Somewhat. I hadn’t realized until rather recently that Nora Roberts wasn’t just a bodice-ripping-Harlequin romance writer, and I have been pleasantly entertained by a number of her books. Fortunately, coming into her books late in her career gives me the opportunity to read full series and not have to wait for another book to be written or released. Binge reading is much more enjoyable this way. Nora Roberts has some writing styles that annoy me a great deal, though. I usually post all of my comments via Kindle Notes on Goodreads, which often ends up being a critique of a book (or as if I’m grading a student’s work). As a former English professor, I usually gripe about spelling, punctuation, continuity errors, and character flaws that aren’t a good part of the character’s evolution within a plot. I don’t understand how some errors aren’t corrected by editors and ARC readers. Roberts frequently writes dialogue in such a way that the conversations become convoluted, and it becomes difficult to keep track of which character is speaking. However, I absolutely enjoyed this and the book that follows and look forward to the next (I accidentally started this series without knowing that the complete set wasn’t available). ["

June 13, 2025 Verified Purchase