Shadow Spell

The Cousins O'Dwyer Trilogy, Book 2

By: Nora Roberts

Narrated by: Alan Smyth

Length: 11 hrs and 20 mins

Publisher's summary

From number-one New York Times best-selling author Nora Roberts comes a trilogy about the land we’re drawn to, the family we learn to cherish, and the people we long to love.…

With the legends and lore of Ireland running through his blood, falconer Connor O’Dwyer is proud to call County Mayo home. It’s where his sister, Branna, lives and works, where his cousin, Iona, has found true love, and where his childhood friends form a circle that can’t be broken.…

A circle that is about to be stretched out of shape - by a long-awaited kiss.

Meara Quinn is Branna’s best friend, a sister in all but blood. Her and Connor’s paths cross almost daily, as Connor takes tourists on hawk walks and Meara guides them on horseback across the lush countryside. She has the eyes of a gypsy and the body of a goddess…things Connor has always taken for granted - until his brush with death propels them into a quick, hot tangle.

Plenty of women have found their way to Connor’s bed, but none to his heart until now. Frustratingly, Meara is okay with just the heat, afraid to lose herself - and their friendship - to something more. But soon, Connor will see the full force and fury of what runs in his blood. And he will need his family and friends around him when his past rolls in like the fog, threatening an end to all he loves.…

©2014 Nora Roberts (P)2014 Brilliance Audio, all rights reserved.

Narration is terrible

What did you love best about Shadow Spell?

The story itself is good, and I wish that I had just purchased the book and read it to myself. The narrator stops so frequently that it is distracting and annoying.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Shadow Spell?

Not very far into the story, but I may have to purchase the Kindle version to get through it.

How could the performance have been better?

Please. Stop. Pausing. So. Often. It. Is. Painful. To. Listen. To.

Any additional comments?

I would like to see them do something similar to what was done with Whiskey Beach (new narrator). I looked forward to this book coming out and now feel really disappointed.

Book is a good read but the narrator is HORRIBLE

Would you say that listening to this book was time well-spent? Why or why not?

No. After only listening to the first chapter I decided to just read the book. The guy reading this book is the worst narrator that I've ever heard! He sounds Spanish instead of Irish and takes long pauses between each sentence. HORRIBLE! I thought perhaps something had gone wrong with my download but then I read everyone's reviews and found that it is indeed how this audio book sounds. Shame on whoever let this one through the screening process.

What did you like best about this story?

Nora Roberts

How could the performance have been better?

A new narrator is a must! I loved the narrator for the 1st book in this series, Dark Witch. Why couldn't she have read this one as well? This guy....pauses...way...too....often.

Did Shadow Spell inspire you to do anything?

The narrator inspired me to read this book myself.

What is up with this narrator?

Is there anything you would change about this book?

The narrator! He is awful. I have gotten used to Nora Roberts books having better narrators. This one doesn’t even know how to make it sound like he’s not reading the book let alone have an Irish accent. I can’t listen to any more. I going to get the kindle book and finish reading it there!

What did you like best about this story?

Haven't finished it yet. I'm going to read it on my Kindle.

Who would you have cast as narrator instead of Alan Smyth?

Susan Ericksen. She knows how to put life into characters and how to do an Irish accent.

So disappointed by the narration

What did you like best about Shadow Spell? What did you like least?

I was disappointed with the narrator choice for the first book in this trilogy, but her accent and pace were so much better than Alan Smyth's performance! I was at least able to listen to her for the whole of the first book versus shutting off this second book and switching to a nonfiction book on my commute to/from work.

What did you like best about this story?

I wish I could say I finished this story, but I have to return this audio version and buy the Kindle one.

What didn’t you like about Alan Smyth’s performance?

I have never returned an audiobook on Audible but I can hardly stand the pauses, changes in the narrator's accent and complete lack of flow in this version. This is really not a good fit for this trilogy and his performance is so bad it's distracting. I would much rather prefer my favorite narrator, Susan Ericksen, or Patricia Daniels or Fiacre Douglas. The latter two narrators performed the Jewels trilogy and the Born In trilogy, respectively and they are fantastic!

What would have made this romance irresistible?

Better narrator.

Any additional comments?

Please re-record this book with a new narrator like you did with Whiskey Beach! However, even the first narrator for Whiskey Beach is better than Alan Smyth performing Shadow Spell.

terrible horrible no good narration

This book wasn’t for you, but who do you think might enjoy it more?

I bought the kindle book and returned the audio. It was terrible. The narrator lisped, paused very awkwardly and just generally didn't put any emotion into his voice. I also couldn't tell who was talking because the voices all blended together.

horrible narration.

Any additional comments?

great story and was excited to get this new release but only on Chapter 7 and I can not stand the narration.

Again??? Narrator??

I waited with baited breath for this book, especially once I saw that it had a different narrator. Oh, good! I thought--they read the reviews for the first one. Then I started it.......No, no you didn't!!!! This one is read by a man whose pace.is.........so.......slow......and......pon.der.ous that I nodded off in between sentences. His Irish accents were tolerably better than the first one, but not by much. So..I am going to do what I did with the first one---read the actual novel, because, once again--the voices are better in my head. And, this, from someone who adores audio books, is saying something!

I LOVE Nora Roberts Books

What didn’t you like about Alan Smyth’s performance?

He has made this book sad.... The accents are totally off ....he has made the girls sound whiney and bad and It just doesn't work..... I am sad... I have waited and waited for this book to come out and now wish I would have just read it instead of listening to it ....then I wouldn't be so DISAPPOINTED...... ;(

Terrible Narrator

Would you try another book from Nora Roberts and/or Alan Smyth?

From Nora Roberts, yes. Alan Smyth, no.

What other book might you compare Shadow Spell to and why?

Compare it to the first of the trilogy, Dark Witch, and there was a better narrator. Not perfect, as she made the Irish women sound like old ladies, but the American voices were better. And she could actually perform the book instead of reading it, and her accent was at least believable.

What didn’t you like about Alan Smyth’s performance?

Irish accent is off, the inflections are wrong, the colloquialisms not emphasized properly. I don't like his voices for the characters. He pauses too much in the narration, and doesn't "perform" the book so much as read it.

Did Shadow Spell inspire you to do anything?

Yes. Check the narrator before I order the last of the trilogy. I may just buy the paperback.

Any additional comments?

So far the story is good, but I don't think I can stand to listen to the whole thing. I will buy the paperback and read it so the narration doesn't ruin it for me.

Stilted narration

What did you like best about Shadow Spell? What did you like least?

I can hardly listen to this title, although I am a devoted Nora Roberts fan, the narration is so awful.

Hope she has more like this trilogy been brilliant

Loved them great story worth listening to and really different with the Irish accent

try this so enjoyed this Audible book

Narrator and story is excellent couldn't stop had to finish gripping from start of book one so glad it's three books can there be more please

still love conor

I need so many more of these books. love the trilogy's. still deciding which trilogy Is my favorite. and I have 5-6 trilogies. all nora ❤️

narration is too slow

l love this trilogy and looked forward to hearing it on audible. The dark witch book 1 was brilliant l loved the narrator. Unfortunately this book had a different narrator he reads very slowly and there is no difference in the characters voices. Totally ruined it for me. l kept trying it again as l so wanted to hear it but l had to give up a short way in. Such a shame!!

Bewitchinh

Loved it. Can't wait to read next one. Narrator realy good. All characters believable and recognisable.

Narration

I have the trilogy in my ebooks. I was delighted to find them in audible . However the narrator in this book was better than the first,why does Audible have American narrators trying to do Irish accents.this I have found so unprofessional. I am Welsh my son and myself consider ourselves of far better Irish Accents than the people you employ. This is not the first time That I have been disappointed.Only the first time I have submitted a Review. However the narrators doing Welsh Accents are Perfect for the areas that the stories come from. So Well done on those books.D.Wallace Great fan of Audible.

trilogy narration

I wish the trilogy had one narrator throughout as I found it hard to get used to characters with different voices from the first book

lock down escape 🥰

lovely to listen to , flew past and now I am off to find the third book oooooooo more romance 😍

enjoyable

I read the first book and feel in love with the story that I couldn't wait to order the actual book so downloaded it on audible instead. it was very enjoyable.

Not bad

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Book was good but the narrator was changed and that always throws me off. I know it is Connor's Story and changing it to a man is logical but Katherine did a great job in the 1st one and really it is very off putting changing people around mid way through a trilogy :( Waiting for the 3rd now!

What other book might you compare Shadow Spell to, and why?

Dark Witch, Key Series, Most of Nora Robert's books follow a similar storyline so you can sort of see where they are going before you get there :)

Did you have an emotional reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

Not really but I smiled a lot whilst listening to the both the first one and this one