Road Trip by Mary Kay Andrews... A Review

Road Trip by Mary Kay Andrews

When two estranged sisters—complete opposites in every way—reunite after their mother’s death, they have one shared goal: sell the house and use the money to climb out of debt. But their plans unravel quickly. Instead of a tidy inheritance, they discover a $325,000 mortgage their mother secretly took out to send money to a televangelist in Texas. Worse still, her remaining savings sit in a tin can held by their Uncle Keith, the executor of the estate.

But that money isn’t meant to pay off bills.

Their mother’s dying wish was for the sisters to use it to travel to Ireland—to reconnect with each other and uncover their family’s roots. What follows is a journey filled with mystery and intrigue, a touch of romance, and even a bit of murder. Determined to piece together their family history, the sisters head to Ireland for what becomes the adventure of a lifetime. Long-buried secrets begin to slip through the veil of time—and not everyone is pleased about it. 

Part of those family secrets is the painting that hangs over their Mother’s fireplace. A painting supposedly brought over from Ireland by their great grandmother when she immigrated from Ireland. A painting of Lady Geraldine Fitzhugh. A painting worth millions... maybe. Could this be their real inheritance?

From the first pages of Road Trip, I was hooked. The writing drew me in immediately, and the unfolding family mystery kept me turning the pages. I became so invested that I actually sketched out a family tree as I read. As someone who has done my own genealogy research, I felt especially connected to the story. The Irish setting was vivid and inviting, filled with quirky characters—and yes, a hunky Irishman.

The sisters’ gradual reconnection felt natural and satisfying. I also loved the flashbacks to their great-grandmother’s immigration to the United States. The letters she wrote to her brother added depth and emotion, and for a while the story took on a dual-timeline feel as past and present intertwined beautifully.

Believe it or not, this was my first Mary Kay Andrews novel and it definitely will not be my last! I really enjoyed this book and want to thank St. Martin’s Press for the advanced copy of Road Trip to read and review! I truly loved it! 

Add this to your TBR list now! 

Release date is June 2, 2026

Dark Witch by Nora Roberts… A Review

It has been a while since I've read any Nora Roberts, but like an old friend you haven't seen in years, it feels just like yesterday that you were visiting. I was excited when I read about the new trilogy Nora Roberts had planned, the Cousins O'Dwyer Trilogy, because it's setting was Ireland, and it had a bit of magic for fun. I have never been disappointed in any novel I've read by Nora Roberts, and Dark Witch was no exception! Filled with a beautiful ancient landscape, a curse, romance and compelling characters, Dark Witch had me totally absorbed and turning the pages late into the night.

Dark Witch opens in the year 1263, with Sorcha, the original Dark Witch, and her three children. We learn that another powerful witch, Cabhan, has lusted after Sorcha and her powers and will stop at nothing to have her and her powers. A powerful fight ensues and a curse follows all the descendants of these two through present time, which is where we land next - County Mayo, 2013. In present day we meet Iona Sheehan, who never quite fit in anywhere before, who decides to travel to her ancestors home in Ireland, to start her life fresh. With the stories from her Nana, County Mayo is no stranger to her. She sells almost all her belongings and makes the trip, to find her cousins, who welcome her with open arms. But there is a purpose for her being there, a purpose she doesn't quite understand until she gets there. Oh, Nana has shared the folklore and the stories, but it all becomes very real once she's decided that she will be staying in County Mayo- permanently. Without giving away any spoilers here, with Iona finding her way "home" to County Mayo, the curse is stirred and all hell breaks loose. But not before we have some romance, explore the ancient ruins of Ireland and mix a good potion or two.

Nora Roberts is a master with mixing all these elements together into a great story. The romance is almost perfect, the history of the area is wonderfully shared as the characters explore their world, and the magic seems real. My only nagging qualm is that I really didn't like our protagonist Iona. I thought she was a bit whimpy and not up to par with what I would have expected. But that put aside, I enjoyed the story, all the other characters, who we will no doubt see again in books 2 & 3, and I can't wait for the second book in the trilogy, Shadow Spell, to come out. But I'll have to wait because it won't be out until March. Ugh! I warn you though, Dark Witch ends at a place where you're looking for the rest of the story! I know that's the usual with these trilogies, but I thought there would be a bit more wrap up where it ended. I wanted to start reading book 2 immediately because of it!

Historical romance with the backdrop of Ireland is what Dark Witch is all about, and a great beginning to the Cousins O'Dwyer Trilogy.