The Cauldron Stirred Guardians of Erin Book 1
YA/Paranormal Fantasy
The Wild Rose Press, Inc
July 21, 2017
222
Ashling Donoghue never dreamed moving to Ireland would rock her perception of reality and plunge her into a mystery that brings legend to life.
At seventeen, she’s never had a boyfriend, but she feels an immediate connection to Aengus Breasal, the son of the wealthy Irishman who’s invited her family to stay at his Killarney estate. For the first time in her life, a guy she likes seems attracted to her.
But Aengus is secretive, with good reason. He and his family are the Tuatha Dé Danann, ageless, mythical guardians adept at shifting between this reality and the magical dimension known as the Otherworld. Evil forces from that world threaten the Breasals, the Donoghues, and all of Ireland. Ashling must open her heart, face her fears, and embrace a destiny greater than she could ever have imagined.
Reviewed by: Linda Tonis
Member of the Paranormal Romance Review Team
Ashling Donoghue is seventeen and will be spending her eighteenth birthday in Ireland thanks to an invitation to her mother from Hugh Breasal to translate a manuscript, hundreds of years old. Ashling, twin fourteen year old brothers, Kian and Conall and sixteen year old sister Deirdre are looking forward to what they believe will be an experience of a lifetime, unfortunately it would be more than they could ever have expected.
On the flight over to Ireland Ashling has a dream of a handsome boy, only arriving at Breasal Manor does it become obvious that the dream boy is standing in front of her in the flesh. Aengus is Hugh’s son and there is an immediate draw to him that Ashling can’t understand. It was always Deirdre who had the boys and Ashling who definitely did not but there is something familiar about Aengus and Ireland itself that makes her believe that there is more about her families trip to Ireland than meets the eye.
In spite of the attraction between Aengus and Ashling he manages to appear very infrequently but when he does appear Ashling can’t help her attraction to him. It is Aengus who introduces Ashling to the Otherworld, Middleworld and Netherworld and to paranormal creatures that she only read about in fairy tales. Leprechauns, dragons, fairies and all manner of evil creatures especially Aoife, a wind demon who is determined to cause havoc and pain to the Donoghue family.
Ashling and her family learn why they were brought to Ireland and what they are. The book is perfect for young adults with its Irish lore and legends. The relationship between Aengus and Ashling is built slowly and lovingly and although there are unanswered questions at the end of the book I was not disappointed, I just wanted to happily await the next chapter.
Thank you so much for this review! I’m thrilled you enjoyed the book!