ARC Review: Birth of the Witch by Nora Roberts

Birth of the Witch
Author: Nora Roberts
Series: The Coven of Three Trilogy (Book 1)
Publication: St. Martin's Press (November 17, 2026)

Description: The first novel in the enchanting new epic by the #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Lost Bride Trilogy, Nora Roberts

Niamh McShane was born a witch and died a witch in the same moment, at the tender age of thirteen. A victim of the madness that spread from Salem Town to her home on Piety Island, in her last hours she found comfort from the weavers imprisoned alongside her, who saw within her light and power and gave her some of their own.

More than three hundred years later, on the same island, Neve McShane wakes with excitement on her thirteenth birthday and unwraps gifts from her aunts: sneakers, an iPhone, and a stunning antique pendant. Then she receives something else: a revelation that will change her life.

Astonished, Neve learns that her aunts’ abilities go beyond simple kitchen magic and the potions they sell in their shop. Their tales of past lives aren’t just whimsical fantasies. They are witches, and so is she. Their lives–past and present–are bound together by that pivotal day centuries ago. Now Neve has been tasked with stopping a growing darkness. To prepare for the dangerous enemy that awaits, Neve hones her skills and searches for clues to aid her in her quest. And at night, she dreams of a young man from Ireland whose eyes met with hers for a fateful moment, centuries ago.

My Thoughts: This story begins in 1695 with an intriguing opening sentence: "She wasn't a witch until they hanged her."

Naimh McShane is on the cusp of her thirteenth birthday when she is accused of being a witch and hanged with two women who were also accused of being witches. They were. Naimh was an indentured servant to a wealthy family. She had been an orphan since her mother, also indentured, died when Niamh was five. 

Niamh tried to be a good girl and serve the family well, but the eldest daughter disliked her, and the son pinched her to bruising whenever he got a chance. She liked the two younger girls including the youngest who was sickly. 

But a dark cloud was gathering over Piety Island and the fanatical leaders were influenced like the leaders in Salem to kill all the witches. Niamh was swept up primarily through the accusations of the oldest daughter, branded and imprisoned, and sentenced to hang. Her two companions in her cell were actual witches who had their powers muted by the evil witch behind the purge. They comforted and cared for Niamh as much as they could.

Meanwhile, a young man and his father had been sent from Boston to look into the accusations. He was also a witch. He arrived too late to save her life but, along with her two companions, had enough time to make her a witch too. 

Thus begins a series of lives for the young man and the witches and Niamh. 

The story jumps to 2013 when Neve McShane has her 13th birthday. Now officially a teenager, she gets all of the gifts she'd asked for from her two devoted aunts and one more she wasn't expecting. She comes into her powers as a witch and has a prophecy from The First that she will be the one to defeat the evil witch who has had fingers in her lives since 1695.

Caden Quinn was born a witch into a family filled with them. It isn't until he travels to Ireland and visits a stone circle that he has his vision from The First saying that he will find a magical sword and be there to protect the young witch he couldn't save in his past life on Piety Island.

This story is about how both of them grow in magical power and physical power and build lives in the present. Both are from very loving families and both travel widely while building their lives and businesses. Caden buys and runs pubs. Neve manages her aunt's shop where they sell magic infused scents, candle, and stuff and also sell their weavings. 

The pair have a number of near misses as they grow up. It isn't until Caden buys a dilapidated bar on Piety Island that the two finally meet. The evil witch Imogene has also grown in power over the intervening centuries and sends her minions to murder them. 

This one has a cliffhanger ending that would be completely heartbreaking if one didn't know that this was the first book of a trilogy. Fans of Nora Roberts who writes excellent relationships and writes beautifully of people and places will want to read this one even knowing that they are in for a wait for the rest of the story. 

I received this one in exchange for an honest review from NetGalley. You can buy your copy here.