Sonya has inherited a mansion haunted with the ghosts of brides who have died there on their wedding day. She is trying to break the curse to free the spirits.
This paranormal fiction is the second book in The Lost Bride trilogy. I really enjoyed book 1, which I read last year and ended on a cliffhanger, but I feel like it's been too long and a lot of the details were very hazy to me, so I never really got into this one. Maybe if I had a better memory, of if I have read the two books back to back I would've enjoyed this one more, but I still feel like nothing much has happened in the 450 pages...
I received an advance review copy of this book for free and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

I really enjoy when Nora Roberts writes books that have a paranormal element to them. The ghost mystery was intriguing from start to finish in this book. I enjoyed the pace of the book as well as the direction that the story headed in. I was enthralled from beginning to end.

The Mirror, The Lost Bride Trilogy, Book 2 by Nora Roberts starts off with a bang, right where it ended in the first book. The first curse broke but the second seems impossible to undo. From here the story continues with the group of friends who have arrived to help Sonya MacTavish who has inherited the haunted Victorian mansion on the coast of Maine. With this book she has no doubts though she didn’t know when she arrived in the first book.

The story is action focused with character development. The setting is spooky, and the events are too but it is not horror scary. As the story progresses it is often trial and error for the group, which is how it would be in real life, fiction mirrors how the reader expects it to be. The world building and setting is excellence. Perhaps a longer story than it needed to be, the pace was slow at times. All is not completed when the book finishes but not as dramatic of a cliffhanger as the first book. I highly suggest that the trilogy be read in order. Fans of Nora Roberts will love this book, fans of supernatural haunting solving stories will too.

🌵The Mirror🌵
📣 Pub date 11/19/24

Book 2 in The Lost Bride Trilogy, picks up where book 1, The Inheritance, leaves off. I loved book 1 and felt book 2 was a slower pace.

You dive deeper into the stories of the brides, the curse and the mirror. And continue to get to know Sonya, Cleo, Trey and Owen in this paranormal romantic mystery! Hester remains her creepy and malevolent self throughout and really made my skin crawl.

I can’t wait to see what happens in book 3!

Thank you to the author, Nora Roberts, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book. I received an EPUB and my review is being left voluntarily.

The Mirror
The Lost Bride Trilogy Book 2
By Nora Roberts
Paranormal mystery
St. Martin's Press
November 2024

Sonya MacTavish has spent a few months in the beautiful mansion she inherited after finding out her late father had an unknown twin. The New England Victorian home is a fantasy come true. So is the third-generation family attorney, Trey, who has become a most helpful and exciting part of her life.

Even the ghosts in the mansion are part of Sonya's expanding family. One deceased relative has a most relevant playlist. Another is a young boy who adores playing with Sonya's new dog. Ghostly house staff clean the kitchen. Her living best friend, Cleo, has moved in and her painting is thriving. Trey's best friend is Sonya's cousin, Owen, and he and Cleo have definite chemistry.

All would be wonderful if it wasn't for the curse.

In Inheritance, the first book in Nora Roberts's latest paranormal suspense trilogy, the curse of brides killed on their wedding day and robbed of their rings, was discovered. In The Mirror, Sonya is pulled back into the past to witness the murders. The woman who believes she was wronged continues to be responsible. Her thirst for vengeance is not slaked, and knowing Sonya lives in the Maine home she believes should be hers is making her angrier.

That Sonya has been discovering and displaying together portraits of the brides is making the malevolent spirit even more infuriated.

As the woman who would take over Sonya's home tries to build up her power to destroy the latest MacTavish to move in, Sonya continues to set down roots in her new house and community. She and Cleo plan a summer garden party.

The two parts of the story share about equal space in The Mirror. But it's the details of planning the party that stand out in the novel. The effect is calming. It helps build a break between the introduction of the curse and what will surely happen in the third novel in the series as Sonya works to break the curse.

Nora Roberts continues to create engaging stories of love and mystery, as The Mirror demonstrates.

Nora Roberts is a master at paranormal trilogies. The Lost Bride Trilogy begins with Inheritance. The titular inheritance is a 200 year old manor from an uncle that Sonya didn't know existed. Her late father was adopted and her uncle didn't know that he had a twin until after the man had died. In the first book, Sonya discovers that the manor is cursed and haunted. And it is up to her to solve the mystery and break the curse. The Mirror picks up where the previous book ended, and Sonya's lucid dreams of the past become even more interesting with the magic mirror portal. Roberts has created a great set of characters. Sonya is a determined woman and her best friend Cleo is a colorful character. The love interests are "good men" and I love how unflappable Trey is in the face of all the hauntings. The best characters are the ghosts. Molly the maid, and ten year old Jack who likes to play with the dog are cute, but the 19 year old hippie Clover who often adds to the conversations by playing appropriate music on the iPad or cell phone is a lot of fun. All these characters are counterbalanced by the malevolent spirit of the witch Hester Dobbs who has cursed the mansion. She is deliciously wicked. Although Roberts provides exposition at the beginning of this book, I would not call it a stand alone. one or two pages of background can not make up for hundreds of pages from the first book. These books are great entertainment. I received an electronic advance reader copy of this book from the publisher, but this review is voluntary and the opinions are my own. I loved this book. My only complaint is that I need to wait for book three for the conclusion.

In the second chapter of Nora Roberts' Lost Brides Trilogy, we are immediately swept through a mirror that transports Sonya and her cousin Owen back in time. Sonya is on a mission to recover the wedding bands of the seven brides who lost their lives on their wedding day in the manor. Because recovering those rings will do away with the evil lurking on the third floor that will not stop tormenting the manor's inhabitants.

Through dreams and stepping into another time by going through the mirror, we discover just how tragedy befell each bride. The pieces are starting to come together as both Sonya and Cleo settle into their new home and new relationships. I love how the animals make the story feel cozy and upbeat, but then there are moments that are dire and deluge you into despair. Sonya's character is beautifully displayed through the pages as a strong, capable, unyielding woman who will stop at nothing to solve this mystery and break the curse. Cleo is the perfect compliment with her undying commitment to friendship and protection from the negative force at bay. And of course, the other ghosts of the manor grow on you from their childish glee to musical expression.

I've been so engrossed in this saga, I don't want it to end. The third book cannot get here fast enough!

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for the ARC. The opinions expressed are my own.

I did a combination of reading the e-book and listening to the audio version narrated by Brittany Pressley. Everything about this book and the audiobook was superb. It would be hard to beat the writing of Nora Roberts, but I do feel that Ms. Pressley added to it with her narration. It was so well done that unfortunately, (because it's a scary), I felt like I was in the story.

This is the second book in the series, and I would definitely start with the first book so that you don't miss any of the back story. There are ghosts in the manor that Sonya has inherited and lives in with her best friend, Chloe. Some of the ghosts are really great to have around...they do the dishes, lay out clothes for them to wear and one of them plays with the animals. Then there is the real nasty ghost of the woman who has been killing the Poole women for generations and declares that the house is HERS!

This series is outstanding. Don't be put off by the "paranormal" label like I normally am if that's not normally your thing. You can't go wrong with a Nora Roberts book.

Thanks to St. Martin's Press, Macmillan Audio and NetGalley. All thoughts are my own.

Excellent story and characters, both living and dead. The location is another character in this second book of the Lost Brides trilogy. Relationships continue to be defined as they continue to grow. Looking forward to book three.

This is the second book in The Lost Bride Trilogy. In the first book, Sonya MacTavish inherits a haunted mansion on the coast of Maine from an uncle she didn't know she had. The stipulation is that she must live in the mansion for three years.

In this book, a mysterious antique mirror appears on several occasions and lures her to pass through where she meets the lost brides of Poole Manor who were murdered on their wedding day by the evil witch, Hester Dobbs. Dobbs claims that the manor is hers and she lets her presence be known by banging doors, sending smoke through the mansion, and other devious pranks. Her goal is to drive Sonya away.

Sonya isn't alone though. Her support team is her bestfriend and housemate, Cleo; her love interest and lawyer, Trey Doyle; and her Poole cousin, Owen. They all try to help her weather the unsettling events in the mansion. Add to that the ghosts of the Poole family and their servants that help to make Sonya feel at home.

Leave it to Nora Roberts to make ghosts and witches seem realistic. I'm not particularly a fan of paranormal, but this was an enjoyable read. Nora does a good job of creating characters that are likeable and believable and she hits the mark with this story.

Thank you for the Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) provided by the author and publisher via NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

This book is everything I love and want in a sequel novel! It has romance, paranormal elements woven in with both benevolent and malevolent spirits. This book was fast action and lots of intrigue and the human characters have their moments to shine in this novel! I can't wait for the third book in this trilogy! It is so good!!
Reasons I enjoyed this book:
Informative Scary Great world building Steamy Page-turner Haunting Entertaining Wonderful characters Romantic.

The perfect read for November.

I absolutely love this series. Who doesn't love a haunted manor on the coast? The Inheritance was one of my favorite reads of 2023 and with the cliffhanger it ended on, I was anxiously waiting for the second installment.

The Mirror continued with the great atmosphere of the ghost filled manor and the continuation of the quest to end the curse. I love the little interactions the characters continue to have with the ghosts, they make the best DJ's! The strongest part of any of Nora Roberts books is her characters and their relationships. I enjoyed learning more about Sonia and Chloe as they grow closer together and with Trey and Owen. While some of the everyday happenings did feel like a filler, I do like to see the real life within our characters.

This was a great read and I look so forward to seeing how she concludes the series!

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and Netgalley for the ARC!

The Mirror is book two in The Lost Bride Trilogy by Nora Roberts.
I really enjoyed book one Inheritance. And I was so excited to jump into the second book.
This one did not disappoint!
Roberts has a way of capturing your attention almost instantly and has you wanting more.
I could not put this book down.
Rich with world building and strong characters.
It’s an addictive page turner that keeps you hooked until the last page.

4.5 🌟
2 🌶️

The Mirror picks up right where Inheritance left off. The tone of the book switches from adrenaline surges, much like Sonya's coming to grips with living in a haunted house, to a calmer pace as her acceptance and comfort in the house grows. I enjoyed every page of this book as we got to know the characters more deeply and grew in their relationships with each other. We also get to know the ghosts more and their tragic ends. This book was needed to have our group of characters grow in their trust in each other and know what they are dealing with in Hester Dobbs. It was not fast-paced, nor was it edge=of-your-seat reading like Inheritance. But this book was needed. We needed time for Sonya and Trey's relationship to grow and to see where Cleo and Owen's friendship would go. It was a nice lull before the final showdown that will be coming in the third book. Read Inheritance and Mirror to prepare for what promises to be one big battle as Sonya gets retribution for the Poole brides.

Thank you, NetGalley and St. Martin's Press, for the eArc. These opinions are my own.

I loved the first book in this trilogy and couldn't wait to get my hands on this one! I waited as close as I could to publication to read it though because I know I will have to wait for almost a year to read book three. Ugh! I want to read it now! This series is so good! I love anything Nora Roberts, especially her trilogies. They always transport me to this fantastical world filled with magic and wonder and brilliant characters. This book did not disappoint. It started right where book one left off, engaging me until the very end. Of course, it ended on a major cliffhanger in preparation for the battle known to come, but that's a given with her books. I can't wait for book three! I highly recommend this series!

Thank you to St. Martin's Press for granting me a widget via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review!

This book picked up right where the first book Inheritance left off on a cliffhanger. The mirror is another important piece of the puzzle, allowing Sonya and sometimes her cousin Owen to go back and see the brides and their tragic stories. As she settles into her new life, her new business, and her new relationship with patient and steady Trey, the ghosts of the Manor continue to make her feel welcome. But as the visions and bride portraits continue to appear, she still has no idea how to confront the evil that has taken over the house and restore the bride rings to their proper owners.
I absolutely loved the first book and had mixed feelings about this one. I hope that the final book contains more action because this one seemed to lag and have a lot of filler. There were the highs of discovering paintings or Sonya's strange pull to every appearance of the mirror and it's visions, but then there were the mundane details of her day in between. Still looking forward to the conclusion of this story though.

Thoughts
Who doesn’t like a good Haunted House story.?
I was lucky enough to have read Inheritance book 1 of this series so I’ve been waiting for this book to come out and here it is.
book one ended with a big cliffhanger and this book picks up where book one left off.
The mystery to this story is a antique mirror that holds a dark family secret that Sonya discovers when one night Sonya is draw into the mirror and end up in the past where she witnesses a bride being murder on her wedding day
Once Sonya witness this and learns her family secrets she determined to break a curse.
This is a great ghostly story where even the mansion in Maine add that special eeriness to it. This story blends mystery, history and a supernatural eeriness that makes this a book you will want to read.
I recommend as always to read book one first Inheritance then The Mirror so you get the background to this mysterious mansion and family. But does the story end I guess you will have to find out

In true Nora fashion this did not disappoint. For me, Nora is just a classic you can’t go wrong with. I was super excited to keep following this story because “Inheritance” was soo good and it didn’t disappoint. Sonya and Cleo are just so likeable. Definitely recommend!

This is the second in a trilogy and you could tell everything that was happening in this book was setting us up for the finale.

Kind of slow at points. To the point where I got bored a bit at times (especially during all the work-related scenes…felt those could have been a bit shorter, not as frequent). Lots of back stories on the seven brides.

Still a decent story, just go into it having read the first book and knowing all the “good stuff” won’t happen until the final book.

Of course it ended on a big cliff hangar, so I’ll be picking up the next book when it comes out.

I received this book free of charge from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

The stories of Lost Bride Manor’s inhabitants continue to unfold in The Mirror. Sonya, Trey, Cleo, and Owen live, love, and tease out the manor’s mysteries as they prepare to battle a supernatural evil. The Mirror is very much a bridge book, but Nora Roberts’s writing is so engaging that it’s easy to become lost in the tale.

After traveling through the mirror and seeing the death of another of the manor’s brides, Sonya is more determined than ever to stop Hester Dobbs. I enjoyed watching Sonya put the pieces together, to come to know the brides and those they love. It makes what’s at stake much more interesting when you learn the stories of the manor’s ghostly residents. Dobbs is as evil as ever, trying to thwart our heroes so she can continue her reign of hatred and sorrow. I liked that no matter how terrifying Dobbs is, Sonya, Trey, Cleo, Owen, and their assortment of animals don’t back down. They live their lives, the couples continue or start to fall in love, and they breathe life into the manor.

I loved the rich atmosphere and the various stories Roberts wove through this book. The story was engaging from beginning to end, no doubt. That being said, I sat with it for a few days after finishing reading, unsure of how to rate the story as a whole. I thoroughly enjoyed it because I liked the characters and Roberts’s writing. However, The Mirror is definitely part of a greater whole rather than an entire book on its own. Where the first Lost Bride tale, Inheritance, introduced the world and was satisfying in its own right (cliffhanger and all), this story is hampered slightly the fact that the overarching arc means our heroes can only gather pieces and prepare for the final battle. I cannot wait to see what Nora Roberts has in store for readers with the final Lost Bride book!