“A murdered bride, the first of seven doomed, would—in all innocence—carry the curse that haunted the manor. Generation by generation, it passed its shadow to the next, and the next, through the rage of a jealous witch.“

I always love Nora Roberts’ books. But, I especially enjoy her romances that have paranormal elements the most. A few of her trilogies will forever touch my heart and The Lost Bride Trilogy is definitely one of them! I love the descriptions of the manor and the land surrounding it. I like to tell myself that I would love to live in a house with ghosts that play music to keep me company and choose my clothes and clean the house. But I seriously doubt I could handle everything that Hester Dobbs has been throwing at Sonya, Cleo, Trey, and Owen. The friendship between Cleo and Sonya is just amazing and I love that Cleo didn’t have to think twice when Sonya needed her. I love how the family on Sonya’s dad’s side just accepted her, no jealousy, no fighting over the manor. They just accepted that this cousin they didn’t know existed now owns the home. Granted, it could partially be that they’re afraid to live in the manor as they’ve heard the stories their whole lives. The Mirror picks up immediately after Owen and Sonya’s adventure into the mirror and I love the “through the looking glass” vibes it gives. Owen’s willingness to go with her says a lot about who he is and I am loving how protective he is of his new found cousin and her best friend. I love all of the ghosts that have made an appearance, except of course, Hester. And she is just despicable. I can’t wait to see her taken down in book 3.

Oh! Book #2 did exactly what this reader wanted - fed the fire that started in the first book in the Lost Bride Trilogy! More of Sonya and Cleo, and that wicked witch Hester!!!!

Bring on #3, Please!

*A sincere thank you to Nora Roberts, St. Martin's Press, Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for an ARC to read and review independently.*

I was excited to get back to Sonya and Poole’s Bay! The manor is as much as a character as Sonya is. She and Cleo are finding their groove and getting settled. They want friends and family to experience the house so they plan a lavish party! And one spirit is not okay with that. And boy, can Dobbs throw a tantrum! But the girls have mostly figured out how to ignore the evil spirit. They focus on the good spirits in the house and those ghosts are lovely! I enjoyed Sonya and Cleo’s relationships with Trey and Owen. I loved how they all embraced the house, ghosts and all! I couldn’t read this book fast enough!

The Mirror by Nora Roberts
The Lost Bride trilogy, book #2. Thriller, horror. Paranormal with a malevolent ghost. Should be read in series order. Cliffhanger.
Sonya MacTavish has inherited a haunted Victorian house on the coast of Maine. An antique mirror draws Sonya and shows her over and over the death of a bride and the stolen gold rings. Sonya and her housemates need to figure out how to break the curse and get rid of the malicious ghost.

🎧 I alternated reading between an ebook and an audiobook. The narration was done by Brittany Pressley who gives a marvelous performance with distinct voices for the main characters as well as several secondary as well. The difference between Sonya and Cleo alone is staggering and hard to believe it’s just one narrator. Add in the men and ghosts plus tracking emotions and tension, it’s a major acting achievement. I did speed up the playback to 1.5 to more closely match reading and conversation levels.

My main issue with the audiobook verses the ebook is the sheer number of timelines, brides and their stories and keeping track of who’s who. I’m glad I had both formats to help follow along with the brides and ghosts.

I loved all the popular music references. Mostly the music reflected the brides from decades ago but a lot was the preferences of the four main characters staying in the house. Nothing was current, or if it was, I missed the references.

The cat and dog were friends! It was awesome. Plus they were trained to go outside together and take care of business. They also helped to protect the household from the ghosts with warning growls and barking. Distinct personalities!

This book helped in getting to know Sonya and Cleo in depth with families and significant others and made it clear they are keeping the house theirs and are not going to let the ghost drive them away. If they can just figure out how.
It is a cliffhanger as expected.

I received a copy of this from NetGalley and Macmillan Audio.

This was an entertaining, well-written book. It was fun, steamy and kept me reading. I enjoyed this book and look forward to reading the third book in this trilogy.

After the abrupt cliffhanger in the Inheritance, this story picked right up where the previous one ended.

The characters are well written, and the storyline and plot kept me reading. This book was a bit different from the first, but I enjoyed the details from the brides and grooms in the past, their love stories and eventually the catastrophes. Hester Dobbs has focused on the manor at all costs for one hundred years and continues to cause daily disturbances, some just to cause fear and others to cause harm. I love the manor as much as Sonya does but being woken up every night at 3:00 AM, would not work well for me!

I loved that Sonya and her cousin Owen could go through a mirror and see times in the past and learn more about their ancestors. Sonya and Cleo have been friends for many years and their families are close. Then to add on Trey and Owen as friends and more, is especially interesting with their special talents, easy friendships and amazing families. Sonya and Cleo have found a place that is unlike their previous busy city lives but love the small town, the manor, pets, and more.

Ms. Roberts always writes characters that are talented, gorgeous, strong and smart but have also dealt with real life issues.

It’s difficult to wait a year between the books but the stories are well worth the wait! I highly recommend this trilogy.

Thanks to the author, publisher and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this new work.

I didn’t enjoy this second installment in the series as much as the first - you really get dropped back into the story where it left off and it’s quite an abrupt reintroduction. The plot felt a bit repetitive and I wish it would have moved on from certain aspects quicker. However I am a diehard Nora Roberts lover and will absolutely read the third installment when it comes out and perhaps it’ll help shift the pacing a bit. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to provide my honest review.

I dove into this second book of the series hot on the heels of finishing the first book, The Inheritance. I would definitely recommend reading The Inheritance first as it gives you context about Sonya MacTavish and how she came to inherit Poole Manor. Also, it’s an amazing read. Nora Roberts has a way of making her characters come to life and building strong relationships between them that breathe life in the plot. In this book, the relationships between Sonya and Trey, as well as Cleo and Owen, continue to deepen and grow as they band together to stop Hester Dobbs, the vicious ghost who haunts the manor. I absolutely cannot wait for the third book of the series to come out.

The Mirror is book 2 in The Lost Bride Trilogy by Nora Roberts. I would recommend reading book 1, The Inheritence before reading book 2, as The Mirror starts out right where The Inheritence ends, and if you have not read book 1 you will not have the back story.

Sonya MacTavish has inherited a manor house on the coast of Maine. She has to live in the house for three years in order to inherit it all. The only issue, the manor is more than haunted. Most of the ghosts are benign and somewhat helpful, like Molly who does housework, there is however a malignant spirit, Hester Dodds, a witch who killed the 1st Poole bride in the early 19th cerntury on her wedding day. Hannah then committed suicide on the cliffs below the manor house and has haunted the manor ever since, however not content with just haunting the house, she has killed subsequent Poole brides on their wedding days and stolen their wedding rings. The Mirror in the title is a mirror that allows Sonya to view the past and the different ways the brides have been killed. She is able to see and interact with Hester’s ghost as well. With the help of her best friend and roomate Cleo, her cousin Owen and her love interest Trey, Sonya hopes to find the missing wedding rings and stop Hester once and for all.

This was a great follow up to the 1st novel and I look forward to the third book and the completion of The Lost Bride trilogy.

Thanks to Netgalley, the publisher St. Martin’s Press and the author for the chance to read and review this ARC.

This is the second book in a trilogy and it starts off exactly where The Inheritance left off. Sonya MacTavish inherits a house that has quite the intrigue to it. Every bride has died in this house, but will Sonya and friends be able to stop the cycle. I love the main character and the secondary characters in this story make it an unforgettable tale. I can’t wait for the third one to find out how it all comes together! Sorry I’m afraid to give away any spoilers. Nora Roberts never disappoints!

This is the second book in The Lost Bride Trilogy. I am loving this trilogy, it has romance, suspense and some paranormal elements to the story. I like how the ghost in the house are becoming family to Sonya and Cleo. I love the pets the MC adopt and their jobs. The characters are wonderfully developed and the pace kept my interest. I can’t wait to see how the story finally comes to a close in the next book.

Another excellent read!
Continuing on with Book 2, Sonya, Trey, Cleo, and Owen have more challenges to meet in dealing with the Evil that is residing in the mansion that Sonya has inherited. To get the best experience the reader should read the books in order starting with The Inheritance.
With intricate plotting, great characters, wonderful world building and as always near perfect Grammer, Nora Roberts has written another outstanding book. Cannot wait for the final book!
I received an ARC of the book through NetGalley, and this is my honest opinion.

So those of you who follow me know that I often don't read about what a book is about when it's an author that I like. Which is what I did with the first book (The Inheritance) and I ended up being shocked when I found that this series was going to be a continually story for each of the books. Most of the time if I read a trilogy like that (no ending till the third book) I would wait till I have all books.

Since I didn't do that with the Lost Bride Trilogy, I have to keep on waiting for the last book to come out and we have an ending. Up this time we have The Mirror which in the second book in the trilogy. It follows where book one left off. I was so excited to start it because the way the first book ended; I don't want to give anything away in case you haven't yet read it. The ending of the Inheritance was so good but also left you feeling unfinished so having the Mirror and being able to know what happens was needed.

I so loved The Mirror and all that happens in it. You get to know the characters more, both the ones that are alive and the ones that have passed. Like in the first book I love the relationship between both Sonya and Cleo and Trey and Owen. Sonya has a different relationship with each of them. I like how her and Owen are learning to be family and how he's there for her.

This story adds a bit to what's going on at the manor but more of who the characters are and what they are all about. I liked getting to know them all better. But what I really want is to know what is going to happen in the last book and I really don't like waiting. One reason I'm not good with these types of trilogies.

As always Roberts tells a wonderful story that you find yourself quickly becoming invested in. I can't tell you how much I'm looking forward to the last book in the series.

In The Mirror, the second book in Nora Roberts' trilogy, Sonya MacTavish inherits a Victorian mansion on the coast of Maine, only to find that her new home is steeped in mysteries and secrets. Ghostly phenomena fill the house, from benign presences to more malevolent forces that make Sonya’s journey both thrilling and unsettling. As she unravels the mansion’s dark past, Sonya discovers a history of murdered brides, missing wedding rings, and an antique mirror that holds the key to a centuries-old curse.

This installment excels not only in building suspense but also in deepening relationships. Sonya and Trey’s romance grows stronger, and their friendship with Owen and Cleo provides a close-knit, supportive group. The story’s supernatural side adds an exciting layer, particularly through the ghosts of brides who linger in the mansion. Clover, one of these ghostly brides, uses music to communicate with Sonya, providing both comfort and guidance as Sonya works to break the curse. Adding warmth and levity, the group’s loyal dogs and cats bring a touch of homey comfort to the otherwise haunting atmosphere, balancing out the chills with companionship.

The Mirror is a must-read for fans of supernatural mysteries, and it leaves just enough unanswered to make me eagerly anticipate the final book.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced reader copy.

My thanks to NetGalley and St Martin’s Press for the opportunity to read this ARC.

Nora Roberts has just published this second book of her fantasy-supernatural-romantic Lost Bride trilogy, which began with The Inheritance. Fortunately she is a quick writer, because the first installment ended with a breathtaking cliffhanger that has had fans waiting impatiently for what comes next.

The story takes off where it left off, with enough of a catch-up in events to fill in the gaps for those who haven’t read the first one. Sonya MacTavish was settling into the Victorian mansion on the Maine coast that she suddenly inherited from an unknown-to-her family friend. Having just split from her cheating fiancé, she goes against even her own better judgment, packs hurriedly, and moves in. Although it might be expected that her new abode will be a derelict old house ridden with any variety of scary creatures, Roberts instead gives her a beautiful, completely modernized, lifestyle magazine place to start a new life. Soon she meets a kind and caring man, his equally appealing best friend, their entire loving family, and a wonderful dog. Her sexy, smart and witty best friend Cleo soon moves in too.

As the Mirror opens, Sonya has become increasingly ambivalent about the house. She feels more ‘at home’ there than she ever has. But she is still hearing strange noises—records playing music reflecting her mood, women calling for help, smells of cooking, echoes of conversation. Then she starts seeing visions of brides who had lived in the house. They had died tragically, soon after entering, some even at their weddings.

There is a particularly spooky mirror that attracts Sonya’s attention in the first book and becomes the centrepiece of this one. Revealing its powers as they are presented in the first book would spoil its meaning in this one. All I can fairly say is that its revelations will both trap and free Sonya as family secrets long buried are now uncovered.

If it’s possible to call this a cozy supernatural historical novel, that sums it up. There is suspense and some thrills but nothing to keep readers up at night. Because this is the middle book, there is some repetition of backstory and some allusions to the future that will doubtless be repeated in book 3. There is a lot of time given to the women’s, and also the men’s, everyday getting a living activities. But Roberts writes with an irresistible verve and her main characters, especially the women, are strong, capable and smart. The cliffhanger ending, once again, calls for a quick third episode.

I read the first book in The Lost Bride Trilogy, "Inheritance", ten months ago. It was the beginning of a suspenseful mystery, and I couldn't wait for the next one. However, this second book, "The Mirror", provided mostly a lot of filler and not much of anything new.

In "Inheritance", Sonya and her friend Cleo moved into a creepy old mansion that she inherited on the cliffs in Maine and found out that the house was haunted and plagued by a curse. The ending of that book has a great cliff hanger. Book 2, on the other hand, spends a considerable amount of time on Sonya and Cleo's daily routines, such as cooking, eating, working, getting together with friends, having sex, and party planning. A lot of filler.

Otherwise, the narrative of this book is well written, and I am eager to find out how this trilogy ends. For me, the story just lacked a lot of the mystery and suspense that was in the first one, but I am expecting a lot more excitement in the next one.

My sincere thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for giving me the opportunity to read a digital ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.

Will Sonya MacTavish be able to finally break the curse of the Lost Bride Manor and recover the seven wedding rings? As a daughter of one of the descendants, she inherited the manor that is being haunted by Hester Dobbs. Hester eventually threw herself over a cliff and died, but not before she killed seven brides on their wedding day and stole their wedding rings. She was determined to rule the manor and still does as she wields super natural powers from the Golden Room. Sonya, along, with her best friend Cleopatra “Cleo” Fabares, an artist, are determined to reclaim the manor and force Hester out. Assisting the two is Trey “Deuce” Doyle, an attorney and Sonya’s lover and Trey’s best friend, Owen Poole another descendant and involved with Cleo. Has Hester met her match in the foursome who enjoy baiting her to anger? With the use of the mirror, they “enter” and view the murders that Hester has committed. They are also aided by the ghosts who have remained in the manor helping Sonya and seeking their own revenge. An absolutely fascinating story with two strong female characters and the men who love them as they seek the information that they hope will end Hester’s rule and bring peace and justice for the lost brides. I am beyond excited to read the third and final book in this series! I received an advance review copy at no cost and without obligation for an honest review. (paytonpuppy)

As expected, reading Nora Roberts’ “The Mirror” was a rich, engrossing experience. Book 2 of the Lost Bride Trilogy, this book has everything: fully formed characters whom I want to know in real life; a mystery more than two centuries old and a touch of the paranormal. I was fully in my happy place!
Because I had not done so already, I made sure to read Book 1, “The Inheritance” before starting this title. Roberts creates such rich, detailed worlds in her books that this was definitely a required step.
If you have a penchant some a bit of gothic mystery with a side of modern romance, make sure to read “The Mirror.” Then join me in waiting for Book 3 to discover the conclusion.

4 Stars

I absolutely love when Nora writes fantasy trilogies and this one has been no different. I love Sonya and Cleo. I love the fur babies and all the good ghosts (looking at you Jack and Cleo!). Can't wait until the next and last one comes out.

Wow, Nora Roberts just continues to write the most interesting, entertaining stories!! The mirror is the second in her latest paranormal trilogy and I loved it! Full of diverse characters, found family, new friends, pets, curses, haunted houses, romance, loss and tragedy, this story picks up right where The inheritance left off and has Sonia and her friends trying to resolve a decades old curse that has haunted the brides of The manor house Sonia inherited. Great on audio read by one of my fav narrators, Brittany Pressley, who does an amazing job voicing the many characters in this story in unique and distinctive ways. Highly recommended and a perfect Spooky Season read. I can't wait to read the conclusion!! Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital and audio copy in exchange for my honest review!