This series is creepy in the best way. it's got the strong heroine and the dashing hero longtime Nora Roberts fans expect with the supernatural edge of her more recent books.

Ahhhh darn it. I had such high hopes after loving Inheritance, but The Mirror was not the sequel I had hoped it would be. This seemed more like a filler book with a repetitive plot of Sonya having some scary call with the mirror or witchy ghost, Hester, haunting her house. Trey or Cleo come to her side and help her feel better, the ghost and dogs interact with her, and repeat. Barely anything happened that has not already occurred previously.

Book two in the Lost Bride Trilogy, The Mirror continues the story answering the questions where the Inheritance left off. The story continues the magical realism between friends and sprinkled with romance as Sonya looks forward to her life in the Victorian Manor in Maine.
My hope is that book three will wrap this story up and answer all my lingering questions.
Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for my ARC.

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

🌟🌟🌟🌟 4/5 stars

The Mirror is the second installment of the Lost Bride Trilogy and a great continuation of the story. Nora Roberts can bring to life a setting like no other. I loved the romance and the turns the story took. I cannot wait to read the final installment!

ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you Netgalley for the advance copy. Nora Ri arts tells a compelling ghost story and we want MORE! Can’t wait until book 3. How does she do it?

I love the first book of the trilogy, where we discover a haunted mansion tied to a mysterious side of the family we never knew about. Throughout the story, we get to know the personalities of the ghosts that inhabit the house while the protagonist falls in love with both the mansion and the attractive lawyer overseeing her inheritance. The book ends on a cliffhanger when Sonya disappears into a mirror.

In the second book, we pick up in that mirror. The Pooles travel into the mirror and learn about the past, experiencing it as if they are in a 3D movie or a living memory. The story dives into the history of the brides, the mechanics of the house, and the hauntings. It revolves not only around Sonya but also her best friend Cleo, who is constantly by her side, Trey, the hot lawyer, and Owen, Sonya's cousin. The pets are also significant, as they are frequently let in and out.

While I enjoyed the story, it suffers from "middle child syndrome" often seen in trilogies. We need to bridge the excitement and discovery of book one with the resolution in book three. The middle book tends to focus on how we get from point A to point B. A lot happens, yet it often feels like very little progresses. There are subplots involving backstories, business ventures, and various meals being prepared, along with moments of letting pets in and out, and watching cliff jumping every night.

Nevertheless, I love the relationships in this story. The friendship between Cleo and Sonya is legendary, the interactions between the ghosts and the group of friends are entertaining, and the budding romances are enjoyable, even if they follow a cookie-cutter formula. We end this story on another cliffhanger, but I don’t feel as anxious as I did with the first book. I’m excited for the finale, even though this installment wasn’t everything I had hoped for.

THE MIRROR is the second of Ms. Roberts' The Lost Brides trilogy and as amazing as the first one the second was even better so I cannot wait to see what the finale looks like.

Reviewed for Fresh Fiction by Annetta Sweetko

Complete review: https://freshfiction.com/review.php?id=88800

Thank you to NetGalley and both Macmillan Audio and St. Martin’s Press as well as the author and narrator for both of these ARCs in exchange for my honest opinion.
#NetGalley #MacAudio24 #MacmillanAudio #St.Martin’sPress #TheMirror #NoraRoberts #BrittanyPressley #audiobook #eBook #BookReview #Book

Title: The Mirror
Author: Nora Roberts
Format: Both eBook and audiobook
Narrator: Brittany Pressley
Publisher: St. Martin’s Press/ Macmillan Audio
Publication Date: November 29, 2024
Themes: family, friendship, paranormal, family history, witches
Trigger Warnings:murder, death, paranormal, witches, ghosts,

I have never been disappointed by anything this author has written and this is no exception. This book is the second volume in Ms. Roberts’ “The Lost Bride” trilogy. It picks up right where the previous book left off. We’re right back with Sonya MacTavish, her best friend, her boyfriend and her cousin. This one continues the story of the Poole family curse at Lost Bride Manor.

This book picks up exactly where the previous volume left off and I had no trouble with the transition. I easily and eagerly reentered this world filled with a cast of characters that I loved. I love a good haunted house story and the ghosts are some of my favorite characters. I especially love the ghost of Sonya’s biological grandmother, Clover, who communicates through music. I enjoy finding out which song she’s going to choose for which situation. I guess it truly is the little things. I also loved the pets, especially the addition of Pyewacket, the cat. Ms. Roberts never leaves the pets out, which is one of my favorite parts about her books.

It did feel a little slow at times. I felt that this book needed a little more content as it felt a little like a filler. I still enjoyed it and still plan on reading the final book next year. I start missing the characters as soon as I finish the books.

A word about the narrator, she’s my very favorite. I love Brittany Pressley. I often choose audiobooks based on her. She’s excellent at changing her voice for each character without overdoing it and sounding cheesy.

All in all, this book wasn’t my favorite of Nora Roberts but I still enjoyed it a lot. As usual, I recommend this book along with all of her other books. That’s a lot of books so get reading! Enjoy!!

This is the second book in the Lost Bride series, and it absolutely needs to be read after the first book. I can't imagine reading this book without having read the first one, especially since the first one ended on a cliffhanger. This second book gives us more detail of each of the brides that were killed over the years. It also moves further along with the development of the two new relationships, for both Sonya and Cleo. While there were times that parts of the book felt like filler, as in let's get to the heart of the story, overall, the story was very good. I am definitely looking forward to the third book because I really want to know how they break the curse! I have to hand it to Nora Roberts in that she really knows how to draw the reader into a story and keeping interest over the course of multiple books.

The Mirror by Nora Roberts picks up where The Inheritance left off. I loved the insight into the past brides and the circumstances surrounding their deaths. I enjoyed the evolution of the relationships between the characters. I was intrigued by the revelations about the family and secrets that had been kept. The book feels like a much slower pace but it kept me interested and engaged. I cannot wait for the third book to release!

I have posted this review on Amazon, Goodreads

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The manor is haunted. Cursed long ago by a greedy woman determined to be matriarch of the manor for all time.

Sonya inherited the manor from the uncle she never knew before learning the manor was cursed. Despite the evil the infesting the manor, she and her friend Chloe have moved in and made the house their home, existing comfortably with the friendly spirits who still wander its halls. Together with her boyfriend Trey and new found cousin Owen, Sonya is determined to break the curse, and exile the darkness, and release those trapped souls.

The story begins to delve into the origins of the curse. By way of their Poole blood, Sonya and Owen are able to travel through the mirror where they are witness to the history of the manor brides, both in happiness in tragedy. As past events become clear, secrets are revealed and the evil infesting the manor takes on an air of desperation. As the dark spirit becomes more desperate, Sonja becomes more determined to end the curse and banish the evil from the manor forever.

The pacing in the story is perfect. Like an ocean tide, the waves of evil hit hard, only to have the tension broken with a bit of humor provided by one of the many friendly spirits who call the manor home. Each with their own personality, they add a touch of fun and humor to break up the darkness. They are as much characters in the story as Sonya and Cloe, Trey and Owen. Sonya and Chloe accept them as friends, recognize them as family and Sonya can't help but feel for what they've suffered.

Like the pacing, the writing flows easily from sarcasm and snark, to the heaviness of gloom and menace, only to be offset by snatches of humor like one of my favorite lines in the book, "You can't track evil spider guts through the house."

Just like the first book in the trilogy, this story ends on a breath steeling cliff hanger. The darkness needing to have the final word. It will be a long year waiting for the final book in the trilogy.

The Mirror is the second book in the Lost Bride Trilogy by Nora Roberts. When closing that final chapter, I was met with a bit of mixed emotions on the overall plot of the second installment. First – let me preface that I really, really like the overall premise that the series is based off of…..a mirror that holds the key to events that transpired in the past and in the present day.

When diving into the Mirror, I found the book extremely drawn out. There wasn’t a lot of movement in the ‘how, when, why’ events that the book centers around. The book revolves more around the main character’s romance, friendships and day-to-day interactions. Readers will learn more about the seven brides and the stories behind their legacies. Interactions with Dobbs aren’t as frequent in this book, but readers will learn more about the house ‘helpers’ which adds to the interest in the family curse.

The ending of the Mirror will end on a cliffhanger. I was hoping for more of a ‘stepping stone’ in the legacy, but I will take what I can get in this captivating series. With a cast of characters that leaves me wanting more, I will be (im)patiently waiting to see what unfolds with the lore in this truly unique series of books.

Sonya MacTavish inherits a Victorian mansion in Maine, only to discover it's haunted by strange noises and eerie visions, including glimpses of a tragic past. As she investigates, she becomes drawn to an antique mirror, which transports her into the past where she witnesses six brides’ murders and a centuries-old curse tied to her family. To break the curse, Sonya must unravel the mystery of the bride's missing rings before the past repeats itself once more.

I enjoyed the first book in this trilogy and was pulled in by the mystery, but the second installment was seriously lacking. It often felt like I was reading Sonya’s diary: “I had a spooky dream, which I told everyone about over the amazing dinner Cleo made, and we all agreed that Hester is evil.” The flashbacks to the past didn’t feel like they added anything to the story and all of the present day relationships felt way too perfect, especially with Cleo and Owen getting together. While it was a quick read, we’re no closer to learning anything about the missing rings, so I can only hope that the third and final book wraps everything up neatly, and hopefully, more excitingly.

The Mirror is the second book in Nora Roberts The Lost Bride Trilogy. The story follows Sonya MacTavish, who inherits a Victorian mansion with a dark history. The house is haunted by the spirits of seven brides, each of whom met their end on their wedding day. As if dealing with ghostly residents wasn't enough, Sonya must also confront her own recent heartbreak. She discovers her fiancé in bed with one of her bridesmaids, setting the stage for a story that interconnects personal healing with supernatural mystery.

Traveling With T’s Thoughts:

I have been enjoying books by Nora Roberts for some time, but the Lost Brides trilogy is my first trilogy by her.

After reading Inheritance, I was chomping at the bit for The Mirror. And now I can’t wait for book 3!



What I liked:

This cover is delicious!

The back and forth between Sonya and Hester Dobbs. Sonya is not backing down and I have to love her for her determined ways!

The community that is developing in this trilogy, I love these characters! Sonya and her mother, Trey and his family, and more (also love Bree!)



Bottom line: This book is EVERYTHING. Love the characters, the setting, the ghosts, and cannot wait for the showdown that is bound to come in book 3 between Sonya and Hester Dobbs!

This book was absolutely spectacular. I loved the first book, and this one did a great job of building the plot. It was a bit more wholesome than spooky, but I did still enjoy the ghosty elements in it. I can't wait to see how this series wraps up.

I always love a good ghost story and this second installment of the trilogy did not disappoint.

I particularly liked the close friendship between Sonya and Cleo. They make a great team against the evil witch Hester Dobbs. Plus the addition of the fuzzy friends makes for an enjoyable story.

I did feel at times there was a lot of random conversations that seemed unnecessary for the story. Overall I enjoyed this book and looking forward the 3rd story. Hopefully Hester Dobbs finally gets what she deserves !

I want to thank NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity and read and review this book !

This book is the second of a series. It follows the Inheritance. In this book, Sonya is living in The Manor. She has previously inherited from an uncle she didn’t know existed. The manor is haunted by Hester Dobbs. Dobbs has placed a curse on the house. It is up to Sonya to stop the curse. I enjoyed reading how the former residents of the manor do little things to make her feel at home. This is a genre that I haven’t read previously. I love how the author describes not only her relationship with her new family members, but also with the members of the community. I am very much looking forward to the third book in the series. I will continue to read books by this author.

When Nora Roberts book Inheritance ended, I was so sad. I had gone all in with the characters - Sonya MacTavish, the heir to a mansion on the coast of Maine; her love interest Trey, best friend Chloe and cousin Owen. Imagine my joy when The Mirror was delivered! Roberts continues the mystery and romance as the friends strive to find out more about the spirits that haunt the mansion. Looking forward to the third book in the trilogy that is expected next November!

I was gifted this ebook and audiobook by NetGalley.

This seems to be a “filler” or “bridge” book. Not a lot happens, but it gets you to the next point.

I felt like the dialogue was a little chaotic, bouncing back and forth between the topic and random conversation within the same scene.

I feel like the book was too long considering how much was actually happening. A lot of filler that I felt was unnecessary and uninteresting.

Unfortunately, it was a DNF for me.