Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC! I missed the deadline to nominate this one, but I would have! It was great!

I loved this one! But I adore Nora Roberts in general. It gets four stars because the haunted house is a little scarier than I like. But what a story! Trey and Sonya were an amazing team, the details of the house and the Maine coast were amazing. The strong family bonds and friendships are part of what I like about Nora's books. And the mystery of the house was enough to keep me turning pages late into the night. And the cliffhanger! What a way to make sure I read the next book!

This one had everything I like in a romance.

I have been an avid reader of Nora Robert's books for years now. I love her writing style. The way she builds the world her current character for the book always gets me engrossed. The characters jumped right into your heart they are that well written. Romance books don't always have the mystery and ghosts that this book has but it was what had me hooked and needing to continue to find out what happened next. I can't wait to see where Sonya's story with the house leads.

This was a interesting book. I have read paranormals from Nora Roberts before but this one seemed different . I didn't like that we didn't get a HEA which is very unusual for a Nora Roberts book.

I loved all the ghosts in the house and all the relationships (friends , Family , Pets, romantic ) . I am looking forward to the next one in the series

Book one in a new trilogy from Nora Roberts hooked me in from the first chapter, and left me anticipating at the ending cliffhanger. I’m not usually a fan of her “magical” trilogies, but this one is more my speed when it comes to ghostly beings. It combines a strong “regular “ storyline that combines flawlessly with the paranormal twist. It is set on the beautiful coast of Maine which only adds to the drama of the storyline. I highly recommend Inheritance, and can’t wait for the next installment. Many thanks to St. Martin’s Press for this advanced copy.

Wow - all I can say is ‘what a cliffhanger!’ I was so engrossed in this book from beginning to end, I can’t wait for the second book in the trilogy! Nora Roberts is an expert with weaving together contemporary characters with the fantastical world, and this one is no exception. The characters quickly become familiar, and the supernatural aspects of the story are so intriguing. If you are a fan of Nora Roberts, you are sure to enjoy this one. And if not - if you like contemporary fiction with some drama and a bit of supernatural thrown in, I don’t think you will be disappointed if you give it a try! I received this book through NetGalley, all opinions are my own.

Thank you @stmartinspress @netgalley for my gifted digital copy, and @macmillan.audio for my audiobook copy. My thoughts are my own.

While I don’t read too many books with a supernatural element, Nora Roberts is an auto-buy author for me, so I was thrilled to receive this book and it definitely did not disappoint!

When Sonya MacTavish inherits a house in Maine from a late uncle she never knew she had, she decides to move in and try it out for 3 months. The timing is perfect since she recently ended her engagement to a cheating fiancé.

She discovers her inheritance is actually a picturesque mansion located on Maine’s rocky coast. The house is fully furnished, the town is welcoming, and her uncle’s attorney and family are very accommodating.

Trey, the young lawyer who greets her (and becomes her love interest) tells her about a ghost that inhabits the mansion, and soon, Sonya experiences things being moved and music playing. The ghost seems almost helpful. But then Sonya discovers there is more than one ghost inhabiting the mansion, and an old curse has been placed on brides of the house. Sonya must find seven missing wedding rings to end the curse.

This story had me hooked from the beginning. Sonya’s story is interspersed with flashbacks as ghostly brides tell their stories of being murdered on their wedding day or of dying in childbirth. I loved the picturesque setting and the element of suspense that were woven into the story.

This one ends with a cliffhanger, so I am already looking forward to the next book in the series. I alternated between and thoroughly enjoyed both the print and audio versions of this book. I highly recommend this one if you enjoy romantic suspense, picturesque settings, or ghost stories.

I loved this! There are some spooky vibes, but not too spooky. The ghost aspect is so interesting and layered and I can’t wait to learn more about them in the next books. There are great friendships, wonderful family dynamics, and a really sweet romance. And there are dogs to fall in love with as well. The haunted mansion is a whole character of its own, too, and the more I’d read, the more I could envision it.

My only complaint is the cliffhanger! Torture. I can’t wait to re-read this book. Since I read the advanced copy, there was some wonky formatting in places, and I’ve already pre-ordered a physical copy.

I need book two, NOW!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced copy for an honest review. This book starts off with Astrid Poole in 1906 being murdered on her wedding day. Fast forward to present day with Sonya catching her fiancé with her cousin, while she is busy planning a wedding. While she is adjusting to her new life without her fiancé and her job - she quit because he was harassing her. She gets a visit from a lawyer who says she inherited a mansion on the Maine Coast from her late father's twin whom she never knew existed. When she arrives in Maine, she is greeted by hot Trey who helps her get settled in the mansion and help her understand all the spooky ghostly happenings. This is a great read and I cannot wait for more in this series.

Thank you, St Martin's Press and NetGalley, for the advanced copy of Inheritance.

Occasionally, an advanced copy steals my heart to the point that I have to pre-order a physical copy. That's exactly what happened with Inheritance. This is the first in a trilogy. Inheritance is one of those novels that keeps you yearning for more in the best way possible. What a great October read, too! If you only read one paranormal romance novel this spooky season, do yourself a favor and don't miss out on Inheritance.

Sonya MacTavish is in the throws of planning her wedding when she decides to cancel a floral vendor meeting and just call it a day. When she gets home, she catches her husband having a meeting of his own with her cousin in their bed. If that's not awkward enough, she has to do her best to work around her husband at the marketing firm where they both work. After multiple upsetting work incidents, she decides to branch out on her own. But is it ever that easy? A knock on her door reveals that her late father who was adopted had a twin brother who has recently passed away and named her the beneficiary of the family estate in Maine as long as she will make the estate her primary residence. Since she's still determining what she wants to do with her work and life rebirth, she decides to take the plunge and have a new adventure. Her house, known as Lost Bride Manor to the locals., seems to have a mind of its own. Sonya soon finds out of a curse placed on the women of her family and is bound and determined to break it. With the help of a local lawyer, one of her newly found cousins, and her best friend, Sonya will learn of the lost brides and something far more sinister residing in her house.

Inheritance is the first book in a new trilogy written by Nora Roberts. I am more familiar with Nora Roberts as J.D. Robb and enjoy her In Death series immensely. I was presently surprised by the style and wit in which she wrote this story. Sonya's life has changed dramatically. She was in the middle of planning her wedding when she discovered her fiancé cheating on her, not only did they live together, but they were also partners at work, working in a prestigious advertising agency in Boston. Sonya tried to be the bigger person about the situation but her ex told lies at their agency about her as to why the wedding was called off and started to sabotage her accounts and work. She decided to leave the agency and start her own business. As she was starting to get into the swing of things, a lawyer shows up at her door, telling her that she a long lost relative of an uncle who has left her a manor on a bluff and the only catch is, she must stay there for three years, and it will be hers. She decides to take the leap and move her life to the manor where she finds herself caught up in a mystery of ghosts and a curse that affects all of the women of the direct descendants of her lineage. She is determined to help solve the mystery and end the curse with the help of her uncle's lawyer and his family and her best friend. The story was told with eeriness, and I felt that the tone of the story was set with each chapter of Sonya's life. I felt the ambiance of the first part where she was dealing with her ending relationship and sabotaging of work and living in Boston felt stifling and suffocating, very fast paced and full of self-doubt and hurt. When she moved to the bluff, I felt heaviness with the story of the curse, but also more freedom and lightness that is within reach. Sonya's attitude seemed to have shifted from almost snobbery in her previous life to knowing her work is well done but with no air of superiority, more of a matter of fact. The story itself was not a horror story, there are suspenseful or tense moments especially when the ghosts present themselves to her in the day or in the dead of night, known as the 'witching hour'. I was engrossed in the story and had not realized that it was a part one of three books as the story does end in a cliffhanger, which I cannot stand. However, I enjoyed the story and definitely need to pick up the next one when it too comes out. Characters were all likeable, and the world building was not tedious, recommend for those who enjoy a gothic mystery with a modern twist. Thank you to NetGalley and MacMillan Publishing for the advanced reader copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

A new trilogy by Nora Roberts is a reason to rejoice. Book One of this trilogy does not disappoint. It has everything I’ve come to love in a Nora Roberts trilogy, romance, mystery, fantasy, and a great setting. The fun begins when Sonya inherits a haunted mansion on the coast of Maine and doesn’t let up. The ending is a crazy cliffhanger. Now to wait for Book Two!

Huge thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for my advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

Nora Roberts is a go to romance author of mine and her newest, Inheritance, once again proves why. It is perfect for fans of:
- haunted houses (good ghosts and 1 bad)
- family secrets
- a curse
- romance

I cannot put into words how much I loved this one and cannot wait for the rest of this trilogy. Highly recommend.

Nora Roberts begins a trilogy set in a haunted house. The Prologue set in 1806 shows the death of the first bride and the beginnings of the curse that will take the life of six more brides who come to live at the manor.

Sonya MacTavish is surprised to learn that she has inherited an estate from the late father's unknown twin brother. The babies were separated at birth and her father put up for adoption. She is curious to know the circumstances that caused the babies to be separated.

The bequest comes at an interesting time in Sonya's life. She has recently ended her engagement to a co-worker who is now trashing her to fellow employees at the graphic design firm where they both work. She was going to keep the fact that she walked in on him in bed with her cousin quiet until he started saying that she changed her mind due to emotional stress. However, conditions where she works at a job she loves have become intolerable due to his harassment.

But Lost Brides Manor might not be a stress-free change. She has to move to a small town in Maine and live in the house for three years. Locals including her lawyers who were friends of her uncle Collin Poole all believe that the house is haunted. It isn't long before Sonya starts having encounters with ghosts herself. From sobbing and piano playing in the dead of night, to a ghost who uses Sonya's phone and tablet to provide timely music, to a ghost boy who plays with her new dog and a maid who makes her bed and keeps her house in immaculate condition to the ghost of the woman who killed and cursed the dead brides, Sonya is surrounded by ghosts.

Sonya isn't alone in trying to understand what is happening at the manor. Trey is the third Doyle in the local law office and provides a lot of help to Sonya. His father Deuce was Collin Poole's friend and Trey and his sister spent a lot of time in the house while he was growing up. He's had his own encounters with some of the ghosts. Trey is also the love interest in this story. And Sonya has her best friend Cleo to provide support too. Cleo was her college roommate and a fellow artist. She is also more open to the idea of ghosts than Sonya having a Cajun grandmother who instilled beliefs in spirits and demons.

This was an engaging story with many of Roberts' hallmarks. Both the female and male leads are strong, self-sufficient people with a circle of close friends. Neither looks to the other to fill in lacks in their own lives. Both are open to a relationship because they have seen good relationships all around them. Both Sonya and Trey are interesting people with strong opinions.

My one quibble with the story is that it felt particularly unfinished to me. Yes, I know it is the start of a trilogy, but neither the romance nor the curse reaches any sort of resolution. In fact, there is a definite cliffhanger of an ending that has me aching for the next book.

4ish stars

I haven’t read a Nora Roberts book for years, but I used to love them. I requested this one initially because of the writer and the gorgeous cover art/design, but the gothic mystery/romance vibes of the description also appealed to me. Although I enjoyed the story, I felt like much of the first chunk (two thirds or so, maybe) didn’t have a lot of conflict or tension; it picked up towards the end as the story really leaned into the old haunted mansion setting. Additionally, while I understand that a lot of fiction novels require at least a certain extent of disbelief, I just couldn’t quite get over how readily everyone in this book was willing to just accept as fact the idea that the house was haunted by a series of ghosts. I enjoyed a fair bit of it, and it was actually pretty light for much of the story (including some of the writer’s signature elements), but I haven’t decided yet if I’ll continue with the rest of the trilogy, once it’s available.

Everything I want in a book is in The Inheritance. It features a confident, take-no-nonsense heroine with a generous and compassionate heart, along with a dreamy, protective and steadfast hero. Their story includes a slow-burn, steamy romance as well as an abundance of intrigue and mystery that gets the pulse racing and kickstarts the imagination. Sonya and Trey’s story is also one of connections to family, friends and community. Her family history, her connection to her ancestors may be putting her in danger, but it is the new connections with Trey, his family, her best friend Chloe and a few others that will save her.

After a recent breakup and her ex’s intimidation tactics, Sonja, a talented graphic designer, has decided to break away from the firm she has been working for and establish her own business. The unexpected inheritance from an uncle she never even knew she had seems to bring an opportunity she cannot pass up. Since her late father was adopted, so much of his past was a mystery. To discover now that he had a twin brother who was not adopted with him, but who grew up among his biological family is a shock to Sonya, her mother and her father’s adoptive parents. She decides that she will go to Maine and check out the Victorian manor house she inherited. While in Maine, Sonya also hopes to discover more about her father’s biological family and get her graphic design business up and running.

She discovers much more than she could ever have expected. The manor house is one her late father painted after dreaming about it. He never saw it or the people he painted from his dreams in person. The first time she sees it, Sonya feels a strange connection to the manor, a feeling of coming home and belonging. But the manor holds many secrets and is home to a multitude of ghosts, including an evil witch of a woman who has cursed Sonya’s family, the Pooles. While the ghosts of her ancestors are friendly and helpful, the evil witch is determined to drive her out. Her scare tactics are formidable, but Sonya is nothing if not determined and even she is surprised at her steely resolve to discover all she can about her ancestors, the curse and how to break it.

Thankfully, Sonya is quickly befriended by Trey, a third generation lawyer in the firm that represented her late uncle’s interests. Trey has witnessed the strange occurrences in the manor and has even seen one of the ghosts who dwell there. He becomes a sounding board and grounding influence for Sonya as she deals with the increasing attacks instigated by the evil witch. Trey also becomes much more than a friend to Sonya. They have a soul-deep connection, a fiery chemistry and soon begin to feel complete only in each other’s presence. The escalation in violence thrown at them by the evil witch makes Trey determined to protect Sonya, to shield her if necessary, though Sonya has her own ideas of who needs protection. This book ends on a stunning cliffhanger, one they makes me more than eager to read the next book in order to discover what happens next.

I received a copy of this masterfully written book and I am voluntarily leaving this honest review

4.25/5⭐️

Book 1 of the Lost Bride Trilogy, this is a dual timelines story revolving around a centuries-old curse (yes, a real witch) that has claimed seven brides from the Poole Victorian mansion on the coast of Maine.

Sonya, our current-day heroine, is a graphic designer who is anticipating her wedding only to discover a betrayal that leads to a canceled wedding. When she is then contacted by her late uncle’s lawyer (an uncle that she did not know existed) and learns that she has inherited his estate if she lives there for three years, she seizes the chance to freelance and moves to Maine. As she becomes aware that the house is ghost-ridden, with both benign and frightening happenings taking place, she enlists the help of her friends (both local and back home) to help her in researching the history of the house/brides in order to break the curse.

I enjoyed this book but did have two issues with it. First, the attraction between Sonya and Trey (the lawyer’s son, and an attorney himself) felt a little rushed to me. After a few platonic meetings, Sonya basically seems to become impatient with the relationship’s progress and moves things along at a fast pace. Second, while I understand that this is the first in a trilogy, the ending seemed rather abrupt, and the cliffhanger felt rushed and out-of-the-blue to me.

However, even with the irks, I enjoyed this beginning and am looking forward to the rest of the story playing out.

My sincere thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for providing the free early arc of Inheritance for review. The opinions are strictly my own.

An old, haunted house with history, a curse, and spirit occupants
Inheritance is a fabulous novel which I was sucked into right away. Part mystery, part ghost story, part romance. The characters are well written and multi-dimensional; I was captivated by all of them – the real people, the ghosts; even the Manor is a character. I loved the plot. I loved the relationships that are being created; friendships and romantic. I loved the strong female lead with her strength, independence, and growth. I love the welcoming of the town. While I knew this was trilogy and expected the storyline to continue, I wasn’t expecting it to end in a cliff hanger (not my favorite thing). So very desperate for book 2! So very well done!

I'm a huge Nora Roberts fan, so when I got the opportunity to read an early copy of this book, of course I accepted. And I absolutely loved it. Sonya is another fantastic heroine, and the ghosts are lovely. My favorite is Clover, but they were all great. Nora does a fantastic job of weaving the stories of the brides with Sonya's tale, and you'll find yourself up into the late hours trying to finish it. And then you'll want more!

I haven't fallen this deeply into a Nora Roberts trilogy in years. I requested because the cover felt like her previous Bride series but when I found out that it's also a ghost story, I was extra excited. This held up to what I wanted. It's spooky and intriguing. It's found family and the clear set of three couples that we love in Robert's trilogies.

This story of the manor house that Sonya inherits and it's history will keep you reading all night long. It's pacing is great. The romance or the mystery both move the story forward at the right timing to keep readers hooked. I am very excited for what's next because HOLY CLIFFHANGER

4.5 rounded up.
This book was chock-full of all the seasonal autumn vibes I had hoped for. It had a lovely mix of gothic mystery, a wee bit o’ romance, and even some fantastical paranormal aspects dropped in.

I was pleasantly surprised by just how much I enjoyed this. The characters were vibrant and complex, the wonderful rescue dogs stole my heart, and most of the ghosts were adorable. The only thing I wished was that it didn’t end in a cliffhanger because I want to read the next one immediately!

I did a combo of audio and digital and I was terribly impressed by the audio. Brittany Pressley did a phenomenal job of narrating and complete embodied the spirit of the book!

Thank you Macmillan Audio for the alc and St. Martin’s Press for the arc via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review!