Thank you to Net Galley, Macmillan Audio and St.Martin's Press for an early audio version of Inheritance. by Nora Roberts

Sonja, Trey and Cleo are the catalysts in this completely engrossing tale of ghosts of the past interacting with them in a haunted house in Maine, Sonja's inheritance from an uncle she never knew she had. Throughout the book, the presence of cheerful and vindictive ghosts rule over the human inhabitants, bond with them, and ultimately overcome them in a riveting prelude to the second installment of The Lost Brides Trilogy..

Sonja has just broken off her engagement to a cheating fiance when she learns she has inherited an old house in Pools Bay, Maine. Because she has resigned from her job as a graphics designer where she worked with her ex-fiance, she agrees to a trial period in Maine. She falls in love with the old house, gets a dog, invites her best friend Cleo for a visit and becomes involved with Trey, the lawyer who handled the transaction.

It won't take long for the ghosts, particularly the young bride who died on her wedding day, to make their presence known. Sonja takes it all in stride and eventually converses with the ghosts, especially when they pick out clothes for her, play appropriate songs and clean up the kitchen.

Underneath this layer is the realization that her father never knew he had a twin brother. Her artist father does depict scenes in his paintings that suggest he may have had some connection with this brother when both were very young.

Nora Roberts offers readers her thoughts on haunted houses and ghosts at the beginning of the recording. She also shares her family background that led to developing this trilogy..

nheritance is my first Nora Roberts novel, though Roberts has written tons of stuff for a looonnnnggg time. It also caught my eye because of its promise of a haunted house and cursed brides and an old Victorian manor off the coast of Maine, which happens to be one of my favorite places (the whole state of Maine, not just the coast). The story starts off strongly with a great hook and impetus, but it really drags after Sonya arrives and, for a book that is 432 pages and 14 hours (7 at my listening speed) long, it needed to have more substance for its promise.

Roberts does a great job here setting up Sonya’s need to get away and paving the way for her to move right into the haunted mansion she mysteriously inherits. Like the Victorian manor to which she moves, Sonya’s circumstances are right out of the Victorian era. It’s cleverly done, I’ll give it that. Once Sonya arrives at her new home, however, things fizzle out and fall very flat. For the middle 60% or so of the book, all readers experience are tiny little poltergeist actions like turning on the music or cleaning the house. We don’t get the spooky factor or the suspense effect that should come with cursed, haunted house stories.

If readers are hoping for a romance in this one, they may be disappointed. This book is first and foremost a haunted house story with a subplot of romance. Trey makes for a great love interest, but I didn’t feel an overwhelming spark between him and Sonya.

Overall, 3/5 for the book and 4/5 for the audio narration. The narration was excellent until the attempt at the South Louisiana accent. I could hardly make it though the dialogue during these parts. Other than that, I found it very enjoyable and easy to listen. The characters, save one, were believable and easy to tell apart, and Pressley enunciated well enough for me to listen at 2x speed with no confusion.

I don’t think this one will have a hard time selling. It’s a great premise from a prolific author; I just wasn’t as impressed with it as my expectations led me to be. I guess I hoped for something more substantial from a #1 NYT author, and I don’t feel like I got it.

My thanks to NetGalley, Macmillan Audio, and St. Martin’s Press for the ALC, for which I willingly give my own, honest opinion.

#noraroberts #inheritance #thelostbridetrilogy #paranormal #hauntedhouse #lgbt #macmillan #stmartinspress #audiobook #alc

Another awesome book by Nora! So much action and excitement! Great characters! I'm so bummed that I have to wait on the edge of my seat for book two!!

Thanks to Net Galley and MacMillan Audio for an early copy of this book. It will be published on November 21, 2023.

Inheritance is a wonderful beginning for The Lost Bride Trilogy by Nora Robert's.

I loved the spooky Gothic mansion on the coastline of Maine, the fascinating characters, the ongoing family mystery involving ghosts, and the low-key romance. The ending gave me cold chills and set up the next book in the trilogy perfectly.

Nora Roberts books are my go-to for great writing with a good storyline that will pull you in every time. This book was no exception and I can't recommend it highly enough. Brittany Pressley was excellent as the narrator as well.

I believe this is my first Nora Roberts book -- I was underwhelmed. Sometimes, it is difficult to tell if the problem is a narrator who is just not sticking the landing or if the problem is the text itself.



Review copy provided by publisher.

The only thing I don't like about this book is having to wait at least a year for Book 2.

Pressley is a perfect narrator. Her work never disappoints. Her transitions are flawless.

Why can't I have an unknown uncle who leaves me a haunted manor?

I'm curious to see where this story takes us. I was drawn in from the beginning and never got bored.

Thank you for an advanced copy! Nora is my favorite and NEVER disappoints!

About: Sonya MacTavish's life is upended after finding her soon-to-be-husband in bed with her cousin days before their wedding. When a stranger shows up and tells her she's inherited a multimillion dollar estate from a relative she never knew existed, this just might be Sonya's chance for a fresh start.

Thoughts: Oh Nora... She never fails to amaze me. Reading a Nora Roberts novel is like the warmest hug on a chilly day. Nostalgic, magical goodness. In true Nora fashion, Inheritance has a strong female protagonist, loveable male love interest, a great supporting cast (including the best BFF a woman can ask for), a swoony love story, found family, and, as this one's fantasy, a haunted house and magical elements.

Inheritance is the perfect read on a fall day and I devoured it!! Nora takes me back to my 20s when I first discovered her work, and I fall in love with her writing all over again.

I read my eARC along with the audiobook, which is BRILLIANTLY narrated by one of the best in the biz: Brittany Pressley. Boy can Pressley narrate. A different voice for each of this large cast of characters. She nailed it!!! Wonderful performance. ❤️

All the stars for Inheritance! I can't wait for book 2!!!

Thank you Macmillan Audio for my gifted copy 🥰

Review will be posted to my review page around pub day.

From the charming main characters Sonya and Trey to the adorable cast of canines and endearing ghosts, I adored this first installment of the Lost Bride Trilogy. Nora Robert’s wove a ghostly tale about the inheritance of a beautiful old house and its precious inhabitants that kept me on the edge of my seat until the last sentence. In her classic way she brought to life a seaside town and its secrets then sent the main characters on a spine tingling adventure. I’ve read many of her stories in the past and this one stands above the rest. The characters are knit together in a comforting small town web and the pace of the story seemed faster than her previous books. I was so engrossed with the mystery that I was completely shocked by the the cliff hanger at the end! I will wait on pins and needles for the next installment of The Lost Bride trilogy.

Inheritance was so intriguing! I loved the location where the story takes place in Maine. I love the old, sprawling mansion that is described incredibly well. I love the ghosts and the witch and the journey to find out how to break the curse of the dead brides. I love the main characters and the side characters. This audiobook with the fantastic narration just drew me in from the start and had me enthralled all the way the cliffhanger at the end. I actually yelled out NOOOO when it ended it where it did. I need the second book ASAP!

This is my first novel by this author , although I used to see her books on my mothers bookshelf I never picked them up to read .
I was sucked in immediately to this book — the lost family member— jilted bride — murders — the haunted house — mysteries to be solved and a little bit of romance —all come together to make the prefect book for me.
I listened to the audiobook — and though I have listened to this narrator before — I thought she did a better job in this one — with multiple voices and accents - I could definitely distinguish the different characters . — I loved learning the history of the ghosts —and how everything is slowly revealed —while still developing the living characters in the story. That was one intense ending ! — Looking forward to next book in the trilogy !

I expected something different when I picked this up. No question Nora Roberts can write, but this appeared to me as a Women's Fiction with a ghost theme looking at the pitvh. It took a little long for the paranormal elements to kick in for my taste, so this wasn't for me. Solid narration though.

Robert’s new trilogy centers around a 19th century murder in a Victorian home on the coast of Maine. A bride is brutally murdered on her wedding day, but she vows never to leave until she can say goodbye to her beloved. Flash forward a couple of hundred years and Sonya is recovering from a broken engagement, when she discovers her late father’s twin, left her that same house on the main coast. The will stipulates she must live in the house for at least three years, so she moves in, determined to find out why her father and his twin were separated at birth. With the help of lawyer, Trey, she begins to unravel the mystery. Of course, the house is haunted by the lost bride, and it becomes clear to Sonya that along with a house, she’s inherited a ghost. I had a hard time with the narrator of this book. I felt like I was listening to an overexcited teenage girl, there was just too much drama in her voice in places that didn’t merit it. I did enjoy the story and would recommend the print version of this story