Title: Inheritance (The Lost Bride Trilogy #1)

Release date: 11/21/23, read 11/19/23

Author: Nora Roberts-I read her Circle Trilogy and loved it.

Narrator: Brittany Pressley, Nora Roberts- Loved Cleo's accent, really brought out her character. Each bride revealed has a distinct voice of hopefulness that becomes tragedy. Even the ghosts' voices sounded old and sinister.

Run time: 13:51

POV: multiple with timelines from 1800's to current

Setting: Boston and Maine

Genre: Historical, Mystery, Romance

Tropes: family drama, haunted house, ghosts

Rating: 5/5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐


Quick summary: Sonya inherits the "Lost Bride" family manor that belonged to her long-lost uncle. She moves in to discover why her father never knew he had a twin brother and why they were separated.

Content warnings/triggers: murder

Characters: Main and Minor

Sonya MacTavish- 28, senior graphic designer. Parents Andrew (recently deceased) and Winter Poole. Just broke up w/ fiancé Brandon and quit her job that they both worked at - By Design.

Cleopatra Fabares/Cleo- Sonya's bff, agrees to move in w/ Sonya.

Oliver Doyle-lawyer who was Collin's bff. He promised to connect Sonya and give her the manor.

Trey Doyle-lawyer who greets Sonya when she arrives at the manor.

Anna Doyle-Oliver's daughter, hires Sonya to do her pottery website.


Review: I loved book #1 of this trilogy. It has a spooky Victorian mansion, ghosts, and family secrets. Sonya and later Cleo embrace the "ticks" of the manor. They both thrive artistically, painting and creating websites. I don't know what to think of the Doyles yet. I feel like they know a lot more than they revealed. Just remember this is book #1 so it ends on a cliffhanger.


Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press & Macmillan Audio for this ARC & ALC 💜! I voluntarily give my honest review and all opinions expressed are my own.

My first Nora Roberts and I understand why she has a tight fan base with the way she pulls the reader in.
The first in the Lost Bride trilogy, the story starts in the early 1800s as a new bride is brutally murdered on her wedding night, vowing to never leave in her final breaths. Years later, Sonya is grieving the end of her engagement when she learns her late father had a secret twin who has just died and left his estate to her, including a grand home on the coast of Maine — with one condition: she must live there at least three years. Looking for a fresh start, she moves in but with odd happenings at all hours, it’s clear there are supernatural forces at play, including the murdered bride, and there’s a mystery to be solved. This is an interesting story with a great cliffhanger but much of it left me confused so I’m hoping that’s something that is cleared up more when the rest of the trilogy is released.
Brittany Pressley was an excellent narrator from level headed Sonya to her southern bestie Cleo and everyone in between.
Thank you to MacMillan Audio for the ARC in exchange for my honest review. This is out 11/21.

I haven't read a Nora Roberts book for awhile and, wow, I'm hooked! A ghost story isn't usually top of my list, but this story is intertwined with a bit of mystery and romance, and the living's drama, that it makes the supernatural side believable and fit well into the storyline. As I read I wasn't sure if this mystery would wrap up in the first book and the rest of the trilogy would just be related stories, but it ended in a cliff hanger that really makes me dislike trilogies at the moment... because I have to wait for the next one to publish! Looking forward to enjoying the next book as much as the first. I'm also a fan of the narrator, she did an excellent job making each character's voice a bit different to fit their personalities and background, adding even further to the story.

"Inheritance" by Nora Roberts is Book #1 in "The Lost Bride Trilogy"!

Sonya MacTavish recently made several changes in her life. A break-up with her fiancé started the ball rolling, but she didn't stop there. She quit her job, opened her own Graphics design business, and moved from Boston to the Maine coast. It didn't all happen at once, but it sure felt like it.

Sonya believed the sight of finding her cheating fiancé in bed with her cousin was the biggest shock she'd ever have, but it wasn't. It was learning her late father had a twin he never knew about and finding herself as the heir to most of the estate of her newly discovered uncle, Collin Poole.

Sonya learned her uncle's estate included a beautiful Victorian mansion, that according to the will, she must reside in for three years to receive her inheritance, hence the move to Poole's Bay, Maine. Trey, a young lawyer, greeted Sonya upon her arrival, gave her a tour of the mansion, and confirmed that yes, the house is indeed haunted. But only a little...

"Inheritance" is my first Nora Roberts read and its steeped in family history, secrets from the past to unravel, and a variety of entertaining ghosts in varying ages and levels of temperament, some are seen, most are not.

The pace is fast, holding my interest with a mixture of characters that complement each other right down to Sonya's best friend Cleo, and "The Boys", two adorable rescue dogs who are also besties. I loved that.

I found Nora Roberts easy writing style to be addictive and fluid, and an easy listen. The 13H 52M audiobook goes by quickly with Brittany Pressley's excellent voicing skills. Another stellar narration!

I don't know if I was expecting a cliffhanger but there it was and it's quite good. I'll be listening to the second book in "The Lost Bride Trilogy" and I highly recommend "Inheritance" to readers who enjoy a well-written haunted house story with entertaining characters, both alive and dead!

4⭐

Thank you to NetGalley, Macmillan Audio, and Nora Roberts for an ALC of this book. It has been an honor to give my honest and voluntary review.

Super addictive haunting & romance! 👰🩷👻

It was love at first sight seeing this gorgeous cover. I knew I had to read Nora Roberts' latest trilogy. I can say that "Inheritance" book one of The Lost Bride trilogy did not disappoint. Roberts expertly blends a centuries-old ghost story with contemporary romance that will keep you glued to the pages.

Sonya MacTavish is busy with her wedding planning but decides to cancel a meeting with her florist to get home early only to find the fiance in bed with her cousin! Of course, she calls off the wedding and throws the fiance out of her Boston home.

Shortly after Sonya receives shocking news that her late father had a twin brother who recently passed away and that she's the heir to his mansion in Maine.

The Lost Bride Trilogy will appeal to fans of gothic haunted houses, low-steam romance, family curses and secrets, whodunit mystery, and dual timeline paranormal fantasy. This is not spooky (yet) and I get many feel-good vibes from Sonya's BFF Cleo, the lawyer love interest, invisible residents of the mansion, and other secondary characters. This is almost five stars for me but the romance part got on too quickly without much chemistry or tension. I also find that things fall into places too conveniently for Sonya. I'd like to see some flaws and setbacks.

That being said, I am hooked from the first to the very last page. Do expect a massive cliffhanger ending that'll make you wish you wouldn't need to wait another year. Gaaah! I absolutely could not wait to read/listen to the second book.

Stellar performance audiobook, narrated by Brittany Pressley!

I have read 4 books by Nora Roberts this year - 2 were under her pseudonym J.D. Robb. I can honestly say that her books just get better and better. This one checked off so many boxes for me: romantic suspense, haunted house, great characters, an amazing story, and quite a few scares that I was not expecting. This is the first book in her "Lost Bride Trilogy," and I cannot wait for the next book!

Sonya MacTavish is a graphic designer planning her wedding, when she catches her fiance cheating on her. Her world is further turned upside-down when she discovers that an uncle she never knew she had leaves her a significant inheritance that includes a large manor house. Sonya quits her job to freelance and moves to Maine.

The backstory of this house is incredible. Multiple brides died as result of a curse, and this house is haunted. Nora Roberts weaves a story that has elements of historical fiction, horror, the paranormal, and of course romance. It is like nothing I have read by her before, and what an ending! The wait is going to be too long for books 2 and 3.

There is, as always, a great cast of characters. The Poole family, Sonya's best friend Cleo, her Mom Winter, Trey, and Oliver. There is also a small village full of great characters too. But make no mistake, the true main character of this story is Lost Bride Manor. It is a true haunted house, and Nora Roberts utilizes its size, corners, and rooms for maximum spookiness. I am not easily scared, and this book is unsettling in all of the best ways. There is so much more that I want to talk about here, but no spoilers allowed. This story is immersive, and you feel every feeling each character describes. This is a start to a wonderful new trilogy. Nora Robert delivers every time.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the opportunity to read this book. Thank you also to Macmillan Audio for the opportunity to listen to the audiobook version as well - the narrator is incredible. This book releases on November 21st - pick it up!

I was hooked, and sad when the book ended. There was never really a dull or boring part of the book. I loved how though out the story it would flash back to one of the brides that died in the manor and how Sonya would see and experience what was going on. It built up the mystery as to why they were dying and why their rings were being taken by the witch that cursed the house.

I loved this book and I can not wait to continue reading this trilogy. The mystery the suspense and the slow burn love story.

AH! I'm desperate for book two! A book with all the hallmarks of Nora Robert's writing I love best: female friendship, romance, lush setting, magic, and camaraderie. I love the audiobook and the meandering yet exciting story.

Inheritance
The Lost Bride Trilogy, Book 1
by Nora Roberts
Narrated by Brittany Pressley; Foreword by Nora Roberts

I received an ARC (advanced reader copy) of this audiobook through Netgalley.

TW: Death, suicide

Oh my god, this was so good! I absolutely must listen to book 2 ASAP!

It’s been many years since I read a Nora Roberts book, and this one was a perfect reunion of reader and writer.

Sonya MacTavish is a brilliant design artist, and her life is going great, until she finds her husband-to-be in a compromising position.

Shortly afterward a lawyer shows up with a legitimate inheritance from an uncle she never knew she had. The hitch? She’d have to live in the cursed and haunted manor for 3 years.

. . .
I was open-minded going into this audiobook, and I am so thrilled I was. I simply could not stop listening! I haven’t gotten this sucked into a story in at least a decade! Kudos Nora!

I HIGHLY recommend this book to people who love curses, haunted buildings, ghosts, romance, and thrillers.

**Audiobook review**

Wonderfully paced and incredibly engaging!

There isn’t a lull to be found anywhere. The characters are endearing and pull you in with their charm and relationships with each other. They outshine the plot in some ways. However, it works and maintains a good rhythm throughout.

The production of the audiobook was perfectly executed with a narrator that keeps you leaning in with your full attention and interest. Her ability to make each character “come to life” (with accurately depicted dialects) is pure talent!

I highly recommend opting for the audiobook version.

I’m so excited for book two in the series!

Inheritance is the first in Nora Robert’s new The Lost Bride Trilogy. Sonya just got out of a serious relationship and as she is trying to find her footing in her life and her job, her world is flipped upside down when she finds out she has received an inheritance from her fathers twin brother that she never knew existed. Embracing this new path life has thrown at her, Sonya moves into the Victorian mansion on the Maine coast that was left to her. She quickly finds that not everything is as it seems in the house and she is not alone. The ghostly presences in the house leave Sonya with a mystery to figure out.

I was intrigued by the description of this book and it definitely did not disappoint! I loved this book and the characters in it from the very beginning and quickly found myself being pulled into their web. This was such a great story and I couldn’t put it down. Nora Roberts created such a great world in this book and in the house itself. I was very intrigued by the presences in the house and how they were able to interact with Sonya and her friends. My only complaint about this book it the quick cliffhanger at the end! I was so sad when it was over, I just wanted to see what would come next! Now I can’t wait to see where this story takes us in the next book. If you are interested in the otherworldly, a chemistry filled romance and history tied up into one, this book it one you need to check out!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book!

Inheritance
Lost Brides Trilogy #1
Nora Roberts


Roberts first in her new fantasy trilogy, Inheritance, is an unputdownable read from Nora’s heroine Sonya walking in on her fiancé and cousin at the start to the OMG you didn’t just drop that ENORMOUS cliffhanger on us end. The plot is ingenious, a haunted manor, a curse and the kick butt protagonist that will NOT leave no matter what the unfriendly spirit wants. The characters are all fabulous both corporeal and ethereal but Sonya is the real star followed by Cleo and Trey as close seconds. Sonya is such a genuine character that the audience won’t have a choice but to fall in love with her and cheer her on as she fights against the evil spirit. Cleo is also fabulous and listening to the audio version will really bring her to life for listeners. Trey is also a great character, reliable and steadfast and of course there are the dogs that are icing on the plot cake. Okay so lets talk about the I did not see this coming end, Nora, WHY did you do this to us and will we have to wait a year for book 2 tell me it aint so.

Narration:
Brittany Pressley does an incredible job of narrating this novel, I mean she just really gets every character and her portrayal of Cleo is unforgettable, I mean the Creole Louisiana drawl is just right on, that and just all her incredible role playing makes the Macmillan audio edition the best way to really enjoy every aspect of this book. Brava!

After a bad breakup Sonya McTavish is looking for a new start but learning that her deceased father had a twin brother no one knew about and that on his death that uncle, Collin Poole has left her most of his estate including the family manor on the coast of Maine is quite the shock. Sonya is thinking about accepting her inheritance, but it comes with a warning, it’s haunted and a stipulation, she has to live there for three years for the inheritance to finalize.

Being a graphic designer Sonya can work anywhere and after conferring first with her uncle’s attorney, Oliver Doyle, then with her mom and her best friend Cleo Sonya decides to go for it. She wants to learn more of her father’s family history and why her father and brother never knew about each other. She falls in love with the large manor and the quaint town of Poole’s Bay and settles in along with her resident spirits including one that really doesn’t want her there.

I absolutely LOVED this book. In the beginning of the book there is a bride and she dies in her wedding dress get stabbed and the person that killed her takes her ring and says something sinister. I was absolutely confused at this point.

Then the story goes on to another bride to be arranging everything for her wedding. She goes home to find her fiancé in bed with her cousin who was supposed to be one of her bridesmaid. She kicks them out and decides that since they work together she doesn’t want to make it awkward and plans on telling the people that they decided to tell people it would just not work for them so they called off the wedding. Work gets really weird and she starts freelance working.

This is when she finds out that her Dad had a brother whom was adopted left her a house but in order to completely inherit it she has to live there for three years. She thought this would give her a fresh start so she moved into the house and relocated.

Bizarre stuff starts happening and I’m not going to ruin it for anyone but the very beginning of the story with the dead bride and the ring get tied in perfectly.

The ending leaves you on a cliffhanger. I both love and hate cliffhangers. I love the cliffhangers because it leaves you wanting more and who knows when the next book will come out (that’s the hate part as I am super inpatient). I would absolutely recommend this to everyone and I plan on getting a physical copy of this book. I am hoping that I can find a way to get a signed copy. Amazing story!

Thank you to Netgalley, the author, and the publisher for allowing me to read this captivating book and I am so excited to read more! I was not paid for my review and this is my honest review.

This book was so good and had me on the edge of my seat. Nora Roberts has always been one of my favorite authors. I will recommend this book to my book club!

I honestly don't know exactly how to review this book. Did I like it, yes, did I think it was a little long, also yes. The story was good and I really enjoyed the characters, however, it also felt like nothing happened and then the story just ended with bam a cliffhanger which made me incredibly mad. Why didn't that happen sooner and what is going to happen next? Yes, I know this is a trilogy and yes, now I will have to read the next book to find out what happened, but man do I wish there had been a little more meat in this book and it been a two-book series instead of a trilogy if necessary.
Overall, I am interested in knowing what happens next so I look forward to the next book.

Not bad, but way too long for what it was. The first half of the book I held on expecting something to happen; but by the end of the second half I felt like there was nothing and I wasted time. From the description I was expecting some mystery and even a little thrill, but instead it was felt mild and flat. The characters were nice and likeable, but nothing really happened. The love interest piece was boring. The ghosts had potential but they were so tame and not explored enough. In the end, I just didn't care about what happened to them or how they got there. And them in the house was not a disturbance so I felt like it was anti-climactic.

Narration was great.

Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the arc.

Dear Inheritance,
Nora Roberts is the queen of a great story! I loved that you are the start of another strong series by her. I loved the way that you tied together all of the timelines and Sonya was such an interesting character. You gave me the best creepy, haunted house vibes and I cannot wait until the second boon comes out so I can see where Sonya goes as she travels into the past to discover the secret behind Lost Bride Manor.

Thank you to NetGalley for an advanced listeners copy of this book. The narrator does a wonderful job with the story and the characters, but for me this was just middle of the road. I enjoyed the characters and the story has a fairly good set up for the second book in this trilogy, but it just left me wanting more. I wanted more history of the brides and more information about the vengeful ghost and just when it seemed like we were getting somewhere the story ended. It was a little too much hallmark and not enough mystery for me.

I hadn’t read a Nora Roberts book in years, so when I saw #Netgalley had the ARC, I requested it. I received it in audio. I didn’t start it immediately because I thought it may be a romance, which is not my preferred genre and I have to be in the mood to read ‘gushy’, but was I surprised. It sucked me in from the first chapter! Nora’s writing doesn’t disappoint. This first book of The Lost Bride trilogy has fantasy/paranormal, strong female characters with great careers, fabulous friendships, and a marvelous haunted house filled with antiques and past owners. I loved the setting. With Nora’s descriptions I could visualize the entire novel. I don’t watch very many Hallmark movies, but I would describe this as a fanciful Hallmark movie with a strong paranormal twist. This is a cozy, fun read - not a scary paranormal at all. I was surprised I liked it so much. Thank you #Netgalley!

3 stars

I love Nora Roberts and the characters she Builds that's always a Huge thing for me... One of my all-time favourite series is the Born in Series And In death with Eve and Rourke... But i think i need to Avoid Nora Roberts Paranormal books - Usually Paranormal is my go to so when i heard Nora Roberts wrote them i was in My element - Now they are not bad by any means - Her beautiful writing is still there - But Nora's Normal character building and relationships are amazing - throw in the Paranormal it gets a little lost - Not gone - Just.... Not as compelling.... Its the third Paranormal book im reading of hers.... I think from now on with this Author i will stick to her Fabulous Normal books....

The book focuses on Sonya MacTavish, After she Finds her fiance With her cousin, and decides to go Freelance, She discovers a long lost Uncle has left her a Haunted house (although she doesn't know this at the time)

There is Definitely A Nasty ghost - But other than that everyone is always so nice... (Apart from the beginning with the ex fiance) Usually the Grey characters Make Nora's books for me...

A goodish read - I think cozy readers will love it