Sonya MacTavish inherited the Poole family mansion when an uncle she only recently found out about passed away. The mansion has a tragic history involving the deaths of seven brides. One night as Sonya walks in a trance as if pulled by an invisible force, she finds a mysterious mirror in one of the rooms. Along with her newfound cousin Owen, she walks through the mirror into a time in the past. They are forced to watch one of the brides as she is murdered that night. Together with her best friend Cleo and her boyfriend Trey, Sonya and Owen must find a way to find the rings and save the lost brides.

I can not even tell you how much it shocks me to give a Nora Roberts book a 3 star review. If you have read ANY of my previous reviews, you would know that I absolutely ADORE her and her writing. (and this is from a reader that has read and reviewed EVERY single one of her 59 books in the In Death series) So....yeah...it shocked me too.

Why the rating? Well, first of all, I absolutely loved the first book in this series. It had an interesting premise, it had moments of suspense, and it had characters that were easy to like. Unfortunately, this second book felt like almost 500 pages of complete filler. Seriously, we continued to read things like, "she woke up, got dressed, went down to the kitchen, let the dogs out, started her coffee, then let the dogs back in to feed them...... " and this was non-stop. EVERY SINGLE DAY. Or, "she went back and forth trying to decide between the red pants or the blue pants" (I'm paraphrasing of course, but seriously..... come on....really?) It went into GREAT detail in the every day minutia of life.

Yes, that would be okay in the beginning to maybe set the stage, but to repeat all of this detail every single day? We were told ad nauseum about the dogs' bathroom habits. So many words spent on the dogs going out, the dogs coming in, the dogs being fed....it became almost satire.

This book was almost 500 pages and there was not really any progression on the actual main story line. There is still the great and evil ghost - Hester Dobbs - and she has killed the brides. Yet somehow, even though we learn that she can and has killed in her ghost form, the FMC's in this story do not seem to be worried about that. That was one thing that really took me out of the story.

So - will I read the third book? Of course. Like I said, I love NR and all of her stories and while this book was a miss, I still am interested enough to want to see how everything resolves itself. Many people speculated that she is so used to writing trilogies that she just wrote all the filler to fill out enough for three books. I hope that is not true because while I adore her trilogies, this book could have easily been a duology.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the opportunity to read and review this ARC. The opinions above are mine and mine alone. This book will be out for publication on November 19, 2024.

The Mirror is everything I hoped for and more! As the second book in the Lost Bride Trilogy, I was so happy to have it start right where we left off at the end of book one. This really felt like I was reading the next chapter rather than a whole new book - a seamless continuation of Sonya's journey at the manor. I enjoyed the character development and learning more about Sonya and Trey and Cleo and Owen. As Sonya learns more about the past brides through being drawn to the mirror, seeing into the past, and building a connection with those living in the manor with her, the reader is able to start putting the puzzle pieces together. Nora Roberts' writing style is perfect in so many ways. The tell tale signs when Hester Dobbs was near, the chill in the air, and the music that plays on Sonya's iPad. This book was very hard to put down and now I can't wait to read book three!

Nora's trilogies are always good and this one is looking to be one of my favorites. I feel that book one set the scene and laid out the main characters, book two is giving us the details and building character relationships with each other and with the "lost brides", and has left me anxiously awaiting book three to put it all together.

Thank you NetGalley, St. Martins Press and Nora Roberts for providing an ARC in exchange for honest thoughts.

I gave this book 5 Stars

While I was completely enthralled in the second book in the Lost Bride Trilogy, I felt myself rolling my eyes a bit during some of the repetitive scenes playing out in the book. How many days were described in detail and how many meals were discussed? I guess that is part of the charm because I definitely did not hate it, but I did have to mention it.

Thanks to #NetGalley and #StMartinsPress for the book #TheMirror by #NoraRoberts. I absolutely love this series and cannot wait for the next book. Sonya is still at the manor that she inherited, the haunted one. Daily, Hester Dobbs, haunts and causes trouble for Sonya and Trey and Cleo and Owen. They all try to break the bride curse and the hold that Hester has on the house. Sonya and her cousin Owen are able to got through “the mirror” and experience the ongoing of the past. Can they break the curse and get rid of Hester?

This was a little slower than Ms. Roberts trilogies tend to be. As I read, that bothered me little bit, but upon further reflection, I enjoy that we got more of an introduction to the manor and its “guests”. I like that we learned more about the Lost Brides and got to know them and their stories a bit. I do think there could have been a bit more action/problems to overcome, but I feel like we were exploring Sonya’s new life with her and that was a unique perspective. I’m still curious about the rings and wish we would have learned a little bit about how those are connected to the curse and where they might be hidden, but I’m trying to be patient. I love all the interactions between our main characters and I especially love how things played out with Sonya’s ex. As always, I’m eagerly awaiting the final book.

This book was an average read for me , unfortunately I felt that there was a lot of repeating of patterns and we weren’t going anywhere — I really feel that book 1 and 2 could’ve been edited down to make one book, but I am invested in the story and will still read the last book, cause I want to know what happens and how it all ends. We do learn a little bit more about the seven brides and their back stories , and a little bit of plot building with regard to interactions with Dobbs ( the one haunting the house in a menacing way). I read the ebook and audiobook in tandem.

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for this ARC. This is my honest review.

This book started right after the MFC goes into the mirror. The book is suspenseful and kept my interest. Sadly ai didn't finish the book by the time it expired on Netgalley. I had completely forgotten about it until some reminded me this past week. I'm only at 53% of the way through and was bummed to not finish. Either way I plan to buy the book and finish. The sex fades to black and I don't recall crud language.

Thanks Netgalley and publisher to let me finish the book. I found the second half of the book to be slow. There was so much details for each section of planning or decorating for the party. I lost interest and it took me a while yo get through the second half. The ending isn't as climatic as the first book.

I received a copy for free and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

LOVE LOVE LOVE!!

I've waited a year for book two in the Lost Bride Trilogy and it did not disappoint. Does Nora ever disappoint though?
I love her writing and I can picture exactly what she does when writing. She is such an excellent storyteller. I did end up switching to the audio about halfway thru as I was approved for it.

Waiting another year for the final installment might just kill me - joking of course, but man.

This book series needs to be turned into a tv series!

This is the second book in the Lost Bride trilogy and picks up right where the first left off. Sonia learns what must be done to lift the curse. I love Nora Roberts and I’m a long time reader so I had to read this one. Her descriptive writing style brings you right into the story pulling you in and you can’t put it down. I love the blend of romance, ghost, and paranormal! If you like paranormal romance, you will love this, but I recommend reading book one, The Inheritance , first! Thank you, NetGalley and St Martin’s Press for the chance to read and give my honest review.

Unfortunately this whole series was a dnf for me. I really liked the premise of the story, the time travel and possible ghost story. But I am just not a fan of a lot of spice in books, which I didn't know since I never read by this author before. And I'm especially not a fan of someone catching their significant other in the act with someone else.

Unfortunately this one fell a bit flat for me. I really enjoyed the first, which was shocking because I normally don’t like haunted things. So, I was excited that I received a free ARC on NetGalley, but I don’t think this one did it for me. It was kind of just a bridge way between book 1 and 3? At least, I’m hoping we’ll get more answers in book 3, because I don’t feel like we got any in this book. I will still definitely read the third book, but this one didn’t hit my expectations.

This book is the second in the series and I strongly recommend reading "The Inheritance" first.

In this book, Sonya and her friend continue to learn more about the mansion and its other-worldly inhabitants. They are digging into the history of the family that has lived there for generations, although seven young brides have died there. Sonya is comfortable with the friendly occupants and is also getting more confidence in confronting the witch that haunts the mansion. She's also gained confidence in using the mirror when it calls to her. It's a portal into the past.

The women are building lives in Maine and are creating and expanding their careers there.

Great Nora Roberts read. This book does not conclude the story. The third book in the trilogy is still to come.

There is some language that may be objectionable to some readers, but if you've read other books by this author, it is at the same level as previous books.

I have both the e-book and the audio book. The narrator is excellent. She does voices and accents very well.

Thank you to NetGalley and Nora Roberts for allowing me to read this book in exchange for a honest review .
This is book 2 of the Lost Bride Trilogy.
Sonya has inherited a centuries old manor house in Maine from an uncle she didn’t know she had, the catch is that if she wants to cash in on the inheritance, she has to live in it first. And yes it’s haunted.
Continuing from book 1 Sonya’s best friend Cleo is still living with her and her boyfriend Trey is also still in the picture. In this book we learn more about the curse of the brides that that actually lived and got married in the house through the whim’s of a magical mirror that pop’s up in the strangest places.
A fast paced read as we see how Sonya and Cleo strike out on their own in their chosen professions, explore more of the house and its grounds and try to figure out how to break the Lost Bride’s curse.
I rate this installment 5⭐️’s and anxiously await the final book!

Such an exciting and suspenseful story. I couldn't put it down and the surprise ending left me wanting more. Love a good strong female character and Sonya and Cleo are just that.

Spellbinding and spine-tingling. The Mirror is the second book in Nora Roberts, The Lost Bride Trilogy. You MUST read the books in order as it is one complete story and there is little to none catching up from the first book, Inheritance (Nov 2023). Sonya MacTavish inherits an historic family house on the coast of Maine. To fully inherit she must stay for three years. She invites her best friend Cleo, an artist and illustrator, to live with her. Her love interest Trey (a lawyer), cousin Owen and beloved adopted dog Yoda, become their own Scooby Doo gang.

The manor house comes with helpful ghosts and is also home of the evil woman in black. She cursed the house with a legend that has a bride from every generation dying on their wedding day. The second book is just as creepy as the first. Sonya and Cleo love the manor house and deal well with its quirks. Sonya is finding that she is being drawn into a Mirror which allows her to witness the passing of the brides. She is trying to figure out how they can break the curse which involves getting back the wedding rings of the brides. The gang is there for safety and support.

In addition to the paranormal story there is the continuing romance between Sonya and Trey. I love the banter of the friend group and especially love the deep friendship between Sonya and Cleo. Sonya also continues to work on building her own company. And I like how they want to be a part of the community and host a summer party for family and many of those in town. I had a hard time putting the book down. Now I need to wait to see how everything gets resolved in the third book. Thank you St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the ARC and I am leaving an honest review.

Roberts’s signature writing style shines through in the deft handling of themes like love, loss, and the consequences of actions taken long ago. The relationship dynamics—especially those exploring heartache and redemption—are skillfully crafted, providing an emotional anchor to the spectral elements of the story. The romance that develops amid the intrigue further enriches the plot, adding depth and warmth to what could easily become a solely eerie tale.

Another excellent Nora story although I found it a little slow and repetitive at the beginning. Sonya and Cleo are definite friend goals and I'm invested in finding out more about Dobbs and her motivation for coveting the manor no matter the cost. Looking forward to the conclusion!

I am loving this series! I did receive an ARC of this second book. Life got in the way, but I was able to finish on my last week away. I love a good ghost story and am enjoying the added drama of Hester Hobbs. Being able to go through the Mirror to be part of history is an interesting twist, along with the new experiences Sonya is able to experience in this story. In this book we learn how this curse began and receive more clues as to how the rings may be located. I am really looking forward to reading the third book of this series to see how Sonya helps the brides rest and put a stop to the curse.

Wow! This story is so engaging and clever. This is a trilogy so duh - there is a cliffhanger and you don't find the answers to everything until the next book. Unfortunately, that needs to be pointed out as some people complain about it. Anyway, in this second book in the series, we find out more about the Lost Brides and their back stories. Sonya and Trey's relationship continues to strengthen as the events in the house bring them together. Cleo and Owen dance around each other through most of the story as they support their best friends and come together to form a strong bond between the four of them. They find themselves enjoying time together as they begin to make the manor more of the happy and lively place it deserves to be. Dobbs, the witch, does not like this and makes life challenging for them. It will be interesting to see how the four of them will overcome the curse and give the Lost Brides their peace. My hope is that Clover will continue with the variety of songs she plays in the next book as they add to the atmosphere of the story.