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!

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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.

THE MIRROR - Nora Roberts

#2 in The Lost Bride Trilogy

Compelling! - 4 stars

Plot - 4 stars - One night the mirror appears and Sonya glides through this looking glass, into the past—and sees a bride murdered on her wedding day, the circle of gold torn from her finger. It is a scene that will play out again and again—a centuries-old curse that must be broken—and a puzzle she must solve if there is any hope of breaking the curse.

Writing - 4.5 stars - As always, Roberts captures me right from the first page of her books. Since this is the second in a trilogy, we had a head start and were already familiar with the characters and the story. I'll admit to a bit of confusion at first since it's been a while since I read the first book, but I soon caught up and was captured all over again.

Characters - 5 stars - This is where the story shines for me. I absolutely love all four of the main characters. Well, five if you count the ghost Dobbs. Sonya and Cleo are best friends--very strong and independent women, supporting each other as they deal with the haunted nature of the manor. Not to mention being cheerleaders for each other's successful careers. Trey and Owen are fantastic heroes. Also strong and supportive, both are successful men who recognize the strength of their women, not talking down to them or making decisions for them, but just being there. Dobbs is the wicked witch who is trying to secure the manor for herself even though she died over 100 years ago. She's quite the terror and provides plenty of shivers. Secondary characters of Clover (another ghost), Winter (Sonya's mom), and various townsfolk provide extra interest and depth.

Title - 4 stars - Pretty self-explanatory. The mirror is the main method for a Poole descendant to travel to the past in the manor.

Cover - 4 stars - I love the contrast of the gold mirror against the black background. The bright flowers draw the eye, and the reflection of the blue ocean sets the scene. Very nice.

Overall - 4 stars - Although the last book ended with the mirror and this book began with it, it is not really the focus (as you might expect from the title). Yes, it's a path to see into the past, but it's not the only way to discover more about the history of the manor. The characters are where this book shone for me. Sonya and Cleo are strong, independent, successful women who are best friends, and both are determined to discover the manor's secrets and defeat the dark shadow living there. Trey and Owen are equally attractive, while also providing support and strength. And I was totally intrigued by the characters from the past (many of whom are "living" in the manor alongside the women), each with his or her own personality. The mystery and the quest are clear, but the as-yet-unknown method of getting to the solution is what compelled me to keep reading. Nora Roberts is always able to create people and situations that draw me in, and this book is no exception. I'm greatly looking forward to the third book of the trilogy.

This is book two in the Lost Bride Trilogy. It does pick up right where the last book, The Inheritance, ended. I definitely think you need to read the first book.
Antique mirror
Dreams
Supernatural elements
Centuries old curse
Mystery
Family secrets
The Mirror is a very deep haunted house story. We are left on another cliffhanger….book three should be interesting!
Thank you NetGalley, the publisher and author for the opportunity to read this book for my honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.

This is not a stand alone novel. This is the second book in a trilogy. I had read the first one but it was so long ago that I didn't really remember it so I had a hard time following some of this novel. The story takes place in a house which has been inherited by Sonya. She moves in with her friend. The house comes with many characters (ghosts) that have lived there before and died there. Sonya must solve the puzzle as to how to break the curse which was put on by one of the ghosts. My three star rating is because it was hard to follow the story since I could not remember everything from the first book.

This is one of those books that before I recommend to a reader I ask how do you deal with cliffhangers. Because if you can't handle a nail biting edge cliffhanger, I recommend you get the book but put off reading it until you have the end of the Lost Bride Trilogy in hand.

"The Mirror" by Nora Roberts was full of dark magic and generational secrets and mystery. Good and evil battling through the years. Thank you NetGalley for the review copy. All opinions are my own.

Nora Roberts’ The Mirror, the latest installment in her [insert series name], continues to deliver on the rich world-building and compelling characters that fans have come to expect. I loved the first book and remain captivated by the overall premise of the series. Roberts has such a talent for crafting immersive settings and characters you genuinely care about, and that’s no different here.

That said, this installment felt a little slower than the usual Roberts pace. There were stretches where the story lingered with the characters—deepening relationships, emotions, and the world—but without moving the plot forward as much as I’d hoped. While I appreciate those moments of stillness, it occasionally made the book feel overly stagnant in parts.

That being said, I’m excited to see where the story goes next. The foundation Roberts has laid is strong, and it feels like the action is really picking up by the end of this book. I’m fully invested in these characters and look forward to continuing with the series as the stakes (and pace) seem ready to soar again. If you’re a fan of the series, The Mirror is still a worthwhile read that sets the stage for what’s to come.

Thank you to NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinions.

This may just be my favorite Nora Roberts series that I’ve ever read. The first and second ones sucked you in and you couldn’t put them down.

This one picks right back up when Owen and Sonya had gone through the mirror. They quickly come back through the mirror after witnessing a scene and Cleo and Trey are waiting for them. Then throughout the entire book they work together to try to figure out how to stop Hester Dobbs.

I absolutely loved the cast of characters even the furry friends and the ghostly friends!

I absolutely can’t wait for the third book! 4/5 stars.

Thank you St. Martin’s Press, #partner, for the advanced copy of The Mirror in exchange for my honest review.

I have been a fan of Nora Roberts for as long as I can remember. I look forward to her new romantic suspense every year but this is more of the Nora Roberts I remember reading back in the day & I’m loving it!!!⁣

This is the 2nd book in her Lost Brides trilogy & it picks up right where the first book left off. Inheritance ended with quite the cliffhanger & you are definitely going to want to read that one before picking this new one up so you aren’t completely lost. I actually reread the last few chapters of Inheritance before starting this one just to make sure I was back in that mindset.⁣

It’s hard to say too much without spoiling either story, which I absolutely will not do. Just know that this second book continues to delve into the stories of the lost brides. It goes a little deeper than the last book, though doesn’t provide all the answers we need. That’s to come in the next book! ⁣

I also loved how this book focused on the relationships between all the characters in the present day. I’m always a fan of books that explore sisterhood, loyalty & love & that is exactly what this book does. And then there’s that paranormal element to the story that isn’t usually my cup of tea, but I can’t get enough of here. I mean, house helpers that clean & pick out your clothes? Where can I get some of those? And let’s not forget about Dobbs and all her outbursts!

Once again we end with another cliffhanger that left me wanting more. I will be counting down the days until the 3rd, & final, book in this trilogy is in my hands. So many questions & I hope all will be answered!

As soon as I got my hands on the ebook version I grabbed up the audio of the first one from the library to "re-listen" to it (it was the third time through and just as good) and then immediately started on The Mirror. It picks up right where The Inheritance leaves off so make sure you read that one first. Sonya has inherited a mansion in Maine from her father's brother (who their family didn't know of) and it just so happens to be haunted. Cleo, her bestie, has now moved in and together they are making it home. Trey, greeted her on arrival and they have only grown closer along with the rest of his family and it happens his best friend is her cousin, Owen. When Sonya decides to go through the mirror when they find it, Owen goes with her. Visions, ghosts, and visions and maybe some secrets that need to come out to break the curse on the mansion.

I cannot wait for the conclusion to this trilogy!

When I received the audio version I immediately listened to that and, WOW, I could not put it down. It was just a riveting as if I hadn't read the book in the recent few weeks.