The second installment of this trilogy (I'm assuming) was just as good as the first. It had been quite awhile since reading the first book but I was easily brought back into the story. I enjoyed listening to the audio this time.

While this book was not right for me, I ended up DNF'ing at 51%, it may absolutely be for you. I adored the first book and found it deeply captivating. I am a big fan of Nora Roberts's fantasy romance and romantic suspense, so I went into this book expecting the same experience as the first. I appreciated that having left book 1 on such a cliffhanger, we immediately jumped right back into it where we left off. She does an excellent job of reminding the reader of the setting, characters, and plot, without info-dumping and dropping pages of reminders. I was worried that I had forgotten too much of the first book to be able to enjoy the second fully. If you have the same worries - worry not! You will be brought right back into the story with no issues whatsoever.

Once we got past that first bit of excitement, the pace completely changed and this is where it started to lose me. The pacing is extremely slow and the remainder (until the 51% point where I dropped off) is a recounting of their daily lives. Work schedules, meal preparation, errands. There are daily interactions with the ghosts of the house, but they are so frequent that they start to lose their excitement. Ghosts were doing so much around the house that I started to feel jealous! Curated playlists, rooms being cleaned, clothes being set out, firewood being brought in and fires started in the mornings. Wouldn't that be nice? At night, we would get dreams and experiences that would give us the backstory of each of the lost brides, but again, they happened so frequently and in the same manner that it felt like a daily routine.

I struggled with the decision to DNF the book. The writing itself is excellent, and exactly what you come to expect from Nora Roberts. Brittany Pressley does an exceptional job of the narration. But as someone who always struggles with slow-paced books, I was beginning to forget I was reading this book at all. And when I'd pick it up, I'd find myself drifting off and thinking of my own daily routines and to-do lists (which included all the things that these ghosts were doing for our main characters).

If you don't mind a second book in a trilogy that really sinks you into the daily life of the characters and helps you to slowly learn all the backstory, then you will enjoy this book and I encourage you to pick this series up.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for an advanced listener copy. All opinions are my own and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Special thanks to NetGalley for the advanced copy of this audiobook. The narrator of this audiobook is fantastic, you can easily distinguish between the characters in the book based on her accent or the way her voice sounds. I highly recommend listening to it if you can.

I can't believe I have to wait again! I mistakenly thought that this was the last book, but there is one more and now I have to wait. I am still loving all of the characters and the manor that is just as alive as the characters in the novel and I will now be not so patiently waiting for the third book and finding out how and if they get rid of Dobbs and get the 7 rings back.

Sonya MacTavish and Cleo have started to settle into the family home and a new routine. With the help and added comfort of having Trey and Owen around, they have all begun to plan for and anticipate some of the more unusual happenings of the manor. Walking through the mirror has now shown itself to be a necessity with the pull on Sonya to discover just how and maybe why Dobbs is still hanging around.

Book 2 ... I have been looking forward to this book, the first book left off with such a cliffhanger. Getting reacquainted with these characters is like seeing old friends. Really enjoyed how they all mesh together and support each other. The writing styles of NR are realistic enough to make me laugh and, at times, cry. Another cliffhanger leaves me wanting book 3 to hurry up, but I suppose I will have to wait another year for the conclusion of this trilogy.

Thanks go to NetGalley for the early reviewer audiobook of this amazing book.

This picks up right at the end of The Inheritance so make sure to read that one first! Sonya is all moved into her haunted mansion. With the help of her best friend Cleo, newly found cousin Owen, and new love Trey she's trying to rid the house of Hester Dobbs who has been cursing Sonya's family for generations.

I really enjoyed the friendship between Sonya and Cleo as they find their rhythm living together again. I also was looking forward to experiencing more hauntings and learning more about the brides. Unfortunately the plot fell flat about 60% through. Everything started to happen in a pattern. We would hear about their work days, some doors banging, a new find, and a group meal to discuss what just happened. This happens over and over again to the point where I was starting to root for Hester Dobbs to just end someone to spice it up a bit. I do not need to hear the tedious details of each day and every meal they decide on where the characters discuss what we just read.

Overall, I think this could have been a duology but appreciate the characters and hope they find some closure in the next installment.

This is book two in the lost brides trilogy. The book picked up right where book one left off and took the reader through a journey! All the characters are so much closer and understanding of the curse and each character now seems to have a reason, a deeper reason, to find an end to the curse. Sonya has major character development throughout this novel, book two, it just makes the reader incredibly happy for her! But alas, this is a trilogy, so the story was not concluded here and in fact…this cliffhanger was worse than book one. In a good way, because dang it! I need book three now!!!!!!

I listened to the audiobook version of the story via NetGalley. This book is narrated by the very talented Brittany Pressley. The narrator voiced all the voices in the story.
Book 2 picked up exactly where 1 ended.
A continuance of book 1 of The Lost Bride Trilogy. The manor is continuing to be haunted by Dobbs. Seven Brides and seven rings. Nora Roberts takes you through the mirror to experience the death of each Bride.
I anxiously waited for book 2 of the trilogy. It did not disappoint! I cannot wait for the final book in the series. I highly recommend this book to anyone who likes a bit of mystery, spookiness, and romance.
I hope they adapt this series into a movie

Nora gets away with murder. Nora gets away with lots of things emerging writers are told they should never, ever do.mWhy cut her the slack? With what she did in this trilogy, she deseves to be served up for conduct unbecoming an author.

I opened this audio book in what I thought was one or two chapters into the book. I stopped. Checked it was the first chapter and replayed it to continue ahead.

There was no 'first chapter'. It began in the middle of a scene's 'action'. So much so that after listening to the first chapter I closed the book and used an Audible credit to buy the first book in the trilogy. That first book ended in the middle of the scene where this book opened. Yeah, you heard me right.

Listening to book one and two in the trilogy I will break it down by the performance first:

One female nararrator does all the voices, including an insulting Lousiana insult for the 'bestie' character Cleo. It was cloying and ran from tolerable to grating.

The nararrator's male characters were unremarkable. This book would have been more enjoyable for me to get the ebook and use Kindle's Text to Speech. I give it about a 3 for performances.

After reading two of the three books in the trilogy I would say Nora used 7 brides so she could fluff up enough words for 3 books. These ghosts are tedious once you meet the villain. Nora could have presented dramatic tension with one or two dead brides at the most.

Three quarters through this book you are told that there are not only the 7 bride ghosts, but the a host of ghosts who are fairly pedestrian. One chooses the women's clothing, one plays contemporary music to reflect their opinion of current circumstances, one chops wood and lays fires, one plays ball with the dog. At the end of book 2, none of the ancillary ghosts are shown to have dramatic gravitas, they are simply tertiary characters to flesh out the story.

It's fairly insulting to women to continue the cheating ex fiance story line this far. Once Sonia is in the Poole Mansion, it's just grating to have a cheating ex fiance in the story. If the cheater is this far, I'll bet he will do something stupid in book three.

I have read Nora Roberts before. It never seemed this syrupy. Sonia and Cleo as 'besties' requires two men to be written into the story so both get men.

This is not horror, it's a vindictive ghost story. at this point, I am even considering that this is a mechanically manipulated home meant to scare away Sonia so someone else inherits the vast estate and wealth.

Am I going to be reading book three? No. I had to pay for book one to understand book two.

Mid book two Nora gives the MC's POV for one long sentence that explains how Sonia left her fiance and ended here.

I do not recommend this book.

Nora Roberts has a long and beloved tradition of writing elaborate, detailed trilogies that follow families through their endeavors to coexist with magical powers determined to intimidate and control them. Her latest series, "The Lost Bride Trilogy," started with 2023's INHERITANCE and continues in THE MIRROR. Sonya loves the mansion she inherited from her uncle, and she and her best friend Cleo are determined to enjoy their treasure despite the annoying presence of a bitter, vengeful ghost who's caused the deaths of several generations of young brides. On the plus side, their are spirits who clean up, garden, serve as wardrobe coordinators, and even DJ, providing spot-on musical selections for every mood and event. (I'm pretty sure that with all that help, I'd be tolerant of a murderous ghost as well!) Both Sonya and Cleo have found pleasing young men to assist and court them, and they share their home with well-behaved, lovable pets--common to so many of Ms. Roberts's books. The last book is still a year out, and while I'm pretty sure I know that good will vanquish evil and love with triumph, I'm eager to learn how Sonya, Trey, Cleo, and Owen defeat the evil, jealous poltergeist and make her recurring nightly suicidal death dive permanent. I'm giving this four stars instead of five because the story could easily have been told in two volumes, max.

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

This book continues the story of Sonya MacTavish, who inherits a beautiful mansion on the coast of Maine, only to discover that there is a deadly ghost story attached to the house that involves seven brides, murdered over time, and their missing wedding rings.

Sonya falls in love with the mansion and sets about restoring it to its former glory. In the first book, 𝙄𝙣𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙞𝙩𝙖𝙣𝙘𝙚, Sonya meets and begins falling in love with Trey, a local lawyer. Her best friend, Cleo, a free-spirited artist moves in with her. Sonya is determined that no ghost will keep her from enjoying her home, and when an antique mirror suddenly appears, Sonya feels led to step through it!

While the first book contains more suspense and ghostly visits, the second book concentrates more on Sonya and Cleo as they focus on making the old mansion a home. I enjoyed the descriptions of the home, and the strong sense of family, friendship, and love that is built into the story. Though there are ghostly visions, no real progress is made toward finding the missing rings. The second book, like the first, ends with a cliffhanger. I recommend that you read the first book, before enjoying the second book.

I checked out both the audio and digital versions and equally enjoyed both. Brittany Pressley, one of my favorite narrators does an amazing job telling the story!

I also want to note that I should have reread INHERITANCE before starting book 2, so before Book 3 comes out (I’m guessing in another year), I plan to reread books 1 & 2.

I did not realize this was book 2 in a series but that did not hinder my enjoyment of this book. This story brings haunting, love , girl power, and family drama all together in a nicely wrapped tale. There were times were I wanted more of a horror story and was meet with a love story but not enough that made me give up on it. The ending of the book is a bit abrupt but makes you want the next book right away so that hook worked well. Can't wait for the next one and I will go back and read the first.

˗ˏˋ ★ ˎˊ˗ 3.75 Stars ˗ˏˋ ★ ˎˊ˗

Sonya has inherited a mansion in Maine that is haunted with the ghosts of brides who have died in the house on their wedding day. Sonya is trying to break the curse set upon the house in order to free the spirits.

˚₊· ͟͟͞͞➳❥ First, I want to say that Brittany Pressley - what. Omg she did such an amazing job narrating -she carried much of this book for me!

The story picks up right where the first book left off and I was effortlessly pulled right back into this world. Nora Roberts does an exceptional job at world building and creating such realistic and well-rounded characters!

˚₊· ͟͟͞͞➳❥ I did feel like this one moved a little slower in terms of pacing. I was also hoping to get more information regarding the plot, but this installment didn't move along much in terms of the main storyline, so I was a little disappointed with that.

This is a great series to pick up during the autumn months, if you're looking for something spooky but not actually scary with a haunted mansion and ghosts - spirits and magic.


˚₊· ͟͟͞͞➳❥ Book 1 review ˚ ༘✶ ⋆｡˚ ⁀➷ Inheritance Review


Many thanks to NetGalley and Macmillian audio for the advanced audio copy - all thoughts are my own. ✨🔮
⊹₊ ˚‧︵‿₊୨୧₊‿︵‧ ˚ ₊⊹

Narrator Brittany Pressley did a lot of heavy lifting for this book. So many uncommon dialects/accents, and she flowed so seamlessly from one to the next. Hopefully she’ll have more to work with for the third book in the trilogy - the substance in this second book was the epitome of filler, unfortunately. If I had to hear about one more meal prep or movie night… ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ for the narration, ⭐️⭐️⭐️ for content.

Thanks to Macmillan Audio for the advanced copy.

This is the 2nd book in the Lost Bride trilogy. The first book 𝙄𝙣𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙞𝙩𝙖𝙣𝙘𝙚 was one of my top books of last year so I jumped at the chance to start this one.

Sonya has inherited a mansion in Maine that is haunted with the ghosts of brides who have died in the house on their wedding day. Sonya is trying to break the curse set upon the house in order to free the spirits.

𝗧𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀:
I have mixed thoughts about this book. I found it to being an engaging read overall and I enjoyed the use of the mirror to get to know more of the past generations of Poole family members and their back stories. I also love the friendship between Sonya and Cleo – both strong women not afraid to speak their minds.

However, this was a slower paced book compared to the first, and I was somewhat disappointed that the main storyline involving the cursed brides and the antagonist, Hester Dobbs did not really move forward. Dobbs is such a polarizing character but she was very repetitive in her behavior and I was looking for more from this character. There was also a lot of detail given about mundane activities such as cooking dinner and what each character was working on. The book could have definitely been paired down to make a more concise read.

Despite this not being the strongest book, I do plan to continue the series as Robert’s is a trusted author for me and I look forward to how it will all come together!

Book two in the lost bride trilogy is no disappointment! It's back to the Poole Mansion to see how Sonya is doing with all the ghosts! The good witches are back as is the wicked one. Sonya must figure out how to get the 7 rings back to stop the lost bride curse. I can't wait for the last book. The narrator did an excellent job, as I really enjoyed all the voices

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗠𝗶𝗿𝗿𝗼𝗿
𝗡𝗼𝗿𝗮 𝗥𝗼𝗯𝗲𝗿𝘁𝘀
𝗠𝗮𝗰𝗺𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗮𝗻 𝗔𝘂𝗱𝗶𝗼
November 19, 2024

I honestly loved the first book in this trilogy and was so excited to get the audiobook for this next installment in the trilogy. Narrated beautifully as always by the amazing Brittany Pressley.

Although I enjoyed being back in the Manor with the terrorizing spirit of Hester Dobbs and the brides, I feel like this book was more about character building, relationships and mundane details as filler rather than progression of the story. It lacked some sort of event to build the story up.

Despite my grievances, I still enjoyed the book and, overall, was quite engaging. The same spirits are still haunting the Manor as Sonya and Cleo work to break the curse, holding them there. My favorite ghostly character is still Clover,who communicates through music and always has the perfect song in the moment. I can't wait for the final book to release next year.

thanks to Netgally and Macmillian Audio for my copy. My review is voluntary.

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The Mirror picks up where Inheritance left off (with a cliffhanger). Readers will want to read Inheritance first.

Sonya and her best friend Cleo live in a remarkable cliffside home in Maine. The same spirits encountered in the first book continue to haunt them as they try to solve the mystery of what’s keeping the spirits in the confines of the home. They’d like to free them but that’s easier said than done.

As in any Nora Roberts book I’ve read there are primary female characters who are the epitome of girl power and the men who gravitate to them – enjoyable and not at all eye roll-inducing. I liked the secondary spirit characters most of whom made me laugh as they displayed their unique and helpful gifts. I look forward to seeing them all again in the next book.

Narrator:

Brittany Pressley (one of my go-to narrators) did a great job voicing the story. I had no problem distinguishing the various characters which is important because there were so many.

This book was weird. I mean it's fantasy but some was super far-fetched. Anyway, I also hated the ending. It wasn't a cliff hanger...it was just a hard stop.

I loved the second installment of this series as much as the first. Even though it’s a ghost book, it’s very cozy. I want to live her life, and be part of her friend group, and town. There’s some action but nothing high stakes. If your dream is to run away & inherit a mansion on the coast, this series is for you!

Another Nora Robert's page turner (or binge listen for my fellow audiobook hounds)! If you love a good mix of romance, thriller, and ghost story (complete with an adorable cast of pets) this trilogy is for you. Also, for listeners, excellent narrator able to cover the cast of characters and bring the right shifts in tone along the way. The only challenge is having to wait for book three to come out....!