The Mirror

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.

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.

You can't go wrong with a Nora Roberts book. And this book is not the exception. I couldn't put it down, The characters drew me in and hung on to me until the very last page. I tried to think of a favorite character and I can't. I love Sonya and her I won't give in to this damn ghost attitude. Chloe is my favorite ghost, I think. She picks such great music :) But the way Jack plays with Yoda, I can see him/ hear them having such a great time. Then there is Trey - yummy. He is the ultimate book boyfriend - he is there to support her, but not take over for her. He cares for, feels for, and is invested in his clients like no other lawyer I have ever met. Then there is Cleo and Owen. What a great solid couple. And the ending - holy cow, my heart was racing. I am not usually a fan of cliffhangers, but man, this was a good one. I cannot wait for the next book!

This book is everything I love and want in a sequel novel! It has romance, paranormal elements woven in with both benevolent and malevolent spirits. This book was fast action and lots of intrigue and the human characters have their moments to shine in this novel! I can't wait for the third book in this trilogy! It is so good!!

What I absolutely love about this book is, well...everything. I love the setting in Maine. The old mansion with an ocean view. The two story library where our heroine sets up her office. Her best friend, her boyfriend, her cousin. The ghosts, the generations of stories. The intrigue of how to defeat the evil witch. A real evil witch. The whole time I read this book, I could envision it all and I wanted to be right there with them experiencing everything. I think it goes without saying that I can not wait for book three!

Nora Roberts fans rejoice! She's done it again. The mirror picks up exactly where we left off in book one and it has all the spooks and thrills, the banter and found family of the previous. Nora's characters are, as always, vibrant, relatable and gloriously human. I love seeing the relationships build along with the tension of the curse. The series reminds me a bit of her in the garden trilogy & it's perfect for the fans who loved that series.

Sonya MacTavish inherits a large Victorian house in a small town on the coast of Maine that she doesn't know is haunted until after she moves in. She and her best friend, Cleo, live in the house while her boyfriend, Trey, and her cousin, Owen, are often there as well. They all play a part in what's to come. Sonya sees glimpses of the past in her dreams and the women keep finding paintings of the Poole brides. Then there's the antique mirror she sees in her visions and is drawn to in some way, but one night the mirror shows up and Sonya goes through it to see a bride murdered on her wedding day, her wedding ring stolen. This tragic scene repeats throughout the generations and a curse that's centuries old is tied to the house. Sonya along with Cleo, Trey, and Owen must solve the mystery and break the curse.

This is the second book of the trilogy and it was a fantastic read. I was thrilled to get an ARC of this book from NetGalley and this is my honest, unbiased review. This is a paranormal book with a slow-burn romance as well as some intrigue and suspense. We meet more of the manor's ghosts in this captivating story plus the connection between Sonya and Cleo and the men deepens. I was immediately drawn into this tantalizing tale and kept hooked from beginning to end. Nora Roberts is an excellent storyteller and this one has it all ~ wonderful relationships of all types, a sense of community, amazing characters, and a fascinating story overall. The book was well-written and the plot was fast paced. This does end with a cliffhanger which leaves me very eager for the next book. I highly recommend both book and series which definitely should be read in order.