ARC Review: The Mirror by Nora Roberts

The Mirror
Author: Nora Roberts
Series: The Lost Bride Trilogy (Book 2)
Publication: St. Martin's Press (November 19, 2024)

Description: #1 New York Times bestselling author Nora Roberts continues the hauntingly spectacular Lost Bride Trilogy with book two, The Mirror.

When Sonya MacTavish inherits the huge Victorian mansion on the coast of Maine, she has no idea that the house is haunted. The footsteps she hears at night, the doors slamming, the music playing, are not figments of her imagination. In her dreams she sees glimpses of the past. In the present she finds portraits of brides. And when she has visions of an antique mirror, she is drawn to it, sensing it holds dark family secrets.

Then 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.

My Thoughts: THE MIRROR is the second book in the Lost Brides trilogy. It begins within moments after the events of THE INHERITANCE. Sonya MacTavish has inherited Lost Brides Manor on the coast of Maine. She has also inherited the many ghosts who inhabit the house and the curse that has taken the lives of seven previous brides over the centuries.

Worst of all, Sonya has inherited an evil witch who has caused the deaths and left a curse in place. It is up to Sonya to break the curse if she can. She isn't alone. She has her best friend Cleo, her new boyfriend Trey, and Trey's best friend Owen who happens to be Sonya's cousin and Cleo's love interest. 

This story concerns learning more about the curse and trying to defeat it and the evil witch by filling the house with happy memories. To that end, Sonya and Cleo determine to hold an open house for the town and call on their new friend Bree to organize it all. Both women are also busy with their own work too. Sonya is growing her design business by securing local clients and also trying to capture a large client that she worked with in her previous job. It happens that she is competing with her cheating ex for that new account. And Cleo is busy with her illustrating and fine art. 

The story is filled with great relationships. Sonya and Cleo are quickly building a new circle of friends. And they are finding acceptance by Trey's family and Owen's too. I like the cute pets who have parts to play in this one from Sonya's new puppy Yoda to Cleo's new cat and Trey and Owen's dogs too. 

The story was filled with great spooky elements as the witch - Hester Dobbs - tries all sorts of things to get Sonya and Cleo to leave the house. The appearing and disappearing mirror which transports Sonya, sometimes with Owen, to the past where she witnesses the deaths of the earlier brides adds another creepy element. Less creepy but still spooky is the bride who is Sonya's biological grandmother who responds to situations through various musical selections. 

I chose to reread THE INHERITANCE before I began this one and found that it helped me get into the rhythm of this story and fill in the parts I had forgotten. I wouldn't suggest reading this one without having read THE INHERITANCE since the events so closely follow those of the first book. And the lack of resolution of the main storyline means this one ends on a cliffhanger as did the first book. 

I received this one in exchange for an honest review from NetGalley. You can buy your copy here.