The Mirror

• Author: Nora Roberts
• Genre: Romance
• Publication Date: November 19, 2024
• Publisher: Macmillan Audio
• Series: The Lost Bride Trilogy #2

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

#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.

The Inheritance was my first Nora Roberts book, and immediately upon finishing it, I said it wouldn’t be my last. Luckily, the second book in the series is being released soon, and I was able to get access to this. While this is firmly a romance, there are heavy supernatural elements in the story and a mystery at its heart. 

This book picks up right after the last one ends, thankfully addressing that major cliffhanger from the end of The Inheritance that had me sitting on the edge of my seat until I could get access to this one. Since about a year has passed between books, I did a quick audiobook reread of the first book to refresh myself on the story, and felt fully prepared to reimmerse myself in the world of Sonya MacTavish.

While the lost bride story is extremely gripping, I loved the characters in the story just as much. They’re characters that I’ve grown to know and love through the first book, but the connections between them deepen and change throughout this story. There’s also a continuation of the romance plot from book 1, and there’s even a new romance slowly developing over the course of this book. But I’d have to say that my favorite character in the series, so far, would have to be Clover. She’s one of those characters who we only visually see in a few scenes, but she has such a huge impact on Sonya and Cleo. I especially enjoyed her much-varied musical taste and how she could find a song to express her feelings about every situation.

The storyline is just as fantastic. While the romance plays a role throughout the series so far, it never overshadows the story and the mystery of how to break the curse. I also loved the developing romance between Cleo and her new love interest, as the two women get settled in the house. Also, the bond between Sonya and Cleo is realistic and wonderful. Their witty banter, and the way that they know each other so well reminds me of my own friendship with my college roommate, adding another layer of believability to their relationship. 

I got so caught up in this story that it was the kind that I couldn’t put down, and I didn’t want to put down. However, I was torn between wanting to read fast and find out what happens, and drawing out my enjoyment of the story. Obviously, reading fast won out because I am not great with delayed gratification, and I have no regrets. Aside from the fact that I’m going to have to wait about a year for the final book, but there isn’t much I can do about that. This series would appeal to readers of romantasy, romance, fantasy, and horror-lite, as well as lovers of spooky stories, haunted houses, and spooky season reads all year round. Bonus points for Brittany Pressly narrating the audiobook, since she does an outstanding job.

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