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The Lost Bride Trilogy #3
De verloren ringen
Lang geleden bouwde Arthur Poole een groot huis in Maine dat uitkeek over de onstuimige oceaan. Nu woont Sonya MacTavish in het huis, dat al generaties lang vervloekt is. Ze was er getuige van de dood van zeven bruiden en van de diefstal van zeven trouwringen. Vastbesloten om deze plek te vullen met licht, leven en hoop, besluit Sonya dat het tijd is om de vloek te verbreken en de kwaadaardige geest eens en voor altijd te verbannen.
Maar de vrouw in de zwarte jurk blijft rondwaren en laat zich in angstaanjagende verschijningen aan Sonya zien. Deze duistere heks wil koste wat kost meesteres van Poole Manor worden. Sonya zal een moedige strijd moeten voeren om de greep terug te krijgen op het huis op de klif – en op haar eigen toekomst.
Maar de vrouw in de zwarte jurk blijft rondwaren en laat zich in angstaanjagende verschijningen aan Sonya zien. Deze duistere heks wil koste wat kost meesteres van Poole Manor worden. Sonya zal een moedige strijd moeten voeren om de greep terug te krijgen op het huis op de klif – en op haar eigen toekomst.
481 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 18, 2025
5608 people are currently reading
29221 people want to read
About the author
Nora Roberts
1,209 books59.6k followersNora Roberts is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of more than 200 novels, including Hideaway, Under Currents, Come Sundown, The Awakening, Legacy, and coming in November 2021 -- The Becoming -- the second book in The Dragon Heart Legacy. She is also the author of the futuristic suspense In Death series written under the pen name J.D. Robb. There are more than 500 million copies of her books in print.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,458 reviews
November 15, 2025
I'm in the minority here. I felt extremely dissapointed. For a third book in the series I would have expected more punch. I felt bored up until they actually figured out what they needed to break the curse. I liked the characters and their bonds are obviously strong and full of love. As always everyone's opinions differ and other might like this book.
Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to review this ARC.
Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to review this ARC.
October 17, 2025
When you cut out all the time these people spent moving furniture, making dinner, and congratulating themselves on how awesome they are, this trilogy could easily have been one book. I really liked the first in the series so this was a bummer.
December 7, 2025
To enhance my experience, I paired the e-book with its audio version. This dual approach truly elevated my enjoyment of the story, bringing the characters to life through Brittany Pressley's outstanding performance. She beautifully evoked the characters' emotions—their joy, fear, love, and anger—emotions I had come to anticipate throughout the trilogy. I listened to the audiobook at 1.05 speed length of audio 14h 40 min. The print copy was 454 pages long.
The Seven Rings is the final book in the Lost Bride Trilogy by Nora Roberts and one that concludes the overall story arc that began in the first book, Inheritance. The story develops over the course of all three books as do relationships I recommend reading this trilogy in chronological order of publication.
Sonya MacTavish inherited a magnificent, haunted manor from Colin Poole an uncle she never knew she had with a heartbreaking history overlooking the beautiful seaside in Pooles Bay Maine. Over a century, seven brides were wed in the manor, and seven brides died there at the hands of Hester, a dark, evil witch spirit who ripped the wedding ring off each brides’ finger in a jealous fit of rage before sending them to their deaths, thereby cursing the manor and all future brides. Hester intends to keep her place as reigning mistress of the manor she resides in the Gold Room terrorizing Sonya trying to get her to flee. As she opens up more rooms in the manor she brings hope, love and life to the manor which Hester sees as a threat on her reign as “the mistress of the manor”. Sonya is a descendant of the Poole family and, along with cousin Owen Poole, has the gift of sight which enables her to see and feel some of the brides and former staff ghosts who live there waiting to be set free of the curse. To reside in the manor in peace, she must break the curse and banish Hester. Believing the key to doing that has something to do with the brides wedding rings, Sonya and her three companions search each room and piece of furniture in the manor to restore the manor to its former glory as they work towards honouring her family and the men and women who worked and lived in Lost Bride Manor. With each passing day and new revelation, they bring additional light, laughter, and love into the house feeding Hester's rage which manifests in various forms, each more deadly than the one before. Time is running out for Sonya. Will she survive the witch’s wrath and break the curse?
Roberts excels in rendering captivating stories centered around families, both birth and found family. Her writing ebbs and flows on pages filled with daily life routines, such as mealtimes and daily tasks, as tension slowly builds to the story climax. These slow the pace and distract from the action, I can appreciate the time Robert’s takes to quietly build emotional connections between the main characters and secondary characters and the professional growth of Sonya and Cleo and reveals the historical background of Lost Bride manor and the Poole Family. I found it could have benefited from some tightening of the plot. The story transitions seamlessly between past and present through Sonya's quest as she learns more about the hopes and dreams of each person who once resided in the manor and the present day as she searches for the key to banishing the evil witch before another bride dies. As Hester's violence escalates into madness, a tone of malice steadily propels the pace forward as the story unfolds through the points of view of the four main characters, two couples - Sonya and Trey and Cleo and Owen. The developing relationship between them as couples and as four friends with a common goal is at the heart of this emotional story.
The Seven Rings is an eerie ghost tale, an emotional story of family and the ties that bind them together: a story of good vs. evil, of perseverance, compassion, and love. Author Nora Roberts' signature style is evident throughout this spell binding, small town adventure into the land of haunted houses, evil witches, and battles to banish them by breaking a curse. As always, Roberts wraps it all up in the epilogue with a beautiful, happy ever after bow. Highly recommended to fans of Nora Roberts and readers who enjoy paranormal romance.
I'm having a difficult day, and my pain is insufferable, so I'll be brief and share some thoughts on the final installment of the Lost Bride Trilogy, which I found engaging.
While the narrative was undeniably captivating, I felt it could have benefited from some tightening. Certain sections dragged a bit, pulling me away from the core action. In my opinion, Roberts spent considerable time focusing on the everyday lives of Sonya and Cleo, detailing Trey Owen’s mundane routines, illustrating ghost housekeeper Molly laying out outfits for both Sonya and Cleo, and featuring ghost Clover’s playlist throughout the book. She played songs to express the mood of the situations in Lost Bride Manor. Making the book drag at times.
Despite these minor quibbles, I found it nearly impossible to put the book down; I devoured the entire story in just two sittings, thoroughly immersed in the intricate web of relationships and the characters' emotional journey as they try to find a way to break the curse Hester Dobbs cast. And free the seven lost brides. I’ll be posting my full review soon.
The Seven Rings is the final book in the Lost Bride Trilogy by Nora Roberts and one that concludes the overall story arc that began in the first book, Inheritance. The story develops over the course of all three books as do relationships I recommend reading this trilogy in chronological order of publication.
Sonya MacTavish inherited a magnificent, haunted manor from Colin Poole an uncle she never knew she had with a heartbreaking history overlooking the beautiful seaside in Pooles Bay Maine. Over a century, seven brides were wed in the manor, and seven brides died there at the hands of Hester, a dark, evil witch spirit who ripped the wedding ring off each brides’ finger in a jealous fit of rage before sending them to their deaths, thereby cursing the manor and all future brides. Hester intends to keep her place as reigning mistress of the manor she resides in the Gold Room terrorizing Sonya trying to get her to flee. As she opens up more rooms in the manor she brings hope, love and life to the manor which Hester sees as a threat on her reign as “the mistress of the manor”. Sonya is a descendant of the Poole family and, along with cousin Owen Poole, has the gift of sight which enables her to see and feel some of the brides and former staff ghosts who live there waiting to be set free of the curse. To reside in the manor in peace, she must break the curse and banish Hester. Believing the key to doing that has something to do with the brides wedding rings, Sonya and her three companions search each room and piece of furniture in the manor to restore the manor to its former glory as they work towards honouring her family and the men and women who worked and lived in Lost Bride Manor. With each passing day and new revelation, they bring additional light, laughter, and love into the house feeding Hester's rage which manifests in various forms, each more deadly than the one before. Time is running out for Sonya. Will she survive the witch’s wrath and break the curse?
Roberts excels in rendering captivating stories centered around families, both birth and found family. Her writing ebbs and flows on pages filled with daily life routines, such as mealtimes and daily tasks, as tension slowly builds to the story climax. These slow the pace and distract from the action, I can appreciate the time Robert’s takes to quietly build emotional connections between the main characters and secondary characters and the professional growth of Sonya and Cleo and reveals the historical background of Lost Bride manor and the Poole Family. I found it could have benefited from some tightening of the plot. The story transitions seamlessly between past and present through Sonya's quest as she learns more about the hopes and dreams of each person who once resided in the manor and the present day as she searches for the key to banishing the evil witch before another bride dies. As Hester's violence escalates into madness, a tone of malice steadily propels the pace forward as the story unfolds through the points of view of the four main characters, two couples - Sonya and Trey and Cleo and Owen. The developing relationship between them as couples and as four friends with a common goal is at the heart of this emotional story.
The Seven Rings is an eerie ghost tale, an emotional story of family and the ties that bind them together: a story of good vs. evil, of perseverance, compassion, and love. Author Nora Roberts' signature style is evident throughout this spell binding, small town adventure into the land of haunted houses, evil witches, and battles to banish them by breaking a curse. As always, Roberts wraps it all up in the epilogue with a beautiful, happy ever after bow. Highly recommended to fans of Nora Roberts and readers who enjoy paranormal romance.
I'm having a difficult day, and my pain is insufferable, so I'll be brief and share some thoughts on the final installment of the Lost Bride Trilogy, which I found engaging.
While the narrative was undeniably captivating, I felt it could have benefited from some tightening. Certain sections dragged a bit, pulling me away from the core action. In my opinion, Roberts spent considerable time focusing on the everyday lives of Sonya and Cleo, detailing Trey Owen’s mundane routines, illustrating ghost housekeeper Molly laying out outfits for both Sonya and Cleo, and featuring ghost Clover’s playlist throughout the book. She played songs to express the mood of the situations in Lost Bride Manor. Making the book drag at times.
Despite these minor quibbles, I found it nearly impossible to put the book down; I devoured the entire story in just two sittings, thoroughly immersed in the intricate web of relationships and the characters' emotional journey as they try to find a way to break the curse Hester Dobbs cast. And free the seven lost brides. I’ll be posting my full review soon.
November 13, 2025
The trilogy started off so strong — I loved the premise, the characters, and the story setup. But now that we’ve reached the end, this final book almost felt like a filler. I still enjoyed reading it, but the umpf was missing. The big climax I’d been waiting for just didn’t land, maybe because the tension had been stretched too thin over three books. Whatever the reason, this one was definitely the weakest of the trilogy for me. Still, it’s one of Nora Roberts’s recent series I actually finished — which, honestly, is an accomplishment in itself!
___________________________________
Thank you to the publisher for providing a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are entirely my own.
___________________________________
Thank you to the publisher for providing a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are entirely my own.
November 19, 2025
DNF
Its basically Book 2 with a slight difference in activities. This literally felt like reading Sonya’s journal where she logs every single activity that happens in her day.
Its basically Book 2 with a slight difference in activities. This literally felt like reading Sonya’s journal where she logs every single activity that happens in her day.
November 21, 2025
I know this is not going to be a well-received opinion, but this book is a real snore. In other works - Boring. All the cooking and domestic tranquility just put me to sleep. There were scenes of the Evil Ghost Witch trying to shake everything up but as the last book of this Trilogy, it took a loooong time getting the full scoop on why the Evil Ghost Witch is so, well, evil, and see her demise. I had concerns about listening to the audio, I was afraid I wouldn't be able to keep track of all the different ghosts and their stories, but I lost interest before it even began to matter to me. The narrator, Brittany Pressley, did a fantastic job with the vast cast of characters and all the emotional scenes they endured. The first half of the book was rather slow and tedious. Fortunately, the second half picked up the pace a little, but it still lacked the punch I was looking for in a climax for this trilogy.
As we see Sonia settle into her life in Lost Bride Manor we can only watch with trepidation as she grows more and more certain that this is her forever home. If we have learned nothing from the two previous books, we have learned that Hester Dobbs is a formidable enemy and Sonia is clueless as to how to get her gone. Sonia and Trey along with Cleo and Owen have settled into a comfortable domestic routine aided by all the nice ghost inhabitants of the Manor and only occasionally interrupted by the Evil Ghost Witch, Dobbs. It becomes clear that Sonia is a threat to Dobbs and she is also the key to ending her. Sonia just has to figure out how to do that.
My thanks to the Publisher, and Author, for providing a complimentary audio Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) of this novel via NetGalley. This is my fair, honest and personal review. All opinions are mine alone and were not biased in any way.
As we see Sonia settle into her life in Lost Bride Manor we can only watch with trepidation as she grows more and more certain that this is her forever home. If we have learned nothing from the two previous books, we have learned that Hester Dobbs is a formidable enemy and Sonia is clueless as to how to get her gone. Sonia and Trey along with Cleo and Owen have settled into a comfortable domestic routine aided by all the nice ghost inhabitants of the Manor and only occasionally interrupted by the Evil Ghost Witch, Dobbs. It becomes clear that Sonia is a threat to Dobbs and she is also the key to ending her. Sonia just has to figure out how to do that.
My thanks to the Publisher, and Author, for providing a complimentary audio Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) of this novel via NetGalley. This is my fair, honest and personal review. All opinions are mine alone and were not biased in any way.
October 28, 2025
The Seven Rings is the final book in the Lost Bride Trilogy by Author Nora Roberts and one that concludes the overall story arc that began in the first book, Inheritance. The story develops over the course of all three books as do relationships making it important to read this trilogy in order of publication.
Sonya MacTavish inherited a magnificent, haunted manor with a heartbreaking history overlooking the angry sea in Maine. Over a period of years, seven brides came to the mansion, and seven brides died there at the hands of Hester, a dark, evil witch spirit who ripped the wedding ring off each brides’ hand in a jealous fit of rage before sending them to their deaths, thereby cursing the house and all future brides. Hester intends to take her place as reigning mistress of the manor and until that day comes, she resides in the Gold Room terrorizing all who dare enter her domain. Sonya is a descendant of the Poole family and, along with Owen Poole, has the gift of sight which enables her to see and feel some of the brides and former staff ghosts who live there waiting to be set free. Her unique ability to pass through a mystical mirror into the past allows Sonya to journey through time and bear witness to each bride's horrific murder over a period of years. To reside in the manor in peace, she must break the curse and banish Hester from the residence. Believing the key to doing that has something to do with the stolen wedding rings, Sonya and her three companions search each room and piece of furniture in the manor as they work towards restoring everything to its former glory. With each passing day and new revelation, they bring additional light, laughter, and love into the house feeding Hester's rage which manifests in various forms, each more deadly than the one before. Time is running out for Sonya. Will she survive the witch’s wrath and break the curse?
Author Nora Roberts excels in rendering captivating stories centered around families, both birth and found family. Her writing ebbs and flows on pages filled with daily life routines, such as mealtimes and daily tasks, as tension slowly builds to the story climax. While some readers may find that the abundance of scenes like these slow the pace and distract from the action, I appreciate the time taken by the author to quietly build emotional connections between characters and present historical background. The story transitions seamlessly between past and present through Sonya's travels back in time as she learns more about the hopes and dreams of each person who once resided in the manor and the present day as she searches for the key to banishing the evil witch before another bride dies. As Hester's violence escalates into madness, a tone of malice steadily propels the pace forward as the story unfolds through the points of view of the four main characters, two couples - Sonya and Trey and Cleo and Owen. The developing relationship between them as couples and as four friends with a common goal is at the heart of this emotional story.
The Seven Rings is an eerie ghost tale, an emotional story of family and the ties that bind them together: a story of good vs. evil, of perseverance, compassion, and love. Author Nora Roberts' signature style is evident throughout this spell binding, small town adventure into the land of haunted houses, evil witches, and battles to banish them by breaking a curse. As always, Roberts wraps it all up in the epilogue with a beautiful, happy ever after bow. Highly recommended to fans of the author and readers who enjoy paranormal romance and mystical realism.
Many thanks to St. Martin's Press for a complimentary arc of this title for review. Opinions expressed are my own. This book is scheduled for release on Nov. 18, 2025. My review first published in Mystery & Suspense Magazine and is now available on my blog Cross My Heart Reviews.
Sonya MacTavish inherited a magnificent, haunted manor with a heartbreaking history overlooking the angry sea in Maine. Over a period of years, seven brides came to the mansion, and seven brides died there at the hands of Hester, a dark, evil witch spirit who ripped the wedding ring off each brides’ hand in a jealous fit of rage before sending them to their deaths, thereby cursing the house and all future brides. Hester intends to take her place as reigning mistress of the manor and until that day comes, she resides in the Gold Room terrorizing all who dare enter her domain. Sonya is a descendant of the Poole family and, along with Owen Poole, has the gift of sight which enables her to see and feel some of the brides and former staff ghosts who live there waiting to be set free. Her unique ability to pass through a mystical mirror into the past allows Sonya to journey through time and bear witness to each bride's horrific murder over a period of years. To reside in the manor in peace, she must break the curse and banish Hester from the residence. Believing the key to doing that has something to do with the stolen wedding rings, Sonya and her three companions search each room and piece of furniture in the manor as they work towards restoring everything to its former glory. With each passing day and new revelation, they bring additional light, laughter, and love into the house feeding Hester's rage which manifests in various forms, each more deadly than the one before. Time is running out for Sonya. Will she survive the witch’s wrath and break the curse?
Author Nora Roberts excels in rendering captivating stories centered around families, both birth and found family. Her writing ebbs and flows on pages filled with daily life routines, such as mealtimes and daily tasks, as tension slowly builds to the story climax. While some readers may find that the abundance of scenes like these slow the pace and distract from the action, I appreciate the time taken by the author to quietly build emotional connections between characters and present historical background. The story transitions seamlessly between past and present through Sonya's travels back in time as she learns more about the hopes and dreams of each person who once resided in the manor and the present day as she searches for the key to banishing the evil witch before another bride dies. As Hester's violence escalates into madness, a tone of malice steadily propels the pace forward as the story unfolds through the points of view of the four main characters, two couples - Sonya and Trey and Cleo and Owen. The developing relationship between them as couples and as four friends with a common goal is at the heart of this emotional story.
The Seven Rings is an eerie ghost tale, an emotional story of family and the ties that bind them together: a story of good vs. evil, of perseverance, compassion, and love. Author Nora Roberts' signature style is evident throughout this spell binding, small town adventure into the land of haunted houses, evil witches, and battles to banish them by breaking a curse. As always, Roberts wraps it all up in the epilogue with a beautiful, happy ever after bow. Highly recommended to fans of the author and readers who enjoy paranormal romance and mystical realism.
Many thanks to St. Martin's Press for a complimentary arc of this title for review. Opinions expressed are my own. This book is scheduled for release on Nov. 18, 2025. My review first published in Mystery & Suspense Magazine and is now available on my blog Cross My Heart Reviews.
December 5, 2025
3.5 stars
I was happy to finally get to the conclusion of ‘The Lost Bride Trilogy’. I’ve enjoyed the journey of Sonya, Cleo, Trey, and Owen finding out how to break the curse of this haunted house. This one felt a little longer than the others and seemed to drag at times, but overall it was good, and I thought the series was great as a whole!
I was happy to finally get to the conclusion of ‘The Lost Bride Trilogy’. I’ve enjoyed the journey of Sonya, Cleo, Trey, and Owen finding out how to break the curse of this haunted house. This one felt a little longer than the others and seemed to drag at times, but overall it was good, and I thought the series was great as a whole!
Audio book source: Libby
Story Rating: 3.5 stars
Narrators: Brittany Pressley
Narration Rating: 4.5 stars
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Length: 15h 23m
August 22, 2025
This is a book that you absolutely should not read until you read book one and book two. I know that is not going to be a hardship because the books are so engrossing!
The story is a combination of contemporary fiction, romance, with the additional thrill that includes the paranormal haunting of a house.
It’s not haunted by one person, but by multiples, and they’re all amazing characters that have been developed throughout the three books.
The human characters are just as exciting and are tied together, resulting in a book you just do not want to put down.
The pacing in The Seven Rings is classic Roberts style, where she slowly pulls you in and continues to ramp up the suspense and anxiety the further you get into the story.
Balancing everything out are personal relationships and watching the characters build and grow throughout the story. The budding family ties and romance aspect envelop the paranormal, leading up to a fascinating conclusion that amazingly ties everything in a bow.
The series, The Lost Bride Trilogy, has been a winner for me, and all of the books are complete. This series would be great to reread, one book at a time, for the complete impact.
As expected, The Seven Rings offers an awesome story, fabulous suspense, and perfect timing for that season of spookiness we get to experience in the fall. Definitely grab this one!
~~~
* I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
** Full review - https://amidlifewife.com/the-seven-ri...
The story is a combination of contemporary fiction, romance, with the additional thrill that includes the paranormal haunting of a house.
It’s not haunted by one person, but by multiples, and they’re all amazing characters that have been developed throughout the three books.
The human characters are just as exciting and are tied together, resulting in a book you just do not want to put down.
The pacing in The Seven Rings is classic Roberts style, where she slowly pulls you in and continues to ramp up the suspense and anxiety the further you get into the story.
Balancing everything out are personal relationships and watching the characters build and grow throughout the story. The budding family ties and romance aspect envelop the paranormal, leading up to a fascinating conclusion that amazingly ties everything in a bow.
The series, The Lost Bride Trilogy, has been a winner for me, and all of the books are complete. This series would be great to reread, one book at a time, for the complete impact.
As expected, The Seven Rings offers an awesome story, fabulous suspense, and perfect timing for that season of spookiness we get to experience in the fall. Definitely grab this one!
~~~
* I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
** Full review - https://amidlifewife.com/the-seven-ri...
November 1, 2025
Drawn out mess. I’ll never drink coke again- they literally offered it every chapter lol. . Did not like the narration. Only finished it to see how she got the rings but by then I didn’t care. Hot mess
November 18, 2025
the setup…
It’s been six months since Sonya MacTavish left her home in Boston and moved into the grand manor built by Arthur Poole in Poole’s Bay, Maine. Her best friend Cleo Fabares joined her and together they are not only living their best lives with new career directions, but are in relationships with two wonderful men, Oliver (Trey) Doyle and Owen Poole who is Sonya’s first cousin. Overshadowing the joy is a malevolent ghost named Hester Dobbs who cursed the manor when she killed Astrid Poole in 1806 and six brides thereafter. Dobbs also stole their wedding rings, which hold the key to breaking the curse.
the heart of the story…
I’d expected even more terrifying mischief from Dobbs but in true Nora Roberts fashion, she shifted to the light, immersing me in the new lives that Sonya & Cleo created for themselves. From their exploration of the manor and room redesigns, the discovery of other ethereal (but kindly) guests in the home to the successful expansion of their careers, it all felt like home. Trey and Owen are now permanent fixtures and I loved the romantic relationships and the friendships. But always in the background was the evil spirit they knew would bring the day of reckoning.
the narration…
Brittany Pressley is one of my most favorite narrators and she shines brightly here, managing to bring excellent distinctions to so many characters. And, her storytelling was off the charts.
the bottom line…
I’ve looked forward to this finale for a year and it didn’t disappoint. Personally, I loved the detailed elements related to their careers, the manor exploration and the friendly ghosts. The tension slowly built to that reckoning and it was bone chilling. I loved this trilogy with its spooky flavors and it must be read in order. It’s hard saying goodbye to these characters, sans Hester Dobbs, but it left me in a happy space.
Posted on Blue Mood Café
(Thanks to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for my complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.)
It’s been six months since Sonya MacTavish left her home in Boston and moved into the grand manor built by Arthur Poole in Poole’s Bay, Maine. Her best friend Cleo Fabares joined her and together they are not only living their best lives with new career directions, but are in relationships with two wonderful men, Oliver (Trey) Doyle and Owen Poole who is Sonya’s first cousin. Overshadowing the joy is a malevolent ghost named Hester Dobbs who cursed the manor when she killed Astrid Poole in 1806 and six brides thereafter. Dobbs also stole their wedding rings, which hold the key to breaking the curse.
the heart of the story…
I’d expected even more terrifying mischief from Dobbs but in true Nora Roberts fashion, she shifted to the light, immersing me in the new lives that Sonya & Cleo created for themselves. From their exploration of the manor and room redesigns, the discovery of other ethereal (but kindly) guests in the home to the successful expansion of their careers, it all felt like home. Trey and Owen are now permanent fixtures and I loved the romantic relationships and the friendships. But always in the background was the evil spirit they knew would bring the day of reckoning.
the narration…
Brittany Pressley is one of my most favorite narrators and she shines brightly here, managing to bring excellent distinctions to so many characters. And, her storytelling was off the charts.
the bottom line…
I’ve looked forward to this finale for a year and it didn’t disappoint. Personally, I loved the detailed elements related to their careers, the manor exploration and the friendly ghosts. The tension slowly built to that reckoning and it was bone chilling. I loved this trilogy with its spooky flavors and it must be read in order. It’s hard saying goodbye to these characters, sans Hester Dobbs, but it left me in a happy space.
Posted on Blue Mood Café
(Thanks to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for my complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.)
November 16, 2025
Nora Roberts has written some of my favorite trilogies and quartets over the years. She’s an amazingly prolific author. The Seven Rings is the final book in her latest trilogy, The Lost Brides Trilogy, set in seacoast Maine. The first book is Inheritance and the second book is The Mirror. This is one trilogy where you really have to read the books in order. (You *could* jump in with this one, but I think you’d be confused, in spite of the author’s efforts to provide a bit of background.) Roberts manages to write stories with supernatural elements that just seem so real/realistic/possible. I don’t know how she does it.
The story involves a haunted mansion that has seen more than its share of tragedy over the past two hundred years. Seven brides have lost their lives in a variety of ways. The town even refers to the house as Lost Bride Manor. Sonya has moved from Boston to this town in Maine when she inherits the mansion from a part of her family she knew nothing about. She has since learned a lot about her connection to the Poole family and to the town.
The house is full of ghosts, most of whom are very helpful, including a maid who cleans and another who sets out clothing for Sonya. And one of the lost brides, Clover, plays music that she deems appropriate to the situation, which often made me smile. And there’s a little boy ghost who plays with Sonya’s dog, throwing a ball to him over and over. Of course, there’s one really malevolent one, and she is pretty scary. Sonya and her best friend, Cleo, have learned a lot about this witch, and the seven lost brides over the months they’ve resided in the manor and are gearing up to try to break the curse.
I loved Cleo. She’s a feisty woman with Creole heritage, a talented artist and cook. Sonya is a graphic artist who has struck out on her own after a bad situation involving her ex-fiance, and she’s doing really well. The two of them have found love interests in town, and so, other than this horrible ghost, things are great!
Once again, I mostly listened to the audiobook, which was narrated fabulously by Brittany Pressley. She did all sorts of voices for all the various characters. My only thought was the Maine people mostly didn’t really sound like Maine people.
I liked how Roberts wrapped up the story although it felt rather rushed toward the end. I also felt that the book had a lot of “padding” and could have been edited down to be more streamlined without losing anything. There was a fair amount of the book that went into way too much detail about the things they were cooking, how they were rearranging the various rooms in the manor, what they were planting in the garden, etc. These activities weren’t directly relevant to the plot and could have been cut back without harming the story. In fact, I think it would have made the book better if some of that had been left out. Example: I really didn’t need to read/hear about all the steps involved in making and baking bread. At over 450 pages, these things should have been cut/edited down.
Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an advance reader copy of this book and to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for the opportunity to listen to an advance copy of this audiobook. All opinions are my own.
The story involves a haunted mansion that has seen more than its share of tragedy over the past two hundred years. Seven brides have lost their lives in a variety of ways. The town even refers to the house as Lost Bride Manor. Sonya has moved from Boston to this town in Maine when she inherits the mansion from a part of her family she knew nothing about. She has since learned a lot about her connection to the Poole family and to the town.
The house is full of ghosts, most of whom are very helpful, including a maid who cleans and another who sets out clothing for Sonya. And one of the lost brides, Clover, plays music that she deems appropriate to the situation, which often made me smile. And there’s a little boy ghost who plays with Sonya’s dog, throwing a ball to him over and over. Of course, there’s one really malevolent one, and she is pretty scary. Sonya and her best friend, Cleo, have learned a lot about this witch, and the seven lost brides over the months they’ve resided in the manor and are gearing up to try to break the curse.
I loved Cleo. She’s a feisty woman with Creole heritage, a talented artist and cook. Sonya is a graphic artist who has struck out on her own after a bad situation involving her ex-fiance, and she’s doing really well. The two of them have found love interests in town, and so, other than this horrible ghost, things are great!
Once again, I mostly listened to the audiobook, which was narrated fabulously by Brittany Pressley. She did all sorts of voices for all the various characters. My only thought was the Maine people mostly didn’t really sound like Maine people.
I liked how Roberts wrapped up the story although it felt rather rushed toward the end. I also felt that the book had a lot of “padding” and could have been edited down to be more streamlined without losing anything. There was a fair amount of the book that went into way too much detail about the things they were cooking, how they were rearranging the various rooms in the manor, what they were planting in the garden, etc. These activities weren’t directly relevant to the plot and could have been cut back without harming the story. In fact, I think it would have made the book better if some of that had been left out. Example: I really didn’t need to read/hear about all the steps involved in making and baking bread. At over 450 pages, these things should have been cut/edited down.
Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an advance reader copy of this book and to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for the opportunity to listen to an advance copy of this audiobook. All opinions are my own.
September 19, 2025
3.5 I enjoyed the closure in book 3, but felt there was a lot of filler.
November 24, 2025
It’s a rare thing for me to not enjoy a NR book/series. I’ve been reading NR for 20+ years, and rarely do I have to force myself to finish a book.
I liked the premise of the plot. It gave paranormal vibes which I enjoy-however, there was more in the category I didn’t care for that offset the premise.
- this read like a cozy book. Which is fine, if that’s what you want to read. I do not. If I had to read about them cooking, letting the hoarde of animals out or drinking wine and/or coke one more time…
- it was very repetitive. Not just the third book. This could have been one book or possibly a duology I feel with the amount of filler it had.
- I was really hoping for more… oomph. For an evil ghost she sure didn’t do much until this book and even then it was a bit lacklustre for me.
- everything the FMC’s did turned to gold. Like nothing went wrong for them outside of living in the manor that was haunted by an evil ghost - that they could predict when she would hit them (for the most part). Painting? Amazing. Cooking? Little chef over there. Graphic design? Best there is. You get the idea.
- the graphic design. Now, I don’t get this often - not many characters have this particular profession. But I do. This is literally my career - and I have to say… where is she finding all these unicorn clients? No client is so agreeable to everything and certainly not every single client. This woman has zero hiccups in her job which, is just… not feasible lol even Trey had a bad client… once?
- overall it was a slow read. The first 95% of this book was the aforementioned repetitive elements. Move furniture, cook, eat, drink, let pets out etc. the. The climax was shoved into the last chapter or so, and it felt super rushed and… flat. The ending worked, but it took 2 books of reading (that amounted to “a day in the life of” on repeat) to get to it which made it feel like a letdown.
I know a lot of people will and have loved this book, this is simply my opinion, and I’ll still buy every book NR puts out, this one - this series actually - just really fell flat for me.
I liked the premise of the plot. It gave paranormal vibes which I enjoy-however, there was more in the category I didn’t care for that offset the premise.
- this read like a cozy book. Which is fine, if that’s what you want to read. I do not. If I had to read about them cooking, letting the hoarde of animals out or drinking wine and/or coke one more time…
- it was very repetitive. Not just the third book. This could have been one book or possibly a duology I feel with the amount of filler it had.
- I was really hoping for more… oomph. For an evil ghost she sure didn’t do much until this book and even then it was a bit lacklustre for me.
- everything the FMC’s did turned to gold. Like nothing went wrong for them outside of living in the manor that was haunted by an evil ghost - that they could predict when she would hit them (for the most part). Painting? Amazing. Cooking? Little chef over there. Graphic design? Best there is. You get the idea.
- the graphic design. Now, I don’t get this often - not many characters have this particular profession. But I do. This is literally my career - and I have to say… where is she finding all these unicorn clients? No client is so agreeable to everything and certainly not every single client. This woman has zero hiccups in her job which, is just… not feasible lol even Trey had a bad client… once?
- overall it was a slow read. The first 95% of this book was the aforementioned repetitive elements. Move furniture, cook, eat, drink, let pets out etc. the. The climax was shoved into the last chapter or so, and it felt super rushed and… flat. The ending worked, but it took 2 books of reading (that amounted to “a day in the life of” on repeat) to get to it which made it feel like a letdown.
I know a lot of people will and have loved this book, this is simply my opinion, and I’ll still buy every book NR puts out, this one - this series actually - just really fell flat for me.
September 6, 2025
Thank you to Netgalley and the publish for an ARC of the audiobook.
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Let me start that the writing is competent and the narrator's audiobook performance are well done and as expected.
What I disliked so much was the actual story and narrative resolution. The 'trilogy' should have been just one decent sized book. Most of these 3 novels have been filler. This final book was very disappointing. If it is called 'The Seven Rings', why do our main characters not even find said rings until 90% through the book? If there is a malevolent spirit terrorizing you, your friends and trying to kill you to leave your house, should you all be so focused on what's for dinner and redecorating? I was just disappointed and frustrated since book 1 was entertaining.
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Let me start that the writing is competent and the narrator's audiobook performance are well done and as expected.
What I disliked so much was the actual story and narrative resolution. The 'trilogy' should have been just one decent sized book. Most of these 3 novels have been filler. This final book was very disappointing. If it is called 'The Seven Rings', why do our main characters not even find said rings until 90% through the book? If there is a malevolent spirit terrorizing you, your friends and trying to kill you to leave your house, should you all be so focused on what's for dinner and redecorating? I was just disappointed and frustrated since book 1 was entertaining.
November 21, 2025
3.5 Stars
Sonya, Cleo, Trey and Owen are busy living life while waiting for the remaining bride portraits to show up and trying to figure out a way to break the curse. Hester Dobbs starts escalating her attacks seeming to become more powerful, but so are the other ghosts on Sonya’s side.
The Seven Rings wraps up The Lost Bride Trilogy with a satisfying conclusion, but it took a while to get there. There were a lot of dinners, painting, clients, family and events and while it sounded fun, the pace suffered. I think the story would’ve benefited with some editing down and focusing, but it was a fun read. I rooted for Sonya to prevail and break the curse, not only for her sake but for the brides and other ghosts tied up by it. It was an exciting showdown and a wonderful conclusion!
I alternately read and listened to The Seven Rings. As with the other installments, Brittany Pressley did a wonderful job bringing all the characters to life!
I voluntarily read/listened to an advanced copy courtesy of the publishers. These are my thoughts and opinions.
Sonya, Cleo, Trey and Owen are busy living life while waiting for the remaining bride portraits to show up and trying to figure out a way to break the curse. Hester Dobbs starts escalating her attacks seeming to become more powerful, but so are the other ghosts on Sonya’s side.
The Seven Rings wraps up The Lost Bride Trilogy with a satisfying conclusion, but it took a while to get there. There were a lot of dinners, painting, clients, family and events and while it sounded fun, the pace suffered. I think the story would’ve benefited with some editing down and focusing, but it was a fun read. I rooted for Sonya to prevail and break the curse, not only for her sake but for the brides and other ghosts tied up by it. It was an exciting showdown and a wonderful conclusion!
I alternately read and listened to The Seven Rings. As with the other installments, Brittany Pressley did a wonderful job bringing all the characters to life!
I voluntarily read/listened to an advanced copy courtesy of the publishers. These are my thoughts and opinions.
October 31, 2025
I waited for all three books in this trilogy to be available before reading any of them. After I received a pre-publication audiobook of The Seven Rings, I finally read the first two and then listened to the third. I was glad I had since the first two books ended with cliffhangers (I don't think NR typically does this). I zoomed through the first book, The Inheritance, and thoroughly enjoyed it. The Mirror was okay, but I was really looking forward to the promised resolution of the mystery in The Seven Rings. If you have read the first two books, then you know that Sonya MacTavish, the heroine of the series, must retrieve the wedding rings of the seven brides who had been murdered in order to break the curse put on the house by the evil ghost, Hester, who had murdered the brides and haunts the house. When Hester killed the brides she stole the rings and put them on her own fingers. Sonya knows this because during the first books she goes through the mirror and sees the murders and witnesses Hester stealing the rings. Although Sonya wants to help the brides during these magic mirror visits she is helpless to do so.
I was anticipating a clever and perhaps complex solution with life threatening perils before at last the curse was broken. In reality, the breaking of the curse seemed almost laughably easy. Sonya and her cousin Owen go through the mirror at the exact time the brides are murdered and this time are able to get the rings from the brides because time slows and stops all around them and Sonya can get the rings from the brides before Hester takes them.
This left me with several questions that were not explained.
In some previous mirror trips, time stopped and Sonya was even able to speak with some of the brides. On other mirror trips when time didn't stop, Sonya was not able to reach the brides to help them. It was never explained why sometimes time stopped and other times it didn't. Did I miss that somehow?!
Additionally, I wondered what the origin of the mirror was. We learn that Astrid, the first dead bride, had the mirror, but where did it come from? Why was it magical? How were Sonya and Owen able to tell the mirror to take them to the exact time of the murders?
Perhaps even more troubling to me was that there was no explanation for why Hester wanted the house so much that she would kill herself and others for it. We do know that she used magic to seduce one of the Poole men, but he chose to marry Astrid instead of her. So Hester was already evil and obsessed with the house. But why? It seems to me that some type of back story could have explained this. For example, maybe the original Pooles stole the land from her family who subsequently lived in poverty and so she wanted revenge.
I have criticisms of this series that others have mentioned in reviews. For me, too much of the stories were devoted to the characters cooking, eating, and drinking. Additionally, Sonya and her friend Cleo were unrealistically successful in almost everything they tried to the point that I was disgusted. I think this is probably pretty typical of romance novels though.
For me Sonya's name was problematic. Cleo called her "Son" which I read as son with the short o sound. Not until I listened to the audiobook, did I learn that it was pronounced with the long o sound. But the problematic thing was that there wasn't another good nickname for Sonya other than the one that Cleo used, so Trey, her love interest, called her "cutie." I think calling Sonya "cutie" infantilizes her and runs contrary to how strong and successful she is otherwise portrayed. And for me it highlights red flags in the relationship between Sonya and Trey. Rather than being equal partners, Trey is always telling Sonya to call him if there is trouble and being angry at her when she doesn't. I wanted to say, "Sonya, Trey is just another Brandon!"
It has been a long time since I read any of Nora Robert's older trilogies, but I remember them as being much more tightly written and compelling. I liked how in many of them there was a love story and at least a partial resolution to the story's mystery. I don't remember cliffhangers. I plan to revisit some of the earlier trilogies.
I would advise skipping this trilogy and instead reading a previous one.
I was anticipating a clever and perhaps complex solution with life threatening perils before at last the curse was broken. In reality, the breaking of the curse seemed almost laughably easy. Sonya and her cousin Owen go through the mirror at the exact time the brides are murdered and this time are able to get the rings from the brides because time slows and stops all around them and Sonya can get the rings from the brides before Hester takes them.
This left me with several questions that were not explained.
In some previous mirror trips, time stopped and Sonya was even able to speak with some of the brides. On other mirror trips when time didn't stop, Sonya was not able to reach the brides to help them. It was never explained why sometimes time stopped and other times it didn't. Did I miss that somehow?!
Additionally, I wondered what the origin of the mirror was. We learn that Astrid, the first dead bride, had the mirror, but where did it come from? Why was it magical? How were Sonya and Owen able to tell the mirror to take them to the exact time of the murders?
Perhaps even more troubling to me was that there was no explanation for why Hester wanted the house so much that she would kill herself and others for it. We do know that she used magic to seduce one of the Poole men, but he chose to marry Astrid instead of her. So Hester was already evil and obsessed with the house. But why? It seems to me that some type of back story could have explained this. For example, maybe the original Pooles stole the land from her family who subsequently lived in poverty and so she wanted revenge.
I have criticisms of this series that others have mentioned in reviews. For me, too much of the stories were devoted to the characters cooking, eating, and drinking. Additionally, Sonya and her friend Cleo were unrealistically successful in almost everything they tried to the point that I was disgusted. I think this is probably pretty typical of romance novels though.
For me Sonya's name was problematic. Cleo called her "Son" which I read as son with the short o sound. Not until I listened to the audiobook, did I learn that it was pronounced with the long o sound. But the problematic thing was that there wasn't another good nickname for Sonya other than the one that Cleo used, so Trey, her love interest, called her "cutie." I think calling Sonya "cutie" infantilizes her and runs contrary to how strong and successful she is otherwise portrayed. And for me it highlights red flags in the relationship between Sonya and Trey. Rather than being equal partners, Trey is always telling Sonya to call him if there is trouble and being angry at her when she doesn't. I wanted to say, "Sonya, Trey is just another Brandon!"
It has been a long time since I read any of Nora Robert's older trilogies, but I remember them as being much more tightly written and compelling. I liked how in many of them there was a love story and at least a partial resolution to the story's mystery. I don't remember cliffhangers. I plan to revisit some of the earlier trilogies.
I would advise skipping this trilogy and instead reading a previous one.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 18, 2025
The Seven Rings by Nora Roberts
The Lost Brides Trilogy #3. Paranormal thriller. Conclusion.
Sonya MacTavish lives in the house she inherited with her boyfriend Trey, friend Cleo, and Owen. And lots of ghost, good and bad.
The bad: a vengeful ghost who insists the house is hers and she’s killed the seven brides that lived and loved in the house. She will pull every trick she has to get Sonya and her friends out of the house.
The good: since the seven brides are related to Sonya, she feels she can undo the curse. How is still the question but in the meantime, she makes friends with the ghost that are happy there is someone living in the house.
🎧 I listened to an audiobook narrated by Brittany Pressley. The performance is wonderful and engaging with emotions clearly heard and distinct voices for the main four characters. It’s easy to distinguish between Sonya and Cleo, the latter with a southern flair that often brings a smile in the darkest situations. The performance brings the characters to life, right off the page. Highly recommended version.
Thrilling rush at the end. The trilogy is another successful set of books by this author.
I received a copy of this from NetGalley and Macmillan Audio.
The Lost Brides Trilogy #3. Paranormal thriller. Conclusion.
Sonya MacTavish lives in the house she inherited with her boyfriend Trey, friend Cleo, and Owen. And lots of ghost, good and bad.
The bad: a vengeful ghost who insists the house is hers and she’s killed the seven brides that lived and loved in the house. She will pull every trick she has to get Sonya and her friends out of the house.
The good: since the seven brides are related to Sonya, she feels she can undo the curse. How is still the question but in the meantime, she makes friends with the ghost that are happy there is someone living in the house.
🎧 I listened to an audiobook narrated by Brittany Pressley. The performance is wonderful and engaging with emotions clearly heard and distinct voices for the main four characters. It’s easy to distinguish between Sonya and Cleo, the latter with a southern flair that often brings a smile in the darkest situations. The performance brings the characters to life, right off the page. Highly recommended version.
Thrilling rush at the end. The trilogy is another successful set of books by this author.
I received a copy of this from NetGalley and Macmillan Audio.
September 27, 2025
(1.75 stars) Narrator—These books are not the same if you don’t have Brittany Pressley reading them to you. She is fabulous!
Story—Okay…at the risk of just sounding like a giant hater, this book didn’t need to exist. It feels to me like there were so many unnecessary details added in order to stretch these books into a trilogy rather than a duology. If we would’ve had a duology, I would’ve probably enjoyed them a whole lot more. St. Martin’s Press so kindly sent me an e-ARC, and I had to DNF the e-book and hope Macmillan would approve my audio request because reading the e-book was like being dragged over a bed of nails (I’m dramatic okay). My other huge qualm with this trilogy, specifically this book, is the use of modern language and references—the phrase "weak sauce" was used twice in this book, and it made me want to scream. Also, the MMC’s nickname for the FMC, and honestly just the MMC in general, is super cringey. Finally…the phrase “hesitation is assent” was used, and maybe I just took it out of context, but I certainly didn’t love that comment. ANYWAY, people love these books, so maybe I’m just a giant stick in the mud.
Sending big hugs to St. Martin’s Press for the e-ARC and Macmillan Audio for the ALC—y’all are awesome!!!
Story—Okay…at the risk of just sounding like a giant hater, this book didn’t need to exist. It feels to me like there were so many unnecessary details added in order to stretch these books into a trilogy rather than a duology. If we would’ve had a duology, I would’ve probably enjoyed them a whole lot more. St. Martin’s Press so kindly sent me an e-ARC, and I had to DNF the e-book and hope Macmillan would approve my audio request because reading the e-book was like being dragged over a bed of nails (I’m dramatic okay). My other huge qualm with this trilogy, specifically this book, is the use of modern language and references—the phrase "weak sauce" was used twice in this book, and it made me want to scream. Also, the MMC’s nickname for the FMC, and honestly just the MMC in general, is super cringey. Finally…the phrase “hesitation is assent” was used, and maybe I just took it out of context, but I certainly didn’t love that comment. ANYWAY, people love these books, so maybe I’m just a giant stick in the mud.
Sending big hugs to St. Martin’s Press for the e-ARC and Macmillan Audio for the ALC—y’all are awesome!!!
October 5, 2025
Loved this ending!
I really enjoyed this series. Sonya is living what I would call a dream come true. Well... despite the evil spirit of a witch trying to kill her.
Sonya inherits her family manor in Maine and let me tell you, the way the author described this house and the location and all the towns people... It's my dream life. On top of that, she has to solve how to get rid of the evil spirit of the manor to help her past relatives who have died by the witches spell. What was cool was she had the good spirits still in the home helping her clean and take care of the grounds. Who wouldn't love that?
Seriously though, this played out like movie in my head and I enjoyed every minute of it!
I really enjoyed this series. Sonya is living what I would call a dream come true. Well... despite the evil spirit of a witch trying to kill her.
Sonya inherits her family manor in Maine and let me tell you, the way the author described this house and the location and all the towns people... It's my dream life. On top of that, she has to solve how to get rid of the evil spirit of the manor to help her past relatives who have died by the witches spell. What was cool was she had the good spirits still in the home helping her clean and take care of the grounds. Who wouldn't love that?
Seriously though, this played out like movie in my head and I enjoyed every minute of it!
December 18, 2025
I love all things Nora Roberts and she's seriously one of my favorite authors. It almost hurts to give a 4 star rating, but while the story was great, it was drug out far too long. It was on repeat the whole book in a cycle and then the ending happened in just a few pages. It could have just done with less of the repetition. But, I've loved this series, and I always like a good tidy ending!
November 22, 2025
This is a perfect trilogy for escapism and total immersion, and since every book leads so naturally and directly into the next (no standalone separate romances in this trilogy!), I'm looking forward to re-reading all three books in a row one rainy week in the future, to savor the whole story at once.
This was the first of the books in the trilogy where I actually thought as I read that it felt a little longer than it needed to be (or maybe should have been) - but then again, honestly, I enjoyed it all including every little luxuriant detail of house redecoration, cooking and baking tips, etc., so I really can't complain. And the ending was incredibly satisfying!
This was the first of the books in the trilogy where I actually thought as I read that it felt a little longer than it needed to be (or maybe should have been) - but then again, honestly, I enjoyed it all including every little luxuriant detail of house redecoration, cooking and baking tips, etc., so I really can't complain. And the ending was incredibly satisfying!
June 11, 2025
As much as I loved the first two books in this trilogy, this book was not quite as good. I felt the final chapter was rushed after being quite a long, drawn-out book. It was still a good book, just not great like the first two! Still worth the time to read the trilogy! Thank you to Edelweiss + for the ARC!
December 11, 2025
I have to say, I really don't like leaving 1 star reviews, but I honestly do not recommend reading this trilogy. The entire trilogy could have been a single book or a duology at most. I will attempt to justify the rating below, so it will come across as very negative, but I feel like I can't just give one star without explaining why.
There is so much filler in this one, the plot advances very slowly, there's hardly any character development - literally everything 'goes right' for everyone, there's almost no opportunity for the reader to even see how they overcome hurdles or conflicts. There's just no "tests" for the characters to show development. Any conflicts or arguments are resolved within two sentences and suddenly everyone is well and happy again and no one holds any grudges, which is just not realistic. Most people still feel a bit "off" for a little while even after resolving an argument.
I skim read most of this book from around 40% to about 80% and I didn't miss anything. And now that I've read all 3 books, I can easily say that the first book is the best one and the second book can be skipped almost entirely and you'll still get the full story. Maybe the relationship developments might feel too quick (though they already feel too quick, anyway) but you won't miss anything if you just go straight to the third book after the first one. And even the ending felt super rushed. The most interesting parts were when Dobbs was doing stuff, but that didn't happen very often and to a high intensity, and then when it finally got down to the main showdown it was just over in, like, a second.
And the repetition...
From the overall repetition of the plot and what's going on (essentially summaries of the story so far, letting the pets out, cooking, drinking Coke/wine/beer), to repetition of phrases "she wrapped around him," "he wrapped around her" and just the overall hype. Everything everyone does is the most amazing thing ever and this is continuously repeated.
I didn't relate to anything emotional and, occasionally, when there were descriptions of characters crying or wiping tears, I was almost confused as to why they were crying as there was just no emotional build up to let me know that this was an emotional scene or moment for the characters.
There were many mistakes, (i.e. there was a reference to Cleo playing music from a phone instead of Clover) and I didn't really understand Cleo and Trey kissing a couple of times?? I thought there had to be some mistake as to whether it was meant to be Cleo or Sonya or instead of Trey, if it was meant to be Owen.
When it comes to dialogue, I often had no idea who was speaking. When there are more than two people involved in a conversation, the reader needs speech tags to know who is talking and this is especially true when every single person sounds the same. Even the ghosts, from 200 years ago, talk the way the main characters do. I get that people tend to pick up little phrases and style of speaking when they spend time together, but honestly? Literally, no one ever sounds exactly the same as the person they spend all their time with. (And yes, every single person in this book, including Trey's parents and grandparents, talk by asking a question and then immediately answering it exactly in that way).
And I have to mention this, but the nickname "cutie"? I don't know if this is the nickname people generally use elsewhere, but whenever I read it, I cringed. Even "babe" is better than "cutie"..
There's also switching of POVs, not just between chapters, but within the same pages, the story is majorly from Sonya's point of view, but then occasionally we're told how Owen or Trey are feeling or thinking, which again was just confusing and took me out of the story as we're suddenly in their heads instead of Sonya's.
And at times I felt that the overall writing was just, for lack of a better word, lazy. So many sentences, on their own didn't make sense grammatically. And I don't know what it is about the avoidance of conjunction words. Majority of the sentences and paragraphs would flow better if they had a few "ands" added in, rather than just a comma and then an abrupt ending to the sentence.
Anyway, there's a lot more I could add, but I think I've already justified the one star rating, so I'll stop here.
There is so much filler in this one, the plot advances very slowly, there's hardly any character development - literally everything 'goes right' for everyone, there's almost no opportunity for the reader to even see how they overcome hurdles or conflicts. There's just no "tests" for the characters to show development. Any conflicts or arguments are resolved within two sentences and suddenly everyone is well and happy again and no one holds any grudges, which is just not realistic. Most people still feel a bit "off" for a little while even after resolving an argument.
I skim read most of this book from around 40% to about 80% and I didn't miss anything. And now that I've read all 3 books, I can easily say that the first book is the best one and the second book can be skipped almost entirely and you'll still get the full story. Maybe the relationship developments might feel too quick (though they already feel too quick, anyway) but you won't miss anything if you just go straight to the third book after the first one. And even the ending felt super rushed. The most interesting parts were when Dobbs was doing stuff, but that didn't happen very often and to a high intensity, and then when it finally got down to the main showdown it was just over in, like, a second.
And the repetition...
From the overall repetition of the plot and what's going on (essentially summaries of the story so far, letting the pets out, cooking, drinking Coke/wine/beer), to repetition of phrases "she wrapped around him," "he wrapped around her" and just the overall hype. Everything everyone does is the most amazing thing ever and this is continuously repeated.
I didn't relate to anything emotional and, occasionally, when there were descriptions of characters crying or wiping tears, I was almost confused as to why they were crying as there was just no emotional build up to let me know that this was an emotional scene or moment for the characters.
There were many mistakes, (i.e. there was a reference to Cleo playing music from a phone instead of Clover) and I didn't really understand Cleo and Trey kissing a couple of times?? I thought there had to be some mistake as to whether it was meant to be Cleo or Sonya or instead of Trey, if it was meant to be Owen.
When it comes to dialogue, I often had no idea who was speaking. When there are more than two people involved in a conversation, the reader needs speech tags to know who is talking and this is especially true when every single person sounds the same. Even the ghosts, from 200 years ago, talk the way the main characters do. I get that people tend to pick up little phrases and style of speaking when they spend time together, but honestly? Literally, no one ever sounds exactly the same as the person they spend all their time with. (And yes, every single person in this book, including Trey's parents and grandparents, talk by asking a question and then immediately answering it exactly in that way).
And I have to mention this, but the nickname "cutie"? I don't know if this is the nickname people generally use elsewhere, but whenever I read it, I cringed. Even "babe" is better than "cutie"..
There's also switching of POVs, not just between chapters, but within the same pages, the story is majorly from Sonya's point of view, but then occasionally we're told how Owen or Trey are feeling or thinking, which again was just confusing and took me out of the story as we're suddenly in their heads instead of Sonya's.
And at times I felt that the overall writing was just, for lack of a better word, lazy. So many sentences, on their own didn't make sense grammatically. And I don't know what it is about the avoidance of conjunction words. Majority of the sentences and paragraphs would flow better if they had a few "ands" added in, rather than just a comma and then an abrupt ending to the sentence.
Anyway, there's a lot more I could add, but I think I've already justified the one star rating, so I'll stop here.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 21, 2025
For this trilogy, it is best to start with book one, Inheritance, followed by The Mirror, before beginning The Seven Rings. The story centers on Sonya MacTavish as she and friends try to undo the curse killing Poole brides at Poole Manor.
As Sonya, her boyfriend, Trey, and their friends continue their quest to break the curse upon Poole Manor, we see their romances grow and their lives under the manor’s roof bloom. As Sonya and Trey’s romances deepen, so do Owen Poole’s and Cleo’s. I loved not only their friendship and respect for one another but the way they each uplifted and protected each other.
As Sonya continues to claim rooms in the manor, the ghosts living there strengthen and show their support, but so does the anger of the witch who cast the curse. Slammed doors, physical attacks and danger continue to grow as Sonya along with Owen slip through the mirror to learn more and put a stop to this.
Roberts built the suspense throughout the trilogy as she slowly provided Sonya the answers she needed to stop the witch. In The Seven Rings, Sonya, Trey, Owen and Cleo will need to stand together in a race against time to stop the witch once and for all. While the middle dragged a little for me, the heart-pounded conclusion more than made up for it.
One of my favorite aspects of the story has been the ghosts who live alongside Sonya and Cleo. Jack and Clover were by far my favorites, and I adored how Roberts made them such a key thread in the story. The manor and family played a key role, and I enjoyed hearing their stories as Sonya worked to save them all.
Roberts balances the dark and the light in this paranormal romance trilogy. Now that it’s complete, I recommend you devour it. This review was originally posted at Caffeinated Reviewer
As Sonya, her boyfriend, Trey, and their friends continue their quest to break the curse upon Poole Manor, we see their romances grow and their lives under the manor’s roof bloom. As Sonya and Trey’s romances deepen, so do Owen Poole’s and Cleo’s. I loved not only their friendship and respect for one another but the way they each uplifted and protected each other.
As Sonya continues to claim rooms in the manor, the ghosts living there strengthen and show their support, but so does the anger of the witch who cast the curse. Slammed doors, physical attacks and danger continue to grow as Sonya along with Owen slip through the mirror to learn more and put a stop to this.
Roberts built the suspense throughout the trilogy as she slowly provided Sonya the answers she needed to stop the witch. In The Seven Rings, Sonya, Trey, Owen and Cleo will need to stand together in a race against time to stop the witch once and for all. While the middle dragged a little for me, the heart-pounded conclusion more than made up for it.
One of my favorite aspects of the story has been the ghosts who live alongside Sonya and Cleo. Jack and Clover were by far my favorites, and I adored how Roberts made them such a key thread in the story. The manor and family played a key role, and I enjoyed hearing their stories as Sonya worked to save them all.
Roberts balances the dark and the light in this paranormal romance trilogy. Now that it’s complete, I recommend you devour it. This review was originally posted at Caffeinated Reviewer
August 27, 2025
This is the third book in The Lost Bride series. It’s kind of a slow burn. It wasn’t as good as the first two but still enjoyable to read. I’d like to thank NetGalley and St. Martins Press for the opportunity to read this ARC that will be released November 18, 2025!
October 15, 2025
4.5 stars! I had such a good time with the end to the Lost Bride trilogy! Definitely my favorite series from Nora, I was gripped from the beginning of Inheritance and the series continued to entertain me throughout the trilogy. I actually think the first and this last book are my favorites in the trilogy!
This whole series is best read in order as they all are telling a continuous story of a home and family having a curse put on them, I love the paranormal aspects and the seven brides stories. We see more and more glimpses into their backgrounds and helpful things happening in the house as each book goes on. Great characters, solid storytelling, I was thoroughly entertained!
I received an audio ALC, all thoughts in this review are my own.
This whole series is best read in order as they all are telling a continuous story of a home and family having a curse put on them, I love the paranormal aspects and the seven brides stories. We see more and more glimpses into their backgrounds and helpful things happening in the house as each book goes on. Great characters, solid storytelling, I was thoroughly entertained!
I received an audio ALC, all thoughts in this review are my own.
November 23, 2025
So I’m sure I will be in the minority on this, but to each their own. It certainly was not my favorite from this author, but that happens on occasion, so I deal with it. I found myself skimming through most of this book, as I found it (for me) needlessly repetitive. Didn’t care what they had for each meal, who was going to let the dogs out, and everyone’s daily schedule down to the minute. I was also not a fan of the endless use of the f word. That definitely turned me off. Anyway, that’s my take on it and I will read NR again (in fact, I think I have read everything she has ever published).
November 24, 2025
Story 4.25 stars. Narration 5 stars
This was the third and last in this series by Nora Roberts. I’ve enjoyed the series and the characters all feel like old friends now. It’s the story of a woman who inherits a great deal of money and an old haunted mansion on the coast of Maine. Just out of a bad relationship and job, Sonya starts over in the old house. It’s in pristine, but a bit cluttered condition. Her best friend, Cleo, comes to live there as well for a long visit. It’s not long before they realize the house is not only haunted by several wonderful ghosts, but by an evil witch that thinks she’s going to always be mistress of the house. The witch is responsible for 7 brides from previous generations dying young due to her curse on them.
The two women each meet a man(Trey and Sonya’s cousin Owen)and begin relationships during these three books. The four have to figure out what to do about the witch. I’ve, of course, simplified what happens because these books are long. I listened and it was over 15 hours long-thankfully I listened at 1.5 speed, so that helped. It also helped that I cared about the characters. In addition, a 9 year old ghost that plays with the animals, a maid ghost that cleans up after they cook and makes beds, a bride from the hippie era that plays music most of the days(especially to warn of the witch coming)made the story extra fun. It’s not a comedy though. It also should be noted that each book goes in order so it’s a must to read the other two first.
I really enjoyed the series, although I hated I had to wait a year between each book. I do think it could have been a bit shorter. There were fairly long periods(at times)between the witch episodes and while I enjoyed the romances shown and the everyday life at the house and town, I just feel like some of it was a bit like filler. And very reminiscent of each prior book which was the same. Having said that, I still highly recommend this to adult readers of ghostly stories with good romances. Nora Roberts rarely lets me down and she didn’t this time either.
Narration by Brittany Pressley was stellar as usual.
Spice was mild.
This was the third and last in this series by Nora Roberts. I’ve enjoyed the series and the characters all feel like old friends now. It’s the story of a woman who inherits a great deal of money and an old haunted mansion on the coast of Maine. Just out of a bad relationship and job, Sonya starts over in the old house. It’s in pristine, but a bit cluttered condition. Her best friend, Cleo, comes to live there as well for a long visit. It’s not long before they realize the house is not only haunted by several wonderful ghosts, but by an evil witch that thinks she’s going to always be mistress of the house. The witch is responsible for 7 brides from previous generations dying young due to her curse on them.
The two women each meet a man(Trey and Sonya’s cousin Owen)and begin relationships during these three books. The four have to figure out what to do about the witch. I’ve, of course, simplified what happens because these books are long. I listened and it was over 15 hours long-thankfully I listened at 1.5 speed, so that helped. It also helped that I cared about the characters. In addition, a 9 year old ghost that plays with the animals, a maid ghost that cleans up after they cook and makes beds, a bride from the hippie era that plays music most of the days(especially to warn of the witch coming)made the story extra fun. It’s not a comedy though. It also should be noted that each book goes in order so it’s a must to read the other two first.
I really enjoyed the series, although I hated I had to wait a year between each book. I do think it could have been a bit shorter. There were fairly long periods(at times)between the witch episodes and while I enjoyed the romances shown and the everyday life at the house and town, I just feel like some of it was a bit like filler. And very reminiscent of each prior book which was the same. Having said that, I still highly recommend this to adult readers of ghostly stories with good romances. Nora Roberts rarely lets me down and she didn’t this time either.
Narration by Brittany Pressley was stellar as usual.
Spice was mild.
November 22, 2025
I'm disappointed that I didn't love this story! I enjoyed it but the story was dragged out too long, with just an ok ending. 3.5 stars
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