The Seven Rings

Nora Roberts

The Seven Rings

Nora Roberts
61 pages2-hour read
Fiction
Novel
Adult
Published in 2025

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Character List

Meet the key characters, with insights into their roles, motivations, and relationships—spoiler-free.

Major Characters

Sonya is a freelance graphic designer who recently inherited the grand Victorian Poole Manor on the coast of Maine. Raised in Boston and previously unaware of her connection to the Poole family, she learns she is the descendant prophesied to break a centuries-old curse. She is empathetic and resourceful, systematically organizing the house and its history rather than running from its ghosts. She treats the manor's spirits with respect, turning the neglected space into a welcoming sanctuary.

Key Relationships

Romantic Partner of Trey Doyle

Best Friend of Cleo Fabares

Cousin of Owen Poole

Daughter of Winter

Daughter of Andrew MacTavish

Niece of Collin Poole

Granddaughter of Clover

Primary Target of Hester Dobbs

Hester is a 19th-century witch whose covetous obsession with Poole Manor leads her to murder its founder and his daughter-in-law. To seal her claim on the property, she enacted a blood curse that claims a bride in each Poole generation and steals their wedding rings. She continually torments the living and dead inhabitants of the house to maintain her dark magic. She operates alone, relying on fear, illusions, and compulsion to exert control.

Key Relationships

Supernatural Adversary of Sonya MacTavish

Murderer of Arthur Poole

Murderer of Astrid Grandville

Trey is a practical, third-generation lawyer and the son of Collin Poole’s closest friend. He serves as a grounding presence amid the supernatural chaos at the manor, utilizing his legal expertise to handle real-world threats like trespassers. Loyal and fiercely protective, he offers Sonya emotional stability while respecting her autonomy as the central figure in the fight against the curse.

Key Relationships

Romantic Partner of Sonya MacTavish

Son of Deuce Doyle

Son of Corrine Doyle

Grandson of Ace Doyle

Brother of Anna

Cleo is Sonya’s best friend and housemate, working professionally as an artist and illustrator. She uproots her life to move to the haunted manor, becoming an indispensable ally in the fight against the curse. Her creative mindset allows her to interpret supernatural signs, while her fierce loyalty solidifies the group's chosen family. She manages the household's domestic life, bringing normalcy back to the cursed estate.

Key Relationships

Best Friend of Sonya MacTavish

Romantic Interest of Owen Poole

Owen is Sonya’s pragmatic and witty cousin who provides a direct link to the Poole family bloodline. Because he shares the family blood, he assists Sonya in navigating the estate's magical portals. His loyalty to his newly discovered family transforms into a deeply personal fight against the manor's dark forces. He uses his carpentry skills to physically improve the estate grounds.

Key Relationships

Cousin of Sonya MacTavish

Romantic Interest of Cleo Fabares

Friend of Trey Doyle

Target of Hester Dobbs

Supporting Characters

Clover is the spirit of Sonya's grandmother and the sixth victim of the bridal curse. She acts as a benevolent mentor to the manor's current inhabitants, often communicating her guidance and warnings by playing specific songs through modern electronic devices. She remains fiercely protective of her granddaughter across the boundary of death.

Key Relationships

Grandmother of Sonya MacTavish

Wife of Charlie

Daughter-In-Law of Patricia Poole

Collin is Sonya's late uncle who left her Poole Manor in his will. Though he kept his distance during his life due to grief and the curse, he meticulously tracked Sonya's achievements from afar. As a spirit, he attempts to guide her toward breaking the family's generational trauma.

Key Relationships

Twin Brother of Andrew MacTavish

Husband of Johanna Poole

Friend of Deuce Doyle

Brandon is Sonya’s arrogant and entitled ex-fiancé from Boston. He arrives uninvited at Poole Manor, assuming he can manipulate his way back into her personal and professional life. He represents the toxic, controlling environment Sonya left behind, and his physical aggression prompts an immediate, unified response from the house's protectors.

Key Relationships

Ex-Fiancé of Sonya MacTavish

Andrew is Sonya's deceased father and the twin brother of Collin Poole. Separated from his brother as an infant to protect him from the curse, he grew up away from Maine to become an artist. He unknowingly painted visions of the haunted manor and its victims, creating crucial artifacts that aid his daughter's current quest.

Key Relationships

Father of Sonya MacTavish

Husband of Winter

Twin Brother of Collin Poole

Winter is Sonya's supportive mother who remains a steady presence in her daughter's life. She fully backs Sonya's legal and personal battles, occasionally visiting the haunted manor and even forming a quiet bond with the spirit of her late mother-in-law.

Key Relationships

Mother of Sonya MacTavish

Wife of Andrew MacTavish

Arthur is the 18th-century founder of Poole Manor who originally emigrated to the Maine coast and established a successful shipping enterprise. His murder at the hands of a covetous witch sets the tragic, centuries-long curse into motion.

Key Relationships

Victim of Hester Dobbs

Father-In-Law of Astrid Grandville

Astrid is the first bride to fall victim to the manor's curse, murdered on her wedding day. The theft of her wedding ring marks the beginning of the generational trauma that plagues the Poole family.

Key Relationships

Daughter-In-Law of Arthur Poole

Victim of Hester Dobbs

Johanna is the seventh and final victim of the bridal curse, and the late wife of the modern-day Collin Poole. Her tragic death on the manor's staircase binds her spirit to the house, separated from the husband she loves.

Key Relationships

Wife of Collin Poole

Molly is a young Irish housekeeper who died after working at the manor for five years. As a benevolent ghost, she assists the living by performing household chores and sending helpful items through the dumbwaiter.

Key Relationships

Helper to Sonya MacTavish

Jack is the ghost of a boy who died at the manor over a century ago at the age of nine. He plays fetch with the household pets, communicates through detailed sketches, and actively protects the living inhabitants from physical threats.

Key Relationships

Protector of Sonya MacTavish

Playmate of Yoda

Deuce is Trey's father and a close friend of the late Collin Poole. He runs the Doyle Law Offices and provides vital legal support to Sonya when she needs to establish protective boundaries against living threats.

Key Relationships

Father of Trey Doyle

Husband of Corrine Doyle

Son of Ace Doyle

Friend of Collin Poole

Employer of Sadie

Corrine is Trey's mother, who warmly welcomes Sonya into the local community. She assists with practical advice and helps brainstorm ideas for Sonya's professional graphic design campaigns.

Key Relationships

Mother of Trey Doyle

Wife of Deuce Doyle

Ace is Trey's grandfather and a formidable legal presence in the community. He shares stories of the manor's past and utilizes his family foundation to support local historical preservation efforts.

Key Relationships

Grandfather of Trey Doyle

Father of Deuce Doyle

Anna is Trey's sister, whose pregnancy and subsequent labor bring the community together and serve as a beacon of new life amid the manor's dark history.

Key Relationships

Sister of Trey Doyle

Wife of Seth

Mother of Fiona Kate Miller

Seth is Anna's husband, who approaches the manor's supernatural elements with skepticism but remains deeply devoted to his growing family.

Key Relationships

Husband of Anna

Father of Fiona Kate Miller

Yoda is Sonya's loyal dog, who fiercely defends the household against both supernatural illusions and living intruders. He forms an unexpected bond with the benevolent ghosts haunting the property.

Key Relationships

Playmate of Jack

Pyewacket is a brave cat residing at the manor who risks physical injury to protect her human companions from magical attacks. She proves her loyalty by directly confronting supernatural creatures.

Key Relationships

Marianne is the third bride of the Poole family, who documented her joy and hopes for her unborn twins before her tragic death in childbirth.

Key Relationships

Wife of Hugh

Lisbeth is the fifth bride of the Poole family. Sonya witnesses her joyful engagement preparations through a magical portal, underscoring the vibrant lives cut short by the curse.

Key Relationships

Fiancée of Edward

Catherine is the fourth bride, who communicates directly with Sonya through a vision, recounting how she was lured into a blizzard on her wedding night.

Key Relationships

Daughter of Arabelle

Carrie is the owner of Bayside Lotions and Potions, a local business. She hires Sonya to help revamp her company's website and social media presence.

Key Relationships

Mother of Hogan

Hogan works with his mother at their local business, Bayside Lotions and Potions. He prompts the professional connection with Sonya by mentioning their outdated website.

Key Relationships

Son of Carrie

Charlie was the husband of Clover, the sixth bride. Because of the enduring curse on the manor, his spirit remains separated from his wife in the afterlife.

Key Relationships

Husband of Clover

Patricia is a past member of the Poole family who attempted to erase Clover from the family's historical record after her death. Her actions prompt Sonya to ensure a complete, unedited display of the family's history.

Key Relationships

Mother-In-Law of Clover