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adventurous
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Content Warnings
Moderate: Gun violence, Violence, Murder
Minor: Sexual content
The main character suffers a gunshot wound at the beginning of the book. Be cognizant it explains the event and her struggles as she learns to cope with the event in the year after. Then this is also a murder mystery book, so there is detail on the murders.
adventurous
challenging
dark
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Death, Drug use, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Kidnapping, Grief, Stalking, Suicide attempt, Murder, Injury/Injury detail
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
This one had a very strong start, but the suspense crept in very slowly. Once it hit the halfway point, things started clicking into place. The villain’s POV got darker and more unsettling as the story went on, and I found the motivation behind the murders interesting…but the way the killers talked was extremely cheesy.
The romance between Sloan and Noah didn’t do it for me. I just didn’t feel the chemistry. And I usually don’t mind a little side plot, but the construction and gardening felt like a distraction from the murder investigation.
I still enjoyed this one overall and would recommend it if you’re into police procedurals with a touch of closed-door romance.
The romance between Sloan and Noah didn’t do it for me. I just didn’t feel the chemistry. And I usually don’t mind a little side plot, but the construction and gardening felt like a distraction from the murder investigation.
I still enjoyed this one overall and would recommend it if you’re into police procedurals with a touch of closed-door romance.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Gun violence, Blood, Murder, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Violence
Minor: Abandonment
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gun violence, Medical content, Medical trauma, Murder
hopeful
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
N/A
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gun violence, Medical content, Cannibalism, Medical trauma, Murder, Injury/Injury detail
adventurous
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Death, Gun violence, Suicide, Violence, Kidnapping, Stalking, Murder, Injury/Injury detail
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Hidden Nature follows Natural Resources police officer Sloan Copper as she returns to her hometown to recover after surviving a gunshot wound. While healing, she becomes intrigued with the case of a missing woman. What begins as a single abduction soon unravels into a deeper, more chilling pattern of serial disappearances. But this novel is about more than just solving a mystery—it's also a story of personal healing, family bonds, and unexpected love.
This was my first time reading a Nora Roberts novel, and I am truly in awe of her storytelling. She has a gift for immersing readers into the book, making you feel the atmosphere and genuinely connect with the characters. I appreciated the slower pace of the plot, which allowed time to get to know everyone and see how their relationships naturally evolved. The romance was woven seamlessly into the story, unfolding in a way that felt authentic and earned, rather than rushed.
At times, it felt like I was watching a compelling TV series unfold—especially with the layered character development and suspenseful pacing. Even though the plot centers around a criminal investigation, I was particularly drawn in by the dramatic irony. Knowing more than the protagonist added a thrilling edge, and I found myself eagerly waiting for Sloan to piece things together.
While I truly enjoyed the story and Roberts’ writing style, there were a few scenes that felt a bit unsettling, which kept me from giving it a full 5-star rating. Still, I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys small-town mysteries with a touch of romance. And if you’re an audiobook fan, I highly recommend the audio version—January LaVoy does a phenomenal job bringing each character to life.
—————————————————-
A huge thank you to the author, Macmillan Audio, and NetGalley for the ALC. All opinions are my own!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Gun violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Murder
Moderate: Emotional abuse
Minor: Infidelity, Suicide attempt
adventurous
emotional
informative
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Nobody does romantic suspense like Nora Roberts does. She has a knack for creating lovable characters, terrific relationships, AND believable villains. It’s a potent combination.
In Hidden Nature, we have a female police officer with the Maryland Natural Resources Police (a real organization, BTW, so I learned something), Sloan Cooper. When she gets shot on the job, she returns home to rural western Maryland to recuperate, with her family’s help. We also have two brothers from New York City, who decide to move there and start a contracting business, giving up their parent-influenced previous careers, which they never really liked. So you have the setup for romance there. There was a lot of home renovation talk but it didn’t overwhelm the plot. And there are adorable dogs too. The descriptions of the landscape made me yearn to visit the area.
The villains are appropriately creepy and it was terrific to get parts of the book told from their perspective. I don’t want to say more about them.
I mainly listened to the audiobook version since January LaVoy is one of my favorite narrators, and it did not disappoint. I was amazed at all the different voices she did throughout the book.
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.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Gun violence, Violence, Xenophobia, Kidnapping, Murder, Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Infidelity, Sexual content
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Content Warnings
Moderate: Confinement, Death, Gun violence, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Murder, Injury/Injury detail