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3.88 AVERAGE
3.88 AVERAGE
emotional
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
dark
hopeful
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
They got a second chance at life...
...but someone is determined to take it away.
Sloan Cooper is a good cop and investigator. After a chance encounter with a robbery in progress left her with serious injuries and a long recovery, the usually strong and active woman had to take things slow and easy (which drove her crazy) at her parents' home in Heron's Rest. The unexplained disappearance of a local woman gives her something she can use her professional instincts to look into online, which suits her more than crocheting (although she's doing that too). Meanwhile Nash Littlefield, a successful New York financier, has bought a house in Heron's Rest that needs a lot of work...which suits him just fine, because working with his hands is what he actually likes to do. His demanding parents had pushed him into the finance world, but he has finally broken free of their control....he is ready to start leading the life he wants. Turns out his younger brother Theo wants out of the mold their parents forced him into (law) too, and wants to join his brother in starting up a fix-it business. Sloan's informal digging into the missing woman's case unearths something eerie....there are several other cases in the surrounding areas that have some commonalities with that one, and the only thing the missing people have in common is that at some point in the recent past they were clinically dead but brought back to life by medical professionals. Who could want to punish people who have been gifted with a second chance at life? Sloan herself was dead for a few minutes after the incident that left her in bad shape; is she in danger too? As Nash and Sloan slowly draw closer, there is danger lurking closer than either suspects.
When a reader picks up a Nora Roberts book, they can be sure that the female protagonist will be pretty, strong and independent, and the man in her life will be much the same (just in masculine terms), and in Sloan and Nash that's exactly what they'll find. One little quirk in this book is that the two don't officially meet one another until almost halfway through the book; prior to that, the backstories of Sloan and her family, Sloan's injury and recuperation, Nash and Theo's backstory and that of the couple behind the disappearances of area people are rolled out. I knew that their coming together was going to happen, it was just odd for it to take so long to actually begin. That aside, the characters main and secondary are fun to get to know, the town of Heron's Rest is charming, and the relationships within and between the two families is great. Clara and Sam, the villains of the piece, are both weird and annoying to be honest...deadly, of course, but in a dull sort of way. A fun, light, quick read, maybe not my favorite of Ms Roberts' stories but enjoyable nonetheless. Her legion of fans will read it and love it, and readers of Sandra Brown, Catherine Coulter and Iris Johansen should enjoy it too. Many thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for allowing me access to this romantic thriller that weaves together a crime novel, a family saga, and a double dose of romance in exchange for my honest review.
...but someone is determined to take it away.
Sloan Cooper is a good cop and investigator. After a chance encounter with a robbery in progress left her with serious injuries and a long recovery, the usually strong and active woman had to take things slow and easy (which drove her crazy) at her parents' home in Heron's Rest. The unexplained disappearance of a local woman gives her something she can use her professional instincts to look into online, which suits her more than crocheting (although she's doing that too). Meanwhile Nash Littlefield, a successful New York financier, has bought a house in Heron's Rest that needs a lot of work...which suits him just fine, because working with his hands is what he actually likes to do. His demanding parents had pushed him into the finance world, but he has finally broken free of their control....he is ready to start leading the life he wants. Turns out his younger brother Theo wants out of the mold their parents forced him into (law) too, and wants to join his brother in starting up a fix-it business. Sloan's informal digging into the missing woman's case unearths something eerie....there are several other cases in the surrounding areas that have some commonalities with that one, and the only thing the missing people have in common is that at some point in the recent past they were clinically dead but brought back to life by medical professionals. Who could want to punish people who have been gifted with a second chance at life? Sloan herself was dead for a few minutes after the incident that left her in bad shape; is she in danger too? As Nash and Sloan slowly draw closer, there is danger lurking closer than either suspects.
When a reader picks up a Nora Roberts book, they can be sure that the female protagonist will be pretty, strong and independent, and the man in her life will be much the same (just in masculine terms), and in Sloan and Nash that's exactly what they'll find. One little quirk in this book is that the two don't officially meet one another until almost halfway through the book; prior to that, the backstories of Sloan and her family, Sloan's injury and recuperation, Nash and Theo's backstory and that of the couple behind the disappearances of area people are rolled out. I knew that their coming together was going to happen, it was just odd for it to take so long to actually begin. That aside, the characters main and secondary are fun to get to know, the town of Heron's Rest is charming, and the relationships within and between the two families is great. Clara and Sam, the villains of the piece, are both weird and annoying to be honest...deadly, of course, but in a dull sort of way. A fun, light, quick read, maybe not my favorite of Ms Roberts' stories but enjoyable nonetheless. Her legion of fans will read it and love it, and readers of Sandra Brown, Catherine Coulter and Iris Johansen should enjoy it too. Many thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for allowing me access to this romantic thriller that weaves together a crime novel, a family saga, and a double dose of romance in exchange for my honest review.
challenging
emotional
informative
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Hidden Nature was an entertaining read. I enjoyed getting to know the main character, Sloan Cooper. as she recuperates from a near-death injury. Her parents and her sister, Drea, help her in her recovery. (This part of the book could actually stand alone as a women's fiction book of someone overcoming adversity while reconnecting with her roots with the help of family) At the same time, there is a parallel story about two brothers who are tired of the rat race of stressful jobs. They work together to fix up an old house and start a handyman business together. Sloan and Nash inevitably meet and eventually sparks fly.
The pace of this book is better suited for a romance novel, but moves a little slowly for a romantic suspense novel. I enjoyed the procedural aspects when we see Sloan on the job, but I didn't like the serial killer storyline at all. It felt realistic that Sloan would begin looking into this case of missing people while restless on her medical leave, but the whole premise was creepy. The villains of the story were weird and over-the-top and I didn't care for the chapters told from their points-of-view.
Some of the ending was predictable but the showdown with the killer had some surprises. Although this wasn't my favorite by Nora Roberts, there were parts of the book I really liked, so I'm glad I read it.
I received an advance review copy of this ebook from NetGalley and St. Martin's Press, but my review is voluntary and unbiased.
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
Hidden Nature is the latest book by prolific author Nora Roberts. I have read many, many Nora Roberts books and was excited to read this standalone mystery/romance, but it missed the mark for me.
For me, there were two main problems with this book. First, the dialogue between the characters, particularly between Clara and Sam, was unbelievable and cringeworthy. I had to skim through a lot of dialogue (again, mostly Clara and Sam) because I cound't stand it. Second, and more importantly, there is so much home renovation talk in this book! Nash and Theo are handymen. They are renovating their own home, plus homes belonging to others. Sloan is renovating her home, with the help of Nash, Theo, and her dad. Her family owns rental cabins and they do a log of, wait for it, renovation. I don't care about the paint colors in someone's kitchen. The bathroom renovation was not important to me. At least 30% of this book is home renovation, and it really took away from developing the actual plot and characters (see earlier complaint about Sam and Carla!).
I struggled to finish this book. It is easily my least favorite Nora Roberts book ever.
I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review. Thanks to the publisher, the author, and Netgalley.
For me, there were two main problems with this book. First, the dialogue between the characters, particularly between Clara and Sam, was unbelievable and cringeworthy. I had to skim through a lot of dialogue (again, mostly Clara and Sam) because I cound't stand it. Second, and more importantly, there is so much home renovation talk in this book! Nash and Theo are handymen. They are renovating their own home, plus homes belonging to others. Sloan is renovating her home, with the help of Nash, Theo, and her dad. Her family owns rental cabins and they do a log of, wait for it, renovation. I don't care about the paint colors in someone's kitchen. The bathroom renovation was not important to me. At least 30% of this book is home renovation, and it really took away from developing the actual plot and characters (see earlier complaint about Sam and Carla!).
I struggled to finish this book. It is easily my least favorite Nora Roberts book ever.
I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review. Thanks to the publisher, the author, and Netgalley.
This book had SUCH likeable characters which is shown in the high review rating. Even though the story was told very slow, I didn't mind because I truly enjoyed every single character, well besides the villains but you know what I mean!
Nora always nails it by combining mysteries and romance. It's about the only kind of romance books I can read anymore without cringing!
This one actually felt like a plot of a Criminal Minds episode and I LOVE that. I felt like I was just trying to figure out the villian's next move while also trying not to freak out about something potentially happening to the characters I deeply cared about.
Overall, a very good read with likeable characters but could have easily been a much shorter book. At least 5 hours shorter. I felt like there was a lot of unnecessary scenes, dialogue, and details that were not crucial to the storyline. Did those scenes get me to love the characters more? Yes. Did they have to be included? No. If they weren't this would have been a much faster paced thrill!
Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for this ARC!
Nora always nails it by combining mysteries and romance. It's about the only kind of romance books I can read anymore without cringing!
This one actually felt like a plot of a Criminal Minds episode and I LOVE that. I felt like I was just trying to figure out the villian's next move while also trying not to freak out about something potentially happening to the characters I deeply cared about.
Overall, a very good read with likeable characters but could have easily been a much shorter book. At least 5 hours shorter. I felt like there was a lot of unnecessary scenes, dialogue, and details that were not crucial to the storyline. Did those scenes get me to love the characters more? Yes. Did they have to be included? No. If they weren't this would have been a much faster paced thrill!
Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for this ARC!
Nora Roberts' upcoming novel, Hidden Nature, is a beautiful mix of mystery, crime, and romance in the Maryland mountains. We follow a Natural Resources police officer, Sloan, who survives a near-fatal shooting. Recovering in her hometown, she stumbles upon a series of unexplained disappearances across multiple states, and Sloan is determined to uncover the truth—an investigation that will test her endurance and courage along the way.
As always, Roberts masterfully weaves suspense with emotional depth, creating a protagonist who is both resilient and relatable. The novel’s steady pacing kept me engaged. The added romance brought warmth to the story, complementing the darker themes of crime and mystery.
A must-read for Roberts fans, Hidden Nature delivers an intricate plot and gripping mystery—making it a book worth adding to your reading list.
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-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 is a book I found hard to put down. Thanks to NetGalley for giving me the chance to read and review it before publication.
The book gets off to a dramatic start when Sloan, our main character, is shot on her way home from work. Having walked into a bungled robbery, Sloan is shot in the chest. She survives, and is shocked back to life, but with a painful recovery to come she moves back to her parents’ home.
Determined to get back to doing what she loves Sloan works hard at her rehabilitation. But the need to help others runs deep…and when she hears of a woman going missing from a nearby town she can’t help but be curious.
Sloan uses her down time to find out a little more about the missing woman, and she slowly uncovers what she thinks might be a link between this abduction and a number of other cases in nearby states.
Thanks to the way the book is written we know a little more of what Sloan is coming up against…and it definitely becomes a case of someone getting a little too close for comfort.
The book gets off to a dramatic start when Sloan, our main character, is shot on her way home from work. Having walked into a bungled robbery, Sloan is shot in the chest. She survives, and is shocked back to life, but with a painful recovery to come she moves back to her parents’ home.
Determined to get back to doing what she loves Sloan works hard at her rehabilitation. But the need to help others runs deep…and when she hears of a woman going missing from a nearby town she can’t help but be curious.
Sloan uses her down time to find out a little more about the missing woman, and she slowly uncovers what she thinks might be a link between this abduction and a number of other cases in nearby states.
Thanks to the way the book is written we know a little more of what Sloan is coming up against…and it definitely becomes a case of someone getting a little too close for comfort.
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Hidden Nature by Nora Roberts is a robust, suspenseful, and thought-provoking romantic suspense novel featuring Natural Resources police officer Sloan Cooper. Sloan and her partner, Joel Warren, had arrested and turned over to transport three men who were preying on hikers in the Western Maryland mountains. On their way back to Annapolis, they stop at a convenience store and Sloan walks in on a robbery in progress. With one gunshot, Sloan’s life is changed.
After being shocked back to life on the operating table multiple times, she has a long recovery ahead, so she moves back to her parents’ house in Heron’s Rest. Her boyfriend dumps her while she is still in the hospital. While Sloan is recuperating, Sloan gets interested in a case where a woman seemingly vanishes. As she searches for similar cases online, she finds them scattered across Maryland, West Virginia, and Pennsylvania. She also meets a new man who shares her love of puzzles and mysteries, Nash Littlefield.
Sloan has great observations skills, loves her work, is organized, and likes to feel useful. She’s also insightful, logical, dedicated, decisive, organized, and a tenacious investigator. However, she can overthink things. Noah is good at investments and making money, but wasn’t happy doing it. Therefore, he is following his desires by buying a fix-it-upper house and starting a handyman business. She’s organized, hard-working, logical, and a planner. He’s also cautious about sharing his personal thoughts. I enjoyed the slow build of their relationship.
What an opening sentence! It grabbed my attention and continued to do so with a storyline that kept me invested in the outcome. The premise was intriguing and included a facet that isn’t common in novels. Even though readers know the antagonists and Sloan doesn’t, the story stayed engaging and suspenseful. The author does a great job with characterization. I enjoyed getting to know Sloan’s family, friends, and co-workers as well as Nash and his brother Theo. The antagonists were well-developed as well and it was chilling to get their point of view throughout the novel, including the logic they used for their actions. The romances and renovation parts of the story added depth to it as did the setting. My biggest quibble is that there were a few places where the tale’s plot felt repetitive as it related to the antagonists.
Overall, this a well-written, intriguing, and gripping novel with an action-packed show-down that has well-developed and compelling characters. I didn’t want to leave the Cooper and Littlefield families. I’m looking forward to reading the next book by this author.
St. Martin’s Press and Nora Roberts provided a complimentary digital ARC of this novel via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own. Publication date is currently set for May 27, 2025.
After being shocked back to life on the operating table multiple times, she has a long recovery ahead, so she moves back to her parents’ house in Heron’s Rest. Her boyfriend dumps her while she is still in the hospital. While Sloan is recuperating, Sloan gets interested in a case where a woman seemingly vanishes. As she searches for similar cases online, she finds them scattered across Maryland, West Virginia, and Pennsylvania. She also meets a new man who shares her love of puzzles and mysteries, Nash Littlefield.
Sloan has great observations skills, loves her work, is organized, and likes to feel useful. She’s also insightful, logical, dedicated, decisive, organized, and a tenacious investigator. However, she can overthink things. Noah is good at investments and making money, but wasn’t happy doing it. Therefore, he is following his desires by buying a fix-it-upper house and starting a handyman business. She’s organized, hard-working, logical, and a planner. He’s also cautious about sharing his personal thoughts. I enjoyed the slow build of their relationship.
What an opening sentence! It grabbed my attention and continued to do so with a storyline that kept me invested in the outcome. The premise was intriguing and included a facet that isn’t common in novels. Even though readers know the antagonists and Sloan doesn’t, the story stayed engaging and suspenseful. The author does a great job with characterization. I enjoyed getting to know Sloan’s family, friends, and co-workers as well as Nash and his brother Theo. The antagonists were well-developed as well and it was chilling to get their point of view throughout the novel, including the logic they used for their actions. The romances and renovation parts of the story added depth to it as did the setting. My biggest quibble is that there were a few places where the tale’s plot felt repetitive as it related to the antagonists.
Overall, this a well-written, intriguing, and gripping novel with an action-packed show-down that has well-developed and compelling characters. I didn’t want to leave the Cooper and Littlefield families. I’m looking forward to reading the next book by this author.
St. Martin’s Press and Nora Roberts provided a complimentary digital ARC of this novel via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own. Publication date is currently set for May 27, 2025.