anbananova 's review for:

Hidden Nature by Nora Roberts

2.0

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I think this type of Nora’s books are my least favorite: three long parts, ten chapters each, and the resolution in the very last one. They all could’ve been twice as short if there weren’t villains’ POVs and filler chapters about some abstract topic (building houses, in this case).

I read the first couple of POV entries from Clara and Sam, then skipped the rest. They made me uncomfortable and creeped me out. I think this is the first Nora Roberts book that includes some type of cannibalism (if human blood consumption counts).

I was frustrated with how long it took for Sloan and Nash to meet. They lived in close proximity for months and never even accidentally crossed paths. Drea and Theo’s romance in the background was more interesting than the main characters’.

It also got on my nerves how Sloan was supposed to be this super cop with brilliant memory and attention to detail, yet she missed Clara and Sam every time they were near. She had no gut feeling about them. Also, knowing she was one of the next targets, she did nothing to increase her awareness or personal security. She lived in a pretty rural area with very little traffic—so how didn’t she notice the car tailing her every time she went out?

The police had a possible witness who talked to the woman connected to the abduction. Why didn’t they use a sketch artist? The police work made no sense in this book. Why did no one look into the medical personnel connected to all the victims? Surely, they would’ve found a common denominator—a very helpful nurse named Clara. Then they would’ve connected her to her partner Sam. That’s it. Case closed.

So overall, by the end of the book, I was very annoyed and just wanted to be done with it.