Grab the tissues and get ready to go on an emotional journey of tears and laughter. Nora Roberts is a master of capturing a readers attention and keeping them turning the pages. There are so many wonderful characters in this story. There is Thea and Rem who lost their parents. There is Grammie who is a force of nature and the glue that holds everything together. The story takes place over almost two decades and is set in the beautiful Kentucky mountains. It covers loss, family, love and resilience. This is a story that will stick with you long after you’ve read the last word.

Mind Games is a stand-alone book by Nora Roberts. I had thought that perhaps it would be the next book in the Lost Brides series, but it is not. Still, it is an awesome read with great characterization and a plot that is realistic with a touch of mysticism. Even the police detectives don’t believe Thea and her grandmother Lucy until the twelve-year-old proves herself and sets them straight. I feared for the family until then, almost shouting out loud, “You go, Thea, You show them what’s for!” However, there is nothing to fear from the police, yet there is another.

Taking the reader from that moment until Thea is grown, we see her grow up, mature and comes to terms with all that has happened. We also see her take control over her own happiness and finding the courageous strength to stand once and for all. There is a lesson there for us all. Mind Games is aptly named and a read that will keep you turning the page until the final scene and song.

4.5 Stars

Nora Roberts is the queen of whatever she writes and her suspense romances are outstanding. Thea and her brother Rem are 12 and 10 when the story begins. They are having their regular summer visit with Grandma Lucy in Kentucky when tragedy strikes. Their parents are murdered in their own home. But Thea and Lucy have the gift or “shine” that runs in women in the family and they see it happen. With Thea’s help the police are able to capture the and convict the killer.

The romance part of the story begins with Thea having finished college and settled into her career. She lives down the road from Grammie and her new neighbor is her teenage crush. He is a single father of an adorable four year old boy. The friendship to romance is sweet and flows naturally. I especially love Robert’s writing in what I call friend speak. The abbreviated way people talk when they really know each other. It isn’t always full out formal writing. I love Thea, her easy confidence and southern kindness. But of course out in the world is the evil man who took her parents' life. And he has found a way to connect to her with his own shine.

I was in love with the romance and on the edge of my seat for how the suspense part would play out. I was thrilled to get an ARC from St. Martin’s Press via NetGalley and I am leaving an honest review.

Another great book by Nora. Has just the right amount of romance to have you wishing for happy ending with just the right amount of gothic mystery. Perfect use of Appalachian folk lore/ mystery.

Suspenseful, page turning and amazing. The journey that Thea went on was a wild ride but showed how strong women can be.

You did it again Nora!! I always look forward to your books, I was able to get it on NetGalley, and get one signed by you in person this past week! This book was very different than your normal ones and I loved it! I highly recommend it to everyone! Keep on bringing us the awesome pieces of work and growing your fan base!

This book was one I both couldn’t wait to finish, and didn’t want to end. Thea is a bright normal 12 year old, until the night she realizes her physic powers by waking up after watching her parents be brutally murdered as she slept. The book then follows Thea throughout her life as she tries to move forward, while struggling to let go of her past and her connection with the man who killed her parents. This book had a love story, a beautiful setting, and so many amazing side characters (I wish we all had a Grammie in our life). The concept of this book and execution were interesting, and the ending surprising. Another fabulous book by Nora Roberts. I received an ARC, and this is my honest review.

5 stars! This book is not a typical Nora Roberts story. It evokes wonderful feelings of generational family warmth and love. The setting in Appalachian Kentucky is beautifully drawn.

Mind Games is everything I hoped it would be. Rich deeply developed characters and an amazing setting are a given with Nora Roberts. She has outdone herself with these characters.
The everyday ordinary life, intersected with such evil and unimaginable is compelling to read. I could not put this story down. I loved to see the growth in the characters.
Mind Games does require you to have an open mind and take an adventure in fiction.
January LaVoy is an incredible narrator.

Wow! This book had me from the get-go. Nora Roberts is a storyteller. At times, I felt like I was in the book watching things unfold. Can’t wait to talk this one up at the library.

The ability to know what the other person is feeling has always intrigued me and scared me at the same time. Do I want to know what others think about me? I would feel I am always looking around to feel how others think of me and always second-guessing myself. Thea has this gift at a young age and it comes with a high price.

The strong relationship that Thea has with her grandmother Lucy and her brother Rem, it’s something that I wish everyone had people like that in their lives. One of the best parts of the book for me was hearing about how Lucy lived her life and how she was able to instill that same ethic into her grandkids. The relationship between Ty and Thea started the way I hope most relationships start, as friends. Having strong friendships is the best way to start any relationship.

The part of the book that I struggled with was the conversations with the villain throughout the book. I found I had to pay attention to make sure what was going on.

I received a complimentary copy of the book from St. Martin’s Press through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ it took a bit to get into Mind Games but once I did I was hooked. Nora Roberts knows how to weave a story together. Once you get 1/3 in you realize that moments in the first portion of the book had more significance than just painting a picture of the character in their youth.

I wish that we would have seen Ty earlier in the book and had more interaction between them. It seemed so fast but yet was months because the book would blow past an entire month in a single sentence. It didn’t allow for their relationship to develop and felt choppy.

But overall great read! Appreciate the ability to review the ARC for my honest opinion.

A romance within a thriller that will chill your bones. Artfully written to balance the horror is a loving family and a deliciously slow build romance. The story honestly gave me a nightmare so I quit reading it at night.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Thea and her younger brother stay two weeks with their Grammie every summer. This year while they are there, tragedy strikes her parents at their home in Virginia. Thea, her mom and her Grammie have a special kind of sight that they share. Thea finds out that the inmate who murdered her parents also has the special sight. Thea can see his thoughts, dreams and sinful acts even miles away. She wages a battle to block him out of her thoughts and dreams forever. It is a battle she has to win to protect any children she has in the future. I really enjoyed this book! Thanks to @NetGalley for the ARC of this book.

Nora Roberts is a prolific writer that has refined her craft. Delving in to her books is like wrapping yourself in a warm familiar blanket as you always know that you will get a well-developed story. She has crafted a suspenseful coming of age story of Thea Fox who has a special gift or is it a curse? Thea and Rem are staying with Grammie in rural Kentucky for their annual summer visit. 2 weeks of being spoiled by Grammie and playing in the great outdoors, until tragedy strikes back home in Virginia. This multifaceted coming of age story has tragedy, suspense, friendship and romance.

Nora is the queen. She gets me every time! I need to put the book down and do other things, but I just can't. Mind Games was a fantastic book. There is so much to unpack in this book. Thea and her brother Rem visit their grandmother. Thea has inherited the "gift" passed through the maternal bloodline. On that visit, Thea and Lucy "see" what happened to the parents. Thea and Rem are raised by their grandmother. Thea has a connection to the inmate who killed her parents. This book spans over some of Thea's life. It was gripping, well written and such a beautiful story. Huge thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for allowing me to read and review this wonderful book!

Enjoyed this new standalone novel by Nora Roberts! The psychological component was really interesting to me and it built just enough suspense to keep the story going. Thea and Ty worked well as a couple, but I do wish their relationship would have appeared sooner. There is extensive background info in the first third of the book. It worked for me but I can see where it may big down the plot somewhat up front for others.

This may be one of my all-time favorite Nora Robert’s books. A strong woman, a dose of magic, a love story, a close-knit family and of course - some trouble.. Ray’s conclusion was satisfying, and of course we can’t diminish the ultimate conclusion - perfect!

Love, loss, a special psychic gift, and family....

The Foxes have always dropped their children (Thea and Rem) off for a two week stay with their grandmother (Grammie) in Kentucky at the beginning of summer. It is a time for their children to run and play while their parents enjoy time alone. Thea and Grammie both have the same horrific nightmare and know that something tragic has happened. Due to Thea's vision, her parent's killer will be imprisoned for the rest of his life. Sadly, he shares the same gift as Thea.

As I began reading Mind Games, I was reminded of how much I enjoy Nora Robert's writing. I was instantly invested in the sweeping and riveting tale that follows Thea from the terrible summer where she lost her parents to the present. Thea went through many changes and challenges in her life. I enjoyed getting glimpses into Thea's life, her gift, her relationships with her grandmother, her brother, Ty, and his son.

This book had a little bit of everything that I enjoy in books - family, mystery, growth, drama, and romance. This book is full of great characters, and I especially enjoyed Grammie for her quiet strength, wisdom, and guidance.

This book kept me on my toes wanting more the entire book and left me smiling. I was lucky enough to have both the book and audiobook. I highly recommend the audiobook as the narrator was fantastic and did an outstanding job of bringing the characters to life.

Well written, well thought out, gripping, and captivating!

MIND GAMES is an intriguing smorgasbord of suspense and romance with a side of supernatural served up via Author Nora Roberts's signature style. A multi-layered, character driven story with a strong yet vulnerable protagonist, MIND GAMES pits good vs. evil in an epic battle of the minds between two individuals with the gift of sight.

Twelve-year-old Thea Fox and her younger brother Rem are excited to be spending two weeks of their summer vacation with their maternal grandma Lucy on her idyllic farm in Appalachia, Kentucky. Unfortunately, their happiness is shattered when tragedy strikes during a home invasion in which their parents are brutally murdered back in Virginia . . . An attack both Thea and Lucy witness in horrifying graphic color in their nightmares. Thea inherited her psychic gift of sight from her grandmother as it's been passed down through generations of women in the family. Thea's powers of sight surpass those of her grandmother's, and it's her detailed description of the killer and his subsequent actions that aids authorities in locating, capturing and locking him away for life. Over time, Thea realizes the killer can also "see" her, and a mental battle of the minds begins between them.

Like several of Roberts's books, MIND GAMES unfolds in parts beginning with Thea Fox's early formative years starting at age twelve and continuing over a span of fifteen years into adulthood. Over the course of the story, readers get a sense of the love, respect, kindness, and tradition in which Thea and Rem thrive, growing into productive, caring adults with a keen sense of family. Over the years, Thea continues perfecting her gift of sight while utilizing her abilities to keep an eye on her parents' killer locked away in prison. She's careful, or so she thinks, to never let him "see" her watching him, but as she soon learns his powers are growing also, and he taunts and threatens her while stalking her nightmares. There's no doubt a confrontation is coming. Will she survive the challenge?

MIND GAMES is an emotional story that evolves slowly over time. Roberts gift for crafting heartfelt, emotional family sagas is highlighted as is her talent for rendering characters with deep family roots and tradition. Some readers may find the development of this story a bit slow as the author takes time to introduce the characters and set the stage for the coming battle while building tension. While the pace is slow, there's an escalating undertone of malice lurking that builds to the final showdown and epic battle of the minds. For those looking for romance, a love interest appears in the second half of the book with a relationship developing slowly, but for the most part MIND GAMES is a family drama about a girl who grows up learning to accept and embrace a unique gift while yielding it in ways to help not harm her fellow man. It's a showdown of good vs. evil reminiscent of the epic battle at the O.K. Corral, but with weapons of the mind not guns. It's another Nora Roberts classic in the making. Highly recommended to fans of Roberts and romance suspense as well as those who enjoy stories featuring protagonists with psychic gifts.