I received an advanced ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Mind Games is a bit romance, bit mystery, and a bit thriller with a dash of paranormal thrown in to add to some spice. Thea and her brother Rem spend two weeks every summer with their grandmother - a time Thea especially loves. But this summer everything changes. Thea and her grandmother share a gift, and that gift wakes them after witnessing the brutal killing of Thea's parents in a nightmare they both shared. While the man is caught, thanks to Thea, the nightmare isn't over.

Wonderful character development. I want to give a spoiler for my favorite character - which isn't the love interest - who as other reviewers have said wasn't who we expected at first. As you come to expect from Roberts, a solid and enjoyable read.

This is not the typical Nora romantic suspense book. And so refreshing in my humble opinion of reading Nora for over 20 years. The first third I was an emotional mess and it was fantastic, the depth of emotion pulled from me, I felt every bit the characters did.

The progression of Thea through out the years was delightful. The only real complaint I had, but it's important to the overall plot was her hiding herself so much after that initial sting from the first boy she trusted her heart with. The pokes over and over from Riggs over the years and her lessening it down for her family was a little annoying for me.

Ah Ty and Bray were a delightful surprise. Seriously every teenage girl's dream to meet her crush and fall in love with them. Now the third act break up was not my favorite cuz dude just needed to listen. But trauma, I get it but miscommunication is my least favorite to be honest.

The conclusion, I liked how it was different from the normal tension. But you got it still in this different setting and the process of the main character being in control was very refreshing and not waiting on the guy to save her, Nora has always been masterful writing strong independent women who handle their business, but every once in a while you got a damsel, Thea is not the one in the slightest.

Overall its one of my favorites.

First: Thanks so much for allowing me to preview Nora's latest novel.

Background for me-I have read (I"m almost positive) every book Nora has published. Including all silhouette romances. I made it a mission to devour every word she had printed. And while I obviously love all the books she has written, I have to say they were getting -I don't know-best word might be - habitual? Well, not this book. I can't remember any of her novels that kept me thinking days afterward about the characters and their personalities and traits. I think she really tried to get away from totally normal and step out of OUR comfort zones! (not hers because after reading ALL her books -especially the ones that are magical-I don't think she has zones. Good for her (and us because we get to enjoy the results! I don't want to give any story line away-the characters were great, the emotional roller coaster that Ms. Roberts puts us on was in top form and I think she added a new loop! If you love mystery, romance and believe all things are possible, this is a fantastic read.

I was asked to review this book, and again Nora Roberts doesn't disappoint with the suspense and thriller-type atmosphere. I just personally found the killer in the book disturbing, and since those type of characters do not really appeal to me, that was my only "drawback" of the book. Otherwise, this was a really unique plotline, where characters can read minds and "see" into people. Debating whether that is a blessing in disguise or something horrible is a great way to weigh that burden. The characters in this book were also thought out well, with the main character, Thea, proving to be a richly developed character.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I really don’t know how to explain this story but I’ll give it a try.

Thea and her brother go to her grandmother’s every summer in Kentucky. Thea is twelve and her little brother Rem is ten. They spend the summer helping their grandmother garden, feed the animals, visit the other folks. All the women in Thea’s family has a gift. They can see and feel what has happened or about to happen. One night Thea awakens screaming because she sees her parents being killed. Her grandmother calls the local sheriff and he calls someone in Virginia to check on the parents. It all happened and Thea can describe him. The killer gets put in a maximum security prison but he has the same gift as Thea.
Years go by and Thea has a great job she loves, lives down the road from her Grammie, and is about to fall in love. Every now and then, the police ask for her help and she gives it. She has the windows on her mind locked tight so the killer will keep out. But he slips through sometimes and threatens her. The only way to stop him is to break his own mind and Thea is the only one to do it.

I have a few complaints…. The dialogue all goes together, it’s hard to determine who’s doing the talking. The characters are all mixed together and there’s no space between them. That is too things that drive me crazy. The story itself is great. It will keep you hooked.

* Voluntarily read and reviewed for Netgalley *

Another fantastic read by Nora Roberts. I absolutely loved this book. Murder, magic, family and romance. It had it all. Highly recommend.

Loved this one! I always enjoy Roberts' books and this was no exception. A little magic, a little romance, a little suspense. Definitely recommend if you're a fan of her previous work.

Wow! Nora Roberts never fails to entertain. While I thought the book started a bit slow with a lot of character development and not much action, it was so seamlessly woven together, and the characters to likeable, that I couldn't put the book down. This book was very unique as much of the tension (and there's a lot of tension) isn't physical. As the title hints -- it's mind games. I loved the romantic element, but a bit surprised that it occurred so late in the book -- but in this case, it was a great twist to the classic romance novel. Nora Roberts tied the past and present together in surprising ways -- both the good and the bad -- and made this a fascinating paranormal/suspense/romance. The villain was truly evil and I liked how his past was uniquely unveiled. The characters are so well developed and I came to love them (except the bad guy!). Their interactions were so realistic that I felt I could run into them on the street and instantly feel I'd met them before.

Nora Roberts books are almost always great, and this one succeeds as a cross-genre book that I'd like to see more of.

I was so happy to get an ARC from NetGalley because Nora Roberts is one of my all time favorite authors!

Mind Games is another fantastic example of NR doing what she does best...creating characters you want to meet and building their lives in places you want to visit. I might be biased though, I grew up not too far from where this book was set, so I know how beautiful it really is.

Most of the time Romantic Suspense isn't my favorite genre, I think it's really hard to successfully keep the tension high while taking enough time to build a good romance. I think NR handles it perfectly in this book. The story just sweeps you along, the villain is truly awful, and Thea is a fantastic MC. She's strong and resourceful, but has a big heart. And her family bond is so loving and warm, it is truly beautiful.

The only thing I can say about the plot without giving details is that it is a twisty ride, and I was glad to the MC go on the offensive at the end instead of just waiting to be boxed in.

I will pick at the romance just a tad. I loved who the romantic interest was, I thought that was a neat twist. I didn't love that the conflict between the MC and the FMC came at the place in the story it did. I feel like the reactions from both (especially the MMC) would have been more damaging to the relationship. For me, I wish it had been handled a little differently.

I always recommend NR to everyone, because there is something FOR everyone and Mind Games is no exception.

I'm a longtime Nora Roberts fan and a newer JD Robb fan. I picked up an older NR book a few weeks ago, read a few pages, and immediately put it down. I realize now that I am a fan of her books that have a strong female lead that does not require "saving" from her love interest. Mind Games falls firmly into that category. Thea and Rem Fox have a happy life. Their parents are deeply in love and they have an idyllic existence at their home in Virginia. Their father's parents are not in their life, choosing to ignore their son's family because they are not up to their standards. The Foxes get along just fine without them and get plenty of grandparent love from Lucy, or Grammie, who lives in Kentucky. Every summer, Lucy welcomes her grandchildren to her home in the mountains for 2 weeks of taking care of her cows, goats, and garden and helping create soaps and candles for her business, Mountain Magic. Oh, just one more thing, the women on Lucy's side of the family tree have all inherited a little magic of their own. They are psychic. While Lucy uses her gift to help those around her, her daughter Cora has rejected her gifts. So she didn't see Ray Riggs coming into her life.

After witnessing the brutal murder of her parents in Virginia from her tiny room in Kentucky, Thea's life is changed forever. Thanks to her vision, police can capture Ray immediately and he is sent to Supermax for multiple life sentences. Unfortunately, Ray possesses the same gifts as Thea and, in her grief, she accidentally forms a lifelong conduit for Ray to visit her dreams. As Thea grows up in the mountains of Kentucky, she creates a new life for herself with friends while keeping Ray locked out of her mind. But Ray's own mind is twisted and he blames her for his imprisonment and has his sights set on escape and vengeance.

I enjoyed this story as well as the length of time it took to build the world before introducing her love interest. I would have enjoyed a little more development for her brother Rem as well as her best friend, Madrigal.

Thank you Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Pure light and joy. This book hits all the fantasies and dreams. I cried buckets, laughed, and squealed like a teenager over Thea and Ty's story. Nora Roberts knows how to weave light into the darkness and leave this reader's heart pounding in happiness. Thank you.

Nora Roberts' "Mind Games" is captivating with blending elements of family bonds, paranormal gifts, and the power of love. I definitely had trouble putting this book down. The story revolves around Lucy and Thea, two characters with a special connection that adds a unique and mysterious layer to the narrative.

The character development, particularly that of Thea, is wonderful. Witnessing Thea's growth from a 12-year-old girl grappling with the murder of her parents to a mature adult navigating her gift and the complexities of love adds a layer of authenticity to the narrative.

Some of the dialogue throughout is hard to follow, especially when there were 4 or more characters involved. It was hard to know who the speaker was at times.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for Advanced Readers Copy.

Mind Games was a longggggg but interesting read!
This story follows a 12 yr old Thea into adulthood with appearances from her family like her mom and dad, her Grammie, and her brother Rem.

Thea experiences a tragic life event that brings her and Rem to live in the Appalachians with their grandmother Lucy. This story has a little bit of everything in it; murder mystery, love, drama, family, and mind reading 🙂. It was interesting learning about the Applachain people, a culture that I've heard of but never experienced.

I was not a fan of the actual writing. I'm not sure if that's how Appalachian people speak (saying words twice), but it did not make for an easy read, in my opinion. But it was so detailed, I barrly had to use Google, and it made me hungry as I read. If I liked cooked fruit, I would definitely make an apple stack cake!

If you want to experience a different reading experience, this would be the book! It is jam-packedd with interesting happenings from jail to the mountains.

Thank you for letting me read the ARC copy of Mind Games!

This is the sort of lite-paranora/suspense combo that is like catnip to me and I devoured this book. My biggest complaint is that the final conflict between hero and heroine (which was well set up as an emotional stake) happened too late in the book for me to really buy wholeheartedly into the reconciliation given the magnitude of things that were said between them. Nora likes a late resolution and it doesn't usually bother me, but I also can't recall one that was quite so...escalated, at least in awhile. But regardless of this niggle, I am so happy to be really enjoying Nora's work again after a bit of a slump in subjects for me.

Thank you to Netgalley, MacMillan & the author for an advanced copy of this book. This book was given in exchange for a review but these are all my own honest opinions.

I have been a nora fan for going on two decades & she very rarely disappoints with her novels. She never fails to put heart into her characters. They are real, they have stories, loves, tragedies & growth.

Thea suffered such a traumatic loss and Nora really captures what it is to grieve for lost loved ones and how life keeps going while you process it. Thea is lucky to have her grammie & her brother, and that they stuck together instead of letting grief drive a wedge between them.

The psychic part of this story made for a very interesting read and once again, made Thea very relatable for wanting to be normal and wanting to fit in. It was heavily focused on her gift, her development as a person. The romance was just a lucky happenstance. I loved the side characters and the levity they brought to what could have been a very dark and painful book. Nora really drives home the point that even in the midst of horror, life can and will go on. Joy can come after loss and you are never alone.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read Mind Games. Nora Roberts is one of my favorite authors and this book did not disappoint! The characters are amazing, so strong and true. The story is brutal and beautiful. It's a story of loss and pain but also incredible kindnesses and deep love. Mind Games will grab you from the first chapter. You won't be able to put this book down.

Heart-wrenching and engrossing.

On what should have been a joyful summer vacation with Grammy in Appalachia, Twelve-year-old Thea and her younger brother, Rem, suffer the devastating loss of their parents at the hands of a psychopath.
Thea and her Grammy (to a lesser degree) have the rare ability to 'see' into the minds of others, and on this fateful night they bear witness to their loved one's murders. Thea can recall enough to allow authorities to capture the killer, Riggs, and send him to prison for life. But it doesn't end there.
Over the next several years, Thea grows and pursues her passion for creating video games. Complex worlds that she will use to break the evil Riggs, who shares her gift and wants her to pay for taking away his freedom.
It's a game only one of them can live through.
This book had me crying more than once. I ached for Thea and her family, and prayed someone would shove a shiv in Riggs's gut. But it was the inner strength Thea had to face the devil in his den that made this a five-star read for me- so good!

Thanks to the publisher, NetGalley, and the author for this enthralling story. Highly recommended.

I don't always enjoy Nora's paranormal stories. But I was pleasantly pleased with this one. It was full of close family and friends. Warm connections and lots of love. I like that a young crush is revisited. Yes there is the paranormal and dreams that are awful. Yes there is murder and mayhem. Mixed all together the book was one I could not put down. I actually liked the story.

Mind Games took me on a winding trail through the connected minds of two psychics, one of them a murderer. It's a unique story, a coming-of-age story, a love story, and a psychic mystery. I loved the family dynamics with the grandmother, Thea, and her brother. I enjoyed the relationship between her love interest and his precocious son. Just a well-woven tale with a lot of surprises and a rambling pace. Loved it. I want more of Thea.

A Nora Roberts book, this is the highlight of my year!

Mind games is a captivating tell of a young girl who grows into a smart, strong, and brave young woman. I loved that the heroine was a sword packing game designer. NR has a history for creating strong unique FMCs, but Thea was different in more ways than one. She was a nice combination of heart and strength.

The bond between Lucy, Rem, and Thea was powerful, just as you would assume for a family that has faced something so tragic together. Lucy was inspirational and laid the groundwork for the story to develop in the way it did. Thea was able to be the woman she was because of having a Grammie like Lucy.

The love interest was surprising! I did not see it being who it was, but I should have considering Thea unique talents. My guess she knew all along without realizing what it actually meant.

While I devoured this book like all her books, for the reasons clearly listed above. The setting is what did me in from the beginning. The story takes place in a small backwoods town in Eastern Kentucky. The kicker for me is Red Bud is located just a hair over an hour away from where I was born and raised. The description of the people, their characteristics, their beliefs, the way they came together to support Lucy, Thea and Rem during that horrific night and the rest of their lives. It reminded me of home and I was so proud and honored to have Nora Roberts represent it so well in this book. 🩵