This story will keep you tuned in! A pair of sadistic, twisted serial killers.

Natural Resources police officer Sloan Cooper is recovering from a near death experience when she decides to move back to her parents' peaceful home to recover.

While recovering she starts looking into mysterious disappearances that show a pattern.

First of all I am one of the biggest Nora Roberts fans and being able to read an Advanced copy of this book has been a privilege that I do not take lightly. Having said that I absolutely LOVED this book. I was also very much not expecting the story to turn into what it did.

In this book we meet Sloan Cooper, a National Resources Police Officer for Maryland. When making a quick stop on duty she is shot as she walks into a robbery. After being shocked back to life she must return to her hometown to recover.

During her recovery she begins to look at her life and future with renewed purpose. Her goals and dreams change which leads her to finding love in an unexpected way. But as things start developing for the better in her personal life, work also pulls her back in. People are disappearing and she's the only one who can find out why.

I enjoyed reading about Sloan and learning about the Natural Police Department. I didn't realize that there were Police departments within each state that work within our state parks and other nature areas. I also loved reading about home renovations since I am also currently renovating my kitchen.

Reading a Nora Roberts book is like stepping into a world that is familiar but through a widened lens. The way she writes is wondrous while still being very succinct. Her characters know their own minds but are always adaptable to change. It's an experience every reader should have. This book allows us another peek into the mind of a strong woman and her journey of purpose.

Sloan has her dream job as a Corporal with the Department of Natural Resources. After she and partner capture three of Washington State’s most wanted, she’s on the cusp of being promoted to Sergeant. Then, all of that changes when she walks into a gas station and, unintentionally, interrupts a robbery. After getting shot and giving death the middle finger, Sloan is on the road to a long recovery. So, that means moving back to Heron’s Rest and back in with her parents.

Nash has spent most of his life living by his parent’s rules. Working in a field he hated and dating a woman he tolerated because, it was expected of him. My guy finally had a come to Jesus moment and said enough is enough. Nash channeled his inner Cookie Lyon and told his parents, “I gotta put me first Luscious.” He quit his job, broke up with his girlfriend, moved to Heron’s Rest, bought a fixer upper, and proceeded to start do what he actually loves. Contracting.

Heron’s Rest is a picturesque small tourist town that everyone flocks to for summers and holidays. Not much crime happens there but, something is amiss in the normally quiet town. Something sinister is brewing and it’s up to the Corporal and the contractor to figure it out before anymore townsfolk go missing. I liked Hidden Nature but, I didn’t like it if that makes sense. I loved the family dynamics between Sloan and her family, I loved the bond between Nash and Theo, I loved the idea of two sisters and brothers dating each other, and I loved the small town feels of Heron’s Rest. I love how Nora Roberts can create complex protagonists, families, and friends and still make you fall in love with them. What I didn’t like was that it was a slow burn. It took entirely too long for Sloan and Nash to come together as a couple. By the time romance entered the chat, Drea and Theo were already in a full blown relationship. The secondary coupled should not be boo’d up longer than the main characters. I also was not a fan of the plot. This storyline was giving something straight out of the In Death series. This was some ish Eve Dallas would’ve investigated. And, the villains of the story were just odd. An older white woman with a younger black man that was really white. Cause, other than his skin color, wasn’t a thing black about Sam. There was just nothing scary about these “serial killers.” Hidden Nature wasn’t a bad book but, I’ve definitely read better from Nora Roberts. As a romantic suspense, it kind of fell flat for me. Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Nora Roberts is the master of romantic suspense for me. I never miss a novel and I’m never disappointed. Hidden Nature has a wonderfully twisted plot that I never could have imagined. Grab a copy, you won’t regret it.

Nora Roberts keeps the thrills coming in this book. When Sloan returns home to Heron's Rest after being seriously injured, she becomes interested in a missing person case. Nash, has given up his high powered job in New York and moved to Heron's Rest where he's purchased a house he plans to renovate and start a renovation company with his brother. As Sloan and Nash become more involved, so does the missing person cases leading to the explosive ending. A definite must read for Nora Roberts fans.

Such a fun book, and a great story. It kept my on the edge of my seat until the very end. I really enjoyed how it all played out.

Whenever I'm about to read a new to me book by Nora Roberts, I can't help but to have the highest of expectations as I have never read a book by her that I did not like. Hidden Nature is no exception. It starts off with a bang and doesn't lose steam until the very last page. It is suspenseful, a bit more dark than her usual books, and quite surprising/shocking in parts. The actions of the bad guys and the motives behind their crimes really came out of nowhere to me, which added a lot of the uniqueness of the book's plot. As usual for her books, the characters are all amazing. Her books are always a joy to read, and I can't wait to read the next one.

Sloan Cooper works as a Natural Resource officer in the North East, but her life changes when she is shot during an in progress robbery. She returns to stay with her parents in Heron’s Rest, during her recovery period. As she’s recovering, Sloan learns that a woman near the area has disappeared and eventually discovers more abductions, and works to find a pattern connecting those that have been abducted. Sloan eventually meets Heron’s Rest newest residents, and develops an attraction to the older of the two Littlefield brothers, Nash. Now she’s navigating a different life, the possibility of love, and an ongoing investigation into strange disappearances that she could be connected to, more than she knows.

Hidden Nature is a great stand alone book from Roberts! I was definitely intrigued by the idea of an officer recovering from an on the job injury and having to return to her family home. The setting was a big draw for me, because I loved hearing the descriptions of the area surrounding Sloan’s family’s resort. And I really liked the fact that Roberts allowed Sloan’s character to recover and deal with some of the changes taking place in her life, before immediately throwing a love interest in her path.

I usually find that Roberts’ books follow a pattern…family (found or biological), romance, and conflict. Hidden Nature follows that pattern also, and I enjoyed the two different types of families that Roberts brings to the story, with Sloan and Nash’s backgrounds. I also liked the different romantic relationships in the story and the personalities of Sloan, her sister Drea and Nash, and his brother Theo. The case that Sloan becomes involved in, is definitely bizarre and it gave me vibes from another book from a well known author, but I won’t mention it because I don’t want to give away any spoilers.

There were a couple of things that bothered me, with the book. A lot of the story revolves around home improvement, and while I LOVE HGTV, I just found that it ended up being too much and took away from the story. I felt like it slowed down the pacing of the story and took the important focus away from Sloan working on the case. And continuing with the pacing, the conflict of the story is wrapped in the last few pages of the final chapter, followed by a short epilogue.

Overall, I did enjoy the storyline of Hidden Nature and the mix of characters. If you already love Nora Roberts books, I think this would be a great one to add to your TBR, and if you haven’t read anything by her yet, this would be a good place to start, since it’s one of her stand alone books.

Sloan's story from before and after her encounter is engaging- and the lesson for how tragedy can make you reevaluate what's important and where home truly is hits close to home.

I received an e-galley from the publisher through NetGalley,

Sloan Cooper was shot. Stopping at a gas station for a soda after a takedown, she faces the intimate surprise, a shot to the chest. After dying, and coming back to life, she faces a long recovery. Luckily, she has the perfect family for the task.

As Sloan recovers, she begins to hear about the disappearances of those around her community. With seemingly nothing in common, she's determined to find the link and stop the disappearances.

With a little family drama and a lot of love mixed into the plot, Roberts delivers what she's best know for: a love story with a spine-tingling mystery locked into the midst.

I really enjoyed this book!

This is a novel that will put you on the edge of your seat and keep you there. The horror of an unbelievably horrifying murder intent on carrying out a sacred mission is blood curdling. The story of the crimes will make you have trouble sleeping if not for the love story that arises for Sargent Sloan Cooper and her neighbor Nash Littlefield. It provides a break from the crime story.
Super story from all angles.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of the book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Nora Roberts writes so many different types of books but no matter what genre she chooses, she never disappoints. Sloan Cooper is a natural resource police officer, (and yeah, had to look that up having had no knowledge), evidently also known as conservation officers and they're a real thing. And although she carries a gun, when she gets shot, she's just in the wrong place at the wrong time. A convenience store robbery. The road to recovery takes her home to her family and here, depending on your own life experiences with loved ones, I confess to experiencing a roller coaster of emotions. There is such a strong family dynamic and Ms. Roberts knows how to write each emotion so the reader connects both with joy and pain. While Sloan is recovering she begins to follow a series of disappearances , not realizing the abductors are targeting those who have experienced seconds of death before being revived, and she herself is on their list. Thus the mystery. Now the romance. As strong as Sloan's family is, the Fix-It brothers, new from big old New York City, have risen from the ashes of a broken loveless family. Together they fix houses, rebuilding from "good bones" and their lives (Did I forget to mention that Sloan's family, and the townspeople, all have talents for building, creating, healing.....?) Regardless of the plethora of talented strong people, this is a lovely mystery with a perfect romance and yet again we say, thank you Nora Roberts, we all look forward to the next one!

I can't think of a Nora Roberts book I haven't liked. This one wasn't one of my favorites but it was still entertaining and I liked the main characters.

It's always exciting to start reading a new Nora Roberts book.
Reading Hidden Nature was like wrapping up in a cozy blanket...until it wasn't. Until the characters and murders scared the snot out of me, creeping me out! I find nothing more frightening than everyday people who look, act, and talk like nice, caring humans while they hide their internal monsters.
Honestly, this book has it all: great characters, love, gorgeous scenery, men with tool belts, and monstrous people.
It was a very enjoyable read that kept me guessing, and I kept thinking about it long after I read the last page. I can't wait to recommend it to my fellow readers.
Thanks to Net Galley for allowing me to read this book for an honest review.

In Nora Roberts’ newest novel, Hidden Nature, Sloan Cooper is a Corporal with Maryland’s Natural Resources Police who is shot during a gas station robbery. During surgery, she flatlines and is brought back. Needing help during her recuperation, Sloan moves home to her parent’s house in the small town of Heron’s Rest. Nash Littlefield is a former Wall Street bigwig turned contractor. He and his little brother, Theo, have just moved to Heron’s Rest to start a business. Sloan and Nash meet and slowly begin to fall in love. While everything appears idyllic, at the same time, there is a team of killers murdering people who were resuscitated after dying, and Sloan has just become their next target.

I’ve read everything Nora Roberts has written (including her novels under her pseudonym J.D. Robb), and I have to say that Hidden Nature is not her best effort. Sloan and Nash don’t even meet until the second art, and their romance is given little time to mature. The romance between Sloan’s sister, Drea, and Nash’s brother, Theo, felt more fleshed out and interesting. The killers weren’t memorable, and the idea of “freeing” those who should never have been brought back was a weak excuse for murder. Overall, I would get this book from the library, but I wouldn’t spend money adding it to my collection of NR novels.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Publishing Group for sharing this advanced review copy with me in exchange for my honest feedback!

Hidden Nature by Nora Roberts is one of the creepiest, most bizarre murder mysteries I've ever read. I couldn't put it down. She added the right amount of romance and relatable characters to make it feel personal. When it was done, I had a book hangover. I loved it!

Thanks to NetGallery for the ARC of Hidden Nature. I am an avid Nora Roberts reader for years, reading both her and her Pseudonym J.D. Robb.
I must say that Hidden Nature seemed a bit strange, the story within the storyline was a bit far-fetched, even though I know I am reading a fictional novel, but this one didn't really do it for me. Sloan is a corporal with Maryland’s natural resources police who gets injured in a robbery gone wrong and actually dies on the hospital table. She goes home to recuperate, and we meet Nash and his brother Theo that relocated from NYC and live in her patents' neighborhood. The other story going on, is the serial killers going after people who have died but were brought back with medical science. They feel it's against God's plan. Sloane starts to investigate the matter on her own, when a woman from her area goes missing. I loved the main characters Sloan and Nash and their family combined, but I felt there was no "Meat" to the story. I liked the book, except I really did not like the Serial Killer's story.

4.25 Stars ⭐️

I always seem to preface every book by Nora Roberts with the disclaimer that I am a huge fan of her writing. I think I have probably read every book she has ever read and there are several hundreds. Yep, you read that right, hundreds.

This book is a one off stand alone with a pretty unique premise. In this book, we meet
Natural Resources police officer, Sloan Cooper (did you realize that there was a department that had Natural Resources officers? Me either) Apparently, they have jurisdiction over an entire state (which is in itself very unique) and they mainly focus on federal land, state parks, poaching, lost hikers, etc. but also handle other crimes that regular police officers handle.

In this story, Sloan and her partner had just finished up a case where they found and arrested three criminals who had been preying on campers. On the way back, they stopped at a gas station and Sloan happens to walk in in the middle of a robbery. She was in her uniform and before her mind could process what was happening, the criminal turned and shot her. Twice. One grazed her head and the other just barely missed her heart. It was a serious injury, and she almost died.

She goes home to her parent's home (her home town) to recuperate and it is a tough recovery. Very quickly we learn that Sloan is a perfectionist and does not like to not be at 100%. Her family tries their best to keep her from over doing it, but it is a challenge. She is living with her parents and her sister - who all work for the family business.

In the meantime, two brothers have moved down the road - they purchased an old property with the intention of fixing it up - and are opening a business called the Fix-It Brothers. They are great at what they do, and business takes off quickly. They just happen to arrive in town when the general contractor who had been there forever has just retired and moved away, so it isn't long before they are folded in as an approved contractor for the many resort rental properties that comprise the Cooper's business. One of the brothers begins dating her sister and it just so happens that the other brother and Sloan have been circling around each as well. :)

Sloan is going a little bat crazy waiting to recover and begins following a case where a young woman in a near town disappears on a trip to the grocery store (the day before thanksgiving). It does not make sense, as she was so very excited to be hosting her entire family the next day. It becomes a missing person case, but there are no leads.

One thing I forgot to mention was that when Sloan was shot, she actually died on the operating table and they brought her back. She had a near death experience- as she was able to see her body as they were fighting for her life, and able to see out into the hallway where her partner was talking on the phone to his wife. She could hear him and see him - even though he was not in the room that she was in.

Little by little, there are more of these "disappearances" and no one puts them together. Until Sloan does. Once she realizes that this was not a "random" crime, she begins to dig further and realizes that there have been MANY of these kidnappings and she takes a personal interest in them.

Without going into spoilers, this was probably one of the oddest reasons that I've ever read about for the actual criminals to use to pick out their victims and to justify their actions. We actually get the POV's of the bad guys so that adds a new dimension to the story.

Was this my favorite NR story? No. But, as usual, it kept my interest, and I did enjoy it. The conclusion seemed a little too pat for me. I would have liked a bit more tension, but other than that, it was an easy read with a tied-up conclusion and as I said before, I did enjoy it.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the opportunity to read and review this ARC. The above opinions are mine and mine alone. This book will be out for publication on May 27, 2025.

Sloan Cooper is a great character and she reminded me a lot of the Eve Dallas character in the author’s In Death series. She had a great attention to detail and saw things that others missed. But she also had another side where she was ready to put roots down back home and had a loving family who helped her get better and achieve her goals. I enjoyed learning about the Natural Resource Police, something I knew nothing about.

Sloan’s family (mom, dad, and younger sister) are a family a lot of people would love to be a part of and the introduction of the Littlefield brothers, who become love interests for the sisters, along with Sloan’s part of the investigation are what make the book. And while the idea behind the murders that Sloan is investigating is intriguing, the book lost momentum whenever the killer’s chapters came up. The way the killers are depicted made those chapters annoying to read.

Overall, Nora Roberts writes an engaging suspense novel about a law enforcement agent who changes her life and takes a job back in her hometown after being shot. And while I enjoyed the story as a whole, I didn’t love the oddball characters who were committing the crimes making the feel disjointed.

I know I always say this but Nora's suspense novels never disappoint. I really enjoyed "Hidden Nature". I like when I can picture the area of the country and what the landscape might be. The character development was nicely woven, including the side-players. I started getting nervous around 80% in, because I knew the villains were coming for the female main character and there wasn't much time left in the book. I wasn't sure how it would happen and who else would be caught in the line of fire. The wrap up didn't feel rushed at all, which I appreciate and I liked that the epilogue wasn't too future-forward. Any new Nora book is always a must-read for me! I would definitely recommend this one. Thanks Netgalley for this ARC.