Sloan Cooper was just finishing up a successful arrest when she walked into a convenience store and interrupted an armed robbery. Sloan was shot trying to handle the situation. After being brought back to life on the operating table, Sloane returns back to her childhood home to rest and recuperate. When a local woman goes missing, Sloane gets pulled into the mystery and just may risk her life again in the process.

I can't really ding Nora Roberts on this one because I know exactly what I'm getting into when I pick up one of her books. This one felt a little too formulaic and I couldn't stand the villains. Obviously that's to be expected. They are villains after all and you're not supposed to "like" the bad guys, but these two were grating on my nerves and irritating. As in other books by Roberts, we are introduced to the antagonists early on. I wish that this time we, the readers, got to experience the mystery along with the characters instead of waiting for them to play catch up with what we already know - usually at the very end. Considering my dislike of the antagonists this one felt like it dragged a bit too much to get to the conclusion.

I do like the mundane, the day-to-day and the life of the characters. Sloan had something traumatic happen and I was interested in seeing how she rebuilt her life afterwards. I love seeing the human connection and the building of relationships. The added "bad guys" just didn't mesh.

I don't have much more to say about the book. If you've read Nora Roberts before, this book won't surprise or break any new ground for you. That's not necessarily a bad thing, it's just a fact and the nature of an author who has 200+ titles to just their name (not counting, you know, that other famous penname).

Hidden Nature by Nora Roberts is a fantastic standalone novel. We meet our heroine, Sloan Cooper, who is a respected police officer in the Maryland Natural Resources. She has just finished an operation with her partner, capturing dangerous hikers in the mountains. She stops in a convenience store, and is gunned down by an armed robber; almost dying before being shocked back on the operating table multiple times. Sloan moves back home to Heron’s Rest, staying with her family’s resort, to recuperate for her long recovery ahead.

While she becomes bored during recovery, Sloan hears about a case of a missing women, and is drawn to this intriguing case, as the women was abducted from a grocery store parking lot. She begins to research on her own and soon discovers that other missing people from other areas, Maryland, Pennsylvania, West Virgina that have disappeared. Sloane discovers a chilling pattern, with multiple people of different genders having disappeared abandoning their cars; suggesting a serial killer. The deeper she investigates, she suspects that maybe she would be on the killers list.

I really loved how Sloan’s family and friends were so great, including her parents and sister, Drea. We meet both Nash and Theo Littlefield, who moved from New York, with both leaving behind their careers, and forming a handyman business, The Fix-It Brothers. In a short time, their business begins to escalate, and Sloan having bought a house, hires them to fix her place. Sparks spark between Theo and Drea, as they both find themselves falling in love. Nash finds himself intrigued with Sloan, especially helping her on some of the cases; with Nash realizing that he is also falling in love with Sloane, as she also has strong feelings.

The antagonists were chilling, as well as evil. Especially killing the victims who all had survived near death. Sloan and Nash find themselves working together to uncover the truth about the killers.

Hidden Nature was a fantastic intriguing thriller, that was a blend of suspense, romance, mystery and action-packed. Sloan was a terrific heroine, who was dedicated, tenacious, decisive and gripping. Hidden Nature was so very well written by Nora Roberts. I suggest you read Hidden Nature, which was an exciting thriller.

Sloan Cooper and her partner on their way back to the station they just had a great bust and things are looking good. The two make a stop for gas and Sloan runs into the store where her life is.changed forever. The store is being held up and before she has a chance to react she is shot. She lives but.the road to recovery is going to take time, until she can be by herself she has to move in with her parents. While recuperating she starts looking into a case of a woman disappearing. She soon finds other missing persons cases that look to be related. She can only do so much because of her health but she isn't going to give up on helping these missing people. Follow along and see where the case takes her.

Sloane's day goes horribly wrong, and she is shot. She's now home with her parents and recovering. While recovering, she reads about the disappearance of a woman that she can't get out of her head. With a bit of research, she discovers a pattern and needs to solve the mystery before she's next.

Hidden Nature by Nora Roberts is a standalone romantic suspense that built in suspense while engaging the reader with family, romance, and charm. You’ll want to grab a cup of tea and curl up with this one!

Hidden Nature is a standalone novel about an injured cop who digs into a local murder and discovers a serial killer. This novel had a small-town vibe with community, family and a delicious romance to spice things up.

Sloan Cooper, a Natural Resources police officer, is gravely injured at a gas station. Facing a long recovery and with no one to help her, she returns to her parents’ house in Heron’s Rest. Her sister lives nearby, and her parents’ property borders a lake. It’s the perfect place to recoup, build back her strength to get back to the job she loves. Life, however, has other plans in-store for her and the story that unfolds pulled me in as the outside world slipped away.

Sloan is pushing herself and following orders, but he suffers some setbacks. During this time, she becomes curious about a local missing woman. That curiosity leads her to explore and discover similar cases. The case was a suspenseful one filled with danger. The case was well done and stretches over three counties. It has a made for TV vibe and kept me hooked.

The story also shares life at Heron’s Rest, and the handsome neighbors who move in next door. All of which gave this thriller a cozy, swoon-worth side. From home improvement to puppies, readers enjoy not one but two romances. The story is perfectly balanced between dark and light with new beginnings, life changes and heart.

Hidden Nature is the perfect romantic suspense to pack in your beach tote or for a raining summer afternoon.

Sloan Cooper, a Natural Resources Officer, was shot on duty and barely survived. Having to take time off for recovery she stays with her parents back in her hometown of Heron’s Rest, Maryland where they run a vacation rental business on the picturesque lake.

As Sloan works toward recovery the disappearance of a young woman on Thanksgiving Day captures her attention and sticks with her. She does a little bit of armchair detecting, but it gets put on the back burner when nothing turns up. Then there’s another similar disappearance leading Sloan to look for a past pattern.

The villains had their POV which was more than a little disturbing and chilled me to the bone! I was on the edge knowing that Sloan fit their victim profile.

As this is happening, brothers, Nash and Theo Littlefield buy up a wreck of a house planning on starting their own construction business while renovating the place. Sloan and Nash end up running into each other over and over and the immediate attraction felt slowly turns into something.

As with most Nora Roberts’ stories, Hidden Nature was a combination of mystery, suspense, danger and romance happening in amongst an idyllic sort of life: family, friends, dinners, décor, renovations in a gorgeous setting. Heron’s Rest sounded beautiful! I was captivated by all of it.

I alternately read and listened to an audio copy of Hidden Nature and recommend either version. January LaVoy’s voice is rich and pleasing, and she brought all the characters to life, male and female, each distinct with appropriate emotion.

I always look forward to Nora Roberts' latest standalone novel every year, and HIDDEN NATURE is no different. Packed with suspense, romance, and the secret sauce of storytelling that Roberts has spent decades honing, HIDDEN NATURE is for long-time fans of Roberts as well as fans of the romantic suspense/thriller genre.

Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press, and Macmillan Audio as well as Ms. Roberts for these ARCs in exchange for my honest review.
#NetGalley @NetGalley #St.Martin’sPress @St. Martin’sPress #NoraRoberts #HiddenNature
#BookReview #Fiction #MacmillanAudio @MacAudio25 #MacAudio25 #JanuaryLaVoy @JanuaryLaVoy

Title: Hidden Nature
Author: Nora Roberts
Formats: eBook, audiobook
Narrator: January LaVoy
Publishers: St. Martin’s Press with Macmillan Audio
Publication Date: May 27, 2025
Themes: Police work, religion, life and death, human monster, family
Trigger Warnings: police officer injured in the line of work, religious discussions, some violence, assisted death, gun violence, stalking, kidnapping, big age difference, alcohol use

This is another great book by the queen herself. Nora Roberts is one of my favorites and I loved this book as much as I loved her previous works. The strong female protagonist that Nora Roberts does so well is Sloan Cooper. She’s a talented police officer who is grievously wounded by a gunshot on the job. She is shocked back to life on the operating table. She returns to her parents’ house to recuperate when she’s released from the hospital. While she recovers, she discovers her happiness lies near her family and she buys a home and begins a new life as a member of the Natural Resource Police. When she gets wind of a series of missing person cases, she can’t help but wonder if there’s more to them than meets the eye.

Roberts follows a very specific formula in her books. Strong female, new chapter in life, gets a dog, finds love in a strong and silent man, some kind of danger slowly inching closer to the woman until she’s forced to save herself with or without the man. No exception here. Obviously this isn’t a bad thing as I’ve read every one of them. This one spent less time on the love story part, which I liked. It was clear what happened but the reader is allowed to fill in the details. I also enjoyed the time and care this story took to unfurl itself. Roberts writes characters well and it was nice to spend some time with them. I often find myself missing them when the story ends. I found this to be more evident than normal with this story. I also loved ‘Tic the dog. One of the things I always look forward to in Roberts’ stories is the animal cast of characters. This particular book saw the man getting the dog but we mustn’t be sticklers.

A word about January LeVoy as the narrator; fabulous.

All in all, this is another solid novel by Nora Roberts. It’s familiar, comforting, and dependable as a good read. I recommend it for any fan of the author as well as fans of feel-good fiction.

Hidden Nature by Nora Roberts is a spectacular mystery. Sloan is a Natural Resource officer who was recently shot during a robbery. While recovering, she finds a pattern of missing women and she dives into the mystery. To me, this is exactly what I expect from a Nora Roberts story! A heroine with a past who is determined to move forward, a crazy killer, and a romance!

Roberts writes great characters-the good and the bad! The story starts in a sleepy town with an injured cop who needs to recover. As it goes on, things get creepy. Who can you trust? Who is good? Who is bad? At times, the pacing felt slow. It leans into the small town vibes a bit hard and it makes things feel like they drag. But, they mystery is good and creepy enough to keep me reading/listening through the slow parts. Overall, I guess you could describe the whole story as a slow burn-the mystery, the romance-all of it. And I mean that in a good way!

Nora Roberts is a master of small-town romantic suspense, and Hidden Nature delivers exactly what I love about her work. The setting of Heron Rest is charming and atmospheric, and the central families, the Coopers and the Littlefields, feel like people you’d want to sit down and have coffee with.

The story grabbed me from the start when Sloan Cooper, a Natural Resources Police officer, was shot during a convenience store robbery while off duty. Facing a tough recovery, she heads home to heal, but she can't resist doing some behind the scenes investigating when a woman disappears without a trace.

The "bad guys" are a couple who use religion to justify their crimes. There were times when my stomach was flipping and turning because I was afraid of what would happen to Sloan.

What really stood out to me, besides the strong sense of place and the slow-burn romance, was how some of the dialogue between Sloan and Nash reminded me of Eve and Roarke from Roberts’ In Death series. That same sharp banter and emotional honesty between characters made me smile and gave the story a little extra spark.

The suspense was well-paced, the romance felt natural, and the secondary characters added warmth and heart. Another solid read from Roberts and one I’d recommend if you enjoy a good blend of romance, mystery, and small-town drama.

It’s always amazing to me that Nora Roberts can write such unique stories every time. I really enjoyed Nash and Theo as the Fix-It Brothers. I like that Nora’s stories are about regular people building regular lives. The side romance was an added bonus, which added to feeling like you were living in the story with the characters.

I found my first Nora Roberts novel in a Reader’s Digest Condensed Books volume when I was probably way too young to read romance and romantic suspense, and I never looked back. I’m a lifelong Nora Roberts fan and will usually always recommend her books to anyone who will listen to me prattle on and on about the queen of romantic suspense. So, it absolutely pains me to write this review because this book was not up to par for me. The first half reads like her typical books, with good, in-depth character development of the main characters. However, it lacked the development of the villains in a significant way. It left me wanting so much more of their backstory in Roberts’ typical way. The chemistry between the main characters was meh at best. And it took me entirely too long to finish this story. Usually, I devour her books in hours to two days, max.

Nora Roberts refuses to stay in any mold when it comes to her writing, which is why she’s considered a queen among a plethora of talented authors. Some of her books I’ve loved, some I’ve not cared for at all, and some I’ve been ambivalent about. Unfortunately, this one falls into the “ambivalent” category. Regardless, her talent for weaving incredible stories brings me back time and again, as she has done for many years, and despite this new release being a miss for me, I’ll always give her books a chance.

NICUnurse’s Rating: ⭐⭐⭐

Natural Resources police officer, Sloan Cooper, and her partner had just taken down three men preying on hikers in the Western Maryland mountains. Driving back, she pulled in at a convenience store—and walked right into a robbery in progress. One gunshot from a jittery thief was about to change her world.

After Sloan is shot. She goes through a myriad of emotions. And no one does this better than Nora Roberts. She creates some of the best emotional characters. And Sloan definitely has her share of drama. And this also leads her to be a target for a set of serial killers.

However, I was not a fan of the “evil people” in this novel…yes I know I am not supposed to be. But, they just seemed a bit elementary. And their banter is just terrible.

I usually get Nora Roberts’ books on audio because I absolutely love this narrator. January LaVoy is excellent!

Even though this is not my favorite Nora book, it is still a good story full of great characters!

I received this novel from the publisher for a honest review.

This book had me in a choke hold from start to finish. Literally, from the first line! I adored Sloan. She was a natural resource police officer (I didn’t even know those existed). She gets shot early on and the hospital has to bring her back to life. She moves home to recover. In the process, her and her sister meet Theo and Nash. A lot develops once she goes home.
I loved Sloan’s character growth. Nora did a great job taking her time and developing this story. There was a good mystery. A fun love story. Great conflict. A solid ending! There wasn’t anything I didn’t like. Nora always gives us a great story! I received this book from St Martin’s press and Netgalley. All opinions are my own.

Hidden Nature by Nora Roberts is a mystery and thriller/romance story that stands alone. I'm a fairly new fan of Ms. Roberts, only having read some of her more recent books. I really enjoyed this one. The mystery part of the book was very good, but the family theme was most enjoyable and touching.

Sloan Cooper, a Natural Resources police officer, and her partner had just arrested three men who were preying on hikers in the Western Maryland Mountains. They stopped at a convenience store, and Sloan walked right into a robbery in progress. She was shot and her life was forever changed. She died on the operating table and was shocked back to life. She had a long recovery on the road ahead, so she moved back to her family's home in Heron's Rest. Wanting to continue law enforcement work, Sloan reads about a woman who disappeared and left her car behind in a supermarket parking lot. She searches online for similar cases, and she finds them spread across three states. What could this diverse group possibly have in common? The count of abductions grows. A new man in her life is interested and supportive of Sloan's need to solve this mystery. She willing to risk her life to put end to the reign of terror.

This was a riveting story. The serial killer angle was a bit unusual, so it made for a great mystery. This book was especially compelling when not dealing with the deadly duo who was responsible for the missing victims, but instead focused on Sloan, her recovery and family. Her family owned a mountain resort named All the Rest. It sounded like a place I'd love to visit! In the mountains by a lake, All the Rest featured camping, boating, water sports, rest and relaxation for those wanting to escape it all. Sloan had a difficult road ahead of her due to a horrific gunshot wound to the chest, and her parents' house was a peaceful place to recuperate. She didn't realize how much she needed to be with her parents, sister Drea and family dog Mop, until she was back home. The cases that involved missing persons who seemed to have disappeared without a trace gave her something to focus on beyond healing from her injuries. There were two new residents of Heron's Rest, transplants from New York: Nash Littlefield and his younger brother Theo. Nat cut ties with his estranged parents and moved to Heron's Rest to leave his established career to form a handyman business. Theo followed him, wanting to start anew also. Together they formed The FIx-It Brothers. That's where Nash's interest truly was, and Theo wanted to be with his brother and away from their terrible parents. There was a great contrast between the Cooper and Littlefield families, and the brothers were drawn into the Cooper family and welcomed. Theo quickly became entranced by younger Cooper sister Drea, while Nash became friends with Sloan, which became something more. Nash was interested with Sloan's quest to solve the disappearances, and Sloan bounced ideas off Nash, when they weren't remodeling their new homes. There are some lovely lovemaking scenes, but nothing is particularly graphic, which was a nice change of pace in a romance! We began to learn about Clara and Sam, the people behind the disappearances. What a chilling couple! The showdown between good and evil is not to be missed. Besides our leads, there were great supporting characters, such as Sloan's former partner Joel Warren and his sweet wife Siri. I loved Sloan's relationship with them. I enjoyed Sloan's family and their closeness and support for each other. Dogs Tic and Mop were adorable! And Clara and Sam's activities, habits and plans will make your flesh crawl. I hated to leave Heron's Rest and its residents behind!

I received an ARC of this book courtesy of the publisher and NetGalley. I received no compensation for my review, and all thoughts and opinions expressed are entirely my own.

"Plans adjust. Otherwise they're rules."

I need new Nora the way I need air to breathe, and this one did not disappoint. In her timeless style, we follow a due of serial killers with a disturbing purpose that out main character falls right into perfectly. Their disturbing journey seems to be the opposite of hers, which is to heal in this new life she's been allowed to pursue. It's beautiful, and elegant, and fun, and joyful. It's the story of a woman that was meant to die, but escaped it and finally began to live. It's the story of friendship, and family, and love, and what happens when you finally open up to the right person.

It was everything I love about escaping into a Nora Roberts book, and it always will be.

Since this book is divided into three distinct parts, I’ll review it accordingly.

Part 1: I was hooked from the very beginning. As Sloan is thrust into a life or death situation, she’s forced to reevaluate everything and confront what truly matters. Her struggle to let go of her old life and fight for a new one was compelling and emotionally charged. I was fully invested in her journey and loved how the story explored the outcome of her trauma and need for survival.

Part 2: Unfortunately, this section completely lost me. While I understand that Roberts was aiming to develop Sloan’s character and provide context, the pacing slowed to a crawl. The focus on her daily walks and home renovations felt repetitive and unnecessary. It disrupted the tension and momentum built in the first part and made it hard to stay engaged.

Part 3: Wait….that’s it? After such a long build up, the confrontation with the killers felt rushed and underwhelming. I wish this part of the story had been introduced earlier and allowed to unfold with more suspense. A slower, more psychological cat and mouse game between Sloan and Clara could’ve made the ending fantastic, giving it more of a Silence of the Lambs vibe. The potential was there for a powerful clash of wills, but it didn’t fully deliver like I was expecting.

Overall, I really enjoyed the beginning and ending, but the middle dragged for me. Still, if you enjoy a slow-burn story with a dramatic, fast-paced conclusion, this might be right up your alley.

*Thank you to Nora Roberts, St. Martin's Press and Netgalley for the ARC copy. I am freely leaving my honest review.

Oh man, I really loved this one and it was a fast read. The pacing was great and I really loved the relationship between Sloan and her family and between brothers Nash and Theo. I love how she entwined the three narratives of Sloan, Nash and the killers and how we kept getting more clues as we went to who they were and how close Sloan was getting to figuring everything out. I loved the ending it was so good and tied everything up nicely. Nora never disappoints when writing a good mystery and this one was no exception.
Thanks to St. Martins Press and Netgalley for the complimentary copy of this book. All opinions in this review are my own.

Both the characters and the storyline in this book were captivating. The romance between two very likeable characters, Sloan and Nash, was endearing. And then the murders/mystery crashed into their story and puts the reader on watch for how that is going to affect this couple. As a Natural Resources police officer just returning from leave after being shot, Sloan's determination to move forward doesn't initially include romance, but then Nash happens. Sloan's family ties also play a very important part in this book - and I have to say I really enjoyed their interplay, as well as all the decorating and landscaping ideas as Sloan and Nash each "save" old houses to become their homes. While there is much going on outside of solving the murders, Roberts has a way of bringing each crime into focus all on its own without making it or the normalcy of day-to-day living for Sloan and Nash appear as an afterthought to the other. Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the opportunity to read and review this advance reader copy. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. #NetGalley #HiddenNature

Sloan Cooper, a cop, is shot when she accidentally walks into a robbery. Flatlining, she is shocked back to life and recovers, but finds the road to recovery is a long and difficult one full of setbacks and hard lessons. Needing help in her recovery process, she moves back home and discovers that her planned life might not be the right path for her to take after all.

Hidden Nature, is Nora Roberts at her absolute best! The story is a thriller and a romance in one! It has a lovable cast of characters you can’t help but root for, and a villain team that is written with such detail that you can’t help but feel some empathy for them as well.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves a fast paced thriller, with a whole lot of romance mixed in, and some great family dynamics.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and Nora Roberts for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.