It’s no secret that Nora Roberts is one of my favorite authors of all time. She’s my comfort read of choice. So I was understandably thrilled to find an early audio copy of her newest title, Hidden Nature, waiting for me in my inbox. And the fact that this took place on a day when I was down with a migraine felt like a gift. As I expected it to, the combination of Nora’s easy, lyrical writing, her compelling characters, wonderful sense of family, deep dives into interesting profession, and signature plot tension—all delivered via the dulcet tones of January LaVoy’s narration—carried me away from the headache. There were a few things about this particular novel that kept me from loving it quite as much as a lot of Nora’s other work, but it was still a wonderful narrative respite.

First, the things that worked for me. This list has to start with Nora’s phenomenal storytelling. I love Nora’s writing and voice just as much as I always have. I was immediately entranced. Her style is this phenomenal blend of easy and lyrical, and nothing else pulls me in as quickly or as deeply.

I also really loved this cast of characters. Sloan, our main perspective character, is a natural resource officer who fights her way back from the brink of death with incredible tenacity. She has this beautifully tight, happy, healthy family unit that supports her through it. And then there’s Nash, our male lead. He’s left everything he’s ever known, and the high-powered life he was groomed for, to move to the mountains of Heron’s Rest, Maryland, and start a handyman business. His family life was the opposite of Sloan’s but with an exception. He's incredibly tight with his brother, Theo, who is delightfully exuberant. I loved the family and found-family dynamics in this story; it’s one of the elements Nora always does best. She also does a fantastic job portraying construction and renovation. As her husband is a carpenter, this makes all kinds of sense, and I always enjoy when this is an element in one of her stories.

Sloan and Nash don’t even meet until over a third of the way into the book, and I like that we’re given such solid narrative foundations for both characters before they ever appear together on the page. This makes them stronger both individually and as a unit. I also really enjoyed the fact that some threads of this story remind me of the In Death books. The weirdness of the case. Sloan brainstorming over it with Nash as her sounding board. Her dreams. All of these elements brought Eve and Roarke to mind.

But, as much as I love that correlation, it’s also where some of my issues with the story started. First of all, I found Clara and Sam, our villains, to be deeply disturbed and disturbing. Which is, of course, the point. But their weird, cultish motivations mixed with their loving, well-adjusted couple’s routine made me really uncomfortable, especially as their beliefs were something of a bastardized version of Christianity. The fact that they’re totally in love and almost cute with it made the fact that they were so completely off their rockers more unsettling, as did the religious nature of their crimes. Clara struck me as a vampiristic Stepford wife, and that added element of blood consumption was all kinds of icky. But again, these elements worked for the story. They just grossed and weirded me out, which is totally subjective.

What’s a bit more objective is my critique of how the case was handled. The way Sloan comes to conclusions about the murders, about the who and the why, feels like a stretch. It’s all a bit too on the nose and convenient. That also goes for how everything comes together in the story’s climax. It all seemed kind of easy and tidy.

Also, I can tell that I've been mostly reading clean and Christian fiction, because the language felt a bit harsh. There was more profanity/strong language than I remembered there being in Nora’s work. But that’s another subjective issue. My ability and desire to stomach strong adult content, be it in language, sexuality, or gore, has just diminished with age.

Any day that brings a new Nora Roberts book into my life is a good day. And when that happens to align with me being sick or having a migraine, it makes a bad day so much better. Hidden Nature made a bad day better. I’m not sure it’s one that I’ll be revisiting as often as I have some of her other books, but I still mostly enjoyed my time with it.

Overall I enjoyed this book. I did feel there was too much time focused on the renovations and remodeling descriptions that really added nothing to the story line. I felt it could have been cut back a bit. I listened to the audio and thought the narrator did a good job with all the different voices, however cringed through all the killer’s dialogue, which was more of the way it was written than her interpretation of the voice. I believe the majority of Nora fans will enjoy this book. If you’re new to the author, I would recommend not starting with this book. She has sooooo many others that are much better. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC.

Nora Roberts has done it again! Hidden Nature has many layers and it does not disappoint with its attention to details. This story is multiple POV but the main focus is on Sloan Cooper a strong female police officer that is in the wrong place at the wrong time and get shot.

While recovering Sloan returns to her small town where she meets the love interest. As this relationship slowly develops, Nora Roberts is building a suspenseful, thrilling murder mystery.

The way this story is written you are never upset when the POV changes. The story is constantly building and you can’t wait to see what happens next. Highly recommend, 4⭐️.

Hidden Nature is a twisty tale that showcases Nora Roberts’ blend of mystery and romance. The story follows Sloane, a resilient heroine recovering from a serious injury, as she navigates a new career path and becomes entangled in the unsettling mystery of a string of disappearances.

Roberts does a fantastic job with character development—each character feels fully realized, adding depth and emotional weight to the unfolding suspense. The romantic undertones woven throughout the narrative enhance the story without overshadowing the central mystery.

However, the detailed focus on Sloane’s recovery and her home renovation, while perhaps meant to ground her transformation, sometimes felt overly drawn out. These slower sections occasionally disrupted the pacing and shifted attention away from the more compelling elements of the plot.

Despite this, Hidden Nature remains a solid, enjoyable read. While it could have been more concise, the strong characters and mystery kept me turning the pages.

Sloan Cooper wasn’t just injured on the job — she was practically torn apart. Multiple bullet wounds, months of recovery, a career put on ice. So when she heads to Heron’s Rest, a sleepy lakeside town nestled deep in the Maryland mountains, it’s not about reinvention. It’s about survival. She’s surrounded by family, living in her childhood home, and trying to remember how to breathe without scanning for threats. It’s quiet. It’s healing. It’s... not going to stay that way.

Because “Hidden Nature” is Nora Roberts doing what she does best: cracking open a wounded protagonist, wrapping her in a deceptively cozy setting, and then letting the darkness leak in slow and subtle, like a fog rolling over the water. At first, Sloan is just trying to put one foot in front of the other. She’s not chasing danger. But danger? It knows how to find her.

It starts small — a gut-level suspicion that something’s off. Not just the kind of off that comes with mountain weather and weird locals, but bad wrong, gooseflesh-on-your-neck wrong. Sloan may be healing, but she’s still a cop, and her instincts don’t take time off. As she starts working with the Natural Resources police again, those instincts sharpen — and the situation around Heron’s Rest starts to curdle.

And she’s not alone. Linus, her longtime partner from before the shooting, steps in like the unshakable anchor he’s always been. Their friendship is the kind of no-drama, platonic ride-or-die connection that adds real emotional heft. Linus brings humor, grit, and a constant reminder that Sloan is still part of something bigger than her trauma. He grounds her, and he’s also one of the few people who doesn’t try to protect her from her own strength.

Then there’s the slow, creeping horror. The antagonists in this book? They aren’t the usual backwoods caricatures. They're smart, older, seemingly respectable — which makes it so much worse. If you’ve read “Holly” by Stephen King, you’ll recognize the vibe: evil hiding behind ordinary faces, the kind of people you wouldn’t even clock as dangerous. But there’s an extra layer of unsettling here — these people aren’t picking victims at random. They’re targeting survivors. People who’ve had near-death experiences. People who “saw the light” and came back. It’s not just twisted — it’s purposeful. A sick fixation wrapped in polite smiles and quiet lives. And Roberts doesn’t need gore to make it terrifying. She lets the dread creep in with every interaction, until you’re checking your locks and side-eyeing your neighbors.

The middle third of the book takes its time. It leans heavy into domestic rhythms — family dinners, town gossip, dog antics, and a whole lot of Sloan rebuilding herself in small, quiet ways. But that lull is earned. It’s what makes the stakes feel personal when the tension spikes later on. And the domestic moments aren’t just filler — they’re part of how Sloan figures out what she actually wants from the life she nearly lost.

Speaking of emotional complications: cue the Nash Littlefield situation. New in town. Worked on Wall Street. Now a handyman. By trade. Steady, calm, not here for games. Their chemistry builds gradually — think loaded silences and careful glances instead of insta-lust. But things are complicated by the fact that Sloan’s sister Callie is already deep in a thing with Nash’s brother, Jace. Yeah. The “our siblings are dating” awkwardness is real, and it adds just enough tension to make every interaction between Sloan and Nash feel like a slow dance in a minefield.

And bless Roberts for not rushing it. Sloan isn’t magically “better.” She doesn’t fall into Nash’s arms and become whole again. She claws her way back to herself, and the romance is just one piece of that puzzle. What really makes this book hit early on is that when Sloan is offered a chance to stay — not out of necessity, but because her skills are needed and her career can actually grow here — she chooses it. Not because of Nash — they aren’t even together yet. Not because of fear. But because Heron’s Rest finally feels like something she’s fully a part of, not something she escaped to.

Final verdict? Four strong stars. This isn’t a high-octane thriller — it’s a slow-burning, emotionally rich suspense story with real stakes, real trauma, and real healing. It gives you a heroine worth rooting for, villains that’ll make your skin crawl, and just enough mountain-town charm to make you wonder if living off-grid is worth the risk of vanishing hikers. If you’re here for atmospheric dread, family dynamics, and a career-driven woman clawing her way back from the edge — welcome to Heron’s Rest.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC.

I will never not enjoy a Nora Roberts book! Her writing is a comfort to me and I will always love her characters, their relationships (significant others, family, and friends), and the settings are always so enjoyable! While the pace of this one was a little slower than normal (we start off with a bang, then we dip for quite a bit and it's just day-to-day life, then the suspense and relationship building really kicks into gear around 60%), I still enjoyed it! Nora always has a way of sweeping me away into the worlds of her books and this one was no exception.

The suspense plotline was interesting (and by that, I mean the motivations behind the crimes) and not one I was totally on board with, if I'm being honest, but I still enjoyed the story and how it was interwoven throughout the character arcs and their storylines.

So while this is not my favorite Nora Roberts book, I still really liked it and enjoyed my time listening to it!

Hidden Nature is a fast paced suspense thriller/romance. If you're a Nora Roberts fan, you can't help but enjoy her latest about Natural Resources police officer Sloan and her new guy Nash. Her sister and his brother Theo are also a couple so there's lots of family interaction and support of one another. I thoroughly enjoyed watching Sloan figure out who was behind the serial killing she started to research during her recovery after a shooting. Great setting as usual. Nora Roberts is always a must read for me!

Many thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to read/listen to the audio and review. January LaVoy did an amazing job like always! All opinions are my own.

Publication date: 27 May 2025

👮🏻‍♀️ Injured Police Officer
🔍 Missing People
🗡 Murders
💜 Romance
😱 Suspense/Thriller

This was an absolute masterpiece! 😍

I'm pretty sure this is my first Nora Roberts book, although I do own a few others on my tbr! All I can say is that I will definitely be reading more of her writing! Wow. The narrator did a fantastic job of bringing this book to life as well.

*I received an advance review copy for free in the form of an audiobook (advanced listening copy) from NetGalley, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. This is my honest feedback about the book as an avid reader.*

Love Mop & Tick. 🥹💜 So wholesome.

I love the different stories all tying in together. The little bits of romance. The home renovations & descriptions. Overall, I just really loved this book.

Huge thank you to the author, McMillan Audio & NetGalley. 💜

I really enjoyed this story, like the majority of the stories by Nora Roberts. The main charachters Sloan and Nash are very enjoyable, and relatable. They both have histories that have shapped them into who they are today. Along with plenty of trauma that they have and are working through. I liked that they build up to their relationship was not a quick one but grew as they actually got to know eachother. That was nice to see, and also they are both really nice people who care for and show thier love to their family.

The mystery in this story doesnt really come into the last half of the story, thoguht you do see peaks of it early on in the story. The mystery is one that is the disapperance of seemingly random people with initially no connection to one another. But Sloan being who she is pulls it all together.

The ending of the story, did seemed to be a bit rushed to me. But that could also be beacuas of the long lead up to Sloan and Nashs relationship. And all the amazing supporting charachters who showed up. This is the only downside to the story for me, and its really not a big one. The ending wrapped up the story very nicely.

If you enjoy Nora Roberts books, you will like this one for sure.
The narrator ,  January LaVoy, for the audiobook is one that is easy to listen to and did a great jon with the differences between Sloan and Nashs viewpoints

Thank you to Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for this advanced audiobook.

I absolutely loved this book. I can't wait until I can read the next book by Nora Roberts. Five out of five stars from me and would be more if I could.

I very much enjoyed the story. A cozy mystery with romance mixed in. I really enjoyed the main characters their story line and development, some of the periphery characters lacked depth and the antagonist reminded me of a child’s mentality to some degree. I also want to add that sisters marrying brothers isn’t my favorite trope but didn’t really detract from the story for me.
Thank you to Netgalley and MacMillan audio for the advance copy. I will post review on GoodReads upon release date.

Hidden Nature began with a bang and kept the intensity going for the entire novel. For Sloan Cooper this is a story of second chances and she’s happy for the opportunity. She welcomes the chance to recover from her injuries surrounded by family. I loved the inner strength she relied on and it’s apparent where she came by it – her family.

Once Sloan is ready to go back to work she is offered a new position that she happily accepts. It will keep her close to home and now is the time for that. She also meets a new man who lives not far from her. He’s a contractor and it just happens that her family’s resort business needs a new contractor. If you’ve read a Nora Roberts novel chances are it included heavy doses of home renovation projects. I’m a fan of all that. But, the focus of the novel is Sloan making a connection with a rash of unexplained disappearances of people in a tristate area. Roberts reveals to the reader the gruesome details and POV of two serial killers and their deluded, righteous motivation. I found that very creepy. If you can get past that you will probably find Hidden Nature as hard to put down as I did. It’s a good Romantic Suspense novel.

Narration: January LaVoy's narration was really good. There are a lot of characters to voice and I thought she did a fantastic job. Her performance enhanced my experience with the book.

Nora Roberts' "Hidden Nature" blends romantic suspense with a compelling mystery. The story centers on Sloan Cooper, a Natural Resources Police officer, whose life takes a dramatic turn after a shooting. During her recovery, Sloan becomes engrossed in a series of disappearances, uncovering a twisted case that spans several states.

Roberts skillfully balances the suspense of the investigation with Sloan's personal journey, including her burgeoning relationship with Nash. The novel is set in the familiar, comforting small-town atmosphere that Roberts is known for, adding a layer of warmth to the gripping plot.

What I Liked:

Strong Protagonist: Sloan is a resilient and relatable character. Her determination to solve the mystery, even while recovering from a traumatic experience, makes her compelling.

Intriguing Mystery: The disappearances are mysterious and unsettling, with Roberts doling out clues at a satisfying pace.

Dual storylines: The book effectively alternates between the perspectives of Sloan and the killers, increasing the suspense.

Romantic Element: The romance between Sloan and Nash adds a pleasant dynamic to the story without overshadowing the central mystery.

Pacing: The book has a good pace, with a mix of action and slower character development.

I really enjoyed this book!
I have never read a Nora Roberts book before but it has been on my very long list! She really pulled me in with this story holding the suspenseful true crime feel but with a strangers to lovers situationship thrown in.
The narrator for the audiobook also did a great job with the character differentiation!
4/5 for me

I listened to the audiobook and the narrator did an excellent job. She kept me listening to the story and grateful to have a long road trip. The beginning provides background on Sloan and why she is back home in Heron's Rest with her family. A near fatal gunshot wound has her pondering her life and the direction she wants to go. When offered a job to stay and work there, she decides she wants to be by family and take the new position. She buys a fixer upper and uses the services of a new business in town run by brothers Nash and Theo. They have moved to town after deciding they didn't want the lives their parents pushed them into and wanted a career they chose. Sloan and Nash find themselves attracted to each other but fight it at first since their siblings Drea and Theo are dating. Nash's quiet and thoughtful character is the perfect match for Sloan's driven nature especially once she has figured out their is a serial killer in town. The justification for the killing is very bizarre and can be uncomfortable at times. The heaviness of the killings is balanced by the theme of family and that family can be born or chosen. As Sloan starts figuring out more about the killings, the more worried Nash becomes. The story is a good mix of romance, mystery and suspense.

This one was a bit of a slow burn for me. There was a lot of minute detail about Sloan's recovery during the first half of the book, which didn't feel entirely necessary to character development or plot. The romance piece was nicely done, as always. The serial killer couple were seriously creepy, which was interesting, but I never quite understood their motivation. The narrator of the audio version did an excellent job differentiating the voices of all the different characters, so I would highly recommend the audio on this one.

First off, I want to say how much I loved this book. Secondly, you should listen to the audiobook. January LaVoy knocks it out of the park with the narration. This is one of Nora Roberts' stand-alone thrillers. I don't know how she keeps coming up with unique and interesting books, but she does.

Sloan Cooper interrupts a robbery and, in the process, gets shot. She dies on the table but gets shocked back to life. It's a long road back to recovery, and she's moved home to do it. When a young girl disappears, she discovers she has things in common with her. She's determined to find out what happened to her. The more she looks into the disappearance, the more she's sure she has a serial killer on her hands. She must stop them before she becomes their next target.

This was my first foray into Nora Roberts’s work, and I was genuinely excited to dive in after hearing so much acclaim surrounding her name. The audiobook started strong—action, suspense, and full of promise. I was hooked, ready for the twisty, genre-blending ride. But somewhere along the way, the tension gave way to tile samples.

The plot lost its urgency and instead settled into a strangely detailed focus on home renovations. Kitchens, flooring, paint colors—great if I were redecorating, not so much for a novel that teased a chilling thriller. By the halfway mark, it felt like the real story had taken a backseat.
Then came the portrayal of the serial killers—as devout Christians. It didn’t sit right with me. Not because villains can’t be religious, but because it felt like their faith was weaponized as a narrative device, and not in a way that added depth or nuance. It felt like a sweeping judgment that could have been handled more thoughtfully.

And genre-wise? The book couldn’t seem to make up its mind. One moment it was veering into romantic tension, the next it was dipping into psychological horror, and then it was back to countertops and trim work. The inconsistency made it hard to stay invested.
That said, the narrator deserves serious praise. She managed an entire cast of characters with distinct, believable voices, and her performance is the main reason I made it to the end. If I had been reading a physical copy, I likely would’ve DNF’d.

In the end, this book had all the ingredients—mystery, romance, dark intrigue—but the execution left me underwhelmed. I can see why Nora Roberts has fans, but this one wasn’t the right entry point for me.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC of Hidden Nature by Nora Roberts. I have only recently started reading Nora's books. This one was pretty heavy.

At this time, I don't want to ruin what or why the people start to go missing. Sometimes I feel like I just pick a book to read because it is an author I like. But sometimes I should do more research into what I am getting myself in to. This book definitely had a creepy vibe. Times I just wanted to skip by some things. I am glad I stuck through it. I will update my review more once it has been released.

I did appreciate the strong female lead character. Loved the animals in the book Tic and Mop. Kind of a cheesy romance but I enjoyed it.

Hidden Nature is a standalone mystery by Nora Roberts. I think this is the first book I’ve read by the author (which I feel is kind of surprising considering how well known she is) and I really enjoyed it! I will definitely be reading more of her books!

Wow!!!! I loved this book!!!! There was just so much good in this book, I don’t even know where to start! Sloan is absolutely incredible! Strong and determined, and an absolute powerhouse in restarting her life after a near-death experience. I loved her family too!

The story was so intense! I was rooting for Sloan and was confident she would figure out the clues! So good!!!!

The narration by January LaVoy was wonderful! I loved how she brought the book to life!

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Hidden Nature by Nora Roberts
Narrated by January LaVoy
Publisher: Macmillan Audio
Genre: Women's Fiction
Expected Publication Date: May 27, 2025