Thank you to netgalley and the publishers for allowing me to review this audiobook!

It was a really interesting read and the concept was definitely different from the typical thrillers I’m used to reading. Hidden Nature definitely falls more along the lines of a suspenseful romance. It was slow burn with lots of character development and found family. While I enjoyed the story line I wish we could have had a bit more suspense and seen the POV of the killers more. By the ending I felt like the wrap up was too easily resolved and I was hoping that would be more action packed and suspenseful.

This was my first Nora Robert’s read and I’ll definitely be checking out more of her books, I can tell she’s a great writer but I don’t think this genre is what she is known for.

Thank you, Net Galley for the advanced audio of HIDDEN NATURE by Nora Roberts. I look forward to Roberts' romantic thrillers every year and this novel did not disappoint. This novel tells the story of a natural resources office named Sloan Cooper. It also discusses her new relationship with Nash who left his high paying job in New York and settled in a tiny town in Maryland to be a contractor, A Mr. Fix-it so to speak as his new company, started with his brother Theo, is called. While being a very enjoyable read, this book provided a lot of insight about being a natural resource officer. and everything that job entails.

Audiobook Review: Hidden Nature by Nora Roberts
Narrated by January LaVoy

I received this audiobook from NetGalley and truly appreciate the opportunity to discover and read new authors and share my thoughts.

This was my very first book by Nora Roberts, and I was hooked from the very first words. I completely understand why she’s such a beloved author. Hidden Nature was beautifully written—rich in emotion, suspense, and character development. I genuinely didn’t want to stop listening (though studying and mom duties had to come first!).

The narrator, January LaVoy, was incredible. Her performance was easily one of my favorites—she delivered every line with the perfect tone, emotion, and rhythm. She brought the characters to life in a way that made the story even more immersive.

Although I was initially hesitant due to the length of the audiobook, I’m so glad I gave it a chance. I was immediately drawn into the world, and once it ended, I actually felt a little sad to leave it. I enjoyed it so much, I’m planning to buy a physical copy to add to my “trophy case” of favorite reads.

Also—can we talk about Sloan and Nash? I adored their chemistry and story arc, and I would love to know more about what the future holds for them. I truly wasn’t ready to say goodbye to those two!

I would absolutely recommend Hidden Nature to anyone looking for a story that blends mystery, romance, and emotional depth. Whether you’re new to Nora Roberts or a longtime fan, this one’s worth the listen.

Thank you again to NetGalley for the opportunity to enjoy and review this wonderful audiobook!

The latest standalone by Nora Roberts is a perfect mix of suspense, romance and small town life. Roberts often adds a fix-it theme to her stories and I enjoy that aspect immensely. The murder and suspense is scary and unsettling and leads the characters on the trail of the killers. As usual, this book hits the mark.

This review was originally posted on Books of My Heart


Review copy was received from NetGalley. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Nora Roberts and January LaVoy are a favorite combination of excellent work. Romantic suspense is a favorite genre with the multiple emotional pulls from the romance and the suspense and thrill of the mystery. Hidden Nature has many other great themes with families, home renovation work, good cooking, gardening, natural resource law enforcement and dogs.

The characters are so likeable and have great growth in both their careers and their personal relationships (bad guys not included). The brothers are leaving the city and paperwork jobs to work with building and fixing things. Nash and Theo are are making a new life and start together. Theo has always wanted a dog so Nash gets him one.

Sloan stays with her parents during her recuperation after being shot. She walks with their dog, builds her strength and enjoys the outdoor beauty of the area. She has missed her family and the mountains. A case starts right when she is hurt where a woman has been abducted from a parking lot the day before Thanksgiving. So it becomes her project to keep her mind busy as she gets better.

Sloan gets offered a promotion staying right there with the nature resources police and decides to take it. She buys a cottage near her parents and starts renovating it with help from her Dad and her new next door neighbors, Nash and Theo.

Sloan and Nash get close. He is a good listener as she gets more ideas and connects more abductions to the woman at Thanksgiving. I love the smart deductions she makes. We get to see the villains too. Yeah, they are looney tunes. I love all the home renovations Sloan does on her cottage and Nash does on his home and for clients.

I just loved so many aspects of Hidden Nature and highly recommend it.


Narration:
January LaVoy is a favorite narrator. As usual, I really enjoyed her performance of all the voices. They were distinct enough for me to recognize characters and comfortably appropriate. I was able to listen at my usual 1.5x speed.

🎧 Audiobook +📗 E-book: Hidden Nature - a standalone

✍🏾 Author: Nora Roberts-I've read The Lost Bride trilogy 5*

📃Page Count: 448

📅Publication date: 5-27-25 | Read: 5-27-25

🏃🏾‍➡️Run Time: 14:30

🌎 Setting: Maryland-Heron's Rest

👆🏾POV: 3rd person multiple

Genre: Mystery/Thriller, Suspense, Romance

Tropes: atmospheric-snowy woods, criminal investigation, love at 1st sight -not H/h

⚠️TW: h shot, serial killers

🗣️Narrator: January LaVoy voices all the characters with standouts from Sloan, Nash, and Theo. The reading style brought the text to life, and the author and narrator worked together perfectly. The pacing and flow allowed me to get lost in the story. The narrator paused and announced new chapters and there was a table of contents which helped me follow along.


Summary: After capturing three men who went on a killing spree, Sloan is shot at a minimart after a robbery. She requires rest and physical therapy which she finds hard to do because she's used to her job. When a missing person sparks her interest, she starts making connections in other deaths in West Virginia and Pennsylvania. Nash does renovations with Sloan's father's rental property business. Together Sloan and Nash work together when Sloan becomes a target.


👩🏾 Heroine: Sloan Cooper- National Resources Police officer

👨🏾 Hero: Nash Littlefield-a contractor, just moved to Maryland w/ new business "The Fix-It Brothers"

🎭 Side Characters:
*Joel Warren + Sari-Sloan's partner and his pregnant wife
*Clara + Sam-the bad guys
*Elsie and Dean Cooper-Sloan's parents
*Drea-Sloan's sister
*Theo Littlefield-Nash's brother
*Pets: Mop-Sloan's family dog and Nash's new puppy Tick

🤔 My Thoughts: This started slow focusing on Sloan's injury and rehab. I didn't mind her family's overprotectiveness that Sloan fought because she was used to being in charge. The secondary couple Theo and Drea were sweet because Theo was in love at first sight. I didn't care about Clara and Sam even though they were psycho killers. Overall, I liked it for the romances and Sloan's family, but not my favorite.


*Spice: 4/5 🌶️
*Emotion: 5/5 🥲
*Couple: 4/5 🧑‍🤝‍🧑
*Rating: 4/5 ⭐

🙏🏾Thanks to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press, Macmillan Audio, and Nora Roberts for this ARC & ALC! I voluntarily give my honest review, and all opinions are my own.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers Macmillan Audio for allowing me to review the ARC audiobook of Hidden Nature by Nora Roberts!

Hidden Nature is a Suspenseful/Mysterious Romance that follows a National Resources Police officer after she walks in on an armed robbery and is shot. After having a near death experience and resuscitated in the hospital, Sloan is put on disability leave and stumbles on a local case where a woman is taken from a supermarket parking lot. As the months go on and more kidnappings occur, Sloan becomes intrigued with the similarities in each case and with the help of a new neighbor and love interest Nash, starts putting a case together.


I don’t typically read thrillers and suspenseful romances but this was the first time I’ve read a Nora Robert’s book and it was SUCH a SLOW burn. I thought the character development of Nash, Theo & Sloan along with the found family trope was so heartwarming to see throughout the book and I especially enjoyed Sloan coming back home to her family and reconnecting with her parents. It really builds attachment in the story to the characters. I also found the relationship between Nash & Theo to be so loving and intimate and a perfect example of people who are not products of their environment. Their background coming from a cold home with toxic parents kept me engaged in them as side characters and really helped to incorporate them more into the story for them to become crucial main characters in Sloan’s story.

While I enjoyed listening to Sloan and Nash put together all the little pieces of the case, I thought the concept in which the killers use as their motive was a little odd and that the author was trying to make this book different and use their religious beliefs as the killers motives. I did enjoy those chapters we see the killers POV’s and uncovering their tactics and how they worked as a team in order to plan out each kidnapping and how it ties in with Sloan’s own unfortunate event.

Overall I enjoyed this story because it was different and I liked the characters, however I wish it was a bit more fast paced or suspenseful and am open to picking up another one of Nora’s books. You can see she is a well seasoned writer and has been doing this for a while!

#1 NYT bestselling author Nora Robert (favorite) is back with her latest novel of suspense, HIDDEN NATURE —featuring Sloan Cooper a natural resources police officer who is driven and tenacious, taking on a pair of twisted killers for an action-packed suspense thriller that will keep you turning the pages into the wee hours of the morning.

A second chance at life can be DEADLY.
Disturbing, engrossing, and adrenaline-pumping!

About...

Natural Resources police officer, Sloan Cooper, and her partner had just taken down a trio of men who spent most of the fall harassing, robbing, and assaulting hikers on the Western Maryland mountains. Two brothers and their father.

After a three-day operation, they were all in custody and hoped they would have a pleasant, extended stay in federal prison to consider the error of their ways.

Sloan is intense, driven, and buttoned-down, whereas her partner Joel is easygoing, does the job, and goes home. They trained together and aimed for the Criminal Investigative Bureau. She was from a small town in the western mountains, and he was raised in DC. Despite their different personalities, they make a great team.

However, as they are driving back, she pulls into a convenience store and in the middle of a robbery in progress. It happened so quickly. She was shot and had to be shocked back to life on the operating table with a long recovery. Her life changed before her eyes. She died and came back alive.

Her boyfriend dumps her via a text while in the hospital, and she decides to move back to her parents' home in Heron's Rest to recuperate. Of course, she cannot stay in bed, PT and her parents hovering, even though she is still in pain.

Their family has a business (third generation). All the Rest has cabin rentals, cottages, lake houses, boats, canoes, and paddleboards at Heron's Rest deep in the mountains and centered by Mirror Lake for those who want a quieter stay.

However, when a woman vanishes, leaving her car behind in a supermarket parking lot. She begins searching for similar cases. She finds mysterious missing people across three states. Men and women, old and young—the missing seem to have nothing in common. (Or do they?) And the abductions keep happening.

From Maryland, West Virginia, and Pennsylvania. Amid the investigation, she meets a new man who shares her love of life and mysteries, Nash Littlefield. Two brothers. Two sisters.

Due to the connection, they may be coming after her next! Her life is in danger once again.

My thoughts...

Get ready for the ride of your life in this scorching, action-packed, cop procedural and romantic suspense thriller. A solid story with well-written characters, a courageous, determined protagonist, and a twisty plot that keeps readers engaged.

Roberts does a great job balancing gentle romance with high-tension suspense. The twists and turns keep the reader on the edge of their seat as they will not want to put the novel down.

I adore Nora Roberts' writing, her books, and her characters! HIDDEN NATURE features a highly relatable Natural Resources police officer, Sloan Cooper, with an intriguing job —a dedicated, tenacious, and resourceful investigator (in a man's world). Her journey is one that many of us can empathize with. I always enjoy her books about courageous women.

Emotional, intense, and engrossing!

The novel delves into the minds of the killers, revealing their twisted motivations and the heinous crimes they commit for a chilling suspense thriller.

The author's skillful storytelling and twisty plot keep the reader on the edge, eager to see how Sloan will unravel the mystery and bring the culprits to justice. She must save the next person on the list before it is too late.

The author's characterization and vivid descriptions of the area and the creepy bad guys draw you in with intensity. The relationships with family members and the love interest give it a warm, cozy feel, providing a comforting balance to the dark suspense that Roberts is known for with her winning classic signature style.

I hope we hear from Sloan Cooper again in future books! I'm excited to see where her journey takes her next.

Audiobook...

Oh, my, the audiobook was fantastic! January LaVoy is one of my all-time favorite narrators and was thrilled to see she was performing! She is a superstar for all voices, which elevated the book and made the characters come alive. I could not put it down! What a performance, captivating and engaging. I highly recommend the audiobook.

When you join Nora Roberts and January LaVoy, you have a match made in heaven! Roberts and LaVoy fans will devour HIDDEN NATURE. A listen in one sitting.

Thanks to St. Martin's Press, Macmillan Audio, #MacAudio2025, and Netgalley for an ARC and ALC in exchange for an honest review.

Blog review posted @
JudithDCollins.com
@JudithDCollins | #JDCMustReadBooks
My Rating: 5 Stars
Pub Date: May 27, 2025
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Nora Roberts is an auto buy author for me and I loved her latest novel, Hidden Nature. This is a bit different from her usual romance books, but definitely a book worth reading and adding to your bookshelf! As usual the characters are well developed and the pacing is good. Sloan's character was easy to connect with and following her life after trauma was engaging. There are plot twists and turns in the last few chapters that really pull it all together.

Read this book if you love light suspense, murder/mystery, with a dash of romance. I really think this book has something for everyone.

I listened to the audiobook in conjunction with reading the book. The narration by January LaVoy was wonderful as always! I love that she narrates so many of Nora Roberts audiobooks.

Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for providing me with an ARC of this book and audiobook in exchange for my honest review.

As a long time fan of Nora Roberts/JD Robb, I really feel that Hidden Nature is yet another captivating addition to Nora Roberts’ body of work. Blending romance, mystery, and suspense, the novel showcases Roberts’ signature talent for storytelling and character development. Roberts truly showcases the breadth of her talent in this romantic suspense novel as it has some aspects that could be found in her In Death series as well as her Nora Roberts titles.

Hidden Nature is not just a love story; it’s a suspenseful journey into the unknown, filled with tension, but also heartfelt moments. Roberts crafts a richly atmospheric setting, immersing readers in a world that feels both familiar and layered. The characters are emotionally resonant and the reader is drawn to them from start to finish. Whether you’re a longtime fan or new to her books, Hidden Nature delivers a fulfilling and immersive reading experience that balances heart, intrigue, and the power of connection. My only real complaint is that the ending felt rushed and wrapped up abruptly; however, that is a minor complaint as the reader definitely knows a lot of where the store is going early on and really is just going along for the ride.

This was a truly immersive and wonderful listening experience. The audiobook is narrated by January Lavoy, a seven-time Audie Award winner, Grammy nominee, and AudioFile Golden Voice. Lavoy does an excellent job distinguishing the multiple POVs and is able to do excellent female and male character voices. Truthfully, I had to look it up to be sure there were not multiple narrators because every voice is very distinct. Her narration truly made the audiobook work so well because it would have been confusing if the voices were not distinct.

Thank you to NetGalley and author Nora Roberts for allowing me to read this work in exchange for an honest review.
After solving an amazing case, officer Sloan Cooper, stops by convenience store to pick up a couple of things, but what she doesn’t expect is to be shot in the process. When Sloan wakes up in the hospital, she is told that she died for a couple of minutes, but was resuscitated. When it’s time for her to be released from the hospital, she is taken to her childhood home in a quaint little town to convalesce.
As Sloan is convalescing, she starts hearing about people in different areas going missing, and it peaks her investigative brain. As she goes about her days, the missing start to weigh on her and she starts her own off book investigation.
Dive into Sloan’s world as she starts a new job closer to home, starts a relationship and tries to put all the pieces together to find the missing people who it seems have nothing in common. In classic Nora Roberts style, she grabs you from the get go and keeps you intrigued til the end.
I rate this book 4⭐️

Hidden Nature was such a great mix of suspense, emotion, and romance.
Sloan Cooper is a strong and relatable main character who’s recovering from a life changing injury. I really liked how the story showed her healing process while slowly pulling her into a mystery involving multiple disappearances.
The pacing started a little slow, but once it picked up, I couldn’t stop listening. The change in point of view kept things interesting and added a lot of tension.
Nora Roberts did a great job creating believable characters and a creepy mystery, and the chemistry between Sloan and Nash felt natural and well-developed.
The narration by January LaVoy was excellent, each character had a distinct voice and she really brought the story to life. If you like thrillers with just the right amount of romance, this one’s worth a listen. Another solid read from my all time favourite author.
Very grateful to the publisher for my copy through NetGalley, opinions are my own

This was really gripping.
It was an interesting experience as Nora Roberts tends to be so hit-or-miss for me—and I’d just DNF’d several books by other authors when this one unexpectedly gripped me. While it wasn’t suspenseful, or particularly fast-paced, the motive was different. I so rarely read anything that I haven’t already read 1000 times, so this was refreshing. I also enjoyed the ‘slice of life’ aspect and the small town vibes. Excellent. Makes me want to go try more of Nora’s books, to find the others that grip me.


Small town.
Violence.
Cozy mystery vibes, even through the investigator is a cop.
Alternating POVs.
Light romance,
Absolutely demented assailants.


Overall:
Very fun. 4 stars.


🎧 Audio:
The audio was great—smooth overall sound quality and decent voice acting.
4 stars.


#netgalley

Nora Roberts is at the top of her game with Hidden Nature. She has an amazing ability to create characters and settings that just pull you in so much that you feel you know them. You could feel the pain Sloan went through as she began recovering from a gunshot wound received from being at the wrong place at the wrong time. I loved how Nora allowed us to feel the grief and anguish felt by her family and partner. It felt authentic and real. Having Sloan build her confidence back by searching for a killer was so well written. The point of view of the killer allowed the reader to see the wickedly perverse thoughts behind the obductions. The introduction of the Littlefield brothers didn’t seem rushed. Even though you know in a romance book the heroine always falls for the hero, it felt organic. This book made me cry and laugh and enjoy all the feels. If you have a chance, listen to the audiobook version. The narrator did such a great job and brought an additional level of realness.

Thanks to Netgalley for an advanced copy in return for my honest review,

This novel stirs strong emotions right from the beginning, including a racing heart, fear and tears.
I have always loved Nora Roberts' mysteries but this one has a darker feel that grabbed my attention instantly.
She seamlessly weaves in literary fiction, enriching the novel with the inclusion of Sloan’s close knit family and her strong relationships with Nash and Joel.
And that’s not all, it’s further enhanced with romance!!
It truly is a well-rounded story with wonderful characters.
I began with the audiobook but eventually switched to the ebook version.
Thank you to the publisher/author for the opportunity to read and listen to this complimentary advanced copy. Opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Although formulaic and a very quick wrap up ending- I did enjoy this one. I love Nora Robert’s books and the predictable storylines can be comforting and cozy no matter what level of havoc the bad guys are causing.
Thank you Net Galley for the advanced copy.

Sloan Cooper, recently injured Natural Resource Cop, is in the fight of her life to bring down two twisted killers. Luckily, a new man in her life also enjoys solving puzzles and is a great sounding board for Sloan.

Wrapped in a slight spicy romance, this slow burn suspense novel started a little slow, and it took me a minute to understand the change in points of view, but then ramped up fast. I had a hard time putting it down. The different points of view provide the reader with the antagonist and protagonists actions, but they are unaware of each other adding to the suspense throughout the book. The action packed plot had a lot going on, but it was combined well. January LaVoy, the narrator, did a fascinating job of narration of all the characters, including Clara, who I truly despise. I loved the completely different voice the characters were written in. This is a perfect vacation read for those that enjoy a little love with their thrillers or a little suspense with their romance!

Here’s a review based on your impressions:

⸻

Audiobook Review: Hidden Nature by Nora Roberts, narrated by January LaVoy

Hidden Nature had a promising premise—an injured cop returning home and getting drawn into a chilling series of disappearances. The setup had all the elements of a gripping Nora Roberts thriller, and while there were definitely things I liked about the book, it didn’t quite land for me the way some of her others have.

The pacing was a bit slow, which made the story feel heavier than expected. It dragged in places and felt longer than it needed to be, which impacted the momentum of the mystery. The ending also felt a little anticlimactic after such a detailed build-up. I’ve enjoyed many of Roberts’s books in the past, but this one might just not have been the right fit for me.

That said, the characters were well-written and endearing. Sloan, the main character, is a great example of a strong, intelligent, and resourceful female lead. Her resilience and determination really carried the story, and I enjoyed her relationships and interactions throughout.

What really elevated the experience was January LaVoy’s narration. She’s one of the best in the business, and this performance was no exception. Her ability to shift seamlessly between characters makes it feel like you’re listening to a full cast, and she adds so much depth and nuance to the storytelling.

Overall, Hidden Nature has its strengths—especially in the characters and narration—but the pacing and resolution left me wanting a bit more. Still, fans of character-driven suspense and exceptional audiobook performances may find it worth a listen.

I loved this! I think I've read pretty much every NR book ever, more than once. I was a little surprised at the actions of the antagonist(s), but I really enjoyed this story. The relationships are, as always, the center and the heart of the book and it was a solid thriller with a great motive for the bad guys.
Thank you, as always, to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for the chance to read this book!

I listened to this book as an audiobook, and the narrator was absolutely perfect. I’m a long-time fan of Nora Roberts and JD Robb, and this book did not disappoint. It had the perfect blend of suspense and romance. Sloan and Nash’s relationship was realistic and well-developed, and the character development and background descriptions were thorough, allowing me to vividly imagine the locations.
I received this book as a free ARC and am leaving this review voluntarily.