I received this book for free from Netgalley in order to prepare an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

FINAL DECISION: HIDDEN NATURE has a strong second half and an intriguing premise, but its slow, detail-heavy first half drains momentum, keeping it from reaching its full potential as a thriller.

THE STORY: Natural Resources police officer Sloan Cooper’s life changes drastically when she walks into a convenience store robbery and is shot. After being revived on the operating table, she moves back to her parents’ home in Heron’s Rest to recover. While healing both physically and emotionally from being dumped by her boyfriend via text during her hospital stay, Sloan becomes intrigued by the case of a woman who disappeared, leaving her car in a supermarket parking lot. As she searches online, she discovers similar disappearances across three states with seemingly unrelated victims. With the support of Nash, a new man in her life who shares her investigative passion, Sloan digs deeper into the mysterious abductions. She soon realizes the victims share one critical factor—they’ve all been resuscitated after near-death experiences, just like her. As the pattern becomes clearer, Sloan must use all her skills and determination to stop a killer before she becomes the next target.

OPINION: Roberts once again proves her storytelling prowess with a thriller that balances suspense, recovery, and romance. Sloan Cooper is a particularly strong protagonist whose journey from trauma to renewed purpose forms the emotional core of the novel. Her determination to solve the mystery despite her physical limitations makes her instantly relatable, and her growing relationship with Nash develops naturally amidst the chaos.

The supporting cast is equally well-drawn, particularly Sloan’s parents, whose warmth and support provide a comforting backdrop to the increasingly disturbing investigation. The brothers who move to town to start a contracting business integrate seamlessly into the close-knit community, and their interactions with the main characters add depth to the overall narrative.

Unfortunately, the book takes far too long to find its footing. The first half is bogged down with excessive detail about home renovations and day-to-day activities that, while creating a rich sense of place, fail to engage with the urgency a thriller requires. I struggled to stay interested until the investigation finally gained momentum in the second half.

When the mystery does take center stage, the concept of targeting people who have been resuscitated is genuinely chilling and original, creating a unique vulnerability for the protagonist that raises the stakes effectively. The second half delivers on the promise of suspense, with tension building masterfully toward a satisfying conclusion. However, this strong finish can’t fully compensate for the sluggish beginning.

WORTH MENTIONING: This book is a mystery/thriller but takes a while to get into that plot.

CONNECTED BOOKS: HIDDEN NATURE is a standalone.

STAR RATING: I give this book 4 stars.

NOTE: I received an eARC of this book from Netgalley which I used to prepare this review. I was not required to write a review or to write a positive review. All opinions contained herein are my own.

I received this book for free from Netgalley in order to prepare an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

FINAL DECISION: The mystery wasn’t that strong for me, but I loved the relationship between these characters and the glimpse of these lives that we learn about. Adrian is a great heroine, and Raylan is just adorable. Very enjoyable read even if not perfect.

THE STORY: Adrian Rizzo met her father on the day he tried to kill her and her mother.
In the aftermath, her mother Lina brought her to her grandparents who live in a small town in Maryland. Adrian enjoyed that summer and met her best friend — and her older brother, Raylan. Decades later, Adrian and Raylan are living in the same town and things seem to bring them together. At the same time, Adrian is dealing with a stalker who has sent her threatening poems for years. Her stalker is escalating, however, and is taken with murdering women as he zeros in on Adrian.

OPINION: This was quite an enjoyable journey with these characters. I really loved Adrian and Raylan, who are both such caring people. Their story was very compelling, and their life as they grow together was engaging to me. I liked that the two of them had complete lives apart, but then their lives begin to overlap.

Roberts does such a great job of building these towns with characters who are interesting in their own right and yet don’t overwhelm the story. What she also does so well is create stories where the romance is essential to the story, and yet this is the story of a woman who has managed to build her own life with friends and family. The man adds to her existence, but she has a pretty good life even without him.

I’ve been reading a lot of women’s fiction these days, and this book demonstrates what I find missing from those stories. This book has complex characters and never seems to scream — I’m a powerful woman. Instead, the characters are so good, and I am interested in their lives. Even without the drama of the mystery in the story, I would have been satisfied reading how these characters manage to find one another and create the possibility of sharing a life together. I supposed I should go back and read more of Robert’s standalone romances.

WORTH MENTIONING: This book has significant violence, including abuse, murders, and a school shooting. Most, but not all, of the violence occurs off-screen.

CONNECTED BOOKS: LEGACY is a standalone book.

STAR RATING: I give this book 4.5 stars.

NOTE: I received an eARC of this book via Netgalley. I was not required to write a review or to write a positive review. All opinions contained herein are my own.

FINAL DECISION: Roberts has written several thief stories over the years and while this one is not my favorite of the bunch, it is still amazing. I especially liked that it focused on the hero and his story. It is a long-haul epic story, but the romance here ended up being really good.

THE STORY: Harry Booth became a thief as a child to help his mother who suffered from cancer. He honed his craft for years. As an adult, he adopted a number of identities as he continued to steal but also get a college education (in an unorthodox manner). He meets a professor’s daughter, Miranda Emerson to who he has an immediate attraction, but he also knows that she is special. Just when things seem to be changing, a man from his past wants to use him as his own tool. The danger causes Harry to purposely abandon Miranda and start a new chapter in his life. Time passes and Harry must confront his past and the man who endangers his future. [Anything more will give away the twists in the story!]

OPINION: I slowly fell in love with this one. Roberts has written many thieves as heroes, but this one so sincerely wants something small and normal that I just adored him. I especially liked that Miranda is such a great fit for him and the book eliminated much of the interpersonal angst that I had expected. Instead, this is a deep dive into the hero’s life from being a young boy to his 30s. Like many of Roberts’ stand-alone books, the romance is a significant part, but not on the page for quite a while. Everything about this book worked for me. I loved the story of how Harry begins and takes control of his life. The romance was sweet and yet not too perfect. These two have a lot to work through, but there is always the sense that the connection between them was important and lasting. I also really loved the turn that Harry’s life takes in the book. It was unexpected but made him more complex as a character.

This book has a bunch of twists and turns, and even reading reviews can give away secrets revealed. This book was definitely worth my time and immediately went into my save and re-read in the future pile.

WORTH MENTIONING: Many of the characters have flexible moral compasses…though for me, it was all in the service of an overarching good.

CONNECTED BOOKS: NIGHTWORK is a standalone.

STAR RATING: I give this book 4.5 stars.