Nora Roberts knows how to craft a good plot and this novel is no exception. On top of that, it incorporates multiple genres; including romance, suspense, and a paranormal element.

Summer has arrived and John and Cora Fox are taking twelve-year-old Thea and ten-year-old Rem to visit their grandmother Lucy Lannigan in Redbud Hollow, Kentucky for two weeks. This is always the highlight of their summer. They get to help Grammie care for her animals, work in the garden, make soap and candles, and roam the hills. After dropping off the kids, John and Cora head back home to Virginia and look forward to some alone time. One night, Ray Riggs breaks into their home to rob and kill them. As this is happening, Lucy and Thea both wake up filled with terror as they have the gift of "sight" and are able to see what has happened. Because of this gift, Thea is able to describe Riggs and he is arrested and put in prison for life. Riggs also has the gift of "sight" and they can look in on each other. Riggs tries to taunt and torment Thea from his prison cell, but she taunts him as well.

After the death of John and Cora, Thea and Rem live permanently with Lucy. They grow up to be fine individuals with Lucy's love and nurturing, but there is still a hollow place in their hearts because of the loss of their parents. They both go off to college and get their degrees but end up in careers that they can pursue from Redbud Hollow. Thea has become a video game designer and Rem is her business manager.

Miss Leona; an elderly neighbor that Lucy, Thea, and Rem help look after; wants to sell some land near her home. Thea and Rem decide that would be a good investment for the future when they are ready to build homes. After Miss Leona passes, her great-grandson inherits her home. He shows up one day and Thea can't believe her eyes that it is rock star Ty Brennon with his five-year-old son Bray. As a teenager, Thea was star-struck by Ty Brennon. Ty and Thea get to know each other and are attracted, but the cloud of Ray Riggs hangs over Thea's head. She decides there has to be a reckoning.

This story spans 15 years and a lot goes on during that time period. I'm not a huge fan of paranormal, but Nora Roberts makes it seem so believable. I really liked this story.

My thanks to the Publisher and Author for providing an Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) of this novel in exchange for a fair and honest review.

The title of this book is PERFECT as Thea possesses the ability to read minds. She uses her gift only for good, even though a horrible thing happened to her when she was young. This story shows how she works to take back her life and find true happiness. I enjoyed every minute of it!

Nora, you threw me for a loop here. One of your best, but boy did I have to really pay attention! I'm not used to your heroine communicating with the villain through their minds. I loved the Kentucky setting and the different characters.

Normally I love Nora Roberts books and it was really excited to read this one. There are moments of this book that were really great and I think it will appeal to a lot of people but there were moments I really struggled to get through it.

Sia was an amazing character to read about the struggles that she's experienced in her life and the fact that it's affected every moment of her life and who she is.

The villain of this book was absolutely insane and evil in every single meaning of the word. So that definitely keeps you interested.

Weirdest part of this book for me was that Nora Roberts books are romances, but you don't even meet the love interest until about 60% through the book. He's not even on page. So for that reason it did feel like the romance was very rushed and almost like it was thrown in at the last minute.

However, all of that being said, this book definitely has its moments and I think if you are at all a fan of romantic suspense or paranormal romance than you would probably enjoy it at least some aspects of this book.

This book is a definite change in genre from Ms. Roberts’ previous books. Having said that . . . I liked it. The characters and storyline were compelling and I was totally immersed in the book.

Thea was an adult in a child’s body. Her thought processes and speech were beyond her years.

Mind Games had twists and turns that kept me guessing . I enjoyed this book and recommend it to anyone who enjoys suspense stories with a different twist.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read and review this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I enjoyed how it is a love story mixed with family differences and a bit of mystery all wrapped up together.

This is a gripping mix of tragedy and warmth. It's about Thea, who has a psychic gift that she uses to solve her parents' murder and carve out a new life. Set in a small town with tight family bonds, the story weaves together suspense, romance, and a bit of the supernatural. This is an engaging storyline making you eager to find out how the story will progress. Definitely a page-turner!

Nora Roberts, you've done it again.

When I read the premise of this book, I actually wasn't sure if I would really like it. I'm now used to Nora Roberts's magical elements within her novels, but the idea of mind reading was somehow a little "out there" for me. I love it when I'm proven wrong!

In her typical fashion, Nora Roberts begins the story with an awful tragedy, but this time, it's witnessed by the victims' own daughter... through mind reading/traveling. Once you get over the notion of being able to witness something in your mind that is happening hundreds of miles away, you understand just how traumatic the loss is.

The romance in this story between a fangirl and her childhood obsession is PERFECT!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a digital copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

This is another great Nora Roberts book. I love the world that Roberts created when Thea and Rem go to visit their grandmother. When a horrible murder occurs right off the bat, and Thea's psychic abilities came to the forefront, I was in. The idea of a game designer going against a bad guy is a good one, and I would highly recommend this book. The story showcases family love, romantic love, gaming, and the paranormal. I received this book through Net Galley.

Nora Roberts' books are so consistently good! This one was a mix of suspense, fantasy, and romance. It was more focused on the life and challenges of the main character, Thea, than it was on the romance, so that was my one slight disappointment. The hero didn't show up until half way through the book. He was a good hero, though. Very supportive of Thea's journey to resolve her childhood trauma.
Thea's grandmother and brother were also good supporting characters. I'd love to read the brother's own story someday.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for a digital ARC of this book.

Although I'm not a fan of a supernatural story line, the way it was presented in this book was great. Not too over-the-top, I guess I would say.

What I loved about this book is the characters, the strong family bond, and how everyone takes care of each other. The story development is perfect. I could picture each character in their own environments and roles in this story. This was a great read.

One of the things I love most about Nora Robert’s books are the descriptions of the settings and professions of the characters. It makes me want to visit the places she writes about that I haven’t been to and makes me appreciate what goes into the designing of video games, the pitfalls of fame, and a "cottage" business.

This one takes us to Kentucky, starts with a tragedy (thanks for making me cry almost immediately) then gives us years of happiness, a little bit of angst, and swoony romance, all while a psychic battle spanning years is taking place. This will go into the reread file.

Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press, and Nora Roberts for the eARC.

I laughed, I cried, I loved. And that was just the first chapter. Mind Games kept me up at night, and also had me googling the recipe for Apple Stack Cake (the ingredients are in my shopping cart). I turned the last page with a smile on my face and warmth in my heart.

#NoraRoberts #MindGames #NetGalley #AppleStackCake

When twelve year old Thea and her grammie are able to see her parents killed. In their minds. Thea is able to identify and help with the evil man’s capture. Now through out her life it is a battle of mind games of good and evil

Another hit from Nora Roberts! It sounded pretty creepy and there were definitely parts like that. But I really enjoyed the characters, setting, and family ties in this one, featuring strong women with strong gifts. I’m not sure how I feel about the ending, not sure what I had been expecting.

Thanks to Net Galley and the publisher for the complimentary review copy of this book.

Wow, I didn't know what to expect going into this ARC. The story starts out beautifully with the kids being dropped off at their grandma's house for the summer for a bit of a vacation like they do every summer. However, things take a turn when the parents leave to head back home. I was shocked by the special skill the girl and her grandma share. I was intrigued by the twists, and it truly kept me interested throughout the story. Nora Roberts has a magical way with words to reel you in and keep you in a chokehold throughout the entire book. I absolutely loved this one!

I received this ARC from NetGalley and St. Martin's Press to read/review. All of the statements above are my true opinions after fully reading this book.

I have always loved a good Nora Roberts novel and the more I read the more I appreciate her skill in bringing a story to life.  A Nora Roberts book is truly a master class of the subtleties of writing bringing nuance and depth to characters while breathing life into the setting until you feel that you are a part of the lives of the main characters.  With nail biting suspense and moments so richly beautiful they’ll bring you to your knees, “Mind Games” will have you longing to be a part of Thea’s world.  

The story begins as twelve year old Thea and ten year old Rem are dropped off at Grammie’s place to spend two glorious weeks of the summer where they celebrate in the joys of being together again.  The idyllic annual holiday is shattered when Thea has nightmarish visions while sleeping of a vicious, cold, and calculating crime hundreds of miles away.  The result is life changing.  Despite everything, Thea, Rem, and Lucy persevere, carving out a life of joy and satisfaction over the years even as she battles to close the door on her gift before it’s too late.  “Mind Games” is a heart aching, gut wrenching psychological thriller with a side of romance that weaves a spell around you as you fall in love with the Kentucky Appalachians, Thea, Rem, Lucy, Ty, and Braydon.  Audio narrator January LaVoy was absolutely brilliant in her abilities to differentiate each of the characters and her narrative style. I alternated between the ebook and audio book, absolutely loving both.

Thank you @netgalley @stmartinspress @macmillan.audio and @norarobertsauthor for the advance digital review copy and audio review copy. Available on shelves May 21, 2024, preorder today so you don’t miss out on this fantastic book! 

#noraroberts #norarobertsmindgames #mindgames #netgalley #stmartinspress #macmillanaudio #femaleauthor #femalewriter #psychologicalthriller #romancebooks #thrillerwithasideofromance #netgalleyinfluencerprogram #bookstagram #bookstagrammer #bookgeek #booknerd #booksbooksbooks #bookphotography #psychologicalthriller #suspenseread #comingsoon

This is truly the most unique book I’ve ever read by Nora Roberts. I don’t know how she continues to do it, but I’m grateful for every new story. It should come as no surprise to anyone that this is a 5 star read for me - Nora Roberts is the Queen of romantic suspense!

For Thea and her brother Rem, the two weeks they spend every summer with Grammie is their favorite time. They love being with her and the many things they get to do. This year however, tragedy strikes that will change their lives forever.

Thea has the “sight” - she has always been able to see and feel things that can’t be explained. She is very private and protective of her gift. After the family tragedy, Thea saw and felt things that she will never forget. She also has a connection to the person responsible for the family tragedy that she didn’t ask for or didn’t want.

The story plays out as Thea and her family build lives that they love and are proud of. Their community is supportive of Thea’s gift as it runs in the women of her family. Enter her neighbor Ty and his son Bray, and Thea’s life continues to flourish.

But she still has the terrible connection to the man who changed her life, and we get to see how she takes back her power. The amazing cast of supporting characters play key roles in helping Thea build the future that she so wants for herself. I loved every one of them. Family is so important in this story, and I loved it.

There may be some trigger warnings for some readers. Check those out before you start.

Thank you so much to NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press, and Macmillan Audio for the wonderful opportunity to read and listen to this incredible book! Queen Nora Roberts is at the top of her game once again. Also, January LaVoy is a phenomenal narrator, and she is absolutely perfect for this book! This terrific read/listen releases on May 21st - pick it up for the perfect start to your summer reading!

I've always been a fan of Nora Roberts. If you want a book in the romance genre that will make you happy and satisfied, Nora Roberts is my go-to author. Mind Games is different than what I usually expect of Roberts. It's a coming of age, with a paranormal twist. The book focuses heavily on the character of Thea andher grandmother Lucy, with a kitchen witch type vibe which I am used to from Roberts. The characters are wonderful, and I really enjoyed reading about Thea and Lucy. The book was a little slow to start, but honestly I think that is because I was expecting the male hero to be introduced and as the book focused on Thea the child, I kept anticipating the introduction of her love interest and it never happened until much later in the book, so I didn't allow myself to settle into the early parts of the story. Overall, it was a lovely read to get me through a relaxing vacay. The characters were lovely. The story was compelling. The only issue I had was with the villian who was a bit stereotypical bad guy. If you're a fan of Nora Roberts this is a bit different but you should love it. Video review posted on Tiktok and included in links.

As they do each June, the Foxes have driven the winding roads of Appalachia to drop off their children for a two-week stay at their grandmother’s. Here, twelve-year-old Thea can run free and breathe in the smells of pine and fresh bread and Grammie’s handmade candles. But as her parents head back to suburban Virginia, they have no idea they’re about to cross paths with a ticking time bomb. Back in Kentucky, Thea and her grandmother Lucy both awaken from the same nightmare. And though the two have never discussed the special kind of sight they share, they know as soon as their tearful eyes meet that something terrible has happened.

Nora Roberts is one of my new favorite authors. I love how deep her characters are, how well-done the themes and the writing are. Her plot is always complicated and fascinating, drawing you in and pulling you along. This was a beautiful and heart wrenching tale of life and death. Not only that, but of living. Beautiful!

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the advanced digital reader's copy (ARC) in exchange for an honest review!