Hidden Riches

First I have to like the characters in the book. The plot, however good it is, will not work unless I care about the characters. Except for the bad guys I really enjoyed every single character in this one. The heroine is an antique dealer who is perfectly comfortable in her own skin. She is not husband hunting, she’s just enjoying her life and her business. She owns the building where her business is downstairs and she has her apartment upstairs. There is another apartment which she rents out. Into this comes a very troubled, private man who somehow gets under her skin. He tries very hard to keep his distance but she is too lovable and too interesting and he can’t help himself. There are murderers and thievery, and she’s in the middle of it all. He is a cop first last and always but has quit his job because of his sister’s murder. Soon enough he becomes involved in the goings on in her business. He also meets her parents. They are actors and have their own company. She has one sister who is married and lives a “normal” life. Love creeps up on this couple but they nearly lose it because of a very evil man. All‘s well that ends well and this one does end very well.

Hidden Riches, I got this book Nov,2009 /audio book, audio cd/Unabridged version

and have Read (Listened to it a couple of times) Since I received it, Enjoyed it Very Much!

• Antiques dealer Dora Conroy's hidden riches start with the painting she bids for at a local auction, unaware of the treasure it conceals. Then there's her new tenant, handsome, brooding Jed Skimmerhorn, who moves into the apartment above her shop. Though the ex-cop and scion of a wealthy Philadelphia family first appears rude and rough, he surprises Dora with acts of tenderness. And Dora needs plenty of TLC after her shop is broken into, she's nearly raped and she learns that others who purchased goods from a particular shipment at the auction are turning up dead. Joining forces with Dora to track down the culprits behind the thefts and murders, Jed is drawn into the life of the effervescent Dora and her endearingly eccentric theatrical family.

• The story begins with Dora Parents are putting on a play, Dora and her Sister leaha are watching from back stage, and are on their way to Va. on a buying trip for Dora's Antique shop..... in Philadelphia PA. Dora Love's Going to auctions & Shopping.

• her buying trip was very successful, she purchased a painting,and Some cobalt blue salt sellers for one of her Regular customers. among tons of other things, and it Seems she bought items that belonged to Some one else a Mr finley an unsavory man from California "Finley" is None to happy! Mean while Jed Skimmerhorn has moved into the apartment above Dora's shop. (Dora's Parlor) jed a handsome man but very rude, Grumpy and keeps to himself mostly.

*(finley) Sends one of his men (Decarlo) to Virginia to find out just exactly what had happened to his merchandise, then to philly to Dora Conroy's shop and finds out most of Finley's belongings had already been Sold, So Decarlo steals the list of customers the merchandise was sold to and calls his employer "finley" he's Told to get his merchandise back by any means possible, including murder.

• when I really started getting into Reading books (listening to Audio Books) in 2009 Nora Roberts was the First Author I Started Reading/listening to, And Ms.Roberts/J.D.Robb is One of My FAVORITES!! I Love her romance Novels & her In Death Series!!!

I've just re-read this book and I was reminded why I loved it so much the first time. The banter between our protaganists, especially in the first half of the book, had me laughing out loud a few times - just classic Nora at her best. Heroine is everything you want her to be - plucky, smart, a little fiesty and emotionally brave. Hero is more problematic - he's got a lot of baggage, he's closed off, but he isn't immune to our girl's charms. WARNING - there is a violent and troublesome scene between H and h about half way through. It doesn't go too far, but it is upsetting for both heroine and reader. Personally, I think she forgave him way too fast - he suffered, but not enough. IRL this would have been way more concerning, but it is fiction and it didn't ruin the story for me-he owns up to his behavior which is helpful. One nitpick I have is that too much of the book is devoted to lengthy passages about the villain. I enjoyed our main characters so much that I ended up skimming through a lot of stuff about the bad guy so I could get back to Jed and Dora's story. One of my favorite Nora stories, and I've read A LOT of them.

Dora is a quick-witted, sharp, compassionate, savvy business, woman who loves what she does. She buys and sells antiques and collectible novelties which she purchases at auctions and estate sales. At the last sale she was at, she unknowingly purchases some items that were used to smuggle stolen merchandise inside them. As the thieves track down these items and retrieve them one by one, the robberies and the body counts start growing. While Dora was out buying, her father rented her apartment across from her to an ex-cop named Jed. Jed is attracted to Dora but does his best to ignore it. Dora, on the other hand, recognizes the interest he is trying to conceal and pushes her advantage by showing up around him frequently and ignoring his gruff, get lost behavior. Jed was not raised in a loving caring family style atmosphere. His parents fought constantly, usually publicly. He wants no part of a relationship. Dora is the opposite...raised in a loving, nose poking, but caring atmosphere. She is drawn to sexy Jed. They are drawn to one another but Jed tries to keep an imaginary wall erected between them. Dora's store is broken into while she and Jed are upstairs in their apartments. Jed and Dora get shot at when they try to catch the burglar. They start to realize that the break-ins, the robberies and the murders are all related to the items that she purchased. Time is running out. The last item is a painting and Dora has it. The thieves know it and plan to get it at all costs. The dry humor and quick wit in this book will keep you laughing. The suspense will keep you hanging on til the end. The spicy romance will warm up any cold night. A very good read.

I enjoy reading and listening to Nora Roberts' books via the Kindle and Audible apps. This is my 4th book by this author and I am sure I will find myself intrigued with new lifelike characters from Nora Roberts' brilliant mind soon. All of the characters in Hidden Riches were well developed and true to life. I could truly feel their pain and could relate often to the internal struggles they faced. I think deep down we all just want to love and be loved (have someone to care about and feel that they care about us also.) Hidden Riches was truly a welcomed gem as I enjoyed reading/listening to it over my Christmas vacation and found it very ironic, yet timely as the scenes also unfolded around December and early January. I would definitely recommend this book and plan to purchase the hardcover edition for my growing library of Nora Roberts' literacy works. 5 Stars.

Nora Roberts writes great female characters that are independent and strong and this book is no exception. Dora, who owns an antique shop and Jed an ex-cop make a charming and emotion-charged couple in this book about redemption, love, family ... oh and illegal smuggling. Not that Jed and Dora are doing anything illegal, no they are wearing white hats in this story which is suspenseful, poignant and funny. Each character is uniquely drawn and most of them you would love to be friends with, but it is Dora and Jed who make this story so easy to read and so satisfying. Really enjoyed it, I never pass up a Nora Roberts book!

Another great mystery from Nora Roberts! This was published back in 1995 (22 years ago, WOW). It was a little odd reading about the characters using fax machines instead of email and desk phones instead of cell phones! The phone lines are cut in one scene and neither character had a cell phone to use so they just had to wait til it got fixed. I laughed as I read it because I remember when that used to happen to me and I didn't have instant access with a cell phone!

Isadora Conroy is probably one of my very favorite N.R. heroine's. She was classy, super confidant, sarcastic but not overly so, sassy, wicked smart, and so sure of herself but still so in touch with her emotions and so willing to love and give of herself to not only those closest to her, but people she barely knew just because that was who she is. No other woman could have matched the hard edged hero, Jed Skimmerhorn.

The only reason I give this book four stars instead five is because it was a bit too long for me. There are a lot of interwoven scenes from multiple bad guys. A lot of that could have been skimmed down. Don't get me wrong, I love a good bad guy and I do not mind scenes from their perspective every now and then but I felt like just when things were getting real good between Jed and Dora, the scene would end and we'd jump over to what one of the bad guys was doing. I just didn't need that much commentary on any of them.

There was only two scenes of explicit sexual content, and the scenes weren't even that explicit compared to some other authors I've read. Barely any foul language, I could count every F-bomb that was dropped on one hand. Quite a bit of detailed violence. Don't read this book if you don't enjoy bad guys who murder for pleasure and give detailed descriptions of how and why.