Black Hills

By: Nora Roberts

Narrated by: Nick Podehl

Length: 16 hrs and 51 mins

Publisher's summary

In this #1 New York Times bestseller, Nora Roberts takes listeners deep into the rugged Black Hills of South Dakota, where the shadows keep secrets, hunters stalk the land, and a childhood friendship matures into an adult passion.

Cooper Sullivan spent the summers of his youth on his grandparents’ South Dakota ranch, sharing innocent games and stolen kisses with the neighbor girl, Lil Chance. Now, twelve years after they last walked together hand in hand, fate has brought them back to the Black Hills.

Coop has left his fast-paced life as an investigator in New York to take care of his aging grandparents and the ranch he has come to call home. Though the memory of his touch still haunts her, Lil has let nothing stop her dream of opening the Chance Wildlife Refuge, but something...or someone...has been keeping a close watch. When small pranks and acts of destruction escalate into a heartless attack on Lil’s beloved cougar, memories of an unsolved murder in these very hills have Coop springing to action to keep Lil safe.

Lil and Coop know the natural dangers that lurk in the wild landscape of the Black Hills. But a killer of twisted and unnatural instincts has singled them out as prey...

©2009 Nora Roberts (P)2009 Brilliance Audio, Inc.

Good Story

The narrator is the weak link to this story. Perhaps she should consider someone like Christian Rummel on her next book.

3.8 stars

It was good but I felt this it dragged in a couple of places. Found myself stopping and listening to something else but I eventually did come back and finish it. Ending was awesome

Story is Great, Narrator, Not So Much

Although we have the normal NR storyline of heroine, somehow unavailable man and psychotic looming in the distance, it's still a compelling read. It's clear that NR did her research about wildlife refuges. Agree with other reviewers that the narrator wasn't the best; at times I had difficulty figuring out who was talking and I was embarassed FOR him during the sex scenes- I kept giggling as I wondered how m any takes it took for him to get through it. Def. distracted me from my reading! Ending was good if predictable- while up to this point it seemed believable in terms of the animal behavior, the climax made me skeptical. Overall a good story, but if this narrator does more of her books again I'll read them instead.

thank you Nora

She nails it every time... and this is no different. kept me on my toes and attentive all the way through.

Mark - Road Warrior

I listen to books as I travel, and as a guy I loved story-line. I felt the reading could be better. There are much better readers out there. Jim Dale from Harry Potter for example is great reader with many inflections in his voice. However, don't let that detract you from listening to it. I had no problem visualizing the area and wild life sanctuary in my head. I sure would like to vote for a sequel to this book. A+

Head for the Hills!

This book is an excellent read. I didn't want to stop reading it. A lot of excitement and just the right amount of romance. An awesome storyline!

Interesting...but long

A suspenseful book set in the Black Hills...predictable but the setting of a wild life refuge makes it interesting and even a little educational. Worth the read even though it is a little long. I'd recommend the abridged version.

Black Hills

Any additional comments?

Narrated by Nick Podehl and just over seventeen hours of listening.

Black Hills is a mystery-love story. One aspect of the story is the terrific mystery of a serial killer. The second aspect is a love story that spans decades, from childhood through … well, getting back together again.

The love story may have you grinding your teeth, as it comes across very contrived. Over-the-top behavior by both the female and male leads, mawkish sex scenes … and typical of Nora Roberts, based on an interesting premise. Personally, I think the two leads were too damned nasty to each other … people who love each other aren’t so … well … obnoxious. The Type A lead male character isn’t very likable, and in my opinion, is a chauvinistic ass. But, that’s just me.

The two meet as children when he is forced by his New York parents to live on rural farm with his grandparents. He hates it until he meets a feisty young girl and love blooms. Life has them move in different directions and years pass. He comes home again to a grown woman with a life she loves as the owner of a successful wildlife sanctuary. Sparks fly as they battle through the whys of their paths, choices, and love. In the meantime, a serial killer lurks. Thus is the thrust of Black Hills. Very good research of wildlife care and behavior of big cats, and wildlife tracking.

The story is nicely narrated by Podehl, good pacing and voicing of all characters.

Long Listen

You can never tell what you're going to find in Nora Roberts' ebooks. Very thorough and detailed, full of action, some romance and many twists and turns, I highly recommend this to all Nora's fans. Almost every time I find a book on Audiblle, more likely than not, it'll be one of hers. All the works of hers I have, I've read more than twice, some 4 times or more. Enjoy!

Wow. Listen to this for hours at a time.

Thoroughly enjoyed the mixture of themes and characters in this book. And the characters just weren't people it also included wildlife and thoughts of the West.