I was a big fan of Kiera Cass's THE SELECTION trilogy and was so hoping that she would recapture the magic of that series in A THOUSAND HEARTBEATS. While the premise and overall story is an interesting one, I feel like the novel needed to undergo at least one more developmental edit. The plot felt rushed and implausible at times, and as lovely as Annika and Lennox are, they didn't always feel fully fleshed out. Their motivations and reasoning for their choices didn't always feel super believable. I wanted to be invested in their love story, but the sudden shift felt, well, too sudden. Nickolas, although a side character, was completely despicable and believable though. Ultimately, while I am a fan of standalones, A THOUSAND HEARTBEATS probably needed to be a duology for the story to really work.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for giving me an ARC copy of this book to read and review. All of these thoughts are my own.

I fell inlove with this author through her Selection series and so I had high hopes for this book. It didn’t let me down.

Annika and Lennox are obviously complete opposites, she’s a princess and he’s a feared solider and I think that made their enemies to lovers romance even more enjoyable.

This is a wonderful book and I wish I could reread it again for the first time. Kiera Cass truly never disappoints. I love her story building, her characters, and just the way she can suck you into a book.

Concise Review:
A Thousand Heartbeats is a captivating read, containing intrigue, revelations, and likable characters, wrapped up in a beautiful cover.

Detailed Review:
A Thousand Heartbeats worked really well for me, and is everything as described: enemies to lovers, star-crossed romance, in an epic fantasy setting. The synopsis describes what A Thousand Heartbeats is about very well.

How The Story Read:
The writing style is one that is very easy to get into. I felt the pacing was great. A Thousand Heartbeats was one of those stories that I didn't want to put down.

There is so much more to A Thousand Heartbeats than just romance! There is intrigue, drama, revelations and a hint of mystery and 'haunting'. The story unfolds in an unexpected and entertaining way.

A Thousand Heartbeats touches on grief, specifically, losing a loved one, and how people deal with grief in different ways.

About The Characters:
I found the characters really likeable and easy to read about!

Annika is a truly good person, a beautiful princess who loves her family and country, and carries herself with a quiet and admirable strength.

Lennox on the other hand, is very corrupt, choosing to make horrible decisions in desperation to be recognized and acknowledged by the leader of his people. (Thistle is a great addition to Lennox's character.)

There is a great cast of characters! There is an overprotective and loving brother, a greedy, shifty villain, and characters with unrequited love. Truly, there is so much more than just those mentioned that impact the overall story.

The relationship dynamics are so incredibly interesting, and thought out very well.

Potential Triggers:
There could be a possibly triggering event on talking about physical abuse (i.e. beating, slapping, ect.) inflicted by an older man to a younger man.

Finishing The Book:
I really liked how the ending of A Thousand Heartbeats was handled, and felt the ending offered a satisfying closure of the story.

Overall Thoughts:
Overall, A Thousand Heartbeats is very well written, another favorite read, and works so well as a standalone! I would highly recommend A Thousand Heartbeats to other readers who enjoy enemies to lovers, star-crossed romance, fantasy stand-alones, fantasy romance.

Extra Notes:
I think the cover is beautiful.

The title was chosen perfectly, befitting the book in a way that make sense after reading.

I appreciate that the romance was kept on the cleaner side compared to most other fantasy romance books.

I was given an Advanced Reader's Copy through Netgalley and I give my honest review voluntarily. My review is my own thoughts and opinion; my experience in reading this story.

3.5/5

Okay, I enjoyed this one! This book was far from realistic and I feel like the romance and resolution was incredibly rushed. But despite that I did enjoy it! Annika and Lennox are intriguing characters and it was fun to watch them hate, help, and love each other. And I do like how it ended and all came together!

I received an advanced reader copy from NetGalley and all opinions are my own.

I just really like Kiera Cass’s writing! This was a fun book and it kept me entertained. It’s fun to fall down the reading trap she weaves for you!

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for my ARC!

This book was a disappointment, although not the worst book I've ever read. It had some sweet moments, but almost completely missed the mark in the end.

A couple of things I liked about this book first.

I loved that Lennox had this morally grayness to him. That made him a little more interesting as a character. He was a man forced to kill and do horrible acts by duty, but was also someone who so desperately didn't want to. He wanted to leave that life behind, but he did what had to be done.

Annika was a strong character. I liked that she was kind and good, but she was also brave and strong. She learned how to fight and defined herself and others. She knew there would be tough times ahead and he prepared for them. I liked that about her.

Now, onto the rest...

I was bored pretty much the whole book. We didn't really get any action in this book until about a 1/4 of the way in. And even then, it was short lived. There were all these little bursts of action, but nothing that captivated me enough to propel me through the book. Even the end, where there was more action, felt slow and short lived somehow.

Lennox and Annika had the same voice. I couldn't even tell it was dual POV, but I know it was. They literally had the same thoughts and acted very similarly. I needed something distinct about the two and I didn't get it.

Lastly, they fell in love so fast! It was essentially instalove. It didn't feel like there was a base for it and then there was this random childhood experience that linked them that felt contrived. I just couldn't with the romance.

Overall, this was not it. I've begun to lose hope in Cass' books since I haven't enjoyed them since the third Selection novel. I do hope she finds her groove again soon.

"And there was my new goal. Not flourish. Not enjoy.
Survive."

Thank you @netgalley @harpercollinsch for this arc! I literally screamed with excitement when I got this notification 😅

I have been a fan of @partylikeawordstar for the longest time and this book just kept sealing in my love for her writing 😍

I could feel all the emotions the main characters went through. The love, happiness, and even betrayal, just seeped through the pages to me.

Such a strong female character who I loved more and more with each passing page and how independently and selflessly she would make her decisions. Always thinking ahead. I wish I'd gotten more closure regarding Annika's dad and maybe more about how her mom came to be in the position she did with Lennox's people.

Overall, I always love diving into and getting lost in magical worlds and their systems and this was a perfect and beautifully written read. 🥰

Rating: LOVEDDDDDD it and need more 🥹♥️♥️♥️

I really enjoyed this book! It was a story that kept me engaged and wanting to know what the next chapter holds.
Kiera Cass did a wonderful job of creating a story that has action, adventure, a bit of suspense, some mystery, and of course romance. I absolutely loved how the relationship between Lennox and Annika changes and develops throughout the story. The cave parts are my absolute favorite, and a big turning point in the book that I think was done very well.
It was really enjoyable to read a story with characters who change so much, some for the better, and others not so much. To have character’s that struggle, make mistakes, learn, and strive to be better always makes a book better, and Kiera delivered on that in spades.
Personally I really liked this book and I would easily buy a physical copy once it’s released.

“Love has a sound. It sounds like a thousand heartbeats happening at the same time.”

Thank you Kiera Cass, Harper Teen, and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review! “A Thousand Heartbeats” is set to publish on November 29, 2022!

Princess Annika had lived a life of comfort- but no amount of luxuries can change the fact that her life isn’t her own to control. The King, once her loving father, has gone cold, and Annika will soon be forced into a loveless marriage for political gain. Miles away, small comforts are few and far between for Lennox. He has devoted his life to the Dahrainian army, hoping to one day help reclaim the throne that was stolen from them. For Lennox, the idea of love is merely a distraction- nothing will stand in the way of fighting for his people. But when love, against all odds, finds them both, they are bound to its call. They can’t possibly be together- but the irresistible thrum of a thousand heartbeats won’t let them stay apart.

Kiera Cass has done it again! “A Thousand Heartbeats” is a YA stand-alone book about star-crossed lovers. I could not put this book down! I loved watching the story unfold with the dual POV’s and getting too see both characters do what they believe is best for their people, even if it means it’s not what they want for themselves. I always enjoy reading about another young heroine that kicks butt and shows the men who constantly underestimate her just how capable she really is. If you enjoyed reading The Selection series, you will love this book! I gave “A Thousand Heartbeats” 4.5 ⭐️’s.

I've had Kiera Cass books on my TBR list, so this is my first introduction to her. I was really excited to get the ARC to read and review.

The themes in this book that you'll love: Enemies-to-Lovers. Found family. Touch her and die. Grumpy and sunshine.

I really enjoyed this book. I thought Annika was a great character. She's royalty, but she doesn't necessarily want to be. She cares about her people and would do anything for the sake of them and to keep things peaceful in her family. She's more than willing to sacrifice herself and her needs as long as others are happy.

Lennox is also great. He's willing to do anything to be accepted by those who he wants to impress and to improve his standing in his world. And while this is a flaw, he is a good person underneath who cares more than he would ever let on. His growth in the book is superb.

When Annika and Lennox's world's collide, the story really takes off. I personally had a feeling about certain plot twists and some I was correct on; others stumped me. And while it is a little longer, I am a fast reader and finished in less than a day. I'd absolutely recommend if you're into those themes and want a cute read.

Will anything be as good as the selection series? This follows Anneke and Lennox as they navigate their royal world together. I do love the royal books and their story is cute. I didn’t relate to anneke very much and kind of found her a little whiny to be honest, I had a hard time getting into the story. I liked Lennox which is usually how it goes for me. I like dial POV stories. This is good!

I haven’t read a Kiera Cass book since The Selection series and this one did not disappoint. I loved Annika’s character. She is brave, fierce, and loyal. Lennox’s character development throughout the book was quite deep for a young adult book. This was a beautiful love story with some battle action thrown in.

Felt very young and characters were shallow. Story was all too convenient and would've liked to see deeper connections and proper time devoted to fleshing out characters.

I went into the book blind and I was pretty confused on what was going on. It does get better about halfway but I have a hard time with books that don’t immediately hook me.

This YA, enemies to lovers fantasy novel was delightful. I really enjoyed the medieval setting. The plot was fun, full of action and adventure. I found it slightly slow in the beginning, but once the two MCs meet, the pace definitely picks up!

Princess Annika is a strong character. She’s loved by her people. Even though she dreams of finding love, she’s willing to marry a man she doesn’t love for the future of her kingdom.

Lennox is a complex character. He’s a fierce fighter, willing to dish out the hard punishments that no one else wants to do. Yet he feels great sorrow over his killings. He feels so alone in the beginning. His “found family” story was one of my favorite parts of the book.

“Love has a sound. It sounds like a thousand heartbeats happening at the same time.”

I really enjoyed the romance in this novel. It was perfectly YA. When these two were together, it was fantastic! I do wish we would have gotten a little more “on page” time in the beginning. Annika and Lennox have an instant connection, yet because of their stations in life, they must remain enemies. As they fight against their growing feelings, they are thrown together and forced to confront the past, present and future. As an “older” YA reader, I appreciated how maturely Annika and Lennox handled their impossible situation. They really listen to each other and share a deep love.

“But every time Lennox smiled or touched me or even looked at me a certain way, I would hear it again. The sound of a thousand heartbeats.”


Thanks to @netgalley and the publishers for my eARC. All opinions are my own.

This was so much fun. It started out a little slow but once they got stuck in the cave it got so much better. I love their DimitriAnastasia serve. Annika is such a strong character and I loved seeing her growth.

I received an arc through netgalley.

A Thousand Heartbeats
by Kiera Cass

Overall 5
Spice 0

• Queen of YA
• 500 pages… it’s a tad long
• Fast Paced
• Strongly YA (don’t look for NA here)
• Dual POV (swoon)
• Love at First Sight
• Enemies to Lovers
• Forced Proximity
• Strong FMC and MMC
• Kidnapping
• Overcoming all Obstacles
• A Few Plot Points Felt a Bit Immature

Princess Annika lives a picture-perfect life in the kingdom of Kadir, but she has very little control over her own life. Her once-loving father turned cold and controlling after her mother was kidnapped, and now Annika is forced to marry for the good of her kingdom. But on a ride to announce her engagement to her people, she is kidnapped by members of the same group who kidnapped her mother, a secretive group who believe Kadir is actually their stolen land. Lennox grew up planning how to retake Kadir and hardening himself into the most feared Dahrainian soldier to survive his abusive step-father. Determined to prove himself to his people and retake his stolen land, he kidnaps Annika and plans to hold her hostage. But as they talk, they realize their situations might not be as different as they initially thought, and their love for their people may only be shadowed by their growing affection for each other. I adore the Selection series, so I was so excited to pick up this book, and I loved it! The plot was intriguing and much more exciting than I expected from a YA fantasy romance! The characters were a little two-dimensional at the beginning of the book, making it harder to connect with the story. But the plot was so interesting that I stayed invested, and by the second half of the book, the characters were much more developed, and I quickly fell in love with them. Also, the romance plotline was so sweet, with both characters determined not to let their feelings get in the way of what was best for their country. This was such a fun ya fantasy romance, and I'm so sad it is a standalone instead of a full series!

Enemies to lovers is my absolute favorite trope but this one didn’t do it for me. There were several things that I had a problem with. The story was okay and did get better by the end.

A Thousand Heartbeats by Kiera Cass is a satisfying non-magical medieval fantasy.

At over 500 pages it’s a bit long, but there’s plenty of action to keep the story moving forward.

I especially liked how several of the side characters were just as important to the story as the main characters Annika and Lennox. Everyone was fleshed out really well and felt like real people.

This book is written in first person perspective. We get the perspectives of both MCs. I think I would have preferred if third person perspective had been used for one of the POVs, because there were a few times when I had to pause reading in the middle of a chapter and then, when I came back to it, I couldn’t remember which character’s POV I was reading. So that was a little confusing for me. Thankfully, it was relatively easy to flip back to that chapter’s beginning (each chapter is labeled with the POV character’s name) to remind myself.

As for content, I didn’t find anything too concerning for this YA book.

There’s some sweet romance including kisses and hand holding and cuddling. Nothing overly descriptive.

I would caution a more sensitive reader to be aware that there is quite a bit of violence. There are a couple of rather bloody battles described. Some characters are injured, injuries are described, and some characters are killed.

In direct juxtaposition to the fighting and death, however, there are also themes of forgiveness and redemption. I think that’s what I liked best about this story.

I enjoyed reading A Thousand Heartbeats, and recommend it to teen and adult readers of YA fiction. If you’ve enjoyed Kiera Cass’s other books, you’ll likely enjoy this one as well!

My rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (4/5 stars)

I received an ebook ARC of A Thousand Heartbeats from the publisher through NetGalley. All opinions expressed in this review are my honest thoughts about this book.