Like many people, I loved The Selection series and Siren, but had to put down The Betrothed because the characters were deeply unlikable. I picked up A Thousand Heartbeats with a little trepidation because of this previous change in style between books. Luckily, I think fans of Cass' earlier books will be very happy with this one. Stylistically, it felt more like Siren and had some elements of The Selection, with just a setting similar to The Betrothed.

There is a lot of world-building woven throughout this book. We learn of a country at the center of controversy (though its residents don't know it), neighboring kingdoms with lax borders, a stormy island, and a forgotten land turned refuge at the edge of it all. The layers of history build throughout the story, with little nuggets of information found in different pockets of story. While this story is a standalone, I'd love to see more stories set in this world, as there are so many places included that I'd love to learn the story of.

The characters were also intriguing, though some of the details towards the end of the story seemed rushed and out of character for them. Annika's family was really interesting, as they seemed equally entwined in each other's lives in a close family way but also at odds without finding ways to see eye to eye. Lennox's found family, on the other hand, seemed to be incredibly close, despite seeming to only come together at the beginning of the story.

Overall, this story was well done. The ending could have been wrapped up better, but I think most readers will be satisfied with how things play out. It is unfortunate that so far this is a standalone story though, as it would be fascinating to see how the events of this book impact the future of this world.

Kudos to the cover designers for getting me to pick up an author I haven’t read in 7 years. I requested this on a whim because the cover was pretty and I remember liking aspects of The Selection series. I was expecting to feel pretty neutral about this book, but I ended up enjoying it!

It was the characters of Annika and Lennox that sold me. They were way more developed than I expected them to be. Annika was strong but kind, and Lennox was haunted but driven. This may be a fantasy about reclaiming a kingdom, but I think it’s ultimately about breaking cycles of generational trauma. Both Lennox and Annika set out to create better environments than their parents and parental figures left them.

Was the plotting a bit messy at a time? Yes. Did some things happen way too quickly? Also yes. However, I found myself genuinely caring about the story and these characters. As well, this is a relatively clean YA book, something that is difficult to find these days. So, four stars for you!

I think a lot of Kiera Cass fans are hoping for more books that remind them somewhat of The Selection Series. I know I am. I feel like this book is as close as we've gotten since those first 3 books of that series came out.

There was a lot to like about this book, but some things that left me with many unanswered questions.

Annika's character was very consistent throughout and her inherent goodness was a balm in this tumultuous read. Annika is VERY forgiving and that led me to some questions of believability. I loved her natural born leadership skills and loved seeing those develop and be shown more as the book progressed.

Lennox's character is still a bit of a mystery to me. He had a very unstable upbringing and it showed in his personality. His emotions were all over the place. He's stoic, but he cries; he's a leader, but he's afraid to lead; he's merciless, but he shows mercy...his character left me with the most unanswered questions. As the book resolves I feel like we see who Lennox really is, and possibly was all along if it weren't for influential factors surrounding him constantly. I would have preferred to have more of his true personality show a little bit sooner in the book so as not to have so many back and forth between his multiple personalities.

I LOVED the plot and story development aspects. That was the driving force behind my page turning and I was so curious how the puzzle pieces would come together and how things would resolve. I loved the bit of mystery at the end and once I started into that I couldn't turn the pages fast enough.

I'm not sure the love story was believable, BUT I mostly read for entertainment so it still worked for me. This couple needs to overcome A LOT of past doings. I loved how love was described in this book and that makes me give it an extra star. If for nothing else, those descriptions are worth reading this book for.

Content wise there is violence in this book. Brief and mild descriptions of injuries in battles, trials and injuries made and caused through anger.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the copy. All thoughts in this review are my own.

You know those characters that are so likable that you feel invested in them and protective over them? That’s how I feel about our two main characters: Annika and Lennox. Throughout reading A Thousand Heartbeats, I wanted them to find happiness and feel supported.

Annika lives in the kingdom of Kadier. Despite living in a world where she is told how to dress and who to marry, she holds on to hope, loves her kingdom, and is committed to the welfare of the people who live there. I really appreciated that Annika is not just some entitled and helpless princess; She’s resourceful, brave, and curious.

Lennox lives in the Vosino castle, on forgotten land, and is the most feared Dahrainian soldier. He believes emotional attachments are just distractions and is committed to getting back his stolen kingdom. I adored Lennox. Underneath his seemingly cold layers, he is so kind and easy to sympathize with.

Their enemies-to-lovers romance was exciting and sweet. I had fun reading the progression in their relationship.

The parent figures in this book, if you can even call these failures parents, needed to be slapped hard. Fortunately, readers get relief from the other amazing and caring side characters.

I found A Thousand Heartbeats to be a compelling and well-written story. Despite the beginning being a bit slow paced, the reveals are surprising, the banter is fun, and the slow-burn enemies-to-lovers romance is fantastic.

Check this book out if you like:
» Dual POV in first person
» Enemies to lovers
» Rival kingdoms
» Found family
» Positive sibling relationship

Kiera Cass did a great job with her newest novel, A Thousand Heartbeats! The novel uses a dual perspective to follow Lennox and Annika, teens who struggle to support their clans and kingdoms at a time when they must go to war.

I think Lennox is the strongest of the two. He comes from a torn kingdom and believes that Annika’s family stole the throne a century or more ago. He had to fight his way up the ranks of the Dahrainian army, even though he must sacrifice his soul to do so. He is all that is left of his family after his father died trying to assassinate Kadier’s monarch, and his mother began to ignore him for the new rebel leader. Lennox goes through a stronger, more complex character arc than Annika. There is more emotion and empathy tied to his character.

I also loved Annika’s brother and his love for his sister.

In all, really enjoyed the novel. However, I thought there should have been a stronger backstory to Lennox and Annika. I was hoping for a stronger link than I received. They seemed to fall in love overnight, so more depth would have really cemented my love of them!

As a long-time fan of Kiera Cass, I was thrilled to be given access to an arc copy of her upcoming book. I am even more thrilled to say that A Thousand Heartbeats is my new favorite, as the two main characters are exceptionally well-written (and I loved them both). The first half is fairly slow but still enjoyable; then, around the 50% mark, it gets SO much better! I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys YA Fantasy Romance, especially those who enjoy the enemies-to-lovers trope.

Thank you to NetGalley and publishers for allowing me access to this book in exchange for an honest review!

This a compelling story that will hold your attention. I thought it was a slow start because the story alternates between Annika and Lennox for the entire book and the chapters are very short so not much was going on at first before we get to know the characters. Both characters are unique and come from different worlds but both have to deal with different expectations about how they should live. I didn’t find myself believing in the love story which was more of a longing for each other than really shown but it made sense. What I found a harder time with was the idea of just giving something to someone because it used to be theirs and there is a lot of unrealistic forgiveness as well. They are both ideas of goodness that are very unlikely but probably appeal to the younger audience this is aimed at. It is a comprehensive story that could have been drawn out so I appreciate that the author chose to make this a complete story in one book instead. It’s a novel that is definitely appropriate for a younger audience, there is nothing that goes beyond kissing, and while there is war and battles for the most part even those scenes are tame. There is a reference to a beheading and physical abuse of a child but it is brief and not detailed so should be ok for most readers. I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

I really enjoyed this newest book by Kiera Cass. I'm a long-time fan of The Selection series. While I have felt some of her recent works have fallen a bit off the mark, I think A Thousand Heartbeats is closer to the level of writing and story development with The Selection series.

Both Lennox and Annika are flawed, but not so much that you immediately dislike either of them. A certain amount of sympathy is formed for both and grows with time as the bond between them is evident. I do think middle schoolers and high schoolers will enjoy the romance elements, but I also think they will like the action towards the end of the book with the female lead really sticking up for herself and her family. There are just enough twists to keep readers engaged, and the cover art is absolutely beautiful!

The one thing that surprises me a little is that this book is supposed to be a stand-alone. I feel there is enough world building happening that it could almost be a series or at least a duology. Maybe that's just me being hopeful! Thank you to Netgalley and HarperTeen for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I read Kierra Cass’ Selection series as a teen and absolutely adored them. This book is no different. The world she creates is easy to fall into and the dual perspective really adds to the dynamics. Annika is such an amazing character, with enough rebellious spirit while still caring about her kingdom over herself. Lennox has such growth through the story and I love how the two characters come together. I adore the quote “Love has a sound. It sounds like a thousand heartbeats happening at the same time.” I was happily surprised when there were twists I didn’t expect, but were really well incorporated. The romance didn’t go beyond kissing and cuddling (0/5🌶) but really built a sweet romance. Really excellent read for all ages!

Wow! I didn't realize that Kiera Cass could become an even better author than I already knew her to be after reading her Selection Series. Lennox is a feared soldier in an underground group planning to take back a throne that they believe is rightfully theirs. Annika is the princess and second in line for the throne that Lennox seeks. After circumstances bring Lennox and Annika together, they are left with a choice. Their kingdoms, or each other?
Our characters are the perfect example of lovers who are capable of taking care of themselves, but desire to have someone to take care of them. I loved how strong both our hero and our heroine are in A Thousand Heartbeats. This was truly one of the best books I have read this year. A must read for everyone who loves enemies to lovers

WHAT I LIKED:
-I love the main characters. They both grew together and developed at a good pace, and I felt invested in their stories early in the book.
-This had 2 of my favorite tropes. Enemies to lovers and forbidden romance. I live for this kind of love story, and it was done well.
-The romance builds slowly and when it hits, its swoony, angsty and sweet.
-The plot twists were surprising, and I was impressed.
-The story was unique, fun, and developed at a great pace throughout the book. I was really impressed that the 576-pages felt more like 300.
-The author gave me so many emotions. I laughed out loud, found myself smiling many times and almost cried in one scene.

I DID NOT LIKE:
-There’s a scene near the beginning that feels like it was taken directly from a Disney movie. (Not in a good way.)

-The world building came too late (more than halfway in) and was incomplete. I still can’t envision the place, time, and people which stopped me from being immersed in the story. Eventually I assumed the world looked like the 1700’s because of words like “muskets,” “ships,” “powdered hair,” “heeled shoes,” “silken coats,” and “Dukes” that are sprinkled in. Those words are mentioned randomly throughout. (Not nearly enough world building)

-I don’t know their age. One minute they are acting and talking 20+ and the next they literally sound and act like 13-year-olds. Their ages are never mentioned. The writing goes back and forth between calling Annika a “woman” or a “girl” and Lennox a “man” or a “boy.” (For heaven’s sake, pick one.)

-Some of the dialog is cheesy and awkward and felt very modern. A little more sophistication would have been nice.

-The action scenes were just… bad. The buildup and anticipation were great, but they were short, choppy, and hard to follow at times.

-A handful of characters didn’t get closure in the end and their stories were wrapped up in a hurry.

OVERALL THOUGHTS:
This is entertaining, engaging, has clean, lovely romance with humor and life lessons woven in but was not written with the finesse and polish I prefer. I would recommend this for anyone who wants to be entertained and have some romance along with it. This is a solid YA book and I think many people will love it.

**side note: The cover is so pretty but it has absolutely nothing in common with the story other than the girl on the front looks like the female MC. (It’s not a bad thing) **

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC! I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

4.5-I ATE this book UP. I prefer YA Fantasy to Adult Fantasy. They read more magical and less violent, which is exactly my cup of tea.

It may be considered a bit high on the *cheese* factor, but coincidentally, I LOVE cheese. This was my first Kiera Cass book, although I've seen many references to her work before. I've been in a bit of an uninspired reading slump, and this was exactly what I needed. I couldn't put it down. Big familial/loyalty vibes with a dramatic (and touching) fate storyline. I will certainly read more of her work, and I would read this one again down the road.

Thx to NetGalley for an eARC of this one!

First and foremost, if you are a Kiera Cass fan who loved the Selection but didn’t enjoy the Betrothed duology, I think you will like this book.

There are a few aspects of this book that sort of mirror some things in the Betrothed: the royals being such a huge part. Especially because here we have a royal born princess. But I think the book is interesting enough to come out on top.

Kiera Cass has a very specific writing style when doing royal fantasy and it shows with this book. If you didn’t like any books you read of hers, I definitely would not recommend this one.

Now, the plot is pretty standard? And honestly it was all very predictable… There weren’t too many surprises or twists. (There was a mention of something that literally never came up again and confused me but maybe it was an accident keeping it in the arc and is removed from the final copy? Or maybe I misunderstood it a bit….)

So if I had to judge based solely on plot, this would be a fine 3 star book.

What I did enjoy were Lennox and Annika. I loved their tension and their enemies to lovers story. What I also love from Kiera is her ability to give readers this all-consuming love that takes your breath away. Some of her lines just made me sigh.

I also liked that Annika was a quick-witted and valiant woman. She always chose what was right and fought for it. Lennox was a broken man and I loved that he found peace with Annika. The two are very lovely together.

So overall, a pretty predictable story with a nice cast of characters. I did enjoy reading it and I hope that other Kiera Cass fans do too! Also, definitely a stand-alone. 🙌

📖 ARC Review 📖
A Thousand Heartbeats by Kiera Cass
⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
Out November 29th!

Kiera Cass is back. Nostalgic me requested this on Netgalley so fast. I’m glad I did.

If you loved the Selection and were disappointed by the Betrayal, I get it. Don’t let that stop you from picking this one up.

Brief summary: Annika is Princess of Kadier. She has spent her whole life doing whatever it takes to put her country first. Even finally agreeing to marry someone she doesn’t like to increase stability of the land. Lennox has spent his years growing up and training to take back Dahrain which was stolen from his people. They meet as adversaries but find that things about history are not as they seem.

The characters are great. The story is fun. This was exactly what I’ve been hoping to see from Cass.

I had three small gripes with this book, but they did not at all hinder my enjoyment.
1. There are two natural weather disasters in one day. I feel like she could have accomplished what she wanted with the characters without using both of those as plot devices.
2. Inigo and Lennox were introduced as rivals but became instant friends without a lot of back and forth.
3. Lastly, Kiera why? Why did you spend so much time describing granola bars in a historical fantasy romance?

This was a great book full of the desire for peace. I love Annika character, she is strong and willful. Through out the book, I love when she stands up for herself and knows when to pretend to back down, especially with Nicholas who I seriously dislike. When Annika and Lennox first fought each other, I knew this is the enemy who she will love and I was not disappointed by how it turned out. I love the cave moment they had.

I thoroughly enjoyed A Thousand Heartbeats by Kiera Cass. I liked the alternating points of view between Lennox and Annika and the way their story was woven together, and pieces of their past histories fell into place. I appreciated that both Annika and Lennox were portrayed as strong, but they both also had their softer sides. Although Lennox was feared for his reputation as a fierce warrior, you saw his inner turmoil with the ghosts that haunted him from his past actions and his struggle to forgive himself. His kindness towards his fox, Thistle, and his compassion towards a few of the other characters (don’t want to give any spoilers away!) also showed his depth of character. Annika showed that although she was second-born and a girl, she was strong and witty. She taught herself many things by reading books from the castle library, and I loved that this was mentioned! She learned to sword fight, she learned to pick locks, and she cared about the people in her kingdom. I also enjoyed the relationship between Annika and her maid, Noemi, and also her relationship with her brother.
The plot was well done. A kingdom trying to solidify the last of their line, and a band of castaways claiming their rights to their homeland. There was a lot of action to keep students on the edge of their seat and the conversations were deep and meaningful. I look forward to adding this book to my middle school library collection.

I enjoyed reading this story, I quite literally couldn't put it down. There was action, romance, and adventure. I was sucked in by the pages at night and finished reading as the sun came up.

An enemies to lovers between two people who can't be together but the moment they have will make your heart race, how can someone fall in love and be heartbroken in the same moment.

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

If you loved The Selection series, you will love this! Starts off slow but definitely picks up. You can always count on Kiera Cass to write a royal love story that will grip you.

Kiera Cass is all over BookTok, and I was stoked to see she was coming out with a standalone enemies-to-lovers novel!

Annika is the princess of her country, Kadier, and she will do anything for her people, even at the cost of her own happiness. The king, once a doting father, has gone cold since her mother’s disappearance, and Annika will soon be forced into a marriage for political gain.

Far away, Lennox is a soldier for a small rebellion, the Dahrainians, which he has devoted his life to, hoping to one day help them reclaim the throne that was stolen from them. For Lennox, the idea of love is a distraction and nothing will stand in the way of his mission. All this changes when love somehow finds them.

Kiera Cass does a fantastic job of bringing romance and intrigue to this story of secrets and star-crossed lovers. In addition to the romance, I really enjoyed the exposition and deep dive into the politics that both Annika and Lennox face in their separate roles. The book does swap perspectives in alternating chapters, which I did feel like took me out of their mindsets at times, but getting the opposite perspectives was nice when they were apart!

My only real critique is that this book felt pretty slow initially, and then came together too neatly and too quickly. There's not a ton of suspense. I really enjoyed the characters and their story, but I felt like I was left wanting more to happen.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this ARC!

Pub date: November 29, 2022

Sword fights and secret love gives this book a feeling of medieval Romeo & Juliet and I absolutely loved it! Lennox and Annika are both being used by their respective sides, but who will come out on top?
I loved seeing all the different relationships and how they affected outcomes. I went into this book knowing it’s a stand-alone, but I’d love to see how everything evolves after this particular story ended!