This book was one heck of a journey for these characters. It was messy, and it was really dark at times. But there was a lot of hope written in those chapters too.

If you have triggers, this is one book you definitely need to check the TW and CW for.

I really appreciate that the author gave her characters the time to work through the trauma, with getting professional help. That there isn’t a easy fix, especially the the trauma Cora and Dean went through.

This book was unputdownable, and it was definitely a ride. Lots of angst with this one, so come prepared for a lot of emotions!

What an absolutely tragic and heartbreaking book about two people in an impossible situation.

Cora and Dean's relationship has always been rocky at best; but when both of them are kidnapped by a serial killer and only have each other to depend on, their relationship reaches a whole different level. The things that happened to both of them while they were chained away in the basement are completely and utterly traumatizing. And once they get out and are able to go back to their lives, they realize that they will never be the same.

This is the story of grief and loss, not of another person, but of a life that they both once knew. Dean is engaged to Cora's sister, but after they went through this event together, they are bonded like only they will understand.

The progression is their relationship is both heartwarming and sole crushing at the same time. Both of these characters needed huge hugs and 24/7 therapy after what they went through.

As usual, Jennifer Hartmann brought a book that will make you sob real tears.

Wow...this book was tough to read but it was sooooo good and entertaining. I feel like a lot of people woudn't like it due to the heavy topics like rape and miscarriage (I struggled as well) but I still need to give it 4 stars because it was so emotional and angsty. People who don't like dark books would hate it though.

This was incredibly dark, but VERY readable and I would definitely pick up more from Jennifer Hartmann. Major trigger warnings, and the whole sister's fiance thing was tough to read, as well as obviously the SA, but it actually wasn't too graphic.

I would struggle to *recommend* this but I definitely am glad I read it.

Still Beating is a dark, haunting, yet hopeful tale that stayed in my mind long after I've finished reading. This story took me on an intense roller-coaster ride as I went on this journey with Dean and Cora and I'm still reeling a couple weeks later after finishing the book. This was not a traditional love story. It was terrifying, it was angsty, it was emotional and at no time was I able to put the book down. The story was captivating and will evoke so many different emotions. The author did a fantastic job showing the character's trauma and their messy chaotic feelings as well as their strength and growth as they try to move forward and heal in the aftermath of their devastating ordeal. This story was filled with triggers so please reading the warning. It was a well written and engrossing tale and I would recommend it to lovers of dark romance.

I want to say that this book is one of my top favorite dark romances!!! Cora and Dean and enemies and soon to be in-laws thanks to her sister and Sean being engaged. The end up being kidnapped and forced to endure some horrible situations that in most cases people would never be the same again. It follows their journey of being held captive and their eventual return home which bring along its own struggles. The newly released version will include a bonus scene and I absolutely loved it!!!

This book was painfully to read and I was sobbing very hard. The author really likes to torture her characters and readers.

This story is full of triggers, so please read a trigger warning before starting it.

I was very shocked throughout the book. This story is very emotional and complicated. I think the author really has a beautiful writing style and knows exactly how to emotionally impact her readers.

This is a story that centers around two long-time nemesis, brought together by horrible circumstance. They are bonding through their trauma and try to escape the horrors they had to endure. Unfortunately it leaves a lot of emotional scars and realizations - one of them creating a barrier between longterm lovers.

This book isn’t pretty. The characters are broken and bonded by their trauma. I guess it’s natural to lean on the person who has suffered the same. However, it also destroyed a 15 year old relationship and complicated the sisterly bond as well when you suddenly get feelings for your sisters fiancé.
The recovery was very emotional and sometimes I wasn’t exactly happy with everything that has happened. But I also have to admit that this story feels very unique and gripped me entirely. I was sometimes sobbing so hard, I barely saw my kindle. Jennifer Hartmann created a very dark, emotional, forbidden second chance romance novel which will surely be stuck in my head for a while.

However, I have to admit there were a few things bothering me (including spoilers):
- the relationship between Dean and Cora consist of mocking each other and some of their pranks seemed very mean. After being kidnapped Dean admits he mocked her because he was secretly into her. I am so tired of this bullshit excuse. If you like someone, you clearly shouldn’t bully them and then get together with the sister
- let’s be honest Dean would have never broken up if the kidnapping didn’t happen. He was together for 15! years. That’s such a long time to be not 100% into the relationship. I understood his struggles but somehow it really bothered me how easily he could break up with a girl he spend over a decade with.
- turning Mandy into a villain just for the sake of Dean and Cora’s relationship was mean and unnecessary.
- Cora holding onto her grudge felt very exaggerated especially when they are literally hold captive and she gets hurt. Not the best time to talk about all their silly jokes they did on each other….
- Cora also seemed very Self centered. She is „not like her sister“, Dean breaks up because of HER, etc. the world does not revolve around you alone Cora. Please get a grip. She also uses Dean a lot, when he wants to start a real relationship and not just sex, but Cora constantly argues with him and uses him for her primitive urges.

This book leaves me with mixed feelings. While it was super emotional and had me in a chokehold, there was also a lot that bothered me especially now thinking about the plot again…I guess I give it 3.5 stars.

Wow this was such an unexpected emotional rollercoaster of a book! I just know it is going to be one of those books that sticks with you for a long time. Even though this book has some very dark moments, the ending was full of hope and resilience and brought such a smile to my face. I feel like the author handled the discussion around such dark moments very appropriately and the realistic timeline and actions from the characters added to the relatability of the story, This was a very unique book, please read trigger warnings before you read but if you are ok with the darker plot then you will not regret this read!!

★★★★.75

If you see me talk about this book for the next few months don’t mind. This was heartbreaking but so beautiful and unique. I’ve never read a story that deals with trauma in such a deep and detailed way. It’s a romance (dark romance) but not your typical one. It’s something terrible made into something so beautiful. Definitely recommend this but check your tw.

Tropes:
• kidnapping
• trauma
• “enemies” to lovers

Still Beating
By Jennifer Hartmann
Pub Date: 11 Jul 2023
SOURCEBOOKS Bloom Books, Bloom Books
Romance
Rating: 5/5

Jennifer Hartmann's Still Beating has been one of my favorite reads this year. This book was originally published in 2020, but now it's rereleased with a stunning redesigned cover.

Even though it is not for the faint of heart, Cora and Dean's story is full of emotions, grit, and intensity. Its themes of love, betrayal, and friendship stay with readers long after finishing the last page. There are several complex side characters in this novel that add to the enthralling read. Hartmann's writing is exceptional and captivated me so much that I finished the book in one day. I highly recommend this novel for dark romance readers.

Check the trigger warning before proceeding with Still Beating as it deals with very sensitive subject matter.

I am grateful to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Bloom Books for sharing this praise worthy book with me. Reviewing it was a pleasure. I've already decided which Jennifer Hartmann novel I'm going to read next.

#StillBeating #JenniferHartmann

People recommended this one & I had high hopes. But I’m a little disappointed tbh. It is a dark romance.
The book's concept was interesting, so I picked up the book, but I didn't enjoy how it was delivered. Dean and Cora trauma bonded and had an immense connection, but they were codependent, and their relationship was not healthy.

I had mixed feelings about this because the premise had potential, but the escalation of their relationship was not my favorite.

First and foremost if you decide to read this please read the trigger warnings. To the review, the story line does talk about some pretty heavy subjects, and traumatic events. The FL and her soon to be brother-in-law .. yes brother I’m law, get kidnapped and are forced to do some pretty messed up things. I think the author did a good job of showing that this kind of thing could happen and the results of it. Me personally… I wasn’t really into it, I didn’t like that match up with her sister’s fiancé, the FL is really immature at the age of 29? I feel like this could have been better if it were early 20s? I just didn’t vibe with it.

I’ve never read a book like this before. I went through so many emotions, and so did the characters. At first, I wasn’t sure what to make of the main romance. It didn’t seem clear whether the connection between Cora and Dean was genuine or merely the result of the trauma they experienced together. However, as the book went on, the genuine chemistry and care between the main characters became obvious. While their time in the basement may have accelerated the development of their relationship, they were inevitable.

The aftermath of their kidnapping was even more difficult to get through than the basement scenes themselves. Cora’s healing, in particular, was long and heartbreaking, and I grieved for the lack of support she received from various parties, including her sister. I wish Cora had been more decisive in her feelings toward Dean as she seemed to cause him a significant amount of pain, but I loved the ending and watching her grow as a character.

Overall, this was a very emotional and heart-wrenching romance. I highly recommend it.

*I received an ARC of this novel. This is my complete and honest review.*

my first dark romance book and I'm completely hooked. this is a masterpiece from start to finish. so raw. so heartbreaking. and so painful in the most beautiful way. I loved every bit.

3.5 ⭐️//
thank you netgalley for an eARC in exchange for an honest review!

this book deals with multiple heavy topics and put an emphasis on HEAVY. TWs include suicide, self harm, sexual assault, rape, ptsd, death of a pet, and explicit sex. some of those topics were heavily detailed so if you do decide to read this book, check the TWs. that being said, this book has multiple of my favorite tropes including enemies to lovers and forbidden romance. i ate this up in less than a day so yeah you wouldn't be able to put it down.

despite the book aiming to be more character driven, the characters in this book were shallow in my opinion. cora is showcased to be this perfect 'quirky' girl and her sister mandy is the exact opposite where in multiple occasions, mandy was made fun of for being over the top (ex. wearing fake lashes, dying her hair blonde whereas cora has natural "golden tresses"). dean's whole 'not your typical f-boy' persona was also irritating to me. he was with mandy for 14 years before proposing all while he knew he had feelings for mandy's sister and he's a GROWN MAN. i mean come on 14 YEARS???? he was just kind of an asshole, too (excuse my french) 😭

overall, it's a good read, but could've been better if the characters were more complex and less wattpad-ish. i think the plot was very intriguing, and even though it was difficult to read at some parts, it was still really good and fast-paced in that aspect. definitely give it a shot if you're into emotional and dark romance books!

After a night of drinking with her sister and sister’s fiancé Dean (whom she does not get along with and has it for the last 15 years) Cora find herself stuck at the bar with no ride. After exhausting all other options, Cora hesitantly calls Dean who comes right over. On the way home, they are stopped, incapacitated and taken.

Both of them wake up chained in a basement where they spend the next 3 weeks enduring abuse inflicted by their captor and (while at gun point) each other. Having only each other to rely on, they form a bond as a means of coping with their situation. Once an opportunity for escape presents itself, they immediately work together to find freedom.


And that’s just the first 1/3. The reminder of the book deals with the aftermath and Cora and dean trying to find a way to move forward with their lives and cope with what happened to them in both healthy and unhealthy ways.

They find solace in one another after being unable to reconnect with family and friends who just don’t understand what they’ve been through, much to their own dismay and that of Cora’s sister/Dean’s fiancé.

This book will have you cringing, crying, laughing out loud, and believing in the hope for healing after unimaginable trauma.

Thank you NetGalley and Sourcebook Bloom Books for providing me with an eARC of Still Beating in return for my honest opinion

Dear lord I was not ready for the emotional roller coaster that is Still Beating. This book is extremely triggering, I definitely recommend reading through the trigger warnings at the beginning of the book before you start reading (thank you Jennifer Hartman for taking the time to list these).

Still beating is a dark romance, but it is so much more than that. Please be warned it touches on some pretty intense stuff, including but not limited to; kidnapping, abuse, SA, the fall out after surviving a traumatic experience, miscarriage, self harm, mental health issues/PTSD and suic*de attempts.

The book is a dual POV, which I appreciated as it made it easier to understand both Cora and Dean’s thoughts, their struggles and demons post their shared traumatic experience. I agree with others that both characters were a little hard to love at times, but to be fair they were both in very dark places and dealing with cosmetic pretty messed up trauma so I’m going to give them a bit of a break… I also wasn’t the biggest fan of the love story/connection between those two, yes they had a past where they were clearly harbouring some pent up feelings for each other through their pranks and their “hatred” for each other but Dean was Cora’s sisters fiancé???? And the things he had to do to her in the basement?! Again I get that was the whole purpose of the “matchmaker” and the connection they’ve formed through their shared grief and trauma but wtf? Overall I don’t believe I understood Dean or Cora enough to fully comprehend their relationship.

The side characters… I know that Hartman probably made Mandy insufferable to make the reader sympathise and side with Cora and Dean but man was she cold and unsympathetic of what those two had gone through. Mandy and Lily (Cora’s best friend) both try to push Cora into dating like immediately after she survives the trauma like WTF?? The girl’s just been kidnapped, locked in a basement and SA’ed and you think she needs to get laid?!!

Overall this book was a roller coaster that I wish I had of jumped early. It was a little too dark and the story was intriguing but just felt underdeveloped and the ending a little too happy (?).

WOAH. Just WOAH.

I didn’t know much about this author- but when a bunch of blogger groups are buzzing about a book, you tend to notice. So I blissfully added this to my TBR without really knowing just what I was getting myself into.

And oh my, there might not even be words. This story is dark, haunting, painful and faw- but also hopeful, sincere, and profoundly tender. A story of incredible contrasts- the dark and light, peaceful and traumatic- and what emerges is a love story that is incredibly complex and original. One that perhaps we can’t even full explain or understand, but one that we feel soul deep.

Full disclosure, this will not be a story for everyone- and not only because of the repeated disturbing and deeply painful trauma our leads suffer at the hands of a madman. Some will have trouble with the “sister swapping” trope- the complex and challenging history of Dean and Cora’s relationship as well as the “cheating” elements that ensue much later. For me, it was hard to see this as cheating -and it’s really not the POINT of this story. But, for some, it might not be your cup of tea.

And, while I normally populate the “no spoilers camp,” I feel like this is a story that I would actually go into with eyes at least somewhat open. I read many reviews so I could make sure the triggers here were what I could handle- I have very few, but to me the triggers here don’t really lie in the physical nature of the trauma- it is more so in the psychological turmoil both characters experience in the aftermath. That is what makes this story so profoundly unsettling yet beautiful- but it was hard to read, hard to experience, and at times hard to digest. So, tread lightly if you have either triggers or more strictly constructed conceptions of safety when it comes to romance. This may not be for you.

But for everyone else, this is a story that will unsettle and challenge. Early on, JH is depicting abject trauma and juxtaposing it with sweet and pure moments. And later, the story explores the lingering impact of both those experiences- not only the pain of their horrific situation but the powerful but quiet ways these two characters connected to survive, the unexpected safety they found in the most horrific experience.

I must also mention that the narrative structure of this story was really clever- a story told in multiple parts, with each part told solely from one POV, either Dean or Cora’s. It makes for such a more psychologically and immersive experience- because that is REALLy what this story is about, the nexus of trauma and connection. What is authentic vs. what is enabling or healing. And that is MESSY. So messy. But undeniably right. JH finds the most right, the most pure, the most beautiful love story within something so wrong, so depraved, and so ugly.

This is not an easy romance- but it is incredibly rewarding, if the triggers are something you can work through. You will be gutted, ripped apart, and horrified- but hopefully you’ll also find the power and light. I know I did- days later, I’m still thinking about this love story and what it says about the human heart and mind. It will stay with you- even if the journey there is far form easy.

I did not expect to cry in this book. What an absolute emotional rollercoaster.

I've been going in to most of my reads lately completely blind (highly recommend) I don't read the back or anything. The only thing I thought I knew about this book was it was dark romance, but it turned out to not really be that. This book is dark and there's romance but I wouldn't call it a dark romance.

Cora hates Dean (her sister's fiance and parter of 15 years) they've known eachother since school and hes always picked on her, over the years its evolved into a stream of prank wars on eachother.

After going through a very traumatic experience together they are bonded in a way no one else can understand.

That's all I will say on the plot as I highly recommend going in blind for this one. I was on the edge of my seat, heart racing one minute, and breaking the next. I'll be thinking about this book for a long time.

Wow!!! This will easily be one of my top reads of 2023.

While some of the content is difficult to read, seeing the bond form between Dean and Cora made me unable to put this book down. Their trauma bond felt completely authentic and raw - I could feel their pain as they tried to navigate their personal healing journeys. It all felt so painful and ugly yet beautiful and redemptive.

You could never think that such a dark story could have such an amazing happily ever after but this one did and it was everything my heart wanted it to be. I wanted them to find their way to each other in a healthy way and it was oh so satisfying!

This book is a home run and I highly recommend it!