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!

Do you love criminal minds but wish those stories went further in depth with the victims. What happens to them when the story is over. Did they ever find peace? if so, then you’ll love this. Truly, this book shook me to my core. I cried, read with the lights on, screamed, and cried some more. This story is very dark, and rather then fade to black - the author chose to write the trauma front and center. There are so many SA survivors, men and women, and seeing Deans and Cora’s journey to healing was heartbreakingly beautiful. Their chemistry could literally be felt through my kindle. And their banter I feel saved them both and us readers. Sure the first half of this book was shocking, but seeing how everyone handled everything all left for some twists and turns I wasn’t expecting. If you love dark romance, READ THIS.

Update.
I read this book as an indie pub, I loved it with my whole heart.
I thank Netgally for the early copy of the updated edition, the new cover is gorgeous and so is the unforgettable and heartbreaking story of Cora and Dean.


Edit

Seconda rilettura. Ho una dipendenza. Amato.
Prima Rilettura. Amato quanto la prima volta.



L'ho amato dalla prima all'ultima pagina, mi ha emozionato e intrattenuto alla perfezione. Ho sofferto insieme a Cora e, con lei, mi sono innamorata di Dean.
Bellissimo.
P.S. non lo definirei propriamente dark, è più un contemporary con elementi dark.
P.P.S. leggendo alcune recensioni da 1 stella, pare che la relazione quindicennale di Dean sia stato il marchio d'infamia per condannarlo e declassare il libro a "schifo". Non so, certamente ci sono delle imperfezioni e il dettaglio sopracitato è un po' irreale (soprattutto visti gli sviluppi e considerato il fatto che quando si sono conosciuti Cora era single) ma questo buco di trama non compete con le emozioni che la storia mi ha fatto provare, che cancellano ogni possibile difetto.

4⭐️ | 🌶️🌶️🌶️
PLEASE FOR THE LOVE OF GOD CHECK TW'S AND PROCEED WITH CAUTION.

I'm speechless. 🫢 I'll preface by saying I wouldn't necessarily say I'm a dark romance girlie (no judgement at all for those who enjoy the genre) after reading THIS particular book, I reminded myself why that is. All I can really say is I get it. It may not be where I gravitate all the time, but if I were to indulge it in... I'm very glad I read this book.

Was this book perfection? Absolutely-freaking-not. It is a dark romance, rightfully so. To expect anything more or less is really asking to be disappointed. About 5-10% in, I was already sweating and questioning my life choices, but nevertheless I persevered! It was a bold story to tell. Dean and Cora have spent the better part of 15 years antagonizing each other. Harmless pranks, scowls, and colorful insults- the whole nine yards. Anyone with 2 eyes and more than 1 brain cell would automatically deduce that hm, maybe these two might actually like each other instead 🤔 But no, Dean's actually engaged to Cora's sister, and they've been together for the past 15 years 🫠. Then Dean and Cora go and get kidnapped by a serial killer and trauma-bonded for weeks. I did say this story was bold.

I have maybe 3-4 personal qualms with this book that have been touch on multiple times by other readers/reviewers so I won't harp on it. lol I let a lot more things slide in dark romances vs. my usual fluffy contemporary romances because though it's fiction, trauma responses are real. It makes for a damn good story... but not so much in real life. These two and maybe, definitely even a few side characters (Mandy) would benefit with a buttload of ✨therapy✨


thank you to bloom books, netgalley, and Jennifer Hartmann for the eARC!

Still Beating was a dark and emotional story, full of trigger warnings and forbidden romance which is not my usual jam but I really loved it. It was very intense and sad and had me on the edge of my seat. While it’s full of terrible things that happened, it’s also a story of resiliency and true love finding a way. Beautifully written and unforgettable.

This book is one of my favourites of all time. Jennifer Hartmann has a way with words that just tug at the heartstrings. This book constantly kept me on my toes and made me shed so many tears. Dean & Cora are the very definition of soulmates and reading about their journey from enemies to lovers was so satisfying,

Um, wow. Check out the trigger warnings on this one, because while it is an amazing and beautfiul story, it is also very dark and contains many instances of horrible abuse.

Cora can't stand her sister's fiance, Dean, but when she needs a ride home from a bar late at night, he is the only person she has to call. What she doesn't realize is that she and Dean will end up in a madman's basement struggling to survive, with only each other to lean on.

This book is an amazing story of survival, and then the even more daunting task of healing from merely surviving into living again. While Still Beating contains horrors that I could not have imagined going into the book, it also has beautiful moments of tenderness, of acceptance, and of rebirth into different people. There is heartbreak, and a very real look into how being saved from a terrible tragedy is only the beginning.

This book was the very best of dark romance. It made me angry, and it made me cry with both anguish for the characters and with happiness. I'll be thinking about this one for long after I've finished reading it.

Thank you to Bloom Books and to Netgalley for providing me with an ARC of this book.