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.

This is such a heartbreaking beautiful book! These 2 characters, enemies were forced into a traumatic time together and formed a strong trauma bond. Only having eachother left to fall back on. Love Conquers all. Check trigger warnings.

This book gave me so many mixed feelings and emotions; which Jennifer Hartmann is the queen of doing. I really love a good romantic suspense novel, but this one was truly a romantic horror/thriller.

The growth and change that Dean and Cora go through in this book is immense and very heavy. As I was reading, some of the story gave me the "ick" and I wasn't sure whether I should be rooting for the couple or not. That however, is not a bad thing. Love and life are complicated, and this story showcases that.

Make sure you check out the trigger warnings for this book because there are many. It's dark and twisted, but also a beautiful love story.

5⭐️ 3🌶

“It’s still beating. You’re still okay. And I still love you.”

This book was everything. It was beautiful, horrifying, heart breaking, and healing. I read it in one day and I don’t care if it is still the beginning of the month, this is my favourite book of the month. Nothing is going to come close. I know it.

Cora and her sister’s fiancé Dean hate each other. They are constantly bickering and pulling pranks. But when the two of them are kidnapped by a serial killer and forced to forced experience, witness, and participate in his sick desires they are bonded by their trauma. After their escape they struggle with returning to their lives and find comfort in each other even when they feel they shouldn’t. Unfortunately while they struggle to cope they hurt themselves, each other, and those who love them. But with time and a lot of hard work they begin to heal.

I loved Dean. I mean I know he was a bit of a jerk by calling Cora by her full name which she hates, or offering her cornstarch covered donuts. But she gave it as good as she got and it was apparently pretty early on that he really did have a good heart. He proved that while they were being held captive.

My heart really broke for Cora. She had so much anxiety and insecurity even before the kidnapping. She was understandably even more of a mess after. But she always had good intentions and never wanted to hurt anyone. I just wanted to hug her and her dogs.

Please please read the trigger warnings. This book deals with some pretty terrible things including kidnapping (not the sexy mafia kind), SA, PTSD, attempted suicide, and more. If you have triggers please do your due diligence before reading.

Omg these books, this author!!!!! Wow, so many heartbreaking times in this story. I devoured this book in one sitting! Thank you for the ARC.

Definitely read the trigger warnings

~This book was given to me by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

Cora and Dean survive a kidnapping together after spending years of hate brewing.

I really enjoyed the character development and relationship between Cora and Dean. The plot and premise of this book is much heavier than something I typically read, but I enjoyed it.

Definitely check trigger warnings.

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC for my honest review.

I had a tough time with this one. This really is a dark romance that pulls at someone’s heart strings but I found myself frustrated by the actions of the male main character because of how selfish they were. It felt like there was this love story that was always there which is so messed up as the sister was with him for 15 years!! Wasn’t the book for me but I appreciated the ending where they finally got therapy.

Wow and I say that not in a good way! This book is something else. I can’t believe I forced myself to read it. Honestly I’d leave 0 stars if I could. The rape and trauma in this book is just not okay. I don’t see how anyone could enjoy reading this garbage.

Traumatic, heartbreaking, and hopeful. That about sums up this book. It starts off with Cora and Dean at odds, a years-long relationship of push and pull (almost enemies). Quickly, it careens into darkness, with Cora and Dean kidnapped and forced to endure the worst horrors.

It is in the aftermath that we see everything spiral, the relationship between Cora and Dean gets messier before it has a chance to even think about seeking lightness. They are both clinging to each other, the only ones that know the true depths of suffering that happened in that basement. But there are numerous odds stacked against them. Chief of which is Mandy, Cora's sister, and Dean's fiance. But even more than that, are the demons they each carry, the nightmares that they keep sinking into, and the desperate means by which they attempt to cope with their trauma. In the darkness they found each other, but what does that truly mean for each of them? How can they go from pranks and antagonizing barbed words to what looks suspiciously like love?

My only wish is that Mandy had a little more heft to her character. I didn't mind the ways she attempted to reach out, as everyone deals with tragedy differently, but she did feel (even as a side character, but one with a heavy role to play) too much like a caricature at times. However, the emotional waves that we get with Cora and Dean were excellent. And the Epilogue with Tabitha lent a counterpoint to the whole story that was surprisingly needed, and incredibly bittersweet.

4/5 stars

Please check trigger warnings before reading! Still Beating is a dark romance that deals with very heavy topics. This book is Dual POV, Cora Lawson and Dean Asher, her long-time enemy and sisters fiance, are both kidnapped outside of a bar. They both cling to each other to survive.

"Every love story is worth writing, no matter how messy it might be..."

This book was such an amazing read. Going through all these different stages of trauma. Starting off with being kidnapped all the way through how they survive after. Especially with two characters who handle it very differently. They have to figure out if the love they felt was real or just something they hung on to.

I read quite a bit of dark romance but I was *not* prepared for the emotional rollercoaster of this! Still Beating is so much more than some dark smut and includes such deep and emotional aspects to the story.

The trauma, the healing, the frustration! I laughed, I cried, I fell in love. Dean, oh I loved from the start even in all the what a jerk ways. The banter and growth that he goes through. Cora felt so freaking relatable in not only her personality but her internal struggle with her family. Now to Mandy, what a love hate relationship I had with her. I was furious and sympathetic then furious again. Classic girl needs her own therapy type deal. This is not a read for the faint of heart. This has some intense scenes of torture and rape. While Jennifer Hartmann is very upfront with that, I still struggled at times. Broken into three parts, each offers a lesson and takes you on different journeys of Cora and Dean’s experience and their healing. Despite all the darkness, the light at the end was so so worth it. This is a book couple I won’t stop thinking of.

This was my first book by Jennifer Hartmann and wouldn't be my last. The trauma experienced us brutal and will hurt to read---the love that grows from it is beautiful. The story has a lot to it. There is humor, heart, angst, and ache. It is a book that stays with you.

This was my first ever Jennifer Hartmann book and it definitely won’t be my last! I read this book in one sitting because it was just that good. I’ve never read a dark romance like this. I loved Dean & Cora. Everything about this book was just WOW. I can’t wait to read more from Jennifer Hartmann.

Thank you NetGalley and SOURCEBOOKS Bloom Books for the opportunity to read this arc.

4.5⭐️
Please be aware of trigger warnings before reading this book. That said I really did enjoy it, which feels weird to say given its contents. There is spice and it’s good but I feel like this story was more than that. It’s an emotional roller coaster. I laughed, I cried, I read it in one sitting. This story is dark and disturbing yet heartbreaking and beautiful. It not only has you go through the trauma with these characters, it takes you through the aftermath of that trauma and what it’s like to live with it. It’s unlike anything I’ve read to date and it’s one I will be thinking about for awhile.