You will either love this book or dislike it. It is so incredibly dark and packed with intense topics (check trigger warnings) but I really did end up liking the main two characters. Everyone else kind of annoyed me — I didn’t care for anyone else but the overall storyline was enough to keep my attention. I’ll definitely still be looking out for books by this author in the future!

This book is gripping, emotional and dark. So definitely read the trigger warnings. That being said I couldn’t put this down I finished it within hours of picking it up. The story centers around the characters Dean and Cora after they are kidnapped by a serial killer and the fallout of what happens after they escape. After this book, I am definitely adding more Jennifer Hartmann books to my TBR.

I'm stuck at a crossroads... on one hand I can see why so many people loved this one. On the other hand, I found a lot of things irritating and trying too hard with the characters.

I guess I'll put it at three stars, as I didn't hate it, but didn't love it either. I just wish the characters had been a little different and it would have made the story so much better.

"Still Beating" by Jennifer Hartmann is a gripping masterpiece that defies expectations and leaves an indelible mark on the heart. When Cora and Dean, two individuals with a history of mutual disdain, find themselves abducted and confined together, their journey from adversaries to allies is a breathtaking ride. Hartmann's ability to intricately weave tension, emotion, and unexpected tenderness into the fabric of their evolving relationship is nothing short of astounding. The book's ability to evoke laughter, tears, and an unrelenting desire to unravel the characters' fates is a testament to Hartmann's narrative prowess. As Cora and Dean confront their shared ordeal, their vulnerabilities and strengths come to the fore, creating a story that is at once heart-wrenching and heartwarming. "Still Beating" is not just a novel; it's an emotional symphony that resonates long after the final page. Jennifer Hartmann's literary finesse shines through every line, solidifying her status as a master storyteller in every sense.

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

After Cora Lawson and Dean Asher go through everything they go through together (and trust me – IT’S A LOT), there's so much angst and longing there - you can feel their pull to one another, it’s heartbreaking. Their love is unconventional, but it’s theirs and it’s all they have to get them through.

𝘠𝘰𝘶 𝘥𝘰𝘯'𝘵 𝘧𝘦𝘦𝘭 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘮𝘺 𝘦𝘯𝘦𝘮𝘺 𝘢𝘯𝘺𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦.
𝘠𝘰𝘶 𝘧𝘦𝘦𝘭 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘮𝘺 𝘭𝘪𝘧𝘦𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘦.

This book is so dark with so much raw, emotional trauma - I would definitely say to check trigger warnings, if you know there’s something that will affect you. But if you love dark romance – this is a MUST read!!
It consumed me, and is now a story forever etched into my heart and will go down as one of my favourite books!
If you haven’t read this one yet, or it’s on your TBR – PUSH IT UP! I highly recommend.
The added epilogue is everything. I loved getting the little glimpse of them!

𝘔𝘺 𝘸𝘩𝘰𝘭𝘦 𝘭𝘪𝘧𝘦 𝘐'𝘷𝘦 𝘣𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘳𝘪𝘧𝘪𝘦𝘥 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘰𝘤𝘦𝘢𝘯. 𝘐'𝘷𝘦 𝘣𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘴𝘤𝘢𝘳𝘦𝘥 𝘰𝘧 𝘣𝘦𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘥𝘳𝘢𝘨𝘨𝘦𝘥 𝘥𝘰𝘸𝘯 𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘰 𝘢 𝘤𝘰𝘭𝘥, 𝘥𝘢𝘳𝘬 𝘴𝘦𝘢, 𝘴𝘸𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘰𝘸𝘦𝘥 𝘣𝘺 𝘸𝘢𝘷𝘦𝘴, 𝘤𝘭𝘶𝘵𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘮𝘺 𝘤𝘩𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘨𝘢𝘴𝘱𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘢𝘪𝘳.
𝘉𝘶𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘴𝘦𝘢 𝘪𝘴 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘮𝘢𝘥𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘸𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘳.
𝘈𝘯𝘥 𝘮𝘢𝘺𝘣𝘦 𝘥𝘳𝘰𝘸𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘪𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘰𝘯𝘭𝘺 𝘸𝘢𝘺 𝘰𝘶𝘵.

𝘏𝘦𝘭𝘭 𝘧𝘰𝘭𝘭𝘰𝘸𝘦𝘥 𝘮𝘦 𝘩𝘰𝘮𝘦.
𝘐𝘵 𝘭𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘴 𝘪𝘯𝘴𝘪𝘥𝘦 𝘮𝘦, 𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘰𝘧 𝘮𝘺 𝘥𝘦𝘮𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘨𝘩𝘰𝘴𝘵𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘶𝘯𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘨𝘪𝘷𝘢𝘣𝘭𝘦 𝘧𝘭𝘢𝘸𝘴.

thank you to netgalley for the advanced reading copy of Still Beating. This was very sweet soft touch, i am surprised this author got picked up since she was indie for a while.

Rating:3.5/5

The beginning of the book was so twisted. The kidnapping etc was just a lot of me to read. It was shocking, disturbing and uncomfortable. Once I got past that I was rooting for Cora and Dean to finally seek profession help. Not sure if inpatient psychiatric help was needed but some intense therapy to really work through all the feelings that they were experiencing. I think that would have really helped prevent most of the problems they they had. I was entertained by most of the book but Mandy was the most annoying character in the book. Just immature and cringy most of the time. I would definitely try another Jennifer Hartmann book in the future.

I’m late to the game. I couldn’t figure out if my anxiety could handle this book and i was correct. One chapter in and I want to forgo ALL of my responsibilities so I can read continuously.

This book tore me apart and put me back together. The pure anxiety I had in part one, the heartbreak you got to see through Dean’s eyes in part two and the healing that took place through Cora’s eyes in part three was tragic and amazing all at once.

The rollercoaster of emotions I felt throughout this book, I couldn’t stop telling all of my coworkers about and demanding they read it so they can experience it like I did.

While this is the rereleased cover/version through Bloom, I was able to snag a copy through Netgalley prior to release. Thank you to Jennifer Hartmann, Bloom and Netgalley for letting me read this, but mostly to Jennifer Hartmann for writing this book in general.

Thank you NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read this book in both ebook and audio format! I've had this book on my TBR for years, and I finally had the motivation to pick it. I read the first sixty percent via audio and finished on my Kindle, so I am going to use this same review for both.

I am so torn on how to rate this book. The first thirty percent (the part that contains nearly all of the trigger warnings) was so good. And I hate saying that because what occurred was AWFUL, but I really felt invested in the story It was sick, it was sad, it was disgusting But I CARED about those two and what was happening to them and what they were going through both physically and emotionally. However, once they got out of that basement, and they did get out relatively quickly, the story just went downhill for me. I understand trauma bonds people but everyone outside that basement was so fucking selfish. The family didn't care about what had happened and expected them to just forget about it, they didn't care at all about the people they were hurting, and no one was growing at all until the very end. And at that point, it was just too late for me. Every emotion that I felt in that first thirty percent and how much I cared, it was just gone. I was just grateful to be done.

Speaking of trigger warnings, the author does a great job of listing them before you get started. Definitely take a look because there is a lot of dark and depressing things present here.

I feel like maybe I was the wrong reader for this because we just had such intense conflict so early, that was quickly resolved and then the conflict at the end that always result in a break up in all romance novels, just to have it resolved a few pages later. I thought the beginning was so unique and I just wish that it hadn't ended in such a usual and frankly, boring, manner. If I was being honest, I would give the beginning four stars, but the rest a one. So I'm just going with a 2.5 which is a bit of a bummer after such a promising start.

Read the TWs before you start this book!!

Ok so this one was interesting. The first third of the book when Cora and Dean are captured and held captive was super captivating. It was a completely new take on a dark romance for me and I enjoyed it. Their relationship going from pranks to needing each other to survive was a huge transformation. After they free themselves though? That’s where Still Beating kind of lost me. I was interested to see how life after captivity would go, but the secondary characters are just so insensitive to the whole situation. Trauma that significant does not heal in a few weeks or months. I finished the book and enjoyed some parts, but this is not something I would reread or suggest to my friends based on how the events were handled.

I loved this book. It was my first Jennifer Hartmann and I cannot wait to read another. It was thrilling, engaging, and intriguing.

Jennifer could do no wrong in my eyes, literally everything she writes I DEVOUR. Her writings break me and put me all back together all in one book. I loved every single word in this one, I loved that it was so bare, tragic, poignant, and profound. This book was extremely well-written the reason that it brings very vivid images, sharing you the pain and horror the main characters both endured when they were abducted. This was a very beautiful story set in the ugliest environment. This is a story centered between two long-time nemeses, brought together by horrible circumstance, and developed feelings during a moment of survival that chained them forever. They escaped the horror of that place. But the trauma that it caused and the barrier that was awaiting, Maddy—Cora's sister and Dean's fiancée, made the story more intricate, adding more complications for the main characters to grow. Dean and Cora easily claimed a spot as one of my favorite couples. If you're contemplating this one, I fully say please go for it it's so worth it.

The best word I have to describe how I'm feeling after finishing this book is devastated, but in the most healing and hopeful way. I get why this book won't be everyone's cup of tea. To be honest, I wasn't sure it was going to be mine. I've read some dark romance in my day, but I think this is the darkest I've read maybe ever. I'm so glad I did, though, otherwise I would have missed a beautiful story about two people finding love and hope in the most impossible circumstance. I know there's the whole taboo about him being her sister's fiancé, and normally I wouldn’t be on board for that, but this isn't a normal story. I just felt so many things and shed so many tears alongside Cora and Dean, rooting for them and hurting for them, and I think some people are going to really not like this book, but I think a lot of people are going to positively fall in love with it.

This was a tragic and wholesome love story. I really liked it. It was really well written but after reading June first if feels less than i wanted. Still extremely good. Enjoyed every second and was hooked. Normally i get pissed at the Boy for shutting the girl out but here it was the opposite and i kinda loved it.

Thanks to Sourcebooks Bloom Books, Netgalley and the author for an ARC of this book. I am leaving this unbiased review voluntarily.

I don't usually read dark romance so the opening scenes of this book really shocked me but once I got into the story a bit and got both Cora and Dean's perspective, not only of their shared trauma but also of their history I really got into it. There's something about the darkness in the story that makes this couple's connection seem stronger and more real than in some of the other regular contemporary romances I have read.

There are some very difficult parts of this book to read, but I do like the way Cora and Dean work through things together as well as the idea that survival is part of the puzzle, but, it's living life fully that makes the real difference after trauma.

A solid romance novel and an introduction to a genre I would like to explore more.

This book is not for the faint of heart. Let’s just start there because wow what a ride from start to finish. I went into this book blind, appreciated the TWs ahead of time so I knew what I was going into, and just enjoyed the ride!

Still Beating was a real page-turner! I became utterly engrossed in the story and couldn't put it down. This gripping story was full of emotion and angst. Cora and Dean endure heartbreaking situations that no one should ever go through. The emotional pain they experience is almost as intense as the physical pain they suffer. Amid the darkness, a ray of hope shines as two deeply hurt people start to heal from the harm caused by a crazed perpetrator. Seeing them overcome the pain etched in their hearts and minds only to come out stronger, in the end, was perfection. Their love, despite originating from a terrible event, is truly beautiful. This was my first novel by this author, and I was not disappointed. I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves a romance full of darkness and emotion. As for the author, this was my first taste of her writing, and I am definitely a fan!!

This book was completely unexpected. Imagine two people on one life trajectory. They met in high school and shared an undefined chemistry, life settled them into roles that kept their lives moving in the same direction, though on parallel tracks.

Then fate or destiny or one, sick, twisted monster later and their lives have crashed together in the most horrific way. Weeks of terrible, evil events merge their lives onto one muddled road. Will they survive the crash?

Still Beating is the story of Cora and Dean, apparent enemies whose lives are upended one night. They have no one else to talk to who will truly understand the horrible experiences they survived at the hands of a serial killer. But as the physical wounds heal, the emotional wreckage left behind seems irreparable.

Will Cora and Dean be able to get over the memories they left behind in the darkness?

I truly enjoyed this book. It was an exploration of complex, emotional relationships, pining, and how people cope with some of the most difficult aspects of surviving trauma.

5 ⭐️ THIS BOOK IS PERFECTION! Run, don’t walk bc you need to read this book! This is my second time reading this book and these characters will stay with me forever!!🫶🏻🫶🏻

TIKTOK: maryyy.peterson

Wow, what a read. Excellent book. It's all about survival amid horrible events. It's about love and hope to make it out of darkness. Loved Dean and Cora both. They both survived after suffering soul breaking and horrific events. Their chemistry is superb. Their pranks made me laugh out loud and their connection and attraction is written beautifully.
This book is intense and emotional. Highly recommended