The book was so emotional!!

I have never came across a book like this or a plot it is such a heartbreaking and healing romance I highly recommend!!

Check trigger warnings!

This was good and enjoyable and a solid read, but was it UN-put-down-able? Not for me. I struggled with the dark romance element, mixed with enemies to lovers AND a kidnapping. I think I could have done with one less major element and it would have really soared.

OMG THIS BOOK!!!!
What did i just read. I honestly couldnt put it down. Cora and Deans story consumed me from the first page untill the last. What a ride this story was. This was my first Jennifer Hartmann book and wont be my last. Her writing is everything! She managed to take a book about some horrific events and with her beautiful writing she enveloped me into the story, hooked me in and didnt let go. I felt like i was a part of this story. i think i went through every emotion with these 2. This book broke me. I wont give much away as this is one that needs to be read without too much being given away but i would strongly advise you heed the content warnings.
The audio was so good. Id really recommend the audio for this one. The narrators did a brilliant job with conveying the emotions the characters were going through and you felt like a part of the story almost like your a fly on the wall. Simply brilliant and one i wont forget in a hurry.

Jennifer Hartman is severely underrated because her stories are unlike any others on the market and they are so worthy of your time and money. She's one author who promises a life-changing read and commits to it. Her books are so original, her writing brilliant, and her character's journey so heartwrenching. I'm constantly drawn so deep into the web of her stories that I can feel every moment, word, and emotion the characters feel. I do not want to spoil the incredibly well-crafted story Hartmann created in Still Beating but I do want to say that's it dark, angsty, painful at time but by the end you feel comforted, healed, and reminded that the pure love that Cora and Dean share can salvage their souls, soothe their scars, and seal their hearts. There are triggers so make sure to check the warnings and know that it's haunting and hard at times but trust in Jennifer Hartmann's penmanship that she will deliver a HEA worthy of these two beautiful characters and an arc that shows us that love can illuminate the dark and heal the hurt! Jennifer Hartmann is the reason my heart is still beating so please enter this heartbreakingly beautiful world she's poured her own beating heart into!

Whew that was dark. This one is for the true crime girlies, but the main trope is forbidden love. It’s genre bending for sure and has open-door scenes, so for those that love mystery/serial killer/romance vibes, it may be a great fit.

⚠️ Go into this knowing that the list of trigger warnings is like minimum a hundred different things.

Overall a good read and I loved the reference to Oliver in Lotus by Jennifer Hartmann (a fav of mine)!

This book is incredible. I really don't have the words. It's dark & daunting. It's angsty. It's healing. My emotions were all over the place. Just check your triggers. I really can't say anything more without giving away anything. I've never read anything like this. Jennifer knows how to pull out your feelings & make you feel them. Wow.

I wanted to love this dark romance, with enemies to lovers mixed with a little kidnapping. Unfortunately something about it just didn't connect for me and I found the romance a bit flat. Disappointingly, I think this one wasn't for me!

I received a copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review

5 ⭐

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

Still Beating by Jennifer Hartmann is one of my favorite books ever!!
From the very first page to the epilogue, it's an endless rollercoaster of emotions. I felt everything from sorrow to cheerfulness for Cora & Dean.

They endure very tough situations that they won’t forget and will tie them stronger forever & ever.

Throughout the whole book, Cora faced up to hard circumstances with her family, especially her sister, Mandy. When I read the scene of Mandy arguing with Cora about what happened in the basement with Dean, it broke my heart entirely.

I absolutely loved this book and would recommend it to anyone who loves an emotional-all-crying-night book.

I don't even know how to review this book without giving things away or saying too much. Everything said that it's DARK and it really is. The first 30% could be one of the most intense and dark romance set ups that I have ever read. But what comes after and how it all comes together is completely addicting. I started this after dinner and did not go to sleep until it was done.

This is the story of Cora and Dean...and their abduction. Please read content warnings. Please know that this is a dark romance. But also know that the work it takes to get there just leaves you turning pages for more.

"It's still beating," he whispers, his words a soft kiss against my lips. "As long as it's beating, you're okay."

Cora and Dean have been at each other's throats for fifteen years and counting, since Dean is engaged to Cora's sister. They can barely tolerate each other, always going the extra mile to prank one another. After a night out of drinking, Cora needs a ride, and in swoops Dean to help her, never expecting their lives would be tragically and irrevocably changed.

"It's just you and me, Cora. Focus, okay? Look at me... Focus on my voice..."

Cora and Dean are kept captive for weeks, their experience completely horrendous. I was heart-broken and appalled and enraged for them. But Dean... Oh, Dean... Despite going through some of the similar things as Cora, he always stood his ground; he became the one thing Cora needed to be able to survive what they were going through. Even through what Dean was forced to do, he never took advantage of the situation and would suffer along with Cora; my heart was shattered into tiny pieces.

"You don't feel like my enemy anymore," I finish. You feel like my lifeline.

One thing this book took note of throughout the plot was the very true definition of trauma, of what it's like to go through something so harrowing, and just because you're out of the situation, doesn't mean you're automatically healed. Things just don't go back to the way they were, the person doesn't go back to who they used to be. And Jennifer Hartmann depicted that trauma so devastatingly beautiful. Her eloquent prose made way for understanding the horrendous experience. One of the things that stood out to me was how, no matter how long time has passed, it doesn't mean you can bounce back.

Personally, I've had close family members tell me, "It's been six months. Why aren't you better?" There's no timeline for healing, there's no timeline for being able to get your breath back normally after a horrifying experience or from dealing with the feelings of the aftermath. I applaud the author for giving a poignant feel to the healing process.

"There's no shame in the struggle."

I love that the new bonus scene focuses on Tabitha, who's story is releasing next year! Just the little we got hurt my heart so much. I feel for Tabitha, and I just know her story will destroy me.

Overall, Still Beating depicts a heart-rending, touching, and beautifully tragic story of survival, healing, and finding love through the darkest moments of life.

"As long as it's beating, I'm yours."

IF YOU LIKE:
- Dark Romance
- Enemies to Lovers
- Forced Proximity
- Forbidden

Please check TW before reading!

Wow just wow this book left me speechless. This book was gut-wrenching and heartbreaking but beautiful at the same time. Dean and Cora went through so much and survived it all. This book was so emotional and angsty. I even teared up a couple of times. Toward the end, I couldn't put my Kindle down I was so invested. I loved that the story was told in parts it flowed nicely, and how we saw the past a few times also. I loved Dean Asher so much! This book is very dark and not for the faint of heart so please check TW before diving into this book. Thank You NetGalley and BloomBooks for an ARC copy of Still Beating I greatly appreciate it. I received an ARC copy in exchange for an honest review.

“It’s still beating. As long as it’s beating, you’re okay.”

3.5/5

"He is enough. His heartbeat is all I need."

Cora and Dean, her sister’s boyfriend, haven't been able to stand each other since high school. For 15 years they have mercilessly teased, pranked, and annoyed each other to no end.

One night at a bar, Cora’s wallet gets stolen and she has no way to pay for a ride home. As a last resort, Cora relents and calls the last person she wants to deal with. Dean. But when he comes to pick her up they both get attacked, kidnapped, and held captive for three weeks before managing to escape.

This was definitely a hard-hitting novel; trauma, survival, healing and hope are all very intense themes woven throughout. This was well-written (though I would definitely check the trigger warnings for this book before going into it), and my only grievance is that I would have liked to see a little more of Dean and Cora before they got kidnapped. We get flashbacks that help add to their story, but for a while it really seems like they go straight from hating one another, to not.

Still Beating was originally published in December of 2020, and is now set to be re-released with a brand new cover on July 11, 2023. Thank you to Bloom Books, NetGalley and the author for the digital advanced copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Jennifer Hartmann's Still Beating is a gripping exploration of dark and taboo themes that pushes the boundaries of traditional relationships. The story follows Cora Lawson and Dean Asher, whose lives are intertwined in a tumultuous relationship filled with teasing and pranks. When they find themselves trapped together in a madman's basement, they must confront their shared trauma and rely on each other for survival, discovering a bond that transcends their troubled past. The book stands out for its powerful character development and evocative writing style, as Hartmann skillfully crafts a narrative that goes beyond a typical captivity story.

Hartmann's descriptive and emotive writing shines in Still Beating, capturing the raw emotions and harrowing experiences of the characters. The author expertly balances darkness and hope, infusing moments of light amidst the story's intensity. The realistic portrayal of the characters' emotions and their evolving connection is commendable, as readers witness the growth of Cora and Dean from adversaries to partners. While addressing uncomfortable subjects such as sexual assault and self-harm, the book challenges societal norms and sheds light on their impact.

Despite the book's commendable qualities, some readers, like myself, may struggle to connect with the characters. Still Beating's intense narrative may be overwhelming for those who prefer lighter content, leading to skimming over the more traumatic parts. However, Hartmann's courage in tackling difficult and rarely discussed subjects deserves recognition. The book's well-crafted narrative and exploration of challenging themes make it a compelling choice for readers who appreciate darker and more intense storytelling.

This book killed me. I saw it all over TikTok and was scared to read it, but as heart wrenching as it was, I am thankful I got an ARC from NetGallery!! Jennifer’s writing was so descriptive and it made me feel as if I was a fly on the wall witnessing the horrible things the characters went through before overcoming them, growing and healing themselves before reuniting at the end!

Not all love stories begin with hearts and flowers and pretty words. Some begin in darkness, reeking of despair and pain, anguish, and terror. That is where Cora and Dean found their story changing forever. Dean was supposed to be marrying her sister, Cora saw only the years of pranks and hurt feelings when she looked at Dean. Until the night they are taken and the unimaginable happens. This is a story of healing and forgiveness, pain, and acceptance. It may have some darkness, but that's always when you find the light, if you look hard enough.

“It’s still beating. As long as it’s beating, you’re okay.”

Cora and Dean are a thorn in each other’s side, but when a madman kidnaps them outside a bar and they are locked and chained up in his basement, they are forced to become each other’s lifeline.

This is my first time reading a Jennifer Hartman book, and I will definitely be reading more. Still Beating caused so much emotional damage. It’s been a while since I’ve cried this much while reading. It has kept me awake until 4 AM because I could not stop reading! Dean and Cora’s experiences and bond really complicated all of their relationships. It was amazing to see the character growth of both Dean and Cora. It was messy, realistic, and raw. I ate it up!

This book is very dark and is not for everybody. Be sure to check the TW/CW. I have listed a few below.

TW: Sexual Assault (Rape), Kidnapping, Confinement, Miscarriage, Infidelity, Animal Death, Suicide Attempt, Self Harm

this was disappointing. i’ve been recommended this book if you liked the mindf*ck series but honestly, it just didn’t have the impact of those 5 books. first, our characters: cora was the cliché “not like other girls” + a sprinkle of “pick me girl”, she loves books, is a little nerdy, doesn’t wear a lot of make up and so on. and it’s A-NNOY-ING! why? you can write a woman without blatantly displaying your internalized mysoginy, which is also why i still don’t understand why the sister had to be such a b!tch! girly was really mad at her sister for sleeping with her now ex-fiancé when she, herself !SPOILER! cheated on him AND after everything that happened to the 2 of them. she was really insensitive to dean’s trauma in the dumbest way possible. i didn’t like dean either if we’re talking about him, he just gave me bad vibes and his chapters annoyed me to no end. now the romance: 1) the spicy scenes REALLY made me cringe, 2) did we need this book to be THIS cheesy? no. i wished it had focused more on their healing journey and taken more time to do so, and not be like: “well, it’s been a year, they’re mostly fine now”. i don’t know anything about human psychology but a few months seem a very short time to overcome this much trauma. their journey was pretty messy, which is to be expected after what they’ve been subjected to and i liked the mom, even if her advice were over the top cheesy, they were also kinda true and helpful to cora (?). also, did we get a little cameo from the guy in hartman’s lotus novel or is it just me? anyway, i’m kinda disappointed and underwhelmed after having finished this book. look up TWs and CWs before picking this book up! 2⭐️

<strong>Dark and angsty</strong>

Two people forced together who maybe should have already been together are wrapped in the bindings of this book. Excellent tale of woe.

What did I like? This is one of those stories that starts out dark before we get the light. It does come and it’s beautiful when it does. Blood does form a family and it’s true in this book.

Would I recommend or buy? Love the cover, it’s extremely eye catching. I would recommend this book to people not put off on rape or dark romance. Something ugly brought these two together but something beautiful came of it.

My copy came from Netgalley!

I was really unprepared for what this book entails when I requested it on netgalley. The description over there doesn’t quite convey the content like the description on Goodreads did and I failed to compare prior to starting it. The content was darker than I prefer reading, so I did skim over the traumatic parts. I got the gist. The story was well done for what it was, but I don’t feel like I can give an accurate rating or review since this really isn’t my typical genre of choice. I would not discourage any readers of the genre from this book, I think it’s a good story for you. But I definitely wouldn’t encourage others who don’t typically read the genre to hop over and give it a go.

Thank you to the publisher for the gifted ARC of this rerelease.

My heart can’t handle what I just went through. However it’s one of those books you wish you could experience all over again for the first time. Such an emotional and incredible story.