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.

Wonderful book. I can’t say enough positive things about. True it was a very dark disturbing topic. The book was so real well written and wonderfully narrated all I can say is it was a fabulous experience. This writer is wonderful. This is a First for me. The narrator is fabulous. Just perfect narration for this story. So many Twin Oaks interns wasn’t bored for a second. There are a lot of very steamy sex scenes. Very well written, and graphic. I don’t want to give anything away. It’s too good. I am so thank you to Netgalley and the publisher Tantor Audio for providing the advanced audio copy to me. Wow quite a reading experience!

It was just as heart wrenching as reading the paperback the first time, maybe even more so with the emotions coming from the narrators. This story is so intense and difficult at times and I think the narrators did such a wonderful job with it. They really showed the emotions throught in such a beautiful way. And that bonus chapter had me absolutely in shambles!

Wow! I didn't think this could get any better but the audio brought this to life! Immensely talented writing combined with this mind blowing audio, just wow!

I have put off reading this book for so long. I am a veteran dark romance reader but this list of trigger warnings is heavy and intimidating. My apprehension got the best of me for too long. I am very disappointed I waited as long as I did. This story shook me to the core. I have been completely altered after reading this book. I cannot rave about it enough. Do not hesitate, please mind your trigger warnings but if you can handle heavy topics and a very dark triumphant journey, this story will be worth it. 5/5 stars.

Gripping and exhilarating narration.

Jennifer Hartmann writes books that break your heart and then put it back together. And you know that this will happen, but you are all for it.

I received the audiobook for Still Beating, narrated by Christian Black and Laurie West.
And I can’t explain the heartbreak these two did. The pain and anguish of Dean and Cora was so palpable, I could feel my heart racing.

Absolutely loved it.

I not only read this book but also listened. LOVED the narrator but not as much as I loved the story. SO good. Read/listen to it you won't regret it!

Mmmmm, trauma bonding. Not my cup of tea maybe.

I knew what this was going into it, and I find it slightly amusing what things bothered me in this book and what didn't.

The beginning was very thrilling and intense, but when we hit the 25/30% mark it really takes a downhill turn into boredom.

There was no development in these characters. They were so flat and even through the end didn't actually gain any depth to them. The plot also falls flat and this story could have been half as long as it was and still maybe been too long. It is so dragged out.

The narrators weren't bad. I'm not sure how I feel about how the POVs were managed, it was a little weird and choppy. There was potential here and I feel like it wasn't developed as well as it could have been.

‘Still Beating’ by Jennifer Hartmann was pretty wild and I’m still not sure what to think of it. The audiobook was well done.

The plot was great and loved the female narrator but just couldn’t get into the male narrator. Definitely check the trigger warnings for this book

This book was given in exchange for an honest review

Spicy and also kind of messed up. Not sure how I feel about it, to be honest. I loved the romance and I truly think they should have been together long before the incident that happened to them. However, the added twist that he was her sister’s fiancé was a lot to take in for some reason.

🌀Synopsis
Cora and Dean get abducted.
As if that wasn’t bad enough, their captor is sick. Very very sick. He rapes Cora multiple times but also forces Cora and Dean to have sex as well. Determined to get out, Cora and Dean just do what they are told. They hated each other before this but now they are each other’s life line.
When they finally get a chance to escape, they take it. Dean ends up killing their abductor and the two are finally free.
Their freedom doesn’t free their minds though. They are forever bonded by their experience and come to rely on each other even after they get out. What’s worse is they realize their intimacy has led them to have true feelings for each other. Their are many complications though and the way forward is very unclear.

So this was good. It was heartbreaking and hard to read, It was like criminal minds mets a romance novel. I think my one issue is that we never really got to see the two characters together in their relationship officially. I wish we had gotten some of that.

Cora Lawson is too drunk to drive home from her sister’s party and calls her sisters fiancé, Dean Asher, to come pick her up. On the way home Cora and Dean get pulled over and after a fight and struggle they both wake up in shackles in a madman’s basement.

Cora and Dean have never gotten along. They’ve pulled pranks and made each other’s lives miserable. Now they’ll have to work together in order to figure a way out of that basement alive.

I never usually read what a book is about before going into it. I know I wouldn’t have picked up half my favorite books if I read the synopsis. I didn’t realize this was a dark romance until obviously the first 10% in you find out real quick. This was my first one and I loved it! Well loved it might not be the right words because it was hard to read at times but it went better than I expected.

Jennifer Hartmann did such a fantastic job writing this book. There was such sensitive subject matter throughout this book and yet she still has you falling in love with the story. She did a great job portraying PTSD and life after traumatic events.

Dean Asher is 🥹🥰. He’s just the perfect person to be in that position with. He only got better and better as the book progressed.

The narration was alright. I didn’t really enjoy the voices to start but I eventually got use to them. You could tell the male voice was trying really hard to keep his voice as deep and gravelly as possible at the beginning which made it almost hard to understand. He quit trying so hard as it went on and it got tolerable. The female voice was okay. Nothing notable.

There was not one second of this story that lagged or made me want to rush through it. I totally get the hype of this one and definitely recommend but check trigger warnings prior!

Rating 4.5 ⭐️ but rounding up to 5⭐️.

Themes:
* PTSD
* Kidnapping
* ⚠️TW: Rape
* Enemies to lovers

18+ only.
WARNING: This is a dark romance . This book contains subject matter that may be sensitive for some readers, including rape, as well as strong language and explicit sex. Please read responsibility,

I read the physical copy of this book over a year ago, and I remember feeling all of the emotions. Thanks to Netgalley, Bloom, Tantor Audio, and Jennifer Hartmann, I was able to experience the audio version of one of my favorite reads from 2022. The narration was great.

This book… is just… so good. Still an infinity rating for me.
Tragic. Heartbreaking. Healing. Growth. Love.
Jennifer Hartmann just has a way with her words.

Cora and Dean go through something I can not even imagine going through, but they were able to have each other. Instead of focusing as much on what happened at the beginning, the story follows their healing journeys.

Just be ready it does have a happy ending, BUT it takes time to get there and it isn't easy.

Horrifying. Dark. Shocking. Heartbreaking.

I really don’t know what I can say about this book without giving anything away. This is definitely toward the top of the list of darkest books I’ve ever read. It was truly twisted and I had to stop and pick back up the book again a few times. This is my first time reading anything from this author, and I was thoroughly impressed. I don’t think that I’ve ever read a book that was so mentally exhausting as this one was.

Prepare yourself for one wild and creepy ride.

4.12

I really enjoyed the Audio. The narrator did a phenomenal job trying to voice the characters emotions and dialogues to life. The plot was really enjoyable and gripping I was biting my nails while sitting at the edge of my seat on the brink of collapsing just to find out what was going to ahppen next. The two main character Cora and Dean were also.very well written I loved them. The only reason it's not higher is because of its romance the dean being with Cora's sister for 15 years and then leaving her for Cora just didn't sit right with me. Besides that I had the best time reading this.

This is such a heartbreakingly beautiful story that is definitely not for the faint of heart. This audiobook was my second time reading this book and I loved it just as much the second time.

The narrators did a fantastic job, sound was clear and I think that this audio really enhanced the original story.

Love love this book and would recommend to everyone as long as they check the trigger warnings first.

Thank you for making me have more emotions in three days then I have all year 😭😭😭
This was gritty and dark and beautiful but damn did that one put you through the ringer!

When Cora attends her sister’s birthday party, she expects at most a hangover or a walk of shame. She doesn’t anticipate a stolen wallet, leaving her stranded and dependent on Dean—her arch nemesis and ultimate thorn in her side.

And she really doesn’t anticipate waking up in shackles in a madman’s basement.

To make matters worse, Dean shares the space in his own set of chains.



⚠️ Dark Romance ⚠️



I’ve been back and forth on how I wanted to review this book. After some thought, I’m in between. The beginning started off strong and had my attention. The kidnapping was fast and horrible. They were held hostage in a basement for weeks. Cora and Dean struggled to hold on and fight back.

There were a lot of moments that I didn’t care for in this story. I missed the dark romance warning, pay attention to that. It didn’t go how I expected, just not the book for me. I don’t want to give much away, but I will say Cora’s sister is the worst and still bothers me.

I truly just adore this book. This story, this author. i absolutely just fall into these characters & this story.

This was my second read, as the first i read the paper copy. I really enjoyed the story as much as the first time but their voices just weren’t what i had envisioned for the characters so it was hard for me to consume sometimes.

overall, adore the story!