2.5 stars

I enjoyed Braden and Skye’s story so I was really excited going into this story(Braden’s younger brother & Skye’s best friend) but unfortunately it fell flat for me in every aspect. The romance, characters, plot, writing and even the dialogue.
Honestly, nothing about this story felt authentic to me. Ben and Tessa’s romance felt forced, the mystery blackmailed kinda felt far fetched and then Tessa was hit with SA upon SA 💔😭.
I wished Tessa had done some self journey and discovered instead of having a man hand hold her through it all.
I really couldn’t connect with these characters on an any level
I did however enjoy seeing glimpses of Skye & Braden though

Thanks to Entangled and NetGalley for the ARC!

“𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐤𝐞𝐞𝐩𝐬 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐠𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐠?” 𝐇𝐞 𝐭𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐬 𝐦𝐲 𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐝, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐨𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐈 𝐝𝐨𝐧’𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐤 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐩𝐮𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐰𝐚𝐲. 𝐇𝐞 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐞𝐬 𝐢𝐭 𝐨𝐧 𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐬𝐭. “𝐈𝐭’𝐬 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐦𝐲 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐛𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐬.”

Rating: 3/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Pub Date: 5/28/24

Thank you @entangledpublishing and @netgalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This was my first read by this author. I found her writing style flowed well and was engaging. I was able to quickly read through this novel without issue.

The story is an insta-love dark romance. Not dark in the smut arena, more so in the trauma arena. There are explicit SA scenes that are described in the book that give a background on one of the characters. There is also murder described.

With that said, I think the premise of the book was well intentioned. A story of compassion and grace, allowing someone to heal from their trauma in their own time while offering them guidance and support when needed.

This book was not my personal favorite, and didn’t speak to me in any way. However, this would likely be loved by many others who can relate to the characters/fans of insta-love trope.

#myheartstillbeats

Thanks to Entangled and Helen Hardt for an e-ARC of this book! First and foremost, if you have any triggers please be sure to read the trigger warnings as there are many throughout the book.

My favorite thing from this book? The meaning behind the title…”my heart still beats and that alone is a reason to be grateful”. This was a heavy book that I enjoyed for the first half and less so the second half. I really don’t like when relationships in books go from meeting each over to telling each other they love each other more than life when they have only known each other for two weeks. I’m not a fan of insta love stories like that so that’s mainly where this story fell apart for me. I appreciated the dive into deeper topics but think it could’ve been done better.

Spice: 🌶️.5

Please read the trigger warning for this book. In my opinion, the title alone let's you know that there will be some sort of trauma in this story. Ben Black is in his early 30s and considered a billionaire playboy. He is good looking, smart, compassionate, protective, and yet guilt ridden. There's a lot that he's keeping hidden under that calm, cold exterior. Tessa is closed off, anxious, depressed, scared, unfocused, and snarky. This poor girl can't seem to catch a break. There are some very dark situations in this book for these characters to navigate through. We watch as they grow, challenge one another and except each other regardless of those traumas. This story made me angry, broke my heart, and slowly helped me put the pieces back together. I was here for the roller-coaster ride of emotions. This is the first book I've read by this author and I'm definitely interested in reading more.

A gut-wrenching romance about a woman who with the help of a core group of friends and a love interest can cope with her trauma, open her heart to love, and feel like herself again. My Heart Still Beats is worth the roller coaster of emotions.

Tessa used to be a vibrant young woman who lived life with no fear, but that all changed after she experienced trauma (SA). Quickly she becomes more closed off and questions everyone's intentions. It feels like she will never be able to be happy again and yet she has to pull it together because her best friend is getting married and is in charge of planning her bachelorette party. Letting her friend Skye down is not an option but how can she plan a party when it's hard enough to get out of bed?

Ben Black is a wealthy, businessman part of a successful enterprise alongside his brother, Braden. He is charming and somewhat of a playboy. He knows about Tessa and knows what she's been through. As soon as he meets her, he is protective of her, which shocks him. Of course, he would empathize with anyone who faced that type of trauma, but this is different. He feels a connection but won't push her. He will prove to her that she can trust him.

I feel like Helen Hardt handled this story so preciously. She didn't minimize the trauma of SA and did a great job at showing all the ups and downs of living with fear from trauma. Tessa never thought she would be able to have a relationship with a man again let alone fall in love. And with Ben it just makes her want to try. He is so special and gentle with her. It made it that much easier to appreciate Ben's character. While Ben was used to using his charm to bed women, he knew he would have to take it slow with Tessa. He didn't see it as a chore and understood the importance of making her feel safe. All around, the growth of both Tessa and Ben is stunning. Tessa may have felt damaged goods, but Ben had his own demons to deal with. Together, they were able to heal. This beautiful love story had me feeling raw with emotions and it was so true to the story and characters.

3.5 stars
Tessa’s life has dramatically changed from her happy-go-lucky nature to now a woman who barely leaves her house. She has suffered trauma and the steps to recovery have been slow.

Tessa’s best friend is marrying a billionaire and she is in charge of the bachelorette party and weekend in Jamaica, all expenses paid. She should be ecstatic, but she is dreading every moment. She eventually relents and meets with the billionaire brother of the groom, Benjamin Black for party planning. He seems great and almost trustworthy, but Tessa won’t make that same mistake again.

We slowly get the details to what happened to Tessa not long ago, and the more pieces we receive, the more understanding is given. Somehow, the author made Tessa relatable with her fears, depression and idiosyncrasies, regardless of the trauma.

I did feel I was missing part of the story. I felt that part of her history was not given to me to fully understand. I also felt the same about Ben. He all of a sudden appeared and was 100% “in” regardless of how little they knew each other. With some of those interactions I felt the need to suspend my belief to further the story. It did not feel as genuine as I would have liked.

Ultimately the story was about trauma and love. It was not about “overcoming” her fears, but working through them to heal. It was also about leaning on others when you do not have the strength to lift yourself up. I loved this message and the hope Hardt depicted. The end was fast-paced and well worth the slow build up. It was raw and emotional but not for those who are sensitive readers. I recommend this for romance readers that enjoy a darker element with a happily ever after ending.

Check the triggers on this one, they’re intense! Entangled is always great to post them on their website, plus I have them listed on my blog.

Thank you to Entangled Publishing for the copy!

The book releases May 28, 2024.

This novel is an emotional roller coaster with a love story intermingled between the pages of the story. This book is unlike any other of Helen Hardt’s written work and I was here for it. Ben Black, a self made billionaire, is a tortured man with the ghosts of his past who finds love and peace in the most unlikely of places. Tessa, who identifies solely as a SA survivor withdraws from herself and society and lives under a constant fog of depression and darkness. They find each other and help each other overcome their “demons” and of course get their HEA. The story is so emotionally raw,it has you feeling every emotion the characters feel. I love that Ben was such a gentleman while battling his on demons and in turn that allowed Tessa to gain her own strength to find her way back to herself. Absolutely beautiful story! Now that I know that there are also books for Skye and Braden,I will definitely be reading those! As well as recommending this one to everyone! Thank you NetGalley and Entangled Publishing for the opportunity to read it!

Thank you to @entangled_publishing and @netgalley for the advance copy in exchange for an honest review.
I listened to this book by the read aloud feature on Netgalley. The storyline was excellent and easy to follow. I liked that the FMC was bi-racial we don’t see that enough. I also enjoyed that while the FMC had her share of horrible luck being drugged and raped by her ex, Ben had a dark past that haunted him as well. They both were at a standstill in their lives because their experiences were preventing them from moving on. So, this wasn’t all about the billionaire rescuing the woman and living happily ever after. It was about two people that both suffered way too much and learn to live again. There were all the feelings of fear, what if, and not feeling good enough for the other. I enjoyed the storyline of finding peace and each other because love isn’t perfect.
Takeaway: Find someone to love and who loves you and work through the tough times together.

Please check the triggers before starting this book.

My Heart Still Beats follows Ben Black and Tessa Logan, both characters have both gone through something traumatic and a good chunk of this book was about Tessa healing and learning to live again.

I enjoyed the book. The writing style was interesting, it felt a bit like the characters were talking… a bit… proper or old fashion? I’m not to sure how to describe it. But for the most part I thought it flowed well.

The book was over 50 chapters long but I surprisingly devoured it, it was the last few chapters that was a bit anticlimactic for me. I was hoping Ben had more chapters of healing from his experience but it literally jumps to the epilogue which was a bit short for my liking.

What I did like about the book was that Ben was patient with Tessa. I liked the pinky holding scene and Tessa coming back to life. I would say this is slow burn, they didn’t kiss or do the act until after the 50% mark.

What did kind of irk me was Ben encouraging her to do things. Yes, it was a good thing and I’m glad she enjoyed the things. But he kind of wouldn’t take no as an answer (not in a sexual way), it was like you should do it, I think you’d like it and eventually she gave in.

Overall, I did enjoy the book. It could have been condensed a bit and strangely enough, there were things that were left unanswered. And although this story was about Ben and Tessa, I think I wished we got to see a bit more of them interacting with their family. There was just something missing for me.

Thank you Netgalley and Entangled Publishing for providing me with this ARC for an honest review.

First, I would like to thank netgalley and entangled publishing for the opportunity to read this.

For me this was a 3 to 3.25 star read. I had a hard time connecting with Tessa and Ben. I enjoyed the general arc of the story, but I ultimately think that Ben is an rich (as it was stated MANY times) jerk. He manipulated Tessa into doing things he thought she needed to do to get over her trauma.Their interactions were a series of:

HIM: YOU SHOULD DO THIS
HER: I AM NOT READY AND I DONT WANT TO
HIM: NOPE, I THINK YOU SHOULD DO IT.
HER: OKIE DOKIE

Her friends weren't any better. Tessa made it clear she didn't want to drink because of said trauma...all her friends...get over it...have this drink...for Skye.

I'm sorry...I don't need to be around people who can't hang out without drinking...or expecting me to drink in order for then to have fun. It was wild.

I get this is a dark romance, but it honestly didn't feel very romantic.

Please please read your trigger warnings. I know a lot of people ignore them, but be aware going into this one there are a lot of very serious topics that really tug at your emotions. I love dark romance, always have it heals me in a way normal books can’t. I will say it was a hard one to read, because of all the emotions but you can feel it running through the pages. It was beautifully written, heartbreaking, and just overall a fantastic read

Lets start off with the Trigger Warnings! Don't ignore them!

I have read many dark romance books but this one works on your emotions in away previous dark romances haven't. I love reading books that paint the MMC as doing everything they can to make the FMC heal, without necessarily knowing he is doing that.

The only thing I struggled with was the flash backs but that is more of a personal preference than the book itself. I would definitely recommend this book!!!

Thanks to Entangled Publishing and NetGallley for the opportunity to give my opinion on this book.

The story of Tessa and Ben is one of healing for both of them. Tessa, an SA survivor, is working through the trauma her past has caused her when she is forced to work with her best friends billionaire soon to be brother in law Ben, who’s demons from the past come to haunt him. Ben shows Tessa she has grown and while she lost the old Tessa, she’s become an even better version of herself, while she teaches him that he is worthy of her love despite his troubled past.

The plot of this book was really great, and the story has a lot of potential but it fell short for me. I like to be able to pinpoint the moment they fall in love with each other and there was a spot where it was a definite turning point, it was like one moment they think they like each other and could be more and then they are in love. The next issue I had was that Tessa’s past character in her mind is shown to be a spoiled brat basically, but the flash backs do not represent that at all when there was plenty of opportunity to do so. My last issue was the ending, it was rushed and then the final chapter was good but when I started the next chapter and it was the epilogue I was a little confused and felt like there could have been a little more to round the story out.

Over all I will definitely try this author again.

✨📚ARC Review📚✨
📕 My Heart Still Beats by Helen Hardt
📆 May 28, 2024

✨ Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️, definitely recommend!!!
Spice Rating: 🌶️1.5 ( a few explicit scenes)

Trigger warnings: this is a book about love and healing, as the female main character grapples with life after being drugged and raped. There are flashbacks to the rape, feelings of anxiety and depression, as well as another gruesome crime in the male main character’s past.

Tessa Logan hates that everyone knows what happened to her. She hates that she’s treated as fragile and in need of pity. But in reality she’s a shell of her former self, and doesn’t know the way back to living life; or if she even wants that. Until Ben Black comes along. As maid of honor in her best friend’s wedding, Tess feels obligated when Ben (the best man) insists they go out to discuss the bachelor and bachelorette parties. Ben doesn’t treat her like she’s fragile, but somehow also respects her boundaries and understands her apprehensions. As they plan together and spend the bachelor/bachelorette weekend together, Tessa begins to feel like life can go on. Little does she know, Ben has his own skeletons in the closet that have come back to haunt him, and may haunt her too.

My Heart Still Beats had tough content but I think it was beautiful to watch Tessa’s journey toward healing. Ben gave me major Alex Volkov and Christian Harper vibes (Twisted Series by Ana Huang), but Ben was even more likable. Protective, but respectful.

I definitely recommend this romance, and I’m so, so grateful for the opportunity to get my hands on this one early! Thank you so much Entangled Publishing, Helen Hardt, and NetGalley!

It’s not very often that a book takes me down a path, that becomes cathartic to me. I have read dark, light, fade to black and many more. Once in a while I find a book that reaches into my very core and heals it just a little. My Heart Still Beats healed so many parts of me that I was a shattered, emotional wreck and this book was the book I needed in this very moment!

I have come to love Helen Hardt’s words and the worlds she creates but I have a higher love and ultimate respect for her because this book tackled what I call the Mean Reds (thank you Breakfast at Tiffany’s) in a way that I haven’t seen many books do and do it with absolute justice.

Tessa has fought a battle many would collapse from and she’s still standing. Each day she fights for peace and that battle cannot be done alone, enter Ben! The man was taken by her instantly but he knew she needed a friend more than anything and he became her rock. These two were there for each other every step of the way. It was a tough journey but so beautiful seeing them heal and help each other.

A very emotional read but one that will change you for the better after.

This is my first Helen bloom book, and wow she is a story teller! It is a dark story but the love and care Ben has for Tessa makes it a sweet love story too.

Definitely check the TW, I thought it was very well written and the dark was part of a beautiful written love story about finding yourself after a tragedy.

The spice level was a 1. I definitely would read more of her stories she had my attention from the first chapter, I needed to know how she made it all come together.

Thank you to entangled publishing for the e-arc and letting me review this book.

This romance is a separate story of Helen's previous books in the series specifically the story of Tessa and Ben. Their are plenty of rocky moments, but the absolute gentleman Ben is shines through. He's the dream boyfriend we wish we could all have when going through a really dark time, even when dealing with demons of his own. The story itself was great, including the cross-over of several other characters in her other books. The story focuses well on the two main characters. I do wish there was a bit more development in the story of the resolution to their problems as it seems to be fixed a "little too easy" but it was resolved well. Thank you for another great story!

3.5 ⭐️

Before I even start my review, please make sure to check your trigger warnings for this one! There are a lot of really heavy and devastating topics throughout the novel.

This book follows Tessa on her journey to heal and relearning how to connect and love again. The best part of the entire book was easily Ben and his character arc. You can see how he tries his best (but still messes up) trying to be there for Tessa and being strong enough to support her through it all.

The writing wasn't great but it also wasn't bad. It's definitely the quality of book that would get hyped on social media and you would read it and enjoy it, but would never recommend it for its literary quality and that's OKAY!

Thank you Entangled and NetGalley for the eARC. ❤️

I have read a few books by Helen Hardy before and really enjoyed them. I was very excited to receive this one, and started reading right away. I was in love with it the way I was hoping to be. I found it to be a bit repetitive in some of the phrasing of things and parts of the storyline. I loved how the main characters are all about family. How they didn't want to let their families down and how protective they were of them. I don't think this book was 100% for me, but it was a good read.

My heart still beats by Helen Hardt

- this is my first read by this author. Fair warning read the trigger warnings since it will start with a PTSD main character dealing with the aftermath of being SA.

This book starts right in after the main female character Tessa drops most of her life due to being SA by the “ love of her life” . She has to plan a bachelorette party for her best friend and just be around people , while trying to heal herself.

This story is action, mystery, romance, hate and betrayal. The characters are interesting, you can feel Tessa’s anxiety and stress from the descriptions. Ben is not your typical millionaire and seems to be more down to earth since growing up in a different household.

The ending left me with more to be desired , ending abruptly .
I felt the main character male fell very very quickly, but Tessa dealing with her own emotions and internal battles moved at a different space ( which is very normal).

Thank you entangled publishing for the ARC