A story of trauma, grief, overcoming and love. This was fast-paced and beautiful, a man helping a woman through her trauma, sorrow and grief, and she was the unlikely character that found her strength enough to stand by him as he battled his own demons.

Ben, billionaire business man and reformed playboy, finally met Tessa, the best friend and maid of honor to his future sister-in-law. Tessa went through some horrible things (trigger warnings: r@pe and s3xual assault) and kept herself bound in sorrows and pity for herself. Ben, on the other hand, is trying his best to break through Tessa’s barriers and help her find strength in her struggles. Ben has a sordid past of his own though, one of which nobody close to Ben knows anything about. And his demons come out of the closet just when Tessa is starting to right her world again…

I enjoyed this book, I only think the story could’ve been a bit better fleshed out towards the end. The romance, conflict and resolution at the end went a little fast for me. With all the tension and build up throughout the book, I just expected a bit more detail throughout the book’s conclusion.

Thank you to NetGalley and Entangled Publishing—Amara for providing me an ARC to read and review.

Helen Hart is one of my favorite authors and I was so excited to read this book!

Overall, I enjoyed the book from start to finish. The rape scenes were a bit much for me, and I did find myself skipping over several pages.

The book is full of emotional trauma, feelings of guilt, and family drama. It is also a book with romance and love. I found my emotions all over the place. I was totally emotionally invested in the characters.

The characters of Tess and Ben were done to perfection, and I found myself reading page after page to find out what happened next.

The ending is climatic! You don't want to miss this one!

Highly recommend.

Thank you to NetGalley and Entangled Publishing for this amazing book.

They weren't kidding when they said this story was full of triggers and dark themes. This is definitely a book about keeping your head above water while battling demons of your past and depressive thoughts.

Overall I enjoyed the read but it definitely took a minute to recover afterwords.

DAYUM! Helen Hardt does it again. She wrote another book I couldn't live without. Suspense and romance?!?! Read this book!

I have to say there is a lot to unpack in this one. Hardt never shies away from any topic and this particular one includes many triggers so make sure to read this disclaimer before diving in.

With that said, this book is not just about someone’s trauma. It is about connecting, healing, and finding the right someone who is strong enough to handle your fears. Someone who will guide you, stand with you and help heal the trauma in a patient and loving manner.

This book brings an amazing character developed in Ben. He is everything. His patience and love shine through. He is not only hot and kind, but he is a perfect balance for her. Their love story sparks joy and swoons as he cares for her.

Hardt normally writes her stories with plenty of heat and erotic themes, but My Heart Still Beats is pretty light on the heat level. However, the romance and emotion definitely make up for that!

All in all, My Heart Still Beats is a romance story that showcases strength and compassion while developing a beautiful love for the ages.

Oh, my heart! I wasn't ready for all of the emotions that My Heart Still Beats made me feel. This is a beautiful story of two people that have quite a bit of trauma in their past and deal with it in different ways and how they end up coming together.
Tessa and Ben seem to be drawn to each other from the moment they meet (they are the Best Man and Maid of Honor in the wedding of their brother/best friend). While Ben knows a little about Tessa's trauma, I loved seeing the way he alluded to his secret trauma in his conversations with her. The way he is supportive yet firm with her made me absolutely swoon and I really liked how he helped her start to live her life again.
The slow burn between these two was so very good! I also was not ready for the additional twists and turns that their pasts and present revealed over time!

I didn't realize this was Ben Black's story at first and I'm so glad it was! I loved Braden and Skye's books so I was excited to dive into this one—and it did not disappoint! This was Helen's classic mix of dark, swoony romance and I read the whole book in one sitting. I think the way she handled both Skye and Ben's past traumas was really well done. I also loved the way these characters were introduced. This book certainly wasn't light and fluffy, but it was still a great love story. I liked the tropical setting, I liked the growth and development, and I liked that it was wrapped up in a standalone. This book was a quick read, but definitely on the heavier side. Helen is a favorite of mine and I enjoyed reading this one. Thank you to Entangled publishing for providing me with an e-ARC to read and review!

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley and Entangled Publishing.

My Heart Still Beats by Helen Hardt grabbed my attention from the beginning. I couldn’t put the book down. There are a lot of trigger warnings so please read those first.

Ben was such a nice guy. The way he treated Tessa. You just wanted to know more about his past.

Tessa went through a lot in her life. Her character was portrayed very well. I liked how it showed her as a victim to a survivor. I also loved how she incorporated Tessa’s Mexican culture into the book.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book. It kept me engaged the whole time.
Thank you NetGalley and Entangled Publishers.

2.5 stars. This was the first Helen Hardt book I’ve read and she seems to have a strong following and a long backlist. However, this book just wasn’t for me. Not for any reason to do with not being able to handle things listed in the content warnings, but do check those.

On the positive side, I admired Tessa’s healing journey following her trauma. I liked Ben’s patience and determination to show care for her at a pace that was respectful of her past.

That said, I struggled to feel any kind of connection to either Tessa or Ben, and also with their relationship. For one thing, I felt like I was dropped into the middle of a story that I should already know background for despite this being declared a standalone. It read like I should already know these characters and I was missing their development. The saving grace was that Ben’s past was interesting, and the blackmail storyline helped carry my waning interest in the book.

Thank you to Entangled: Amara for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Another hit from Helen Hardt. Although not as much "heat" as most of her other books, still a worthwhile read. Every gal should find love like that between Tessa and Ben. The ups and downs that they went through made their relationship stronger. I hope that there will be a continuation and that this is not a standalone. Read that delightful novel. Thank you Entangled Publishing for the advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Wow! This was my first ever Helen Hardt read and I fell in love with it! Though I must warn anyone who wants to read this book to please check over the trigger warnings as there are things that may be triggering to some! Other than that, if you’re looking for a dark billionaire romance with some progressional relationship healing then you are going to love this! I know I did!

Thank you so much to net galley and of course Helen Hardt for this ARC

I absolutely loved this story, it has so much character growth following two people who overcome so much trauma. My heart broke for both Tessa & Ben.

There are so many trigger warnings to this book that I advise you to read before getting stuck in.

This book stole my heart and ran away with it, it was such a easy read which had me gripped very quickly.

I loved the description and am a high fan of angsty and emotional romances. This one started off great, but then kind of got repetitive. I understood Tessa went through a lot of trauma, but it got boring after a while. Ben is such a great love interest and he is way too accommodating to her. It seems like she was thrust into so much, and was just a blah character I did not appreciate the references to the catholic church, it really did not add to this story. Layering trauma, felt forced, she said her parents weren't religious but then describes them as the opposite. Sadly DNFed, I had been very intrigued by the beginning. I received an ARC through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I went into this book prepared for a rough story, I read the trigger warnings, I had read other books by the author, I thought I was ready... spoiler, I wasn't.

This story isn't just about their romance, it shows how you can help someone that's been through trauma, shows that relationships are possible through patience and respect, and most importantly shows that things can get better.

If you're looking for a compelling story or for a trauma laden romance Ben and Tessa's story is the one for you, it's beautiful and tragic, full of pain healed by love and friendships strengthened by truth and trust.

All of that to say this is a five star read for me, I can't get the story out of my head and I'm not mad about it.

Thank you to Entangled Publishing for providing a copy of this e-book, I have voluntarily read and reviewed it and all thoughts and opinions are my own.

My Heart Still Beats by Helen Hardt is the story of Tessa, a young woman who is fighting her way out of depression following a sexual assault, and Ben, the billionaire playboy who falls in love with her.

This book was positioned as a dark romance, and while it has some cute date moments and a happily ever after, it's more dark than romance. Yes, Ben helps Tessa on her healing journey, but the story spends more time on her experience of depression and trauma than it does on the romance between them. Overall it felt really gray, and I had to fight to stay interested and keep reading it.

The writing style is consistent with Helen Hardt's other books, but by necessity of the type of story she's telling there's a lot less spice in this book than in her others.

I don't recommend this book if you're looking for deep romance, but if you're into stories about women healing from depression and finding love after SA, then this book might be for you.

Thank you to Entangled Publishing for providing a digital ARC copy for me to review.

My Heart Still Beats
Helen Hardt
Pub: 5/28/24
4☆

Whew! Helen Hardt pulled out all the stops in this one. It was about so much more than just a love story. It was heartbreaking and equally healing as well. Hardt has a knack for complex characters and Ben and Tessa are prime examples. I was pulled into their emotional story from the very beginning and their journey as individuals and as a couple kept me engaged throughout. I loved the strength these two provided for each other and how instead of trying to “fix” her he provided the much needed support and allowed her to work through it and her own pace. While this may be “dark” Helen gives us such a sweet HEA.

What I enjoyed;
✨ Billionaire Romance
✨ Dark
✨ Emotional Story
✨ Trauma/Healing

There is A-LOT to unpack here, so please make sure to check the TW!

Thank you to Entangled Publishing for the opportunity to be an early reader in exchange for an honest review.

Check trigger warnings before you read this one.

Themes I really enjoyed and felt were well expressed in My Heart Still Beats:

- Nature is healing. (I do love a good cold plunge.)
- The emptiness and void of depression of the FMC.
- The fear/anxiety/ptsd after an assault and survivorship.
- How to love and support someone you know is suffering (MMC to the FMC)

I felt the pacing was great until the last maybe 15-20% which felt rushed to me. I think the first half does such an amazing job showing our FMC living with depression/ptsd and anxiety as a survivor of assault. I think this is why the nearly complete 180 degree healing journey she went on felt jarring. I know it’s a romance but our MMC was doing such a good job moving slow to just switch to not.

I dropped a star for the quick healing of her trauma and the overuse of the word margarita in like a two page span.

Overall, I did thoroughly enjoy the characters and plot even if the end felt rushed and the healing journey so abruptly turned around for the FMC.

Thank you to Entangled Publishing and NetGalley for the opportunity to review this book and providing me with an ARC. All views expressed are my own.

Tessa is suppose to be planning Skye’s bachelorette party, but she’s having a tough time. Ben, the best man, steps up and plans both parties taking the pressure off of her.
…
Tessa is nervous and skittish around Ben. Everytime he tries to touch her she pulls away. She knows she can trust Ben since Skye is marrying his brother, but she can’t shake the feelings of being with a man yet.
…
Ben feels a connection with Tessa and senses her unhappiness. He does everything he can to put a smile on her face. He kind of becomes her depression sponsor coming to aid when she’s feeling down.
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Helen Hardt writes about a two characters who have made some bad decisions in their past. When they meet each other they have this connection that helps each other heal. For me I was expecting a deep dark emotional story about a traumatic experience that required soul searching and extensive therapy. This is the aftermath of some horrible experiences that still require healing. For me it could’ve been better. I did find the flashback scenes informative and explained the darkness that resided in both Ben and Tessa. I could’ve done without the religious aspect of the story. It didn’t offer any value to the story or the healing process. I felt like Helen Hardt was defining Tessa’s character by these situations. The number of times she compared Ben with Garrett when it was obvious they hadn’t spent much time together. I was annoyed by Tessa’s character defining Ben as a good person because he was wealthy. Or the fact she couldn’t understand why a guy who had money would be interested in her.
…
This is a standalone novel, yet I felt like the ending left unanswered questions regarding Ben’s role in his past choices and the effects it would have on his company.

My Heart Still Beats is a wonderful standalone story based off of characters from Helen Hardt's Follow Me Darkly Series.

Tessa's trauma had closed her off from the things that she normally did and loved. While Ben was dealing with issues from his past that were coming back to haunt him. Coming together for the wedding of Bens brother to Tessa's best friend let the healing commence. As the Best Man and Maid of Honor the two MC's get to work close together in planning the ultimate time for the couple. We see them grow and connect throughout this AMAZING story.

Seeing Tessa grow from a victim to becoming a survivor was heartwarming and inspiring. I really enjoyed this book and watching the characters grow and come together. This is the way a love story should be!

Thank you NetGalley and Entangled Publishing for the ARC of this book for my honest review.

I would liked to have known Tessa before all the trauma she had gone through. Though we meet her afterward and heavy with depression, I didn’t like how she didn’t want to dig herself out of it and wanted no more help. Saying this, give Ben sainthood for sticking by her and taking care of her, allowing herself to wake up and find life again. Tessa’s story is full of triggers, yet there is sunshine and freedom from troubles and his name is Ben. Their story is intense, yet with a HEA and well worth a read.