This is literally one of my top 5 favorite books. I am a huge Jennifer Hartmann fangirl, and I am not afraid to shout it from the rafters! This book has everything - drama, trauma, passion, insanity, murder, romance...it will leave you an emotional wreck and you'll say "thank you" at the end. Pick it up - you won't regret it.

Cora & Dean

“Still beating” was my first novel by Jennifer Hartmann and I have heard so many positive things about Cora and Dean's story and have now formed my own impression of the story.

To be honest, I have mixed feelings about “Still beating”. The book is divided into two parts and if you have problems with certain topics you should look at the trigger warning first.

I definitely liked the first part of the story better. The kidnapping of Dean and Cora was emotional and gripping. The feelings that the protagonist experienced were palpable and I was just constantly tense while reading because it was so exciting!

Unfortunately, I didn't find the second part of the book quite as successful. I didn't think the treatment of the trauma was well developed and I didn't like the fact that an important topic was simply mentioned and then dismissed. I'm being very vague here because otherwise I would give spoilers. The author deals with the healing itself! I just found it very sketchy.

Cora's sister was an absolute nightmare. I have never read about such a selfish and insensitive person.

I love the banter between Dean and Cora! I think Dean is really cool! Even though he was always picking on Cora or playing pranks, he always tried to protect her. And Cora has always been important to him. Dean is a very loyal person who fights for the people he loves and gives everything for them. To be honest, Dean and Cora reminded me a bit of Tom and Jerry.

I really liked Cora too. She can be a bit stubborn and stubborn at times, but I like her quick-witted nature.

“Still Beating” gets 3.5 out of 5 stars from me.

Thank you to the Publisher and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC.

Thank you NetGalley for an ARC of Still Beating.

Please check trigger warnings before you dive into this novel. There are some heavy triggers in this book.

This was the first Jennifer Hartmann book (and first dark romance) I’ve ever read. And boy oh boy it was dark.

It took me a while to write this review. I suffered from a major book slump after finishing this one. It was a tragic love story that just wrecked me. The writing was amazing, the story was so good and relatable. I can’t think of too much to say without spoiling a lot that happens in the book.

I would 10000/10 recommend this book to someone who likes dark romance and has no trigger warnings. Cora and Dean are the cutest and I wish I could have more of their story after the trauma.

I really enjoyed this book! I loved the dark romance and the forbidden nature of it in the second half

I did not expect the trauma for Dean and Cora to begin and even end so quickly. Their escape was kind of anticlimactic to me. Mandy is kind of a bitch, she expects Dean to go on like nothing happened and he can't, neither can Cora. They have major ptsd over what they went through and only the other can relate to their struggles so now they are trauma bonded. Im glad they were able to work on their own healing before trying to be together again, it made them stronger.

This was a surprisingly beautiful story that was difficult to read at times. Definitely check the trigger warnings before diving in. You will feel alllllll the emotions while reading this one. I found myself unable to put it down, and almost finished it in just one day. I will definitely be checking out more from this author!

Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for my free copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

A true love story. Soul mates. I was sucked in with this book. It wasn’t very “dark thriller” to me…it was more of a thriller turned forbidden romance. Jennifer Hartmann is amazing at what she does!

Still Beating belong in a genre all it’s own.
This book hurt.
It was dark and stressful and beyond heartbreaking.
Dean and Cora’s story of healing was something that will stick long after I’ve finished reading this.
Check trigger warnings and be ready for some terrible and heart wrenching moments, but my god is it was worth the read.

I’m not entirely how I feel about this book! I definitely didn’t realise this would be such a DARK dark romance. We started out strong but the ending was kind of anticlimactic. Parts of this book honestly made me uncomfortable, and I absolutely couldn’t stand Cora. But I still enjoyed reading it and recommend! Definitely read the content warnings first 😂

✨BOOK REVIEW✨

📚 Still Beating - Jennifer Hartmann📚

This story is DARK, and normally I don’t talk about trigger warnings, but if you have any, please look this one up 💗 In saying that, I was so surprised with how much I loved this book. It was raw, honest, and completely addictive - it had me in a chokehold and I read it in one sitting!

The relationship between the two MCs was definitely a complicated one, but you couldn’t help but want them to make it work. Hartmann’s writing is so easy to digest, whilst also somehow evoking all of the emotions - mine were all over the place reading this heart-wrenching story.

What you can expect:
💓 Dark romance
💓 Trauma bonding
💓 Enemies to lovers
💓 Kidnapping
💓 Forced proximity

This one isn’t for the faint hearted, but I know all my dark romance lovers will eat it up, just like I did. I can’t wait to read more by this author very soon!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Thank you so much to @netgalley @tantoraudio @read_bloom and @author.jenniferhartmann for sending me this to review 🙏🏻

#lizzieslittlelibrary #stillbeating #stillbeatingbook #jenniferhartmann #jenniferhartmannauthor #netgalley #tantoraudio #bloombooks #bookworm #readmorebooks #aussiebookworm #bookreview #booklover #bookstagram #aussiebookstagram #booksofinstagram #booksofinsta #booksofig #bookaholic #igreads #book #books

Wow wow wow!!
I don’t often read a dark romance, but maybe I need to more often! This was such a GOOD book!!!

I really felt for the characters and I think it was all really believable. I was shocked and scared during the dark parts. I think the MMC had a level head and really brought a love to what was going on and helpful to the MC.

I ate this book up and really felt like it was worth the hype.

Still Beating has always been one of my top favorite books of all time. I have now read and listened to the audiobook as well have obtained multiple special edition copies of this book. Jennifer Hartmann can only write pure gold and I will always read anything she has written.

This is a good story that engages the reader immediately. I read it fast and was invested in the characters. I received Still Beating by Jennifer Hartmann from NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving my review. #StillBeating #NetGalley

this book is a big ole book of trauma bonding and it is more than you think it should be. This book is written so well it feels real and that you are actually reading something that happened to someoene. Which means it pulls your emotions. Did we like what happened No.. Do we totally get it and understand YES.

Go into this with a blank non judgy slate and if you do i promise this is a winner.
Also the audiobook is done very well if that is your vibe

I don’t even know how to explain this story, but one thing is for certain: this book is completely one-of-a-kind. The exploration of how people go on after experiencing such a harrowing and heartbreaking traumatic event such as the one portrayed in Still Beating is compelling. Cora and Dean are two characters who you have no choice but to feel deeply for, and root for, after reading the detailed account of what they were forced into.

However, my major hangup with this one is that I don’t know that this book should have been a romance (and that’s saying something coming from me). I was intrigued initially by the romance because it’s the ultimate forbidden match formed through trauma bonding, but as I dived deeper into the story, I didn’t really want Cora and Dean to become a couple. For me, this book would have struck more deeply if it had leaned into its’ thriller nature instead of following a romance novel story arc with insanely graphic trauma thrown in to act as the driver of the romance.

I absolutely loved this book. This is very much so a dark romance. I loved seeing the characters go though such gut wretching things and finding a positive thing through it all. The author describe stuff with so much detail it was like you were in the book right beside them going through it all. Seriously I recommend checking the trigger warnings because this had me a mess. I loved see the aftermath of them being held captive. And how they tried to go back to normal lives and just couldn't. It really shows how realistic it is. Someone can't go through stuff like they did and not have trauma that they need to work through before going back to their new normal. One thing I really hated was the sister. It seemed like she didn't care much about either of them being missing and was mostly just into knowing how much he missed her and immediately wanting attention from him. And then when she found out the truth and she was not happy with her sister because of it like she had a choice in the matter. I did like how the main male lead made sure that he didn't want to continue the relationship till she got some actual help and was in a safe space to have a relationship. Over it's a heartbreaking story with a happy ending.

I wanted to like this one so bad but I just didn’t. The writing was juvenile and the characters were so dingy acting I kept rolling my eyes til I had a headache. Thanks to the publisher and netgalley for this copy for review

OUCH my heart quite literally hurts. still beating is filled with angst, but boy is it good. this book is not for the faint of hearts, so definitely check for trigger warnings, but wow you will not be disappointed!

I wanted to love this book but it just fell short for me. The storyline was tough to read maybe that’s the issue I had, I’m not sure but this book just seemed to drag on for me.

This was beautiful and so heart breaking even though my heart was put back together in the end. I really wanted to give this a 5 stars but I really needed more from the ending and not just an epilogue.