I went in blind, only knew that the MCs were kidnapped together. The book was separated into 3 parts which was a good way to separate events, and how the MCs dealt with their trauma. Very heavy emotional plot, I was unsure if I should continue because the kidnapping was just heavy, but the entire book was written so well I had to finish it.

E-ARC provided via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review ✨

Before I get into the review, let me reiterate that this book is dark, and I mean DARK. The trigger warnings are in the first pages and the first part of the 3 is extremely stomach churning.
That said, this book ended my slump, I’ve been struggling to pick anything up for 2 weeks. I’m absolutely obsessed with it. I read it in a day and I cried multiple times. I just could not put it down. I don’t even know what else to say other than Brava to Jennifer Hartmann.

“𝑾𝒆 𝒄𝒂𝒏’𝒕 𝒈𝒊𝒗𝒆 𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒉𝒆𝒂𝒓𝒕 𝒕𝒐 𝒂𝒏𝒐𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒓 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉𝒐𝒖𝒕 𝒍𝒐𝒗𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒐𝒘𝒏 𝒇𝒊𝒓𝒔𝒕.”

The way this book has a chokehold on me…

Simply put, this book is a masterpiece to me. I love it so so much.
If you haven’t read, I highly advise you to just go in blind. But please be responsible and check your triggers! Dark romance is subjective but nothing is glossed over in this book.

Let me just praise Jennifer’s writing first off. She had me hooked from the very beginning and I love when a book is an attention grabber. The story is written so beautifully that I felt every emotion these characters were feeling. And let me tell you, there’s a lottttt to feel.

I will forever love Dean & Cora. 🖤 It’s evident their paths were always meant to converge, even if it meant facing a trauma together. Honestly, I wasn’t sure how these two would end up but I loved following along on their journey to healing. The details of this book are immaculate. It was a love/hate to be able to visualize everything Jennifer puts into words.

Come be trauma bonded with me and pick this as your next read! I read this over a year ago and I can still go again any time hahaha

Jennifer’s books were picked up by Bloom Books and there’s a new cover design! It's so gorgeous!
& if you have read it, pick it up again! There’s new bonus content you don’t want to miss 😉

Did not expect to love this book as much as i did. This was my first time reading by this author and I'm so thankful to have read this book. This book is perfect for any fans of dark romance.

I have had Jennifer Hartmann's books on my tbr for what feels like forever now, so when this landed on my kindle, I was beyond excited!!!

Jennifer Hartmann completely blew me away. When a dark romance is done right, it is gut wrenching and draws all kinds of emotions out of you. And that's exactly what this book did. I personally don't have any triggers, but if you do, please do read the warnings and make sure to take care of yourself.

This is a book best going in blind, so I won't go into detail. For me, knowing little to nothing about the plot helped enhance my reading experience and made it an incredible one. This is a beautifully written story of trauma, heartache, healing, and love. As a reader, it broke me and put me back together . This was truly a story unlike any I've read before and I loved it so much.

Jennifer Harmann will now be an auto-read author for me after reading this one. I loved this book dearly and high recommend it.

I have had Jennifer Hartmann's books on my tbr for what feels like forever now, so when this landed on my kindle, I was beyond excited!!!

Jennifer Hartmann completely blew me away. When a dark romance is done right, it is gut wrenching and draws all kinds of emotions out of you. And that's exactly what this book did. I personally don't have any triggers, but if you do, please do read the warnings and make sure to take care of yourself.

This is a book best going in blind, so I won't go into detail. For me, knowing little to nothing about the plot helped enhance my reading experience and made it an incredible one. This is a beautifully written story of trauma, heartache, healing, and love. As a reader, it broke me and put me back together . This was truly a story unlike any I've read before and I loved it so much.

Jennifer Harmann will now be an auto-read author for me after reading this one. I loved this book dearly and high recommend it.

The first 15-20% are intense and disturbing. This book was so much in the beginning but I had to keep reading since my book bestie loved it and I needed to get the characters to heal. Can't leave things undone.
Just loved Cora and Dean's relationship it was so messed up. But the progression was cohesive and they totally felt like they were the ones meant to be. Her parents were so understanding of what happened. Her sister was not understanding like I get it but also they went through something bad together. That changes people.
The hea was def worth sticking it out. There was so much healing and pain before you got there though. But all beautiful written. It got me in the feels.
Def check tw this one has a lot

Thank you bloombooks for the e-ARC for my honest and voluntary review.

This book had me captivated from the start. I couldn’t put it down. Drew and Cora went through a lot together when they were down in that basement. I didn’t really like the sister Mandy because she just expected for Drew to act like nothing happened. Without caring about what her sister and fiancé went through. I loved the banter and the flashbacks we saw from Drew’s POV. I loved how Cora and Drew were there for each other after. I really loved Drew and the way he was patient with Cora . If planning on reading I would check tw because this book isn’t for everyone.

I was lucky enough to snag an ecopy of this book from NetGalley and Bloom Books.

My suggestion when it comes to this book, check the trigger warnings, and then dive in. They’re right at the beginning of the book. This is probably the heaviest dark romance I’ve read so far, and it didn’t deter me. There were some moments that made me squirm, and not in a good way, but it was still fantastically written.

I’ve put off reading Jennifer’s books for too long. I can’t wait to read more, and I’ll happily be recommending this one to likeminded friends.

✨BOOK REVIEW✨

Still Beating by Jennifer Hartmann

OUT YESTERDAY 7/11 (tried to get a pub day review out yesterday but the day got away from me!)

Well I went in blind as I do, and this one started off strong and incredibly dark! I had no idea what I was getting myself into. With that being said, definitely check trigger warnings before diving in.

If dark romances are your thing, I highly recommend this one!! It starts off with an absolute nightmare of a situation (incredibly disturbing things happening) and it doesn’t let up for awhile. It was devastating what Dean & Cora went through and I felt like I was watching a dateline episode.

While dark and terrible, I loved what unfolded on the other side of things. The healing that took place and all the things they had to work through as individuals and how they chose to move forward.

I don’t want to spoil anything but it was such a sweet love story despite the traumatic beginning.

My only complaint was that the side characters/family and friends seemed to think this was something that Dean and Cora could just bounce back from pretty quickly? Definitely would not be the case.

Read if you’re looking for:
-dark romance
-traumatic events
-sister’s fiancé
-story of healing and dealing with past traumas
-great audiobook

This one published yesterday!!! Highly recommend it if you enjoy dark romance storylines. Thank you to @librofm for the ALC - highly recommend the audio! And thank you to @netgalley @read_bloom for the eARC.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This was definitely a darker romance than I've read in the past. I didn't mind the set up for the kidnapping and trauma. Earl was properly disgusting and vile for the villian, but I didn't find myself rooting for and supporting of Dean and Cora. I didn't like the back and forth between them of teasing and trading barbs and just being shitty to each other. The fact that Dean is the only person who uses her full name of Corabelle just to piss her off, just kept bugging me and made me dislike him more.

When the 2 got out of the basement, it almost felt like there was too much book left. Cora was VERY wishy washy in what she wanted and just kept stringing Dean along. He at least figured out what he wanted, and made moves towards those goals. Cora flounders for months and won't get the help she obviously needs.
Mandy was a terrible character and I kind of hated her. I wanted to feel bad for her, but couldn't bring myself to feel bad. Tabitha felt like a weird out of place character that's just shoved in there for contrast to Cora.

I give this like a 2.5

This is a dark and poignant read that left a deep impression on me. This is Cora and Dean's story, they are long-time adversaries brought together in a harrowing situation. Their journey is filled with darkness, trauma, and an unbreakable bond that forms amidst the chaos. Hartmann's storytelling is hauntingly beautiful, delving into their emotions with authenticity. I had the pleasure of listening to the audiobook narrated by Laurie West and Christian Black, whose performances were exceptional, breathing life into the characters. This book is a powerful exploration of love, redemption, and human resilience. Hartmann's talent shines through, and I eagerly await more from this gifted storyteller.

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.

After fifteen years of teasing, insults, and practical jokes, the ultimate joke seems to be on them. The two people who always thought they’d end up killing each other must now work together if they want to survive.

But Cora and Dean have no idea their abductor has a plan for them. A plan that will alter the course of their relationship, blur the line between hate and love, and shackle them together with far more than just chains.

I floved this story. Will recommend to others.

The line between love and hate is very thin and easily blurred. This book ends up showing us that, albeit in a raw and painful way to watch. It's not an easy book to read, it's captivating but painful, it's beautiful but painting with horrors. It is a story of overcoming and recovery, of a love that grew out of fear and hope. It was written in such a fantastic and dramatic way that it made me wonder why it took me so long to pick it up.

TW: Graphic, on page SA, death of a child, gore, murder, literally everything that could possibly be triggering to someone it's in here. I definitely recommend looking up the trigger warnings before getting into this book.

This is a beautiful story about resilience, strength, and the power of true connection. Watching Cora and Dean go through this was devastating and almost unreadable at times, but the way these two survived because of their love for each other was so important to read.


This is my second time reading Still Beating. The first time I read this I didn't quite absorb the true impact and growth these characters went through, but man, I will never stop thinking of this book.

Still Beating releases in the US on July 11th, 2023. Big thank you to Bloom Books, Jennifer Hartmann, and NetGalley for this advance copy. All opinions are my own.

This book definitely broke something in me, but it is for sure my favorite book of all time.

I cannot begin to explain the rollercoaster of emotions that I felt reading this, and as if it wasn't enough I've reread this book so many times that I lost track of it

Dean and Cora’s story starts when they get kidnap by The Matchmaker, and to say that it's going to be a painful ride is the understatement of the year! I don't really want to get into any details because I believe all people should give this one a try, but always keep in mind that this is definitely a dark romance where not only go through the actual trauma together, but then they are in the aftermath together trying to keep each other afloat.

The thing is not many like how they deal with their trauma but in real life, we all have different ways to overcome trauma, and Dean and Cora’s was the perfect one in my opinion.

This is a 5 out of 5 recommendation and I will continue reading this one over and over again

I almost never re-read books, but when I heard Still Beating was being re-released with a gorgeous new cover and bonus content, I couldn’t wait! This one took my breath away just as much the second time around!

Still Beating was my first book by Jennifer Hartmann, and I immediately read her entire backlist, joined her newsletter and Facebook group, and signed up for every future ARC!

This book is dark and heavy and horrifying, but even more so, it is about breaking free. It is resilient and strong, hopeful and healing. Cora and Dean’s love is so raw and powerful and heartbreakingly beautiful. Still Beating has just reaffirmed itself as one of my top favorite reads ever!

Still Beating was re-released TODAY, so check trigger warnings and then jump into this heart wrenching experience yourself! It’s a MUST READ!

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

This was such an emotional rollercoaster for me, the trauma Dean and Cora went through is unimaginable and heartbreaking. For me reading everything that happened to them in that basement to then watching the aftermath was hard. Especially watching how hard life was for them after getting out. The third act plot twist took me for a loop and hurt my heart, I understand why it was needed but at the time I wanted to throw my kindle! In the end Dean and Cora are so special, they may have trauma bonded in the beginning but seeing their relationship come together after healing was something amazing. As long as their hearts are still beating I know they will find each other❤️

please check trigger warnings before reading!

to be completely transparent, i read still beating prior to its re-release. this was one of the first ever dark romance books i read and was honestly skeptical going into it the first time. however, jennifer hartmann completely exceeded my expectations and it’s easily one of my 5 star reads (which I’m extremely picky about) that i’m constantly recommending to others.

without spoiling too much of the plot, the story revolves around cora and dean navigating through their shared trauma after being abducted the night of cora’s sister’s birthday (who happens to be dean’s fiancée). they’re locked in a basement for weeks on end as their abductor forces them into an unspeakable situation. during this time, they’re each other’s light, salvation, and most of all hope. after their escape from the basement and efforts to try and return to a “normal” life, nothing is the same. it’s so heart-wrenching to see them trying to adjust to a new reality, but they persevered through it all with each other.

despite the book’s dark nature, jennifer’s writing is so beautifully done in a sensitive manner - raw. real. and passionate. i was hooked from beginning to end and couldn’t put it down! the plot itself flowed so seamlessly and kept building on top of each other. every scene had meaning and a real contribution to the overall storyline rather than just being added fluff and feeling unnecessary. i liked how she didn’t romanize/glorify the dark parts and didn’t just brush past or overlook what dean and cora underwent, but recognizes their experience in the aftermath. i don’t often reread books, but this was worth it. would definitely recommend anyone reading this review to take a chance on still beating!

thank you net galley for the arc in exchange for an honest review!

𝘚𝘵𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘉𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 is an immaculate tale of the story of bonds that can form through trauma, griefa and the worst sort of pain imaginable.

- ~ -

I was absolutely hooked to the characters and the plotline! The chaos and absurdity of the what they went through kept me captivated and I COULD NOT put the story down!

Definitely am addicted to the author's storytelling now and can't wait to discover more of her characters!

- ~ -

4.01 / 5✩

𝘛𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘬𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘚𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘤𝘦𝘣𝘰𝘰𝘬𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘕𝘦𝘵𝘨𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘺 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘷𝘪𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘯 𝘢𝘥𝘷𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦𝘥 𝘤𝘰𝘱𝘺 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘣𝘰𝘰𝘬, 𝘸𝘩𝘪𝘤𝘩 𝘐 𝘷𝘰𝘭𝘶𝘯𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘭𝘺 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘥 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘳𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘦𝘸𝘦𝘥. 𝘈𝘭𝘭 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘰𝘱𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘮𝘺 𝘰𝘸𝘯.