Disclaimer: I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Publication date: July 11, 2023

Still Beating is a dark romance novel by Jennifer Hartmann. This was previously self published by the author and now being refreshed and released again.

⚠️ Trigger warnings ⚠️
Kidnapping
Rape
Captivity
Loss of pregnancy
Loss of pet

Okay so this is my first book by this author. I have read dark romance before and enjoy it. In this case, I’m not sure the lead up to the relationship was necessary. I did love the connection between Cora and Dean and really wanted to see them together, just not sure the set up was right for me.

Cora Lawson has always disliked her sisters long time boyfriend Dean (now fiancée). They tolerate each other for the sake of her sister but mostly spend any time together arguing or pulling extreme pranks on each other.

After losing her ride home after her sisters party, Cora is approached by some creep. In her desperation she calls Dean to give her a ride home and it spirals into the worst possible scenario. Cora wakes up chained in the creep’s basement with Dean by her side.

After escaping a month long harrowing experience, Dean and Cora descend into a strange new relationship born out of the tragedy they experienced together. But they soon discover that their connection runs deeper than the last month and they share more than just an experience.

This was a 3 star for read for me. While I really enjoyed the connection between Dean and Cora, I really didn’t find the initial events were to my taste or necessary to understand the connection between them.

#NetGalley #stillbeating #jenniferhartmann

Jennifer Hartmann's "Still Beating" takes readers on a heart-pounding and emotionally intense rollercoaster ride from the very first page. This dark romance novel delves into the lives of Cora Lawson and Dean Asher, two individuals who have been at odds for years but find themselves chained together in a madman's basement. As they face unimaginable trauma and fight for their survival, their relationship evolves, blurring the lines between hate and love.

From the beginning, the author's skilful storytelling grabs hold of your attention and refuses to let go. The pacing is impeccable, with each chapter leaving you eager to turn the page and discover what awaits Cora and Dean next. The raw and authentic emotions portrayed throughout the book make it impossible not to feel a deep connection to the characters.

It's important to note that "Still Beating" contains sensitive and triggering content, so readers should familiarize themselves with the provided trigger warnings before diving into this intense journey. However, if you're a fan of dark romance, this book is a must-read. Jennifer Hartmann masterfully navigates the complexities of the genre, delivering a story that will captivate and engage you until the very end.

The bond between Cora and Dean is beautifully portrayed, demonstrating the power of love and understanding amidst suffering. The author expertly showcases their growth as individuals, as well as their development as a couple. The chemistry between them is palpable, and the moments of connection and tenderness are truly captivating.

Jennifer Hartmann's writing style is nothing short of remarkable. She deftly balances the intense and harrowing scenes without veering into excessive explicitness, making the book more accessible to a wider range of readers. The emotional impact is profound, leaving you with a mixture of tears and a desire to read the book again to fully appreciate its beauty.

This is my first book by Jennifer Hartmann and it won’t be my last. It was well written, good pacing, and not too over the top, considering the subject matter. Check those trigger warnings! This is a very dark romance, so be prepared for a heavy plot that might make you cry.

When Cora Lawson attends her sister's birthday party, she expects a hangover and a walk of shame at most. She doesn't anticipate a stolen wallet, leaving her stranded and dependent on her sister's fiancé, Dean Asher, who is a perpetual thorn in her side. And she really doesn't anticipate getting knocked out and waking up chained in a madman's basement, Dean beside her in his own shackles. Fifteen years of teasing, insults, and never-ending pranks cultivated to the ultimate joke of being here, two people always joking they'd end up killing each other, now depending on each other to work together if they want to survive. Cora and Dean don't know their abductor's plans for them, a plan that will alter the course of their lives, their relationship, and blur the lines between hate and love. They're in this together―no matter what their unexpected bond might cost them.

PLEASE look up all the trigger warnings, this is not for the faint of heart. This book absolutely grips you from the start - I was reading with my heart racing, holding my breath, and absolutely could not turn the pages fast enough to see what would happen next. You feel such empathy for these characters, the emotions are just so raw and real that it's impossible to not feel their pain so deeply. Literally the only criticism I have is that I feel Cora and Dean's immense trauma was being downplayed by the other characters in the book which didn't sit right with me. Aside from that, I have no complaints. And yes... I cried. If you like dark romance, this book is a must read.

Book: Still beating by Jennifer Hartmann
Rating:⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Publication: 11th July 2023

I would like to take a moment to express my genuine appreciation for the remarkable work done by the author in this book. The narrative swiftly immerses us in the primary event, allowing us to witness the hardships faced by our main characters as they endure and rebuild themselves, despite the dwindling hope, yet remaining resilient in their will to survive, as long as the heart is still beating.

The book is structured into three parts, with the initial section depicting the trauma, followed by the aftermath where the characters strive to establish a normal life while grappling with persistent doubts, insecurities, and nightmares. Eventually, they gain a clearer perspective on life and to keep fighting for not only themselves but for each other.

The way this book portrays the love, and understanding between our main leads is truly awe-inspiring and despite finishing this book in a day’s time, I craved for more.

Thank you NetGalley and sourcebooks bloom books for the ARC copy.

⚠️Definitely check out Trigger warnings. This book has a sensitive topics that some may find uncomfortable. I received an arc for an honest review of this book. Thank you NetGalley and Bloom books

This was such an amazing story. It starts off sort of hectic and gut wrenching. The stuff that Cora and Dean endured was difficult. Learning to navigate outside the experience was hard. It’s a story of finding connection during suffering. The love they shared is beautiful. Dean is 😍!! It an emotional rollercoaster full of ups and downs. I loved it!! I have read June first prior to this and all I can say is Jennifer writes such emotional stories. I definitely recommend reading this book

This book was Heavy. If you are going to read this, make sure you check the TW/CWs.

With that said, this book is phenomenal and so well written. This book pulled me into it in a way that not many books have, It shattered my soul and then it slowly built me back up. I cried more than once while reading this. If you can handle the TW/CWs then this book is a must read. It is a dark romance done perfectly. It did what I want a dark romance book to do. I loved it so much and all I want to do is read it over and over again. I will say that this is not a dark romance for readers who haven't read the genre before.

Is it weird to say that I thought this was a beautiful book? Well I'm going to anyway.
Aside from the genuinely horrific trauma that the two main characters go through, this book has some genuinely amazing moments of love and chemistry and it's shows the highs and lows of mental health.
The writing was fabulous and while the intense scenes weren't overlv explicit we were still able to feel the pain from the characters without having the scenes go into a lot of details which probably makes this easier for a lot of people to read.
I sobbed while reading this and for this is the best way I can recommend a book.

THIS BOOK! I just adore Jennifer Hartmann and I loved this book! Its so exciting that these books are getting published and having their moment. This book is a bit taboo but go into it with an open mind and you will fall in love. It also has an element of suspense that keeps you flying through the pages. Cant recommend enough!

I haven't read much dark romance and this one truly dropped me right in the middle of it, especially because I went in very blind. If you think dark romance might not be for you, I'd skip this one.

The thing that kept this book from being five stars for me was how quickly friends and family wanted everything to get back to normal after the trauma. I think the author focused the most on Cora and Dean and their relationship so other timelines/events that take place after their trauma didn't feel fully fleshed out to me.

Although difficult to read at times, there’s also a lot of growth and hope. I really enjoyed the writing and the author’s ability to add in just the right amount of sweet words and moments.

This is one of the best dark romance books I've ever read! The things both MC's go through is so heartbreaking, but the way the MMC is there for the FMC while they endure is beautiful.
The author has a way of sucking you into the story and make you feel so deeply. Emotional, intense, and heart achingly beautiful! What a journey!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book.

I wish I had done more research before reading this one- it was very dark, and hard to read for me. The plot is the two main characters, Cora and Dean is Dean spending half of his life dating Cora’s sister- and them hating each other. THEN they are kidnapped and tortured and forced to be in image with each other, while this whole time Dean was in love with Cora instead of the sister.. just so strange and I found Cora to be just be an all around awful character.
Just an overall not great read for me and if I’d known the extent of the torture, the graphic mess, and just the weird relationship between Cora, Dean, and the sister, I would have passed.

Such an amazing story of strength and overcoming one’s demons. Cora and Dean found so much love in each other and I loved their story even though it was such a journey to get there. Dean was such an amazing guy and sacrificing himself multiple times for Cora’s sake just made him such a better person in my eyes.

Definitely a lot of trigger warning so be sure to look into them before reading this one!

This book breaks your heart and puts it back together again! It’s a hard read but it’s a beautiful story! Jennifer Hartmann did it right and I can’t wait to read more of her stories and devour them like this one ❤️

“I told you her heart was still beating. As long as it was still beating, she was okay.”

Still Beating by Jennifer Hartmann | 18+ check tw!

★ ★ ★ ★ ★ | 🌶🌶

!! POTENTIAL SPOILERS AHEAD PROCEED WITH CAUTION !!

*A special thank you to Netgalley and Bloom Books for early access to this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.*

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Words cannot describe how I feel about this book, but I’m going to try my best. This was my first Jennifer Hartmann book, and I already know that I’m going to be reading more in the future. This book surpassed my expectations and more.

I’m not really a dark romance girl, but this book was so well done. It touched on a plethora of sensitive topics but I never felt like it crossed the line or was overly descriptive for no reason. This is definitely the kind of book you check the trigger warnings for, however. It’s pretty immersive, so protect your mental health.

Speaking of which, I like that there was a trigger warning page included at the beginning. I think a lot of publishers and authors don’t realize how important that is to a reader. Trigger warnings should be accessible and readers shouldn’t have to go searching for them.

Getting back to the plot, man I loved Dean and Cora. They went through this horrible, traumatic experience together and clung to each other as a way to survive. You could literally feel the chemistry between them from the beginning and that just grew as the book progressed. The way that they care for each other and love each other, man, that got me.

This is dual POV but not in the traditional sense. There are three parts of the book, two of which are told in Cora’s POV and one told in Dean’s. You get to experience the horrors of their captivity and their subsequent troubles coping, but you also get to experience their ending triumphs.

However, I wish this was a traditional dual POV, so we could hear more of Dean’s POV during the captivity and during the third act conflict.

Finally, nothing can describe the grief I felt for Tabitha. I really wish that the bonus scene was more about her finding happiness after losing Matthew instead of feeling alone. I want to know how her story concludes so badly.

This book broke me and put me back together, and I enjoyed every minute of it.

I really struggled when reading this book. I had a hard time connecting with the characters and DNF. Check trigger warnings, as I went in blind. I can see why many enjoy this book because it is really well written, however, it just wasn't for me.

Thanks NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Wow. What can I say. This absolutely lived up to the hype for me.

This is a dark and gripping story involving a tough subject and Jennifer has written a beautiful story about overcoming trauma. It is emotional and raw and beautifully tragic. This will grip you and you will not want to put it down. The title is perfect and you will understand why after reading.

Our two main characters go through a three week long nightmare where lines are crossed and they must learn to deal with the aftermath as they acclimatise back into society. The connection formed from their horrific ordeal runs deep and they learn that their previous hatred and mutual pranking of eachother was just a cover for something else as confessions come to light. Their relationship is definitely taboo and forbidden but they cannot stay away from eachother, knowing the other is the only one who understands what they have been through (or is it?).

Powerful, dark, gripping, raw, beautiful.

Plot: Cora and Dean have known each other since school but have always been less than friendly. Dean being Cora's sisters fiance she can't exactly stay out of his way. After a night out ends in both Cora and Dean waking up handcuffed inside the basement of a madman's basement they only have each other to rely on. Following how you move forward after such a traumatic experience and how do they now fit into a life that doesnt feel their own anymore.

Review: This was a very gripping novel. It was an emotional rollercoaster and kept you wanting to know more. I was intrigued by the storyline and it did not disappoint. I would definitely recommend but I would check the trigger warnings (which are noted before you begin the novel) before reading it.

I had mixed feelings about this book! This is a dark romance and those aspect of the book didn’t bother me. I personally was stuck on Cora’s relationship with her sister.. how she always thought about how “different” they were and poking fun at Mandy just felt wrong. There is a bit of an explanation for their relationship and I guess it comes down to jealousy for Cora’s thoughts but I still didn’t like it and felt it could have been done differently.

Then we get into Mandy and Dean’s relationship. I cannot fathom the fact that they were together for FIFTEEN years. I felt the story would have had just the effect if they were together 5-10 years (with 10 pushing it). It felt wrong to me and I just didn’t understand it. Dean had some feelings for Cora the whole time and he just stayed with her sister? It took them being kidnapped and raped for him to realize he wanted to be with Cora? I don’t get it. I also don’t understand how he had eyes for Cora and thought “I’m going to marry her one day” and then went out with her sister within the next year!? It didn't make sense to me and gave me a bit of an ick factor.

Outside of that I did really enjoy Cora and Dean’s relationship. What they went through was horrifying and they truly bonded over it. This book broke my heart in so many ways. You don’t usually think about what happens when someone’s been kidnapped and found. What happens in their life? How do people react? How do they get through it? Dean and Cora coped in very different ways along with clinging to each other. I liked the conflict and how they needed to become okay again on their own before being together. The epilogue was so sweet and really brought everything together!

I think this book definitely depends on your personal preference but regardless of how i felt about certain things the book was still beautifully written and took me for a ride. It was addicting and emotional. I'll definitely be checking out more of Jennifer Hartmann's books in the future.

Make sure to read the trigger warnings! There is graphic details of rape and more. This story is dark and emotional.

"Still Beating" by Jennifer Hartmann is an intense and gripping novel that delves into the lives of Cora and Dean, two individuals who are kidnapped and forced to endure unspeakable trauma. The book explores their harrowing experiences and the aftermath of their rescue, as they navigate through a range of complex emotions.

As readers follow Cora and Dean's journey, they can't help but become emotionally invested in their struggles. The author skillfully portrays the characters' pain and suffering, making it impossible not to empathize with them. The book is a rollercoaster of emotions, taking readers through moments of fear, despair, hope, and resilience.

Throughout their ordeal, Cora and Dean form a deep connection as they rely on each other for survival. Their bond becomes a source of strength and empowerment, allowing them to find solace in one another. "Still Beating" highlights the importance of support and understanding in the face of trauma, portraying Cora and Dean's shared journey as a way to heal and find a new sense of purpose.

Jennifer Hartmann's writing style is fluid and fast-paced, adding to the book's excitement and ensuring that readers are constantly engaged. The dual point of view provides insight into both Cora and Dean's perspectives, allowing readers to understand their individual struggles and the unique ways in which they cope with their traumatic experiences.

It's important to note that "Still Beating" deals with sensitive and potentially triggering subject matter. The book explores themes of trauma, abuse, and survival, which may be distressing for some readers. It's recommended that individuals approach the book with caution and be aware of their own emotional well-being.

Overall, "Still Beating" is a gripping and thought-provoking novel that tackles the aftermath of trauma with sensitivity and depth. It explores the complexities of human resilience and the power of connection in the face of unimaginable circumstances. Readers should be prepared for an emotional journey that will leave them contemplating the strength of the human spirit.