If you are considering this book check the trigger warnings. This is a wonderfully written book that includes themes about overcoming trauma, that I enjoyed but may be triggering to others. The path to overcoming trauma is different for everyone and this book gives a handsome guy to help our main girl overcome hers. She is hesitant about letting him in at first but his gentle persistence to just help her wins out in the end. He is not without his own issues of course. that he also deals with throughout the book. They have a wonderful love story and it does end with a happily ever after that makes the entire journey worth it.

I would definitely recommend to my friends, and to you reading this review.

Thanks to Entangled and NetGalley for the ARC.
TWs: Sexual assault (on page), violence, abuse and PTSD.

Due to the trigger warnings above this book was not for me and I ended up DNFIng it. 3 stars simply because the writing is really really good, but I cannot stomach the actual content.

Helen Hardt has a way of hooking you in from the get go . ( I have read a few of her books )

This was an emotional story and was such a good read . 4.5 stars

Please check the Tigger warnings before reading

Thank you netgalley for my advance copy

1.5 ⭐️

I like romances with a side of trauma, but the trauma in this one was SO over-the-top that it didn’t even feel like a romance at all. It was depressing the whole way through, to the point that I wasn’t even happy that the two main characters got together in the end, and I was just ready to be done because there is such a thing as too much trauma in one book.

Tessa was not only drugged and sexually assaulted 3 months before the start of the book, but in flashbacks remembers that she was also sexually assaulted as a child on the day of her first communion by an altar boy. And then apparently the two assaulters were best friends, because of course they were, and come back for a second round of assault together at the end of the book. Then while she’s processing her grief, she’s fired from her job AND her dad dies, and she doesn’t get to say goodbye to him because she was at a bachelorette party in Jamaica.

Ben was an accessory to a murder as a teenager, and now helps run a multi-billion-dollar company. He used to use BDSM as a coping mechanism for his murder-guilt, but now he’s reformed and falls instantly in love with Tessa when he sees how broken she is from all her trauma, but then the first time they go to bed together he gets himself off on her while she just lays there and takes it like she’s his sub?? It was weird. In the end, he admits to being an accessory to murder directly to the DA and the DA is like “lol it’s okay, nobody was looking for the guy anymore, but he did have a daughter who I’m sure would love a scholarship for college from a billionaire trying to do the right thing.” Literally what????? That’s not how the law works.

Neither of these people needed to be in a relationship at this point in their lives, and definitely not with each other. They just needed a lot of therapy and Ben needed some time in prison. Their love story was completely unbelievable because they used it as a crutch to process their trauma. It was not romantic in the slightest.

The extra 1/2 ⭐️ in my rating is solely for the fact that the book talks about the benefits of cold plunging, which is a completely valid and healthy way to cope with stress, trauma, and grief, when combined with other coping mechanisms.

Thanks to NetGalley and Entangled: Amara for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

This book is written with such emotional depth, it’s one you won’t want to put down for a second. There is so much I want to say about this book, “I loved it” just doesn’t seem adequate enough for how it made me feel while reading it

Thank you for allowing me to read My Heart Still Beats by Helen Hardt. I have to be honest, this book is darker than I expected; so, I didn't enjoy it as much as I would like to. This book has a lot of potential, but it wasn't for me. As I said, thank you so much, I appreciate the though.

✨ Publication date: May 28, 2024✨

My Heart Still Beats is a dark romance by Helen Hardt. This is a standalone (I think) but the main character Benjamin Black is mentioned throughout some of her other series including Follow me about his brother Braden Black.

Tessa is damaged. After being drugged and raped multiple times by the man she thought she loved, Tessa barely survived the ordeal. Now she is only a shell of the woman she once was.

Tessa needs to get herself in order though because her best friend is just about to marry gorgeous billionaire Braden Black and she is her maid of honour tasked with planning a bachelorette party together with Braden’s younger brother Benjamin.

Benjamin Black knows what Tessa has been through and is carefully managing interactions with her as they plan the parties. After meeting with her he offers to make the bachelorette arrangements while he does his brother’s party. She clearly is still struggling and while he knows he shouldn’t even go there, he can’t help but notice how gorgeous she is and feels an immediate connection with her.

As Benjamin takes his time with getting to know Tessa, she works through her demons and recognizes her own attraction, even though she thought she would never feel these things again.

While I liked the premise of Tessa and Benjamin’s story and have definitely enjoyed this authors dark spicy stories in the past, I didn’t believe Tessa and Benjamin’s connection. It seemed forced at times and I wasn’t quite sold. I do enjoy this author so it’s still a decent story but not my favourite. This is a 3.5 star for me.

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

#NetGalley #helenhardt #myheartstillbeats

This was a solid 3 for me. I was expecting a little bit of a darker story and romance based on the trigger warnings. I wish there had been a little more background for Ben and his past misdeed- that felt a little rushed and underdeveloped. I liked how patient he was with Tessa due to her recovering from SA and then another family tragedy however I felt his emotional regression with his past wasn’t as believable. Overall I liked the book! Makes me want to go read Braden and Sky’s story.

Ben and Tessa’s book has all of the suspense and traumatic backstories that Ms Hardt is famous for putting in her books. It’s hard to fathom how anyone would react after Tessa’s experiences, but Ben seems to know how to bring out some of the old Tessa. He has his own troubles to deal with but finds that his feelings for Tessa helps him to try to make amends.

This book is filled with dark topics as Helen often does. Dark however doesn’t have to mean no romance and tenderness alongside happiness, no this book has that and so much more… healing. In this boom we meet Skye’s bestie- Tessa and Branden’s brother- Benjamin.
Two people struggling with past hurts one recent, the other stemming from his youth. Both are traumatic and both need to learn how to love themselves a be loved by others.
As with all Helen’s books, we get tons of heat and angst along with passion, love and understanding.
A must read!

One night, a wedding, blackmail, and a fear of beling alone in a world where love, desire, and power are everything.

While this can be read as a standalone this has interconnected characters as we head to a tropical paradise for a pre-wedding celebration.

When Ben decides to help Tessa navigate the wedding party responsibilities he never imagined he'd be the one falling.

A scorchin hot read that has plenty of triggers so please read and decide if it's something you are comfortable with.

I tried. I really tried. All of the characters were like cartoon characters. The names were comical. I made it halfway and had to stop. It was just bad.

Please be aware of your own triggers and trauma, protect your own mental health and make sure you have read and take seriously the trigger warnings in this book!
Hardt does not hold back in her depiction and descriptions of trauma, abuse, and violence. In this book Tessa and Ben are both working through their own demons and trauma. It is a multiple POV story all about learning to trust yourself, others, while learning to love again. I was not expecting all of the strong emotions this book brought forward. I thank Entangled Publishing for the opportunity to review this book as an ARC.

“I’d give my entire fortune to kiss your lips right now. If that were the cost, I’d gladly pay it.”

I'm going to be 100% honest here. I can't even remember the majority of this book 🫣. I finished it late April/early May and forgot to write and post my review like a bad ARC reader 😬. I mean...at least I finished it, so there's a plus 🤣. Skimming didn't bring up any major thoughts or emotions though. In my one note, I gave it 3.5 stars and stated the ending was entertaining/intense. I do remember that part and I definitely enjoyed it. I didn't have any issues with the trigger warnings, so I think the overall plot was a bit slow.

Thanks so much to Entangled for the ARC!

While I have not gone through the trauma that Tessa has, I feel that the author represented the emotional aspects in a realistic manager. This book is about the process of healing and reconnecting with life and people after experiences a horrific event. It's about having someone be there for you, good times and bad, in a patient and loving manner.

Ben was that person for Tessa, even though he is having to revisit a traumatic time in his life also. Ben was never going to undo what had happened to Tessa, but he never gave up on her. Sometimes we just need someone to be there for us.

I received this advance review copy from NetGalley & the publisher for my honest review.

I loved this book. Characters were amazing and I.loves the storyline. You need to read this book
She has become one of my favorite authors

Unfortunately, this book was a DNF for me. I read the trigger warnings, but the child harming was just too much for me. I really wanted to like this book, and the portions that I read were good, and I was invested in the characters, but I was really upset by the description of a child being molested.

ᴛʜᴇ sᴛᴏʀʏ: After being drugged and raped by her ex, Tessa struggles to reengage with life until billionaire Benjamin Black comes to her aid in planning her best friend’s wedding to his brother.

ᴍʏ ᴛᴡᴏ ᴄᴇɴᴛs: I have been loving Helen Hardt’s Steel Brother series, but with a 30+ book series, I was thrilled to dig into a standalone.

This dark romance still felt somewhat lighthearted as Tessa and Benjamin begin to form a connection, but it has a lot of trauma in its layers (more than the drugging/rape that originally sets the scene for these characters to meet.

I appreciated how real Tessa’s reticence to reemerge into the world seemed, though it felt like she got past a lot of it too quickly with Ben, especially as she uncovered and remembered her childhood trauma and abuse. Despite this, I really enjoyed the story and especially the message: My Heart Still Beats.

I’m alive. I will be okay. I will survive. My heart still beats.

𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐢𝐟 𝐲𝐨𝐮:
💙 love the forced proximity trope
💙 want a lighter dark romace
💙 are here for a survivor story

"My Heart Still Beats" is a compelling and emotionally resonant tale that delves deep into the human psyche, exploring themes of trauma, resilience, and the enduring power of love. Helen Hardt's masterful storytelling and unflinching honesty make this novel a must-read for fans of dark romance and redemption tales alike
However, it's important to note that "My Heart Still Beats" is not for the faint of heart. Hardt pulls no punches in her portrayal of trauma, depicting scenes of violence and abuse with unflinching realism. Readers sensitive to such themes should approach with caution, as the novel may be triggering for some.

What a wonderful book by Helen Hardt.
Tessa and Ben's story is so powerful and touches on so many issues. Tessa and Ben are put together to plan Brandon and Skye bachelor and bachelorette parties. During this time both Tessa and Ben are battling demons from their pasts. This book was so good! It touched on many emotions.