Still Beating

I received this book for free from the publisher. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Still Beating by Jennifer Hartmann
Narrator: Laurie West, Christian Black
Published by Tantor Audio on July 11, 2023
Genres: Fiction / Romance / Contemporary
Length: 12 hours 7 minutes
Pages: 336
Format: Audiobook
Source: Publisher
Goodreads
Amazon | Audible | B&N | Kobo | Libro.fm

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.

Contains mature themes.

WARNING: This book contains subject matter that may be sensitive for some readers. There is dark and triggering content between these pages. 18+ only. Please read responsibly.

I enjoyed this book quite a bit! This is a darker romance and I would strongly encourage readers to check out all trigger warnings before jumping into this book. The story jumps right into the action. When Cora finds herself alone at a bar with no way to get home, she turns to her sister’s fiance, Dean, for help. Cora and Dean do not get along, but he comes immediately to help her. When they wake up the next day, shackled in a madman’s basement, they know they are in a dire situation.

I liked Cora and Dean and thought that the connection that they made in that basement felt authentic. I wanted to see good things happy for both characters and hoped they would find joy together. There are some serious low points for both characters in this story and my heart just ached for them. It seemed that they were the only ones who really seemed to understand each other and what they needed.

I thought that the narrators did a great job with the story. I believe this was my first experience with Laurie West’s and Christian Black’s work. It did take me a short while to adjust to the male narrator’s performance but once I got used to his voice, I had no issues. The bulk of the story was handled by the female narrator since Cora’s perspective seemed to be the dominant voice. I thought that both brought the emotional aspects of the story out with their narration.

I would recommend this book to fans of dark romance. I found this to be a book that was almost impossible to put down once I started reading. I felt so much for Cora and Dean and couldn’t wait for them to find their happily ever after.

I received a review copy of this audiobook from Tantor Media, Inc.

Related Posts