Reviews with content warning for Death - Still Beating

5⭐️ 3🔥 4☠️

"..we aren't something meant to be labeled. We transcend titles."

Enemies to 'forced' lovers
Kidnapping
Captive/prisoner
Abuse
rape
miscarriage
Attempted suicide

I don't even know how to describe how I felt reading this book. My heart simultaneously filled and broke at every page. I loved it from the start and this is one of those books that I will think about for a long time. What they went through down there was just as tormenting as what they went through later. Dean and Cora were put in an impossible situation watching (reading) it unfold tore my heart out.
And they clutched to each other like they're each others lifeline and I loved it so much, even though, on paper, it was wrong. But in reality, it was so so right.
Such a brutal story and the best relationship arc. I was crying at times and giddy at others!
I plan to go buy the rest of Jennifer Hartmann's books now.

Content Warnings

aliceloyallaleon's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional hopeful sad tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

Content Warnings

smbl's review against another edition

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dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.75

It’s like reading a train wreck, you can’t stop even if it’s not the best writing.

Pros: It dealt with messy process of healing from trauma - it wasn’t perfect which arguably why it’s done a decent job because everyone’s healing journey is different. MMC trauma journey was written well and overall the character had a lot more common sense. The serial killer motives weren’t something common.

Cons: FMC can be a little pick-me and self-centered. Actually she annoyed me a lot more than her sister which it wasn’t written to be that way. And how the sister was written is giving some internalize misogyny. Also no real relationship development on why the MMC was even dating the FMC’s sister.

I think it had a lot of potential but as a standalone dark romance it missed the mark.

Content Warnings

juliereadsromance's review against another edition

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dark emotional medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

Ok, this was my journey through this book:

First 25%: shoot it in my veins, I’ve never felt so alive.
Second 25%: still buzzed
Third 25%: I’m dragging. The novel is now just sad which is appropriate for the plot. But, the come down from the adrenaline of the first half is a bummer.
Fourth 25%: I’m glad I’m getting to see the HEA, but I’m also happy I’m done with the book.

This was a five star read for many readers I follow here on GR, so it seems like a lot of other readers didn’t find that the second half of the book slowed down too much.

Importantly, this book gives a meaningful portrayal of PTSD and the characters’ challenging recovery from trauma.

I thought that the FMC’s parents and sister didn’t seem to understand the gravity of the sexual abuse Cora endured. And that was weird.

There are ALOT of potential triggers in this book, so def check the author’s warnings before!

Content Warnings

neonstyx's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.5

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