NMmomof4's Reviews > Still Beating

4 Stars (Originally Read 10/22/2021)

4 Stars (Re-Read 6/25/2023)

Overall Opinion: This was better than I expected! I loved experiencing the drastic changing of dynamics between these two and how they come into their fierce love. It was traumatic, so anyone with triggers probably needs to check my trigger spoiler below and stay away. Also, yes — he was with her sister, but I think that is what makes it so much more tragic and brought on the emotions! So, if you don’t think you can handle that he was with her sister before her, I would suggest staying far away as well. I only had a few reasons for this not being higher rating. The h bordered on cruel sometimes with her hot/cold treatment of the H. It might be that I loved his character so I couldn’t tolerate his mistreatment — but it bugged me. I also wanted more time between when their conflict was resolved and the epilogue. I would’ve loved to experience them (view spoiler)[dating and out with other people (hide spoiler)]! Then there was a feature that I hate in books with cheating…(view spoiler)[the author made the h’s sister expose that she had cheated on the H (hide spoiler)]. I wish authors would leave well enough alone! There doesn’t need to be that for it to justify the mc’s actions!! Otherwise, I still liked it.

Re-Read Note:. I don't have much to add here. Same rating and same issues (h's hot and cold, the ending right after the conflict solution, and the justification). I enjoyed re-reading it. It for sure isn't a fluffy unicorn and rainbow story. It seems like I gravitate towards the messy romances like this one -- so that makes sense to me!

Brief Summary of the Storyline: This is Cora and Dean’s story. Cora barely tolerates her sister’s long-term boyfriend and when they both wake up in a basement chained to a pole by a madman, she learns to appreciate his presence. Dean has always loved pushing Cora’s buttons, but knows things are changing between them the longer they are forced to do things and spend fearful days under a psycho’s hold. Once they get out, neither can deny that things have changed between them and they have to navigate their trauma and new realities both together and on their own…and they get a HEA ending.

Point Of View (POV): This was broken down into parts with alternating between Cora and Dean’s POVs.

Overall Pace of Story: Good. I never skimmed and I thought it flowed well.

Instalove: No. They thought they hated each other before they turned into allies and then into more.

H (Hero) rating: 5 stars. Dean. I loved him. He was a great guy!

h (heroine) rating: 3.5 stars. Cora. I liked her but she was kind of cruel to the H at times where she rubbed me the wrong way.

Sadness level: Moderate/high. I shed some tears and needed a tissue here and there.

Push/Pull: Yes (view spoiler)[They both push away (h more so) and also pursue the relationship at times (H more so) (hide spoiler)]

Heat level: Good. They have some good tension, chemistry, and scenes -- but not so much it takes away from the story.

Descriptive sex: Yes

OW (Other Woman)/OM (Other Man) drama: Yes (view spoiler)[ The H was with the h’s sister before (and some after) their abduction (hide spoiler)]

Sex scene with OW or OM: Yes, but not in the typical way (view spoiler)[ The h is forced to be with their abductor (hide spoiler)]

Cheating: Yes (view spoiler)[The H was with the h’s sister when they are forced to be intimate during their abduction and feelings have developed afterwards for emotional cheating IMO. They aren’t intimate again until after he breaks it off with the sister. (hide spoiler)]

Separation: Yes (view spoiler)[They are separated for ~8 months, but there was confirmation that neither had other partners during this time. (hide spoiler)]

Possible Triggers: Yes (view spoiler)[Abduction/assault/rape/murder (on page), the H was with and engaged to h’s sister for ~15 years (on page), loss of parent (off page), parent with cognitive decline (on page), loss of a dog (on page), and miscarriage (off page) (hide spoiler)]

Closure: This ends with a cute epilogue and what I would call a HEA ending (view spoiler)[they’re married with kids and dogs (hide spoiler)]

Safety: This one is probably Not Safe for most safety gang readers
(view spoiler)[
- Does have cheating
- Does have a descriptive sex scene with the h being forced by OM
- Does have both the h and H pushing away
- Does have a separation between the h and H
- Does have abuse
- Does have a HEA ending (hide spoiler)]