My Heart Still Beats

Helen Hardt

Dark Romance

From #1 New York Times bestselling author Helen Hardt comes a deeply emotional tale of being lost, until light—and love—brings you back to shore…
Some days I can almost see the person I used to be. See the version of myself that felt joy, even passion. But she’s gone…just out of reach.
Life moves on for everyone else, though, and as my best friend’s maid-of-honor, I have a bachelorette party to plan—in Jamaica, no less. And that means working side by side with the best man: Benjamin Black.
Billionaire. Workaholic. Ultimate bachelor. The perfect catch for any woman—unless she’s lost her sense of self.
Apparently my body hasn’t gotten the memo. Because from the second we meet, something begins stirring, warming my blood.
And when our hands touch, it’s a heady reminder that even if I feel numb, my heart still beats.
He’s nothing like I thought. Every moment with him unshackles a little more of my fears, cracks another layer of ice.
But I should be afraid—and so should he. Because the past never lets go so easily.

-Excerpt taken from Amazon.

Check Goodreads to see the book’s ratings.

My Opinion

(3.5 / 5) Tessa’s life has dramatically changed from her happy-go-lucky nature to now a woman who barely leaves her house. She has suffered trauma and the steps to recovery have been slow.

Tessa’s best friend is marrying a billionaire and she is in charge of the bachelorette party and weekend in Jamaica, all expenses paid. She should be ecstatic, but she is dreading every moment. She eventually relents and meets with the billionaire brother of the groom, Benjamin Black for party planning. He seems great and almost trustworthy, but Tessa won’t make that same mistake again.

We slowly get the details to what happened to Tessa not long ago, and the more pieces we receive, the more understanding is given. Somehow, the author made Tessa relatable with her fears, depression and idiosyncrasies, regardless of the trauma.

I did feel I was missing part of the story. I felt that part of her history was not given to me to fully understand. I also felt the same about Ben. He all of a sudden appeared and was 100% “in” regardless of how little they knew each other. With some of those interactions I felt the need to suspend my belief to further the story. It did not feel as genuine as I would have liked.

Ultimately the story was about trauma and love. It was not about “overcoming” her fears, but working through them to heal. It was also about leaning on others when you do not have the strength to lift yourself up. I loved this message and the hope Hardt depicted. The end was fast-paced and well worth the slow build up. It was raw and emotional but not for those who are sensitive readers. I recommend this for romance readers that enjoy a darker element with a happily ever after ending.

General content summary: 

From the author/publisher (Entangled Publishing does a great job of having this info on their website): 

My Heart Still Beats is a dark, emotional romance with a happy ending. However, the story includes elements that might not be suitable for all readers. Sexual assault, physical assault, rape, child molestation, suicidal thoughts, suicidal ideation, depression, anxiety, PTSD, panic attacks, murder, and blood are shown in the novel. Readers who may be sensitive to these elements, please take note.

My content review: F words= 163

C***= 3

Parent death (previous)

Massive depressive disorder 

Catholicism 

Rape (previous, drugged drink)

Intimacy (very detailed, mention of previous BDSM)

Alcohol (alcoholism)

Cigarettes (teens)

House fire (previous, injuries)

Watching someone killed (some details, smells, sounds, blood, knife, not graphic)

Child molestation  (details, previous)

Heart attack death (family member, grief)

Body disposal (pulling out teeth)

Physical violence (hits, kicks, slaps, blood, broken nose)

Attempted rape (detailed)

Thank you to Entangled Publishing for the copy!

The book releases May 28, 2024.

**As an Amazon associate I earn from qualifying purchases.