Still Beating

I liked this, but I don’t think I connected with it as much as I expected to. The beginning was definitely the strongest part for me. The kidnapping and survival aspect was incredibly dark and uncomfortable, and I was genuinely invested in Cora and Dean getting out alive.

I also appreciated that the story didn’t treat escaping as the end of everything. There was a lot of focus on the trauma afterwards and how what happened affected both of them and their relationships with everyone around them.

Where it lost me slightly was the romance. I understood why Cora and Dean developed such an intense connection after everything they’d survived together, but I never became completely invested in them as a couple. Some parts dragged for me too, especially once the immediate danger was over.

It was emotional, disturbing and definitely memorable in places, but it didn’t hit me hard enough overall to become one of my favourites.

A solid 3 stars for me.