Still Beating

I’ll admit, I went into *Still Beating* expecting a snarky, trope-heavy rom-com—what I got instead was a masterclass in how to blend romance with genuine suspense. Laurie West’s narration as Cora is a revelation; she nails the character’s defensive humor and the way her voice cracks when she’s truly scared. Christian Black’s Dean, meanwhile, is all controlled menace, his performance layered enough that you’re never sure if he’s about to kiss Cora or lock her in a trunk. That ambiguity is the book’s greatest strength, and the narrators lean into it, making their eventual emotional vulnerability all the more satisfying. The pacing is where things get tricky. The first third drags slightly as Cora and Dean’s mutual loathing plays out in repetitive bickering—Hartmann could’ve trimmed some of the road-trip filler. But once the plot twists hit (and oh, do they hit), the audiobook becomes impossible to pause. The production choices are smart, too: subtle audio cues during high-tension moments (a distant siren, a creaking door) add depth without feeling gimmicky. My only real critique? The ending wraps up *almost* too neatly after such a morally gray journey. Still, for fans of romances with bite—think *The Hating Game* meets *Gone Girl*’s unpredictability—this is a standout. Just don’t start it before bed unless you’re okay with losing sleep.