A Thousand Heartbeats

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A Thousand Heartbeats
Author(s)
Publisher
Age Range
13+
Release Date
November 29, 2022
ISBN
978-0062665782
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#1 New York Times bestselling author of The Selection series Kiera Cass is back with her most epic novel yet—a sweeping enemies-to-lovers standalone romance.
“Love has a sound. It sounds like a thousand heartbeats happening at the same time.” 
Princess Annika has lived a life of comfort—but no amount of luxuries can change the fact that her life isn’t her own to control. The king, once her loving father, has gone cold, and Annika will soon be forced into a loveless marriage for political gain.

Miles away, small comforts are few and far between for Lennox. He has devoted his life to the Dahrainian army, hoping to one day help them reclaim the throne that was stolen from them. For Lennox, the idea of love is merely a distraction—nothing will stand in the way of fighting for his people.

But when love, against all odds, finds them both, they are bound by its call. They can’t possibly be together—but the irresistible thrum of a thousand heartbeats won’t let them stay apart. 

Kiera Cass brings her signature sparkling romance to this beautiful story of star-crossed lovers and long-held secrets.

Editor reviews

2 reviews
Romeo-and-Juliet who?
(Updated: November 18, 2022)
Overall rating
 
4.7
Plot
 
5.0
Characters
 
5.0
Writing Style
 
4.0
Illustrations/Photos (if applicable)
 
N/A
A THOUSAND HEARTBEATS by Kiera Cass is a YA fantasy novel told in dual POV from Annika, a princess grappling with a fractured family and obligations to the crown, and Lennox, a young warrior, brutal with his sword and friendless because of it. Seemingly, they are worlds apart, but when their paths do cross, what gets set into motion cannot be undone. Now, Annika must figure out how best to protect her country while keeping what’s left of her family together, and Lennox needs to decide when he’ll step forward to take what’s rightfully his. With so many wanting different things from these two, the most difficult question they’ll face is: does one of them have to die for the other to succeed?

I loved this book. It was everything I want in a fantasy novel: court intrigue, betrayal, forbidden romance, and more. I was absolutely swept up in it! For me, how much I enjoy the story is always proportional to how much I care about the characters, and in this case, I connected with Annika and Lenox deeply. Both of them are incredibly dynamic, with a soft side and a side you wouldn’t want to cross. I also like Annika’s brother and how supportive he is—their relationship as siblings is really sweet— and Inigo, Lennox’s teammate. Inigo has a big arc as he eventually becomes one of the most loyal people Lennox knows. That being said, there are a handful of characters who are wishy-washy, which was probably purposeful, but it was also confusing at times and made it tougher to switch allegiances or to decide who to root for.

The book is on the longer side as the story is a slow build. While I was waiting for action, or what felt like the inciting incident, it did make me appreciate more how the norm changes over the course of the story. The resolution, in contrast, is very quick, but by the time I got to the ending, I was so invested in the story at that point that I would’ve been okay with another hundred pages. Even more preferably, I would’ve been thrilled if the author forewent the epilogue altogether and instead gave us a second book! Honestly, this world is so rich that there’s so much still to explore.

All in all, A THOUSAND HEARTBEATS may just be the best star-crossed lovers' tale since Romeo and Juliet. Anyone who loves enemies-to-lovers should add this book to their TBR.
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Whose land is it?
Overall rating
 
4.0
Plot
 
4.0
Characters
 
3.0
Writing Style
 
5.0
Illustrations/Photos (if applicable)
 
N/A
What I liked:
A Thousand Heartbeats is a swoon, enemies-to-lovers stand-alone romance about the truths we have always been told and what the truth is. Annika has always said that there are six clans and that the Dahrainian are the enemy. Lennox, a Daharinian devoted to the cause of reclaiming the land that Annika's family stole. A complicated past between these two involves hurts on both sides and the death of loved ones. The romance that brews between these two echoes tones from Juliet and Romeo, a famous liaison between two families who hate each other.
Final Verdict:
I found A Thousand Heartbeats a well-written romance that kept me involved and cheering for these two enemies to find peace amongst all the hurts that have been dealt. You will enjoy this novel if you like- dual pov, enemies to lovers, rival kingdoms, found families, and deeply entrenched loyalty.
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