A beautiful, spellbinding tale, of two peoples divided. A Thousand Heartbeats shows off Kiera Cass's ability to write lengthy novels which keep the reader gripped from beginning to end, and leave us hoping she will write more books to this length in the future.
From the blurb;
'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. Soon she will be forced, by her father, into a loveless marriage, with a duke called Nickolas, for political gain.
'Meanwhile, miles away, small comforts are few and far between for Lennox, living with his banished clan, the Dahrainians. Lennox has devoted his whole life to helping his people try to take back the throne from Princess Annika's father.
'But then Annika and Lennox's worlds collide. And when love, against all odds, finds them both, they are bound by it's call. They can't possibly be together - the the irresistible thrum of a thousands heartbeats won't let them be apart.'
Told though the joint perspectives of Lennox and Annika, with pov's exchanging each chapter, A Thousand Heatbeats is a new venture of Cass, and shows her writing prowess as it has never been seen before.
Cass allows a love story, touched by fate, to unfold across these pages, capturing the hearts of her readers, while keeping us on the edge of our seats with the uncovering of secrets, grueling plot twists and intense scenes of action and exhilaration.
Annika, far from the delicate princess, is a force of nature we can't help but fall in love with. Her passion and her strength are subdued notes in the beginning of the book, growing with her own confidence and providing us with the kick-ass princess character development arc we all desire in modern stories.
Meanwhile Lennox run's an opposite arc. His strength makes him a fearsome character wrapped in armour. Cass tenderly unpeals the armour surrounding Lennox, allowing him to accept himself and grow into a well rounded man deserving of our admiration.
As the past reveals all of it's secrets our characters are forced into a showdown with the present. Torn between their desires and their duty Lennox and Annika are forced into impossible situations that could tear both of their lives apart.
We Give A Thousand Heartbeats Five Stars
ISBN - 978-0-00-815885-9 Cover Price - £8.99 First Published in the United States of America by HarperCollinsPublishers in 2022