A Thousand Heartbeats

#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.

ā€œLove has a sound. It sounds like a thousand heartbeats happening at the same time.ā€

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.

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Published Nov 28, 2023

576 pages

Average rating: 7.65

40 RATINGS

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Community Reviews

Cyn's Workshop
Aug 20, 2025
8/10 stars
Originally reviewed on Cyn's Workshop

A Thousand Heartbeats offers readers a tantalizing enemies-to-lovers romance filled with dreamy brooding characters and fierce women.


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I’m not one for romance, but A Thousand Heartbeats captured my attention, and held onto it with a grip strong enough to hold a lofty sword.

Simply Brilliant
I have said it before and will repeat it: I’m not one for romance books. I don’t mind budding romances between characters, but when it comes to reading, romance-centric stories lack substance. I tend to need more.

And Cass delivered.

A Thousand Heartbeats is no doubt a romance. Warring kingdoms make this tale seem similar to the tale of Tristan and Isolde or Romeo and Juliet. Except they are not as young, and their lives have not been easy.

Lenox is a child of the 7th Clan, a clan wiped from the history books of Kadier, Annika’s kingdom. No one knows they exist, so they bide their time in ruins, building an army to take back what was stolen from them. His life is cold and brutal, and he is asked to do unforgivable things in the name of Kawan, the self-proclaimed chieftain of the Clan.

The inner turmoil he feels makes his personality balance out the quick-witted Annika.

Despite being a princess, Annika’s life has not been easy since the disappearance and murder of her mother. Her father has become emotionally distant and so fearful that he is emotionally, mentally, and at times, physically abusive.

Annika strives for peace. She strives to be like her mother, forgiving. And so her optimism shines. It makes her clever and resilient, making her the perfect balance for Lennox.

Don’t get me wrong, sometimes she comes off as too perfect, but her personality and inner turmoil make her more tangible.

When reading, you want these two characters to find one another. You want them to live happily ever after. But given the story, the question is how? Both Tristan and Isolde and Romeo and Juliet end in death; how could they find love when there is so much bloodshed between their kingdoms?

Final Thoughts
The story is engaging from beginning to end. Filled with plot twists and excellent characterization, A Thousand Heartbeats captured my heart from beginning to end with masterful storytelling.

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Madeline M Murdock
Dec 01, 2025
6/10 stars
I love Kiera Cass but this book was so unnecessarily cheesy. I feel like the romance was rushed and it wasn't as good as she made it out to be. I mean it was still entertaining but not her best work. At least in "The Selection" Series, she didn't rush the romance.
PhoebsLou
Nov 22, 2025
9/10 stars
Omg! I loved this! It took me SO long to get into this book but I got myself to to continue and I'm so glad I did! There were GREAT plot twists!!!
neverenoughali
Nov 13, 2025
6/10 stars
I first picked this book up back in June 2023 during my Queen Charlotte brain rot days. Not sure why I couldn’t get into it then, but this time I went with the audiobook. The dual narration (male and female voices for each POV) really brought it to life. It’s a bit of an enemies-to-lovers royal story, though the author decided to cram all the big moments into the last 10%. I pictured Annika as Ella from Ella Enchanted and Lennox as Will Turner from Pirates of the Caribbean. Overall, a solid YA with a mild romance.
Kdungan0902
Feb 06, 2024
8/10 stars
It was pretty good! I love any type of fantasy and it seemed to tick many of my boxes!! I thought it was beautiful and simple. I love love and I will never get tired of it.

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