Relentless

Written by Cassia Leo

Narrated by Emily Durante

Claire Nixon is a college student with a past full of secrets and heartbreak. At seven years old, the death of her mother by drug overdose destroys her faith in humanity as she is tossed from one foster home to another. Feeling unwanted and disposable, she fights to keep herself safe in the system. Until she is saved by her first love, soon-to-be rock star Chris Knight.

When Claire encourages Chris to leave town to pursue his dreams of musical stardom, both Claire and Chris don't realize this will be the biggest mistake of their lives.

One year after Chris leaves on tour, Claire has carved out a new life for herself in a new city. On a fateful morning, she meets sexy surfer Adam Parker. To Claire, Adam is just another flirty customer at the cafe, until a seemingly innocent comment spurs a bet between them. The bet is simple: If Adam can get Claire to reveal the secret that made her drop out of college, she has to re-enroll. If he doesn't succeed, she gets to keep her secret and he has to stop stalking her at the cafe.

Claire thinks she has this one in the bag. She's perfected the art of forgetting her past. But she isn't prepared for Adam's relentless pursuit. And she's definitely not prepared for Chris and her secret to come banging down her door one year later.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Tantor Media, Inc
• Release date: Dec 23, 2013
• ISBN: 9781452687636

Reviews for Relentless

[readerscandyb · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This was a book full of heart and passion.



Claire and Adam meet at the beginning of the book and there is an instant connection. They pursue an angsty relationship and Adam is destined to find out why she dropped out of school. As their feelings grow, secrets become unveiled and parts of the past resurface.



I loved Adam. He was cocky, caring, sexy, witty, and everything a book boyfriend should be. Claire was beautiful, emotionally damaged, and kind hearted. Together their romance pulled me in and wouldn't let me go.



The depth of this book is exquisite. I love a book that can tug on your heart strings and have you trying to guess what will happen next... This one did just that!



The jokes were a cute touch and the banter between the two left me smiling.



My only complaint would be the first few chapters were slow, once I got to chapter 4 I was hooked.

When I finished the book I wanted book 2 immediately. I highly recommend it!

[books007_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

This one was a pretty good read. It's definitely book one to a series (as far as their is a lot more story left to tell) but it doesn't leave you with a cliffhanger necessarily. Or, at least, it didn't in my opinion. (Unless you count the one chapter sneak preview of book two at the end!)Sweet talking Adam and untrusting Claire. Both with their own secrets, Adam eventually sharing more of himself than her but both trying. I thought I had Claire's secret figured out (which I did) but there was definitely an added twist to it at the end too. So it may not be predictable as it seems as you get into it. Entertaining read, chemistry was good (nothing super steamy but still there.) Characters and storyline were interesting enough as well.If you are looking for a good new adult read, no reason not to read this one.I received this book in exchange for an honest book review.

[kate.good · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

There are so many things about this book I loved.

Adam and Claire both have secrets from their past that are eating them up inside. They both need to let go and forgive themselves before they can be whole.

“I guess that’s the way secrets are. They’re only heavy when you’re holding them. As soon as you let go, the significance of keeping those secrets hidden blows away and everything falls into place.

There was an element of reality in this book that isn't found a lot. Adam and Claire were real. You could see their struggles and their triumphs. They weren't the perfect book couple that just happened to have some bad things happen to them. They were real.

For Claire, her secret involves her now famous ex. And it's eating her alive. She sees herself as a horrible person for her choice, and she can't forgive herself. While I understand the choice she made (you don't find out what it was until the end of the book) I can see where she is torn apart by it.

Adam is dealing with blaming himself for something that happened years before. It's tragic and horrible and has made him give up himself in an effort to make amends. He is living a life he isn't happy with and dealing with it by being angry and smoking pot.

When Claire and Adam start seeing each other, they fumble through the beginnings of what could be a great relationship because neither of them is able to be honest with the other. When they finally are, it's dramatic and explosive in many ways.

This book ends on a cliffhanger. In the next book we will find out if the truth sets them free to really love one another or if it will tear them apart.

[artfullee-1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

3.5 stars

A lost, crushed girl, heartbroken and just trying to get through each day as it comes, wondering when and if the ache in her heart will ever ease. The emotional pain that this girl carries is overwhelming and we only know part of it when we meet Claire Nixon. She is alone, heartsick for the love of her life and for the people she has lost or left behind. Claire is also keeping a huge secret that will rock everyone's world when it is revealed.

Claire left Chris years prior so he could pursue his dream to become a rockstar, selflessly letting him go, breaking her own heart in the process but believing that she was doing the right thing. A decision that will have far reaching consequences. Claire moves on with her life, studying and forging a new life for herself creating her own mechanisms for self preservation.

Then she meets Adam, the sexy new neighbour. The attraction is instant and he turns her world inside out. Insta love does happen, and I felt every tentative gesture of new love, the flirting and the touching, the blushes and the shared smiles and awakening of feelings for each other.

When Chris comes back into Claire's life and her big secret is finally revealed, this book really heats up and the angst and emotion is more palpable than early on. I found I could really relate to Claire from here on in. I would have liked to felt more connected to the characters from page one but the characters grew on me. I was drawn further and further into their lives, needing to read what was going to happen next. I could not wait to start book 2 and must admit that I read the whole series back-to-back without stopping.

copy kindly provided by Netgalley, author and publisher

[gloria.herrera · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Just finished the ARC copy of Relentless! Thank you for the privilege.

I loved this book. Right away you know Claire has a secret that is so devastating she is being torn apart. You feel with all your heart this sweet girl needs to find a way to open up and deal with this secret that is destroying her.

In comes Adam and you fall in love with him right away. Claire and Adam are two damaged people that belong together. You know this and as you continue to read, they find a way to heal each other.

Now comes Chris. How can you not love him too? He cares for Claire and is trying to do the "right thing"...

No spoilers here! This book is a journey that is yet to be completed. I am dying for the next book in the Shattered Hearts Series!

As usual, Cassia Leo, you ROCK!