Title: Relentless
Author: Karen Lynch
Series: Relentless #1
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Published: December 26, 2013
Format: eBook
Pages: 290
Age Rating: 15+
POV: Single POV
Spice Rating: 1/5
Tropes: Young Adult, Vampires, Werewolves, Demons, Enemies to Lovers, Slow Burn, Protective Alpha Hero, Strong/Resourceful Heroine, Found Family, Hidden Powers, Forced Proximity
Relentless by Karen Lynch Book Review
The Relentless series is one of my go-to comfort paranormal romance series. It’s one of those books I find myself rereading at least once every couple of years, and somehow, I never get bored with it.
Relentless by Karen Lynch has all the elements I love in a paranormal romance: a girl with hidden powers, a resourceful and genuinely badass heroine, a secret supernatural community she never knew existed, and fiercely protective heroes surrounding her. It’s a familiar concept, but Karen Lynch executes it so well that it never feels overdone or cringey. If these are your favorite romance book tropes, you’ll probably find this YA paranormal romance just as addictive as I did.
This was my first book by Karen Lynch, and I really enjoyed her writing style. Everything starts simple, but as the story unfolds, the world expands naturally without ever becoming confusing. The character development is just as satisfying, especially watching Sara grow stronger with every challenge she faces.
One of my favorite things about this world is the variety of supernatural creatures. Werewolves, vampires, faeries, trolls, demons—it’s packed with different beings that make the urban fantasy setting feel rich and exciting without becoming overwhelming.
Sara Grey is exactly the kind of heroine I love reading about. She’s a seventeen-year-old with the ability to heal animals and other supernatural creatures, while hiding a darker side she constantly struggles to control. More than her powers, I loved how resourceful, loyal, and capable she is. She’s described as a badass, and unlike many books, she actually proves it through her actions time and time again.
Nikolas Danshov easily earned a spot as one of my favorite book boyfriends. He’s protective, dependable, and has those alpha male tendencies that I can’t resist. While we don’t learn everything about him in this first book, what we do see sets a very high standard.
“And I will say that you are without a doubt the biggest pain in the butt I’ve ever met.” I couldn’t hold back my smirk. “The biggest pain, really?” He grinned back. “Yes, but I do like a challenge.”
The romance is an incredibly slow burn—almost non-existent in the first book—and I actually loved that. Sara may think Nikolas is attractive, but she can’t stand him or the community that abandoned her. As they’re forced to work together and face increasingly dangerous situations, her resentment slowly turns into trust and respect. Their banter is one of my favorite parts of the book.
Another aspect I really enjoyed was Sara’s friendships. While her own community tends to keep its distance from other supernatural creatures, Sara has no such reservations. She’s best friends with werewolves long before either of them knows the truth about the other, and she even befriends trolls who rarely interact with humans or anyone outside their own kind. I loved this group of friends and the bond they shared. They each had distinct personalities, felt well-developed, and added so much warmth and humor to the story. They became just as memorable as the main characters, and I always looked forward to seeing them together.
Rather than focusing on the romance, Relentless spends its time building the world, introducing the supernatural community, and laying the foundation for the series. Looking back, I think that’s exactly what makes it such a great first book. It leaves you invested not only in Sara and Nikolas, but in the entire world Karen Lynch has created—and eager to pick up the next book.
If you enjoy heroines with hidden powers, protective heroes, slow-burn romance, and urban fantasy worlds filled with vampires, demons, faeries, and werewolves, I highly recommend giving Relentless by Karen Lynch a try.
Relentless Series Reading Order:
I highly recommend reading the books in publication order to fully appreciate Sara’s journey, the expanding supernatural world, and the slow-burn romance:
- Relentless (Book #1)
- Refuge (Book #2)
- Rogue (Book #3)
- Warrior (Book #4)
The first four books follow Sara and Nikolas’s story and are not standalone, so they should definitely be read in order. While Warrior revisits many of the same events, it tells the story from Nikolas’s POV, giving readers a deeper understanding of his character, motivations, and relationship with Sara.
Books Similar to Relentless by Karen Lynch:
If you have already read Relentless and are looking for similar recommendations in the YA Paranormal Romance world, here are a few series I loved and would definitely recommend:
- Lux by Jennifer L. Armentrout
- The Dark Elements by Jennifer L. Armentrout
- The Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead
If you’re looking for another paranormal romance (New Adult) with unforgettable world-building, morally grey heroes, and addictive supernatural elements, I’d also recommend reading my review of Rhapsodic by Laura Thalassa.
FAQs around this book:
Is Relentless a romance?
Yes, but the romance isn’t the main focus of the first book. Relentless is primarily an urban fantasy with paranormal elements, character development, and world-building, while the romance develops gradually in the background.
Is Relentless spicy?
No. The romance is very subtle and slow burn, with little to no on-page spice in the first book. I’d rate it 1/5 on the spice scale.
Is Relentless YA or NA?
Relentless is a Young Adult (YA) paranormal romance. The protagonist is seventeen years old, and while the story contains action, violence, and supernatural themes, the romance remains age-appropriate for older YA readers.
If you’re unsure what makes a book YA, NA, or paranormal romance, check out my guide to romance genres for a detailed explanation.
Do Sara and Nikolas get together?
*Spoiler Alert*: Yes, they do. Their relationship is a true slow burn, and watching their feelings evolve from distrust to trust, respect, and eventually love is one of the most rewarding parts of the series. Their journey is definitely one to savor.
Relentless Blurb:
The first book in the New York Times bestselling Relentless series. Lose yourself in a modern world of warriors, demons, faeries, vampires, shifters, hellhounds, loyalty, and love.
Sara Grey’s world shattered ten years ago when her father was brutally murdered. Now at seventeen, she is still haunted by memories of that day, and driven by the need to understand why it happened. She lives a life full of secrets, and her family and friends have no idea of the supernatural world she is immersed in or of Sara’s very powerful gift.
In her quest for answers about her father’s death, Sara takes risks that expose her and her friends to danger, and puts herself into the sights of a sadistic vampire. On the same fateful night she meets Nikolas, a warrior who turns Sara’s world upside down, and who is determined to protect her even if it’s the last thing she wants.
Sara’s life starts to spin out of control as she is hunted by an obsessed vampire, learns that her friends have secrets of their own, and reels from the truth about her own ancestry. Sara has always been fiercely independent, but in order to survive now she must open herself to others, to reveal her deepest secrets. And she must learn to trust the one person capable of breaking down the walls around her.
** This book has language that may be offensive to some readers.
Get Your Copy of Relentless:
About Karen Lynch:
Karen Lynch is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author.
She grew up in Newfoundland, Canada – a place rich in colorful people and folklore to which she attributes her love of the supernatural and her vivid imagination. She moved to Charlotte, North Carolina years ago and was immediately charmed by the southern people but she says she will always be a newfie.
Though she loves supernatural fiction, she has a soft spot for Charlotte Brontë and Jane Austin. She is a fan of classic rock, country and classical music but her favorite music is the sound of a good thunderstorm or a howling blizzard. Two of her favorite past times are baking artisan breads for her friends and spending quality time with her two German Shepherds.
Next in the Relentless Series...
