The title Relentless refers to the heroine’s attempts to get the reluctant hero into bed with her – an unusual approach, I thought.

Pamela Bradford knows that her fiancée, Peter, is perfect for her because he agrees with her on everything. But she’s a little worried, because he has shown no interest in having sex with her at all. The night before her wedding, after having had too much to drink, she concocts a plan to seduce him that involves his bachelor party, pasties, and a cake. Her plan backfires, but she does learn that her fiancée is an obnoxious horndog who boasts to his pals that he’s made a deal with Pamela’s father to marry her in exchange for influence at daddy’s company, and that the only reason he hasn’t had sex with her yet is that her father insisted.

Ken McBain, an associate of Pamela’s dad who is in love with her from afar, witnesses the ensuing debacle. Pamela tells Peter off and then runs to the beach; Ken follows her to make sure she’s all right. Pamela doesn’t know Ken, but she pours out her story and shares a steamy kiss with him, and then invites him to come along with her on the romantic honeymoon that she’s already paid for and still plans to take. Ken does accompany her, partly because her father begs him to protect her, and partly because he can’t stay away from her. When they get to the Little Love Nest, a honeymoon resort of the least subtle kind, Pamela begins her relentless pursuit of him.

Relentless is a comedy, and its humor is of the forthright Sex in the City variety. There are lots of very sassy jokes in this book, and I thought that Kelly hit the right touch with most of the humor – it’s unashamedly sexual but light and very funny. The sexual tension between the protagonists was both hot and spiced with lots of laughs.

I also like the characters, the hero especially. Ken is a gentleman and he earnestly tries to behave like one, in spite of Pamela’s attempts to seduce him. But he never comes off as a passive man. Pamela is a bit trickier. I enjoyed her spirit and her forthright attitude, but I’ve never met a fabulous, tall, beautiful, athletic, extremely passionate, twenty-six year old virgin before, especially not one who embarks on an extremely imaginative campaign to rid herself of her virginity with a complete stranger. She was a little hard to believe in.

Then there’s the plot – it has problems. There are several improbabilities, like Pamela’s entire character, and one serious hole. Pamela’s father didn’t really make a deal with Peter. We learn that he did coach Peter on Pamela’s likes and dislikes, but he did so inadvertently, just telling stories about his little girl. But if that’s the case, why didn’t Peter have sex with Pamela? There is no reason, especially since that’s what tipped Pamela off to Peter’s ruse in the first place.

I also have an issue with Kelly’s writing style, which involves way too many exclamation points! A joke that is funny with an exclamation point is almost always funnier with a period.

Relentless has its weaknesses – one would like to see a plot that doesn’t drift apart like mist when examined – but if you’re looking for a quick, light and sexy read, you could do worse.