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Merciless: Enemies to Lovers High School Romance
Lucas
Clementine Hartley is a cruel, merciless human being.
She made that clear four years ago when she ripped my heart out of my chest in a very public way.
I bounced back just fine. I'm the captain of the football team. The golden boy of our high school. Everyone loves me.
She tries to hide herself from me and I let her. I don't want to be around her either.
But now I'm forced to see her face even in my own home every single day.
And her presence stirs feelings that I can't control.
I'm determined to get back at her. Make her suffer. Until she becomes the only girl who doesn't want to talk to me but whose words I crave like air. Clementine
Lucas Cole was a lot of things to me once upon a time.
My neighbor. My best friend. My first crush.
Now he is the boy I avoid at all cost. The boy who hates me.
And with a good reason.
It will all be over soon. One more year and I will be out of this town for good.
But now I'm forced to live with Lucas and his perfect family. And I can't no longer stay silent in his presence.
Clementine Hartley is a cruel, merciless human being.
She made that clear four years ago when she ripped my heart out of my chest in a very public way.
I bounced back just fine. I'm the captain of the football team. The golden boy of our high school. Everyone loves me.
She tries to hide herself from me and I let her. I don't want to be around her either.
But now I'm forced to see her face even in my own home every single day.
And her presence stirs feelings that I can't control.
I'm determined to get back at her. Make her suffer. Until she becomes the only girl who doesn't want to talk to me but whose words I crave like air. Clementine
Lucas Cole was a lot of things to me once upon a time.
My neighbor. My best friend. My first crush.
Now he is the boy I avoid at all cost. The boy who hates me.
And with a good reason.
It will all be over soon. One more year and I will be out of this town for good.
But now I'm forced to live with Lucas and his perfect family. And I can't no longer stay silent in his presence.
329 pages, Paperback
Published December 21, 2023
620 people are currently reading
299 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews
February 29, 2024
DNF
I didn’t like anything about. It. Both MCs are un-likable. Matter of fact all of the characters are un-likable. The story is choppy and confusing and just boring.
I didn’t like anything about. It. Both MCs are un-likable. Matter of fact all of the characters are un-likable. The story is choppy and confusing and just boring.
May 30, 2024
maybe a 1.5 could not get into the characters at all
Want to read
July 5, 2023🎁 FREE on Amazon today (9/10/2022)! 🎁
October 1, 2024
This is the story of Lucas and Clementine who are childhood best friends. Just on the cusp of them becoming more. As a reader we are told from the start that Lucas was hurt by Clem. He was all in with Clem and reacts horribly to seeing her kissing another boy. A series of miscommunication / misunderstandings (with the help of others) then drives them apart for 4 years.
He drops her and we hear how he doesn't want to be around her which works because she avoids him and he becomes the typical popular jock who can do no wrong and she hides away as much as she can. He is not outright mean to her he just pretends she doesn't exist. He is hurt initially but then we hear how he realises he can use other girls to hurt her and he goes ALL IN with that while making sure she never gets past the first date.
Clem does not have the best home life, her father is absent, her mother is a drunk and her siblings are off living their own lives. She then moves into Lucas' house to live with him and the close proximity forces them to confront each other and their feelings in a way they haven't been able to in the past. It was better to pretend the other didn't exist! She struggles to trust Lucas but also doesn't want to let go of her secrets. Lucas' mum knows ever since he stopped speaking to Clem he has been a different person and thinks Clem is the key to him being able to love - Clem is not so sure! Lucas has always been obsessed with Clem but after she betrayed him he needed to convince himself his obsession was hate and not love as that was no longer an option. Living together meant they couldn't fool themselves anymore. What then ensues is the coming together of 2 best friends who have always loved and continue to love each other. Lucas is all in but Clem is more reluctant and has an expiry on their relationship because she is desperate to leave and she continues to hold onto her secrets. There is a 3rd act breakup here and it takes Clem a minute to realise she was wrong! Neither is with anyone else during their second breakup!
This was so close to being a 5* read for me but there were a few things that I would have liked to see / more of:
• I would have liked more explanation of Lucas change of heart. His flip from hating Clem to loving her felt a little too sudden for me and I'd have liked more development / explanation;
• It's a bit of a bug bear of mine how the female's experience is always far less than the males. I get that he stopped her from dating but what would have evened it out for me was if he had actually kept at least one of his first for her, it's not that much of a stretch given they are 17/18.
• I didn't like how he was so proud of his exploits, too much was made of it for me and he never explains or apologises for his behaviour in the end and hurting her. I felt he was forgiven too easily for the way he treated her. I think Clem would have/should have demanded an explanation for that and they should have at least had a discussion about it;
• They don't actually address what caused them to break up originally and we only hear it through other people. I'd have liked them to have had it out themselves.
• A little more development of them getting back together.
That said, I still really enjoyed the book and will definitely read more from this author!
He drops her and we hear how he doesn't want to be around her which works because she avoids him and he becomes the typical popular jock who can do no wrong and she hides away as much as she can. He is not outright mean to her he just pretends she doesn't exist. He is hurt initially but then we hear how he realises he can use other girls to hurt her and he goes ALL IN with that while making sure she never gets past the first date.
Clem does not have the best home life, her father is absent, her mother is a drunk and her siblings are off living their own lives. She then moves into Lucas' house to live with him and the close proximity forces them to confront each other and their feelings in a way they haven't been able to in the past. It was better to pretend the other didn't exist! She struggles to trust Lucas but also doesn't want to let go of her secrets. Lucas' mum knows ever since he stopped speaking to Clem he has been a different person and thinks Clem is the key to him being able to love - Clem is not so sure! Lucas has always been obsessed with Clem but after she betrayed him he needed to convince himself his obsession was hate and not love as that was no longer an option. Living together meant they couldn't fool themselves anymore. What then ensues is the coming together of 2 best friends who have always loved and continue to love each other. Lucas is all in but Clem is more reluctant and has an expiry on their relationship because she is desperate to leave and she continues to hold onto her secrets. There is a 3rd act breakup here and it takes Clem a minute to realise she was wrong! Neither is with anyone else during their second breakup!
This was so close to being a 5* read for me but there were a few things that I would have liked to see / more of:
• I would have liked more explanation of Lucas change of heart. His flip from hating Clem to loving her felt a little too sudden for me and I'd have liked more development / explanation;
• It's a bit of a bug bear of mine how the female's experience is always far less than the males. I get that he stopped her from dating but what would have evened it out for me was if he had actually kept at least one of his first for her, it's not that much of a stretch given they are 17/18.
• I didn't like how he was so proud of his exploits, too much was made of it for me and he never explains or apologises for his behaviour in the end and hurting her. I felt he was forgiven too easily for the way he treated her. I think Clem would have/should have demanded an explanation for that and they should have at least had a discussion about it;
• They don't actually address what caused them to break up originally and we only hear it through other people. I'd have liked them to have had it out themselves.
• A little more development of them getting back together.
That said, I still really enjoyed the book and will definitely read more from this author!
September 29, 2024
Tragic For Clem, Surrounded By Communal Abusers
Author lets him lie to us, to himself and to her. He was punishing her, denying her social affirmation for a fundamental part of her life. The toxic narcissist.
She's sorry for one thing she did, and he's not sorry for prolonged communal bullying. Not even a little bit, enjoyed that he denied her sexual expression.
And she falls for it, again.
Abooooooser
Wow, Clem needs sexed to fuck with anyone who is not him.
Making sure she never sleeps with anyone else while reminding her he's physically engaged with other women while pretending to be emotionally invested in her and she let him.
Bitch.
For every abuse victim, she stood there and abandoned rhe trauma community, to jump ship with the Pick Me community.
He exercised her emotions in a way that ensured she knows he can touch other women and denied her the freedom to exercise her sympathetic nervous system in the same way. Thats toxicity and coercion, not jealousy.
Forcing her to be complicit in how he dehumanises other women.
Just like her abusive mother.
He is a narcissist, forcing her into codependent situations and pretending her MUSCLE MEMORY won't know how he fucked other women when abuse victims are over perceptive so if this story was genuine, she wouldn't be smiling abuse off as a mild communication issue with her mother.
Hes pathetic.
And shes not real.
But shes a placeholder for the Unseen, the Unloved and utterly Unfucked to fantasise that a man is fucking a woman, while thinking about them.
Because they have no intrinsic value.
Hes toxic.
He should have been made to live with the currency he created inside her.
But he didn't.
Narcissists only love you when you have one foot out the door.
And thats not enough.
Thats deregulated.
Its inconsistent.
He won.
She lost.
Green Pilled Patriarchial Parable of Toxicity.
Wish Clem had gotten the emotional exercise that Lucas did, but he groomed her.
Wish she had not been forced into contact with her mother but the author is a Neoliberal Fascist of the "White Woman Slay" variety that they appropriated off disabled women and black women.
Such a toxic book.
Lifelong complex abuse is not something your abuser gets to dismiss as postnatal depression.
Do not care what happened to her mother, I do not care if her father hit her mother, PARENTAL RESPONSIBILITY GOES ONE WAY.
But at the end of this book, Clem is bombed by everyone elses excuses for repeatedly abusing her, and the book forces her to accept mutual responsibility for her abusive family's "communication issues".
Gross.
Can't relate to the privilege of believing abuse is something the abuser needs a breath to explain.
Toxic cunt.
And the way his mother forces her to be in his presence....FOR HIM.
Shes so manipulative.
Author lets him lie to us, to himself and to her. He was punishing her, denying her social affirmation for a fundamental part of her life. The toxic narcissist.
She's sorry for one thing she did, and he's not sorry for prolonged communal bullying. Not even a little bit, enjoyed that he denied her sexual expression.
And she falls for it, again.
Abooooooser
Wow, Clem needs sexed to fuck with anyone who is not him.
Making sure she never sleeps with anyone else while reminding her he's physically engaged with other women while pretending to be emotionally invested in her and she let him.
Bitch.
For every abuse victim, she stood there and abandoned rhe trauma community, to jump ship with the Pick Me community.
He exercised her emotions in a way that ensured she knows he can touch other women and denied her the freedom to exercise her sympathetic nervous system in the same way. Thats toxicity and coercion, not jealousy.
Forcing her to be complicit in how he dehumanises other women.
Just like her abusive mother.
He is a narcissist, forcing her into codependent situations and pretending her MUSCLE MEMORY won't know how he fucked other women when abuse victims are over perceptive so if this story was genuine, she wouldn't be smiling abuse off as a mild communication issue with her mother.
Hes pathetic.
And shes not real.
But shes a placeholder for the Unseen, the Unloved and utterly Unfucked to fantasise that a man is fucking a woman, while thinking about them.
Because they have no intrinsic value.
Hes toxic.
He should have been made to live with the currency he created inside her.
But he didn't.
Narcissists only love you when you have one foot out the door.
And thats not enough.
Thats deregulated.
Its inconsistent.
He won.
She lost.
Green Pilled Patriarchial Parable of Toxicity.
Wish Clem had gotten the emotional exercise that Lucas did, but he groomed her.
Wish she had not been forced into contact with her mother but the author is a Neoliberal Fascist of the "White Woman Slay" variety that they appropriated off disabled women and black women.
Such a toxic book.
Lifelong complex abuse is not something your abuser gets to dismiss as postnatal depression.
Do not care what happened to her mother, I do not care if her father hit her mother, PARENTAL RESPONSIBILITY GOES ONE WAY.
But at the end of this book, Clem is bombed by everyone elses excuses for repeatedly abusing her, and the book forces her to accept mutual responsibility for her abusive family's "communication issues".
Gross.
Can't relate to the privilege of believing abuse is something the abuser needs a breath to explain.
Toxic cunt.
And the way his mother forces her to be in his presence....FOR HIM.
Shes so manipulative.
April 11, 2025
take the blatant "shes not like other girls" crap aside, this book is pretty enjoyable (i love childhood friends/enemies-lovers, sue me!) the chemistry was great but it wouldve helped if we got MORE from lucas—specifically, i think the book didnt really *show* why he felt so deeply for clementine after all this time. yes, they've been friends since they were in diapers but we didn't really see much from when they were kids— what made his relationship with clementine so special? was it all truly rooted in a silly childhood crush? i would've hoped not.
clementine's not a character you would easily root tbh for and she makes really questionable decisions but she's also a 17-yr old girl with a lot of pent-up animosity. although i have to say she was giving me whiplash in the beginning of the book— one minute she was scared to even breathe in his vicinity and the next she's all up in his grill? not very consistent :/
for the most part, the characters are pretty frustrating in the beginning of the book but there's a lot of development (albeit very very slow; old habits die hard ig) throughout the book especially near the end.
giving this one a 3.75 because i didn't find it at all boring and think it's def worth a read!
clementine's not a character you would easily root tbh for and she makes really questionable decisions but she's also a 17-yr old girl with a lot of pent-up animosity. although i have to say she was giving me whiplash in the beginning of the book— one minute she was scared to even breathe in his vicinity and the next she's all up in his grill? not very consistent :/
for the most part, the characters are pretty frustrating in the beginning of the book but there's a lot of development (albeit very very slow; old habits die hard ig) throughout the book especially near the end.
giving this one a 3.75 because i didn't find it at all boring and think it's def worth a read!
February 27, 2024
This book made me laugh so much. It’s a little immature and silly, especially with the “conflicts” if you can even call them that. But I really enjoyed these characters both when they’re being silly as fuck and serious. I didn’t like the way they were separated for so long it didn’t need to be dragged out so much yknow. I suppose it was so she could grow and heal but still gimme the happy ending sooner damnit lol.
Favorite lines:
An hour and a half later, I was lying on the floor in Elizabeth Cole’s guest room, looking at the ugliest chandelier I had ever seen in my life. The carpet was comfy though.
“You’re a man. No one cares what you’re wearing.”
He deserved to be ignored by her for the rest of his life
“Other guys stole your first kiss and your first time. But I’ll erase every memory you have that’s not with me.”
“I don’t remember inviting you in my bed.” “I don’t see you removing me from it either.”
“Torture you. Teach you a lesson. Whatever you want to call it.”
“I’m mad and I want to scream at someone. My mother’s kind of used to it, so I decided I could scream at you for a change.”
Favorite lines:
An hour and a half later, I was lying on the floor in Elizabeth Cole’s guest room, looking at the ugliest chandelier I had ever seen in my life. The carpet was comfy though.
“You’re a man. No one cares what you’re wearing.”
He deserved to be ignored by her for the rest of his life
“Other guys stole your first kiss and your first time. But I’ll erase every memory you have that’s not with me.”
“I don’t remember inviting you in my bed.” “I don’t see you removing me from it either.”
“Torture you. Teach you a lesson. Whatever you want to call it.”
“I’m mad and I want to scream at someone. My mother’s kind of used to it, so I decided I could scream at you for a change.”
July 3, 2025
I am doing an A-Z challenge and chose this for M, after seeing the reviews on here i was a little skeptical as people really didnt enjoy but i cant say i felt the same!
I would say its a little, umm.. slow maybe?
Start off with Lucas and clementine that are childhood best friends that now hate and avoid each other, then a random dude turns up and that pissed lucas off but you have no idea why - and you dont really find out until like 80% in.. so that was quite annoying especially as it wasnt really a big deal either - i also dont know why in books they cant be more upfront with their feelings and instead flee the country lol.
i wouldnt say i loved the story line between clem and her mum, or rest of her family to be honest - but i just really liked lucas, and clem was ok 80% of the time.
there relationship was weird but i couldnt stop reading and i ended up really enjoying it,
i would deffo read again.
I would say its a little, umm.. slow maybe?
Start off with Lucas and clementine that are childhood best friends that now hate and avoid each other, then a random dude turns up and that pissed lucas off but you have no idea why - and you dont really find out until like 80% in.. so that was quite annoying especially as it wasnt really a big deal either - i also dont know why in books they cant be more upfront with their feelings and instead flee the country lol.
i wouldnt say i loved the story line between clem and her mum, or rest of her family to be honest - but i just really liked lucas, and clem was ok 80% of the time.
there relationship was weird but i couldnt stop reading and i ended up really enjoying it,
i would deffo read again.
May 4, 2024
I liked it but there was many errors
The plot was goodish… I don’t get where they hated each other to loving each others. I didn’t care for the format. They tried to resolve the mom being so toxic. But the daughter was the same way and she never had therapy. … and one day she’s just all smiles
I’m bigger issues was all the typos, missing words, using wrong words. I would think if you’re going to have a book ready for consumers to purchase that you should have at least one or two friends, read it looking for missing words or typos.
The plot was goodish… I don’t get where they hated each other to loving each others. I didn’t care for the format. They tried to resolve the mom being so toxic. But the daughter was the same way and she never had therapy. … and one day she’s just all smiles
I’m bigger issues was all the typos, missing words, using wrong words. I would think if you’re going to have a book ready for consumers to purchase that you should have at least one or two friends, read it looking for missing words or typos.
September 28, 2025
Good
Was a good booked ,flowed and easy to read ,the usual childhood friends but sometimes things get in the way this one a secret to stop it short and then they become enemies,come and Lucus hate each other but still are in love underneath the anger .Clems mum is a nasty piece of work which dsnt help Clems life esp as she's a sneering horrible drunk but being drunk and causes a fire puts things in motion and clem and lucus start to actually talk ,not nicely at first but they talk ,it has HEA but it feels like they're taking forever to get to that place
Was a good booked ,flowed and easy to read ,the usual childhood friends but sometimes things get in the way this one a secret to stop it short and then they become enemies,come and Lucus hate each other but still are in love underneath the anger .Clems mum is a nasty piece of work which dsnt help Clems life esp as she's a sneering horrible drunk but being drunk and causes a fire puts things in motion and clem and lucus start to actually talk ,not nicely at first but they talk ,it has HEA but it feels like they're taking forever to get to that place
August 2, 2024
The writing was good and the plot was ok but the MFC was just annoying.
*possibly spoilers*
Clementine was just annoying in my opinion and honestly, she didn't deserve her HEA. Apparently, towards the end, she grew out of her selfish self-torture phase but it was like flipping a switch even though it supposedly took some months. And everybody was happy to forgive her for being an ass to them. 😒
*possibly spoilers*
Clementine was just annoying in my opinion and honestly, she didn't deserve her HEA. Apparently, towards the end, she grew out of her selfish self-torture phase but it was like flipping a switch even though it supposedly took some months. And everybody was happy to forgive her for being an ass to them. 😒
April 15, 2024
Clementine
Hmm, I just finished this so I need to put down my initial thoughts. One of those is that Clementine might have benefited from some therapy herself. Lucas’s actions were a bit confusing, definitely a love/ hate. Overall, I enjoyed the story enough to say I would read another book by this author.
Hmm, I just finished this so I need to put down my initial thoughts. One of those is that Clementine might have benefited from some therapy herself. Lucas’s actions were a bit confusing, definitely a love/ hate. Overall, I enjoyed the story enough to say I would read another book by this author.
February 9, 2025
Clem and Lucas
I really enjoyed reading this book, I haven't read a book by this author before and I will look forward to reading more. Lucas never gave up on Clem they were child hood best friends that fell out with each other in their teens over a miss understanding but came back together eventually. ❤️
I really enjoyed reading this book, I haven't read a book by this author before and I will look forward to reading more. Lucas never gave up on Clem they were child hood best friends that fell out with each other in their teens over a miss understanding but came back together eventually. ❤️
May 9, 2025
Great story!!
This is a well written story which has family dynamics, friendships, emotions, intrigue, bickering, challenges, secrets, twists and turns, heartbreak, undeniable chemistry, and love which all leads to an entertaining, and heartfelt addictive page turner.
I look forward to reading more from this talented author whose work I highly recommend.
This is a well written story which has family dynamics, friendships, emotions, intrigue, bickering, challenges, secrets, twists and turns, heartbreak, undeniable chemistry, and love which all leads to an entertaining, and heartfelt addictive page turner.
I look forward to reading more from this talented author whose work I highly recommend.
August 26, 2022
I absolutely love this book!
March 31, 2024
Loved the story! Read it in one sitting.
The only downfall, the author needed someone to proofread it. Tons of grammatical mistakes.
The only downfall, the author needed someone to proofread it. Tons of grammatical mistakes.
Read
April 12, 2024DNF 65%
Just not for me
Just not for me
May 22, 2024
Great read
I loved Lucas and Clementine's journey! They were young and made a LOT of mistakes! But that is part of life!
I loved Lucas and Clementine's journey! They were young and made a LOT of mistakes! But that is part of life!
October 31, 2024
I was originally going to give this a 3 star rating due to the writing style and quality not being the best, however the characters connection and plot pushed it to a 4/5.
November 14, 2024
It wasn't bad, but it wasn't great. It dragged a little. Not sure if I want to continue the series or not.
March 21, 2025
Soppy
This story was one of a kind. And emotional rollercoaster of ups downs and loops. I loved the story from beginning to end.
This story was one of a kind. And emotional rollercoaster of ups downs and loops. I loved the story from beginning to end.
June 15, 2025
Loved it. Was hard to put down looking forward to the next book
August 12, 2024
I'm sorry but this was too unrealistic.
April 9, 2024
It started off good & then once they got together it went downhill.
I feel like the story could have been better developed once the reason is found out why the Heroine pushed the Hero away
I feel like the story could have been better developed once the reason is found out why the Heroine pushed the Hero away
May 23, 2024
I added this book to my love love loved shelf and I did love it, but it also really hurt my feelings. Clementine is queen of self sabotage and lack of communication!!! It’s not very often I am fully on a man’s side, but I was in this story. I am glad they ended up together in the end because they really were OTP, but justice for Lucas!!!!!
January 4, 2024
Emotional read
Loved this story what a journey these two characters have into finding their happiness told in dual point of view quick and easy read
Loved this story what a journey these two characters have into finding their happiness told in dual point of view quick and easy read
April 28, 2024
𝐑𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐒𝐨𝐨𝐧-𝐢𝐬𝐡...
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