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Moto Grand Prix #3
Relentless
One hotshot motorcycle racer
Plus the girl who's always been off-limits
Equals the ride of their lives.
Mason King has spent his life making the wrong choices. Not that anyone notices―the Moto Grand Prix racer and bull-riding bad boy lives forever in the shadow of his World Champion big brother. But anonymity has its perks when he's invited to dinner by Chiara Martes―an off-limits ex-girlfriend of a rival motorcycle racer.
Chiara may be a bit flaky, but she's always supported her moto racing best friend, and watching him fall in love with another woman wasn't exactly the highlight of her timeline. After being left (secretly) heartbroken, a one-night stand with infamous Mason King seems just the ticket to a successful rebound.
The two hit it off far too well, their sexual chemistry explosive, and soon Mason and Chiara's single hot date expands into a stream of circuit rendezvous and covert vacations until they're falling for each other at warp speed. But Chiara fears her strained childhood friendship will crumble apart if her romance with a rival is discovered. Still, she may not have a choice when a high-profile rodeo dares Mason back into the arena―eight seconds forever defining three couples, and revealing one very big secret between them.
Plus the girl who's always been off-limits
Equals the ride of their lives.
Mason King has spent his life making the wrong choices. Not that anyone notices―the Moto Grand Prix racer and bull-riding bad boy lives forever in the shadow of his World Champion big brother. But anonymity has its perks when he's invited to dinner by Chiara Martes―an off-limits ex-girlfriend of a rival motorcycle racer.
Chiara may be a bit flaky, but she's always supported her moto racing best friend, and watching him fall in love with another woman wasn't exactly the highlight of her timeline. After being left (secretly) heartbroken, a one-night stand with infamous Mason King seems just the ticket to a successful rebound.
The two hit it off far too well, their sexual chemistry explosive, and soon Mason and Chiara's single hot date expands into a stream of circuit rendezvous and covert vacations until they're falling for each other at warp speed. But Chiara fears her strained childhood friendship will crumble apart if her romance with a rival is discovered. Still, she may not have a choice when a high-profile rodeo dares Mason back into the arena―eight seconds forever defining three couples, and revealing one very big secret between them.
320 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 2, 2022
10 people are currently reading
669 people want to read
About the author
Katie Golding
10 books88 followersKatie Golding is a racing fan with a writing problem. The recovering cheerleader lives in a small town outside of Austin, Texas, mom to a future philanthropist, and wife to a superman. Her writing playlists range from 80s love songs, 90s grunge, 00s punk, to new age underground in less time than it takes her to burn dinner, and she is currently at work on her next romance novel—unless she’s tweeting about it. Represented by Kelly Peterson of Rees Literary Agency.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews
March 29, 2022
Reasons to read this book:
Moto GP
A Guy grovelling for his girl
Amazing back story
Passion and Adventure
I have always loved a book where the MC is in some kind of sport, I read books involving F1 and I was instantly fan of its and this book matches the vibe because of MotoGP. The similar tracks.
It’s a Sports Romance with Friends to FwB to lover book with a hint of forbidden relationship and also a lil bit of spice.
I loved this book because Mason has been such a sweetheart throughout and I felt sad for him when she won’t bring them in public light.
I thank NetGallery for giving me this advance copy in exchange of honest review.
Moto GP
A Guy grovelling for his girl
Amazing back story
Passion and Adventure
I have always loved a book where the MC is in some kind of sport, I read books involving F1 and I was instantly fan of its and this book matches the vibe because of MotoGP. The similar tracks.
It’s a Sports Romance with Friends to FwB to lover book with a hint of forbidden relationship and also a lil bit of spice.
I loved this book because Mason has been such a sweetheart throughout and I felt sad for him when she won’t bring them in public light.
I thank NetGallery for giving me this advance copy in exchange of honest review.
August 7, 2022
A High 4 ⭐️
Well I couldn’t tell this was a book 3! Definitely a stand-alone if you’re wondering. Interesting story with successful, sexy and very talented hero. He was everything I’d walk away from because he’s so gorgeous and popular with the women. But he quickly won me over. I loved the romance because it happened even though everything was trying to stop it.
They were perfect for each other and they didn’t even know it. This story wasn’t what I was expecting, it was better. I’m adding the other 2 to my list. I highly recommend it.
Thanks Sourcebooks Casablanca via NetGalley.
Well I couldn’t tell this was a book 3! Definitely a stand-alone if you’re wondering. Interesting story with successful, sexy and very talented hero. He was everything I’d walk away from because he’s so gorgeous and popular with the women. But he quickly won me over. I loved the romance because it happened even though everything was trying to stop it.
They were perfect for each other and they didn’t even know it. This story wasn’t what I was expecting, it was better. I’m adding the other 2 to my list. I highly recommend it.
Thanks Sourcebooks Casablanca via NetGalley.
August 9, 2022
This was an intense, sexy forbidden love. I just loved Mason he was the anti hero until he become the hero he needed to be for himself. It helped he had some motivation and the right partner to help him get there.
The motorcycle racing and bull riding was such an interesting mix and both worlds were interesting to see.
Loved the Italian found family and all they meant to eachother.
Chiara is such a beautiful name and she was a badass.
I still think she should've been paid for wedding planning.
Thank you sourcebookscasa and netgalley for the e-ARC for my honest and voluntary review.
The motorcycle racing and bull riding was such an interesting mix and both worlds were interesting to see.
Loved the Italian found family and all they meant to eachother.
Chiara is such a beautiful name and she was a badass.
I still think she should've been paid for wedding planning.
Thank you sourcebookscasa and netgalley for the e-ARC for my honest and voluntary review.
July 6, 2022
''I should've kissed her before I left.''
Boy, was this a roller coaster. Buckle up, bestie boos.
Let me start of by saying that I, once again, figured out that this was actually a part of a series AFTER I read this one. Meaning you can definitely read it as a stand-alone.
That being said, I have no idea what the background stories of the side characters are, but boy do I still have an opinion. (Spoilers ahead)
It started off pretty good. Moto GP based? Count me in, I live for motorsport. Friends to lovers? Yes, amazing. Mmc groveling? Double yes. Over the top overprotective best friend/ex? I'm gonna throw myself of a cliff. Please no.
I LOVED the friendship Mason and Chiara had since the beginning and it was even better to see how it evolved into something more. HOWEVER, Massimo's overprotectivness really started to annoy me halfway through the book. It was good for the twists, but my god was it too much.
I'm gonna give this one 3 stars, just because I feel because of all the secrecy drama, the story was too long in a way, and it could've been cut down a bit and maybe use the time to talk more about other important things. For example, some moments were cut short too son in my opinion.
All in all, I sincerely enjoyed their story, and will now definitely read the rest of the series! 😊
Boy, was this a roller coaster. Buckle up, bestie boos.
Let me start of by saying that I, once again, figured out that this was actually a part of a series AFTER I read this one. Meaning you can definitely read it as a stand-alone.
That being said, I have no idea what the background stories of the side characters are, but boy do I still have an opinion. (Spoilers ahead)
It started off pretty good. Moto GP based? Count me in, I live for motorsport. Friends to lovers? Yes, amazing. Mmc groveling? Double yes. Over the top overprotective best friend/ex? I'm gonna throw myself of a cliff. Please no.
I LOVED the friendship Mason and Chiara had since the beginning and it was even better to see how it evolved into something more. HOWEVER, Massimo's overprotectivness really started to annoy me halfway through the book. It was good for the twists, but my god was it too much.
I'm gonna give this one 3 stars, just because I feel because of all the secrecy drama, the story was too long in a way, and it could've been cut down a bit and maybe use the time to talk more about other important things. For example, some moments were cut short too son in my opinion.
All in all, I sincerely enjoyed their story, and will now definitely read the rest of the series! 😊
February 18, 2023
Thanks to Netgalley and publisher for the e-ARC! The following opinions are very much my own.
This ARC review is obnoxiously late (the book released in August) and it was one of my most anticipated books of Summer, so why did it take me so long to read? Great question. The answer is that I have been struggling to read anything that is not an audiobook for months (though I think I’m maybe starting to slowly come out of that??). And it took ages for Sourcebooks to get us an audiobook of this one. In fact, I think it was a Tantor audiobook. Regardless, if you have also been waiting for the audiobook of Relentless, I am thrilled to tell you that it is out! So, I guess I may as well tell you about the narration first. I wish that there had been a female narrator who was as deeply committed to the Italian accent as Massimo’s narrator in book two, but aside from that I enjoyed the narration!
So moving on to the book. Chiara and Mason are so interesting together. On the one hand, I really enjoyed them together and liked that a lot of this angst was coming from a really internal sort of place. But then, when the explosion happens, it’s entirely external and I was really disappointed in other characters I had come to love. I don’t know how to really express my feelings about this book without spoiling it a little bit, so I guess I’ll just say, in book two, you get a sense for Chiara and Massimo’s relationship. And in Relentless, that relationship really gets… examined. And the way that it is explored was not really what I wanted.
All that said, I really do think that this book delivers on the sexual tension, the sports aspect, and delivers Golding’s deeply emotional relationship aspect even while balancing that out with the sexual tension, the fun, and the sports. It’s well-balanced, just not necessarily exactly what I was looking for. But it did make me cry, so what can you do?
This ARC review is obnoxiously late (the book released in August) and it was one of my most anticipated books of Summer, so why did it take me so long to read? Great question. The answer is that I have been struggling to read anything that is not an audiobook for months (though I think I’m maybe starting to slowly come out of that??). And it took ages for Sourcebooks to get us an audiobook of this one. In fact, I think it was a Tantor audiobook. Regardless, if you have also been waiting for the audiobook of Relentless, I am thrilled to tell you that it is out! So, I guess I may as well tell you about the narration first. I wish that there had been a female narrator who was as deeply committed to the Italian accent as Massimo’s narrator in book two, but aside from that I enjoyed the narration!
So moving on to the book. Chiara and Mason are so interesting together. On the one hand, I really enjoyed them together and liked that a lot of this angst was coming from a really internal sort of place. But then, when the explosion happens, it’s entirely external and I was really disappointed in other characters I had come to love. I don’t know how to really express my feelings about this book without spoiling it a little bit, so I guess I’ll just say, in book two, you get a sense for Chiara and Massimo’s relationship. And in Relentless, that relationship really gets… examined. And the way that it is explored was not really what I wanted.
All that said, I really do think that this book delivers on the sexual tension, the sports aspect, and delivers Golding’s deeply emotional relationship aspect even while balancing that out with the sexual tension, the fun, and the sports. It’s well-balanced, just not necessarily exactly what I was looking for. But it did make me cry, so what can you do?
July 31, 2022
I enjoyed this book from start to finish! Mason and Chiara set the pages on fire! I wasn't familiar with moto racing until this book and now I want to learn!
A lot of romance books I read, the sexy scenes can feel out of place, but not this one. I loved the alternating POVs and the spicy scenes were done so wonderfully. I was invested in both main characters. I also connected to the side characters right away. Their relationship is believable and so sweet.
The writing and the pacing were spot-on. There weren't many points where I felt bored or the story lagged.
Read this if you like romance with themes of friendships and family and overcoming demons. Also, spice ;)
A lot of romance books I read, the sexy scenes can feel out of place, but not this one. I loved the alternating POVs and the spicy scenes were done so wonderfully. I was invested in both main characters. I also connected to the side characters right away. Their relationship is believable and so sweet.
The writing and the pacing were spot-on. There weren't many points where I felt bored or the story lagged.
Read this if you like romance with themes of friendships and family and overcoming demons. Also, spice ;)
July 29, 2022
The author had already seduced me with her previous books, but this one is her best so far.
First of all, once again she takes time to describe moto races, and I couldn’t be happier. The technic, the feelings, the emotions of a motorcycle racer are all on display, and it was exhilarating. It almost felt like I was on the bike at times.
Now for the characters. We only met Chiara briefly when she was kind of the other woman in Massimo and Lorelai’s story. It was explained how much Massimo means to her, and it’s even stronger this time, as it’s one of the plot devices in this book. I’m not sure Massimo’s reluctance to see his best friend with another racer is explained enough, and it felt a bit like a whim. It really changed my opinion on Massimo.
We’ve seen plenty of Mason before, and he was mostly described as an unreliable playboy who doesn’t care about anything. Though it’s the result of his eternal second place and how his family and co-workers treat him, I had a hard time reconciling it with the way he treats Chiara and his overall personality. Still he was an exceptional book boyfriend. He almost made me cry a couple of times, because the author hurt him so much.
There was some emphasizing on family as a background theme. In Chiara’s case, it was a chosen family, since Massimo’s took care of her since she was a kid. And though her relationship with hem wasn’t idyllic, it was her only family. The dynamics inside the King family were quite detailed–and particularly messed up. Mason’s lack of support from them, even from his older brother who’s supposed to take care of him, was terrible. They served as a counterpoint when the big drama happened. I think this part was nicely done.
The romance was extra swoony. Even when it was casual. And it was sexy as hell! Chiara and Mason were explosive in bed. And I loved how their intimate scenes were written.
In general, I loved the author’s writing style. She often hid something that happened, hinted at it, until the big revelation had a real impact on the story. I think it worked well every time.
A great sports series. I recommend.
Quickie
- Series: Bad reputation #2 (can be read as a standalone)
- Hashtags: #sports romance #moto races #rodeo #forbidden romance
- Triggers: mention of past abuse
- Main couple: Chiara Martes & Mason King
- Hotness: 5/5
- Romance: 5/5
- + Mason was a surprisingly deep character
- – my opinion on Massimo changed drastically
First of all, once again she takes time to describe moto races, and I couldn’t be happier. The technic, the feelings, the emotions of a motorcycle racer are all on display, and it was exhilarating. It almost felt like I was on the bike at times.
Now for the characters. We only met Chiara briefly when she was kind of the other woman in Massimo and Lorelai’s story. It was explained how much Massimo means to her, and it’s even stronger this time, as it’s one of the plot devices in this book. I’m not sure Massimo’s reluctance to see his best friend with another racer is explained enough, and it felt a bit like a whim. It really changed my opinion on Massimo.
We’ve seen plenty of Mason before, and he was mostly described as an unreliable playboy who doesn’t care about anything. Though it’s the result of his eternal second place and how his family and co-workers treat him, I had a hard time reconciling it with the way he treats Chiara and his overall personality. Still he was an exceptional book boyfriend. He almost made me cry a couple of times, because the author hurt him so much.
There was some emphasizing on family as a background theme. In Chiara’s case, it was a chosen family, since Massimo’s took care of her since she was a kid. And though her relationship with hem wasn’t idyllic, it was her only family. The dynamics inside the King family were quite detailed–and particularly messed up. Mason’s lack of support from them, even from his older brother who’s supposed to take care of him, was terrible. They served as a counterpoint when the big drama happened. I think this part was nicely done.
The romance was extra swoony. Even when it was casual. And it was sexy as hell! Chiara and Mason were explosive in bed. And I loved how their intimate scenes were written.
In general, I loved the author’s writing style. She often hid something that happened, hinted at it, until the big revelation had a real impact on the story. I think it worked well every time.
A great sports series. I recommend.
Quickie
- Series: Bad reputation #2 (can be read as a standalone)
- Hashtags: #sports romance #moto races #rodeo #forbidden romance
- Triggers: mention of past abuse
- Main couple: Chiara Martes & Mason King
- Hotness: 5/5
- Romance: 5/5
- + Mason was a surprisingly deep character
- – my opinion on Massimo changed drastically
August 2, 2022
I'm never going to get over this book. Chiara is maybe my favorite female character in any book. Think party girl but also Trekkie nerd but also purely Italian and twirl-of-glorious-hair-and-slender-ankles beautiful. Mason I liked but didn't love in the other books but in this book, he blew me AWAY! He's impossibly lovable, this bad boy that everyone misunderstands, whose first thought during his first date with Chiara is to make sure she gets to do everything on her bucket list. Also, don't get me started on that boy's sexual generosity, whew...
This was fun and heart tugging and then angsty in the most exquisite way and then I couldn't stop smiling. I love the ride or die friendships and complex brotherly love...and also the horses...and also the sexy motorcycles. I love it all, okay? This book is incredible and I can't wait for everyone else to get to see it.
**This says book 2 in a series but you can totally read as a standalone. Though the whole series is so amazing and every book is totally its own experience.**
Review from ARC!
This was fun and heart tugging and then angsty in the most exquisite way and then I couldn't stop smiling. I love the ride or die friendships and complex brotherly love...and also the horses...and also the sexy motorcycles. I love it all, okay? This book is incredible and I can't wait for everyone else to get to see it.
**This says book 2 in a series but you can totally read as a standalone. Though the whole series is so amazing and every book is totally its own experience.**
Review from ARC!
August 1, 2022
Mason is a Moto Grand Prix racer and bull-rider with a bad reputation, and Chiara is the ex-girlfriend of one of his motorcycle rivals. Despite this, they can’t deny their attraction to one another and decide to start a secret friends-with-benefits arrangement. Chiara is determined that her ex - who is also her best friend - will never find out what’s going on between them, but with both Mason and Chiara trying to battle their demons whilst keep the relationship hidden, the truth isn’t going to stay hidden for long.
Firstly, this is a very well-written book. Katie Golding’s writing is very easy to read; this is really engaging and it did hold my interest. There are some real positives to this book - Chiara and Mason had really good chemistry and the sex scenes were really hot and steamy.
However, I didn’t really get this book. I’m not really sure how else to phrase it but, I didn’t really understand what the author was trying to do with it. For me, I felt like Chiara and Mason weren’t really the focus of this novel. It really felt like the central couple was actually Chiara and her best-friend-and-ex-boyfriend, Massimo. There were parts of this book early on where it felt almost like one of those friends-to-lovers romances where one half starts to realise he has romantic feelings towards the other. Except Massimo doesn’t: he’s the main character of one of Golding’s other novels in this series, Wreckless, and is in a committed relationship with another woman.
Massimo was just a really distracting and irritating presence in this book. The strength of his feelings, the level of his anger about Chiara having relationships with other people, felt wildly over the top. I didn’t really understand specifically why Mason was such a bad choice for her, either. And some of this spilt into him behaving in a manner that felt very cruel. Him cutting her off towards the end felt unnecessary, and it was an odd choice to have his girlfriend and family be angry with him for that but also have them cut her off, too. It was hard reading about how this affected Chiara so badly, almost physically. And it felt so over-the-top and unnecessary. Massimo just came across as very selfish and demanding.
I also didn’t think this book handled some of its more sensitive topics as well as I would have liked; they felt a bit like an afterthought and sometimes weren’t treated with quite the right weight that I felt they needed. It was just an odd experience for me, reading this. On one hand the writing is good and there were glimpses of a romance I would really have enjoyed - but I didn’t really enjoy reading it because I found what was meant to be a subplot involving Massimo very distracting and annoying to read. The only way I can describe it is I felt, personally, like the author misjudged just how much of this book should focus on Chiara and Massimo.
That said, maybe they didn’t. Maybe this just wasn’t the book for me. I wouldn’t give this book a lower rating than three stars for that reason - my ultimate conclusion, having read it and slept on it and written out my thoughts, is that this isn’t a bad book - it just wasn’t my kind of story. I’m not sure I would recommend it for that reason, but I can definitely see the appeal of this author and this kind of story. I’ll definitely read more from the author in the future. I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing a free copy of this book.
Content Notes: Friends-with-benefits, friends-to-lovers, secret/forbidden relationship.
Warnings:
Other:
Firstly, this is a very well-written book. Katie Golding’s writing is very easy to read; this is really engaging and it did hold my interest. There are some real positives to this book - Chiara and Mason had really good chemistry and the sex scenes were really hot and steamy.
However, I didn’t really get this book. I’m not really sure how else to phrase it but, I didn’t really understand what the author was trying to do with it. For me, I felt like Chiara and Mason weren’t really the focus of this novel. It really felt like the central couple was actually Chiara and her best-friend-and-ex-boyfriend, Massimo. There were parts of this book early on where it felt almost like one of those friends-to-lovers romances where one half starts to realise he has romantic feelings towards the other. Except Massimo doesn’t: he’s the main character of one of Golding’s other novels in this series, Wreckless, and is in a committed relationship with another woman.
Massimo was just a really distracting and irritating presence in this book. The strength of his feelings, the level of his anger about Chiara having relationships with other people, felt wildly over the top. I didn’t really understand specifically why Mason was such a bad choice for her, either. And some of this spilt into him behaving in a manner that felt very cruel. Him cutting her off towards the end felt unnecessary, and it was an odd choice to have his girlfriend and family be angry with him for that but also have them cut her off, too. It was hard reading about how this affected Chiara so badly, almost physically. And it felt so over-the-top and unnecessary. Massimo just came across as very selfish and demanding.
I also didn’t think this book handled some of its more sensitive topics as well as I would have liked; they felt a bit like an afterthought and sometimes weren’t treated with quite the right weight that I felt they needed. It was just an odd experience for me, reading this. On one hand the writing is good and there were glimpses of a romance I would really have enjoyed - but I didn’t really enjoy reading it because I found what was meant to be a subplot involving Massimo very distracting and annoying to read. The only way I can describe it is I felt, personally, like the author misjudged just how much of this book should focus on Chiara and Massimo.
That said, maybe they didn’t. Maybe this just wasn’t the book for me. I wouldn’t give this book a lower rating than three stars for that reason - my ultimate conclusion, having read it and slept on it and written out my thoughts, is that this isn’t a bad book - it just wasn’t my kind of story. I’m not sure I would recommend it for that reason, but I can definitely see the appeal of this author and this kind of story. I’ll definitely read more from the author in the future. I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing a free copy of this book.
Content Notes: Friends-with-benefits, friends-to-lovers, secret/forbidden relationship.
Warnings:
Other:
August 27, 2022
Modern day rake, Mason King is getting his story.
From what we know of him already, he is going to need some major unraveling or redeeming.
Really love the chemistry and the spiciness between Chiara and Mason. Also, love the way they see past each other’s self consciousness to the real person underneath. Like, Mason has all of these qualities beyond his racing and riding talents and it’s those qualities that he shares and trusts Chiara with and what she most loves about him. And Chiara has a hobby that she’s turned into a moneymaking endeavor and Mason connects with her on that level. They’re totally MFEO and yet they feel (or more like Chiara feels) their relationship needs to be kept a secret.
There was a little bit of relationship tension between Mason and Chiara because of the secrecy and because Chiara has been told to stay away from Mason. And like I said, I loved their relationship. They bring out the best in each other and you can really tell, with Mason, especially, their growth as people. All his life Mason is told what to do, and when he gets into trouble, Billy is always there to bail him out. Now he’s finally becoming the “main character” of his own story and taking responsibility for his life and his actions. There’s a great character glow-up.
But the other relationship that really shines is the friendship between Chiara and Massimo. These two friends who love and care about each other so deeply hit a road bump when **s p o i l e r s** (maybe for book 2)… Massimo is spending all his time with Lorelei, as would be expected, while they plan their wedding. But both Chiara and Massimo are feeling the loss of each other in their lives. Massimo knows that something is going on with Chiara and she never feels it’s the right time to tell him about her relationship. Mistakes were made in negotiating the timing of telling him and it’s going to take work - and trust - to mend that rift. I didn’t feel the swells of emotion as much as I would have liked, but it came close.
As I read each of the books in this series, I got more and more invested in this world and these characters. This third book did not disappoint with its adrenaline packed action and sexy romance.
My impetus for starting starting this series is that I won a Kindle edition through a Goodreads giveaway (thank you for the ebook!). Being the completist that I am, I naturally had to start at the beginning of the series. I had wanted to read this author’s books anyway, and I’m happy to report that I really enjoyed her writing. These stories went down real easy. I will definitely be looking into her other work.
From what we know of him already, he is going to need some major unraveling or redeeming.
Really love the chemistry and the spiciness between Chiara and Mason. Also, love the way they see past each other’s self consciousness to the real person underneath. Like, Mason has all of these qualities beyond his racing and riding talents and it’s those qualities that he shares and trusts Chiara with and what she most loves about him. And Chiara has a hobby that she’s turned into a moneymaking endeavor and Mason connects with her on that level. They’re totally MFEO and yet they feel (or more like Chiara feels) their relationship needs to be kept a secret.
There was a little bit of relationship tension between Mason and Chiara because of the secrecy and because Chiara has been told to stay away from Mason. And like I said, I loved their relationship. They bring out the best in each other and you can really tell, with Mason, especially, their growth as people. All his life Mason is told what to do, and when he gets into trouble, Billy is always there to bail him out. Now he’s finally becoming the “main character” of his own story and taking responsibility for his life and his actions. There’s a great character glow-up.
But the other relationship that really shines is the friendship between Chiara and Massimo. These two friends who love and care about each other so deeply hit a road bump when **s p o i l e r s** (maybe for book 2)… Massimo is spending all his time with Lorelei, as would be expected, while they plan their wedding. But both Chiara and Massimo are feeling the loss of each other in their lives. Massimo knows that something is going on with Chiara and she never feels it’s the right time to tell him about her relationship. Mistakes were made in negotiating the timing of telling him and it’s going to take work - and trust - to mend that rift. I didn’t feel the swells of emotion as much as I would have liked, but it came close.
As I read each of the books in this series, I got more and more invested in this world and these characters. This third book did not disappoint with its adrenaline packed action and sexy romance.
My impetus for starting starting this series is that I won a Kindle edition through a Goodreads giveaway (thank you for the ebook!). Being the completist that I am, I naturally had to start at the beginning of the series. I had wanted to read this author’s books anyway, and I’m happy to report that I really enjoyed her writing. These stories went down real easy. I will definitely be looking into her other work.
August 7, 2022
Katie Golding’s Relentless is a sultry, sizzling and scintillating contemporary romance you do not want to miss.
Chiara Martes is looking for fun. She is not interested in long-term commitment or in hearts and flowers and is just looking to have a good time. Chiara thinks that she has found the perfect guy to have a no-strings fling with – and Mason King is certainly more than happy to oblige. Theirs was meant to be a purely casual arrangement – until Mason and Chiara find themselves wanting far more than just a purely physical relationship…
Bad boy Mason’s reputation precedes him. Having spent all of his life in the shadow of his big brother, Mason seems to be constantly making the wrong calls and screwing up. Mason never felt like he truly measured up, but he quickly realized that there were some perks to being ignored and invisible – mainly that he could get up to all sorts of mischief without anyone paying him much attention. Mason has always been attracted to Chiara and now that she is no longer off limits, he plans on acting on his attraction. Mason never planned on falling in love with Chiara, but fate clearly had other ideas for the two of them!
Will Mason and Chiara find the courage to admit the truth about how they really feel about one another? Or will their secrets end up putting paid to any hope they might have of a future together?
Fun, angsty, intense and oh so sexy, Katie Golding’s Relentless is an emotional rollercoaster ride with a lovely heroine, a gorgeous hero and plenty of heat and heart to keep readers eagerly turning the pages.
Fast-paced, high-octane and red-hot, readers will not be able to resist Katie Golding’s latest contemporary romance, Relentless.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Chiara Martes is looking for fun. She is not interested in long-term commitment or in hearts and flowers and is just looking to have a good time. Chiara thinks that she has found the perfect guy to have a no-strings fling with – and Mason King is certainly more than happy to oblige. Theirs was meant to be a purely casual arrangement – until Mason and Chiara find themselves wanting far more than just a purely physical relationship…
Bad boy Mason’s reputation precedes him. Having spent all of his life in the shadow of his big brother, Mason seems to be constantly making the wrong calls and screwing up. Mason never felt like he truly measured up, but he quickly realized that there were some perks to being ignored and invisible – mainly that he could get up to all sorts of mischief without anyone paying him much attention. Mason has always been attracted to Chiara and now that she is no longer off limits, he plans on acting on his attraction. Mason never planned on falling in love with Chiara, but fate clearly had other ideas for the two of them!
Will Mason and Chiara find the courage to admit the truth about how they really feel about one another? Or will their secrets end up putting paid to any hope they might have of a future together?
Fun, angsty, intense and oh so sexy, Katie Golding’s Relentless is an emotional rollercoaster ride with a lovely heroine, a gorgeous hero and plenty of heat and heart to keep readers eagerly turning the pages.
Fast-paced, high-octane and red-hot, readers will not be able to resist Katie Golding’s latest contemporary romance, Relentless.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
April 10, 2022
I was provided and ARC copy of the book for review. You will not be disappointed with Katie Golding’s Relentless. The story of Memphis native Mason, a playboy who loves his whiskey, and Chiara, a beautiful, wild Italian, takes off from page one. You immediately find yourself loving these main characters. The world of Moto racing brings them together, but it could also be what keeps them apart.
In some romance novels the dialogue, especially during more spicy scenes, can be awkward and even cringe worthy. That is not the case with this book. Both the external dialogue and internal thoughts of the characters seems natural and believable.
The alternating viewpoints really allow the reader to invest in both Mason and Chiara. All of the secondary characters are also very well developed, so a strong theme of friendship and family bonds is maintained throughout the book. When conflicts arise, the reader feels torn and conflicted because of the emotional investment in all of these characters.
The plot takes off, but never feels like it is rushed. Golding’s pacing is perfect; it rises and falls in a way that hold interest and never lags.
As far as the spice goes, you will not be disappointed because the chemistry between Mason and Chiara is palpable. The tension between the two leaves you wanting more immediately. When the spark finally ignites, look out. Steamy scenes are perfectly placed throughout the rest of the book. There are enough of them to keep you burning, but not so many that it takes away from the actual plot.
This book really does have it all: lust, love, past demons, overcoming obstacles, multicultural relationships, travel, excitement, and the importance of strong friendships and family. You won’t be able to put it down!
In some romance novels the dialogue, especially during more spicy scenes, can be awkward and even cringe worthy. That is not the case with this book. Both the external dialogue and internal thoughts of the characters seems natural and believable.
The alternating viewpoints really allow the reader to invest in both Mason and Chiara. All of the secondary characters are also very well developed, so a strong theme of friendship and family bonds is maintained throughout the book. When conflicts arise, the reader feels torn and conflicted because of the emotional investment in all of these characters.
The plot takes off, but never feels like it is rushed. Golding’s pacing is perfect; it rises and falls in a way that hold interest and never lags.
As far as the spice goes, you will not be disappointed because the chemistry between Mason and Chiara is palpable. The tension between the two leaves you wanting more immediately. When the spark finally ignites, look out. Steamy scenes are perfectly placed throughout the rest of the book. There are enough of them to keep you burning, but not so many that it takes away from the actual plot.
This book really does have it all: lust, love, past demons, overcoming obstacles, multicultural relationships, travel, excitement, and the importance of strong friendships and family. You won’t be able to put it down!
June 5, 2022
Chiara Martes is completely off limits, being the ex-girlfriend of rival motorcycle racer means that he shouldn't go there... but why does he still want to anyway? Little does he know the beautiful vixen has a plan of her own... one that could land them both in some serious hot water!
The pages of Relentless hold a story of two people who should have never gotten involved, but one night of bad decisions changes all of that. Now they find themselves sneaking around and hoping this thing brewing between them burns out before their caught. But the more time they spend together things start to do the complete opposite, each encounter just spurs this thing along. And now they don't know if they can walk away... but they have to right?
I really enjoyed this first time read, it's pages held a story that was not only captivating but so good for my heart. I was in kind of a reading rut and this story shook me right out of it and left me craving more! I can't wait to return to the series and meet more of it's characters!! Highly recommend this one, it's characters will completely steal your heart!!
I requested an advanced copy of this title from the publisher and I am voluntarily leaving my honest and unbiased opinion.
The pages of Relentless hold a story of two people who should have never gotten involved, but one night of bad decisions changes all of that. Now they find themselves sneaking around and hoping this thing brewing between them burns out before their caught. But the more time they spend together things start to do the complete opposite, each encounter just spurs this thing along. And now they don't know if they can walk away... but they have to right?
I really enjoyed this first time read, it's pages held a story that was not only captivating but so good for my heart. I was in kind of a reading rut and this story shook me right out of it and left me craving more! I can't wait to return to the series and meet more of it's characters!! Highly recommend this one, it's characters will completely steal your heart!!
I requested an advanced copy of this title from the publisher and I am voluntarily leaving my honest and unbiased opinion.
July 12, 2022
Playboy Mason King and Italian beauty Chiara Martes always seem to be the supporting characters in their own lives. For Mason, even though he is a top rider on the MotoPro motorcycle racing circuit and a frequent winner on the the bull riding circuit, he constantly falls in his older brother's shadow. And Chiara's life revolves around her best friend, Massimo and his now-fiancée, Lorelai.
Mason is the one man that Massimo doesn't want Chiara to date, but when Mason and Chiara strike up a secret friends-with-benefits relationship on the MotoPro circuit things begin to blossom for them. Can they keep things strictly casual and the rest of their lives status quo, or will their deepening relationship help them to become the main characters in their own lives?
This one is delicious and steamy, steamy, steamy. It takes you around the world and back again--literally. It pushes you through a rollercoaster of emotions, not only with the romantic relationship between Mason and Chiara, but with the close friendships and familial relationships, too.
CW: alcoholism, mentions of childhood physical abuse, medical trauma
I received an advance copy from Sourcebooks Casablanca and NetGalley. Review opinions are my own.
Mason is the one man that Massimo doesn't want Chiara to date, but when Mason and Chiara strike up a secret friends-with-benefits relationship on the MotoPro circuit things begin to blossom for them. Can they keep things strictly casual and the rest of their lives status quo, or will their deepening relationship help them to become the main characters in their own lives?
This one is delicious and steamy, steamy, steamy. It takes you around the world and back again--literally. It pushes you through a rollercoaster of emotions, not only with the romantic relationship between Mason and Chiara, but with the close friendships and familial relationships, too.
CW: alcoholism, mentions of childhood physical abuse, medical trauma
I received an advance copy from Sourcebooks Casablanca and NetGalley. Review opinions are my own.
March 31, 2022
4/5⭐️
3.5/5🌶
I was provided an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I absolutely enjoyed this story from the first page to the last. The main character Mason's overall character development was good and well-paced to the plot. Reading through him working through his inner conflict of feeling second best to his brother and seeing how having somebody believe in him shifted his self-worth.
The connection to the female lead was perfect. They complimented each other in such a positive way, giving growth to each other's story. Seeing how their story evolved from pure spice to sweet & spice was well-paced and nice since we get the progression from both perspectives.
I honestly did feel a little bad for how she kept putting Mossimo over Mason during the whole story, constantly hiding their relationship BUT in the end, it works for the overall storyline. But still, Mason deserved somebody who wouldn't hide him like that, even though I can understand why she did and how it progressed the story forward.
Overall a great read and I definitely recommend it to anyone who likes a good spicy read. (And def any Moto romance fans.)
3.5/5🌶
I was provided an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I absolutely enjoyed this story from the first page to the last. The main character Mason's overall character development was good and well-paced to the plot. Reading through him working through his inner conflict of feeling second best to his brother and seeing how having somebody believe in him shifted his self-worth.
The connection to the female lead was perfect. They complimented each other in such a positive way, giving growth to each other's story. Seeing how their story evolved from pure spice to sweet & spice was well-paced and nice since we get the progression from both perspectives.
I honestly did feel a little bad for how she kept putting Mossimo over Mason during the whole story, constantly hiding their relationship BUT in the end, it works for the overall storyline. But still, Mason deserved somebody who wouldn't hide him like that, even though I can understand why she did and how it progressed the story forward.
Overall a great read and I definitely recommend it to anyone who likes a good spicy read. (And def any Moto romance fans.)
September 28, 2022
Cowboys, motorcycles, and a complex female lead. What I love about Mason and Chiara is how they really do bring out the best in each other. They are incredibly similar and this is what brings them together, but it is their patience and empathy in the relationship that really bond them. They are imperfect, but in ways that are relatable to the average reader.
The only thing that I really didn’t like was how Mason felt that it was his fault that Massimo was so bent out of shape when he found out about the relationship. I felt that it really was on Chiara to initiate that conversation with her friend, and Mason was appropriately encouraging. By having that conversation with Massimo herself it would have shown her growth as a character, especially as that was such a big hurdle for her. The existing storyline could possibly have been redeemed if it had been spun as a “taking on the burden” type of thing in Mason and Chiara’s relationship, which I believe would have been believable. This really is my only hangup with the entire story. It is otherwise very endearing and makes my heart happy.
*I was gifted a digital copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
The only thing that I really didn’t like was how Mason felt that it was his fault that Massimo was so bent out of shape when he found out about the relationship. I felt that it really was on Chiara to initiate that conversation with her friend, and Mason was appropriately encouraging. By having that conversation with Massimo herself it would have shown her growth as a character, especially as that was such a big hurdle for her. The existing storyline could possibly have been redeemed if it had been spun as a “taking on the burden” type of thing in Mason and Chiara’s relationship, which I believe would have been believable. This really is my only hangup with the entire story. It is otherwise very endearing and makes my heart happy.
*I was gifted a digital copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
May 26, 2022
This story was cute. At first I wasn’t too sure about it but then I got really into it. A forbidden love with lots of spicy encounters.
Motorcycles, Rodeos, traveling and lots of steamy one night stands. Mason enjoys all of those things and nothing has stopped him from enjoying any of them. He lives by his own set of rules and does things on his own time. So when he sets his eyes on Chiara (the ex-gf of a rival Moto GP racer aka off limits) he’s full throttle (pun intended).
Chiara has trust issues and with her best friend/ex getting married she feels as if she’s become a side character to everyone else’s story. So what happens when the chaos of Mason catches her eye and offers her fun, lots of trouble and adventure?
Who doesn’t love a playboy MC who turn into a lovesick cinnamon roll. As soon as Mason spots Chiara, he can’t think of anything else. Also, the dual POVs are everything you could ask for.
The way Mason treated Chiara was just swoon worthy. It can be read as a stand-alone or as a series.
Motorcycles, Rodeos, traveling and lots of steamy one night stands. Mason enjoys all of those things and nothing has stopped him from enjoying any of them. He lives by his own set of rules and does things on his own time. So when he sets his eyes on Chiara (the ex-gf of a rival Moto GP racer aka off limits) he’s full throttle (pun intended).
Chiara has trust issues and with her best friend/ex getting married she feels as if she’s become a side character to everyone else’s story. So what happens when the chaos of Mason catches her eye and offers her fun, lots of trouble and adventure?
Who doesn’t love a playboy MC who turn into a lovesick cinnamon roll. As soon as Mason spots Chiara, he can’t think of anything else. Also, the dual POVs are everything you could ask for.
The way Mason treated Chiara was just swoon worthy. It can be read as a stand-alone or as a series.
July 4, 2022
Mason is a motopro competitor and Chiara is his competitions best friend. Will their chemistry outlast the fact that they have been forbidden from seeing each other?
This book is so confusing to me. On one had there were some very enjoyable moments but all together it felt disjointed and more focused on the destination at the end of the book rather than bringing the reader on the journey of Chiara and Mason’s relationship. I personally prefer (especially in romance books) being shown major moments and standout conversations and there were several occasions where we were told about it in a summary sometimes months after it had happened. Because of the narration I found also it difficult to connect to the story and the characters.
The book includes an extensive content warning at the beginning of the book.
Tropes/Potential draws:
Forbidden love
Sports Romance
🍑
Thank you Sourcebooks Casa for the advanced copy
This book is so confusing to me. On one had there were some very enjoyable moments but all together it felt disjointed and more focused on the destination at the end of the book rather than bringing the reader on the journey of Chiara and Mason’s relationship. I personally prefer (especially in romance books) being shown major moments and standout conversations and there were several occasions where we were told about it in a summary sometimes months after it had happened. Because of the narration I found also it difficult to connect to the story and the characters.
The book includes an extensive content warning at the beginning of the book.
Tropes/Potential draws:
Forbidden love
Sports Romance
🍑
Thank you Sourcebooks Casa for the advanced copy
April 9, 2022
This one was fun! I stayed up waaaaaay too late to finish it. The main characters are both people we have met in the previous books: Mason, Billy's younger brother; and Chiara, Massimo's best friend. It's complicated, with all those personalities and team-mates and rivalries getting thrown into the mix, so Mason and Chiara are determined to have a little fun, but keep it quiet. They ARE NOT in a relationship. (Yeah, you see where this is going.) A lot of the internal and external conflicts the characters face are driven by these interpersonal relationships, and watching them fight for what they want and navigate the various interpersonal currents definitely kept me turning the pages.
August 3, 2022
This series just gets better and better. Katie Golding is an excellent author who writes great storylines and wonderful characters. I first found her through the first book in this series, and each book I've said, "This one is my favorite." I've even bought the audiobook books to listen to as well. I've read all kinds of sports romance and these top them all. I love motorcycle racing of all kinds. Add that with romance books and it's the perfect storytelling material. I couldn't put this book down. I cannot wait for this audiobook to release.
Thank you NetGalley and Sourcebooks Casablanca for the ARC of this book. This is my voluntary and honest review.
Thank you NetGalley and Sourcebooks Casablanca for the ARC of this book. This is my voluntary and honest review.
August 2, 2022
I am voluntarily leaving a review after receiving an ARC from Hidden Gems.
It was good. Mason has always felt second best. He feels almost like he doesn't have a choice when it comes to hid life. He an adrenaline junk with an addiction to alcohol. He races motorcycles and rides bulls for a living. He caught glimpses og Chiara, who is best friends with Massimo. Massimo is Mason's competition and teammate to Mason's brother. Chiara lives in the shadows. Her and Massimo formed a friendship as children, they even dated. Even though Massimo is dating someone else, Chiara's life still revolves around him. Chiara and Mason are an unlikely pair.
The book is good. Written well. The story takes place over a year and jumps in timeline. There are some hinted at triggers. I would have liked to have seen Chiara tell Mason about her past.
It was good. Mason has always felt second best. He feels almost like he doesn't have a choice when it comes to hid life. He an adrenaline junk with an addiction to alcohol. He races motorcycles and rides bulls for a living. He caught glimpses og Chiara, who is best friends with Massimo. Massimo is Mason's competition and teammate to Mason's brother. Chiara lives in the shadows. Her and Massimo formed a friendship as children, they even dated. Even though Massimo is dating someone else, Chiara's life still revolves around him. Chiara and Mason are an unlikely pair.
The book is good. Written well. The story takes place over a year and jumps in timeline. There are some hinted at triggers. I would have liked to have seen Chiara tell Mason about her past.
July 15, 2021
Probably one of my favorite series and this book did not disappoint. Sweet and spicy in all the best ways. so good and so well written. The characters come alive and you can't help but root for them. :)
August 10, 2022
I won Relentless on a Goodreads giveaway and it was so good! I loved the characters and can’t wait to read the rest of the books in the series and her other books. I liked the struggles the characters have to overcome!
August 1, 2022
Relentless is a erroneous misstep for Golding that you should probably skip.
Read
August 1, 2022Relentless is the third book in the Moto Grand Prix series by Katie Golding and is an extra swoony romance. I loved the author’s writing style and enjoyed this book from start to finish!
May 30, 2023
I received a copy of this ebook in a Goodreads giveaway.
I liked the middle more than the beginning or end.
I liked the middle more than the beginning or end.
June 10, 2023
Massimo should’ve just married his best friend Chiara to end this joke of a romance between him and his fiancé and Chiara and his love interest.
September 9, 2023
I enjoyed Mason and Chiara‘s book. It was an entertaining read. And a new author, for me. Am voluntarily leaving my review.
January 24, 2023
This was a fun smutty read. I know nothing about moto-racing but you really don't need to in order to read this book. There's enough explanation in the text for the reader to understand. I don't think the characters were my all time favourite romantic leads but I liked them together. They had a compelling dynamic and worked well together. There were just certain things about the female lead that I found a little bit annoying. I also enjoy a celebrity romance, which made this a fun read.
April 3, 2022
I have read the first two books in this series and Golding just keeps getting better and better. I could not put this book down even though it was so hot it singed my fingers.
Mason and Chiara are the sweetest, sexiest, and most charming chaotic disasters I have ever had the joy of obsessing over. They find each other when both are at significant crossroads in their lives. Mason is struggling with self-doubt and languishing in his brother's shadow. Chiara has just lost the love of her life, her best friend, her guardian and defender, to another woman. What Mason and Chiara need more than anything to heal, even though they'd never admit it, is each other. At first, this need is purely physical, a distraction, a way for both of them to move on and have some fun while things in their lives are so heavy. Of course, it doesn't stay that way.
Watching Mason and Chiara grow closer through the physical first (in bonkers steamy perfection) is the best trick of this book. You KNOW these two are in love well before they do through the descriptions of how well they care for each other in intimate scenes, especially King Mason, holy hell. The friendship that develops from their physical connection is heartbreakingly sweet and so satisfying. Golding is never afraid to tear our hearts out, but the way this is managed in Relentless is a masterful twist on what love and family really mean.
Relentless is a scorching hot and wickedly fast-paced ride all over the globe that definitely left this reader begging for more. As one of my absolute favorite romance novels of 2022, I can't recommend this book highly enough.
Mason and Chiara are the sweetest, sexiest, and most charming chaotic disasters I have ever had the joy of obsessing over. They find each other when both are at significant crossroads in their lives. Mason is struggling with self-doubt and languishing in his brother's shadow. Chiara has just lost the love of her life, her best friend, her guardian and defender, to another woman. What Mason and Chiara need more than anything to heal, even though they'd never admit it, is each other. At first, this need is purely physical, a distraction, a way for both of them to move on and have some fun while things in their lives are so heavy. Of course, it doesn't stay that way.
Watching Mason and Chiara grow closer through the physical first (in bonkers steamy perfection) is the best trick of this book. You KNOW these two are in love well before they do through the descriptions of how well they care for each other in intimate scenes, especially King Mason, holy hell. The friendship that develops from their physical connection is heartbreakingly sweet and so satisfying. Golding is never afraid to tear our hearts out, but the way this is managed in Relentless is a masterful twist on what love and family really mean.
Relentless is a scorching hot and wickedly fast-paced ride all over the globe that definitely left this reader begging for more. As one of my absolute favorite romance novels of 2022, I can't recommend this book highly enough.
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