Full review to come on Goodreads and Amazon. Thank you to the publisher, author, and NetGalley for a review copy.

I have received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

"One look at you and it was like being struck by a thunderbolt. I was terrified of what was happening to me. That's why I walked away the first time we met. When you called me and asked for a lift, I was lost."

Okay, so, Relentless Interloper has the potential to be a lot better than it was. I'm only saying that because things just felt a little ridiculous and unbelievable at times. Plus, the drama was just anticlimactic.

In this, you will meet Xanthe and Colin. She's a highly skilled P.I., and he's an overprotective billionaire. Xanthe is basically told by her boss to go on "vacation" to stop her half-brother, Harvey, from marrying the sister of a very powerful guy. Colin is told by his sister, Cat, that Xanthe is a jealous ex-partner of Harvey who is dead set to break up the upcoming wedding. So, it seems like something is going to go down no matter what at this point.

First off, her job telling her she can't work because she has to break up a potential wedding just didn't seem real to me. If her boss truly cared about upsetting relationships with someone powerful, they could just call and talk it over. It wouldn't necessarily blow up anything, right? I don't know... I'm not a P.I., but it just seemed fishy to me.

Then Colin, this powerful billionaire who loves oil rigs or whatever, only really has this "power" because he's buddies with the prime minister. Again, a phone call to the PM could've solved this whole problem. Anyways, he's on his way to stop Xanthe and then ends up falling for her. A bit aggressively in that department, but the freaking whiplash from him hurt my neck. He would be head over heels with her and then assume the absolute worst of her. My god, he jumped from "I think I'm in love with her" to "I knew you were a lying whore" in like .2 seconds.

As for the romance, well, it was okay. I was honestly annoyed that Xanthe was just too pretty for literally every guy in this book. She was good at her job, but my god, she was a looker. I did like how she eventually got annoyed when people were commenting on her looks rather than her skills. That being said, I wanted to see more of her skills in this book. She had all these amazing jobs where everyone praised her performance... and we didn't get much of that.

In the end, things just felt inconsistent throughout this book. Colin and Xanthe had their moments, but most of the time they felt incompatible. This is my fourth book by this author, and I think I just wanted more.

A good read with a great storyline for this genre, it’s a real page turner
Just the right amount of erotica

Mills and Boon updated.

Xanthe could have turned this book into something really good if the erotica had not come into place. Secret bodyguard so to speak tries to save her half brother from making another mistake. But then comes along the billionaire who attempts to sweep her off of her feet.

Thank you Netgalley for letting me read this book.

Career on the line due to her half brothers actions. A scam artist who has been protected by his sister all his life. This time she can't protect him from his own actions.
Desperately trying to stop the wedding but unknowingly hindered by the bride's brother. Is this the start of a romance or just two individuals with chemistry?
Career, family and attraction all combine.
Enjoy I did.

Relentless Interloper by Ravina Hilliard has an intriguing premise, blending suspense, romance, and drama, but unfortunately, the execution falls short of its potential. The story centres around Xanthe Kemp, a skilled private investigator who must stop her half-brother’s dangerous game, which threatens the powerful McGregor family. Her task becomes more complicated when she crosses paths with Colin McGregor, a billionaire whose charm and mystery stir up undeniable chemistry between them. What begins as an uneasy alliance quickly transforms into a complicated relationship fraught with emotional tension and dangerous stakes.

The book promised an intense cat-and-mouse chase between Xanthe, a private investigator, and Colin, a powerful billionaire. However, what unfolds is a series of poorly developed characters and an underwhelming plot that struggles to live up to its potential. Xanthe, who is initially presented as a competent investigator, quickly falls apart, facing one hurdle after another without demonstrating the skill and confidence she’s supposed to possess. Similarly, Colin, whose character is meant to be dominant and mysterious, comes across as inconsistent, making his actions and motivations hard to believe.

The relationship between Xanthe and Colin, which is intended to follow the enemies-to-lovers trope, lacks the emotional depth and development that is crucial for this dynamic to work. Instead, the story is bogged down by issues of miscommunication, with the characters bickering and behaving in ways that don’t feel true to their established personas. The romantic and sexual elements are problematic, with Colin’s actions crossing boundaries that are unsettling, particularly given Xanthe’s traumatic past. The book touches on sensitive subjects, such as sexual assault and abuse, but fails to handle them with the necessary care and nuance, which makes certain scenes feel uncomfortable and poorly executed.

While the book starts with a premise that could have been engaging, the lack of character depth, unrealistic emotional arcs, and a rushed romance make it difficult to connect with the story. The potential for a thrilling, suspense-filled romance is there, but the execution does not deliver the emotional resonance and connection needed to make it a satisfying read.

In conclusion, Relentless Interloper falls short of the promise it sets up. The story’s potential is marred by inconsistent characterisation, an underdeveloped plot, and problematic handling of sensitive themes. Those looking for a gripping, character-driven thriller may find this book lacking in both emotional depth and believable character growth.

Read more at The Secret Book Review.

Supplied by NetGalley as an ARC

What I expected: an intense cat and mouse chase between a private investigator and a billionaire who are forced to work together

What I got: a somehow competent wet napkin and world’s most inconsistent man speedrun a one night stand and then marriage

Relentless Interloper opens with Xanthe Kemp, slightly disgraced former Secret Service member, having to track down her conman half-brother who she believes has his sights set on a billionaire’s sister. The very bare bones of this story had promise but that was it. Xanthe is portrayed as being good at her job but she falls to pieces at the first hurdle and she spends most of the story bickering through miscommunication tropes with Colin McGregor, the oil field Scottish billionaire.

This was rough going.

The characters were inconsistent. Xanthe bore the brunt of this, but Colin was not spared. It’s an attempt at enemies to lovers with instalove poorly mixed in and it fell at the first hurdle. Xanthe is called a slut multiple times throughout the book, and Colin opens their “relationship” by sexually assaulting her. There is also two incidences at least of assault in Xanthe’s backstory, one set while she was a child, and this is particularly heinous when contrasted with Colin forcibly groping her shortly after they first met.

The plot fell short of being interesting and by the end of the book, the characters were going through masses of exposition in order to wrap things up for the reader.

All in all, this story needs some serious retuning to reach the potential it is trying for.

I see how this book could be great. Xanthe, a highly skilled P.I., is summoned by her boss to stop the wedding of her con man half brother Harvey to the sister of a very private but powerful billionaire, Colin. Xanthe’s boss is afraid that he will destroy the agency when he finds out Harvey is a con man. So Xanthe needs to be successful or otherwise she’s out of a job.
The story had such potential but unfortunately I found the execution lacking, leaving me wanting more depth and emotional connection. I wished for strong characters but Colin and Xanthe were inconsistent and their actions just not realistic.
Colin thinking he knows Xanthe, loathing her, and still having sex with her almost instantly was the most upsetting to me. Xanthe being a willing participant while is supposed to be reeling from a bad sexual experience and having a job to do that could cost her everything. Xanthe being furious with Colin for all that he put her through but she’s still dreaming about him every night. Xanthe doing everything in her power to save her job and then quitting. Colin can’t stop thinking about her but not five minutes later threatens her with jail if she won’t help him.
I found all of this quite unrealistic and I had trouble connecting with the story. I would have loved more emotional connection, character development and depth. As I’ve said, the setup had a lot of potential but the execution didn’t work for me.
Thank you to publisher, Netgalley and author for providing an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion. All thoughts and opinions are my own.