Review: **4 Deliciously Wicked Stars** - I LOVED IT!
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 06 23, 2014
I was honoured when I was contacted by Ashley Cassidy and asked to review her debut novel.  Relentless Hope was exactly what the title says - a novel about a young girl and her unfailing belief and hope that there is a better life out there for her.  This book stayed with me for days after I finished it, I got so invested in the characters and the storyline. I felt like they  became a part of me, books like that don’t come around often, and this is definitely one of them.What was interesting to me was that this book was unlike my usual reads - its based on a young girl whose family is very strict in their cultural beliefs.  The family was expected to act and behave in a certain manner, and to defy this would have very severe consequences.  We first meet Aleah and learn that after some rash decisions and bad judgement calls - she is in exactly this situation.  To defy her father is a grave strike against her and causes a ripple effect that uproots her entire life.  She goes from a young girl with a promising scholarship to University to being homeless and alone in the blink of an eye.Aleah has quickly climbed to the top of my fave female heroines.  After losing everything, she faced her mistakes head on and steeled herself to find a way to make a life for herself out of the ruins.  Now, this isn’t to say that she doesn’t have her moments where the darkness almost pulls her under because she most certainly does.  And it’s during one of these moments that her life is irrevocably changed forever…A chance meeting in a park brings her in contact with David Pierson - an elderly billionaire.  Seeing Aleah’s despair, he takes her under his wing and offers to help her rebuild her life.  It could have been so easy at this point for the author to have taken the story a different way ...David being a gazillionaire, he could have simply offered her some money and sent her off into the world.  I’ll be honest, that is what I expected would happen when we met David - however I was happy to be wrong.  David offered Aleah so much more.  A chance to earn the help he gave her and  a chance to be part of a family again.  They slowly develop a grandfather/granddaughter relationship that pulled at my heartstrings and still stays with me long after finishing the book.One of the opportunities that David offers Aleah is an entry level position at this company - and this ladies, is where we meet Aiden.  Sexy, cocky, deliciously hot Aiden.  Their meeting is brief, but the attraction is undeniable.As soon as he looks at me, our eyes lock and time stops.  He stops dead in his tracks, rooted to the spot, and I can’t take my eyes off of him.  There is a crackle of energy between us, an unexplainable connection.  It is as if we know each other from a different life, as if we are two opposite poles of a magnet, being instinctively pulled towards each other.We quickly learn that Aiden is David’s grandson, and I was thrilled at that fact! I wanted more interactions with the two of them...and some hot scenes with him asap.  Unfortunately, David falls very ill, and it becomes clear that he doesn’t have a lot of time left.  Aleah being the kind soul that she is, moves in to be his full-time caregiver.  Aiden mistakenly assumes Aleah is his grandfathers new plaything after misinterpreting a situation and that quickly puts the brakes on any romance, which was so frustrating!  I wanted to stomp my feet and yell (I definitely yelled out a few curse words more than once) at how stubborn the two of them were.This book has it all - drama, deception, forbidden love and heartache.  Oh the heartache...be prepared - if you’re anything like me, you will do the dreaded ugly cry with this one! Ashley Cassidy will suck you in completely with this one - and the mastermind that she is, she leaves us hanging on an unbelievable cliffie.Is having hope enough?  Can it be what pushes through the pain of rejection and loss?  Pick up the book and see for yourself ;)Overall, this was a fantastic release from a new author and I can’t wait to read more from her.  Remember the name Ashley Cassidy - you are going to be hearing it a lot.xoCassiaDeliciously Wicked Books