"A devastingly raw, personal account of the ultimate betrayal between parents and a young girl; physical, emotional and sexual abuse. Kellie's journey may not be interesting to some because she is not famous, but it is an honest look at a very real problem that is kept hidden in so many families, famous or not. Her personal struggles with healing and forgiveness are honest and inspirational. The subject is obviously difficult, but it is truly a lesson In perseverance, persistence, letting go and love."

"If I had to describe this book in one word, it would be, "powerful." Not only is Springer's voice powerful with her no-holds-barred directness and evocative imagery, but her memoir as a whole is a story of strength and will to overcome an abusive childhood. The seeds of trauma have the potential to grow into a lifetime of darkness, but Springer has committed her adult life to healing herself even as the aftershocks of abuse continue to shake up her emotional balance and her relationships. I found myself routing for her with every step she took and cheering for her triumphs. My favorite part of the book is that woven within the context of the story are what I saw as teachings - bits of wisdom and advice from someone who has been in the trenches and not only survives, but thrives.
In my opinion, this book is for anyone who has felt betrayed and wounded by someone they trust...anyone who's ever felt completely alone in the world...anyone who's felt powerless and afraid. While Relentless can be at times a difficult story to read, the beauty of this book is that Springer is sharing her most personal experiences, and that is a gift. To me her story is like an offering to others who suffer, a "hey, I know how bad it can be." It's a hand to hold as you accompany her transformation from tragedy to triumph, and realize that you could do this too. That's the final and most profound power in this memoir - it's inspiration."

"Once I started reading Kellie’s story I was captivated because I could not imagine how she could endure this abuse and betrayal and progress to forgiveness. I felt her fear as she described the first incident of sexual abuse as a young child. I felt the isolation that followed. I felt betrayal as she told her parents at various stages of abuse and they did not come to her rescue. I felt her need for safety and love. I cheered for her as she found the courage to find people who could and did help her on her path to heal herself. I was astounded that she could find the courage to confront her parents as an adult and then move to forgive them so she could continue to heal herself. There is something for everyone to learn from Kellie’s journey. This is a truly inspiring memoir."

"As a mental health therapist, I'm so happy to find this to recommend to my clients who struggle with the effects of childhood trauma. The author not only gives a detailed account of her past, but also allows the reader inside of her head during these times - both when it was and wasn't flattering. This fearless look into the author's authentic life experience I believe can help survivors to embrace the entirety of their pasts as the author did: with balance and grace. The book also details the author's healing journey, both past and present, in a format that others can reproduce in their own lives, giving direction and inspiration for living a life of personal growth.

This book also addresses the struggles and triumphs of the author in coping with the aftereffects of trauma on a variety of relationships. After working with countless clients who have encountered these same difficulties, it is also my hope that people without significant childhood trauma, including those in medical and other service fields, would read this book as a way to better understand and connect with so many of us who are still impacted by past events.

Full disclosure: I was given a free copy of this book for my honest review. This in no way influenced my rating or comments. Had I encountered this book on my own, I would still tell you that this is a book of pure courage, healing and hope."

"So helpful to hear a journey of forgiveness through the eyes of a trauma survivor."

"Very interesting and hopeful. I hope other people with similar experiences find this book to read."

"I found the book to be very powerful. How can parents treat a child like that and survive. No child should ever have to go thru that."

I finished reading Relentless last night. I'm so glad I had the chance to learn from the experiences of someone who has had such a different life journey than I have. I was so moved by what Kellie has endured, as well as by her honesty in putting it on paper for others to witness. After the first few sections, I ended up reading with pen in hand, because I kept coming across sentences and paragraphs that struck specific chords within me, despite our experiential differences. Even as a professed non-writer, Kellie is a wonderful writer -- she connects with her readers on so many levels, both the concrete and the intangible. This type of connection, I think, is what makes all our stories valuable. Communication is what makes us able to live in the world together, despite so many differences in experience and perspective and personality. My favorite part of Relentless is the very last paragraph. The boundlessness and strength of Kellie's spirit leaps off the page!

Kellie is an amazing person to have lived through the hellish childhood she did and evolve to a place where she has forgiven those who inflicted so much pain and abuse on her. Not only that, she is now a thriving person with a happy family life with her husband and children that bring her the joy (and hopefully unconditional love) she lacked as a child. Kellie is very open about the abuse she endured, how it affected her and her journey to recover and heal from it. As a survivor of similar abuses, I can say that this is a very worthwhile book to read. Kellie’s journey through healing to forgiveness is very powerful, as is her courage to tell her story publicly. She candidly and articulately describes her inner and outer world from childhood through adulthood. Yes, she got entangled in dysfunctional relationships once she moved away from her family of origin, yet she also followed her strong intuition and will to overcome to find helpful therapists/healers and a loving husband, who provided the nexus for her path to healing. Survivors can learn something from Kellie, but I also hope that her story reaches a larger audience so that our society can better help abuse survivors. Survivors often keep their stories to themselves, because we feel people don’t want to hear about such dark stuff. Yet we were simply victims of very dysfunctional families, left holding a lot of baggage that our parents never processed from their own families of origin. Kellie is a strong, articulate voice for the many of us who have similar stories. I can’t say enough how much I appreciated Kellie’s willingness to openly tell her story. Thank you, Kellie!