The Chase left us all aching for Elle Kennedy to give us Brenna’s story, and, well, the wait for The Risk was well worth every single second.
Elle Kennedy is continuing the tradition of delivering incredible hockey romances well into the Briar U series. Her Off Campus series was downright delightful, and I am so very glad to not have to say goodbye to this world. The Chase kicked things off to a great start, but The Risk is a fricking masterpiece if you ask me.
Readers met both Brenna and Jake in The Chase. She’s the daughter of Briar’s hockey coach. He’s the star of the Harvard team. Their chemistry is off the charts, but they are great at keeping each other at arm’s length while they banter their faces off. That is until knowing Jake Connelly might just give Brenna a professional advantage.
The second book in the Briar U series continues down the path of excellence we have all come to appreciate from Elle Kennedy and her hockey heroes. We got a taste of Brenna and Jake’s chemistry when they met during the events of The Chase, and it was too palpable to be ignored. We may have entertained other possibilities for Brenna’s hero, but ultimately, who isn’t relieved to know that she and Jake are made for each other?
Jake and Brenna have that thing that only romance has mastered. That when they are in the same room, they can just feel each other’s presence. That the room sort of shifts axis a bit until they address each other. Every time a scene starts, you just sort of wait with baited breath until they address the elephant sized ball of tension in the room.
There is so much to love about this story. From Brenna’s bravery when dealing with misogynistic gatekeepers, to her easy affection for Summer, and her relationships with all her hockey player friends, she’s one of those heroines whose story you can just sink into completely. She doesn’t take things lying down, is always ready to throw her two cents into the mix, but also knows when to leave well enough alone. She is the kind of heroine I am always anxious to find and happy to love.
Jake is so different from how I thought he’d be. I’m a sucker for an arrogant hero, as long as his arrogance is either earned or used in a way that doesn’t feel icky. Jake’s arrogance is both. He’s one of the best hockey players in the country, and he knows it. He knows how to perfectly balance using that arrogance to make his masculinity seem effortless, but never crosses over into gross territory.
Plus, he’s a lot more kind-hearted than I imagined. The way he talks to and loves his parents, his friendship with Hazel, and even the way he leads his team. He isn’t perfect, but he knows how to be a person rather than JUST a horny, hormonal guy all the time.
This story grows more and more wonderful with each and every chapter. Starting with the love and affection between our leads and ending with learning the circumstances behind what made these characters the way they are, this story really does go the distance. Seeing them take serious steps to better themselves and the world around them just the cherry on top of a perfect love story.
I have been addicted to Elle’s hockey heroes from the first lines of The Deal and will continue to be until she decides to put the wonderful world of Briar University behind her. Which will hopefully be dozens of books and decades later. No pressure.
The Risk is available now! Get your copy on Amazon or Barnes and Noble! Oh, and add it on Goodreads, too!
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