The Risk by Elle Kennedy review: Jake Connelly, unfortunately, is perfect

At this point, if Elle Kennedy drops a new book, my plans are cancelled. That was especially true for The Risk by Elle Kennedy because I had been waiting for Jake and Brenna’s story with the patience of an absolute liar. And wow, this one delivers. Jake is one of those dangerous heroes who looks like he should be cocky nonsense and then turns out to be deeply swoonworthy instead. Add Brenna, who is all sharp and main character energy, and this book basically had me from page one.

… Jake Connelly will make you swoon HARD. ~ Under the Covers

I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review. This post contains affiliate links. That means we receive a small commission at no cost to you from any purchases you make through these links.

What is The Risk by Elle Kennedy about?

The Risk by Elle Kennedy is about Brenna Jensen, daughter of Briar’s hockey coach, getting tangled up with Jake Connelly, star player for the rival team and certified pain in the ass. She needs his help, he wants fake dates turned real, and obviously this turns into exactly the kind of sneaking around disaster you want from an Elle Kennedy romance. It’s flirty, messy, and the bad idea of the Harvard rival she really should not want.

The Risk by Elle Kennedy Book Review

Is it really any surprise that when Elle Kennedy has a new book out and it hits my kindle, I drop everything and read it?  That’s exactly what happened when I got the ARC of THE RISK.  And not only because I jump at the chance to read an Elle Kennedy book because she’s one of my favorite authors.  But also because I was dying for Jake and Brenna’s story.  Elle Kennedy did this couple justice.

Let’s get the swooning out of the way first because I’m here to tell you that Jake Connelly will make you swoon HARD.  That boy is perfection!  I loved how into Brenna he was, how he wanted to push her but was also trying to be respectful of giving her space.  Be that for her personal walls or the fact that she’s the daughter of their biggest rival coach.  He’s just a ball of awesome and I fell for Jake just as much as Brenna did.

But Brenna was the understated star of the show for me.  I say understated but she has a big personality.  There really isn’t much understated about her until you peel back some of those outside layers and you get to the years of guilt and self doubt that she’s covered up.  I admired her tenacity to keep going, to prove she’s a better person even when she had all these ideas in her mind about what others thought of her.  She had to go through so much at a very young age and she never really got the help she needed to heal.  I appreciate how the author handled the subjects she tackled in this book and in Brenna’s past.  I was rooting for her all the way!

This book really has it all.  The perfect balance between hockey and explosive chemistry.  Strong yet lovable characters.  A great cast of supporting characters (that always leaves me wanting more).  THE RISK left me on such a high and begging for the next one.

About the Briar U series by Elle Kennedy

The Risk is Book 2 in Elle Kennedy’s Briar U series, which follows The Chase and continues the Briar world after Off Campus. These are all interconnected standalones so you don’t have to read the others if you don’t want to.

Final Thoughts

Honestly, The Risk by Elle Kennedy has the kind of hero that makes you want to roll your eyes and kick your feet at the same time. Jake is absurdly easy to fall for, but Brenna is the one who really made this book hit for me. She has so much weight under all that confidence, and watching her get a love story that actually meets her where she is? Very satisfying.

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