The Risk – Wer wagt, gewinnt

Briar U #2

by Elle Kennedy, Christina Kagerer (Translator)

»The Risk – Wer wagt, gewinnt« ist nach »The Chase – Gegensätze ziehen sich an« Band zwei der neuen »Briar University«-Reihe von SPIEGEL-Bestseller-Autorin Elle Kennedy!

Bad Girl Brenna Jensen würde sich nie auf einem Eishockeyspieler einlassen. Das Risiko wäre zu groß. Nicht nur, weil ihr Vater, der Trainer des Teams, sie umbringen würde. Sie hat auch nicht vor, den größten Fehler ihres Lebens zu wiederholen. Trotzdem geht ihr einer der Spieler unter die Haut. Er ist eingebildet, frech, und er macht mehr als deutlich, dass er etwas von ihr will. Auch wenn sie weiß, dass sie für ihn nie an erster Stelle stehen wird, da er sich letzten Endes doch nur für seinen Sport interessiert, wird es für Brenna immer schwerer, ihm zu widerstehen ...

Hockeyspieler, Leidenschaft und Herzklopfen – mit der »Briar University«-Reihe, einem Spin-Off der beliebten »Off-Campus«-Reihe, sorgt Elle Kennedy für Knistern in der Luft!

Die Autorin Elle Kennedy wuchs in einem Vorort von Toronto auf und studierte Englische Literatur an der New York University. Ihre »Off Campus«-Reihe war wochenlang auf den internationalen Bestsellerlisten und wurde in zahlreiche Sprachen übersetzt. Elle Kennedy ist außerdem eine Hälfte des SPIEGEL-Bestseller-Autorenduos Erin Watt, das mit der »Paper«-Reihe große Erfolge feiert.

Genres: Romance, Sports Romance, Sports, Enemies To Lovers, New Adult, Hockey, College

496 pages, Kindle Edition

First published February 18, 2019

About the author

A New York Times, USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestselling author, Elle Kennedy grew up in the suburbs of Toronto, Ontario, and holds a B.A. in English from York University. From an early age, she knew she wanted to be a writer, and actively began pursuing that dream when she was a teenager.

Elle currently writes for various publishers. She loves strong heroines and sexy alpha heroes, and just enough heat and danger to keep things interesting!

Reviews

[Ali Goodwin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Okay I loveeeed Jake & Brenna so much!! Jake is ummmm so attractive🥵 in looks & personality. And I love that Brenna is always someone who speaks her mind. AND BRENNA IS THE HOCKEY COACH'S DAUGHTER!! Which added a really fun dynamic.

Also, I love how we get a subplot of Brenna not only pursuing a career in a very male-dominated field, but also experiencing sexism in the interview process. I think sexism in the work force is so important to talk about!!

The only reason I didn't rate this book higher is because I've read a lot of Elle Kennedy books at this point and there are others by her I like more, but this book was still so good!!

[Christy · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars



Elle Kennedy has done it again. She's one of my favorite NA/sports romance authors out there because she writes books like this. As much as I loved The Chase, I loved The Risk even more. Brenna and Jake were everything!!

Brenna Jensen is the coach of Briar U's hockey team's daughter. And she's sleeping with the enemy. Jake Connelly is Harvard's team captain and Briar is one of their biggest rivals. Jake is a big deal. He's going to the NFL next year and nothing is going to stop that dream from coming to fruition. Except maybe a feisty brunette he's starting to fall for. Let me back things up a bit...

Brenna needs to fake date Jake for reasons, and he agrees. But he wants real dates. So he talks her into it slowly but surely. Brenna can't tell anyone about these dates because her friends are Briar players and her dad, of course is the coach. It's supposed to be just some dates and some sexy times (which were hella hot, btw) but then someone catches the feelings. Or two someones.

The chemistry between these two... off the charts. This is some of the hottest stuff Elle Kennedy has written. I always love a good enemies to lovers sex scene. There is just something more passionate and forbidden that takes it up a notch. I loved Brenna and Jake together so much.

Brenna is a fun character and has a lot of heart. I loved seeing her overcome sexism in the sports field and work through her past mistakes as well as the relationship with her dad. Jake was the perfect mix of the sexy athlete and the college sweetheart. I adored him. There was something towards the end that kept this from being a 5 star for me, but it wasn't anything too awful. I just felt it was unnecessary. Still, it didn't take my love away from this book.

This series is turning out to be another must read series. If you love sports romance, college romance, fake dating, or enemies to lovers stories, THIS is the book for you! And the next one will be out this year (I have a feeling it will be Hunter's, but please let it be Brooks!) and I can't wait!!!

[Melanie (meltotheany) · Rating 4 out of 5]

ARC provided to me by the author in exchange for an honest review.

#1.) The Chase ★★★★★

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The quote above was taken from an ARC and is subject to change upon publication.

Content and trigger warnings for explicit sex, a lot of misogynistic comments (always challenged), talk of past loss of a loved one, drug addiction and substance abuse, talk of past miscarrying, and a panic attack.

#1.) The Deal ★★★★
#2.) The Mistake ★★★
#3.) The Score ★★★★
#4.) The Goal ★

[Clace · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.35!

"Friends who say “I love you” every time you part ways are important. Those are the ones you need in your life."

Reading this book reminded me why I love hockey romances and Elle Kennedy's writing so much because this was such a good book. The plot and the romance and heavily intertwined in her books so the romance is basically the plot line...not sure if that makes sense but it does. Elle writes such fun stories, you'll read them and have an amazing time like love them and the banter in her books are the best like I kid you not I haven't read banter this fun anywhere else, she knows how to write because the interactions between the character made me laugh and the spice was so delicious 😋

"Can’t change the past, don’t cry over the present, don’t stress about the future. It’s all pointless, especially regret."

Jake Connelly was the man 🧎🏻 he was perfect tbh. Caring but also sarcastic and witty. He showed Brenna what' it's like to being there for someone and I just loved how smart he was and the mouth this man had 😳> Brenna Jensen was truly 🔥 she did not back down from fights and stood up for herself and i loved how she handled every situation that presented itself at her feet and how she did not give two fucks about what others thought of her. I think Elle did a very good job writing her character because we explored her past which was quite sad and we get to know her side so much better and her relationship with her father was spot on.

"Hockey is a game. You’re my life."

For the romance let's start with the Tropes
• Fake dating
• Forbidden romance
• Rivals to lovers
• Reverse grumpy X sunshine
• Angst
• Spice:

It truly did deliver on it all!! Definitely one of my favourites from her and my favourite of the series so far!!
~~~
I saw Fake dating, Hate to love, Amazing banter, Hot MC's, reverse grumpy sunshine, spice, and I fell into the rabbit hole...

[CristiinaReads୨ৎ · Rating 4 out of 5]

➳When enemies who have that witty banter and know that as rivals they must be far away, their attraction and emotional attachment is what makes them inseparable...



➳When I first read about Brenna and her fierce attitude, I knew that I would be drawn to her and her back story no matter what it may be. I think I might have hyped it up just a tad bit because I am not one hundred percent pleased with her story. Maybe it's because the story went very thoroughly into other aspects that did not involve themselves with Brenna and Jake? Don't get me wrong, I am a huge supporter of Elle's writing but this one book in particular is one that did not go up there in the radar for me. When the pages would turn and Brenna and Jake were together, everything would change. The ambiance of the fictional world felt different in a way that made progress to the story. In the beginning it was rather slow for me, but once the claws came out from that original Brenna I fell in love with in The Chase, I knew that the party was just starting.

➳The affection I have towards Jake is one that has found quite an interest to my heart in a way no other character has done before. The reason being is because his attitude at a college life is one that is so refreshing to read about. College romances in general are refreshing to read due to the fact that it's the start of a youth's life when things are becoming independent and the liberty of doing things and their sexuality expands. It's the time to discover, the time to make regrets and make memories that will forever be engraved in your head. Elle Kennedy is the one ideal author who thoroughly knows how to do that. She spoils her readers with this fictional world filled with sexual steam, and lot's of sexy hockey players, something that I personally rather miss **wink wink** But in general, Jake Connelly, the Harvard hockey team captain is the head of everyone and he knows when a distraction is arising. In this case, this distraction we are talking about is Brenna. The Briar hockey coach's daughter, the off limits gal who should know better than to mess with her school's rival. But hey, you know what they say about the foribdden? It's too dam delicious to pass out on.

➳Once the touching begins, and the teasing still is at play for the "fake" portion of the relationship, Brenna and Jake learn that their "relationship" is one that they have never been able to feel or understand with their previous partners. This one of a kind relationship is what makes Jake crave her touch and her affection and attention towards him, and it is also the one thing that makes Brenna question what she is doing due to her past relationship with a former boyfriend from were she is originally from. Her past is always there to haunt her, asking and chasing her for the bad, and thankfully Jake and her father are there to prevent any sort of emotional damage from happening. Jake knows that this protective side he suddenly has towards her is due to the affection he slowly begins to have towards Brenna;

"Damn, she smells so good. I breathe in the scent of her shamppo, sweet with a mere trace of spice. Which is funny, because Brenna is the exact opposite-- spicy, with a hint of sweetness. I like the spice, though. I like it a lot..."

➳A lot can be said about characters that have that emotional past that prevents them from moving forward with their lives. Brenna is that strong individual that portrays that in a way that you find compassion towards her. But she also hides that inner innocence of needing someone to protect her and defend her. She needs no man in her life to demonstrate how strong she is but having Jake by her side is the one thing she slowly learns how to open her heart and let him in, even if it's difficult for her to admit those feelings that bloom for Jake.



➳Overall, Elle has created another novel that brings the life of the Briar boys to a whole new technicolor point of view. I laughed, I shed a few tears, and I lusted over Jake. But most importantly, I truly did enjoy that witty banter between him and Brenna that will have you wanting more of their story. Elle already has the third installment in the works called The Play and I think I may have an idea as to whom it may be about? But I am not one hundred percent sure. We just have to wait and see...

➳ARC kindly provided by the publicist in exchange for an honest review...

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[Tara · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book COMPLETELY lived up to all my expectations. Jake and Brenna are my new faves and this book has become my fave of the series. I swear I was grinning so stupidly during this entire book and all their scenes at the cuteness and the banter, it was all A+++++, I wish I could give it 10 stars tbh

ps: also I have to believe the next book is gonna be Hunter’s book. The only girl I can think of possibly as his love interest that was in this book is Hazel? It would make it an all Briar book again.... or it could also just be a new girl, idk I’m up for either

—————————————————————-
Feb 2019, ugh whyyyyy so long away?!???? god I so hope this book is about Brenna and Jake

UPDATE: IT’S JAKE AND IT’S FAKE DATING AND ENEMIES TO LOVERS, YESSSSSSSSSSSS

[nick (the infinite limits of love) · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am bummed to only be giving this book 3 stars. While I was reading the first book in Elle Kennedy's spinoff series, I was just dying to read Brenna and Jake's book. So, I eagerly awaited the release of The Risk. While I enjoyed the book overall, it wasn't exactly the hit that I was hoping for.

It's hard for me to describe why this one didn't work as well as I thought it would for me because there wasn't anything inherently wrong with the book. In fact, Kennedy's writing remains top-notch, and she writes characters who are engaging enough that I was able to finish the book. I hyped this book up a lot for myself and I kept craving more intensity from these characters. I liked both Brenna and Jake individually. Brenna, especially, was a great girl with a good head on her shoulders. Her storyline was interesting enough, especially with her trying to get an internship at a company with a sexist prick of a boss. She was very passionate about hockey and was willing to suffer through almost anything to achieve her dreams. Brenna's storyline with her father was also one I really liked. I almost shed a tear or two when it came to them. Jake was a bit harder to warm up to because I couldn't quite get a strong feel for his character. I don't think I enjoyed him as much as I thought I would, but he was decent enough. The guy was equally passionate about his game of hockey and he was a good teammate.



From the vibes that these two gave in The Chase, I was sure that this book would have some strong and epic hate-to-love/forbidden-love vibes. Then the actual summary of the book promised fake-dating. Those are all tropes that I am especially obsessed with. However, I didn't think The Risk did a good job with these tropes. In fact, all those vibes actually went away fairly quickly. This brings me to why this book wasn't exactly what I expected. I wanted so much more from this romance. I felt like it was very muted if that makes any sense. Brenna and Jake had so much potential, but their relationship didn't live up to it for me. I wanted more intensity, more chemistry, more sexiness. I just wanted more. I also found myself being very frustrated with some of the side characters' stories, especially Hollis and Rupi's one. It was so over the top and irritating. I just felt out of place in this book.

Anyways, I'm sad that The Risk didn't live up to my expectations, but I'm certainly in the minority. I hope those of you who read it end up loving it!

[Marianna Moore · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5⭐️ I DEVOURED this book oh my god. I am LIVING for Jake and brenna. Brenna is such a baddie and I love that for her, i actually want to be her when I grow up. I loved her story and relationship development with Jake, the two of them are just so hot it’s overwhelming. My body didn’t know how to handle them I could not STOP SCREAMING AND GIGGLING!! THE TENSIONNNNNNNNN!!!!! Don’t even get me started on Jake Connelly. I love this man. I love this man. I need him. I need him real bad.

God. EK ate and left no crumbs with this one

[Carol [Goodreads Addict] · Rating 5 out of 5]

RATING 4.5 STARS

The Risk is book two in the Briar U series by Elle Kennedy. We first met Brenna in the first book as she and Summer met and became close friends. I really liked her in that book but I love her in this one. She’s tough, snarky, and determined to succeed.



Brenna Jensen is the daughter of the hockey coach at Briar University. Her life has always revolved around hockey and she loves the sport. She loves everything about it. That is why she is majoring in sports journalism and is in her junior year. She met Jake Connelly in the first book and they started right out from the start with a bit of a contentious relationship. Brenna is applying for an intern position with a major sports news channel based in Boston. The man interviewing her doesn’t feel like women belong in the sports news business but he is also a huge fan of Jake’s. Before she could stop the words from coming out of her mouth, she told him that Jake was her boyfriend, thinking it might help her to get the internship. So now she has to convince Jake to be her fake boyfriend.



Jake Connelly is captain of Harvard’s hockey team. He is a senior and has already signed on to a professional team in Edmonton, Canada after graduation. Jake, like any of the hockey players, has no problem with getting women. But he has no interest in a relationship. His focus is always hockey. But, there is something about Brenna. She couldn’t be more off limits. Briar U’s team is Harvard’s rival. She’s the coach’s daughter. She’s definitely trouble. So why can’t he stop thinking about her? When she comes to him asking him to pose as her fake boyfriend, he agrees, with a stipulation. For every fake date, he gets a real one!



As Jake and Brenna begin to spend time together, they are both surprised to find that they actually enjoy each other’s company. It’s obvious that there is something there, something worth exploring. Their bond grows stronger, trust is beginning to form, and Jake proves to Brenna the sort of man he really is, a man that can be there for her when she needs him. Secrets are shared, and real feelings come in to play. But is it enough? Their teams are rivals. Their friends are enemies. And Jake is graduating and moving away. Brenna has one year left.



I actually loved this one more than the first one. I loved Brenna and Jake together. I have to say that it has one of the most intense hockey games I’ve ever read! I was literally chewing my fingers down to nubs! It’s a miracle I can still type this review! My one and only complaint is the ending. Although of course, we get our happy ending. It just sort of stopped. I really needed a bit more. I love epilogues and it would have left me with a much better sense of closure if we could have gotten a glimpse into how the future played out for these two. With that being said, I really enjoyed this. I felt like both of these two were mature and well grounded and were just perfect for each other. So if you enjoy hockey romance with fantastic characters, this book is most definitely for you.

For more about this book and so many more, come and visit me at Carol's Crazy Bookish World.
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[Gaia · Rating 3 out of 5]

As a big fan of Off Campus, I was looking forward to Briar U ever since it was announced. Sadly, I found the first book to be not on the same level as the main series. However, the little Brenna/Jake hints from The Chase really made me interested in this second installment.
The Risk was still... not as good as I hoped. It's not about the main relationship, which was pretty solid (not the Greatest but also way nicer than how Summer and Fitzy ended up).
The things I disliked are actually all little stuff around the main couple. I'm starting to think I might be too picky for NA romances...

I'm gonna make a list of them and halfway through I realized it just turned into a rant I'm sorry...



1. Brenna was the character that I loved the most in The Chase already. She is still badass and I loved how she always challenges herself to keep trying to make her dream come true even though it's a constant fight against those who think all things related to sports are a field for men only. However she kinda fell too often in the "I'm not like the other girls" narrative. Both in the way she refers to herself and in the way Jake sees her. Why can't it be "she likes this thing" instead of it being "everyone likes that thing but she likes this one instead". I'm honestly tired of seeing characters shine over the general population for liking something else. Everyone has different preferences, it's normal and it doesn't have to involve making somebody else who likes something Mainstream look bad (especially when the contrast is between The Other Girls who like Girly and Feminine stuff and the main character who's tough and doesn't mind getting their hands dirty or whatever). I'm sorry this point is so long it just annoys me...

2. The Hollis/Rupi situation. There was nothing cute about them. Summer gave out his number without asking him and didn't tell him about it after, the whole thing walked a thin line between too interested-a bit stalkerish... they just kept making fun of Hollis and even Hollis ended up liking this girl but uh it just felt so weird and uncomfortable???

3. The Eric thing. Did Brenna do the right thing by breaking up with him? Yes. Yes she absolutely did and none of what he's done after that is her fault. But the dude is a drug addict and no one else cares?? We don't know what happens to him?? He's just described as hopeless the whole time?? It made me super sad.

4. The Let's Keep It a Secret for No Good Reason trope. I get not telling the teammates, her father or whoever. But Brenna not telling Summer just because "she would just tell Fitz" makes it sound like Summer is a terrible friend and, as far as I remember, she was not.

5. Not to mention how this book just felt like a whole repetition of past tropes. In fact, it was a lot like a lesser copy of my favourites (Dean and Allie)...



I feel like I'm being so harsh on this book. I have decided I'm gonna try and take NA romances more lightly after this... if I find an hidden gem I'll be happy, otherwise I'll just read to have a good time... hopefully...

One thing Elle Kennedy definitely knows how to do is make me anticipate her next novels... I thought I was tired of hockey but where's my Hunter book uh?? Catch me adding book 3 to my tbr right now
-----
(August 9, 2018)

*slides a shiny €2 coin to elle kennedy*
can you confirm this book is about brenna and jake, i promise to keep it a secret

[Larissa Cambusano · Rating 4 out of 5]

okay, idk how well i’ll be able to articulate my words because im still in a state of shock over how much i loved this book. Breanna Jensen is my favorite female MC EVER. she’s the baddest, the most confident, feminist, sassy, sarcastic queen and I loved every second of her in this book. Now Jake Connelly.. I have no words. truly. no words. he matched her EXACT energy & he DID NOT DISAPPOINT. He’s only not my #1 because that spot is reserved for Garrett Graham & no one will ever beat G, it’s impossible… but god damn Connelly is a close second. I loved every single second of this book. Yes YES YES!

[Corina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Oh boy was I excited to read THE RISK. After meeting Brenna and Jake Connelly in The Chase I knew their story would be one of my most anticipated books of 2019.

The Risk started a little slow for me, but in the end it had EVERYTHING I love in a New Adult/College/Sports romance – just look at all these fabulous tropes. All my favorite tropes wrapped in one book.

At this point I can also confess that the novels in Briar U so far are my most favorite of all Elle Kennedy books, besides Him & US of course.

The forbidden aspect of Brenna and Jake’s love story totally worked for me, and I must say that Jake was all kinds of YUMMY!!! That boy was almost the most perfect boyfriend possible. I loved how he pushed Brenna’s buttons, but never overdid it, and always had an amazing insight into her personality. They really clicked.

Brenna was as feisty and spunky as I remembered her. Her confidence was a highlight of this book. There were a couple situations I wished she would have gone all out, but in the end she was true to herself. And I loved her for that. And going for what she wanted – Jake – really made my day.

In the end The Risk was a great addition to the Briar U series – and delivered in every way I hoped it would. I had tons of fun, LOLed many times, and just enjoyed reading a college sports romance that checked all my boxes.

I actually need more books like The Risk. More college romances with women that have fun, are spunky and just interesting in an unique way. And having guys like Jake by their sides doesn’t hurt. He was the epitome of a book boyfriend and I can’t wait to see what the author comes up with next.


___________________________________
I received a copy of this book from the publisher for free in exchange for an honest review. My opinions have not been influenced by the publisher or the author.

[vee! · Rating 4 out of 5]

get you a man who climbs up the drainpipe for you, who loves physical touch so much he needs to keep touching you, who keeps thinking about kissing you, who can’t wait to hear your voice again, who has your phone number memorized and who gives you his good luck charm 💕💗🩷💘💞

if you don’t love brenna just as much, we can’t be friends. there’s nothing to say but that she is absolutely badass. in the future whenever i’m talking to a guy i will be channeling my inner brenna jensen 💅🏻

kinda felt bad for hazel don’t care abt her tho

[vee · Rating 3 out of 5]

(3 1/2)

’But whatever. It is what is. That’s my attitude about most things. Can’t change the past, don’t cry over the present, don’t stress about the future. It’s all pointless, especially regret.’

’but as my father likes to say, hope is for fools. Work hard and make your own dreams come true, he always harps, and then you won’t have to hope for a damn thing’

”What about hockey?” I joke weakly.
“Hockey is a game. You’re my life.”

𝙰𝚗𝚢𝚠𝚊𝚢𝚜𝙨, 𝚜𝚎𝚎𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚊𝚜 𝚒 𝚍𝚘𝚗𝚝 𝚔𝚗𝚘𝚠 𝚜𝚑𝚒𝚝 𝚋𝚘𝚞𝚝 𝚑𝚘𝚌𝚔𝚎𝚢, 𝚒 𝚍𝚒𝚍 𝚜𝚔𝚒𝚖𝚖𝚎𝚍 𝚜𝚘𝚖𝚎. 𝘽𝙧𝙚𝙣𝙣𝙖+𝙅𝙖𝙠𝙚'𝚜 𝚌𝚑𝚎𝚖𝚒𝚜𝚝𝚛𝚢 𝚠𝚊𝚜 𝙛𝙞𝙧𝙚 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝙃𝙤𝙡𝙡𝙞𝙨+𝙍𝙪𝙥𝙞 𝙙𝚎𝚜𝚎𝚛𝚟𝚎𝚜 𝚝𝚘 𝚑𝚊𝚟𝚎 𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚒𝚛 𝚘𝚠𝚗 𝙘𝙪𝙩𝙚-𝙖𝙨𝙨 𝙣𝙤𝙫𝙚𝙡𝙡𝙖. 𝙾𝚟𝚎𝚛𝚊𝚕𝚕 𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚜 𝚍𝚒𝚍 𝚖𝚊𝚗𝚊𝚐𝚎𝚍 𝚝𝚘 𝚐𝚎𝚝 𝚖𝚎 𝙤𝙪𝙩𝙩𝙖 𝚖𝚢 𝚜𝚕𝚞𝚖𝚙 (𝙞 𝙝𝙤𝙥𝙚 𝙨𝙤), 𝙣𝙤𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙙𝙧𝙖𝙜𝙜𝙚𝙙 𝙤𝙧 𝙜𝙤𝙩 𝚋𝚘𝚛𝚒𝚗𝚐, 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝚠𝚑𝚒𝚕𝚎 𝚒 𝚏𝚎𝚕𝚝 𝚕𝚒𝚔𝚎 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚋𝚘𝚘𝚔 𝚒𝚝𝚜𝚎𝚕𝚏 𝙡𝙖𝙘𝙠𝙨 𝙛𝙡𝙖𝙫𝙤𝙧, 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙝𝙖𝙨 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙥𝙤𝙩𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙞𝙖𝙡 𝙩𝙤 𝙗𝙚 𝙢𝙤𝙧𝙚, 𝚝'𝚠𝚊𝚜 𝚜𝚝𝚒𝚕𝚕 𝚎𝚗𝚓𝚘𝚢𝚊𝚋𝚕𝚎

[Patty ~ Wrapped Up In Reading Book Blog · Rating 4 out of 5]

*****4.5 STARS*****
{ARC Generously Provided by Author}



The second installment of the ”Briar U” series is a sexy and hilarious enemies-to-lovers romance. I happened to enjoy ”THE RISK” a lot more than the first book. The chemistry between Jake and Brenna was scorching hot. The sarcastic banter between them was entertaining and I think the forbidden romance angle spiced up their romance even more. Brenna's dad is the coach of Briar U's Hockey team and Jake is the captain of the Harvard hockey team. They should be sworn enemies to the end but they’re absolutely perfect for each other.




Brenna is a beautiful, intelligent and confident woman, who is focused on her future and doesn’t want to get involved in any romantic entanglements. She has most guys wrapped around her finger but she never tries to lead them on. She may come off as being tough as nails but inside she has the biggest and most compassionate heart. She’s made some huge mistakes during her teenage years but has been able to successfully turn her life around. Brenna guards her heart with a fierceness.




Jake is less than a year away from his NHL career. He lives and breathes hockey and doesn’t let anything get in the way of his goals. He’s close with his parents and has been best friends with a girl since they were in grade school. There isn’t anything he wouldn’t do for a friend. He may come off cocky but is such a good guy that he never appears to be douchey. There hasn’t been a woman yet that has been able to steal his heart. But when Brenna comes to him for a favor, it’s like a switch goes off inside him that has him wanting to get closer to her.




When Jake promises to be Brenna’s fake boyfriend in order to impress a potential boss, his only request is that she go out on a real date with him in return. These two have intense physical chemistry and they’ll soon learn that one taste is not even close to being enough.



Can two commitment-phobe people make a real relationship work?



Here are my overall ratings:

Hero: 5
Heroine: 4.5
Plot: 4
Angst: 4
Steam: 4.5
Chemistry Between Hero & Heroine: 5



THE RISK releases on February 18th!


Amazon: https://amzn.to/2RQoB9y
iBooks - http://geni.us/TRiB
Kobo - http://geni.us/TRKobo
Nook - http://geni.us/TRNook

[❥ KAT ❥ Kitty Kats Crazy About Books · Rating 4 out of 5]

’THE RISK’ is the second full length romance novel in Elle Kennedy’s ‘Briar U' which are a series of interconnected stand-alones. Spoken in 'Dual Perspectives'

Brenna Jensen is the daughter of Chad who is Briar Hockey Team's coach and Summer's best friend who we met in THE CHASE. She doesn't let many people in, she's tough as nails, sassy, sexy and smart with a take no shit attitude. So to see her connection developing with Jake the captain and the star hockey player at Harvard University, which we met briefly in THE CHASE I couldn't wait to see how this would play out. Harvard and Briar are rivals with that being said, these two together should've been a no go area. Her father would skin her alive if she ever dated the enemy, and Jake is definitely the enemy!!

Straight off the bat these two are at loggerheads, the banter is steamy, it's funny, and you know it's going to lead to them straight to the bedroom.

"Want to make out some more before we go?"
Jake's tone is boyishly hopeful.
"Nope."
His gaze turns devilish
"How about a blowjob?"
Aw, I appreciate the offer, but I don't have a penis.

Jake Connelly doesn't do girlfriends, though he does have a revolving door into his bedroom, other than getting off his main priority is Hockey, he lives and breathes it, he's the IT man on the ice. He's arrogant, knows what he wants in life and nothing is going to get in his way of getting there.

He doesn't do distractions and he think girls and partying are a huge distraction so puts the team on lock down and to make some sacrifices until they make it to the finals. But things don't always go to plan.

Brianna has always wanted to become a sports journalist but with it being dominated by the male gender it's going to be hard getting her foot in the door. She's majoring in Broadcasting and Journalism at Briar.

This was one of my most highly anticipated books for 2019, the slight forbidden aspect of it had me gasping to get my hands on it. Forbidden to date a hockey player from an opposing team, add to the equation Brenna hiding her new relationship from her father this all made for an angsty read of goodness. For me it was a slow burn, it only really started to pick up at the half way mark, which made it slow to ignite, but once these two gave into their attraction it ignited off the pages and I found myself rooting for these two.

     

[EmBibliophile · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars



Those college sports romance books are so addictive! This one was so good and really enjoyable. Elle Kennedy’s sports romances are always so entertaining and fun to read.

Brenna and Jake are my favorite couple in this series! And I know that it’s only the second book, still I’m sure they will remain my favorite! There chemistry was undeniable. Their banters were so fun and entertaining. I loved how these two were so equal and compatible. They were so undeniably perfect. Brenna is feisty strong and so damn confident. I admired her a lot. Jake was so perfect, I couldn’t help but love him. The enemies to lovers aspect in this book was done so well! The tension, the back and forth, the banters, and their Pickering. All of that made it such an enjoyable fun read.

Song recommendation:
Blow your mind by Dua Lipa
Let me love you by DJ snake ft. Justin Bieber
Particular taste by Shawn Mendes

[꩜ marti 🕷️ · Rating 4 out of 5]

★ . . . four stars .ᐟ

ʚɞ ⊹₊ “friends who say "i love you" every time you break up are important. they are the ones you need in your life."

[Lana ❇✾DG Romance❇✾ · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 STARS

It’s official. I’m hot for this girl.

Reading an Elle Kennedy book is like eating your favorite ice cream; it's a sweet treat that feels slightly naughty and you just love every minute of it. So what can I tell you about The Risk? I loved it! It was enemies to lovers goodness that I devoured from start to finish with a goofy smily on my face the entire time!

Ever since Jake and Brenna immediately caught my attention the second they appeared on the pages of The Chase. I love me a sassy heroine, and boy does Brenna tick all the boxes for me. It's not often you read a perfectly endearing bad girl that oozes self confidence, has a razor sharp with, and doesn't shy away from being a ball buster when necessary. Suffice it to say, I LOVED Brenna. She's not perfect by any means, but she's funny, is comfortable in her own skin, and has no problem speaking her mind. This is also how she finally gets on Jake's radar.

Jake is the captain of the rival hockey team in Harvard. And when Brenna proves to be a distraction to one of his teammates, he's not shy about warning her off. But no one tells Brenna what to do, so the only thing it accomplishes is stocking a fire that soon threatens to consume them both.

Jake is a bad boy in his own right. He's on the path to the pros and nothing and no one will stop him. He doesn't do relationships and he doesn't do repeats. He has no time for the distraction that a woman can bring. He certainly doesn't see Brenna coming, but boy does she leave an impression. And once she's on his radar, he can't stop thinking about her.

This was a slow burn to beat all slow burn. The delicious push and pull between these two was EVERYTHING. Their banter and chemistry was like a fire that just burned hotter and hotter with each chapter.

Want to make out some more before we go?” Jake’s tone is boyishly hopeful.
“Nope.”
His gaze turns devilish. “How about a blowjob?”
“Aw, I appreciate the offer, but I don’t have a penis.”

There were the secondary characters that I've come to love; and I'm seriously hoping we get Hunter's book next. But the two that really stole the show for me here were Rupi and Hollis. Of all the hysterical and dysfunctional relationships, this one took the cake. And oh my god, I couldn't get enough of these two. They were absolutely nuts.

And while you get the funny and sexy, there's also a good dose of serious here. There's some things in Brenna's past that continue to haunt her present, and I really loved the way that Elle Kennedy handled this particular subject matter. There's also a really uncomfortable but honest look at gender inequality and misogyny that I wished we got a more satisfying conclusion for, but alas, that's not how life works. So I suppose I'll be happy with what we got.

Ultimately, The Risk was a fantastic second installment in another addicting NA series from one of my favorite authors. It was a perfect enemies to lovers romance with a slow burn and plenty of laughs. It had wonderful secondary characters and perfectly developed and multilayered main characters. I loved both Jake and Brenna and I especially loved seeing their growth throughout the book. A must read for any sports and hockey romance fans out there!

ARC courtesy of author in exchange for an honest review

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[h o l l i s · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really thought the lowest I would ever go on a Kennedy read, particularly for Off Campus/Briar U books, would be a three. I thought THE MISTAKE would be that one outlier for me. But then THE RISK happened..

I mean, there was nothing awful or terrible to endure. Nothing that aggravated or annoyed me or even frustrated me. But I think that was the problem. I just didn't feel.. anything. Neither character felt particularly layered or interesting. Nor did I feel much chemistry between these two -- but I did like their banter. Overall, the events played out fairly predictably (which is not necessarily a bad thing, and certainly not in this case, just, y'know, saying it). And, travesty, there was really only one hot and heavy scene that actually registered as hot.

Conversely I felt some of the background noise from the usual suspects was kind of.. OTT? Hollis' plot in particular. I don't know if Rupi was an attempt to bring a little Summer-esque extra-ness into this follow up story but it didn't land. I thought Summer was charming as hell in her book whereas Rupi was just annoying. Another new addition to the world, Hazel, was.. I hate to again say predictable but in this case I do mean it negatively. I wish that little element hadn't been a thing. So I guess maybe there was one thing that annoyed me. But more in a 'aw man y tho' kind of way. My last little complaint was all the Dad drama. That got tired wayyyy before it got dealt with but I did love how it resolved, so. Sorta worth it.

Anyway, long rambling vague-ness cut short, I'm sure this is going to satisfy many readers, particularly fans, who love returning to this campus and these characters. And that's great, no shade, none. I personally just don't think this one really stands up to the greatness that has come before. But I'm definitely here for more.

Oh, and the best line was this one, hands down :

It's Saturday morning and my phone screen is currently displaying the most shockingly unexpected news since that Toronto player Ryan Wesley announced to the world he was gay.

I love these little throwaways! ps I'm rereading you soon, baby, soon.


** I received an ARC from the author (thank you!) in exchange for an honest review. **

[Jen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This 2nd book in the Briar U series had me in stitches more than a few times! I absolutely love how the hockey team’s players are such great friends and they all have each other’s back!
In this story Jake is from the “enemy “ team, where as Brenna is the coach’s daughter from Briar U’s team! They keep their hook up from everyone but when major feelings begin to develop they aren’t sure what to do!

I loved this couple together! They had amazing chemistry!!! My only complaint was that I would have liked more of an extended epilogue to get to see more of their relationship together!

[MELISSA *Mel Reader* · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 Stars!
(ARC provided by author)



Brenna Jensen lives in the small college town of Hastings where she attends Briar University. They are known for their hockey, and she's the daughter of Briar's head hockey coach. She's bold, fierce, and has a tough, bad girl reputation for not caring much what people think of her. She's confident, feisty, and beautiful, and is extremely selective about who she gives her time to. Lately she keeps running into a gorgeous, arrogant hockey player from Harvard named Jake who knows just how to get under her skin and annoy her. They clash and sparks fly every time they are in the vicinity of one another. He's a notorious player and a phenomenal athlete who's too cocky for his own good.



Jake Connelly lives in Cambridge, and is the captain of the Harvard hockey team. His dream of becoming a professional hockey player is about to come true. He's a star destined for greatness, and already has an NHL contract lined up when he graduates. He has to stay focused on the game, and doesn't have time for distractions. This includes a stunning brunette that drives him crazy. Brenna is one of the hottest women he's ever laid eyes on. He's intrigued with her and can't deny their mutual attraction. When she suddenly needs a huge favor he doesn't make things easy on her. She needs him to pretend to be her fake boyfriend for a little while, and in return he wants a real date.



-"You're goddamn beautiful."

-"Just tell me what you really want."

-"I want to kiss you."

-Jake brings my head forward and slants his lips over mine, and it's the kind of kiss that's been missing from my life for so long.

-I hate how much he affects me.

-Chemistry is hard to find and even harder to fight.



As Brenna & Jake spend more time together it's becoming difficult to resist him. Harvard is Briar's biggest rival, and her father and friends would freak out if they knew they were sneaking around together. She couldn't fall for a player on their rival team, but fate was cruel because soon he's all she thinks about. He makes her feel too vulnerable, and when he touches her, her will power dissolves completely. He's absolutely irresistible! Their chemistry is undeniable, but it's the emotional connection that surprises them both. There's definitely something between them, and Jake wants to see where it goes. It's official, he wants Brenna to be his.

I adored this book and love this series! The Risk (Briar U #2) is a sexy standalone in Elle Kennedy's latest hockey series. It's a steamy enemies to lovers romance full of hilarious banter and red hot rivalries.



***NOW AVAILABLE***
https://amzn.to/2Pf5N32

[Alienor ✘ French Frowner ✘ · Rating 1 out of 5]

If you follow me, you might have noticed that my feed has been littered with a lot of romance novels lately. The reason why is pretty straight-forward: when I’m tired or when my ADHD is acting up (let’s face it, it’s usually both), romance is my go-to genre. There’s just something so calming and smile-inducing in good romance novels, it’s like catnip when I’m running on three (okay, two) hours of sleep. Now what I want to know is how the fuck books like The Risk dare ruin my carefully-nurtured good mood. Seriously. How dare. To this day I still have a hard time figuring out why Elle Kennedy is so damn popular when her books are so fucking generic and boring that they make me want to put on headphones and sing

🎤Shut up I do not care

How in the world am I supposed to root for two characters who share no chemistry whatsoever and who keep describing every random event of their lives as if it was their personal job to put me to sleep? I do not know. Why should I care for them when despite selling themselves as "different" (nope) and even "feminist" (double nope), their number one descriptor is the fact that they’re very, very, very hot? My god. It's so fucking boring and I can’t do this. DNF 39%, not recommended.

For more of my reviews, please visit:

[➦Paulette & Her Sexy Alphas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Title: ➳ ❤The Risk

Series ➳ Briar U 2#
Author: ➳ Elle Kennedy

Published February 18th 2019
⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐
💖💖💖💖💖+


ღ I can honestly say that in my personal opinion Elle Kennedy redeemed herself in my eyes, Cuz I really enjoy the 1st book in this series as I did this one

What can I say these books keep getting better & better, of course I finish this one & I’m ready to dive into the next one right away… that’s just how good this one was!!!! I know I’m late to crave of this series, but good news, I can jump into the next book right away

We met Brenna Jensen in (The Chase ) as you know she is the coach of Briar U's hockey team's daughter. She just loves her jocks hot & sweaty, but she shouldn’t be doing is –Sleep with the with the enemy (Jake Connelly) from their rivals’ team …

Jake Connelly is Harvard's team captain & Briar is one of their biggest rivals.
I could tell you so much more about this book & series , but I think this one of those moments where less is more⬇

What more can I say I love enemies-to-lovers romance! I believe mostly cuz they are sexy & hilarious! These two just fix together, the chemistry between Jake & Brenna was over the top sexy

Omg the back stories in this one was just amazing….. I laugh so hard with Jake & Brenna I thought that I was going peep myself, I also cried so hard with this one…..

I got glimpse the next book & whom it entails….Yes I want to know more about Hunter Davenport, but I was really hoping & 🙏🙏 Mike Hollis book would come soon… I don’t think that I’ll get that luck
--------Enjoy ----------------------------

Briar U Series

The Chase (Summer & Fitz’s book)
The Risk (Brenna & Jake’s book)
The Play (Demi & Hunter’s book)

Important Note⬇

📚 Hope you enjoy this read & also always keep in mind this is just my opinion+ Also I wouldn’t never discourage anyone from reading this book, This is my honest, voluntary review.
Happy Reading ----------- Paulette thoughts




I highly recommend it to everyone. ♥️

[Rachel L · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars!

I ENJOYED THIS SO MUCH MORE THAN THE FIRST BOOK IN THIS SERIES!

^^Sorry, I had to get that out.

This is the story of Jake and Brenna, the star hockey player for Harvard and the daughter of the enemies coach. Their romance is forbidden because of a huge rivalry, but there's something between them that cannot be denied.

The Risk is the Elle Kennedy we know and love back again. Even though The Chase was not a win for me, Jake and Brenna were introduced in that story and I was always intrigued by the chemistry between them. I am so glad they got their own book because it was so much fun to read. Filled with banter, sass, chemistry and some serious flames, this was the book to help break me out of my reading slump.

ARC provided by the author.


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[Geri Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars



Content & Trigger warning: miscarriage, drug use

The Risk proves that no matter how many times a trope has been done to death, at the hands of a skilled writer, it will still feel fresh and new every single time. This book is Elle Kennedy in her element.

The Risk is Brenna and Jake's book. It's part forbidden love and part fake dating trope. Jake Connelly is the captain of the rival hockey team while Brenna is the coach's daughter of Briar U hockey. The moment these two met in The Chase, there's no doubt in our minds that they'll get together. The only question is when & how?

Well, Elle Kennedy gave us the when & how in this book and I really enjoyed the heck out of it.

Jake and Brenna's chemistry is sizzling hot. These two set the pages on fire. And what I liked aside from the attraction they had is the humor and the banter between them. Banter is where Kennedy truly shines. And in The Risk, she outdid herself. The dialogue between Brenna and Jake was simply delicious. I found myself laughing out loud at their repartee. It's cute & funny & most of all, they talk like witty college kids.

But the volley of wits and humor isn't confined between Jake and Brenna but to the secondary characters as well. This isn't a long book but somehow, the author managed to give all the secondary characters personalities that makes you want to know more about them. Every character interaction served to further the plot and the characters' development.

One of the standout secondary characters was Coach Jensen. He's been in the books since the Off Campus but we never really got to know him outside his hardass coach persona. Here we get a glimpse of who he is and his relationship with Brenna plays a crucial role to the story.

Another standout is a new character that could have easily gone so wrong & would send readers into major apoplexy but for me, this character's addition worked.

There are other characters that I won't get into because their roles aren't really significant but they provided levity and humor to the story. And man, levity is much needed in this book. There were some really hard to read moments. Hard to read not because they're badly written but because they're very real and serious issues. I personally liked how Kennedy handled it. It wasn't trivialized but it didn't overwhelm the romance either.

And the romance was aces! I appreciated how the relationship between Jake and Brenna progressed. I know I complain about the romance being told instead of shown. This book didn't have that problem.

The Risk is far from perfect though. There were some personal pet peeves that I still found irritating but there was just so much goodness in this book that I could really ignore those minor irritants.

So do I recommend this? YES, I DO! Even if you didn't like The Chase, which I wasn't too crazy about either, I reckon you guys would like and even love this book. It's just better plotted, well paced with better characters overall. Jake and Brenna are definitely one of my faves up there with the Garrett-Hannah and Dean-Ally pairing.

ARC provided by the author

[Em Lost In Books · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well this was fun, very similar to The Deal and The Score.

[Megan✦❋Steamy Reads Blog❋✦ · Rating 5 out of 5]

In my opinion, no one writes a sports romance as impeccable as Elle Kennedy. The Risk is Briar U’s second instalment and was everything I had hoped it would be and more. Elle’s writing is always right on point and written with such precision, passion, thought and creativity. I absolutely loved The Risk from start to finish… it was positively perfect.

Brenna is the coach of Briar U’s Hockey team’s daughter and she is such a fierce and sassy character and I knew I was going to be drawn to her almost instantly. Jake is the captain and star of Harvard University Hockey team and also happens to be one of Briar U’s most feared rivals.

When Brenna and Jake started the dating game it was all meant to be some harmless fun, but things start becoming complicated when intense feelings develop. To say that Brenna’s dad would be less than impressed if he found out about her dates with Jake would be a massive understatement.

I loved both Brenna and Jake together; their intense sexual attraction and chemistry was purely electrifying and I thrived on the anticipation of these two forbidden lovers overcoming the many hurdles that they would face. This sexy and steamy story was so hot I literally thought my kindle was going to spontaneously combust.

If you love your enemies to lovers and sports romances than definitely check out Kennedy’s newest release The Risk because it is sure to impress.

[Grace Quan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jake Connelly 💍❤️🔥🥵🤰🏻🧎🏻‍♀️🙇🏻‍♀️🫦🫦🔥🔥💍💍🥵🥵🔥

pre- re read: 💜🏒

Going back to my roots, I adore this series 😉

[Bryce Rocks My Socks · Rating 4 out of 5]

anyone who reads these books is at immediate risk of becoming a puck bunny