The Identity Crisis of The Risk: Which Book Are You Actually Reading?
If you walked into a bookstore asking for The Risk, you might find yourself in two very different worlds. One involves the sweaty, high-stakes adrenaline of college hockey at Briar University, and the other involves a serial killer on a revenge mission. The confusion between Elle Kennedy’s sports romance and S.T. Abby’s dark thriller has created a digital crossroads for readers. Today, we are focusing on the ice. Specifically, the relationship between Brenna Jensen and Jake Connelly.\n\nFor many, the original ending of the Briar U sequel felt a bit too 'clean.' While we love a Happy Ever After, the tension between a coach's daughter and the rival Harvard captain suggested a level of stakes that the final chapters didn't quite push to the limit. The 'Bad Girl' persona of Brenna, while charming, often felt more like a shield than a personality, leading to a climax that resolved the family drama a bit too conveniently. Read full discussion here.
The Blueprint: Why the Original Climax Left Fans Wanting More
In the published version of the story, the conflict centers on an internship and a forbidden romance. Jake is the ultimate 'Golden Boy'—arrogant, yes, but fundamentally good. Brenna is the 'Rebel' who isn't actually that rebellious. The strategic gap here is the lack of a true 'Dark Moment.' When their secret is revealed, the fallout is significant, but the resolution happens within a few scenes of emotional conversation.\n\nFans of the genre often crave the 'Grand Sacrifice.' We want to see the hero choose the girl over his legacy, or the heroine choose herself over the approval of her father in a way that feels irreversible. The following reimagining takes the core elements of the plot—the Harvard vs. Briar rivalry and Brenna’s broadcasting dreams—and injects a dose of high-octane emotional betrayal. We are taking the 'Risk' and making it a gamble that almost costs them everything.
The Alternate Scene: The Choice on the Ice
The air in the Boston Garden was thick with the scent of frozen water and the raw, electric energy of ten thousand screaming fans. It was the final game. Harvard versus Briar. The kind of game that defined careers, the kind of game that got a captain’s jersey retired to the rafters. He could feel the thrum of the blades beneath his boots, a vibration that resonated up through his marrow. Across the ice, the man in the opposing coach's box was staring a hole through him. He wasn't just a rival coach; he was her father.\n\nHe caught sight of her in the third row, tucked behind the glass. She wasn't wearing his jersey. She couldn't. She was wearing the colors of her family, her face a mask of practiced neutrality that he knew was a lie. Her eyes met his for a split second, and the world outside the rink vanished. There was no internship waiting for her if this went south. There was no forgiveness from the man who raised her if the Harvard captain was the one to shatter his championship dreams. The puck dropped, and the symphony of violence began.\n\nEvery hit felt personal. Every time a Crimson jersey collided with a Blue one, he felt the weight of their secret relationship pressing against his ribs like a cracked bone. The score was tied. Two minutes left on the clock. He had the puck on his stick, the open lane beckoning. He saw the Briar defenseman—her father’s star recruit—closing in. It was a clean hit, or it could be. He could take the shot, win the game, and cement his legacy. But he saw the way the man on the bench was leaning forward, his entire life’s work hanging on this single defensive play.\n\nIf he scored, he took her father’s legacy. If he missed, he was a traitor to his own team. The internal monologue was a deafening roar. He remembered her voice in the dark of his apartment, whispering about how she finally felt seen, not as a coach's daughter, but as a woman with her own voice. He knew that the producer from the sports network was in the VIP box, watching her reaction. If he humiliated her father on national television, she would be the one to pay the price. The 'Bad Girl' wouldn't just be rebellious anymore; she would be the enemy of the state in her own home.\n\nHe didn't slow down. He accelerated. But at the last microsecond, instead of the clinical, lethal wrist shot that had made him famous, he chose a different path. He forced a collision that sent him spiraling into the boards. The whistle blew. A penalty. The crowd erupted in a cacophony of confusion and rage. As he lay on the ice, the cold seeping into his shoulder, he looked up through the plexiglass. Her father looked relieved. But she—she looked devastated. She knew. She knew he had thrown the play for her. And that was the one thing her pride couldn't handle.\n\nIn the locker room afterward, the silence was more violent than the game. His teammates wouldn't look at him. The Harvard captain, the man who never missed, had faltered when it mattered most. He stripped off his gear, the weight of his own betrayal feeling like lead. When he stepped out into the hallway, she was there. She wasn't smiling. She didn't look like a girl who had been saved. She looked like a woman whose agency had been traded for a favor.\n\n'Why did you do it?' she asked, her voice low and sharp. 'I didn't ask you to be a martyr.' He stepped closer, the smell of sweat and ice still clinging to him. 'I didn't do it for you,' he lied, but they both knew the truth. 'I did it because I couldn't be the one to break your world.' She laughed, a bitter, hollow sound. 'My world was already broken the moment I fell for a Harvard man. You didn't save my father’s career, Jake. You just made me a debt he can never repay.'\n\nShe turned to leave, her heels clicking on the concrete floor. He reached out, grabbing her wrist, and pulled her into the shadow of the equipment room. The kiss was desperate, tasting of salt and regret. It wasn't the kiss of a hero and a heroine at the end of a movie. It was the kiss of two people who had realized that loyalty is a luxury they could no longer afford. 'I’m leaving for the NHL in two days,' he whispered against her lips. 'Come with me. Don't wait for the internship. Don't wait for his permission.'\n\nShe looked at him, her eyes shining with a fierce, terrifying intelligence. 'I’m not a trophy you get to take home after a loss,' she said. 'But I’ll be in the city. And I’ll be at the top of that network. When I interview you next season, make sure you don't miss again.' She walked away, leaving him in the dark. It wasn't the happy ending the fans expected, but it was the only one that felt real. They were rivals, they were traitors, and for the first time, they were equals.
The Deconstruction: Why This Ending Resonates with the Female Gaze
This reimagined ending addresses the core critique of the 'Not Like Other Girls' trope. By having Brenna reject the 'sacrifice' Jake made, we restore her agency. In the original text, the resolution feels gifted to her. In this version, she demands that Jake respect her enough to play his best, even if it hurts her father's career. This shifts the dynamic from a protective 'Alpha' hero to a partnership of equals where both are allowed to be ambitious and flawed.\n\nPsychologically, the 'Fix-It' ending satisfies the reader’s need for high stakes. The sports romance genre thrives on the 'Female Fantasy' of being chosen above all else, but it becomes more powerful when that choice has consequences. The fallout of a Harvard captain throwing a game is a narrative goldmine that explores the 'Dark' side of loyalty. It transforms the story from a simple campus romance into a complex study of power dynamics and professional integrity. For those who felt the original was a bit too light, this version offers the weight that the title implies. Explore the author's original vision here.
FAQ
1. Does The Risk by Elle Kennedy have a happy ending?
Yes, the original book ends with a Happy Ever After (HEA). Brenna lands her internship, and her father eventually accepts her relationship with Jake as he moves into his NHL career.
2. What is the difference between The Risk by Elle Kennedy and S.T. Abby?
Elle Kennedy's 'The Risk' is a college sports romance (hockey), while S.T. Abby's 'The Risk' is the first book in the Mindf*ck series, a dark romantic thriller about a serial killer seeking revenge.
3. Is Brenna Jensen a 'Not Like Other Girls' character?
Many readers critique Brenna for this trope because of her 'Bad Girl' persona in a male-dominated hockey world. However, her deep knowledge of the sport and professional ambitions provide more depth than a standard trope character.
4. Where can I read The Risk online for free?
While many search for free downloads, the book is available via legal subscription services like Kindle Unlimited. Be wary of PDF sites that may host pirated or malicious content.
References
goodreads.com — Goodreads: The Risk (Briar U, #2) by Elle Kennedy
ellekennedy.com — Official Elle Kennedy Website: The Risk
amazon.com — Amazon: The Risk - Briar U Book 2