The Risk is the first book in the Xtreme Heroes Series by Skye Jordan. I am such a sucker for sports romance stories, and I knew I had to read this book after reading the blurb. While this book was a bit predictable, it was a really good story and I enjoyed reading it. Noah and Julia were a great couple, and I liked seeing them both overcome their issues.
Julia Bailey is a former Olympic swimmer that turned physical therapist after suffering a career ending shoulder injury. After a scandal with a client though, she has been working at a home for the elderly rather than helping athletes with their rehabilitation like she loves. When a friend shows up telling her that he needs her help with a client, Julia is quick to say no. But soon she finds herself agreeing and sets out to help him out. Noah Hunt is a professional snowboarder that has been struggling to heal after an ankle injury. Having gone through three therapists already, he has decided to take his care into his own hands. But months after his injury he is getting nowhere and things are worse than ever. After first trying to get rid of Julia, he finds himself drawn to her and agrees to go along with her plan in order to keep her close by. Noah wants Julia as more than just his therapist, but she has no interest in getting personal with a client after her past. But the longer they are around one another, the more their feelings for one another grow. Can Julia and Noah find a way to have it all, or will the risk be too much?
I liked Julia and Noah. They both had moments where they frustrated me, but I thought that these two were really great together. Noah at first came off as a cocky jerk that thought he knew everything, but as we got to know him over the course of the book it was clear to see that there was so much more to him. He was great with children and loved giving back. He was a really good guy and I loved how much of a hard worker he was. He had not had it easy growing up, and yet his determination to succeed allowed him to accomplish more than most people ever do. Julia was the same. She had it all and then lost it, but instead of living off her name and reputation she worked hard and started over. She wanted to be successful based on her abilities and not off of her name. I really admired both characters and thought that they had a lot in common. I also loved the chemistry between them. They might have been different in a lot of ways, but they also just clicked really well together.
Overall, this was a quick and fun read. I liked Julia and Noah a lot and thought that they really cared about one another. Julia was committed to helping Noah not just heal, but also to have a healthy life down the road. She wanted to make sure that he didn't hurt himself and always gave it to him straight. I loved how supportive and encouraging she was with him. I also really liked Noah's friend Finn. I would love to get his story and get to know him better. He seemed like a really good guy as well, and I found him interesting. I would recommend this book to contemporary romance and sports romance fans. I think that a lot of readers will really enjoy the story and the characters. While this book might have been slow to develop the relationship between the two characters, the tension and attraction between them kept me turning the pages to find out what would happen next. I will look for more from Skye Jordan in the future, and look forward to more in her Xtreme Heroes series.
**ARC Provided by Author**
So can't wait to read this book. I just need to find time!!!
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