The Risk Taker by Elle Nicoll

The Risk Taker was such a great way to finish the Beaufort Billionaires series. I absolutely loved this book and it was a definite 5 star read for me. After following this series, I was really looking forward to seeing how everything would come together, and I definitely wasn't disappointed.

The story follows a woman who discovers her fiancé cheating on her on the day of her wedding. Rather than stick around and deal with the fallout, she runs halfway across the world to an off-the-grid retreat, hoping to escape the mess she's left behind.

It's there that she meets Woody, one of the instructors at the retreat. He's guarded, mysterious and clearly carrying a lot of emotional baggage. He spends his time hidden away carving driftwood sculptures and seems determined to keep everyone at arm's length. Of course, that becomes a little difficult when the chemistry between them is impossible to ignore.

What follows is a romance filled with secrets, tension and two people who are both running from something. The more she gets to know Woody, the more she realises there's so much more to him than the man he lets everyone see.

One of my favourite things about this book was Woody himself. On the surface, he's incredibly guarded and clearly doesn't want anyone getting too close, but underneath all of that is someone who has been through a lot and is struggling with his own demons.

I loved seeing those layers slowly peeled back throughout the story. Getting to know the real Woody and understanding why he had built so many walls around himself made his relationship with the heroine even more meaningful.

And the chemistry between these two? So good.

There was so much tension between them, and I loved the push and pull of their relationship. Woody constantly tries to keep her at a distance, while she is determined to get closer and see the man hiding underneath all those walls.

The spice level was also exactly what I wanted. 🔥 There was a great amount of spice throughout the book, but I really enjoyed that the emotional connection between the characters was just as important. The chemistry wasn't just physical, and I loved watching their relationship develop into something deeper.

I also really enjoyed the setting of this book. The off-the-grid retreat was such a different backdrop for the story and gave the romance a slightly different feel from the previous books in the series. It also worked perfectly with the idea of two people trying to escape their old lives and finding something unexpected in each other.

❤️ What I Liked

Woody: A fantastic hero. I loved getting to know the man behind the walls and seeing his softer, more vulnerable side.

The chemistry: So much tension between these two and I was completely invested in their relationship.

The spice: A great level of spice that definitely delivered. 🔥

The emotional depth: There was so much more to Woody's story than initially meets the eye, and I loved seeing everything slowly unfold.

The setting: The off-the-grid retreat was such a great setting for the story and made this book feel different from the previous books in the series.

The ending: A brilliant way to bring the Beaufort Billionaires series to a close.

⚠ Things to Keep in Mind

This is a spicy and emotional romance with plenty of tension throughout.

The story features a runaway bride, a very guarded hero, forced proximity, one bed, secrets, enemies-to-lovers elements and found family. There are also some heavier emotional themes surrounding Woody's past, so it's worth checking the content warnings if you prefer to know what to expect before starting.

✅ Would I Recommend It?

If you like:

• Billionaire romance

• Runaway brides

• Forced proximity

• One bed

• Guarded, grumpy heroes

• Enemies-to-lovers

• Lots of tension and chemistry

• Spicy romance with emotional depth

• Found family

Then I'd definitely recommend adding The Risk Taker to your TBR.

I would also recommend reading the other books in the Beaufort Billionaires series first. While this is a romance that focuses on its own couple, I think you'll get much more out of the story and the ending if you've followed the series from the beginning.

I absolutely loved this book and couldn't have asked for a better way to finish the Beaufort Billionaires series. Elle Nicoll has done such a great job with these books, and The Risk Taker was everything I wanted from the final instalment. It was spicy, emotional, full of tension and had a romance I couldn't get enough of.

I'm sad the series is over, but what a way to end it!

⭐ 5/5 for me