Breathless Ink » Ivy Years

The Year We Fell Down

becca — Tue, 14 Oct 2014 14:19:40 +0000

Title: The Year We Fell Down

Author: Sarina Bowen

Series: Ivy Years

Published by: Rennie Road Books

Date published: March 20, 2014

Genres: Contemporary, Sports

Book Length: 268 pages

Steam Rating: Steamy

Main Characters: Corey & Hartley

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“These two have a relationship that goes far beyond the physical. Far beyond sex. Corey and Hartley are the definition of soul mates at it’s very core and I happily award them the MFEO stamp of approval!” ~Becca

The sport she loves is out of reach. The boy she loves has someone else.

What now?

She expected to start Harkness College as a varsity ice hockey player. But a serious accident means that Corey Callahan will start school in a wheelchair instead.

Across the hall, in the other handicapped-accessible dorm room, lives the too-delicious-to-be real Adam Hartley, another would-be hockey star with his leg broken in two places. He’s way out of Corey’s league.

Also, he’s taken.

Nevertheless, an unlikely alliance blooms between Corey and Hartley in the “gimp ghetto” of McHerrin Hall. Over tequila, perilously balanced dining hall trays, and video games, the two cope with disappointments that nobody else understands.

They’re just friends, of course, until one night when things fall apart. Or fall together. All Corey knows is that she’s falling. Hard.

But will Hartley set aside his trophy girl to love someone as broken as Corey? If he won’t, she will need to find the courage to make a life for herself at Harkness — one which does not revolve around the sport she can no longer play, or the brown-eyed boy who’s afraid to love her back.

After reading The Understatement of the Year, I couldn’t wait to get my hands on the rest of the books in this series! I just totally fell in love with Sarina Bowen’s writing style and these characters.

The Year We Fell Down is an emotional roller coaster of a story. While the plot line has been done, friends to lovers, this one was definitely unique and fun! This is one of those books that is sort of hard to review without spoilers…but I’m going to give it my best shot!

From the blurb you know that Corey is in a wheelchair and can’t follow her dream of playing hockey. You also know that her next door neighbor in the “gimp” rooms is the super hot Hartley…who just happens to have a girlfriend.

These two bond and the friendship that blooms between them is inseparable. It’s uplifting. It’s strong. It’s absolutely 100% perfect…except for the longing. The want. Hartley’s trophy girl girlfriend is a total bitch…and the way their relationship is set up with her in Paris is absolutely mind boggling! I can’t believe that he lets himself be in a relationship like this…but I digress…

spoilers…all that jazz! Not going there!

So anyways, where was I? Oh yeah! Their friendship! Seeing these two grow and bond over their “gimpness” is sweet and emotional. I love that Hartley is so damn thoughtful…even though he does have his dumb jock moments that make me want to smack him upside the head! I mean come on man…you had to have known she would…

Crap! There I go again! Sorry rambling into ALMOST spoilers…

Okay back on track Becs!

Lets move on from their relationship a little so that I don’t spoil stuff for ya!

This book has one damn amazing story of not giving up. Of not letting go of your dreams and of reaching for what you want…even if it does seem impossible.

Corey is one of the strongest, most well developed female characters I have read in a long damn time. Just reading this book and seeing the story through her eyes made me realize how lucky I am…how many things I take for granted and how thankful I should be For that I want to say a HUGE thank you to Sarina Bowen!

Be prepared for a lot of tears. A lot of angst and struggles. Oh and I can’t forget to mention that you will need to be prepared for a shit ton of sexual tension! I mean…just damn! There aren’t a lot of ‘steamy’ sex scenes in this book…but honestly there didn’t need to be!

The scenes that are there are written beautifully and don’t feel forced. The characters are so real and so raw that any more would have ruined things. These two have a relationship that goes far beyond the physical. Far beyond sex. Corey and Hartley are the definition of soul mates at it’s very core and I happily award them the MFEO stamp of approval!

If you haven’t given this book…this series a chance yet, trust me, head on over to Amazon and pick it up like right now! No seriously…why are you still here?? Go NOW!

Check out the other books in the series

Sarina Bowen makes her home in the Green Mountains of Vermont, where she lives with her family, eight chickens and a large pile of skis and hockey equipment. She is a graduate of Yale University.

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What would you do if everything you wanted was taken from you? How would you handle loving someone that is with someone else?

The Understatement of the Year

becca — Mon, 13 Oct 2014 14:49:56 +0000

Title: The Understatement of the Year

Author: Sarina Bowen

Series: Ivy Years

Published by: Rennie Road Books

Date published: Sept. 29, 2014

Genres: LGBT, Contemporary, Sports

Book Length: 281 pages

Steam Rating: Steamy

Main Characters: Graham & Rikker

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“I cannot get over how well written this story was. It was so realistic, so raw and so emotional that once I got started reading it I just couldn’t stop.” ~Becca

What happened in high school stayed in high school. Until now.

Five years ago, Michael Graham betrayed the only person who ever really knew him. Since then, he’s made an art of hiding his sexuality from everyone. Including himself.

So it’s a shock when his past strolls right into the Harkness College locker room, sporting a bag of hockey gear and the same slow smile that had always rendered Graham defenseless. For Graham, there is only one possible reaction: total, debilitating panic. With one loose word, the team’s new left wing could destroy Graham’s life as he knows it.

John Rikker is stuck being the new guy. Again. And it’s worse than usual, because the media has latched onto the story of the only “out” player in Division One hockey. As the satellite trucks line the sidewalk outside the rink, his new teammates are not amused.

And one player in particular looks sick every time he enters the room.

Rikker didn’t exactly expect a warm welcome from Graham. But the guy won’t even meet his eyes. From the looks of it, his former… best friend / boyfriend / whatever isn’t doing so well. He drinks too much and can’t focus during practice.

Either the two loneliest guys on the team will self destruct from all the new pressures in their lives, or they can navigate the pain to find a way back to one another. To say that it won’t be easy is the Understatement of the Year.

THIS BOOK IS A STANDALONE. NO CLIFFHANGERS. NO PRIOR EXPERIENCE NECESSARY.

Warning: unlike the other books in this series, this heartbreaking love story is about two guys. Contains sexual situations, dance music, snarky t-shirts and a poker-playing grandmother.

This was only my second gay romance novel and I have to say that I adored it! I totally read this series all wrong and absolutely out of order…however, it really didn’t matter

In the Understatement of the Year we meet Graham and Rikker who were best friends during their childhood and adolescent years. They fell in love as teenagers. Unfortunately, something horrible and sadly realistic happens that causes Rikker to be sent away and Graham to second guess everything about himself. Because of this, Graham hides who he is. He forces himself to date girls and lives a very exhausting and carefully planned life. He honestly thinks that he has everything under control. When Rikker, his first, and if he’s honest only, love joins his hockey team he fears that his carefully laid plans and perfectly choreographed lies are about to be thrown out of the window.

I LOVE that this story is told in a dual POV. Getting to see things from both Graham and Rikker’s perspective really adds a whole new level to the story that other wise would have been lacking. Getting to see the team and college life through Graham, who is terrified of even saying the word gay, and Rikker, who was unwillingly outed at his last college, is absolutely epic.

I cannot get over how well written this story was. It was so realistic, so raw and so emotional that once I got started reading it I just couldn’t stop.

The sex….just damn!

These sex scenes are HOT, HOT, HOT with a side of steamy!

The flow of the romance is realistic and believable. It isn’t easy for them and there are some pretty big hurdles that they have to jump over. I have to say that I wanted to beat the shit out of Graham on several occasions! I mean seriously…poor Rikker just kept putting himself out there and Graham just…well yeah I’m not saying more than that because well…spoilers!

Anyways…where was I? Oh yeah…

These two guys are far from perfect and their relationship has it’s flaws and hiccups. However, when they finally do get over their obstacles and give in to the sexual tension that is so strong you can taste it…trust me…it’s something you won’t want to miss out on!

The love that Graham and Rikker have for one another is so amazingly sweet. For two big bad hockey players they definitely have a sweet side that keeps you begging for more.

The way this book ends is just OOOO EEMMM GGGEEE sweet! You will seriously need a box of tissues to stop the tears and snot from taking over your face…yep…gross I know! But trust me, this book is just that damn good! It absolutely rocked my world and made me want more! I was super sad to know that I was done with their story and would like to say that I am totally up for a follow up story for these two!

Sarina Bowen makes her home in the Green Mountains of Vermont, where she lives with her family, eight chickens and a large pile of skis and hockey equipment. She is a graduate of Yale University.

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What would you do if an old flame, that could ruin the world you created for yourself, waltzed back into your life?

The Understatement of the Year: Release Day

becca — Thu, 02 Oct 2014 15:16:35 +0000

I am so excited about this book–I love Sarina’s Ivy Years series, and this male/male romance was so gorgeous and beautifully told.

Today, we have an interview with Sarina about the series, as well as a great giveaway! Be sure to check it out!

What happened in high school stayed in high school. Until now.

Five years ago, Michael Graham betrayed the only person who ever really knew him. Since then, he’s made an art of hiding his sexual orientation from everyone. Including himself.

John Rikker is stuck being the new guy. Again. And it’s worse than usual, because the media has latched onto the story of the only “out” player in Division One hockey. As the satellite trucks line the sidewalk outside the rink, his new teammates are not amused.

And one player in particular looks sick every time he enters the room.

Warning: unlike the other books in this series, this heartbreaking love story is about two guys. Containssexual situations, dance music, snarky t-shirts and a poker-playing grandmother.

AMAZON | B&N | KOBO | iBOOKS

Previous books in the series:

#1 The Year We Fell Down (March 2014)

#2 The Year We Hid Away (June 2014)

#2.5 Blonde Date (July 2014)

COMING SOON!

Q: Is Harkness College from the Ivy Years series based on Yale?

A: Heck yes! But it’s based on a Yale which has gone soft and fuzzy in my mind, in all the best ways. So I’ve fictionalized it to avoid the errors and inaccuracies that I’d be likely to make if I tried to get everything just right.

Q: So what parts of Harkness are the Yaliest?

A: The architecture! The turrets and gargoyles, the Harry Potteresque dining halls, the slate footpaths and the creaky oak doors. The iron gates. The courtyards. The window seats, where you perch while you wonder if you’ll find true love. (Or just do your homework.)

Q: Why did you decide to write a book about two guys this time?

A: In the first place, I didn’t really decide, so much as the idea for Graham’s struggle surgically implanted itself in my brain and would not let go. And when I pictured the two of them meeting up again in a locker room after five years of silence, I just got the chills. This became the book that I cheated on all my other books to write. (If my editors of other projects are reading this… sorry! I’ll get back to work now. Probably.)

Q. Why college hockey?

A. Because… duh! Hockey players are hot. And hockey is a fast-paced game where whining is categorically disallowed. Interestingly, fighting is not legal in college hockey, either. At the college level, it’s all about the game. I love that!

Q: How many Ivy Years books do you have planned?

A: Five, if you’re counting the novella. After Rikker and Graham’s book, Bella is going to need her own book. What, you haven’t met Bella yet? Just wait. She steals quite a few scenes in The Understatement of the Year. She is a kick-ass chick in much the same way as Corey, Scarlet and Katie. You’ll love her. You can read a bit more about all the titles on The Ivy Years page on my website.

Q: How did you come to write romance?

A: I’ve always loved novels—all kinds of novels. And my goal is to make the reader do three things when she’s reading my book: cry, laugh, and sigh. Romance is the best vehicle for that goal, and I’ve really enjoyed the ride.

Sarina Bowen makes her home in the Green Mountains of Vermont, where she lives with her family, eight chickens and a large pile of skis and hockey equipment. She is a graduate of Yale University.

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