The Understatement of the Year By Sarina Bowen

This was the perfect balance that left me incomplete. Usually, I either get stories of characters wide open and out of the closet and others where characters accept that they are gay and try to find ways to get out of said closet. This go, we had an open gay who wasn't ready and one who can't say the word. No. He isn't mute.

Graham is so deep in the closet that you might need a 100ft rope to get him out. His theories were half sad and half hilarious because of the details placed in every day things like the colour of his sheets o.O

I can't imagine anyone putting in the time and logic that Graham used to keep that closet door close but it made for an interesting story to get the views of a self-loathing gay. It also gave the story another mystery because you leave not knowing if it was the traumatic event as a teen or society's views that made him a paranoid alcoholic for the most part of this story.

Then we have Rikker, who should be the paranoid drunk, but instead is the poster boy for 'gay but manly all the same'. He isn't shopping, sipping cosmos and  gossiping. You just don't need glaringly obvious reminders that he's gay. It's who he is. He was funny, scratch that, he was hilarious! He took everything in stride and flipped Big-D's comments when necessary.

I hate spoilers and I hope this isn't one for someone, but you really do wait until the very end for any revealing scenes. Then, I was left with so much unsaid and unresolved that I wonder if I got the complete novel and if perchance, book 4 will answer some of the questions I now have.

M/M romance novels normally carry the hot and angry sex scenes but this is 'The Ivy Years' series, so blow by blow sex scenes were bypassed for a steamy build up and a little cuddling after.

This novel was the most hockey based novel in the series, but I still didn't feel overwhelmed, so that's a plus. Unfortunately, due to Graham's phobia of his sexual orientation and all the time spent on the ice, we hardly spent any personal time with Rikker and Graham as a couple.

Sometimes, the story even dragged because we were stuck in the back and forth that is Graham's mind. Then came the really fast crescendo that began and ended before we could blink. I am now anxious to know what happens next and it's not even me being greedy, it's just that a whole new world now awaits.

Sarina Bowen has never been afraid to tackle major issues and this was no different. There is more to this novel than "coming out" and I think that's why the end left me feeling incomplete. There were also a few more grammatical errors than I am used to from a Sarina Bowen novel but I'll just chalk that up to it being an ARC. A purchased copy should have less grammatical errors. I hope.

Still, it wasn't enough to deter me and my interest was captured and held until the end. There is drama, lessons, fun, friendship, first love and acceptance all wrapped in two Harkness Hockey jackets.

- https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/22701480-the-understatement-of-the-year

Cover reveal: The Understatement of the Year by Sarina Bowen!!!

Today is the cover reveal for The Understatement of the Year by Sarina Bowen. This cover reveal is organized by Lola's Blog Tours.

        The Understatement of the Year 

    (Ivy Years #3)

By Sarina Bowen

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Age category: New Adult

Release Date: October 1, 2014

Blurb: 

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 preference 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.

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. 

                                         

                              You can find The Understatement of the Year on Goodreads

You can pre-order The Understatement of the Year here:

- Amazon

- Kobo

Excerpt: 

Bella grabbed the front pocket of my Vermont sweatshirt and actually pulled me through the din of the most crowded room, toward a table where Graham sat in a booth, across from Hartley. 

Ugh. I had no idea this would be so cozy. In fact, there was nowhere for me to sit. For a second there I felt like it was seventh grade all over again, and I didn’t know where to sit in class. 

That’s how I met Graham — seventh grade Spanish. We were the two runts in the back row with terrible gringo accents and no friends. The teacher always made the class pair up to practice dialogue. Graham and I were partners. 

Hola, Miguel.
Hola, Juan.
Te gusta el futbol?
Sí, me gusta el futbol. 

The early days of middle school had been awkward. But this? So much more awkward than that. 

“I’ll sit on Graham’s lap,” Bella suggested, grabbing a slice of pizza off the tray. 

“Naw, let me find a chair,” I said, turning quickly into the crowd. And lo, by the grace of God, I found one in front of an ancient pay phone. Setting the chair at the end of their booth gave me some much-needed distance. Bella sat on the end, boxing Graham into the corner. Bella’s hand found its way onto my knee about two seconds after I sat down. 

Someone filled my glass. “Have a slice?” Hartley offered. 

“Thanks, I already ate,” I said quickly. But I sucked back some of the beer. It was pretty wimpy stuff, but I’ll bet the price was right. 

“Tell us about your transfer,” Bella prompted while the others dug in. “You said you’d tell it over beers.” 

Right. Too soon. “Well,” I hedged. The thing was, I’d told people I was gay many, many times. I was actually pretty good at it. But you don’t say it when you’re all trapped at a table. You have to drop the bomb when your victims are free to walk away from you. Because even the people who are going to turn right back around and be there for you often need a minute to digest the idea. 

And the fact that Graham was sitting three feet away, staring at his slice of pizza as if it might reveal the secrets of the universe, made this a particularly bad time. I didn’t want to look vulnerable in front of him. I’d tried that before in my life, and it ended badly. Very badly. 

“Thing is, I haven’t had enough beer yet to tell it.” 

“There you go with the buildup again,” Bella said, nibbling on a slice. 

“Yeah? Well my stories don’t usually disappoint.” That was a bit of pointless bravado. But it was probably true. 

I happened to glance toward Graham then. And even in the low light of the pizza place, I saw him freeze. And I realized just how far a little smack talk about stories I might tell would freak him out. I hadn’t meant it like that. But the effect on him was instant and powerful. His jaw went hard and his fist clenched on the table.
Easy, boy. “Tell me about the practice schedule,” I said to change the topic.

About the Author:

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.

You can find and contact Sarina here:

- Website
- Facebook
- Twitter
- Goodreads

There is a tour wide giveaway for the cover reveal of The Understatement of the year. You can win a signed set of paperback books which includes: The Year We Fell Down (Ivy Years #1), The Year We Hid Away (Ivy Years #2) and Blonde Date (Ivy Years 2.5). The giveaway is open international. You can enter the giveaway below, good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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

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. 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? You will on October 1st, when Understatement of the Year is published. 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 are the Gravity books different from The Ivy Years?

A: The Gravity books are a heck of a lot steamier than my New Adult titles. And book #1 is angstier, in my opinion. They’re set in Vermont, featuring top-level snowsports athletes. That part is so much fun for me, because we really do have a lot of awesome athletes that live up here. Today my husband spotted Olympic medalist Hannah Kearney in the grocery store. That’s the kind of celeb sightings we have on the Vermont / New Hampshire border.

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.

Blonde Date: An Ivy Years Novella By Sarina Bowen

I've never given much thought to the Katie's or Andy, but this novella placed them on my radar. 'Blonde Date' follows Katie Vickery (blonde Katie/K1) and Andy (Bridger's dorm neighbour) on a sorority mandated date. It turns out there is more to blonde Katie than meets the eyes and Andy is just that. Andy. What you see is what you get.

Though it was just a couple hours spent on Sorority Row; drinking and socializing, there is more to this novella than Katie's need for a date and Andy's dreams coming through.We got background information on both lead characters and Dash, as well as, twists, drama and a little adult entertainment.

'Blonde Date' opened me to the possibility of reading a full length novel about both Katie and Andy. Now that I have gotten the opportunity, I wanna know more about blonde Katie and all the pressures that seem to accompany her world. She is more than bandannas on doors and sorority row.

Andy got his time in the spotlight but it's Andy, so the only difference was being privy to his thoughts. I've never thought of him as a nerd, lacking in self-confidence but I liked when he spazz out and over analyzed Katie's signals. There is something about this novella that doesn't try to place them on a pedestal. It keeps them genuine. Katie is a hottie and Andy isn't a 100 on the hot meter but he is one of the good guys and even them deserve their time in the sun.

Thing is, though I enjoyed date night and exam day, I could see these two going their separate ways and remaining friends. A one night stand and fling? Maybe. But the fact that Katie kept Dash as a constant reminder and Dash revealed his true feelings towards Katie, I can see them getting back together. I don't wanna break Andy's heart, but maybe K1 isn't the girl for him in the long run; though we all gotta have our first :)

Dash's POV was welcomed and helped solidify my original thought that just maybe that spark will ignite again, because Andy and Katie are missing one element that Dash and Katie have in common.

As always, Sarina keeps the sex as PG as possible because they are college kids, who are just learning their crafts, sex included and it was actually quite hilarious to get both their accounts of this sexual experience.

If your looking for a quick read while you transition through novels, or just want something light and fluffy, then look no further. 'Blonde Date' is just the right read. It's short, to the point and has enough elements to keep you interested and leave you wanting more. Your're re-introduced to Dash, Katie and Andy; then your gifted a sneak peek at Graham and Rikker's story. Other than a full length novel on this triangle, what more could you ask for?

***ARC provided by author in exchange for an honest review.***

- https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/22692381-blonde-date

The Year We Hid Away By Sarina Bowen

You know what I love about a Sarina Bowen novel? Her need for the controversial. The more drama and shock value, the better. She isn't afraid to tackle the major issues and they always come full circle. This makes for some really interesting novels that aren't cliche and has a lasting impact even after you turn the last page.

This novel tackled pedophilia and neglect. Though the pedophilia issues took a front seat for most of the story, I think we still got a chance to explore neglect and it's effects. I got both sides of the spectrum while getting to know and love the characters individually and as a couple.

We focused on the backlash of parents decisions in more ways than one and we got to see more than one outcome from three different situations. I was invested in this story to the point where I had to fall asleep reading it because I didn't wanna put it down.

A few reveals were unexpected and soft in their delivery but I believe that Sarina Bowen unfolded this novel at the right pace and time with the matching emotions. It wasn't a tear jerker for me but I did empathize and relate.

I never expected a party animal but Bridger was not the one we met in 'The Year We Fell Down'. I'm not complaining though and I love it even more that we didn't have the cliche of jealous past bed mates threatening their relationship. After all, they already had their own problems that were far beyond their years. Also, I really would like to know where Harkness College is located because I would love a space at the Hogwarts-esque University.

Scarlet was great from beginning to end and I love the levity and reasoning that her character brought to the table. She reminded me of Corey, from book 1, with her sense of humour and spirit. She stayed strong throughout life's challenges and her inner monologues were just as hilarious as when she voiced them.

Naturally, this novel was heavily hockey based but I have learned that Ms. Bowen is all about the ice sports and I never mind learning a new sport. The sex in this novel was few but they were passionate and held meaning.

It was a nice touch to see Bridger interact with Lucy and to see his fight and determination to make things good for them both. I find it hard to believe in real life that he could do the things he did but that's what makes him a hero isn't it?

'The Year We Hid Away' is another stellar novel in a heart warming series that tackles some major taboo topics while giving us the quintessential college love story with a few twist. Any problems I might have, is the inconclusive ending that left you guessing more than the final score and the fact that I hate the guy on the cover. Not major issues, but then again it's a Sarina Bowen novel, she doesn't leave much stones unturned.

- https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/22372440-the-year-we-hid-away

Coming In From the Cold By Sarina Bowen

If your in a book stump or just looking for a nice transition read, then look no further! This is my second novel by Sarina Bowen and I was just as satisfied with this attempt. It has an air of old school Mills and Boon romance novels but with a realistic and modern touch for it's characters and their issues.

You can know when an author has done her research and the fact that Sarina has a ski-crazy husband, lives in Vermont and raises chickens only strengthened the main character of Willow. It's not hard to see both Sarina and Willow in love with love. I don't know if this character was emulated from the author but it was a strong character that highlighted her personality and I had no problems developing empathy or concern for her, even when she was wrong and way too forgiving.

I did get annoyed with her occasionally, but for the most part, I liked the character of Willow and her friendship with Callie was endearing even though it only touched the surface. You can't help but to be comfortable with all the characters and their relationships because they really do try to stay away from drama.

Dane is an interesting one for me because while I liked him, I still don't understand him a 100%. I love his honesty and the fact that he was blunt and steadfast in his decisions. I even like that he went ape when he heard his diagnosis and that he remained genuine to his emotions throughout the novel.

I'll be the first to admit that on the surface this story doesn't bring much depth and is flying in fairy tale land but I loved the development and progression. I also like that a serious illness was highlighted without it being the big "C", cheesy or boring. I only wish we got to highlight it more but the amount we got was satisfactory and tastefully done.

The sex was basic without much of a steam factor but Sarina isn't known for her hot and heavy scenes. With her, it's more mellow and to the point. There is a time and place for everything and I think the sex in this novel is good enough for this novel.

The story line hits the ground running and doesn't stop until the end. I assume there will be a part two because so much is unresolved and while I was content with this novel, I am a little apprehensive as to if more drama will be thrown their way, even though they barely sweat their last hurdle.

There's not much to say about this novel because in the grand design of it all there isn't much conflict or moments that need to be picked apart. It's structured well and progressed seamlessly even when it became flat and stuck in a loop at the end.. It's all about love, understanding and hitting the slopes. Some will find it soft in the romance department but I find that if I need centering I can pick up a novel by Sarina Bowen to get the job done and this was no different.

- https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/20767664-coming-in-from-the-cold