Jacqueline's Reads: The Year We Fell Down (The Ivy Years #1) by Sarina Bowen [REVIEW]

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.

4.5 Love Sarina Bowen Reads Stars

I love Sarina Bowen. I will admit, I am late to reading her books, but I’m slowly making my way through them and the Ivy Years series is slowly becoming one of my favorite NA college series. I’m reading the books out of order, but I’m making my way through them.

The Year we Fell Down has mixed reviews and because of that I didn’t want to read it. I think the reviews are valid and truthful, but it didn’t affect me like the way I thought it would. I thought I would be frustrated and irritated with the plot, but honestly the writing style is so great the book flowed for me.

I connected to the characters, the storyline and I enjoyed each chapter. I read the book in one sitting. I think if you read the summary and you find that it doesn’t seem right for you, don’t rule it out. You may be surprised like me.

The book is about the two main characters. The Hero has a broken leg and the Heroine is in a wheel chair. Because of their situation they live in a special part of the campus and that is how they live right across from each other.

Like I said, I really enjoyed the storyline. The heroine being in a wheel chair kind of melts my heart, can we say some what a damsel in distress? I say somewhat because she’s a really strong character with a sense of worth and independence. The Hero is suave, sweet and basically someone you want to date, the only catch? He has a girlfriend.

I know! I cringed too. Who wants to read about two people getting to know each other, when one of them has a girlfriend, who I may add is really horrible? Well, me. I don’t deal well with this sort of storyline, but I really enjoyed the chemistry between the two main characters. I love the slow build-up of friendship and into something more. Also the girlfriend kind of added a nice tension and angst to the read.

Overall, the book worked for me and I’m moving on to the next read in the series.

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