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3.79 AVERAGE
3.79 AVERAGE
*Prefacing my review by saying that I'm a non-disabled person*
(Also trigger warning for a slur directed at disabled people; won't be using it, but there will be mention of it)
I had very high hopes for this book, and some of those hopes were met and others weren't. The story is about two people, Corey and Hartley, who are neighbors in an accessible dorm on their college campus. Corey recently suffered a spinal injury and now uses a wheelchair or crutches to get around, and Hartley has a broken leg causing him to also need crutches to get around. The two bond over a video game, their mutual annoyance of needing aids to walk, and hockey. Sounds great right? Well that part of the story is, but the other part that caused me to give it a lower rating was the way the discussions of disability went. Corey and Hartley both threw around a particular word in reference to themselves that I would deem a slur throughout the book, and anytime it came up, I got very uncomfortable. I understand that Corey was newly injured and had a lot of emotions about not being able to walk like she used to, but the way she demeaned the disabled community by complaining about needing to use a bus to get around campus or adaptive sports made me feel like she was being very snobbish about the idea that she is in fact now disabled and may need to use those things.
Even with that very large issue I had with the book/writing, it was a good book, but VERY similar to Elle Kennedy's "The Deal". So if you don't want to deal with problematic themes about disability, then "The Deal" may be better suited to you (trigger warning for that book: does discuss rape although I don't believe there's any depiction of it)
(Also trigger warning for a slur directed at disabled people; won't be using it, but there will be mention of it)
I had very high hopes for this book, and some of those hopes were met and others weren't. The story is about two people, Corey and Hartley, who are neighbors in an accessible dorm on their college campus. Corey recently suffered a spinal injury and now uses a wheelchair or crutches to get around, and Hartley has a broken leg causing him to also need crutches to get around. The two bond over a video game, their mutual annoyance of needing aids to walk, and hockey. Sounds great right? Well that part of the story is, but the other part that caused me to give it a lower rating was the way the discussions of disability went. Corey and Hartley both threw around a particular word in reference to themselves that I would deem a slur throughout the book, and anytime it came up, I got very uncomfortable. I understand that Corey was newly injured and had a lot of emotions about not being able to walk like she used to, but the way she demeaned the disabled community by complaining about needing to use a bus to get around campus or adaptive sports made me feel like she was being very snobbish about the idea that she is in fact now disabled and may need to use those things.
Even with that very large issue I had with the book/writing, it was a good book, but VERY similar to Elle Kennedy's "The Deal". So if you don't want to deal with problematic themes about disability, then "The Deal" may be better suited to you (trigger warning for that book: does discuss rape although I don't believe there's any depiction of it)
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Cristina has been trying to convert me to new adult hockey romances because she loves them so much and since we both had this book we decided it was the perfect time to start it (especially because we both needed something good to forget the previous book we read). Let me tell you that this book didn’t disappointed me.
I really liked the characters on this book. I loved Corey. She was in a wheelchair after suffering an accident months before but she was still strong and didn’t want people to pity her just because she was in that situation. I also loved Hartley. That guy was almost perfect. He would have been perfect if it wasn’t for the fact that he wasn’t in a situation that I didn’t like a lot. I understand why he was doing that and it was explained by the end but that doesn’t mean I have to like it. I loved how their relationship evolved. I really like when they start as friends and only after a few months something happens and that’s what happened in this book and I loved that. Corey and Hartley were an amazing couple and had amazing chemistry. Also, I need to talk how much Hartley cared about Corey and they really helped each other shoveling their “sh*t”. These two were just too good together and I loved them.
I also really liked the writing style and the fact that it had dual POV. This was my first Sarina Bowen book so I didn’t know what to expect but I’ll tell you that this is not the last book written by her that I’ll read (especially because I want to read the rest of the series and because Cristina keeps telling me that I need to read Him and Us XD).
Overall, this was a really good book and I loved it. I really want to keep reading this series and I think that everyone who loves NA should give this one a try.
Cristina has been trying to convert me to new adult hockey romances because she loves them so much and since we both had this book we decided it was the perfect time to start it (especially because we both needed something good to forget the previous book we read). Let me tell you that this book didn’t disappointed me.
I really liked the characters on this book. I loved Corey. She was in a wheelchair after suffering an accident months before but she was still strong and didn’t want people to pity her just because she was in that situation. I also loved Hartley. That guy was almost perfect. He would have been perfect if it wasn’t for the fact that he wasn’t in a situation that I didn’t like a lot. I understand why he was doing that and it was explained by the end but that doesn’t mean I have to like it. I loved how their relationship evolved. I really like when they start as friends and only after a few months something happens and that’s what happened in this book and I loved that. Corey and Hartley were an amazing couple and had amazing chemistry. Also, I need to talk how much Hartley cared about Corey and they really helped each other shoveling their “sh*t”. These two were just too good together and I loved them.
I also really liked the writing style and the fact that it had dual POV. This was my first Sarina Bowen book so I didn’t know what to expect but I’ll tell you that this is not the last book written by her that I’ll read (especially because I want to read the rest of the series and because Cristina keeps telling me that I need to read Him and Us XD).
Overall, this was a really good book and I loved it. I really want to keep reading this series and I think that everyone who loves NA should give this one a try.
I love the idea of this series and where it is going. I think it has a great foundation for the rest of the series. The characters are really well throughout. I loved the characters and the storyline of the book. It was different to the normal college read I have read before and I am looking forward to the other books.
FINALLY a book with the representation of a disabled person
I can't believe I didn't review this after reading it. I adore this book. When I started it, I wasn't sure I would enjoy reading about someone wheelchair bound (because I'm a asshole? -Just being honest!) because I wasn't sure I would relate to the character. I was wrong as all get out. Corey is just like any other college freshman except shes dealing with a recent sports injury that left her partially paralyzed from the waist down.
It was really fun to read about how she adjusts to college life and her blossoming friendships with her roommate and the hockey stud across the hall, Adam Hartley.
Speaking of Hartley, the book's story is told from dual POVs, Hartley and Callahan's. So we get a glimpse into his head as well. He's both charming and kind of an asshole, but not enough that you ever hate him. He seems to do the best he can and always cares about Callahan- coming through for her when it matters.
The pacing of this book is wonderful. No insta-love. The characters are well developed. The relationships are well developed. It's "laugh out loud" funny.
I'm excited for the next book in this series, [b:The Year We Hid Away|21798646|The Year We Hid Away (The Ivy Years, #2)|Sarina Bowen|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1396306727s/21798646.jpg|41053774]. I'm sure it was be a favorite as well!
It was really fun to read about how she adjusts to college life and her blossoming friendships with her roommate and the hockey stud across the hall, Adam Hartley.
Speaking of Hartley, the book's story is told from dual POVs, Hartley and Callahan's. So we get a glimpse into his head as well. He's both charming and kind of an asshole, but not enough that you ever hate him. He seems to do the best he can and always cares about Callahan- coming through for her when it matters.
The pacing of this book is wonderful. No insta-love. The characters are well developed. The relationships are well developed. It's "laugh out loud" funny.
I'm excited for the next book in this series, [b:The Year We Hid Away|21798646|The Year We Hid Away (The Ivy Years, #2)|Sarina Bowen|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1396306727s/21798646.jpg|41053774]. I'm sure it was be a favorite as well!
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
I feel like the the first two book titles in this series are good explanations of this year. This is the first book I’ve read where one of the main characters is in a wheel chair and I love this book because this is probably the first hero who has a girlfriend at the beginning and he doesn’t well stick his dick in the heroine before he’s broken up with his girlfriend that is a very strange trend in books I mean would you date a guy who’s slept with someone behind their partners back. Hartley’s girlfriend is what I would call a prissy pink princess with a silver spoon shoved up her ass, when we meet her I instantly thought ‘she would not survive quarantine’. Hartley like I said was a good boyfriendish there was a little bit of sexy times with our heroine Corey, Hartley broke his leg in two places climbing a rock climbing wall with out any safety gear while being very drunk and all I have to say is year that sounds right. He lives in the same building as Corey and I love their friendship it felt really and wasn’t romances were it very unlikely to happen in real life *cough cough* hallmark movies *cough cough* they spent time together like normal people while Hartley’s girlfriend was enjoying many of Europe’s men. Hartley and stacia relationship is what I would discribe as hella toxic. Corey is in a wheelchair and she’s sick of people staring at her and feeling sorry for her my response to her go make friends with autistic people we have Virtually no filter we don’t really understand she’s in a wheelchair let’s feel bad for her we will probably ask her ‘if she can do any trick and can she show us some’ I’m not found of her mother she frankly exhausts me and I know she’s a worried mother but this is basically going on an ocd level (no offence to anybody with ocd). Corey was a hockey player before her accident a year prior to the start of the book and this book goes into her fears about her sexual capability mostly at time (Hartley I love you
I can't exactly rate this? I mean it was super fun but I wasn't reading it for an objectively good book. It was a bit heteronormative at times and the pacing was a bit off, but I enjoyed it and that's all I expect from a smutty college romance.