The Understatement of the Year (Ivy Years, #3)

by Sarina Bowen

[Rowena]

This is the third book in the Ivy Years series and the blurb (that I got off of Goodreads) does a bang up job of explaining what the book is about that I’m going to jump right into my thoughts on the book.

This was my very first m/m book. It’s not my usual thing but because I enjoy this series so much, I knew that I was going to read it and I’m glad that I did. My heart went out to both Rikker and Graham so many different times in the book but when all was said and done, I closed the book with a goofy grin on my face.

Of the two heroes, I think I liked John Rikker more. He was one of those what you see is what you get kind of guys and seeing what he went through day in and day out ever since he came out of the closet, made my heart hurt time after time. It was not an easy life to live in the spotlight all the time, not for what you do on the ice but for how you spend your personal time and the drama that they put this young man through made me want to punch everyone in their throats. Boy did I love the support system he had with his grandmother (but ugh on his parents) and I loved that he kept right on fighting the good fight to have a life, a life outside college hockey and outside of the media attention. Seeing his love for Graham throughout the book hurt my heart as well because he was so patient. A lot more patient than I would have been in his same situation.

Michael Graham was a good guy, a very scared good guy but a good guy nonetheless. Growing up the way that he did, it was understandable but I thought it took him far too long to stand up for Rikker. There were times when I wanted to give Graham a swift kick to the shin but when it mattered most, he stepped up in a big way. I ended up really liking Graham and thought he was a great character. Very three dimensional and just, real. His story reminded me of one of my very good friends. We grew up in very religious backgrounds and it took my friend over 25 years to finally come out to me. When he finally did, we hugged it out and I told him, “I know.” Being gay didn’t make me love him any less and I hurt for him because he was scared to tell me. That reminded me of Graham because when he finally comes out to his parents, the love they had for him was real and it was a relief to know that he would have a good support system.

This book made me cry, it made me laugh and it made me rejoice with a happy dance. I felt all of the emotions while reading this one so you know it was a good one. Sarina Bowen does a fantastic job of reeling the reader into whatever story she’s telling and that was the case with Rikker and Graham’s book. It’s a good one, this book. I recommend it.