The Ivy Years #3
Audible Audiobook
Author: Sarina Bowen
Narrators: Teddy Hamilton and Christian Fox
Michael Graham and John Rikker were best friends all through middle school and high school. Attached at the hip, they’d spend countless hours playing video games or just shooting the shit. Soon they find out that there’s more to their friendship than they thought, but a horrible hate crime tears them apart: Rikker, outed to his family and shipped to live with his grandmother because his mother wasn’t able to “pray the gay away” and Graham shoved into the tightest of closets out of shame and regret.
When 5 years later Rikker shows up as a peculiar and unexpected transfer to the hockey team at Harkness College, Graham’s tight secret world is sure to collapse.
Although definitely a romance, this is a journey of self-discovery and self-acceptance. Rikker is outed when but not on his own terms and Graham can’t admit even to himself that he is gay. It’s also a sports romance, so it tackles homophobia in sports. We can’t not feel for Rikker and how he’s treated and we can sympathize with Graham for not wanting that for himself. It’s sweet, steamy and touches some hard subjects – written beautifully like Sarina can write.
I am an epilogue whore and I would have loved to see one. That’s my only complaint. We do get an HEA though.
Narration: Teddy Hamilton as Rikker is amazing – he brings the exact amount of angst and sweetness. Christian Fox as Graham is everything . He brings the vulnerability and guilt Graham carries about the past and you can feel the angst in his voice. Loved them both!
Rep and possible triggers: one MC is out and the other is deeply closeted and has a hard time accepting who he is, there is a homophobic, violent physical attack against one of the MCs; homophobia in sports; a homophobic slur is used against one of the MCs several times
