The Year We Fell Down by Sarina Bowen (+ GIVEAWAY)

The Year We Fell Down by Sarina Bowen
Release Date: March 24, 2014
Publisher: Rennie Road Books
Pages: 268
Series: The Ivy Years #1
Review Source: purchased eBook

Synopsis: (from Goodreads)

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.

My Thoughts:
I absolutely loved The Year We Fell Down. The writing flowed, the subject matter was interesting, and the characters were layered. Plus, the book features my favourite kind of romance: the slow burn, friends first type of connection.

I adored the interactions between Corey (or "Callahan" as she's better known by our hero) and Hartley. They had a fabulous rapport and a penchant for cheering each other up and making the other person stronger.

While the romance was my favourite part of the book, I would be remiss not to mention the amazing journey that Corey goes through. She grows as a character with every interaction she has and every obstacle she faces. Her growth is really what makes the book so great, because the book is so much about her struggling with coming to terms with her situation. She's living a completely different life than she expected, and she feels lesser because of it. I loved seeing Corey's mind and attitude change regarding her abilities.

If you're looking for a New Adult novel that fits well in the category but offers a little something extra in heart, then I absolutely recommend you read The Year We Fell Down.

The Cover:
Kind of meh and kind of interesting at the same time? The image itself isn't that exciting, but I like the colour scheme and the title treatment.

Rating:
[5/5]

Purchase Links:
Kobo | Amazon.ca | Amazon.com | Barnes & Noble | iTunes

GIVEAWAY:

3 winners. Open internationally. U.S. winners will receive choice of paperback or ebook and handmade hockey-themed stationery from Unflappable on Etsy. Those without a U.S. mailing address will receive an ebook only.

a Rafflecopter giveaway