(Review) The Year We Fell Down

The Year We Fell Down by Sarina Bowen

Publication Date: March 20th, 2014

Pages: 270 (kindle)

Genre: New Adult

My Goodreads Rating: 4 stars

Goodreads Synopsis: 

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 Review: 

I was looking for a fluffy read to start the New Year with and was pleasantly surprised with this one!

Corey is a great character. She's smart and funny and definitely strong. Even though she's in a wheelchair or on her braces, because of a hockey injury, she's determined to declare her independence and get out from under her parents' thumbs. In order to do that she's moved across the country to go to college away from them. 

Hartley is also assigned to the dorms that Corey is in because of his injury, though Hartley's broken leg is his own fault. 

Corey and Hartley clicked instantly over their injuries and the way that people treat them because of their injuries. Their friendship is easy and Hartley is kind of swoonworthy from the beginning. He wants Corey to feel comfortable and included. Hartley comes off as a thoughtful, kind character and it's really refreshing to see those traits on a male main character in an NA novel. 

I love how the relationship progresses, but also how Corey learns so much about herself. While Hartley heals and can continue his life as planned (including his girlfriend), Corey is working on her physical therapy, her classes, and her new sport. 

This is a great story of finding yourself and also finding first love. Hartley and Corey are great together and they're great for each other. I loved watching their story unfold.