Five years ago Michael Graham betrayed the only person who ever really knew him. Since then he's made an art of hiding his sexual orientation from everyone. Including himself. So it's a shock when his past strolls right into the Harkness College locker room, sporting a bag of hockey gear and the same slow smile that had always rendered Graham defenseless.

For Graham, there is only one possible reaction: total, debilitating panic. With one loose word, the team's new left wing could destroy Graham's life as he knows it.

John Rikker is stuck being the new guy. Again. And it's worse than usual, because the media has latched on to the story of the only "out" player in Division One hockey. As the satellite trucks line the sidewalk outside the rink, his new teammates are not amused. And one player in particular looks sick every time he enters the room.

Rikker didn't exactly expect a warm welcome from Graham. But the guy won't even meet his eyes. From the looks of it, his former...best friend/boyfriend/whatever isn't doing so well. He drinks too much and can't focus during practice.

Either the two loneliest guys on the team will self-destruct from all the new pressures in their lives, or they can navigate the pain to find a way back to one another. To say that it won't be easy is the understatement of the year.

Warning: Unlike the other books in this series, this heartbreaking love story is about two guys. Contains sexual situations, dance music, snarky T-shirts, and a poker-playing grandmother.

Listening Length

8 hours and 50 minutes
Author

Sarina Bowen
Narrator

Teddy Hamilton, see all
Audible release date

June 20 2016
Language

English
Publisher

Audible Studios
ASIN

B072BLN9VJ
Version

Unabridged
Program Type

Audiobook
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Product details

Listening Length	8 hours and 50 minutes
Author	Sarina Bowen
Narrator	Teddy Hamilton, Christian Fox
Audible.ca Release Date	June 20 2016
Publisher	Audible Studios
Program Type	Audiobook
Version	Unabridged
Language	English
ASIN	B072BLN9VJ
Best Sellers Rank	#86,224 in Audible Books & Originals (See Top 100 in Audible Books & Originals) #5,509 in Contemporary Romance (Audible Books & Originals) #12,628 in Gay Romance #61,025 in Contemporary Romance (Books)

Customer reviews

4.4 out of 5

2,175 global ratings

5 star		56%
4 star		30%
3 star		11%
2 star		2%
1 star		1%

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Top reviews from Canada

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Stacy clarke

Loved it

Reviewed in Canada 🇨🇦 on June 28, 2016

Verified Purchase

Honestly I really adore Rikker and Graham. I love m/m books and it was rather refreshing that this was more of a love story than it was about sex.
The characters were realistic and I loved the secondary characters as well. Bella and skippy made me laugh out loud.
I would highly recommend this to anyone and I'm sad it had to end. I hope Sarina plans to write more of Graham and Rikker's story because I would love to read it!

2 people found this helpful

Helpful

Melanie Charbonneau

Graham & Rikker

Reviewed in Canada 🇨🇦 on May 22, 2023

The Understatement of the Year is the story of Michael Graham and John Rikker who grew up to be best friends in Michigan. Their friendship developed into more, but they were unfortunately separated at sixteen years-old after a horrible incident. Five years later, Rikker transfers to Graham’s college and hockey team after having been kicked out of his old school for being gay.

To say that Graham is NOT happy to see his old friend again is an understatement. He refuses to make eye contact or even acknowledge that he knows him. His character was kind of hard to like for me in the beginning of the story because I can understand being closeted and scared that your secret will get out, but he was knowingly hurting Rikker and that felt unnecessary. I don’t think he wanted to hurt him, but that’s still what he was doing. We latter learned that the incident that happened when they were sixteen still affects him to this day and he is truly scared of coming out.

Rikker’s story was just so sad. He just wanted to play hockey, be a college student and make some friends but it felt like he hit roadblock after roadblock. First of all, his new coach might have been supportive of having an out player on his team, but he tolerated way too much bullying from one team member in particular. I would have kicked him off the team to send a clear message that it is not okay to harass your teammate like that. Also, it broke my heart to see how lonely and isolated Rikker was, even once his relationship with Graham started up again. It was hard for him to be acknowledged in private but ignored in public. Thankfully, Graham later realised that he not only hurt Rikker by hiding, but he was also hurting himself.

I felt like the book ended very abruptly and there were many unanswered questions. The author later published an additional short story in “Extra credit” that fortunately gave closure to them.

I enjoyed reading the book, but it was very angsty so beware.

Helpful

Mary ML

Sarina Bowen writes MM like a legend

Reviewed in Canada 🇨🇦 on July 31, 2019

Verified Purchase

No need to say more, Sarina always flabbergasts me with her MM stories; this one is no exception. I would have taken so much more of these two. Chemistry incredible and characters bigger than nature... Sarina Bowen at her best.

Helpful

Spiffy

The series just keeps getting better and better

Reviewed in Canada 🇨🇦 on June 8, 2017

Verified Purchase

The series just keeps getting better and better! Sarina is a master at M&M romance and this book does not disappoint.

Helpful

Heather Duff

Coming Out and Second Chances

Reviewed in Canada 🇨🇦 on February 5, 2023

For some people, coming out is the hardest thing ever. Even when it’s to be with your best friend. Especially when a traumatic event help solidifies why you were in the closet.

This is a second chance story for Graham and Rikker. When they find themselves on the same college hockey team, tension is high. Because they loved each other in high school until a tragic event tore them apart. Leaving some deep emotional scars.

It’s hard to watch Graham fight being gay. Torn between loving Rikker and being terrified of the world finding out. The push and pull between the two. It hurts. Meanwhile, Rikker has been forced into the spotlight for being Gay, becoming the poster boy for being an out player.

It’s an excellent book. With all the angst you expect from young love and fears of coming out. It was satisfying for them to find a way to be happy and take strength from each other.

Helpful

Charles Thompson

This was a really enjoyable read I loved the characters and interesting struggles of coming out and ...

Reviewed in Canada 🇨🇦 on November 23, 2014

Verified Purchase

This was a really enjoyable read I loved the characters and interesting struggles of coming out and dealing with relationships

One person found this helpful

Helpful

SeeEm

wonderful

Reviewed in Canada 🇨🇦 on December 28, 2014

Verified Purchase

A long, realistic road to HEA but was well worth the read - sexy, intense and passionate! Loved it! Recommended!

One person found this helpful

Helpful

Cheryl

Review done for Hooked on Books

Reviewed in Canada 🇨🇦 on October 30, 2014

Review of The Understatement of the Year (The Ivy Years #3) by Sarina Bowen

Review for Hooked on Books

5 out of 5 stars

Michael Graham is living a lie. He cannot come to grips with his sexuality. So he hides from the truth behind alcohol and drunken encounters with girls.

To his surprise, the one person who truly knows him, comes strolling in to his university hockey team’s dressing room.

John Rikker is gay. He has suffered violence, betrayal, and bigotry since he came out. He has to switch university because his old hockey team was homophobic. Little did he know that he would be switching to the same team that his first true love is on.

When Graham sees Rikker, he is scared that his secrets are going to be revealed. He is not ready to admit he is gay.

This story was incredible. It is truly heartbreaking to see what men and women who are gay have to go through in their lives.

I loved Rikker and Graham. Rikker was tough and very brave to admit his life style. He was also very caring and loving of Graham.

At times I was frustrated with Graham but I cannot imagine having to face that ridicule everyday.

I have never read a M/M romance book before but I am honestly glad I read this one. It was a fantastic, sexy story. I definitely recommend it!

One person found this helpful

Helpful

Top reviews from other countries

lemon creme

Audio book is to die for

Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on March 1, 2022

Verified Purchase

I got this after being on a recent MM Ice hockey high after making my way through Rachel Reid's Game Changer series.
This is a good read, there's angst, not mega angst but enough to hurt.
There's an awful lot of oh my god that makes me so happy smiley moments.

The audio book.
Oh my god the narrators are fire. They did such a good job with the book. I loved Teddy Hamilton as the voice of the absolutely gorgeous Rikker, but I very much hope to find plenty more MM that utilises Christian Fox, his voice as Graham... Just wow.

Just a couple of things I didn't like, and this is only from personal opinion.

I didn't particularly like the character Bella. I was glad when she began to fade away from the story.

The sex is tame in this in comparison to a lot of MM books. I appreciate that it's not always needed, and reading this after just finishing Heated Rivalry probably didn't help but I would have liked a bit more steam.

The writing however throughout was excellent. The audio really REALLY made it for me.

One person found this helpful

Danii

loved it

Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on May 17, 2017

Verified Purchase

What a perfect ending! 5 stars easy

I love this series, but unfortunately, I only have one book left to read.

They were high school best friends and more, but kids can be cruel. It ended in disaster, and neither of them ever got over what they had lost.

John Rikker moved away during high school and left Michael Graham behind, but he wasn't the one who betrayed his best friend. Rikker has never had it easy. All he wants to do is play hockey and keep his head down. Unfortunately, his team doesn't feel the same way. He is kicked off the college team for being gay! His Uncle finds a loophole and gets him a transfer to Harkness college. The problem is that this is Michaels team.

Michael is the straightest gay guy anyone could know. He so far in the closet it's controlling his life and affecting his sleep. Now Rikker is back on his radar, and he is a walking disaster.

This story isn't all fluffy and fairytales. It's raw and shows the lonely side of accepting yourself. One guy is out and friendless, and the other is living an impossible lie. The understatement of the year is about finding happiness and forgetting about what others think. Of course, there is some hockey in there too ;-P.

One person found this helpful

Otterpuss

For reasons I don't fully understand I didn't like Bella much

Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on June 17, 2015

Verified Purchase

Michael Graham is so deep in the closet I bet he's made friends with the lion, the witch AND the wardrobe.
Jonny Rikker is out although not really by his own choice.
Graham and Rikker were friends and lovers as teenagers and this is the story of them meeting again in college.

For reasons I don't fully understand I didn't like Bella much. She seems a nice enough person, ballsy (which I like in a female character) but somehow I just couldn't connect with her.
Graham acted like a complete dick for most of the book. I get that he was scared but dammit man lay off the arseholeyness!
It took me a long time to warm to him and I actually ended up feeling horribly sorry for him and his self imposed exile.
Rikker is an absolute sweetie and I loved everything about him. My heart hurt for what he had to go through but he did it with humour and dignity.

The writing is fresh and easy to read. It had me chuckling one minute and trying to ease the ache in my heart the next.

The ending was slightly disappointing...I wanted more somehow.

One person found this helpful

L Jones

Full of angst and tension. Loved it!

Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on October 24, 2014

Verified Purchase

I am loving Sarina's Ivy Years series and this book was no different. Rikker and Graham are such strong, powerful characters who I loved right from the first page. They have a lot of history and the tension Graham felt when Rikker walked into the locker room absolutely radiated off the page.

While the other books in this series are all about couples meeting and falling in love for the first time, Johnny [Rikker] and Michael [Graham] are learning to love each other all over again.

This book features a wonderful cast of supporting characters including Skippy and Rikker's gran, she was my absolute favourite.

Like the previous books this is a standalone but if you loved the previous couples as I did you'll be pleased to know they are still very much together and a receive a little mention as all the guys are on the same ice hockey team!

Phase58

emotional rollercoaster

Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on December 30, 2014

Verified Purchase

Ice hockey, tough game, played by men, but some of those men may not be all they seem. As in this case. I enjoyed the book and felt for Graham who was suffering from guilt over an incident in his youth which haunted him. He was terrified of his secret getting out and warred with his emotions and feelings until he had a head injury on the ice when everything started to unravel.
This was a moving tale and of course in the end love won out but god, its so hard sometimes when you think the world and his wife is against you and everything you are. Its a crime that so many people are still so very blinkered in their views of same sex relationships and innocent men (and women) still have to suffer because of this.

See all reviews

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The Understatement of the Year Audible Audiobook – Unabridged

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