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The Understatement of the Year

By: Sarina Bowen
Narrated by: Teddy Hamilton, Christian Fox
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Summary

What happened in high school stayed in high school. Until now.

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.

©2014 Sarina Bowen (P)2016 Audible, Inc.
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What listeners say about The Understatement of the Year

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Another winner audio

I loved this series .. very clever how they all entwine into one another. The main characters are fab and I just couldn’t stop listening

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Loved every second

I absolutely loved this book. It was an emotional rollercoaster that ended in a perfect HEA. The narrators were superb. It isn’t super spicy (fades to black before the good bits) but the emotions are raw and the characters are adorable .

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wow what a story

It's got to be a difficult life when your parants throw you out for being gay and your boyfriend having difficulty admiring to himself that he's gay, it's a beautiful story giving all the ups and downs that life can throw at two young men. I've listened to this twice and enjoyed it.

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gripping

Two wonderful narrators.
4.5 stars. I was more touched by this story than I expected. There was more hurt/comfort than I anticipated and that's my absolute favourite Graham was really a very frustrating character, so fanatical in protecting his place deep in the closet that he hurt others, but especially himself. Rikker was in a very different place but also had quite a few difficulties. An epilogue would have been much appreciated, it didn't quite feel finished.

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Sweet love story

Made me laugh, cry and laugh again. Love is love live let live x x

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Loved it

I really enjoyed this story, this author is very quickly becoming a favourite of mine.

Rikker is such a likeable character, so patient and kind especially towards Graham. I felt for him in much of the book as he was treated pretty crappy by so many people. I do wish we could have seen him put himself first and stick up for himself more as well.

Graham is a difficult character for me, at times I found him infuriating, though I understood his troubles and internalised homophobia, I sometimes found him to be somewhat selfish and found myself wanting to scream into a pillow. I also wish we could have seen him punch ‘big D’- what an ass!
However he also had a sweet side and I loved seeing himself slowly open up and allow himself to be happy.

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BRILLIANT narrations...much better in audio. 👍👍

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?
Yes, if they're prepared to accept that they'll get really annoyed with Michael Graham, and want to smack him upside the head BUT also feel really sorry for him at the same time. The quality was excellent. One of the best audios I've ever bought to date.

Which character – as performed by Teddy Hamilton and Christian Fox – was your favourite?
John Rikker definitely. I loved Teddy Hamilton as Jamie Canning in Sarina Bowen/Elle Kennedy's HIM and was chuffed to bits he narrated Rikker BUT Christian Fox ran him a very, VERY close second.

Did you have an emotional reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?
I was furious with Graham at first after reading the story in 2015, and this audio mostly made me remember Graham's continuing refusal to grow a pair and come out of that closet. They were both the victims of a hate crime...Rikker was beaten up for God's sake, and Graham still said nothing and didn't even visit Rikker in hospital cos he was completely shell-shocked and in denial. Have to say though, for some reason this audio book and Christian Fox's narration in particular helped me to get a much better understanding of Graham's huge mental block regarding that closet and his 'gay' future. Graham was obviously suffering from some sort of PTSD as a result of the ordeal he and Rikker went through. And yes, the story did make me cry...Rikker's loneliness was almost palpable and Graham's inability to process what had happened in the past was heartbreaking.

Any additional comments?
My Goodreads review...Superb narration of a great story featuring 'Teddy Hamilton' who 'was' Jamie Canning for me in Him as John Rikker and a newbie to me, Christian Fox, as Michael Graham. I have to admit it made me see Graham in a whole new less insensitive light, and I sort of get where he was coming from now, although I still felt sorry for Rikker and his woes. THIS AUDIO IS *DEFINITELY* IN MY TOP 5 AUDIOS OF ALL TIME Congrats to all concerned. 🎉🎉🎉

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3 people found this helpful

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Hot hockey boys

I listened to the audio coz I adore Teddy Hamilton, loved the narration, really great story of this M/M romance, as a straight woman I find it ‘interesting’ how there are no opening gay people in major sports, this gave me a great insight into that. I just loved Graham & Rickys relationship, it was awesome and very hot with some angst but nothing too too much.

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Love this

My first MM romance, but that’s beside the point. Beautifully written, kept my interest all the way through and the narration was spot on.
First book I listened to in the series, going to start at the beginning now.
Definitely recommend

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Title matches the book perfectly

I started off enthralled by the characters and although Graham took a long time to come round I fell hard for both main characters. Their development and the passion was amazing. The loved & hated how long it took to come around for Graham. But somehow it completely made sense and touched in all the right places! I do hope there is more with these characters because I’m dying to know how it all turns out!!

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