The Shameless Hour - Book Review

By Sarina Bowen

Synopsis

The girl who’s had everyone meets the boy who has no one.

For Bella, the sweet-talking, free-loving, hip-checking student manager of the Harkness men’s hockey team, sex is a second language. She’s used to being fluent where others stutter, and the things people say behind her back don’t (often) bother her. So she can’t understand why her smoking hot downstairs neighbor has so much trouble staying friends after their spontaneous night together. She knows better than to worry about it, but there’s something in those espresso eyes that makes her second guess herself.

Rafe is appalled with himself for losing his virginity in a drunken hookup. His strict Catholic upbringing always emphasized loving thy neighbor–but not with a bottle of wine and a box of condoms. The result is an Ivy League bout of awkwardness. But when Bella is leveled by a little bad luck and a downright nasty fraternity stunt, it’s Rafe who is there to pick up the pieces.

Bella doesn’t want Rafe’s help, and she’s through with men. Too bad the undeniable spark that crackles between the two of them just can’t be extinguished.

Review

Bella is a young woman who loves sex and she makes no apologies about it. But when a sexual encounter with a football player leaves her with a little something unexpected, she does the right thing and informs the guy of the situation. What happens next is truly disturbing and utterly frightening and is a massive blow to her confidence. The once bright and bubbly young woman becomes a recluse, preferring the isolation of her dorm room over the laughing and finger pointing she’ll receive in public. But with her new friend, Rafe, helping her rebuild her confidence and her other new friend, Lianne, helping her to co-ordinate her revenge attack, Bella is able to face the world again, albeit this time a bit more cautiously.

I loved Bella and her amazing personality. She’s smart, funny and friendly, and most things just roll right off her back. It was sad to see how badly the events at the frat house affected her and that she felt she had no-one to turn to. Rafe was a sweetheart, but I’ll be honest and say that other than him being there for Bella and reading about this outstanding morals, he’s not very memorable. Bella was without a doubt my favourite character in this story.

I was looking forward to reading THE SHAMELESS HOUR after meeting Bella in THE UNDERSTATEMENT OF THE YEAR and was expecting her book to be a lighthearted and fun read given her personality. But this is Sarina Bowen we’re talking about and her Ivy Years series deals with controversial yet realistic issues, so I really should have known better. I can’t wait for Lianne’s story.