McKenzie Bishop is fresh out of the Army after getting wounded overseas. Estranged from his family, he decides to attend college as far away from home as possible; ending up at Buchanan State University, in Crescent Falls, Pennsylvania. He doesn’t know a soul there; so, it’s the perfect place to begin the next chapter in his life.After two weeks of immense boredom, loneliness, and his own form of … form of alcohol therapy, he decides to pledge a fraternity, something he always wanted to do prior to joining the Army. Enter, Delta Iota Kappa, the animal house of BSU.
Bishop is the oldest one in his pledge class and wary about what the pledging process will entail, but like everything else in his life prior, he fully commits. Everything goes smoothly until the night he’s arrested at a fraternity party.
Faced with jail time or a Veterans Affairs substance abuse program, Bishop chooses the latter, and to his surprise, falls head over heels for his much older female counselor. He finds this elusive woman intriguing and suddenly, his sessions become about much more than learning how to overcome his addiction to alcohol.
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I’m not sure where to start my review. Do i start with saying I’m in love with Bishop? Or how the books grabs you and drags you through as you race to catch up with the author? Do i tell you that these characters hit you in the face hard and some you love and others you feel your jaw tence up and your hands clenching into fists cause you just want to punch them.
I’m not going into any detail because this is a road you need to travel yourself. Feel what you feel and experience for yourself. For me though this book this author has a way to touch my soul like no other. Not with all his books and I’ve read them all. However, this one and his Thirty Days brought me to my knees. Touched me to my soul and the way he did that, it’s simple….his passion he brought to the pages. They aren’t just words it’s his blood, sweat, and tears I feel on those pages and for that my soul is forever touched. Thank you.
Wow, just wow. I’m not sure I have the words to describe how I felt after finishing Bishop last night. There were parts of this book that made me laugh, made me cry, made me fan myself, made me mad and made me want to throw my kindle.
In Bishop, BT takes you on one man’s journey from being discharged from the military after an injury to starting school in a town far away from his home to pledging a frat and the aftermath of his first year in college. Through each step of the story, you see how events both current and past have molded the man that Bishop is and who he becomes. You see how the men and women that come into his life have a profound effect on him both in a good way and in a bad way.
BT Urruela has a gift for delivering an emotional punch like no other author I’ve read in the last few years. His words always ring true to his characters and you can see how much of himself he lays bare on the pages. You can see parts of yourself in the characters he’s created. You can see yourself in the relationships that the main character has with their friends. You can see yourself in the main characters fears, insecurities and tragedies. You can also see yourself laughing along with them during those scenes that have you holding your sides and wiping away tears. All in all, he weaves a story that tugs at your heartstrings and leaves you wrecked.
Bishop is a must read and is definitely on my “to be read again” list.
Not exactly a coming of age story, maybe more of a finding home story. Bishop’s story is not a pretty story, it has its highs and lows, its friends and enemies, as he tries to find his fit into a world he now has to live in, since his military career was cut short , he’s left injured and alone, his military brothers moving on while he’s facing a different way of life away from military. He joins a fraternity, seeking a connection he’s missing from what he experienced in the Army, where we watch friends nurture into brothers where a whole lot of partying and greek life is involved. Great story telling of campus life along with characters that steal the scenes. A real great read! Very heart felt writing, Mac. It’s not just the friendships he’s made, he has romance opportunities too, hot sex scene action all while the whirlwind of life swirls around him.
Bishop is not of my age bracket, but the storyline had me engrossed. More than a few times it had me laughing out loud, but it can’t be labeled as a comedy. I enjoyed seeing the author use his own life experiences and personally to shape Bishop’s character. All the characters were so well written that you could envision them and their surroundings. Sometimes when reading a book, the ending is predictable. Bishop is NOT one of those books. There was only one surprise that I had already figured out, but that was so small to the overall ending.
This story is a ride well worth hopping on! It will take you through a rollercoaster of emotions, laughing to crying, anger to love, betrayal to trust. I hope you hold on, read to the end because you will not be disappointed!
Bishop is raw, unapologetic and brings to light the struggles of a young wounded veteran as he tries to figure out where he fits in as a civilian and what his purpose and potential can be now that he has the rest of his life ahead of him.
It is also a story of friendship. Friends are either embarrassing you and throwing you under the bus or helping to plot the revenge for a broken heart. Friends are there for you when you are at your high and but a true friend is still there through your lowest of low moments. When Bishop is finally able to open himself up he finds good friends but he also finds a better life.
This is the first full-length novel I’ve read by BT Urruela and just wow! Now I know what everyone else was talking about when they praised his books and his writing. Loved Bishop and seeing his growth. From the beginning to the very last page, I was hooked. And knowing just how true this story really is just makes it that much the better and I can only commend Mr. Urruela for being so raw and honest and real with us, always. Going to go back now and read Mr. Urruela’s previous works while I eagerly anticipate Sarge’s book. Also – bananas: ruined forever now.
A great book from a great author-tying in elements of his own life experience in the military, this is a book I recommend highly! Get after it!
Wow, this is BT’s best work to date!
I may have fallen in love with Bishop. He’s the ultimate book boyfriend without trying to be. Bishop is naturally alpha, he feels deeply, loves his friends with his whole heart, he’s fiercely loyal to those he cares about and knows his way around a woman’s body.
We follow Bishop through his first semester of college after being wounded in combat while serving in the Army. He struggling with be a civilian, trying to figure out who he is and where he belongs. He meets a hell of a crew along the way some will make you laugh out loud, some you’ll love others you may want to punch in the face. No matter how you feel about the character they all have a reason to be a part of story and make the truly incredible book it is.
I was completely engaged in the story from start to finish. They’re are none of those skim of chapters that seem to happen to often. I didn’t just read this book, I felt the emotions BT poured into this book.
This is one I’ll read again and again.
Hilarious! Heartbreaking! Hot! What else can I say about this book??!! Bishop will have you laughing with all the frat antics. The connection with his pledge brothers is awesome. The sex just gets hotter and hotter! Add to your library now!!
Wow! First, this is the best work I’ve read from this author so far! Second, it’s so insightful…the life of a veteran, such a privelage to read!
Sooooo many feels! I’m pretty sure I felt every single emotion possible during this book! Happiness, sadness, anger, joy, hope, steam…simply an incredible read.
Transitioning back to daily life after living as a fighter every single day puts you through so much. I laughed and cried. Rejoiced in the friendships. Loved it!
Highly recommend this read!
An incredible story about a decorated war Veteran who is floundering in civilian life but eventually finds his path.
Bishop is complicated. A good man but plagued by memories of war and loss. He suffers from anxiety around large groups. He drinks too much. However, he is honorable, loyal and lives by the ARMY code of integrity.
After a horrible explosion that leaves Bishop with facial scars, a long recovery at Walter Reed, he is now a civilian. Not sure what to do with his life, he enrolls in college. Missing that feeling of comraderie and brotherhood leads him to pledge a fraternity.
This is Bishop’s story of finding his own way and it’s not without pitfalls. There’s women, which leads to some super hot sex, a run in with law enforcement, lust, loss, friendship and finally a path for the future.
This story hits on so many relevant topics of today. It really was an incredible journey; watching Bishop find his way kept up late into the night.
When you read this book you will have no choice but to fall in love with McKenzie Bishop. BT made sure to only only show you his strength, perseverance, integrity and loyalty but also his vulnerability. There will be times in this book that you will laugh so hard it will bring you to tears , times that you will want to punch a character in the face, times that it will have you all hot and bothered and times you will cry some ugly tears. This book was not only about Bishop finding his place in the world, but also about him finding those friendships that will last a lifetime. Thank you BT giving us Bishop. Such an amazing story. a definite must read!!!!
This is a great book. I truly enjoyed it.
This story was about the character finding himself after losing the career he expected to be in for a lot longer than circumstances allowed. Feeling lost, anxious and alone he tries something else, only that doesn’t seem to be enough. Nightmares and loneliness drive him to find the camaraderie that he had while serving, he turns to joining a Frat. Now I understand his reasoning and need, I also understand where the author was coming from with this and the events and subject matter that follows, my trouble is being an older reader I just couldn’t get my head around putting up with the crap these people go through to join something that appears to me to be just about drinking and partying for the most part. The pledges did so some studying in the house and yes they became close friends and supported each other to a certain degree which was the main aim for our character, but the drinking really didn’t do any of them any favours in the end. I think maybe I am just a little older and never having been to university I haven’t had experience of this sort of thing to really get the wanting to be a part of something like this. Fortunately as the book progressed towards the end it started to become more clear what the author was trying to say and in the end i got it. I appreciate the work put into this by the author and the meanings behind it but for me it didn’t make it a 5 star read, my concentration didn’t hold for the most part sadly. Overall it is good but not fantastic.
Wow, just wow! This author has the ability to draw you in to every story he writes. His words take you through a whole gamut of emotion and this revamped Bishop is just……!! I have laughed, I have cried and everything in between.
Bishop is struggling to find his fit after being injured in action and being medically discharged from the army. Joining a Fraternity may give him the brotherhood he misses but he gets so much more. But through it all, his struggles and fights, his integrity and the loyalty to his friends holds firm.
And after reading the ‘after word’ at the end, I messaged my bestie who I haven’t spoken to for awhile. Read the book and you will understand.
Well this one has taken me some time to get through, not because I didn’t enjoy it, but because I wanted to make sure to take in the story and details of the book. I had read the short in the Frat Chronicles and knew I need to know what happens with the new pledges for the DIK fraternity.
Well I was not disappointed at all! I loved this story and hope there are more to come from some of the characters. I would love to see either a back story or continuation of their stories within the fraternity or beyond. This one had me laughing, about in tears and ready to throw my Kindle, but just so you know it was not harmed in any way.
All I can say is you are in for a ride with this one and hope you take a chance and read it and determine for yourself. I don’t usually like to say much about a story as to give to much away and you can’t alway judge a review by the book. We all have different opinions and you should follow your heart. I will always be a reader of this authors works in the future.
Disclaimer: if you are not familiar with BT’s work, understand that this is not your typical romanticized-HEA type romance book.
Bishop is a story that is the reality of life. If you’ve ever been a part of Greek Life in college, you will identify with the pledge process. You will laugh, get angry and ‘feel’ for the characters. Bishop is trying to find his place in life after suffering a life changing injury in the Army. He returns to college and joins a fraternity, seeking out that brotherhood he once had as an infantryman.
I loved Bishop. As always BT has infused his life experiences into the characters making this an easily identifiable book. Great work BT! Can’t wait to hear Sarge’s story.
For me, this novel was an emotional roller coaster ride as I followed McKenzie Bishop on his transition from life as a soldier to the life of a civilian looking to find his way after choosing to leave his life of military service following a life-altering injury while deployed.
I think you’ll laugh, cry and you might even become angry as you come along for the experiences he has and meet the people that cross Bishop’s path as he seeks to find his new normal.
Bishop also provided me with moments to think about issues that are prevalent in this world right now and now I find myself wanting to know, “What can I do to help make a change?”.
Whether you are already a fan of BT Urruela’s work, or are just being introduced to his work for the first time, this novel is definitely a MUST READ for all!!! He uses his own life experiences in his writing which, for me, makes the story and characters that much more real and relatable.