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The New Guy
‘Amazing chemistry and a hero you’ll fall in love with’ Julie Caplin Sam Huxton doesn’t do one-night stands, especially not with men she’s just met! But the hot guy at the bar was hard to resist and one night is all they share – no names, no numbers, just some much needed fun… Until the same guy walks into Sam’s life the next day as her new employee. Sam never mixes business with pleasure and makes it clear an office fling with Ryan is off-limits. But after-hours… one thing can lead to another. Can Sam trust her heart and her business with the new guy?
432 pages, Paperback
First published March 13, 2020
460 people are currently reading
2343 people want to read
About the author
Kathryn Freeman
28 books447 followersI was born in Wallingford, England and have spent most of my life living in a village outside Windsor. A former pharmacist, former pharmaceutical industry employee I’m now a self-employed medical writer who also loves to write romance. Some days a racing heart is a medical condition, others it’s the reaction to a hunky hero…
I’ve two teenage boys and a husband who asks every Valentine’s Day whether he has to bother buying a card again this year (yes, he does) so the romance in my life is all in my head. Then again, my husband’s unstinting support of my career change goes to prove that love isn't always about hearts and flowers - and heroes can come in many disguises
I’ve two teenage boys and a husband who asks every Valentine’s Day whether he has to bother buying a card again this year (yes, he does) so the romance in my life is all in my head. Then again, my husband’s unstinting support of my career change goes to prove that love isn't always about hearts and flowers - and heroes can come in many disguises
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October 14, 2021
Oh, hell! Here I’m in favorite vacation place 🇨🇭AGAIN!!!
Yeah, at least they have amazing 🍫🏦⛷💰🏔
Another mediocre, I didn’t like it but I didn’t hate it book!
Let’s take a better look to see what we have: grieving Sam stops at a pub to numb her feelings after the sudden loss of granpa , meets with Ryan and WHAMBAMTHANKYOUMAAM ! One night stand! 🛏 (did you like my IKEA bed emoji 😂)
They think they will never see each other again but here we go: They couldn’t be so wrong. She finds out her own company hired a new software developer. 👨🏻💻(Ha ha these emojis I use to tell the story getting more ridiculous at each second)
And he’s… yes BINGO! 🛏He’s Ryan! So here’s our dilemma!
I was expecting some hot chemistry 🕺💃🏻🔥in work place 🏢kind of book.
Yes, there is chemistry. Yes, there is polar opposite attraction, too. Our brooding bar guy has a real rough past, chip on his shoulder, terrible childhood. He hides himself behind his emotional barricades and Sam is so determined to destroy those walls by swinging her axe.
So far office romance+ chemistry+ different personalities+ ex- douchebag appearance formula always works for me. But I didn’t like heroine so much. 🤮
We learn so much about the hero’s struggles but there are so much attributes that help to connect with her or like her a little. And ending parts, unnecessary angsty repeating made me want to throw the book against the wall and scream at the characters to get a grip and pull themselves together.😤😡🤬
I still like stories full of clichés because you know what you get when you start reading them. But sometimes edgy, angsty, way too much drama ruin your motivation and your dedication to the couple.
So this is another Switzerland read for me. I enjoyed some parts and I got bored at some parts. Overall it is solid three stars. Some parts got my attraction but at the end I just a little bit lost my full interest. At least it was soft, easy reading among with the angsty parts. If you want to take a break from mind numbing thrillers or heavy dramas, it could be a great choice for you.
Special thanks to NetGalley, Harper Collins UK, One More Chapter for sharing this ARC COPY in exchange my honest review.
Yeah, at least they have amazing 🍫🏦⛷💰🏔
Another mediocre, I didn’t like it but I didn’t hate it book!
Let’s take a better look to see what we have: grieving Sam stops at a pub to numb her feelings after the sudden loss of granpa , meets with Ryan and WHAMBAMTHANKYOUMAAM ! One night stand! 🛏 (did you like my IKEA bed emoji 😂)
They think they will never see each other again but here we go: They couldn’t be so wrong. She finds out her own company hired a new software developer. 👨🏻💻(Ha ha these emojis I use to tell the story getting more ridiculous at each second)
And he’s… yes BINGO! 🛏He’s Ryan! So here’s our dilemma!
I was expecting some hot chemistry 🕺💃🏻🔥in work place 🏢kind of book.
Yes, there is chemistry. Yes, there is polar opposite attraction, too. Our brooding bar guy has a real rough past, chip on his shoulder, terrible childhood. He hides himself behind his emotional barricades and Sam is so determined to destroy those walls by swinging her axe.
So far office romance+ chemistry+ different personalities+ ex- douchebag appearance formula always works for me. But I didn’t like heroine so much. 🤮
We learn so much about the hero’s struggles but there are so much attributes that help to connect with her or like her a little. And ending parts, unnecessary angsty repeating made me want to throw the book against the wall and scream at the characters to get a grip and pull themselves together.😤😡🤬
I still like stories full of clichés because you know what you get when you start reading them. But sometimes edgy, angsty, way too much drama ruin your motivation and your dedication to the couple.
So this is another Switzerland read for me. I enjoyed some parts and I got bored at some parts. Overall it is solid three stars. Some parts got my attraction but at the end I just a little bit lost my full interest. At least it was soft, easy reading among with the angsty parts. If you want to take a break from mind numbing thrillers or heavy dramas, it could be a great choice for you.
Special thanks to NetGalley, Harper Collins UK, One More Chapter for sharing this ARC COPY in exchange my honest review.
March 26, 2020
Well this book was sunshine on a cloudy day! The perfect escape from all the coronavirus news, social distancing, safer at home orders, and the politics. Kathryn Freeman has written a delightful story that made me swoon and smile. Once upon a time Sam and Ryan meet at a bar. Both of them have had a little too much to drink, both of them are a little lonely, and both of them are certain that they will never meet again. There is a definite attraction, but there nothing alike, so one night of great sex is all that there is in the plans. That is until... dun dun dun Ryan shows up at Sam’s work the next day and is her new employee. *awkward* Sam is NOT going to have another office relationship, been there, done that, have the T-shirt. So even though Sam is still crazy attracted to Ryan and as she gets to know him better he becomes more and more attractive, she is keeping her distance. I’m sure you know where this is going... that truly is the comfort of romance you always know no matter what the journey there will always be a happily ever after.
Both Sam and Ryan were likable characters although they both frustrated me many times. They both had some major insecurities that they needed to get a major grip on. I also really liked the secondary characters especially Sam and Ryan‘s coworkers. I have to give a special shout out to Lucas loved his wit and wardrobe! This was the feel-good story that I really needed to brighten my day.
This book in emojis ☀️ 🍾 📱 🏊🏼♂️ 🎀 🎉
*** Big thank you to One More Chapter for my gifted copy of this book. All opinions are my own. ***
Both Sam and Ryan were likable characters although they both frustrated me many times. They both had some major insecurities that they needed to get a major grip on. I also really liked the secondary characters especially Sam and Ryan‘s coworkers. I have to give a special shout out to Lucas loved his wit and wardrobe! This was the feel-good story that I really needed to brighten my day.
This book in emojis ☀️ 🍾 📱 🏊🏼♂️ 🎀 🎉
*** Big thank you to One More Chapter for my gifted copy of this book. All opinions are my own. ***
March 14, 2020
Prepare yourself for a swoon-worthy Brit Romance that will melt your heart.
Sam Huxton is having a bad day. She usually has her life together, but her beloved Grumps (grandfather) just passed and she needs a distraction.
She’s sitting in a pub drinking away her sorrows when she spots a ridiculously hot yet absurdly grumpy guy. He’s the brooding type, with a crooked nose, scruffy beard, and bad-boy leather jacket.
Despite their very different personalities they just have chemistry, so they agree to a one night stand, with just one rule – no names, no numbers, just some much-needed fun…
Until the same guy walks into Sam’s life the next day as her new employee. Yikes.
Very Grey’s Anatomy vibes, btw. So yeah, Sam is the owner of a tech company, a few years back she developed an app that helps people track which companies have their data online, and where they are being used.
The app was a success, but Sam started the business with her obnoxious ex. And once she found out he was cheating on her and broke up with him, he took the app idea and now is working on a better and stronger competitor version.
Desperately needing to launch a version 2 of the app to soothe investors, Sam needs the best programmer out there. And he was hired by Sam’s friend…. And he just happens to be Brooding Bar Guy - dun dun dun.
Sam never mixes business with pleasure and makes it clear an office fling with Ryan is off-limits. But after-hours…one thing can lead to another. Can Sam trust her heart and her business with the new guy?
I loved their story. Sunshine Sam and Brooding Ryan are as opposite as they come, and this book is a beautiful example of how opposites can attract. I honestly disliked Ryan very much at the beginning of the book, but when he starts opening up it is impossible not to fall head over heels for him.
I wish perhaps that we would have gotten a little bit more about their relationship at the end, perhaps an epilogue. But I really enjoyed their story. Funny, smart and super sweet.
Thank you Netgalley and HarperCollins UK, One More Chapter for sending me an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Sam Huxton is having a bad day. She usually has her life together, but her beloved Grumps (grandfather) just passed and she needs a distraction.
She’s sitting in a pub drinking away her sorrows when she spots a ridiculously hot yet absurdly grumpy guy. He’s the brooding type, with a crooked nose, scruffy beard, and bad-boy leather jacket.
Despite their very different personalities they just have chemistry, so they agree to a one night stand, with just one rule – no names, no numbers, just some much-needed fun…
Until the same guy walks into Sam’s life the next day as her new employee. Yikes.
Very Grey’s Anatomy vibes, btw. So yeah, Sam is the owner of a tech company, a few years back she developed an app that helps people track which companies have their data online, and where they are being used.
The app was a success, but Sam started the business with her obnoxious ex. And once she found out he was cheating on her and broke up with him, he took the app idea and now is working on a better and stronger competitor version.
Desperately needing to launch a version 2 of the app to soothe investors, Sam needs the best programmer out there. And he was hired by Sam’s friend…. And he just happens to be Brooding Bar Guy - dun dun dun.
Sam never mixes business with pleasure and makes it clear an office fling with Ryan is off-limits. But after-hours…one thing can lead to another. Can Sam trust her heart and her business with the new guy?
I loved their story. Sunshine Sam and Brooding Ryan are as opposite as they come, and this book is a beautiful example of how opposites can attract. I honestly disliked Ryan very much at the beginning of the book, but when he starts opening up it is impossible not to fall head over heels for him.
I wish perhaps that we would have gotten a little bit more about their relationship at the end, perhaps an epilogue. But I really enjoyed their story. Funny, smart and super sweet.
Thank you Netgalley and HarperCollins UK, One More Chapter for sending me an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
April 10, 2020
Favorite Quotes:
Then he peeked at him over his shades. ‘Admit it, big man. You’ve got a soft spot for me.’ ‘It’s soft all right,’ Ryan muttered, causing Lucas to burst into laughter.
I’ve got a bit of heartburn, that’s all. Probably the sausage sandwich I had for lunch from that mobile greasy spoon on the market. Haute cuisine it isn’t. More like haute coli.
My Review:
This is my fourth time reading the clever arrangements of words of Kathryn Freeman and each time I pick one up, I aspire to read her entire backlist, I am enamored with her smooth and engaging writing style, wry humor, and perceptive insights. Her unique and quirky characters tend to be hardworking and admirable yet flawed, struggling, and more than a bit short-sighted at times while still more enjoyable than most people I know. I adored this couple as they traversed the challenging minefield of working together during the day while secretly doing the slap and tickle after-hours. They smoothed and soothed each other’s damaged psyches.
In addition to providing me with an entertaining diversion, Ms. Freeman also added to my Brit Word and Phrases list with lampin - Midlands-speak for a beating, sussed – UK slang for understood or figured out, and bobby dazzler - a person who is considered remarkable or excellent in some way. As such, I’ve astutely sussed Ms. Freeman to be a complete bobby dazzler and will hand out a serious lampin to anyone who dares dis my gal.
Then he peeked at him over his shades. ‘Admit it, big man. You’ve got a soft spot for me.’ ‘It’s soft all right,’ Ryan muttered, causing Lucas to burst into laughter.
I’ve got a bit of heartburn, that’s all. Probably the sausage sandwich I had for lunch from that mobile greasy spoon on the market. Haute cuisine it isn’t. More like haute coli.
My Review:
This is my fourth time reading the clever arrangements of words of Kathryn Freeman and each time I pick one up, I aspire to read her entire backlist, I am enamored with her smooth and engaging writing style, wry humor, and perceptive insights. Her unique and quirky characters tend to be hardworking and admirable yet flawed, struggling, and more than a bit short-sighted at times while still more enjoyable than most people I know. I adored this couple as they traversed the challenging minefield of working together during the day while secretly doing the slap and tickle after-hours. They smoothed and soothed each other’s damaged psyches.
In addition to providing me with an entertaining diversion, Ms. Freeman also added to my Brit Word and Phrases list with lampin - Midlands-speak for a beating, sussed – UK slang for understood or figured out, and bobby dazzler - a person who is considered remarkable or excellent in some way. As such, I’ve astutely sussed Ms. Freeman to be a complete bobby dazzler and will hand out a serious lampin to anyone who dares dis my gal.
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July 27, 2020
R A T I N G: 2.5/3 stars to The New Guy
★ ★ ★
'Blunt, taciturn, stubborn, solitary. Yet also kind, honest, decent through to his core, and with a wit drier than the desert.'
A twist on the boss/employee romance trope where the female holds all the cards.
That feeling when you’re one of the first few in line to give a not-so-favourable review for a book that has (for the most part) been a choice read for lots of readers? *Sigh*That’s how I’m feeling. I really struggled with ‘The New Guy’ , to the point where I just felt like I was slogging through. I really tried, but this was a rather unremarkable, unmemorable read for me.
And what’s worse I couldn’t pinpoint the fundamental why’s. It was during the read itself that I discovered this is the type of low-energy book that you might read when you have some downtime or to fill some time because this book just wasn’t enticing or tempting, at least for me. Books are hard work so I always make the effort to finish them, even if I’m not enjoying them, but I couldn’t wait to reach the finish line with this one.
A - B I T - A B O U T - T H E - S T O R Y
After burning away her sorrows under the much-needed influence of some fine wine, Sam finds herself in a pub mindlessly chatters on about a special man in her life to the dour, nonreciprocal punter who has no interest in her big mouth and intrusive temperament. The last thing antisocial Ryan Black needs in his life is to listen to the woes of a tipsy, oversharing stranger who can’t keep her mouth shut.
Ryan is far from the life of the party while Sam very much is. He’s gruff, sour and prickly, she’s light, sunny and a people friendly. It’s a surprise to both of them that they end up having an all-night stand. This man of little words, this stranger of the night was only supposed to be part of a magnetic memory that she could look on with liberation. All that takes a tumble when both realise he’s the new software developed on her team. ‘She’s the CEO and he’s the one night stand’.
Sam Huxton is in a race against her competitor, and Ryan is the new addition to hopefully keep her ahead of the app game. Ryan’s social pool is as bereft as they come, consisting of a party of one because Ryan Black is a keep-to-himself kind of player in life, both personal and professional.
One of life’s outcasts, and now one in the office, Ryan is about as warm as porcupine flesh. First day of work, aside from the shock of meeting face with what was supposed to be an unforgettable one night stand, doesn’t start on the best foot forward for Ryan…and as the days fly by, it doesn’t get a damn sight better. What with his rusty people skills, uninviting sourness and lonesome nature, he makes a very poor impression on his new peers. Ryan Black is the new guy …and what an impression he makes.
W H A T - I - D I D - L I K E
1) The writing is mellow and easy to read. It has a simple, uncomplicated charm that bodes well with the story.
2) Ryan isn’t the chocolate-sending, flower-ordering, make-your-life-an-epic-dreamscape type of person. He’s gruff, broody with a big heart veiled under an apathetic veneer because he cares too much. He may be the bearer of bad news, but he’s also a harbringer of honesty and you can always rely on him to bring it to the table, whether it’ll ruffle feathers or not. Ryan Black is the gem of this book and the irony of that is laughable as I’m sure he’d scowl while telling me to go and do one if he were to ever hear the words. It’s always reassuring for a reader to see parts of themself reflected between the pages of the book.
3) While opposites may attract, both tension and disagreements are inevitable, and hence interactions are bound to be prickly. I liked that realism in that representation. In fact, this book is actually highly believable- a reliable book if you like your stories both believable, lifelike and a bit more down-to-earth.
W H A T - I - D I D N’ T - L I K E/ C O N C E R N S
1) Both protagonists have flawed profiles and they definitely come across as very human. But be prepared for a lot of full-circle and frustrating angst. Normally I’m a big fan of angst but in this book it’s both exhausting and exasperating. Ryan and Sam always seem to take one step forward then three back.
2) If you’re looking for love scenes with this one, you will be sorely disappointed. I still don’t’ know how to feel about the absence of smut. It seemed incongruous with a story that’s partway attraction-based, and it jackknifed right through the couples’ chemistry (which I didn’t find they had much of, besides being told that they did). I’ve read many reviews that champion Ryan and Sam’s chemistry and I just kept thinking, WHY CAN’T I FEEL THE CHEMISTRY!? I don’t know If something is wrong with me, or if I’m going through a particularly non-feeling period but I didn’t feel it. Saying that though, I don’t think the existence of integrated love scenes would have made a difference despite that.
3) I didn’t dislike Sam but I’m still undecided about whether I liked her. Her character was neither here nor there, her profile not a very strong one. She’d frustrate me at times and I was down on her because to be begin with she didn’t have a lot of faith or trust in Ryan, made worse by the fact that her silence perpetuates his own insecurity, not always handling things with him in mind. Granted, Sam does have her own hang ups and Ryan is a hugely stubborn man, one she doesn’t need to emotionally babysit, but I think Ryan needed some of his own Aces. He can be too reactive and she can be too defensive (not criticisms) but something about Sam made me prickly.
4) There’s a lot of repetition in regard to both characters’ insecurity and why they can’t get together.
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With some reads, it isn’t as easy to zero in on what was not to like, and with others it’s unambiguously straightforward to determine the difference. I had my work cut out for me trying to get my own thoughts into perspective but for the most part, I was just largely unaffected by the story, and I really didn’t know if it was just me or the book. There is nothing inherently wrong with this story; it’s not a bad book, nor is it offensive in any way, but you would be right in thinking that there is a large ‘but’ coming your way.
I just didn’t enjoy ‘The New Guy’ . All things considered, this is a solid book but one that doesn’t stand out in the CR romance genre. This is my first try at a Kathryn Freeman novel and it just wasn’t for me. This book isn’t inspiring or particularly creative and it doesn’t try to be…which could work in its favour.
I wouldn’t class this as a rom-com because for that to apply it would have to be funny and this wasn’t particularly a novel that played with humour, though it is light-hearted at times. However, it is a contemporary romance, an office romance and an opposites attract romance rolled into one. One of my favourite genres of romance is office romance. I can’t tell you why, but they’re top of the list!
Simple, breezy, straightforward . A story that will bide the time nicely in a pinch. Not a story that dresses itself in the magic of a captivating romance. Alas, a few sprinkles of stardust wouldn’t have gone amiss. A well-meaning novel by Kathryn Freeman. I’m always a supporter of an outcast, so Ryan was the best part of this book for me.
Trigger Warning: Minimal swearing and mentions of alcoholism. No love scenes, just a lead up to them.
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T W I T T E R: @VicariousHearts
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S O M E - F A V O U R I T E - Q U O T E S
'His gaze snagged hers, eyes dark and intense. ‘My ego isn’t huge. I’m happy to live in your shadow. What I hated was thinking you were ashamed of being with me.’
‘I was the one who nicknamed you Sunshine Sam, not Lucas,’ he admitted after a pause. ‘Because of your smile.’
Delighted, she leant forward, forcing him to look at her. ‘You thought I had a nice smile, even before Cornwall?’
A flush tinged his cheeks. ‘I thought you had a smile that lit up your face and touched everyone around you.’
‘What?’
‘Just enjoying the sight of Ryan Black without a scowl on his face.’
‘You want to know how a man feels, don’t listen to what he says. Watch what he does.’
'Yet still there were times, when he thought she wasn’t watching, that she caught a pensive look on his face. Brooding, almost sad. It was those times she realised that while she felt closer to him than she ever had, she was a long way from knowing what he was really thinking. But then he’d surprise her by kissing the top of head or squeezing her hand, and she reassured herself whatever it was on his mind, he was happy to be with her.'
‘Not bad for a guy who claims he’s not good with people.’
‘I’m not.’ He caught her hand and laid it on his chest, over his heart. ‘You’re making me better at it.’
'What would it feel like to be her lover for real? Not just a few furtive couplings, but a relationship where he didn’t have to sneak away at dawn. And that, he thought grimly, was the road to madness.'
'His eyes were so fierce, yet his expression, his voice, so gentle. As what he was saying began to sink in, her heart lodged in her throat and a muddle of emotions battered her senses. Shock, because she’d assumed he’d wanted to talk about them. Not to discuss work. Fear, both that he was right and that he was wrong. Gratitude, great swathes of it, because even if he was wrong, his faith in her was almost overwhelming. Threading through them all was an emotion that pulled at her heart. He cared, she realised. And that, more than anything else, made the tears start to fall.'
'She could do with a tall, dark, devastatingly attractive distraction right now. ‘Okay, let’s head to the cliffs.’
She received another of those small, resolve-melting smiles. ‘As long as you promise not to shove me over.’
Laughter burst out of her. ‘Now who’s scared?’
‘You scare me all right, Sam Huxton.’
'He had a raw, sexual energy, a rugged bluntness that seemed at odds with the idea of romance.'
‘I can see why you didn’t go into art.’ Slowly she turned to face Ryan.
‘There’s beauty in everything, if you know where to look.’
His dark eyes swept over her face. ‘Trust me, I know.’
‘You assume it’s Sam who’ll get hurt,’ he threw at Lucas as he stood in the doorway.
‘Yet she’s the one who holds all the power.’
'Ryan Black was attractive when he was snapping angrily or brooding silently in his office. With his face lit up with laughter, wet T-shirt clinging to the muscles of his chest, he was far more than attractive. He was dangerous.'
'An introverted, blunt-speaking loner at times, but an honest, principled one. And a man more in tune with the feelings of others than he liked to let on.'
'At times, like now, she’d put him down as a thinker. Slow and careful about what he said. It went with his need to work in isolation. He liked to detach himself from others, and from the problem, so he could look at it painstakingly. Logically. It was in direct contrast to her, who liked to talk out a problem, and then go with her gut instinct. At other times though, he seemed quick to blurt the first thing that came into his head. That, she guessed, was when his emotions were involved.'
'You might find you don’t like him, and then this crazy attraction will disappear.’
‘And if the opposite happens?’
‘Ah.’ She slid Sam a look. ‘You think you could actually like a guy whose default mode seems to be rude and the only smile he knows is a smirk?’
‘Did I mention the part about me being Ryan’s boss?’
‘You’re not the first boss to sleep with an employee.’
‘Yeah, but the boss is usually male. I hold myself to a higher standard than that.’
Becky started to snigger. ‘If it’s like I’ve read in books, the boss isn’t just usually male, he’s also usually a billionaire who likes to tie his employee up in all sorts of—’
‘Thanks, I get the picture.’
‘Can you carry me?’ At his puzzled look, she laughed, a teeny bit self-conscious.
‘“The hot stranger carried her to the bedroom.”’
She bit into her lip, aware she was making a fool of herself yet also uncaring, because she wasn’t going to see him again. The beauty of sex with a stranger. ‘Sounds better than “They walked to the bedroom”.’
He let out a low laugh and it looked good on him. Softened the edges of his rather blunt masculinity. ‘Are you writing a dirty book?’
‘Only in my head.’
‘Yes!’ she squeaked as he threw her – okay, it wasn’t hard, but still, he threw her – onto the bed. Blowing her hair out of her eyes, she stared up at him. ‘Not quite what I’d imagined.’
‘No? Your book doesn’t feature hunky firemen?’ It was because he said it with a straight face, she realised. Most men grinned when they used humour, but with this guy, it took a moment to realise he was joking.
‘You got a sex-with-a-stranger kink going on?’ He didn’t mind that. Didn’t mind it at all.
‘I don’t think so. More recovering from a shitty breakup and not ready to date but I miss sex.’ Reassured, he clasped her hand. ‘Then let’s get you laid.’
She laughed softly. ‘Not exactly Mr Romantic, are you?’
'He looked big and mean. Intimidating. A bull, facing down the matador.'
'Although while he wasn’t listening to the words, he did enjoy the sound of her voice. Almost as much as he enjoyed watching her talk. The expressive face, the self-mocking laughter, the seemingly random movement of her hands which appeared to ‘talk’ almost as much as she did. Yeah, watching her was as good a way as any to spend the evening.'
'Blunt, taciturn, stubborn, solitary. Yet also kind, honest, decent through to his core, and with a wit drier than the desert.'
A twist on the boss/employee romance trope where the female holds all the cards.
That feeling when you’re one of the first few in line to give a not-so-favourable review for a book that has (for the most part) been a choice read for lots of readers? *Sigh*That’s how I’m feeling. I really struggled with ‘The New Guy’ , to the point where I just felt like I was slogging through. I really tried, but this was a rather unremarkable, unmemorable read for me.
And what’s worse I couldn’t pinpoint the fundamental why’s. It was during the read itself that I discovered this is the type of low-energy book that you might read when you have some downtime or to fill some time because this book just wasn’t enticing or tempting, at least for me. Books are hard work so I always make the effort to finish them, even if I’m not enjoying them, but I couldn’t wait to reach the finish line with this one.
A - B I T - A B O U T - T H E - S T O R Y
After burning away her sorrows under the much-needed influence of some fine wine, Sam finds herself in a pub mindlessly chatters on about a special man in her life to the dour, nonreciprocal punter who has no interest in her big mouth and intrusive temperament. The last thing antisocial Ryan Black needs in his life is to listen to the woes of a tipsy, oversharing stranger who can’t keep her mouth shut.
Ryan is far from the life of the party while Sam very much is. He’s gruff, sour and prickly, she’s light, sunny and a people friendly. It’s a surprise to both of them that they end up having an all-night stand. This man of little words, this stranger of the night was only supposed to be part of a magnetic memory that she could look on with liberation. All that takes a tumble when both realise he’s the new software developed on her team. ‘She’s the CEO and he’s the one night stand’.
Sam Huxton is in a race against her competitor, and Ryan is the new addition to hopefully keep her ahead of the app game. Ryan’s social pool is as bereft as they come, consisting of a party of one because Ryan Black is a keep-to-himself kind of player in life, both personal and professional.
One of life’s outcasts, and now one in the office, Ryan is about as warm as porcupine flesh. First day of work, aside from the shock of meeting face with what was supposed to be an unforgettable one night stand, doesn’t start on the best foot forward for Ryan…and as the days fly by, it doesn’t get a damn sight better. What with his rusty people skills, uninviting sourness and lonesome nature, he makes a very poor impression on his new peers. Ryan Black is the new guy …and what an impression he makes.
W H A T - I - D I D - L I K E
1) The writing is mellow and easy to read. It has a simple, uncomplicated charm that bodes well with the story.
2) Ryan isn’t the chocolate-sending, flower-ordering, make-your-life-an-epic-dreamscape type of person. He’s gruff, broody with a big heart veiled under an apathetic veneer because he cares too much. He may be the bearer of bad news, but he’s also a harbringer of honesty and you can always rely on him to bring it to the table, whether it’ll ruffle feathers or not. Ryan Black is the gem of this book and the irony of that is laughable as I’m sure he’d scowl while telling me to go and do one if he were to ever hear the words. It’s always reassuring for a reader to see parts of themself reflected between the pages of the book.
3) While opposites may attract, both tension and disagreements are inevitable, and hence interactions are bound to be prickly. I liked that realism in that representation. In fact, this book is actually highly believable- a reliable book if you like your stories both believable, lifelike and a bit more down-to-earth.
W H A T - I - D I D N’ T - L I K E/ C O N C E R N S
1) Both protagonists have flawed profiles and they definitely come across as very human. But be prepared for a lot of full-circle and frustrating angst. Normally I’m a big fan of angst but in this book it’s both exhausting and exasperating. Ryan and Sam always seem to take one step forward then three back.
2) If you’re looking for love scenes with this one, you will be sorely disappointed. I still don’t’ know how to feel about the absence of smut. It seemed incongruous with a story that’s partway attraction-based, and it jackknifed right through the couples’ chemistry (which I didn’t find they had much of, besides being told that they did). I’ve read many reviews that champion Ryan and Sam’s chemistry and I just kept thinking, WHY CAN’T I FEEL THE CHEMISTRY!? I don’t know If something is wrong with me, or if I’m going through a particularly non-feeling period but I didn’t feel it. Saying that though, I don’t think the existence of integrated love scenes would have made a difference despite that.
3) I didn’t dislike Sam but I’m still undecided about whether I liked her. Her character was neither here nor there, her profile not a very strong one. She’d frustrate me at times and I was down on her because to be begin with she didn’t have a lot of faith or trust in Ryan, made worse by the fact that her silence perpetuates his own insecurity, not always handling things with him in mind. Granted, Sam does have her own hang ups and Ryan is a hugely stubborn man, one she doesn’t need to emotionally babysit, but I think Ryan needed some of his own Aces. He can be too reactive and she can be too defensive (not criticisms) but something about Sam made me prickly.
4) There’s a lot of repetition in regard to both characters’ insecurity and why they can’t get together.
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With some reads, it isn’t as easy to zero in on what was not to like, and with others it’s unambiguously straightforward to determine the difference. I had my work cut out for me trying to get my own thoughts into perspective but for the most part, I was just largely unaffected by the story, and I really didn’t know if it was just me or the book. There is nothing inherently wrong with this story; it’s not a bad book, nor is it offensive in any way, but you would be right in thinking that there is a large ‘but’ coming your way.
I just didn’t enjoy ‘The New Guy’ . All things considered, this is a solid book but one that doesn’t stand out in the CR romance genre. This is my first try at a Kathryn Freeman novel and it just wasn’t for me. This book isn’t inspiring or particularly creative and it doesn’t try to be…which could work in its favour.
I wouldn’t class this as a rom-com because for that to apply it would have to be funny and this wasn’t particularly a novel that played with humour, though it is light-hearted at times. However, it is a contemporary romance, an office romance and an opposites attract romance rolled into one. One of my favourite genres of romance is office romance. I can’t tell you why, but they’re top of the list!
Simple, breezy, straightforward . A story that will bide the time nicely in a pinch. Not a story that dresses itself in the magic of a captivating romance. Alas, a few sprinkles of stardust wouldn’t have gone amiss. A well-meaning novel by Kathryn Freeman. I’m always a supporter of an outcast, so Ryan was the best part of this book for me.
Trigger Warning: Minimal swearing and mentions of alcoholism. No love scenes, just a lead up to them.
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Visit my blog for more reviews: V.L. Book Reviews
T W I T T E R: @VicariousHearts
I N S T A G R A M: @Vicarious.Hearts
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S O M E - F A V O U R I T E - Q U O T E S
'His gaze snagged hers, eyes dark and intense. ‘My ego isn’t huge. I’m happy to live in your shadow. What I hated was thinking you were ashamed of being with me.’
‘I was the one who nicknamed you Sunshine Sam, not Lucas,’ he admitted after a pause. ‘Because of your smile.’
Delighted, she leant forward, forcing him to look at her. ‘You thought I had a nice smile, even before Cornwall?’
A flush tinged his cheeks. ‘I thought you had a smile that lit up your face and touched everyone around you.’
‘What?’
‘Just enjoying the sight of Ryan Black without a scowl on his face.’
‘You want to know how a man feels, don’t listen to what he says. Watch what he does.’
'Yet still there were times, when he thought she wasn’t watching, that she caught a pensive look on his face. Brooding, almost sad. It was those times she realised that while she felt closer to him than she ever had, she was a long way from knowing what he was really thinking. But then he’d surprise her by kissing the top of head or squeezing her hand, and she reassured herself whatever it was on his mind, he was happy to be with her.'
‘Not bad for a guy who claims he’s not good with people.’
‘I’m not.’ He caught her hand and laid it on his chest, over his heart. ‘You’re making me better at it.’
'What would it feel like to be her lover for real? Not just a few furtive couplings, but a relationship where he didn’t have to sneak away at dawn. And that, he thought grimly, was the road to madness.'
'His eyes were so fierce, yet his expression, his voice, so gentle. As what he was saying began to sink in, her heart lodged in her throat and a muddle of emotions battered her senses. Shock, because she’d assumed he’d wanted to talk about them. Not to discuss work. Fear, both that he was right and that he was wrong. Gratitude, great swathes of it, because even if he was wrong, his faith in her was almost overwhelming. Threading through them all was an emotion that pulled at her heart. He cared, she realised. And that, more than anything else, made the tears start to fall.'
'She could do with a tall, dark, devastatingly attractive distraction right now. ‘Okay, let’s head to the cliffs.’
She received another of those small, resolve-melting smiles. ‘As long as you promise not to shove me over.’
Laughter burst out of her. ‘Now who’s scared?’
‘You scare me all right, Sam Huxton.’
'He had a raw, sexual energy, a rugged bluntness that seemed at odds with the idea of romance.'
‘I can see why you didn’t go into art.’ Slowly she turned to face Ryan.
‘There’s beauty in everything, if you know where to look.’
His dark eyes swept over her face. ‘Trust me, I know.’
‘You assume it’s Sam who’ll get hurt,’ he threw at Lucas as he stood in the doorway.
‘Yet she’s the one who holds all the power.’
'Ryan Black was attractive when he was snapping angrily or brooding silently in his office. With his face lit up with laughter, wet T-shirt clinging to the muscles of his chest, he was far more than attractive. He was dangerous.'
'An introverted, blunt-speaking loner at times, but an honest, principled one. And a man more in tune with the feelings of others than he liked to let on.'
'At times, like now, she’d put him down as a thinker. Slow and careful about what he said. It went with his need to work in isolation. He liked to detach himself from others, and from the problem, so he could look at it painstakingly. Logically. It was in direct contrast to her, who liked to talk out a problem, and then go with her gut instinct. At other times though, he seemed quick to blurt the first thing that came into his head. That, she guessed, was when his emotions were involved.'
'You might find you don’t like him, and then this crazy attraction will disappear.’
‘And if the opposite happens?’
‘Ah.’ She slid Sam a look. ‘You think you could actually like a guy whose default mode seems to be rude and the only smile he knows is a smirk?’
‘Did I mention the part about me being Ryan’s boss?’
‘You’re not the first boss to sleep with an employee.’
‘Yeah, but the boss is usually male. I hold myself to a higher standard than that.’
Becky started to snigger. ‘If it’s like I’ve read in books, the boss isn’t just usually male, he’s also usually a billionaire who likes to tie his employee up in all sorts of—’
‘Thanks, I get the picture.’
‘Can you carry me?’ At his puzzled look, she laughed, a teeny bit self-conscious.
‘“The hot stranger carried her to the bedroom.”’
She bit into her lip, aware she was making a fool of herself yet also uncaring, because she wasn’t going to see him again. The beauty of sex with a stranger. ‘Sounds better than “They walked to the bedroom”.’
He let out a low laugh and it looked good on him. Softened the edges of his rather blunt masculinity. ‘Are you writing a dirty book?’
‘Only in my head.’
‘Yes!’ she squeaked as he threw her – okay, it wasn’t hard, but still, he threw her – onto the bed. Blowing her hair out of her eyes, she stared up at him. ‘Not quite what I’d imagined.’
‘No? Your book doesn’t feature hunky firemen?’ It was because he said it with a straight face, she realised. Most men grinned when they used humour, but with this guy, it took a moment to realise he was joking.
‘You got a sex-with-a-stranger kink going on?’ He didn’t mind that. Didn’t mind it at all.
‘I don’t think so. More recovering from a shitty breakup and not ready to date but I miss sex.’ Reassured, he clasped her hand. ‘Then let’s get you laid.’
She laughed softly. ‘Not exactly Mr Romantic, are you?’
'He looked big and mean. Intimidating. A bull, facing down the matador.'
'Although while he wasn’t listening to the words, he did enjoy the sound of her voice. Almost as much as he enjoyed watching her talk. The expressive face, the self-mocking laughter, the seemingly random movement of her hands which appeared to ‘talk’ almost as much as she did. Yeah, watching her was as good a way as any to spend the evening.'
February 11, 2020
This is the first read for me by this author. And judging by the blurb I was really excited to read it.
I don't mind workplace romance and as many romance readers, I too am still looking for my next Hating Game fix.
In this novel, we get all the good ingredients like a broody hero and an optimistic heroine. They have a one night stand together and lo and behold who walks tomorrow morning into our heroine Sam office...yeah you guessed it, our hero Ryan. And then many things happened. Many! I would say this was a very plot-driven book...
It is an okay read! I just wish I loved it more. Maybe Ryan was an asshole too much. I mean he basically tells her to ef off two times when they meet. And Sam was all over the place...as a boss bitch and as a doormat. I couldn't relate.
And when you take a bigger picture of this being workplace romance where there is this huge difference in the power dynamic, It kind of makes you uncomfortable.
Be warned this is a book with a fade to black love scenes.
Thank you, NetGalley & the publisher for the copy of this book in exchange for an honest opinion.
I don't mind workplace romance and as many romance readers, I too am still looking for my next Hating Game fix.
In this novel, we get all the good ingredients like a broody hero and an optimistic heroine. They have a one night stand together and lo and behold who walks tomorrow morning into our heroine Sam office...yeah you guessed it, our hero Ryan. And then many things happened. Many! I would say this was a very plot-driven book...
It is an okay read! I just wish I loved it more. Maybe Ryan was an asshole too much. I mean he basically tells her to ef off two times when they meet. And Sam was all over the place...as a boss bitch and as a doormat. I couldn't relate.
And when you take a bigger picture of this being workplace romance where there is this huge difference in the power dynamic, It kind of makes you uncomfortable.
Be warned this is a book with a fade to black love scenes.
Thank you, NetGalley & the publisher for the copy of this book in exchange for an honest opinion.
March 28, 2020
I have received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
The New Guy was pretty cute. I didn't think I needed something like this until I dove into it. Doesn't help that all I've seen are rainy days and I'm forever cooped up in a house.
In it, you will meet Sam and Ryan. They just happen to meet a bar one day and of course things get frisky fast. Both think that it's going to be a one night stand but man.. they were both wrong. They were honestly cute and everything throughout the entire book. I loved how even though they were crazy attracted to one another and had developed hardcore feelings - they still tried to keep their distance.
Long story short, it didn't happen. In the end, they deserved one another and earned their little piece of happiness. I will have to look out for my next book by this author!
The New Guy was pretty cute. I didn't think I needed something like this until I dove into it. Doesn't help that all I've seen are rainy days and I'm forever cooped up in a house.
In it, you will meet Sam and Ryan. They just happen to meet a bar one day and of course things get frisky fast. Both think that it's going to be a one night stand but man.. they were both wrong. They were honestly cute and everything throughout the entire book. I loved how even though they were crazy attracted to one another and had developed hardcore feelings - they still tried to keep their distance.
Long story short, it didn't happen. In the end, they deserved one another and earned their little piece of happiness. I will have to look out for my next book by this author!
April 20, 2020
What a delightful surprise!
After being in somewhat of a romance novel slump lately with some mediocre novels, I went into this with low expectations and was blown away.
I LOVED how this romance reversed the typical stereotype of the CEO being the male character in the romance. I don't know if I've read a romance novel where the female is the boss and I really liked it.
With that being said, I absolutely loved the character of Ryan though. I felt like my heart broke over and over for him throughout this story. He was such a strong character with a solid heart for good.
The chemistry between Ryan and Sam was perfect and they balanced each other out so well. I really enjoyed each of their characters individually but also as a couple.
This was a fun, cute, and steamy romance but it also did have its own emotional punch whether it be from the events in Ryan's life or the internal struggles that both Ryan and Sam had.
I will be highly recommending this contemporary romance to others.
***Thank you to the publisher for supplying me with an ARC of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review***
After being in somewhat of a romance novel slump lately with some mediocre novels, I went into this with low expectations and was blown away.
I LOVED how this romance reversed the typical stereotype of the CEO being the male character in the romance. I don't know if I've read a romance novel where the female is the boss and I really liked it.
With that being said, I absolutely loved the character of Ryan though. I felt like my heart broke over and over for him throughout this story. He was such a strong character with a solid heart for good.
The chemistry between Ryan and Sam was perfect and they balanced each other out so well. I really enjoyed each of their characters individually but also as a couple.
This was a fun, cute, and steamy romance but it also did have its own emotional punch whether it be from the events in Ryan's life or the internal struggles that both Ryan and Sam had.
I will be highly recommending this contemporary romance to others.
***Thank you to the publisher for supplying me with an ARC of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review***
March 19, 2020
4☆ A Light hearted, Entertaining, Witty, Contemporary Romance
The New Guy is a light hearted Contemporary romance that's Fun, Witty, with cheeky banter.
Sam had just laid her grandad to rest and is drowning her grief in champagne.
When a brooding stranger finds himself next to Sam at the bar.
After a skin full of alcohol and plenty of sexual chemistry the two fall into bed. A one night stand that is sure to bite them both in the bum!
You see unbeknown to them both, they are about to get a huge shock when, Sam CEO of her company Privacy Solutions, finds out that sexy stranger, she just had an amazing night with, just so happens to be Ryan, the new software developer at her workplace!
Oops... awkward!
But will they mix business with pleasure and reignite that sexual chemistry or was it just an alcohol fuelled one night stand?
I really enjoyed The New Guy it was a fun and entertaining read, at times a lil predictable but that's not always a bad thing.
The witty banter and sexual tension between Ryan and Sam was built up nicely, although Ryan is arrogant towards Sam and I couldn't see why she would continue to pursue on the basis of chemistry & Intrigue.
Overall a fun Contemporary Romance, that has a dash of romantic suspense, flirty banter, chemistry and a lil bit of drama and angst.
Thank you to Rachel Random Resources for this copy which I reviewed honestly and voluntarily.
My Review is also on my Blog Website :-
https://dashfan81.blogspot.com/2020/0...
The New Guy is a light hearted Contemporary romance that's Fun, Witty, with cheeky banter.
Sam had just laid her grandad to rest and is drowning her grief in champagne.
When a brooding stranger finds himself next to Sam at the bar.
After a skin full of alcohol and plenty of sexual chemistry the two fall into bed. A one night stand that is sure to bite them both in the bum!
You see unbeknown to them both, they are about to get a huge shock when, Sam CEO of her company Privacy Solutions, finds out that sexy stranger, she just had an amazing night with, just so happens to be Ryan, the new software developer at her workplace!
Oops... awkward!
But will they mix business with pleasure and reignite that sexual chemistry or was it just an alcohol fuelled one night stand?
I really enjoyed The New Guy it was a fun and entertaining read, at times a lil predictable but that's not always a bad thing.
The witty banter and sexual tension between Ryan and Sam was built up nicely, although Ryan is arrogant towards Sam and I couldn't see why she would continue to pursue on the basis of chemistry & Intrigue.
Overall a fun Contemporary Romance, that has a dash of romantic suspense, flirty banter, chemistry and a lil bit of drama and angst.
Thank you to Rachel Random Resources for this copy which I reviewed honestly and voluntarily.
My Review is also on my Blog Website :-
https://dashfan81.blogspot.com/2020/0...
January 20, 2020
#thenewguy #NetGalley #amazon
🤢
I got this book from Netgalley for an honest review. Since most reviewers enjoyed this book, I feel a little out of synch, but I really did not enjoy it. It's soooo long. I mean I read Anna Karenina with no complaints. This book is long!
I'll start with the positive... I liked the cover of the book. The writing style is simple and straight forward. There is attention to detail in developing the main characters personality and lives outside of each other which I appreciate. I did not connect with these characters and found their romance problematic, but that's just me.
First impression of the dude Ryan is that he's an asshole. I know and love some assholes, so I don't object on principle, but he's rude and mean on top of it. I seriously don't get why Sam is into him. At. All. He tells her to piss off (twice!) upon meeting her, he's not listening when she talks to him and he gives her the worst, grossest pick up line... Which she falls for.
But, what really annoyed me, is that when he took a moment to evaluate her drunkenness and see if she was really able to consent (which a basic human person is supposed to do) she is annoyed with him. This author can kick rocks. 🤬
I can admit Ryan improves somewhat - he's umm smart? Honest. He's honest. To a fault, but it's cool. Apparently he's a deep thinker and an introvert. Huh. I mean, I am a thoughtful introvert, but I can say I have never been as rude to random strangers as this man is... Maybe it's because he's a white man? There I go with my thinking again.
Ryan is himself to everyone (that is -constantly rude and mean), but somehow he gets his shit together enough to have a whole dinner with Sam's family on the fly. And he's charming. Dear reader, I shit you not. This felt very inconsistent with a personality we are lead to believe he has no control over.
Sam, I just don't get. She's a creative, outgoing CEO running her own company, yet she is insecure and reactive AF. Like all her boss lady interactions seem like she's faking it. Her attraction to Ryan is a complete mystery. If I have to hear about his "magnetic eyes" one more time...
I don't even know if I want to discuss the power dynamics. I'll try and be brief. She's his boss. Ok, technically she wasn't when they slept together, but she mentions their sexual encounter in tandem with his performance eval. Gross. GROSS. So gross. And this dude Ryan is in constant fear of being fired. I don't get it...
At one point Sam reflects on his perspective, and genuinely acknowledges (finally!) how fucked up she has been toward him, BUT she does very little to help him understand that. Like, she just seems to commit to allowing people to talk shit about him, but doesn't commiserate. Um, lady. You're the boss. You're not allowed to talk shit about employees to other employees.
Ok, secondary characters. Lucas and Becky. Gay friend/employee & BFF/employee of Sam, and Ryan's coworkers. Oh, wait this lady already has complex relationships with ppl she works with. I guess the whole plot is over? Nope, we still have 80% of this book to get through. I digress... Becky is kind of a mess. She hired Ryan on her brothers recommendation, but hates him. But throws Sam and him together. IDK what is happening.
Lucas is possibly the only likeable person in this book (Alice is a plot device, not a character). He gives Ryan a chance and actually has some consistent and logical growth. I like it. Unfortunately, this author won't stop with the BS flirting with the straight man. Like, why? This is not a thing. It never stops! So fucking annoying.
My sincere apologies to Netgalley for my honesty. (You see, I'm just like Ryan.)
🤢
I got this book from Netgalley for an honest review. Since most reviewers enjoyed this book, I feel a little out of synch, but I really did not enjoy it. It's soooo long. I mean I read Anna Karenina with no complaints. This book is long!
I'll start with the positive... I liked the cover of the book. The writing style is simple and straight forward. There is attention to detail in developing the main characters personality and lives outside of each other which I appreciate. I did not connect with these characters and found their romance problematic, but that's just me.
First impression of the dude Ryan is that he's an asshole. I know and love some assholes, so I don't object on principle, but he's rude and mean on top of it. I seriously don't get why Sam is into him. At. All. He tells her to piss off (twice!) upon meeting her, he's not listening when she talks to him and he gives her the worst, grossest pick up line... Which she falls for.
But, what really annoyed me, is that when he took a moment to evaluate her drunkenness and see if she was really able to consent (which a basic human person is supposed to do) she is annoyed with him. This author can kick rocks. 🤬
I can admit Ryan improves somewhat - he's umm smart? Honest. He's honest. To a fault, but it's cool. Apparently he's a deep thinker and an introvert. Huh. I mean, I am a thoughtful introvert, but I can say I have never been as rude to random strangers as this man is... Maybe it's because he's a white man? There I go with my thinking again.
Ryan is himself to everyone (that is -constantly rude and mean), but somehow he gets his shit together enough to have a whole dinner with Sam's family on the fly. And he's charming. Dear reader, I shit you not. This felt very inconsistent with a personality we are lead to believe he has no control over.
Sam, I just don't get. She's a creative, outgoing CEO running her own company, yet she is insecure and reactive AF. Like all her boss lady interactions seem like she's faking it. Her attraction to Ryan is a complete mystery. If I have to hear about his "magnetic eyes" one more time...
I don't even know if I want to discuss the power dynamics. I'll try and be brief. She's his boss. Ok, technically she wasn't when they slept together, but she mentions their sexual encounter in tandem with his performance eval. Gross. GROSS. So gross. And this dude Ryan is in constant fear of being fired. I don't get it...
At one point Sam reflects on his perspective, and genuinely acknowledges (finally!) how fucked up she has been toward him, BUT she does very little to help him understand that. Like, she just seems to commit to allowing people to talk shit about him, but doesn't commiserate. Um, lady. You're the boss. You're not allowed to talk shit about employees to other employees.
Ok, secondary characters. Lucas and Becky. Gay friend/employee & BFF/employee of Sam, and Ryan's coworkers. Oh, wait this lady already has complex relationships with ppl she works with. I guess the whole plot is over? Nope, we still have 80% of this book to get through. I digress... Becky is kind of a mess. She hired Ryan on her brothers recommendation, but hates him. But throws Sam and him together. IDK what is happening.
Lucas is possibly the only likeable person in this book (Alice is a plot device, not a character). He gives Ryan a chance and actually has some consistent and logical growth. I like it. Unfortunately, this author won't stop with the BS flirting with the straight man. Like, why? This is not a thing. It never stops! So fucking annoying.
My sincere apologies to Netgalley for my honesty. (You see, I'm just like Ryan.)
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Read
February 23, 2020This was a cute and entertaining story with a PG-13 level of steam.
Sam runs a small tech company and has a one night stand with a guy she meets in a bar. Of course, the next day she realizes he's Ryan, her new employee. Awkward!
What I liked:
--It was nice to see the woman have more financial power in the relationship
--This had a fun Silicon Valley (the show) sort of vibe - if you watch the show, you'll know that a rival developer is always lurking around with a better app. The lurker was also Sam's ex.
--This incorporated some issues (alcoholic/neglectful parent, controlling partner) in with a deft touch, not letting them take over the romance
On the other hand:
--The pacing felt a bit off. After a bang-up (ha!) opening, things stalled a little in the middle and it started to feel too long. I also felt the plot relied a bit too much on Ryan taking things personally and being sulky and uncommunicative (in spite of that, I really did like him as a character.)
But all in all, this was a fun book that was a good blend of reality and romance!
Read more of my reviews on JenRyland.com! Let's be friends on Bookstagram!
Thanks to the publisher for providing an advance copy for review!
Sam runs a small tech company and has a one night stand with a guy she meets in a bar. Of course, the next day she realizes he's Ryan, her new employee. Awkward!
What I liked:
--It was nice to see the woman have more financial power in the relationship
--This had a fun Silicon Valley (the show) sort of vibe - if you watch the show, you'll know that a rival developer is always lurking around with a better app. The lurker was also Sam's ex.
--This incorporated some issues (alcoholic/neglectful parent, controlling partner) in with a deft touch, not letting them take over the romance
On the other hand:
--The pacing felt a bit off. After a bang-up (ha!) opening, things stalled a little in the middle and it started to feel too long. I also felt the plot relied a bit too much on Ryan taking things personally and being sulky and uncommunicative (in spite of that, I really did like him as a character.)
But all in all, this was a fun book that was a good blend of reality and romance!
Read more of my reviews on JenRyland.com! Let's be friends on Bookstagram!
Thanks to the publisher for providing an advance copy for review!
January 5, 2020
Sam is grieving for her granda who recently passed away. On her way back from the funeral she stops at a pub to drink her grief away and meets Ryan. They have a one night stand. The next morning when Sam goes to work at the company she founded she finds out that Ryan is the new guy that had been hired as a software developer. Despite Ryan being a sour puss most of the time they fall in love and Sam is able to pierce his tough-guy armor. I grew to like Ryan too by the end of the book. Sam was just ok for me, I wish we got to know her a bit more, but aside from her company and her annoying ex-boyfriend, there was not much that was interesting about her.
This was an enjoyable and light read until I got to the last %20 of the book. Then, it was disjointed and felt like the author struggled with how to finish it. It made me a bit disappointed and frustrated.
Thank you to Net Galley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review.
This was an enjoyable and light read until I got to the last %20 of the book. Then, it was disjointed and felt like the author struggled with how to finish it. It made me a bit disappointed and frustrated.
Thank you to Net Galley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review.
November 2, 2024
╰┈➤ 2 stars!
it may have been because i enjoyed the italian job so much, but this book didn't hit as much as i was expecting to. it's like one of the many in-between books where i didn't like it but i didn't hate it either. i just think that there were so many thing happening at once, and i couldn't grasp it at all.
it may have been because i enjoyed the italian job so much, but this book didn't hit as much as i was expecting to. it's like one of the many in-between books where i didn't like it but i didn't hate it either. i just think that there were so many thing happening at once, and i couldn't grasp it at all.
February 26, 2020
2.5 stars
Thank you to netgalley for providing this e-arc in exchange for an honest review.
The new guy is about Sam, the young, smart and bubbly female CEO of a tech business and Ryan, the new hire who just happened to have an unknown one night stand with his boss before he starts work.
I have struggled on what to rate this as I did enjoy it but there seemed to be alot of repetition and at some points I just wanted to shake Sam and tell her to wake up. Ryan and a colleague called Lucas were my favourite characters but even their funny relationship got a bit samey and repetitive.
This book is basically about sex. The one night stand and then the leading up to, talking about or thinking about sex. Yet there wasn't one sex scene. It was all fade to black. I don't need smut in a romance to love it but because it was such a large part of the story, to leave it out seemed really odd and didn't hit the right balance unlike other contemporary romance authors.
Also I hate it when the artwork on the front cover doesn't depict the actual characters. Sam has red hair, why on earth does the female on the front cover not?!
It was a nice read but sadly nothing special for me and I would recommend many other romances over this.
Thank you to netgalley for providing this e-arc in exchange for an honest review.
The new guy is about Sam, the young, smart and bubbly female CEO of a tech business and Ryan, the new hire who just happened to have an unknown one night stand with his boss before he starts work.
I have struggled on what to rate this as I did enjoy it but there seemed to be alot of repetition and at some points I just wanted to shake Sam and tell her to wake up. Ryan and a colleague called Lucas were my favourite characters but even their funny relationship got a bit samey and repetitive.
This book is basically about sex. The one night stand and then the leading up to, talking about or thinking about sex. Yet there wasn't one sex scene. It was all fade to black. I don't need smut in a romance to love it but because it was such a large part of the story, to leave it out seemed really odd and didn't hit the right balance unlike other contemporary romance authors.
Also I hate it when the artwork on the front cover doesn't depict the actual characters. Sam has red hair, why on earth does the female on the front cover not?!
It was a nice read but sadly nothing special for me and I would recommend many other romances over this.
January 16, 2020
3.5 stars
In many ways “The New Guy” is just the next romance novel but that doesn’t mean I didn’t enjoy it. In fact, I had a great time reading this book, it being the kind of read you start and finish in one go. There’s an interesting set-up, good chemistry, a fast pacing and a likable set of characters. So if you’re in the mood for something light and easy, I definitely recommend.
When Sam Hudson meets a tall and handsome stranger in a bar on the night of her grandfather’s funeral, she is ready to forget all about her grief. So what could be better than a night of no-strings-attached distraction? Exactly. It doesn’t even matter that the man isn’t very kind and a terrible talker. He has other qualities. And it’s glorious, heavenly some might say. So much so that she can finally understand the attraction people feel towards a one night stand. But fate has a twisted sense of humor because when Sam shows up at work the next day, her nightly benefactor turns out to be no less than the new tech guy her firm hired when she was taking some time off to mourn her grandfather. The firm she’s in charge of. Which means he’s now her employee. And for Ryan? He slept with his boss. And that’s a whole other kind of complicated. Especially as no one in the firm seems to like him very much to begin with.
Office romances are hot. I mean, I could pretend they’re not but I’d be lying so I’m embracing the cliche part of me that gets invested in these sort of things. I liked Sam and Ryan, they were more than just their relationship with each other. The book takes the time to develop their lives outside of each other, to explore more than just romance. I always appreciate that. And while the chemistry between them may not have been “off the charts” as was advertised, it was good enough for me to care. And I like broody men. Yes yes it’s a problem, I’m aware, shhh.
This book is not the most creative, nor is it the one that will change your life forever. But sometimes a book being enjoyable is simply enough. The turn of events felt logical, the attraction natural and it made me inclined to forgive the obvious. Maybe lives are obvious in a way. It’s not a bad thing to have read this kind of thing before. It was still its own story.
I might read more from Kathryn Freeman.
In many ways “The New Guy” is just the next romance novel but that doesn’t mean I didn’t enjoy it. In fact, I had a great time reading this book, it being the kind of read you start and finish in one go. There’s an interesting set-up, good chemistry, a fast pacing and a likable set of characters. So if you’re in the mood for something light and easy, I definitely recommend.
When Sam Hudson meets a tall and handsome stranger in a bar on the night of her grandfather’s funeral, she is ready to forget all about her grief. So what could be better than a night of no-strings-attached distraction? Exactly. It doesn’t even matter that the man isn’t very kind and a terrible talker. He has other qualities. And it’s glorious, heavenly some might say. So much so that she can finally understand the attraction people feel towards a one night stand. But fate has a twisted sense of humor because when Sam shows up at work the next day, her nightly benefactor turns out to be no less than the new tech guy her firm hired when she was taking some time off to mourn her grandfather. The firm she’s in charge of. Which means he’s now her employee. And for Ryan? He slept with his boss. And that’s a whole other kind of complicated. Especially as no one in the firm seems to like him very much to begin with.
Office romances are hot. I mean, I could pretend they’re not but I’d be lying so I’m embracing the cliche part of me that gets invested in these sort of things. I liked Sam and Ryan, they were more than just their relationship with each other. The book takes the time to develop their lives outside of each other, to explore more than just romance. I always appreciate that. And while the chemistry between them may not have been “off the charts” as was advertised, it was good enough for me to care. And I like broody men. Yes yes it’s a problem, I’m aware, shhh.
This book is not the most creative, nor is it the one that will change your life forever. But sometimes a book being enjoyable is simply enough. The turn of events felt logical, the attraction natural and it made me inclined to forgive the obvious. Maybe lives are obvious in a way. It’s not a bad thing to have read this kind of thing before. It was still its own story.
I might read more from Kathryn Freeman.
Arc received through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
March 21, 2020
Sam Huxton is the CEO of an app developing company. Reeling from the death of her beloved Grumps, she stops in a bar on her way home from his funeral. There she meets someone who is reluctant to talk to her but they still hit it off and go to her home for what they assume will be a one night stand. However, it turns out he's the new guy starting in her company as the software developer. His role and skills is essential if the company is to fight off competition from her ex-partner's new firm so romance really isn't on the agenda. With magnetic attraction between them and their fantastic one night stand, will they be able to resist each other in future?
There are plenty of twists and turns in this contemporary romance. He nicknames her Sunshine Sam, but she more often resembles Sulky Sam IMHO, though Ryan too has his sulky moments especially when he takes comments the wrong way. My favourite character was definitely Lucas. He's a brash, colourful, cheery chap who seems to bring a smile to everyone's face and really seems to understand Ryan better than most.
There's business rivalry, deadlines to meet, problems to solve, family dramas, broken relationships and more as the story progresses. It has a fast paced start but slows down considerably as the different threads weave together. If you're looking for a story that isn't going to tax you in any way, a lighthearted read, this is probably a good one for you.
I requested and was gifted a copy of this book and this is my honest review after choosing to read it.
There are plenty of twists and turns in this contemporary romance. He nicknames her Sunshine Sam, but she more often resembles Sulky Sam IMHO, though Ryan too has his sulky moments especially when he takes comments the wrong way. My favourite character was definitely Lucas. He's a brash, colourful, cheery chap who seems to bring a smile to everyone's face and really seems to understand Ryan better than most.
There's business rivalry, deadlines to meet, problems to solve, family dramas, broken relationships and more as the story progresses. It has a fast paced start but slows down considerably as the different threads weave together. If you're looking for a story that isn't going to tax you in any way, a lighthearted read, this is probably a good one for you.
I requested and was gifted a copy of this book and this is my honest review after choosing to read it.
December 27, 2019
[Thanks Netgalley for the ebook. This review is my honest opinion but just another opinion, you should read this book and judge it by yourself]
This has been quite a surprise! A good one.
It's a funny and feel-good reading, perfect for the Holidays and when you need a chick-lit book with a great main couple and a lovely love story. It's full of cliches but they're well developed, it's not plain and you're not reading with the constant feeling of "I think I've read this before" that you sometimes can feel with this kind of books.
Although the MC became acquainted very soon, you can see how their relationship develops and it looks very natural. Sam and Ryan are real people to the reader, with insecurities and problems, and I'd really appreciated this (especially in Ryan -it's almost never that you can see a man feelng weak/weaker than his partner!-). I liked them both and I'm happy that the writer didn't use constant misunderstandings between them to give the book a twist. They're always true to themselves, they have great chemistry and they're always joking! I love it.
On the other hand, sometimes it felt too long and there were too many thoughts, but overall I had a great time reading The New Guy and I'm looking forward to reading more of Kathryn Freeman.
----------------------------
No tenía muchas esperanzas puestas en este libro debido a que es de los típicos que pido por la portada y, al final, no me acaban gustado. The New Guy, sin embargo, me ha gustado bastante.
Es el típico libro de mono con platillos que crees que va a ser nadista y, al final, tiene algo más. La historia se asienta sobre clichés que ya conocemos de sobra pero juega con ellos y les da una vuelta de tuerca, algo que me ha encantado.
El libro está bien escrito y bien desarrollado y, sobre todo, tiene una pareja protagonista fabulosa y con una química estupenda. He adorado especialmente que Ryan arrastre tantas inseguridades pero que no le hagan dejar escapar aquello que más quiere. No es un libro en el que se recurra al malentendido para darle un giro a la trama y yo lo agradezco infinitamente, no hay nada peor que unos personajes estupendos haciendo cosas estúpidas.
(Por cierto, es una pena que esto sea chik-lit y no los veamos dándole al tema, porque ojo las chispas que saltan, grrrrrrr).
En la parte menos positiva, diría que me ha parecido algo largo y que los pensamientos inseguros de ambos protagonistas son demasiado recurrentes para mi gusto, pero no han logrado quitarme las ganas de seguir leyendo ni han cambiado mi opinión sobre ellos.
En cualquier caso me ha parecido un libro fresco, con puntos divertidos, que se lee con bastante facilidad y con una pareja protagonista realmente adorable. Ideal para disfrutar de una lectura que te deje con buen sabor de boca.
This has been quite a surprise! A good one.
It's a funny and feel-good reading, perfect for the Holidays and when you need a chick-lit book with a great main couple and a lovely love story. It's full of cliches but they're well developed, it's not plain and you're not reading with the constant feeling of "I think I've read this before" that you sometimes can feel with this kind of books.
Although the MC became acquainted very soon, you can see how their relationship develops and it looks very natural. Sam and Ryan are real people to the reader, with insecurities and problems, and I'd really appreciated this (especially in Ryan -it's almost never that you can see a man feelng weak/weaker than his partner!-). I liked them both and I'm happy that the writer didn't use constant misunderstandings between them to give the book a twist. They're always true to themselves, they have great chemistry and they're always joking! I love it.
On the other hand, sometimes it felt too long and there were too many thoughts, but overall I had a great time reading The New Guy and I'm looking forward to reading more of Kathryn Freeman.
----------------------------
No tenía muchas esperanzas puestas en este libro debido a que es de los típicos que pido por la portada y, al final, no me acaban gustado. The New Guy, sin embargo, me ha gustado bastante.
Es el típico libro de mono con platillos que crees que va a ser nadista y, al final, tiene algo más. La historia se asienta sobre clichés que ya conocemos de sobra pero juega con ellos y les da una vuelta de tuerca, algo que me ha encantado.
El libro está bien escrito y bien desarrollado y, sobre todo, tiene una pareja protagonista fabulosa y con una química estupenda. He adorado especialmente que Ryan arrastre tantas inseguridades pero que no le hagan dejar escapar aquello que más quiere. No es un libro en el que se recurra al malentendido para darle un giro a la trama y yo lo agradezco infinitamente, no hay nada peor que unos personajes estupendos haciendo cosas estúpidas.
(Por cierto, es una pena que esto sea chik-lit y no los veamos dándole al tema, porque ojo las chispas que saltan, grrrrrrr).
En la parte menos positiva, diría que me ha parecido algo largo y que los pensamientos inseguros de ambos protagonistas son demasiado recurrentes para mi gusto, pero no han logrado quitarme las ganas de seguir leyendo ni han cambiado mi opinión sobre ellos.
En cualquier caso me ha parecido un libro fresco, con puntos divertidos, que se lee con bastante facilidad y con una pareja protagonista realmente adorable. Ideal para disfrutar de una lectura que te deje con buen sabor de boca.
February 14, 2020
Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins UK for a copy of this ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Sam Huxton is a relationship novice and she's certainly never had a one night stand; but after the death of her beloved grandpa, she just wants to take her mind off her grief. So when she meets a good looking man brooding over a beer at a bar alone, she invites him back to her place with no strings attached. The next day, Sam discovers that her company's new app developer, Ryan Black, is the exact same guy who was in her bed the night before. They agree to keep things professional and pretend nothing happened but after spending more time together, that promise is harder to keep for both of them.
I thought this was the perfect romance leading up to Valentine's Day. The story is engaging with some funny banter - definitely a pageturner! I loved that this story has a female lead as the boss. It also touches on some serious topics such as alcohol addiction, abuse and LGBTQ issues. The only thing keeping it from a 5 stars is their lack of confidence and its effect on their relationship got too repetitive. Still worth a read!
Sam Huxton is a relationship novice and she's certainly never had a one night stand; but after the death of her beloved grandpa, she just wants to take her mind off her grief. So when she meets a good looking man brooding over a beer at a bar alone, she invites him back to her place with no strings attached. The next day, Sam discovers that her company's new app developer, Ryan Black, is the exact same guy who was in her bed the night before. They agree to keep things professional and pretend nothing happened but after spending more time together, that promise is harder to keep for both of them.
I thought this was the perfect romance leading up to Valentine's Day. The story is engaging with some funny banter - definitely a pageturner! I loved that this story has a female lead as the boss. It also touches on some serious topics such as alcohol addiction, abuse and LGBTQ issues. The only thing keeping it from a 5 stars is their lack of confidence and its effect on their relationship got too repetitive. Still worth a read!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 3, 2020
ARC kindly provided by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
Unfortunately, I really didn't like this book and I don't like to put down books in general because I know how much hard work and time goes into creating them.
I did like the cover design.
The story however is a boss dating employee with gender reversal. The boss being female and the guy being the newly hired employee on a trial period. Oh boy! Ryan was just awful to read, every other book when the guy is the boss the woman doesn't need this more confidence boosting to just do their job. He lashes out at everyone has no common sense, no self worth. The whole book is a giant pity party thrown by him because he had a difficult childhood. I am sorry, but seriously why does Sam need to constantly validate even hiring him, that shouldn't be on her.
Anyway mini vent over. The story did follow nicely and it was well written I just disliked the two main characters to the point where I nearly DNF the book.
Unfortunately, I really didn't like this book and I don't like to put down books in general because I know how much hard work and time goes into creating them.
I did like the cover design.
The story however is a boss dating employee with gender reversal. The boss being female and the guy being the newly hired employee on a trial period. Oh boy! Ryan was just awful to read, every other book when the guy is the boss the woman doesn't need this more confidence boosting to just do their job. He lashes out at everyone has no common sense, no self worth. The whole book is a giant pity party thrown by him because he had a difficult childhood. I am sorry, but seriously why does Sam need to constantly validate even hiring him, that shouldn't be on her.
Anyway mini vent over. The story did follow nicely and it was well written I just disliked the two main characters to the point where I nearly DNF the book.
March 23, 2020
Imagine the horror of having your very first one-night stand with a rough looking guy you met in a pub, the day you buried your grandfather only for hot guy to turn out to be your newest employee, the one you desperately need to help you design an upgrade to your successful phone app. Well that's what happens to our heroine Sam Huxton, she has a wonderful night, no-names, no pack-drill and then the following morning discover that tall, dark and brooding is none other than her latest programmer Ryan Black.
This is an interesting modern twist, this time it is our heroine Sam who is the wealthy boss with the expensive car and flat while Ryan comes from a less wealthy background and drives a 30 year old car.
There's romance, secret affairs, industrial espionage, interfering friends and family angst all mixed together in a fun, easy-to-read sparkling romance. Fall in love with grumpy Ryan and pretend you understand anything about app design and coding LOL. For those of us looking for a little escape from the troubles of today this definitely fits the bill.
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in return for an honest review.
This is an interesting modern twist, this time it is our heroine Sam who is the wealthy boss with the expensive car and flat while Ryan comes from a less wealthy background and drives a 30 year old car.
There's romance, secret affairs, industrial espionage, interfering friends and family angst all mixed together in a fun, easy-to-read sparkling romance. Fall in love with grumpy Ryan and pretend you understand anything about app design and coding LOL. For those of us looking for a little escape from the troubles of today this definitely fits the bill.
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in return for an honest review.
April 4, 2020
Read for POPSUGAR 2020 READING CHALLENGE: Read a book set in a city that has hosted the Olympics. (London)
December 20, 2019
What would you do if you met a hot man at a bar, took him home for a steamy one night stand without giving out any names or numbers and then the next day he walks into your office as your new employee? Well that’s exactly what happens to Sam. Stunned to find out her one night stand is her new app programmer Ryan Black, Sam makes it perfectly clear their one night stand is not going to turn into a reoccurrence. But as days turn into weeks Sam starts to realize Ryan isn’t the arrogant, unlikeable man she originally thought and Ryan can’t seem to get his beautiful redhead boss out of his mind.
Will Sam and Ryan give in to their building feelings for each other? Well, nothing comes easy. Throw in office drama, threatening rivals, passed heartbreaks and two adults who can’t seem to stay away from each other but have issues expressing their fears and feelings, and everything is up in the air.
NetGalley has given me some books I’ve never heard of before that I’ve taken a chance on and completely fallen in love with, The New Guy is one of them! This story warmed my heart and read like a movie. Told in the POV of Sam and Ryan, I truly became wrapped up in the storytelling of both characters. What a beautiful sweet surprise this was.
Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and Kathryn Freeman for this ARC.
Will Sam and Ryan give in to their building feelings for each other? Well, nothing comes easy. Throw in office drama, threatening rivals, passed heartbreaks and two adults who can’t seem to stay away from each other but have issues expressing their fears and feelings, and everything is up in the air.
NetGalley has given me some books I’ve never heard of before that I’ve taken a chance on and completely fallen in love with, The New Guy is one of them! This story warmed my heart and read like a movie. Told in the POV of Sam and Ryan, I truly became wrapped up in the storytelling of both characters. What a beautiful sweet surprise this was.
Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and Kathryn Freeman for this ARC.
December 20, 2019
The New Guy is a throughly enjoyable romantic read, from its wonderful opening where Sam CEO of a tech company meets a stranger in a bar, no name no phone numbers but they have a one night stand...sounds tacky, far from it, it was described perfectly.
The next day Sam meets her new employee Ryan who is joining the company to write the code for a new app that is essential company’s future, he also just happens to be the man from the night before. Both struggle with this history, particularly Ryan who is taciturn, prickly and says what he thinks out loud. Sam was left heartbroken after her previous partner was unfaithful to her and left her to start his own company so she has trust issues, but it soon becomes clear that these two are heavily attracted to each other.
With their relationship developing and a cast of brilliant characters, from work colleagues to family members you have yourself a page turning don’t want it to end story, in essence an absolutely cracking read.
I would have loved a little epilogue perhaps a year on to see how well the relationship was going, but that’s just me when a book finishes and I really want to carry on reading!
My thanks to net galley and publisher for the opportunity to review this book honestly
The next day Sam meets her new employee Ryan who is joining the company to write the code for a new app that is essential company’s future, he also just happens to be the man from the night before. Both struggle with this history, particularly Ryan who is taciturn, prickly and says what he thinks out loud. Sam was left heartbroken after her previous partner was unfaithful to her and left her to start his own company so she has trust issues, but it soon becomes clear that these two are heavily attracted to each other.
With their relationship developing and a cast of brilliant characters, from work colleagues to family members you have yourself a page turning don’t want it to end story, in essence an absolutely cracking read.
I would have loved a little epilogue perhaps a year on to see how well the relationship was going, but that’s just me when a book finishes and I really want to carry on reading!
My thanks to net galley and publisher for the opportunity to review this book honestly
May 13, 2020
the amount of times i pressed my hand in my heart by the numerous feelings this book was making me feel. how, HOW i just heard about this story now?!? it's disrespectful towards me how the book was hiding from ME.
we have gorgeous ryan. he is very insecure; he, who left his home when he was 18 because he needed a job to send money home. he is a MAN, a top class man. he is one of the best guy romantic interests i've ever read. he didn't even believe she could LOVE HIM BACK!!! (my heart was shattering) and on the other hand we have sam, she is the sun itself. she brings an unparalleled energy and confidence that had me amazed.
not only them completed the story, we had wonderful friends and family who amplified the love i have for it a thousand times more!
please go read it, i cried many, many times!! (of happiness!!)
we have gorgeous ryan. he is very insecure; he, who left his home when he was 18 because he needed a job to send money home. he is a MAN, a top class man. he is one of the best guy romantic interests i've ever read. he didn't even believe she could LOVE HIM BACK!!! (my heart was shattering) and on the other hand we have sam, she is the sun itself. she brings an unparalleled energy and confidence that had me amazed.
not only them completed the story, we had wonderful friends and family who amplified the love i have for it a thousand times more!
please go read it, i cried many, many times!! (of happiness!!)
January 27, 2020
Sam is having one of the worst days. After her grandfathers passing, she goes into a bar and begins to drink. Then she comes across a rather handsome but unfriendly man, Ryan. She had never entertained the idea of a fling, until that moment.
Unfortunately for Sam, the very next day that same man shows up at the company she runs, as a new employee and the fun begins. In the mix of the awkward situation they find themselves in, there are office and family dramas and a few twists.
This was such a quick and easy read for me and I loved the personalities in this story. I also enjoyed the role reversal, in Sam being the 'boss' here as such and a different take on the usual rom com.
Thank you to NetGalley & HarperCollins UK for this advance review e-book.
Unfortunately for Sam, the very next day that same man shows up at the company she runs, as a new employee and the fun begins. In the mix of the awkward situation they find themselves in, there are office and family dramas and a few twists.
This was such a quick and easy read for me and I loved the personalities in this story. I also enjoyed the role reversal, in Sam being the 'boss' here as such and a different take on the usual rom com.
Thank you to NetGalley & HarperCollins UK for this advance review e-book.
March 31, 2020
Uproariously funny, brilliantly witty and wonderfully romantic, The New Guy is a delicious and delightful rom-com readers will absolutely adore. Fans of Zara Stoneley and Jane Linfoot are simply going to devour Kathryn Freeman’s flirty and feel-good new novel, The New Guy.
Sam Huxton is not the kind of woman who has one-night stands, but grief stricken after the death of her beloved grandfather, she finds herself throwing caution to the wind and indulging in one too many glasses of champagne at a bar in town – and in a steamy night of passion with a man she’s just met! The hot guy at the bar was tall, dark, brooding and so sexy that Sam ended up inviting him back to her house for a hook up she certainly will not forget in a hurry. Sam had no idea what her one night lover’s name was, but that didn’t matter because for a couple of hours she could forget all about her problems, her worry and her grief and just lose herself in some meaningless and scorching sex. Sam never thought she would see this guy ever again – until she goes to work the following morning and finds out that he’s her new employee!
Ryan Black is a man of few words. Not somebody who is at ease in a crowded room chatting and laughing with others, he much prefers his own company and loves nothing more than locking himself up in a dark room and losing himself in his work. A man of principles and honour, he had had no qualms about walking out of his last job after he had been ordered to do something he didn’t agree with, but finding himself unemployed, broke and desperate means that he cannot afford to lose his latest job. He was lucky enough to find employment after his last job ended in disaster and he is adamant that he will not let anything or anyone cost him this second chance – not even the fact that his boss is the woman he slept with last night.
Sam and Ryan are both adults and both swear to be professional at the place of work, but the red-hot passion and sizzling attraction that started in the bedroom looks set to carry over into the boardroom! As their feelings for one another escalate, will Sam and Ryan find themselves giving into temptation yet again? Or was their one-night stand just a one-off never to be repeated again?
Kathryn Freeman writes the most engaging and enjoyable romantic comedies and she is on outstanding form with The New Guy. Hilarious, uplifting and packing plenty of emotional punch, The New Guy is a wonderful tale full of brilliant characters readers will laugh and cry with and find themselves cheering for as they find themselves completely and utterly caught up in this terrific romantic comedy.
Zingy, sassy and sparkling, Kathryn Freeman’s The New Guy is a must-read guaranteed to provide a boost to even the darkest and most dismal of days!
Sam Huxton is not the kind of woman who has one-night stands, but grief stricken after the death of her beloved grandfather, she finds herself throwing caution to the wind and indulging in one too many glasses of champagne at a bar in town – and in a steamy night of passion with a man she’s just met! The hot guy at the bar was tall, dark, brooding and so sexy that Sam ended up inviting him back to her house for a hook up she certainly will not forget in a hurry. Sam had no idea what her one night lover’s name was, but that didn’t matter because for a couple of hours she could forget all about her problems, her worry and her grief and just lose herself in some meaningless and scorching sex. Sam never thought she would see this guy ever again – until she goes to work the following morning and finds out that he’s her new employee!
Ryan Black is a man of few words. Not somebody who is at ease in a crowded room chatting and laughing with others, he much prefers his own company and loves nothing more than locking himself up in a dark room and losing himself in his work. A man of principles and honour, he had had no qualms about walking out of his last job after he had been ordered to do something he didn’t agree with, but finding himself unemployed, broke and desperate means that he cannot afford to lose his latest job. He was lucky enough to find employment after his last job ended in disaster and he is adamant that he will not let anything or anyone cost him this second chance – not even the fact that his boss is the woman he slept with last night.
Sam and Ryan are both adults and both swear to be professional at the place of work, but the red-hot passion and sizzling attraction that started in the bedroom looks set to carry over into the boardroom! As their feelings for one another escalate, will Sam and Ryan find themselves giving into temptation yet again? Or was their one-night stand just a one-off never to be repeated again?
Kathryn Freeman writes the most engaging and enjoyable romantic comedies and she is on outstanding form with The New Guy. Hilarious, uplifting and packing plenty of emotional punch, The New Guy is a wonderful tale full of brilliant characters readers will laugh and cry with and find themselves cheering for as they find themselves completely and utterly caught up in this terrific romantic comedy.
Zingy, sassy and sparkling, Kathryn Freeman’s The New Guy is a must-read guaranteed to provide a boost to even the darkest and most dismal of days!
October 22, 2024
Me and my biased review, as always
✅️ A real page-turner ❤️
✅️ A sunny bubbly CEO meets a hot geeky taciturn software developer
✅️ The characters have some depth
✅️ The banters are charming and funny
✅️ The relationships are healthy (green flag male lead 👍🏻)
✅️ Pretty spicy but cute spicy, not dirty spicy
❌️ The software being developed that should be a plot driver was... meh 🙄 I know it wasn't the most important part of story but it was so shallow it felt decorative. If you're in tech start up industry, you might be annoyed by it lol.
But this made me want to read another rom com by Kathryn Freeman 👍🏻 Puty The Rom Com Chicklit Reviewer Approved. Lol.
✅️ A real page-turner ❤️
✅️ A sunny bubbly CEO meets a hot geeky taciturn software developer
✅️ The characters have some depth
✅️ The banters are charming and funny
✅️ The relationships are healthy (green flag male lead 👍🏻)
✅️ Pretty spicy but cute spicy, not dirty spicy
❌️ The software being developed that should be a plot driver was... meh 🙄 I know it wasn't the most important part of story but it was so shallow it felt decorative. If you're in tech start up industry, you might be annoyed by it lol.
But this made me want to read another rom com by Kathryn Freeman 👍🏻 Puty The Rom Com Chicklit Reviewer Approved. Lol.
March 19, 2020
Sam is in a pub, she has just left her Grandfather’s funeral. She is missing him and the time she should be spending with her family, but her business needs her to be back. The guy sat next to her id brooding and not that unattractive and so she starts chatting to him. He eventually listens to her chatting away and one thing leads to another and a one-night-stand. A steamy opening for this book to say the least!!!
Sam arrives to work the next day to meet her newest employee who has been hired while she was away to help with programming her latest app. In walks Mr One-night-stand!
This was such an enjoyable book to read, high on the sultry and the sexual tension to say the least. Sam is reluctant to so start a new relationship as her last one left her with issues of trust. The New Guy, his name is Ryan by the way, it is not exactly a team player. It is not that he is untrustworthy, or unscrupulous, but he is wary of people. He is a loner and you soon get to work out why as the story unfolds.
The story is like a back to front romance, first the sex and the relationship. Now, this is a relationship that neither says they want but the sexual tension between them is definitely there.
The author has done a wonderful job of creating a story that has a good theme of trust and friendship within a working environment, Sam sees her employees not as employees but as trusted friends. Ryan by way of his nature is so different from the rest of the characters and it was great to see him gradually warm to them and engage with them. The banter between them all covers barbed sarcastic comments, innuendos and just general fun.
I really enjoyed this book and what a steamy opening, the story then emerged to be very enjoyable as Sam tries to get her business venture up and running. Sneak peeks into the lives of the other characters was good but the main focus is on Sam and Ryan and I loved it.
A bit of a mix of rom-com and contemporary romance that I was hooked to and found to be a right riveting read and I would definitely recommend it.
Sam arrives to work the next day to meet her newest employee who has been hired while she was away to help with programming her latest app. In walks Mr One-night-stand!
This was such an enjoyable book to read, high on the sultry and the sexual tension to say the least. Sam is reluctant to so start a new relationship as her last one left her with issues of trust. The New Guy, his name is Ryan by the way, it is not exactly a team player. It is not that he is untrustworthy, or unscrupulous, but he is wary of people. He is a loner and you soon get to work out why as the story unfolds.
The story is like a back to front romance, first the sex and the relationship. Now, this is a relationship that neither says they want but the sexual tension between them is definitely there.
The author has done a wonderful job of creating a story that has a good theme of trust and friendship within a working environment, Sam sees her employees not as employees but as trusted friends. Ryan by way of his nature is so different from the rest of the characters and it was great to see him gradually warm to them and engage with them. The banter between them all covers barbed sarcastic comments, innuendos and just general fun.
I really enjoyed this book and what a steamy opening, the story then emerged to be very enjoyable as Sam tries to get her business venture up and running. Sneak peeks into the lives of the other characters was good but the main focus is on Sam and Ryan and I loved it.
A bit of a mix of rom-com and contemporary romance that I was hooked to and found to be a right riveting read and I would definitely recommend it.
February 21, 2022
The love hypothesis meets the hating game! 😍
June 27, 2022
didn’t really like the guy and some parts were really boring☹️
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