Reviews

The New Guy by Kathryn Freeman

bananatricky's review

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4.0

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.

claires_loveofbooks2020's review

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5.0

Great read!

Great story with its twists and turns but overall very romantic and just a nice easy to read book. Enjoyed!

kez91's review

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3.0

The New Guy was a decent read, pretty much what I expected in a lot of ways. Easy to read, a relationship that starts off pretty antagonistic and becomes something more complex. I was a little disappointed that all the sex was of the fade-to-black variety, the side characters weren't very fleshed out, and I feel like the plot was dragged out a lot, but I read this quickly and enjoyed it well enough which is what I was looking for. All in all not the best romance I've read but didn't feel cringey or like a waste of time.

sharonleavy's review

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emotional funny lighthearted medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.5

Sam is at a bar one night, drowning her sorrows after a family event, when she catches the eye of a handsome stranger. They're attracted to each other and agree to have a one night stand (as single consenting adults are entitled to do). 

When Sam goes to work the next morning (she's CEO of a software company), lo and behold her one-night-stand is sitting in the lobby - he's her new employee. 

The company is in trouble, and Ryan could be the man to save it - but can he and Sam be professional? 

This was fine, I really grew to like Ryan as the novel progressed. Sam, less so. I felt that some of her behaviour was questionable. 

The portrayal of a gay man as a camp flirt is outdated and overused but I appreciated his friendship with Ryan and the way that friendship developed over the course of the book. 

Ryan himself was a great character, I thought. We really got to know him and what motivated him. I didn't really care much about Sam, tbqh. 

This was fine! 


vjlp22_reader's review

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slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.0

addieyoder's review

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5.0

Thank you so much, Harper Collins and NetGalley for the advanced copy. It was a joy to read and review!

I could not stop reading. I thought it looked cute. I needed a light book after a more emotional and intense book. I stayed up way too late and am way too tired now, but I am not at all sorry. I could not put it down. The story sucked me in in the first chapter and didn't stop. I was emotionally invested in the characters, in the company and the work they do and just needed to know how things turned out. This is the best rom-com I have read in months and will definitely be pressing it into my friends hands.

thereallilycooper's review

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4.0

Wow I loved this swoon-worthy rom com. Very easy to read and yet, still had depths to the plot. Really enjoyed!

sara_levine's review

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4.0

I absolutely adored The New Guy by Kathryn Freeman! I was expecting the typical workplace romance story with subtle sexism woven throughout, but I was thrilled to find a strong, smart, and capable female at the center of this story!

The story follows Sam, the CEO of a tech company, and her newest employee, Ryan, after they have a one night stand, not knowing who the other is, and then begin to work together. From the very first chapter, I was hooked and couldn’t wait to see how their relationship developed. Each of them was flawed but acted true to their characters as the story progressed and Freeman crafted a romance that was honest and heartwarming. I loved that Sam wasn’t a pushover and that she was great in her own right, without a man having to step aside to allow her to be recognized for her success.

My only complaint was that sometimes the perspective changed too quickly and without warning, and every so often - typically mid-chapter - I’d have to take pause and figure out who exactly was speaking. This occasionally interrupted the flow of the story and I wish it had always been more clear who was speaking and when.

Thanks to NetGalley and One More Chapter for the free electronic ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

erizarahman's review

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4.0

4.5 stars!

you know it's a good book when you had a hard time putting it down. that's me with this book. i was looking for something light-hearted and fun to read, and the new guy delivered that. a refreshing read, i'd say, as there's a twist in the whole boss/employee relationship, where instead of the male character holding all the power, it's the other way around. this is my first book from kathryn but after this i'll definitely check out her other book(s).

jasbeingjas's review

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4.0

This was a little difficult to get into in the beginning because Sam was dealing with a loss similar to what I was, and it made me sad to think about. But after the first scene I got really into, and couldn't put it down! The characters were fun and flirty, but also individuals with story lines and character building outside of the romance. I love a romance book where the leads have their own thing too. I especially love that the female CEO wasn't just your typical power tripping CEO except female. She was someone who was in charge but not at the expense of femininity and I think it's awesome to have a character who can be both!