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My Review:Title: The New Guy
Author: Sarina Bowen
Series: Hockey Guys #1
Published by: Indie
Release Date: February 28, 2023
Format: Audio ALC
Narrator: Teddy Hamilton, J.F. Harding
Source: the author
Reading Challenges: Lenoreo's 2023 Audiobook Challenge, Lenoreo's 2023 COYER Chapter 1, Lenoreo's 2023 Diversity Reading Challenge
Find it: Goodreads ✩ Amazon ✩ B&N ✩ Google ✩ Kobo ✩ iBooks ✩ IndieBound ✩ Book Depository
My rating:
Blurb:My name is Hudson Newgate, but my teammates call me New Guy.
That was my nickname in Chicago, too. And Vancouver. That’s what happens when you keep getting traded. Brooklyn is my last chance, especially after my poor performance last season.
But I can make this work. The new guy knows to keep his head down and shoot the puck. The new guy puts the game first.
What he doesn’t do is hook up with the other new guy—a hot athletic trainer who lives in my building. Gavin needs this job with my team. He’s a single dad with responsibilities.
We can’t be a couple. My arrogant agent–who’s also my father–will lose his mind if I’m dating a dude. And my team needs me to score goals, not whip up a media circus.
Too bad Gavin and I are terrible at resisting each other…
I received a free copy through the author in exchange for an honest and unbiased review/opinion.
4.5 stars — This one hit me right where I wanted it to, it had just the right amount of heart, humour, chemistry and depth.
I really enjoyed both narrators, though I will admit that I had a harder time in this one distinguishing different voices and between thoughts and dialogue…but again, that could have been just me.
Hudson’s story kind of broke my heart. I felt like it was very realistic in that there are so many things at play for a professional athlete to consider when coming out. The things he encounters were believable both on a positive and negative side. I could honestly *feel* his loneliness, and his conflict between wanting to finally live his life, and obeying all the lessons that life had taught him. He wasn’t perfect by any means, but he was real, and like anyone with a damaged heart, it takes time to get things right.
Gavin got to me equally as strongly. I can’t imagine the things he had to navigate as a young widow, dealing with his own grief as well as Jordyn’s. I loved how passionate he was about his job, even as he struggled with the demands it placed on him. There was a part of me that was disappointed in his reactions at a crucial moment, but at the same time it made him that much more believable and it made me cheer for him when he figured things out.
They had chemistry right from the start, I adored how much you could feel their connection from that first meeting. And I must say, I wasn’t expecting all the twists and turns their relationship would go through. But in the end, I felt like their journey was perfect for them, and I loved the way it played out.
Obviously it was great to get little cameos from characters I have met in the past, and there were some fantastic new ones in this one as well. Shout out to Jordyn who genuinely felt like a 7 year old girl struggling with her own set of issues. She was adorable.
Ms. Bowen always shines in her stories, but some hit for me stronger than others. This one will definitely go on the faves list.
Great review! I loved this one. It was just so sweet and subtle. I also loved all of those cameos.