The New Guy

By: Sarina Bowen

Narrated by: Teddy Hamilton, J.F. Harding

Length: 9 hrs and 49 mins

Publisher's Summary

A new male/male hockey romance from 24-time USA Today best seller Sarina Bowen!

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....

©2023 Sarina Bowen (P)2023 Sarina Bowen

Lackluster

Ugh, it pains me to say it, but New Guy is a miss. I can’t remember another Sarina mm story that was so … boring. I almost tapped out with 50 minutes to go because I just didn’t care anymore. New Guy was way too long with way too many unnecessary scenes. And, bizarrely, there were too many critical scenes that happened off page. That Disney vacation where our deeply closeted professional athlete spends two weeks in public with his lover and his lover’s child? Yeah, we don’t experience a single moment of that trip.

There are structural problems, too. Characters appear and disappear at random, whenever it’s convenient for the story. Gavin’s sister? Hudson’s dad? Eustace? When not needed to throw a wrench in the story, off they go, never to be seen again. The Brooklyn organization is hyped up, its inner workings and players described in great detail, and then it’s all basically discarded.

And the MCs? Gavin reads like a doormat and Hudson is so emotionally immature that I have no faith in the sustainability of that “happily ever after” ending. Hudson literally disappears from Gavin’s life multiple times when life gets too difficult for him, and each time, Gavin just stews for a little bit and takes him back, regardless of the emotional trauma inflicted by Hudson. How is that believable? How is that a healthy experience for a child whose father went to work one day and never came home? And don’t get me started on how neither character reads at all like a 25 year old (a 25 year old professional athlete has bursitis? 25 year old jocks drink fancy wine and cook meals in a crock pot?).

Teddy is wonderful, as always. The other narrator sounded significantly older than 25 but was otherwise fine. The story itself is just so disappointing. What a shame.

Nothing like a good MM coming out story

Hudson.. a closeted (bi or gay) professional hockey player meets a widowed single father who happens to be the new athletic trainer . One chance meeting a bar aligns their lives . Follow the journey of starting over , protecting parental rights and letting go of a toxic father son relationship . I loved how Sarina wrote such a touching story with lots of funny moments , some sad with medium spice not raunchy. Gavin and Hudson discover truth and love with a guaranteed HEA! Narration Was spot on Love Teddy Hamilton and anything the JF Harding narrates . Check this out you won’t be disappointed

I Ate this Book Up. 🥰🤩💔❤️‍🩹💕

Sarina Bowen does it again. I love her writing; all the feels.
She wrote 1 of my all-time favorite series, Him. This book is right at the top with that, and now, I can't wait for book 2 in this series.

The narration was fantastic. Both Teddy Hamilton (my #1 favorite) and J.F. Harding (a top favorite) has me wanting to listen to it again right now!!!

I read/ listen to books to take me away, and SB Journey Train is always one I'll ride on...

My only complaint is I have to wait for book 2 😉

New Guy

I really enjoyed this story. I particularly liked Gavin. It was nice to have a man who was very much into his gay life, he had been married and had a child. He was secure in who he was and it made the story that much more exciting

Amazing!

This book was great. I haven’t read anything this sweet and throughout in awhile. It deserves all 5 stars. And of course my favorite narrators were absolutely perfect.

Awesome!!!

The story was amazing and the narrators took it to another level! The characters and their emotions felt so real! I will be listening to this story many more times!

The New Guy

I absolutely loved the narrators performance. Cute
Story by Sarina Bowen. Just loved the chemistry between the characters. Definitely not a bad read and recommend.

Don’t believe the negative comments

I love this author. I live the narrators. This story was funny, romantic, and best of all realistic. Worth the credit.

Really Good Book

By far one of the most enjoyable books I’ve listened to in a long time! I’m going on a long trip very soon and will listen to it again! Excellent job!

Gotta love a good hockey M/M

Sarina Bowen is a favorite author so I always expect great things from her. I adore the Brooklyn Bruisers series and love revisiting the characters from those books so it was great to see the team and some of their partners again. This story was different, but still the same with family struggles (daddy issues and troublesome in-laws), hidden/forbidden relationships, questioning the acceptance of their sexuality by their team and society at large, and throw in a young single dad/widower for added complications and this book covered a lot of tropes.

Teddy Hamilton and J.F. Harding were fantastic and brought the passion, vulnerability and angst that these characters deserved. This wasn't my favorite from Sarina Bowen but an enjoyable listen nevertheless.

Guy

Wonderful story l love teddy s voice Harding is new to me but i will be looking

Another great m/m by Sarina!

Loved it! Nice story, characters, writing etc. I didn’t get bored at any time, loved the romance and challenges.
J.F. and Teddy are amazing as always and work great together, they always bring a story to life!
Highly recommend!

So many reminders of HIM 🫠

🎧🎧🎧 Audio Review 🎧🎧🎧

Enjoyed this one. Reminded me in lots of ways of Him, and thought Teddy Hamilton/J.F. Harding were a good pairing. Understand one of Hudson's new teammates is the MC of book 2 I'm Your Guy, due in/around 2023. 4.25 stars from me.

All the feels

After the awesomeness of Him & Us there is a lot of pressure on a new MM from SB to deliver and this one does! Listened in only two days and I actually shed tears on several occasions - which is not like me at all.

Without giving away too much, hearing Gavin talk about his past heartbreak was so beautifully written I just couldn’t help being moved by it. And the final gesture - sob!

Aside from getting emosh, this was also a good paced story with believable characters - absolutely adored Jordan, it’s so tricky to write kids well.

The hotness was very hot and the narrators did a fab job. Obvs Teddy is always epic, and this is only the second JF Harding book I’ve listened to - I love how he changes his voice for different characters.

A great job by all involved and a very sweet MM romance.

Loved it!

5 Stars!

I loved Hudson and Gavin. Both men had a lot to deal with, especially Hudson, but they both worked past their fears and showed a lot of personal growth throughout the book. It didn't hurt that their chemistry was out of this world and that they were uber hot together, but I also adored the quiet moments together, and those they spent with Jordyn, Gavin's daughter. While their relationship started as little less than a hook-up, it quickly morphed into more despite it being a secret.

I loved Jordyn and Reggie, Gavin's sister, and it's always great catching up with the Bruisers, after having read so many of their books. I hated Hudson's dad and Gavin's mother-in-law with a passion, though, and was glad that they were dealt with in a satisfying manner.

Teddy Hamilton and JF Harding did a fantastic job with the narration, bringing Gavin and Hudson to life for me. 

As always, reading/listening to a Sarina Bowen book is a delight! She provides a great balance of hockey, romance, angst, fun, and steam, coupled with great characters that you can't help but root for. Highly recommendable!