The Hating Game by Sally Thorne Series: Stand-alone
Published by William Morrow Paperbacks on August 9th 2016
Genres: Romance
Pages: 384
Format: Paperback
Source: Library
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Debut author Sally Thorne bursts on the scene with a hilarious and sexy workplace comedy all about that thin, fine line between hate and love.
Nemesis (n.) 1) An opponent or rival whom a person cannot best or overcome.2) A person’s undoing3) Joshua Templeman
Lucy Hutton has always been certain that the nice girl can get the corner office. She’s charming and accommodating and prides herself on being loved by everyone at Bexley & Gamin. Everyone except for coldly efficient, impeccably attired, physically intimidating Joshua Templeman. And the feeling is mutual.
Trapped in a shared office together 40 (OK, 50 or 60) hours a week, they’ve become entrenched in an addictive, ridiculous never-ending game of one-upmanship. There’s the Staring Game. The Mirror Game. The HR Game. Lucy can’t let Joshua beat her at anything—especially when a huge new promotion goes up for the taking.
If Lucy wins this game, she’ll be Joshua’s boss. If she loses, she’ll resign. So why is she suddenly having steamy dreams about Joshua, and dressing for work like she’s got a hot date? After a perfectly innocent elevator ride ends with an earth shattering kiss, Lucy starts to wonder whether she’s got Joshua Templeman all wrong.
Maybe Lucy Hutton doesn’t hate Joshua Templeman. And maybe, he doesn’t hate her either. Or maybe this is just another game.
Oh my god! This book is so good, so good you guys. I picked the book up on the whim when the bloggers that I trust and follow, sang such high praises for it. I knew I had to try it out, and although it started out a little slow for me at first, after 20% I was completely in love.
Anyone who has ever loved romance should give this one a try. Sally Thorne absolutely nails it with her humor and talented story telling. The writing was hysterical, smart, emotionally charged, filled with snarky banter and sexual tension.
Lucy and Josh are both assistants to two CEO’s of two book companies that had merged, Bexley and Gamin. Josh is a Bexley through and through, he is well dressed, he appears well calculated and the staff is scared of him. Lucy is a Gamin, and is quite a bit of a dork - which was one of her redeeming qualities as the book went on. She collects Smurfs, she is from a family who owns a strawberry farm, she is nice and also a bit easy to push around. They share an almost antagonistic relationship that had me laughing through the book.
I will be honest, I didn’t like Lucy as much as I wanted to, but maybe it was because I felt a little protective of Josh - especially when his intentions and feelings were starting to become a bit clearer. I was a little worried that Lucy might be a bit mentally challenged, because I didn’t understand how she kept failing so helplessly at picking these said signals up. I really, really wish Thorne had implanted Josh’s point of view in this book, I think it would have been an A+.
Or as Lucy would have put it;
“I want to know what’s going on in your brain. I want to juice your head like a lemon.”
Her dorky personality did redeem her character for me later on, because it was something I could relate to. But the number of times she wouldn’t stop talking about Josh’s body felt at times over the top.
I loved Josh. I wanted to know what was his story. Josh came off a bit damaged, which was clear by the way he handled himself around Lucy - he didn’t know how to. The moments that Josh did expose himself were sweet, raw and left me with a lot of feeling.
Nor did I understand or fully believe the issue between Josh and his dad and how Lucy handled it, but that’s just a small gripe.
I can’t describe the amount of love I felt for this book, it was nearly perfect. It is now my top favorite read of 2016. I loved the banter, I loved the tension, I loved the hate to love romance. I literally went two days with only a few hours of sleep because I couldn’t stop reading this late into the night. I didn’t want it to end, even if the ending was sweet and near perfect. I am feeling like I am not going through a book withdrawal. This was Thorne’s debut novel and she blew it out of the water and earned herself another loyal fan! I already cannot wait to see what she has in store for us next, even if I am going to miss Josh oh so much.
If you love romance, I highly recommend you read this book if you have not yet. It is worth it. Just take the plunge and let it surprise you, because this book is big must read.
Memorable Quotes
But Clark Kent is such a darling; all bumbling and soft. Joshua is hardly the mild-mannered reporter. He’s a sarcastic, cynical, Bizarro Clark Kent, terrorizing everyone in the newsroom and pissing off poor little Lois Lane until she screams into her pillow at night.
“What are you imagining? Your expression is filthy.”
“Strangling you. Bare hands.” I can barely get the words out. I am huskier than a phone-sex operator after a double shift.
“I love strawberries. So much, you have no idea.” He sounds so kind that I feel a wave of emotion. I can’t open my eyes. He’ll see I have tears in them.
“My evil brain is thinking about grabbing some dinner soon.”
“Mine is thinking about strangling you.”
“I’m thinking if we plunge off a bridge I won’t have to go to this wedding.” He looks at me, perhaps only half joking.
I really need to read this story! I’ve read great review after great review of this book. Ugh! I need to see if my library has it or I’ll request it.
you have to read this leona, it was so much fun
I’m okay with a slow start as long as it does pick up and the fact that it not only picked up but you were in love tells me I need to give this a try as well.
Ali you should! you really should <3 I hope you enjoy it if you do.
Yay for top read of 2016
Haha mentally challenged. I hope she picked up on the signals. I keep seeing this book everywhere and everyone seems to love it! I have to pick it up!
Genesis @ Latte Nights Reviews
heh I didn’t regret picking it up, it was so worth it. heh she does start to sort of click it together.. it just works out
Oh my gosh, this book was so much fun! I loved all the snark! And great picks for quotes! The lemon one just shows how weird Lucy is haha. Great review!
yes the snark was so worth it lol and that quote was so amusing and odd
This sounds hilarious and fun. And that’s so cool that its a favorite for you.
Oh I was surprised by how much I loved it, so glad I read it
I plan on reading this one! I’m in Tessa Bailey’s fan group on Facebook and she was raving about this book a few weeks ago, and gave away a copy because she loved it so much. I’ll make a point to check it out at some point, because everyone I know who has read it has loved it. 😀 Wonderful review!
Have a lovely weekend. =)
Alyssa @ The Eater of Books!
I hope if you do Alyssa you love it, the humor and the romance was so good.
oh that’s great I love your enthousiasm for this one. I saw it on another blog already but I really think I need to keep it in mind!
It’s def a must read for people who love romance and humor 🙂 hope you give it a shot melliane
I have seen so many amazing reviews for this I need to get it. Glad you loved it too! Great review!
Grace, I think you would really enjoy it 🙂
Absolutely loving the CK quotes lol! And how excited you are about this! It’s infectious lol, in addition to how good this is!
how I felt reading other people’s reviews XD
Oh this sounds soo good! I love hate-to-love romances and I’ve been wanting to read some workplace romances so this sounds PERFECT! Great review, definitely adding this to my TBR 🙂
I have not read a lot of workplace romances myself, but this was def worth the read!
It’s great to hear you loved this one too (so many of you have). I can’t wait to read my copy. I love snarky characters and dialogues, so yes!
oh Joy if you do, I cannot wait to see what you think
I keep seeing such good reviews for this one, it sure makes me curious! It does sound like getting Josh his point of view would be nice as well. Then again it’s also fun to only have one point of view sometimes. I don’t always like it when the couple starts off a bit antagonistic though, but it does seem it is done in a fun way here. And it sounds like it had a perfect ending!
it was funny antagonistic tho XD and it worked out well I think. The romance was def good.
oh I really need to get my hands on this one and soon. I love those enemies to lovers tropes, so I really have to grab it up and soon. Especially since I have heard only GREAT things about it. Lovely review.
oh I think you would really enjoy this book hon <3 I really hope you pick it up.
Ooh, snarky banter is AWESOME! I’m glad this was such a win for you. 😀 I always like the damaged characters too…precious things. hehe.
Thanks for stopping by @ Paper Fury!
heh totally agree Cait
Oh I’ve heard a few good things about this one. yay for awesome reads and feeling protective over characters.
I think you need this in your life anna 😉
I think this is my fav of 2016. Loved this and totally agree with your review. I noted the same thing in my review, I wanted Josh’s point of view too.
yeah it would have been nice to see his thought process behind his intentions lol
I’m with you… I’ve heard a lot of great things about this book. I have it on my for later library shelf but you have me wanting to reach for it sooner. I swear this is something I would have passed on but it sounds so good! I am also grateful you let me know it takes a little bit to get into the book. 20% is no problem! 🙂
oh melissa, I really hope you don’t pass up on it
I’ve heard really great things about The Hating Game. It isn’t really my genre, but I might have to give it a try.
Melanie @ Hot Listens & Rabid Reads
I’m pretty passionate about this book so I am going to recommend it anyway ;P
YESSSSS! This so will make my top ten for 2016. It was refreshing, funny and yeah I feel for Josh too. 🙂
yes its all thanks to you and Heidi that I picked this one up hah
This will make my top ten list for 2016. It was refreshing and I loved Josh too 🙂
Reading this one too! Love the quotes you picked.
Bizarro Clark Kent? My heart be still:P
This is a top read for me, as well. I totally adored Lucy. I hope the author cranks another book out soon. 😀
Love books with snarky banter. I think I’ll have to check this one out!!