The Hating Game – Book Review | Adorable, Quirky & Fun

Author: Sally Thorne
Page Count: 363
Format: Paperback
Genre: Adult Contemporary Romance Comedy Fiction

Blurb as on Goodreads:

Nemesis (n.) 1) An opponent or rival whom a person cannot best or overcome.
2) A person’s undoing
3) 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.

This review is going to be all kinds of gushy and messy despite my best efforts, so please bear with me!

I’ve really been in the mood for adorable, entertaining contemporaries lately and I’m so glad I picked this one up – loved buddy reading it with Abantika @ hjbookblog! After reading and loving The Kiss Quotient, this one made me feel all the feels – I was happy and giggling and enjoyed every bit of it!

“You’re beautiful. You’re always beautiful.”

I’ve always enjoyed the enemies-to-lovers trope with the hilarious banter, sexual undertones and the growing conflicting feelings, then the change of heart, the revelations and reveals with all the shenanigans in-between. And this story was no different!

The writing is just so easy and fun, I loved the twists, the romance and the transformation(s). There was even a bit of action, jealousy, fun and games, steamy sexy banter, some rivalry, tenderness, so much sweetness and more! At times dorky and outrageously funny, it had me laughing and chuckling constantly, except when I was blushing at the steaminess! Loved Lucy and Josh – their whole dynamic changes and their bond strengthens as they grow closer together, break their self-imposed boundaries and baseless assumptions.

“You should try not giving a shit sometime. I tell you, it’s liberating.”

One of the things I loved most was seeing Josh urge Lucy to be strong and firm with people, including him, instead of letting them steamroll and take advantage of her niceness. And I completely related to Lucy’s love for books.

I was already a passionate devourer of books. My life revolved around the weekly trip to the town library.

I don’t know what else to say except that it was just scene after scene of cuteness and fun with a wonderful setting (a publishing house! Lucy & Josh work together at a publishing house!), amazing characters, quirky dialogue and I am extremely excited since I found out it’s being adapted into a movie! Check out the lead cast and movie news here! 😍

I am Lara Croft, guns raised, eyes blazing with retribution.

I just flew through this book – Josh is amazing, Lucy rocks – and well, that’s about it for this review – I mean, there’s only so much gushing/rambling I can really do.

My Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Find this book: Goodreads | Amazon

Have you read this book yet? Are you planning to? Excited for the movie? Let me know in the comments below!

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