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The Hating Game: TikTok made me buy it! The perfect enemies to lovers romcom by [Sally Thorne]

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Sally Thorne

The Hating Game: TikTok made me buy it! The perfect enemies to lovers romcom Kindle Edition

by Sally Thorne (Author) Format: Kindle Edition

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'Charming, self-deprecating, quick-wittedand funny' The New York Times

'The Hating Game is bursting at the seams with love (and hate) and heart' Christina Lauren, New York Times bestselling author of The Unhoneymooners

Now a film starring Lucy Hale and Austin Stowell, globally bestselling author Sally Thorne's hilarious workplace comedy is all about the fine line between love and hate.

Lucy Hutton and Joshua Templeman sit across from each other every day . . . and they hate each other.

Not dislike. Not begrudgingly tolerate. HATE. Lucy can't understand Joshua's joyless, uptight approach to his job and refusal to smile. Joshua is clearly baffled by Lucy's overly bright clothes, quirkiness, and desire to be liked.

Now they're up for the same promotion and Lucy, usually a determined people-pleaser, has had enough: it's time to take him down. But as the tension between Lucy and Joshua reaches its boiling point, it's clear that the real battle has only just begun . . .

This bestselling, laugh-out-loud romantic comedy is an unmissable treat, perfect for fans of Christina Lauren's UNHONEYMOONERS or Emily Henry's BEACH READ.

'Funny, sexy and instantly unputdownable' Paige Toon

'The next Sophie Kinsella' Bustle

'A smart and funny modern romance' Good Housekeeping

'Acerbic and sexy and filled with tension . . . a wicked, witty romance that will capture readers' hearts long before Joshua manages to capture Lucy's' Sarah MacLean, Washington Post

Print length

387 pages
Language

English
Publisher

Piatkus
Publication date

9 August 2016
File size

5328 KB
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Review

A brilliant, biting, hilarious new voice. The Hating Game will take the rom-com world by storm. One of the best I've read, ever. - Kristan Higgins, New York Times bestselling author

Funny, smart, fresh, and thoroughly enjoyable from the first delicious page to the last. I highly recommend. - New York Times bestselling author Susan Elizabeth Phillips

An addictive, dazzling debut. The Hating Game is bursting at the seams with love (and hate) and heart. - New York Times bestselling author Christina Lauren

Deliciously fun and super sexy, Sally Thorne's The Hating Game stole my life for two days. I couldn't put it down until Lucy and Josh's all-consuming hateship changed into a tentative friendship and then a juicy, tender, adorable love. - Valerie Frankel, bestselling author of Four of a Kind

Be prepared to play the Charming Game with Sally Thorne. The irrepressible Lucy and her starchy, growly counterpart Joshua will win you over from the opening page. - Jane Litte, Dear Author

A brilliant, biting, hilarious new voice. THE HATING GAME will take the rom-com world by storm. One of the best I've read, ever. - New York Times bestselling author Kristan Higgins --This text refers to the paperback edition.

About the Author

Sally Thorne lives in Canberra, Australia and spends her days writing funding submissions and drafting contracts (yawn!) so it's not surprising that after hours she climbs into colorful fictional worlds of her own creation. Sally believes that romance readers are always searching for intensity in their next favorite book - and it isn't always so easy to find. The Hating Game is her first novel. --This text refers to the paperback edition.

From the Back Cover

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 prides herself on being loved by everyone at work - except for imposing, impeccably attired Joshua Templeman.

Trapped in a shared office, they've become entrenched in an addictive, 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 promotion is on offer.

If Lucy wins, she'll be Joshua's boss. If she loses, she'll resign. So why is she questioning herself? Maybe she doesn't hate him. And just maybe, he doesn't hate her either. Or maybe this is just another game . . .

'A brilliant, biting, hilarious new voice. The Hating Game will take the romcom world by storm. One of the best I've read, ever.' Kristan Higgins, New York Times bestselling author

'Funny, smart, fresh, and thoroughly enjoyable from the first delicious page to the last. I highly recommend.' Susan Elizabeth Phillips, New York Times bestselling author

'Be prepared to play the Charming Game with Sally Thorne. The irrepressible Lucy and her starchy, growly counterpart Joshua will win you over from the opening page.' Jane Litte, Dear Author

--This text refers to the paperback edition.

Book Description

'The next Sophie Kinsella'*, debut author Sally Thorne bursts on the scene with an unforgettable romantic comedy all about that pencil-thin line between hate and love.

*Bustle

--This text refers to the paperback edition.

Review

A brilliant, biting, hilarious new voice. The Hating Game will take the rom-com world by storm. One of the best I've read, ever. - Kristan Higgins, New York Times bestselling author

This is my favorite book I've read this summer. Debut novelist Sally Thorne positions herself as the next Sophie Kinsella in this sassy, sexy romance that brings new energy to the trite enemies-turned-lovers narrative. - Cristina Arreola, Bustle

Charming, self-deprecating, quick-witted and funny . . . a vibrant take on an old standard. - The New York Times

With the utterly delightful The Hating Game Sally Thorne satisfies hearts longing for laughter in their love stories....Their battle of wits is tremendously fun - acerbic and sexy and filled with tension. The result is a wicked, witty romance that will capture readers' hearts long before Joshua manages to capture Lucy's. - Sarah MacLean, The Washington Post

Debut novelist Thorne delivers something nearly impossible: an entirely predictable plot that is also completely fresh, original, and utterly charming. From the opening page, readers will know the outcome of Lucy and Joshua's relationship, but what happens in between is magic. From Lucy's hilarious inner dialogue to Joshua's sharp retorts, the chemistry between them is irresistibly adorable-and smokin' hot. A breezy tale perfect for a day at the beach, this one's a real winner. - Kirkus --This text refers to an alternate kindle_edition edition.

From the Inside Flap

Lucy Hutton and Joshua Templeman hate each other. Not dislike. Not begrudgingly tolerate. Hate. And they have no problems displaying their feelings through a series of ritualistic passive-aggressive maneuvers as they sit across from each other, executive assistants to co-CEOs of a publishing company. Lucy can't understand Joshua's joyless, uptight, meticulous approach to his job. Joshua is clearly baffled by Lucy's overly bright clothes, quirkiness, and Pollyanna attitude.

Now that they're up for the same promotion, their battle of wills has come to a head and Lucy refuses to back down when their latest game could cost her her dream job. . . . But the tension between Lucy and Joshua has also reached its boiling point, and Lucy is discovering that maybe she doesn't hate Joshua. And maybe he doesn't hate her either. Or maybe this is just another game.--People --This text refers to an alternate kindle_edition edition.

From the Publisher

ASIN ‏ : ‎ B01DT7MSLO
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Piatkus; 1st edition (9 August 2016)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
File size ‏ : ‎ 5328 KB
Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Print length ‏ : ‎ 387 pages

Best Sellers Rank: 778 in Kindle Store (See Top 100 in Kindle Store)
- 5 in Fiction About Sisters
- 36 in Holiday Romance
- 78 in Contemporary Women's Fiction

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AN ABSOLUTELY GORGEOUS HATE-TO-LOVE ROMANCE - 5+STARS

Reviewed in Australia on 4 April 2019

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'The Hating Game' has been sitting on my TBR for a while. I didn't expect to love it, but I did. It is entertaining, observant, witty and even tender. The book has a familiar enemies-to-lovers theme, but it is done so expertly, that it has to be one of the best books I've read, using this approach, imho.

What a clever writer Sally Thorne is with her sharp and snappy, but thoughtful style. (This is her debut? Amazing!) What fabulous and relatable characters she created in 'opposites and rivals', Lucy Hutton (who is the voice of the narrative) and Josh Templeman! Lucy is colourful, left-of-centre and adorable. Josh comes across as an arrogant and cynical guy with a hard edge, but there was more to him than meets the eye. They're both smart and capable. Each are executive assistants to the two respective co-CEOs of a newly formed publishing company (a merger that was forced, in order to survive the redirection of public preferences in reading). The two lovelies are also savvy regarding office politics and play many mind games with each other, until circumstances peak, then gradually start to shift making room for new situations and some romance, perhaps?

What a gorgeous narrative. It is easy to see how this trope would translate easily into a movie script.

4 people found this helpful

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Caz the bookworm /Caroline O'Sullivan

Great read

Reviewed in Australia on 3 April 2022

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Oh my goodness, I absolutely adored this book.

When I first started it I thought, this is quite cheesy but you know what? It worked. I got so invested in this storyline that I just didn’t want the book to end.

I loved Josh and Lucy, they were so much fun to read about and had me laughing out loud. It was the perfect storyline for this pair, their sarcasm and humour was just brilliant.

🖤 Enemies to Lovers
🖤 Workplace Romance
🖤 Slow burn
🖤 RomCom

Great fun quick easy read, seriously if you haven’t read it yet then please go grab it. I have been putting it off for ages and I’m so glad I finally picked it up.

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5 well deserved stars ⭐️

Reviewed in Australia on 18 April 2019

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I'm ashamed to say that this cover has put me off for ages.
Well to my detriment I am an idiot for waiting so long to read this. It was phenomenal.
Both the hero and the heroine were in a league of their own and the banter between them was brilliant. This is a slow burn novel (which are my least favorite) but once we moved past the "hating" oh god the feels. At no point did I feel it dragged with all the chemistry in the background.

3 people found this helpful

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TracyReads

The Hating Game

Reviewed in Australia on 28 December 2017

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It took me a while to get into this book. People had been raving about it and I just didn't get it. Until I did. The elevator scene was when it started getting good and from that point I couldn't put it down. In fact, I'm going to go back and read it again from the start with fresh eyes.
Lucy is magnificent. She's a sweetheart who wears her heart on her sleeve, even when she's playing the hating game. Josh is broody and arrogant on the outside but sweet and so in tune with Lucy on the inside that it's ridiculous. Together they make a great couple although it does take a while...
Laugh out loud funny and so many delightful descriptions, it's a great read and deserving of all the rave views.

2 people found this helpful

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Zara

So cute ugh

Reviewed in Australia on 22 December 2021

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Ok ok ok, now this was very cute, i felt all the emotions, i felt those 😻 tingles, i felt everything the relationship between lucy and josh MHMMM fine wine. The happy ending eheheh made my day the only thing i didnt like was how fast the last chapter went, i felt it was a tiny bit rushed, the outcome could have been different and i wouldnt have thrown my book ITS NOT A BAD ENDING DW IM JUST PICKY but i just made up an ending in my head that would have been better and was pressed when the author didnt listen to my brain waves lmao....anyhoo buy this book, its so cute, i saw edits for the movje and im so excited READ THIS BOOK NOW ily x

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Peta Dunn

Unexpected, breath-taking, beautiful and simply sweet

Reviewed in Australia on 7 November 2021

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Did I read this on one sitting? Yes.
Did I do overnight on a workday and only get 2 hours sleep? Yes?
Do I usually read "heavier" and grittier chic-lit? Sure do.
Was I thoroughly moved by both of these characters and see parts of myself in them, thus cementing my obsession? Yep. Yep. Yep.
Do I regret reading this book? Yes. Because now I will never have the chance to experience it for the first time again.
I know this is some sensationalised book, but I think it might actually be worth all that ... It is to me, at the very least.

One person found this helpful

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Amazon Customer

Charming read

Reviewed in Australia on 6 June 2019

Verified Purchase

This was a charming read about two colleagues who play games from the moment they met. Constantly trying to one up each other and take out the satisfaction of making the other squirm. When a new position for COO becomes available they are pitted against each other in their biggest game of all. In an attempt to snag the role each one works on team building to prove they are the better candidate. This competition throws them closer than ever before and whilst the rules constantly change is it possible their feelings can too? After all they say there is a fine line between love and hate.

One person found this helpful

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Rae

Fantastic, witty book

Reviewed in Australia on 16 January 2021

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Wow first of all I love that the author is Australian!! And this book is really lovely i like that we didn't need a 3 yr back story it jumps right in and while you can kinda see where its heading at the same time you have no idea how its going to turn out. Was such a lovely book to read !

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eloise.reads

I was definitely missing something when I read this!

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 26 February 2021

Verified Purchase

Lucy works opposite Josh every single day. They do the same job. They play the same games. Lucy hates Josh and Josh hates Lucy. Welcome to The Hating Game.

I was sooooooo convinced that I would love this as so many people do. Unfortunately I was left very disappointed. It irritated the hell out of me. These people (who are pretty high up in the company might I add) do 0 work, they just play games with each other all day. Lucy's password is something like IHateJosh4eva - really?! I know it is a bit of fun but I just found it really frustrating.

Also - Josh does some weird things which didn't sit well with me. He loses the plot a little whenever Lucy deals with her colleague Danny in a way which I didn't find ok. I actually found him a little controlling. And, the colour of his room? One word - weird.

Lucy's inner dialogue is something I also struggled with, its pretty erratic and sometimes I got myself confused with what I was reading and had to re-read it.

I just didn't get it, they both say and do very weird, childish things throughout. Yes there were some super cute moments and these are the reason I ended up giving it 3 stars but overall, I was very underwhelmed.

BUT, I have a feeling I will love the film (LOL)

23 people found this helpful

Dani Reviews Things / Love in a time of Feminism

This may have ruined other hate-to-love romances for me!

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 1 April 2018

Verified Purchase

I AM IN A PUDDLE OF FEELINGS. GAAAAH.

I finished this book days ago, and I still can't deal with the fact that it's over. I both regret and don't regret the binge-reading (finished in less than 24 hours...mid-work week). I'm just glad I have this in both audio and Kindle format so that I can read/listen again and again whenever I want because THIS WAS TOO GOOD. (The audio is done really well, FYI.)

I love love love hate-to-love romances, and this one is done so well and so uniquely. We've got forced proximity on a daily basis, glorious banter, and oodles of sexual tension. OODLES.

If you follow me on Twitter or have read other reviews by me, you might know that I am not a fan of the short and petite heroine thing. Not every damn heroine needs to be a tiny redhead. So I wasn't impressed at first when, lo and behold, Lucy is only five feet tall. Pair that with Josh, who is over six-foot. Authors tend to write these stereotypical pairings without thinking of the logistics; if you take a moment to think about it, making out with a height different of over a foot is going to be uncomfortable at best, and possibly even quite painful. BUT NOT SALLY THORNE. Sally actually thought this one through and acknowledged the difficulties. Lucy has to climb at times, Josh has to bend down or pick her up (to put her against a wall!!!!!!!), there's a lot of "I think you're too big for me"... Thank you so much, dear sweet Sally, for not just ignoring real world problems. (P.S. I want Anna Kendrick in this role right now.)

Lucy was a great character in general. The whole story is narrated from her point of view, and I really felt like she was real. She was hilarious, but also snarky and unsure and flawed. She knew and liked who she was, but she also struggled with self-doubt at times. It drove her absolutely mad that she could get on with everyone except Josh. But, like I'm sure a lot of people can relate with, her desire to be liked by others often meant she was taken advantage of. By everyone...except Josh. Oh, Josh, you were clearly what Lucy needed.

I would have found Josh annoying, too. He's very clearly a Smart Guy, but also sooooo serious. Unlike Lucy, he doesn't try to make friends with everyone, and the reason for his standoffishness is revealed later. What was refreshing was that he was Ridiculously Good-Looking, but he hated being objectified. When Lucy remarked on his looks, it put him on edge. I'm not used to seeing that, especially from a hero. He could be quite direct, but Josh showed he cared when it counted. I especially loved a part in the middle where he had to take care of Lucy; there were so many wonderful and funny moments in that, as well as a few that showed a deeper side to him.

Yes, I loved just about everything about this book, but I really loved was how we didn't have to wait until the very end for things to sizzle. Sally introduces the physical fun relatively early on through some super sexy make-out sessions. The sexual tension runs constantly as the two stare at each other across their desks, and, being an office romance, there are of course moments when the tension gets to be too much and a few not-so-original hiding places are utilised. That being said, it never gets too explicit. And really, their banter is hot enough as it is.

Full disclosure: there is a bit of a love triangle in this. Josh doesn't consider himself a "nice guy". In fact, he's a bit bitter about the whole nice guy thing. And Lucy is a nice girl, at least outwardly (she has a bit more spunk on the inside...hahahahaha). She wants a nice guy, and she tries to be interested in a nice guy, but the niceness cannot compare to the intensity of her "hatred" for Josh. He even encourages her to try it with the nice guy, dares her to be with him, in fact. This was maybe the only time I felt a bit off about the book.

The style of writing and voice were very witty and well-paced in general. Time was shown to pass without unnecessary fillers and enough drop-ins to scenes here and there that truly added to the story and the development of feelings. Honestly, that's one of my biggest issues when reading: unnecessary fillers or there not being enough time for feelings to really develop. But no, these two have worked together for a few years, and the book covers a few months, so I could 100% believe the eventual love between them.

There's a reason I finished this within 24 hours, despite having to work/sleep/etc. It was just so damn good. I'm genuinely worried that it's ruined other hate-to-love books for me for a while, as I've never read a hate-to-love done this well, and I've read quite a few great ones! I will admit that while I'm eager to see what Sally writes next, I'm a little bit nervous that it won't live up to the greatness of The Hating Game!

28 people found this helpful

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“I have a theory. Hating someone feels disturbingly similar to being in love with them.”

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 10 February 2017

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OH MY! This novel debuted in August 2016 but it’s a Top Read 2017 for me! It’s a slow-burn, enemies-to-lovers, office romance.

“I have a theory. Hating someone feels disturbingly similar to being in love with them.”

Joshua Templeman is tall, dark and handsome, but also humourless, icy and unrelenting in his pursuit to make Lucy’s life a misery. From the first day they met, when he completely blanked her sunny smile, they’ve been rivals and enemies. They play games of one-upmanship and tit-for-tat.

“I’m getting dangerously high on his smiles. This is my third one now? I’m stuffing them in my pockets. I’m cramming them into my mouth.”

Lucy Hutton is a five-foot-nothing firecracker who resembles a Disney princess. She gives back as good as she gets but, deep down, yearns to be Joshua’s friend. Why didn’t he want to be her friend? They sit day-in day-out playing various games – the Mirror Game, the Staring Game, the HR game. Lucy thinks the aim of the games is to make the other one smile. That was never Josh’s aim.

When a new promotion comes up for grabs, the Hating Game begins, but one insane, hot moment in the elevator throws Lucy completely off-kilter, followed by a night of sickness where her enemy shows a hidden side to himself, and her view and perception of Josh starts to unravel.

“Shortcake.”
The sweet little word dissolves and I swallow.
“I’m not going to kill you. You’re so dramatic. “ Then he presses his mouth lightly against mine.

I just LOVED everything about this book!! It was refreshing and I adored the author’s writing style. I found the story funny and moving. I loved the hate-flirting, the witty dialogue, the sexy, slow romance of Josh and Lucy’s budding relationship, and the trust and the truths that emerge. I loved how much they understood one another. Once they crossed the enemy line, all their animosity translated and transformed into some electric foreplay. This story made laugh and it made me cry. The conclusion made me melt so much that I was just a useless, slushy puddle by the time I read the final line.

Gah! Just a FABULOUS book and I cannot recommend it enough! I’m chomping at the bit for this author’s next release. Cannot wait!!

36 people found this helpful

Manar

There needs to be more books like this!

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 20 March 2017

Verified Purchase

I'm going to start this by asking: IS IT POSSIBLE TO MARRY A BOOK? BECAUSE I WOULD CHOOSE THIS ONE
There's just so much that I loved about this book, like I had a feeling that I would like it because I'm a sucker for the two things featured in it: slow burn romance and the enemies to lovers trope. But I never thought I would love this book so much. Sally Thorne honestly nailed it when it comes to creating complex characters that have their fair share of angsty emotions without being wayyyy to angsty which is often the case for some books. I absolutely loved Josh and Lucy and their office banter was just hilarious, the small characteristics of each character were thrown in so casually but they just endeared me to them both even more!
The different games which they played were pretty funny and I could almost visualise their antics which made it that bit more funnier. But it obviously wasn't all about being funny, there was a deeper plot running throughout which was revealed in the more serious parts but even in the bits which were less serious. The love story which ensued pulled at my heartstrings for so many reasons, its cuteness, the depth of their hidden feelings, and the anticipation of seeing how it all pans out are only some of them.
The ending was also perfect for me and I probably re-read it like 10 times before I put the book down, it was so worth the wait! I'm absolutely sure anybody who reads this close it with a big smile on their face (like me) and struggle to put it down (also like me)

23 people found this helpful

K R S

Disappointed

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 23 November 2021

Verified Purchase

The Hating Game, by Sally Thorne, was a book I wanted to read based on all the hype it has received. However, it quickly became a prime example of why you should not always believe the hype.

I found the characters of Josh and Lucy to be immature, irritating and their actions somewhat creepy. I struggled to warm to either character, and the moments I did were fleeting. I found the narrative of Lucy to be particularly annoying.

The storyline has many red flags and examples of a toxic relationship. Yet, it is all passed off as some kind of twisted game in the name of love.

I enjoyed the last third of the book most, once the story seemed to pick up some pace, and their relationship matured ever-so-slightly.

I guess I just found the book to be quite cringy and unrelatable. Lucy and Josh are supposed to be successful, intelligent, fully-grown adults, and their behaviour does not correlate to this.

I wouldn’t say that I hated the book, but it was definitely not one for me.

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