Review: The Hating Game – Sally Thorne

Rating 5 Stars

What’s the book about?
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.

My Review
The Hating Game by Sally Thorne is by far one of my all time favourite books. Since I first picked it up in September 2018, I have read it six times and counting! I just can’t get enough of tall, broody and oh-so-handsome Joshua Templeman and quirky, adorable, Smurf-loving Lucy Hutton.

I first stumbled across this story when I made my bookstagram account in 2018. So many people were raving about it and with good reason! It’s exactly what I need when I’m sick, sad or just need that perfect comfort read.

I adore the character dynamics in this story. Josh and Lucy couldn’t be more different in every way and yet they fit together perfectly. Josh’s straight-laced personality brings calm to Lucy’s quirkiness and in turn, she lightens his burdens and brings life and love to his life. As a lighter read, it even has the perfect amount of steaminess in their relationship to reflect their personalities.

The storyline itself is fantastic and has since become a classic for me. It covers so many of my favourite tropes: enemies to lovers, office romance, caring for a sick character, roadtrip, one bed, grumpy character soft for sunshine character, and many more! I simply can’t get enough of watching these two “enemies” bicker and play childish games against the other in the workplace as their feelings flourish and develop into a wonderful romance.

If you haven’t already read this book and you love lighthearted contemporary romances, you need to pick this book up immediately!