The Hating Game: A Novel

The Hating Game tells the story of Lucy and Josh, both are executive assistants to co-CEOs and we could say that they are complete opposites. They were working for different publishing houses before both companies decided to merge. Lucy is always full of life, she does everything to really create good relationships with people and she is always called nice, she also very much enjoys wearing bright colors and is often very bold with her color choices for clothing. On the other hand, Josh is extremely good with numbers, which makes others see him as brutal when it comes to the reports that he often receives and sends back because of the many mistakes that other workers make, he can be described as cold and lonely, always believing that relationships with others aren't as important as one's job. As you can clearly notice, their personalities are bound to clash. It is clear that Lucy and Josh absolutely hate each other, yet everything in their lives seems to circle around the other. For instance, they are always so anxious to make the other suffer without making the other co-workers notice, they are always planning to get in the plans of the other and they are always looking for ways to make the other stress, which is why when the announcement regarding the new position as CEO is made, Josh and Lucy are more than ready to compete against each other. Yet, both seem to know so much about the other that it may seem like they have spent a lifetime together, although they do utilize that information to make fun of the other.I just loved everything about this book! I fell in love with the plot, the scenes, the words and the characters!I want to start by talking about the book overall. I loved how funny it is! Everytime that I read it (which I have done about four times now), I laugh so much that my family thinks that I am crazy since they were quite used to me crying all the time while reading. The way the scenes are constructed are brilliant, they are so easy to imagine and be part of and you are able to feel all of those crazy emotions, like the shame, the warmth, and the laugh.I mean, the plot is one of those that most of us have either seen or read already several times because it follows the usual romantic comedy storyline, yet the way everything is narrated is so fun that I didn't even mind the fact that I knew how things were going to be, I was so trapped in this story that I was simply lost in this world.Regarding the characters, I was simply charmed by both. They were so good at their jobs, yet they were so childish, and from time to time they were so cruel to each other, yet they were so humane and they had such a heartwarming relationships with themselves that it really made them seem real and overall well-rounded characters with whom who could cry and laugh. I loved reading about their struggles, especially with family, and the way they reacted to those problems. I believe that by having such traits, the characters really reminded me that even people in real life have personal struggles that they hide and that those could be potentially limiting them in some sort of way.One of the things that I liked the most about this novel is the way the relationship progressed as a whole. It was interesting to understand how their feelings started changing with each other and how even though we don't get to read both points of view, we can start noticing their changes in character, which made their relationship more significant and in this case, Josh's actions and words much more special. Also, I loved how slowly things changed, in the sense that they didn't just become friendly with each other from night to day.Lastly, I absolutely loved the details! The small things were what really made this novel outshine others because it truly demonstrated how much the author cared and how much thought she put into the story. For instance, I absolutely loved the shirt's pattern and I still think about it almost every day.I can truly recommend this novel because it will bring you a lot of laughter, yet it will also bring you a little bit of warmth in your heart. Sally Thorne truly takes the rom-com genre and takes it to the next level in this hit-novel.

I was a little late on the game when it came to reading this book but decided to randomly give it a go. I tore through this book in less than two days. Was it perfect? No. Did I thoroughly enjoy it? Yes!What made it good:- The characters, Lucy and Josh, were well written.- Lucy and Josh's relationship, Enemies to Lovers, was well executed and fun to follow. I loved Josh's jealousy when it comes to Lucy and other guys (I read some reviews that it was a little possessive but I thought it was quite realistic when you consider he wants her.) I loved Lucy's lust for Josh. It was easy to imagine that she both hates him and wants him.- I like that Josh came with some flaws and complexities. He wasn't just a handsome, arrogant dude.- I enjoyed the workplace competition and the overall premise that Lucy and Josh play these little workplace games to get at each other. Was it mature and professional? No. But it's a fictional book about two young adults (I'm guessing in their late 20s... can't remember if that was ever explicitly put out there) who are workplace nemesis. It was fun to see them go head to head.What was not so great about the book:- Lucy's inner dialogue could be confusing at times... I had to pay close attention to whether or not she was thinking something or saying it out loud. I started listening to this book in audio version but really struggled to decipher if the main character was talking or thinking. I ended up downloading the kindle version instead (I was already a few chapters in and couldn't wait for a hardcopy to come in the mail).- I felt a love/hate relationship with the ending. It was good but I felt a little unsatisfied. While it tied up the storyline, it also felt as if it ended abruptly.- There were a few events in the book that seemed drawn out and the multiple chapters on these events didn't add any more depth to the story (when Lucy was sick, the wedding, etc.).Overall, I really enjoyed this story! I'm not typically a RomCom reader but I judge a good book by whether or not I can't put it down and how I feel after it's over. I breezed through this one and kept thinking positively about it for the next few days.

I couldn’t put this book down. What I loved in it the most is that the whole story is a gigantic cliche, however, the way it’s implemented felt fresh and entertaining. In other words, some parts of the story managed to be non-cliche still.Some elements are annoyingly repetitive (Lucy being short and Josh being big and having a good body), but ultimately, it makes sense in terms of the dynamic between them and both of them protecting each other in different ways and in different situations.The two major plot-twists towards the end were completely predictable for me but the story and the characters were enjoyable and engaging notwithstanding.I give 5 starts in any case, cos in its category, this book stands for what it is meant to be: a captivating, enjoyable and entertaining easy read.

Puts a smile on your face. Read a really nice book after a long time. Very romantic and keeps you gripped all the time

I kind of disliked the beginning of the book, all these games that made me confused. The end was pretty okay I guess, but it was pretty predictable. And then we have these damned tiktok stickers that are plaster at the front of the book smh…

Ich hab das Buch vor der Verfilmung gelesen! Ich finds super lustig! Wie sie immer mit einander spielen aber insgeheim man schon weiß das sie sich lieben ist Mega zu lesen. Außerdem gibt es ein paar Wendepunkte die super süß sind.

A million thanks to this author!!! I loved it! No typo, well written, fantastic love scenes. Nothing rude about them. I thoroughly enjoyed this novel. 🤩🤩🤩🤩