Book Review: The Hating Game by Sally Thorne

This post may contain affiliate links, which means I’ll receive a commission if you purchase through my links, at no extra cost to you. Please read my full disclosure for more information.

“The Hating Game” is a funny enemies-to-lovers office romance book, in which both parties are competing for the same job promotion.

Buy “The Hating Game”

“The Hating Game” follows Lucy and Josh, workplace rivals fighting each other for the same office promotion – but things become heated real quick… Could there be something more than their hatred for one another? Could there be chemistry? Well, obviously.

“The Hating Game” is a great book to read when you want something fun and digestible at the end of a long day. I like that it followed two people – Lucy and Josh – in the publishing workplace. Sorry, I’m a writer and therefore sucker for these types of romance books. Another good one to pick up in this genre is “Beach Read” by Emily Henry.

Lucy and Josh’s banter made this a highly-rated romance book – it was realistic, at times funny and steamy. They’re both intellectuals and working in the same office space so they know exactly how to rub each other the wrong way, and they don’t shy away from doing so.

I will say that although Josh was first presented as this mister macho arrogant guy, we witnessed, as the book progressed, his soft side, his concern for Lucy, and he always remained careful when dealing with her anxiety. This is what makes him a swoon-worthy male lead.

In sum, the pair have been taking notes on each other. Not just to annoy and one-up each other but also because they deeply care and are intuitive of each other. There is a core message to this romance book, as in, it’s not just about sex and chemistry, but that in the end, people are worth knowing, or in this case, your opponent is worth knowing too.

Although the story is cheesy and overly ‘quirky’ at times (e.g., Lucy collecting smurfs), this book is like consuming deliciously fresh-picked strawberries. In that way, Josh’s nickname for Lucy, shortcake, rings true.

I’ve also filmed a reading vlog comparing the book to the movie, you can watch it here.

“Books were, and always would be, something a little magic and something to respect.”

“The trick is to find that one person who can give it back as good as they can take it.”

⭐⭐⭐