Will I love The Hating Game?

I can't believe I slept on Sally Thorne for so long. But on the other hand, now I have a new back catalog to go through!

I almost didn't even get into this one, because TBH I generally can't stand the 'he's so big, she's so little' trope and all that goes with it. But the angst and UST in this one overtook that for me. I enjoyed the 'games' they had in the office, and how ridiculous they were.

Anyway, this one is actually hard to review because while reading it I thoroughly enjoyed it, even though Lucy was… show more.

The chemistry between the two leads in this rom-com is sizzling–and as a writer of rom-coms myself, I’m jealous of Sally Thorne’s talent!

Set in a publishing company, this enemies-to-lovers story brims with sexual tension from the off, and watching it unfold is a masterclass in how to write a romance that will keep readers hooked.

Like many people, I would vastly prefer to work from home in my pajamas with reality TV on in the background while I paint my nails and jiggle my mouse from time to time so everyone thinks I am super busy being important on Zoom. However, if I am going to be forced into the office, then give me a coworker like Joshua Templeman: tall, handsome, brooding. Extra points if he calls me cute nicknames and teases me all day. 

Since I can only dream about a handsome coworker (sorry, current coworkers, step it up!), I deeply enjoyed losing myself… show more.

This sweet enemies-to-lovers rom-com book will make you laugh and seethe with anger; the tension from the leads will make you squirm and put you on the edge of your seat.

At its heart is the story of a publishing merger and the extreme lengths editors on both sides will go to get promoted or prevent getting laid off.

This book is hilarious. Like uproariously funny. The movie doesn’t even being to capture the on page wit.

The workplace romance piece sets the stage for a contentious rivalry, but little does our heroine know, her nemesis has been pining for her all along. He’s been rooting for her! He nurses her through the flu, and wouldn’t you know it—she’s been crushing on him, too.

The hero’s self-sacrifice for the heroine is all hand flex and tension, leaving the heroine to wonder why she ever hated him in the first place, if she ever even did. A new classic and… show more.

The strapline alone was enough to make me want to know more, I mean, come on! "Lucy Hutton and Joshua Templeman sit across from each other every day...and they hate each other."

This tale of competing colleagues in the cutthroat publishing industry is wild and funny, with palpable sexual tension throughout. I personally love a male lead who is kind of scary and unreachable (…or is he?) and Joshua brings that perfect mix of brooding alpha males with hidden seams of sweetness. Lucy is sassy and sharp–a romantic heroine to aspire to. What really works for this book is… show more.

Lucy and Josh have so much chemistry that it manifests as anger, frustration, and, yes, hate. But don’t be fooled. Sally Thorne’s writing is witty, charming, and sexy too. (Case in point: the elevator scene.) After reading this book, you’ll want an office nemesis just so you can play the game—and drive Human Resources a little crazy in the process.

The female main character in Thorne's story is one of the funniest I have met to this day. Lucy's and Joshua's love/hate relationship is really original and full of sparkling games that will keep you laughing out loud. So if you are going through a bad time my advice is: try this book! I can assure you that this is the kind of romantic story that makes you smile even in the roughest of times.