
Enjoy fast, free delivery, exclusive deals, and award-winning movies & TV shows with Prime
Try Prime
and start saving today with fast, free delivery
Amazon Prime includes:
Fast, FREE Delivery is available to Prime members. To join, select "Try Amazon Prime and start saving today with Fast, FREE Delivery" below the Add to Cart button.
Amazon Prime members enjoy:- Cardmembers earn 5% Back at Amazon.com with a Prime Credit Card.
- Unlimited Free Two-Day Delivery
- Streaming of thousands of movies and TV shows with limited ads on Prime Video.
- A Kindle book to borrow for free each month - with no due dates
- Listen to over 2 million songs and hundreds of playlists
- Unlimited photo storage with anywhere access
Important: Your credit card will NOT be charged when you start your free trial or if you cancel during the trial period. If you're happy with Amazon Prime, do nothing. At the end of the free trial, your membership will automatically upgrade to a monthly membership.
Buy new:
-45% $10.44$10.44
Ships from: Amazon.com Sold by: Amazon.com
Save with Used - Good
$9.31$9.31
Ships from: Amazon Sold by: MegaReads

Download the free Kindle app and start reading Kindle books instantly on your smartphone, tablet, or computer - no Kindle device required.
Read instantly on your browser with Kindle for Web.
Using your mobile phone camera - scan the code below and download the Kindle app.
Image Unavailable
Color:
-
-
-
- To view this video download Flash Player
The Hating Game: A Novel Paperback – August 9, 2016
Purchase options and add-ons
“I want to live inside Sally Thorne’s brain." —Emily Henry
Now a movie starring Lucy Hale and Austin Stowell, USA Today bestselling author Sally Thorne’s hilarious and sexy workplace comedy all about that thin, fine line between hate and love.
Nemesis (n.) 1) An opponent or rival whom a person cannot best or overcome.
2) A person’s undoing
3) Joshua Templeman
Lucy Hutton and Joshua Templeman hate each other. Not dislike. Not begrudgingly tolerate. Hate. And they have no problem 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 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.
- Print length384 pages
- LanguageEnglish
- PublisherAvon
- Publication dateAugust 9, 2016
- Dimensions5.31 x 0.86 x 8 inches
- ISBN-100062439596
- ISBN-13978-0062439598
From #1 New York Times bestselling author Colleen Hoover comes a novel that explores life after tragedy and the enduring spirit of love. | Learn more
Frequently bought together

More items to explore
- Books were, and always would be, something a little magic and something to respect.Highlighted by 4,834 Kindle readers
- “I’ve got so much inside me I have no idea about. I’m like the mayor of a city I’ve never seen.”Highlighted by 2,896 Kindle readers
- Brute, raw masculinity contrasted with gentleness is the most attractive thing on earth.Highlighted by 2,848 Kindle readers
From the Publisher




![]()
Second First Impressions
|
![]()
99 Percent Mine
|
![]()
The Hating Game
|
![]()
Angelika Frankenstein Makes Her Match
|
|
---|---|---|---|---|
Customer Reviews |
4.1 out of 5 stars 6,493
|
4.0 out of 5 stars 6,234
|
4.5 out of 5 stars 45,065
|
3.8 out of 5 stars 917
|
Price | $9.14$9.14 | $9.98$9.98 | $10.44$10.44 | $9.43$9.43 |
Editorial Reviews
Review
“Enemies-to-lovers has never been so fun! The Hating Game is definitely a must-read for anyone who loves a good rom-com.” — #1 New York Times bestselling author Sarah J. Maas
“‘Hating someone feels disturbingly similar to being in love,’ says Lucy Hutton, who can’t stand fellow executive assistant Joshua. There’s only one place this could go…but it’s good fun getting there.” — People
“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, Washington Post
“Five feet tall and a total oddball, [Lucy] carries the plot by being engagingly self-deprecating, quick-witted and funny. There’s not even an infinitesimal flicker of doubt about where the story is headed, but along the way Thorne reveals an astute command of office politics and the often demeaning realities of workplace dynamics for women. The chemistry between Lucy and Joshua is also gratifying, with both seeming like fully conceived characters rather than passive stereotypes. If there’s nothing new to discern here, it’s at least a vibrant take on an old standard.” — New York Times Book Review
“If you miss romantic comedies, the kind that were so funny, you would pay $15 to see them in the theater—plus the cost of popcorn and candy—this novel will make you very happy indeed...The rising tension and Thorne’s biting dialogue will make you wish for the romantic comedies of days gone by—or just more books like this one.” — NPR Books
“A breezy tale perfect for a day at the beach, this one’s a real winner.” — Kirkus Reviews (starred 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.” — Susan Elizabeth Phillips, New York Times bestselling author
“Thorne is a strong writer and one to watch. Her debut will have readers rooting for both Lucy and Joshua in whatever games they play.” — Library Journal
“An addictive, dazzling debut. The Hating Game is bursting at the seams with love (and hate) and heart.” — Christina Lauren, New York Times bestselling author
“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.” — Meghan McCain
“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.” — Elizabeth Jane Howard, author of the Cazelet Chronicles
“Some of you might have traveled to the beach for the sole purpose of escaping the office, but we think this funny and romantic workplace comedy just might change your mind…. we know you’ll find their story entertaining and sexy.” — Bookish
“Romantic comedy is harder than it looks. …[The Hating Game's] sharp, sexy… candy-like in the best way…it’s a very good quality romantic comedy.” — NPR's Pop Culture Happy Hour
“If your reading catnip includes dialogue that crackles, cranky heroes with hidden depths, and vivid, self-assured heroines who take exactly zero crap from said hero, find yourself a copy of this book immediately.” — Sarah Wendell, Smart Bitches, Trashy Books
From the Back Cover
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.About the Author
Product details
- Publisher : Avon (August 9, 2016)
- Language : English
- Paperback : 384 pages
- ISBN-10 : 0062439596
- ISBN-13 : 978-0062439598
- Item Weight : 10.2 ounces
- Dimensions : 5.31 x 0.86 x 8 inches
- Best Sellers Rank: #8,327 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #134 in Romantic Comedy (Books)
- #342 in Contemporary Romance (Books)
- #427 in Contemporary Women Fiction
- Customer Reviews:
Videos
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.
Customer reviews
Customer Reviews, including Product Star Ratings help customers to learn more about the product and decide whether it is the right product for them.
To calculate the overall star rating and percentage breakdown by star, we don’t use a simple average. Instead, our system considers things like how recent a review is and if the reviewer bought the item on Amazon. It also analyzed reviews to verify trustworthiness.
Learn more how customers reviews work on AmazonCustomers say
Customers find the book's humor contagious from start to finish, with excellent banter that makes them laugh out loud. Moreover, they appreciate the strong lead characters with palpable chemistry, and the writing is easy to read with clever dialogue. Customers describe it as a cute enemies-to-lovers romance that's refreshingly sweet, and one customer notes how it takes the trope to the next level. However, the storyline receives mixed reactions, with some finding it relatable while others say it's predictable.
AI-generated from the text of customer reviews
Select to learn more
Customers enjoy the book's humor, particularly its excellent banter that's contagious from start to finish, making them laugh out loud at times.
"...Truly! I finished the book in roughly 24 hours. It's cute, funny, compelling...." Read more
"...He wasn't just a handsome, arrogant dude. - I enjoyed the workplace competition and the overall premise that Lucy and Josh play these little..." Read more
"...The humour and banter in this book was contagious from start to finish, the dialogue was spot on and the chemistry was seriously off the charts...." Read more
"...The writing is sharp and flows so well, with excellent banter that allowed the chemistry to crackle and makes you smile throughout...." Read more
Customers enjoy the romance in the book, describing it as a charming enemies-to-lovers story with quick-witted dialogue and emotional depth.
"...I finished the book in roughly 24 hours. It's cute, funny, compelling...." Read more
"...The characters were infectious, the plot was riveting and as each layer of Joshua Templeman was revealed my heart just got mushier and mushier...." Read more
"...I LOVED the climactic scenes and while yes, there are moments of frustration with Lucy’s trying to fight the inevitable, but the characters are so..." Read more
"...The spice There are two spicy scenes. One in a hotel room and one in the shower. Both are hot without being overly explicit or graphic...." Read more
Customers appreciate the character development in the book, particularly the strong lead characters and the chemistry between the main characters, with one customer noting the perfect amount of contrast between them.
"...It's cute, funny, compelling. The main characters draw you in immediately, and you feeled compelled to stick around long enough to learn exactly..." Read more
"...Sally Thorne captured everything about those office relationships where competition takes on a whole new meaning and to think that this is her debut..." Read more
"...with Lucy’s trying to fight the inevitable, but the characters are so engaging that I was completely invested in rooting for them to get it right...." Read more
"This book had me hooked from the first page. The characters are so interesting and truly weird. The banter is amazing...." Read more
Customers praise the writing style of the book, finding it engaging and easy to read with crisp dialogue. One customer notes how the author skillfully builds tension throughout the narrative.
"...office games of “hate” had me laughing so many times and this book was written so well their story effortlessly flowed from page to page...." Read more
"...I was NOT disappointed in the slightest. The writing is sharp and flows so well, with excellent banter that allowed the chemistry to crackle and..." Read more
"...Exactly the same story line but the first person narrative filled out the characters, the plot points and the story arc." Read more
"...The banter is amazing. Thorne has an incredible writing style. It is both witty and wildly poetic...." Read more
Customers find the book cute, describing it as an adorable enemies-to-lovers romance with engaging banter between the characters.
"...Truly! I finished the book in roughly 24 hours. It's cute, funny, compelling...." Read more
"I loved this book it was so cute such an easy beach read will definitely read more from this author" Read more
"...It's really cute, really sweet, and even though there are some moments that I thought could have been edited better, I'm a fan of how this story..." Read more
"...The Hating Game also provides one of the sexiest scenes I’ve read in a long time in the elevator scene, and yet, no actual sex occurs...." Read more
Customers praise the book's pacing, finding it clever and well thought out, with one customer noting it takes the trope to the next level.
"...Lucy and Josh's relationship, Enemies to Lovers, was well executed and fun to follow...." Read more
"...’s relationship to shift into another gear and made for an effective long term obstacle, since it's right up to the very end that I was wondering..." Read more
"...book was even more impactful than I could have imagined, it provided more context and really showed Josh’s personality in more of a dimensional way..." Read more
"...Lucy & Josh are perfect. They play off each other. They bring the magic. This is a cliffhanger. I want more. I was addicted like Josh is with Lucy." Read more
Customers appreciate the book's sweetness, describing it as refreshingly sweet and juicy, with one customer noting it has a perfect mix of sweet and spicy elements.
"Luce is a great character, quirky and sweet-- and viscerally evil in her hatred if Josh . But ... Hate is not so simple...." Read more
"...It is modern and funny, but it is also sweet and romantic...." Read more
"...It's really cute, really sweet, and even though there are some moments that I thought could have been edited better, I'm a fan of how this story..." Read more
"I had a blast reading this book. I thought it would drag, but it was so sweet! Definitely a sweet read for quick romance readers!" Read more
Customers have mixed reactions to the storyline of the book, with some finding it relatable and completely hooking them, while others find it predictable and note that key plot points are dropped.
"This book had me hooked from the first page. The characters are so interesting and truly weird. The banter is amazing...." Read more
"...It was good but I felt a little unsatisfied. While it tied up the storyline, it also felt as if it ended abruptly. -..." Read more
"Luce is a great character, quirky and sweet-- and viscerally evil in her hatred if Josh . But ... Hate is not so simple...." Read more
"Movie was terribly shallow. There had to be more. And there was. Truly enjoyed the book...." Read more
Reviews with images

I love the characters so much, I was sad when the book ended
Top reviews from the United States
There was a problem filtering reviews. Please reload the page.
- Reviewed in the United States on May 2, 2025I picked this book on a whim without even reading the summary, and I'm so glad I did! Once I started reading, I dread every time I had to stop. Truly! I finished the book in roughly 24 hours.
It's cute, funny, compelling. The main characters draw you in immediately, and you feeled compelled to stick around long enough to learn exactly what makes them tick.
Based on this book alone, I will definitely be reading more by Sally Thorne!
- Reviewed in the United States on April 6, 2022I 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.
- Reviewed in the United States on September 16, 2016The Hating Game by Sally Thorne
5 stars!!!
“My hostage. My blackmailed, unwilling captive. Stockholm Shortcake.”
There is nothing like a good hate/love book to get your reading mojo well and truly pumping and that is exactly what The Hating Game delivered. Sally Thorne captured everything about those office relationships where competition takes on a whole new meaning and to think that this is her debut novel, I was totally blown away.
Enemies to lovers is one of those tropes that literally has me salivating. You learn more about a person through their actions in that kind of environment, especially in the work place. It is harder to hate than it is to love and there is often a very fine line between the two. Sometimes there is that genuine hate, because let’s be honest, there are a lot of douches and b****es in the world, but more often than not we hate as a veil of our true feelings and that was definitely the case with these two.
“Shortcake, if we were flirting, you’d know about it.”
“Because I’d be traumatized?”
“Because you’d be thinking about it later on, lying in bed.”
Two publishing houses struggling in the economic climate merge to ensure the viability of at least one of them, two CEO’s, two assistants. One male assistant, one female assistant who knock their a**es out week after week to be the best. This was all about one-upmanship. Who could work the longest hours, who was more efficient, who has the best ideas etc.: Their competitiveness was the source of many hilarious scenes, yet so relatable having been in a similar environment myself. But they loved to hate one and other, their inter-office games of “hate” had me laughing so many times and this book was written so well their story effortlessly flowed from page to page. This was an easy read, a real page turner.
“The trick is to find someone who’s strong enough to take it. That one person who can give it back as good as they get.”
Lucy Hutton was working in a place that she had dreamt of since she was a teenager. For her, publishing had always been her dreams albeit maybe not as a PA to the CEO. Her position had left her friendless because of everyone’s “snitch” mentality and her only source of enjoyment in her working day were her battles with Joshua. These two sat in the same office where daggers were drawn from clock in to clock out. Where juvenile staring competitions were the norm and trying to decipher codes and logins were their speciality.
“I feel like your Easter egg.”
Joshua was a whizz with numbers, he kept himself to himself and was definitely a closed book. He was an ornery man of rituals and order and was as predictable as they came. But who was Joshua Templeman? With a new position being made as COO, a promotion for Lucy or Joshua, battle lines are well and truly drawn as both know that neither one could work for the other. This was a fight to the death in more ways than one. Lucy begins to see a different side to Joshua when little chinks in his armour are slowly revealed, could this be who Joshua Templeman really is and god forbid Lucy for actually…falling in love.
“The energy that usually lashes ineffectively inside each of us now has a conduit, forming a loop of electricity between us, cycling through me, into him. My heart is glowing in my chest like a bulb, flashing brighter with each movement of his lips.”
The humour and banter in this book was contagious from start to finish, the dialogue was spot on and the chemistry was seriously off the charts. Even in hate mode you could feel those flickers of electricity and you were constantly on edge just waiting for them to ignite into a raging inferno. These two as enemies were hilarious, as lovers totally swoon worthy. I adored EVERYTHING about this book. I made the mistake of starting this late in the day and then read into the early hours of the morning, I couldn’t put it down. The characters were infectious, the plot was riveting and as each layer of Joshua Templeman was revealed my heart just got mushier and mushier. For those that love enemies to lovers this is a must read and the story will speak for itself.
“This is the best game I’ve ever played in my entire life.”
Top reviews from other countries
- ClaudiaReviewed in Italy on October 11, 2021
5.0 out of 5 stars Absolutely amazing
I loved this book from start to finish. I couldn’t put it down for a second it was just so good. This is like the holy grail of the enemies to lovers trope and I don’t think I’ve ever read anything with this trope that’s written so well. The characters, the plot, the style *chefs kiss*
-
Albs ReadsReviewed in Spain on March 6, 2021
5.0 out of 5 stars Preciosa historia, enemies to lovers llevado a la excelencia!
Principalmente compré este libro porque lo vi tan bien de precio que dije pues por probar tampoco voy a perder tanto. Con lo que no contaba era con todo lo que iba a ganar. WOW.
Sigo sin superar este libro, de verdad. La forma que los personajes y la historia te atrapan y no te dejan soltar el libro. Sí que es verdad que al principio el enemies es llevado a un extremo que te quedas ????? Tampoco hace falta. Pero muy rápidamente se rompe la barrera y aunque sigue esa rivalidad se va viendo como los personajes van cayendo (o habían caído ya antes sin darse cuenta 😉) y es algo maravilloso.
La forma en la que Josh y Lucy se complementan, se conocen tan bien, como se han dejado absorber por esa rivalidad que realmente era mucho más. Increíble, 100% recomendando. Tanto la lectura como la compra.
Si sois fans del romance, del enemies to lovers, este es vuestro libro. Además no es muy difícil de entender (por ser en inglés, que quizá eso pueda tirar para atrás) y el ritmo es muy dinámico y pasan los capítulos que ni te enteras.
Los últimos capítulos uf, menuda montaña rusa.
Shortcake 🍓♥️
Albs ReadsPreciosa historia, enemies to lovers llevado a la excelencia!
Reviewed in Spain on March 6, 2021
Sigo sin superar este libro, de verdad. La forma que los personajes y la historia te atrapan y no te dejan soltar el libro. Sí que es verdad que al principio el enemies es llevado a un extremo que te quedas ????? Tampoco hace falta. Pero muy rápidamente se rompe la barrera y aunque sigue esa rivalidad se va viendo como los personajes van cayendo (o habían caído ya antes sin darse cuenta 😉) y es algo maravilloso.
La forma en la que Josh y Lucy se complementan, se conocen tan bien, como se han dejado absorber por esa rivalidad que realmente era mucho más. Increíble, 100% recomendando. Tanto la lectura como la compra.
Si sois fans del romance, del enemies to lovers, este es vuestro libro. Además no es muy difícil de entender (por ser en inglés, que quizá eso pueda tirar para atrás) y el ritmo es muy dinámico y pasan los capítulos que ni te enteras.
Los últimos capítulos uf, menuda montaña rusa.
Shortcake 🍓♥️
Images in this review
- Dani Reviews Things / Love in a time of FeminismReviewed in the United Kingdom on April 1, 2018
5.0 out of 5 stars This may have ruined other hate-to-love romances for me!
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!
-
Anna BredowReviewed in Germany on November 24, 2020
5.0 out of 5 stars So witzig und sehr gute Unterhaltung!
Das war so ein gutes Buch. Ich war erst etwas skeptisch, weil ich den Kleinkrieg der beiden nicht so positiv entgegengeschallt habe aber am Ende war die Umsetzung super.
Die Charaktere fand ich beide so toll und die Persönlichkeiten sind super klar geworden.
Natürlich war es klar, wie es ausgeht, weil es eben Romance ist, aber die Umsetzung und der Weg dahin ist so gut gelungen.
Auch Josh Vergangenheit konnte ich super nachvollziehen. Ich hatte echt das Gefühl, dass ich genau verstehe, wie es ihm geht.
Das Buch hat mich so gut unterhalten! Ich will es gleich nochmal lesen :D!
An Deutsche, die sich unsicher sind, auf englisch zu lesen: Ich fand die Sprache sehr einfach. Kalt versteht man einige Dinge vielleicht nicht richtig, aber aus dem Kontext wird dann immer alles klar.
- ScallyReviewed in France on November 9, 2021
5.0 out of 5 stars Absolutely brillant!
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. 🤩🤩🤩🤩