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The Hating Game: A Novel Paperback – August 9, 2016

4.5 out of 5 stars 44,923 ratings

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“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.

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4.0 out of 5 stars 6,227
4.5 out of 5 stars 44,923
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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.

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
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.5 out of 5 stars 44,923 ratings

About the author

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Sally Thorne
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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

4.5 out of 5 stars
44,923 global ratings

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Customers 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

822 customers mention "Humor"792 positive30 negative

Customers enjoy the book's humor, particularly its excellent banter that's contagious from start to finish, making them laugh out loud at times.

"...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

"...She's cheerful, popular and excessively nice to the point where her co-workers walk over her. He's brusque, ruthless and feared at the company...." 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

"...The characters are so interesting and truly weird. The banter is amazing. Thorne has an incredible writing style...." Read more

633 customers mention "Romance"615 positive18 negative

Customers enjoy the romance in the book, describing it as a charming enemies-to-lovers story with quick-witted dialogue and emotional depth.

"...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

"...That being said, it was still a sweet, feel good read with a really happy ending that hit all the right notes to give you that warm, gooey feeling." 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

371 customers mention "Character development"337 positive34 negative

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.

"...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

"...I liked how the characters were not coy with their feelings...." Read more

330 customers mention "Writing quality"298 positive32 negative

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

"...The banter is amazing. Thorne has an incredible writing style. It is both witty and wildly poetic...." Read more

"...Not totally at any rate. Sally Thorne’s writing is a delight as is her imagination and sense of humor...." Read more

254 customers mention "Cute"244 positive10 negative

Customers find the book cute, describing it as an adorable enemies-to-lovers romance with engaging banter between the characters.

"...It was entertaining and a cute take on the enemies to lovers trope with some laugh out loud moments delivered dryly by Lucy...." 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

"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

132 customers mention "Pacing"125 positive7 negative

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.

"...’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

"...Sally Thorne’s writing is a delight as is her imagination and sense of humor...." 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

123 customers mention "Sweetness"121 positive2 negative

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.

"...That being said, it was still a sweet, feel good read with a really happy ending that hit all the right notes to give you that warm, gooey feeling." 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

"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

261 customers mention "Storyline"136 positive125 negative

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

"...As is common with this trope, the plot takes a predictable path and the big build up to a key event where Lucy has to be Josh's plus one to a family..." 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

"...while excellent and necessary, felt unnaturally long which made it feel unrealistic; the ending left out what we all wanted to know, sure it was..." Read more

I love the characters so much, I was sad when the book ended
5 out of 5 stars
I love the characters so much, I was sad when the book ended
First off, I found this book by way of the movie starring Lucy Hale. I instantly fell in love with the two main characters that I re-watched the movie the very next day. Then I went looking for the book that it was created from and read all the reviews. There was a recurring theme that the book was way better than the movie, so I immediately purchased the book. I was sad that the USPS delayed my delivery date by 3 days, but as soon as it arrived, I dove straight into reading it. I finished the full book within 2 days - who needs sleep when you have Lucy and Josh. I'm writing this review 5 minutes after finishing the book... I am so completely sad that the book has ended, and I don't get to tag along with Lucy and Josh as they go on with their lives. I'm not saying the ending wasn't good, I'm saying that the characters were so alive through the pages that I want to tag along for the rest of their lives. Forever reading about them and what they are doing. I want to read about the trip to the farm, the interview and Lucy owning her new role. The movie did miss adding in some of what are the best parts of the book, but they did give an epilogue to show a glimpse into the future. To sum it up, if you are scrolling through these reviews to see if you think you'll like this book, stop reading the reviews and start reading the book.
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Top reviews from the United States

  • Reviewed in the United States on September 16, 2016
    The 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.”
    72 people found this helpful
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  • Reviewed in the United States on April 24, 2021
    This was an enjoyable story that hit all the right spots. Josh and Lucy are polar opposites that work opposite each other as executive assistants (something like that anyway) of a publishing house. She's cheerful, popular and excessively nice to the point where her co-workers walk over her. He's brusque, ruthless and feared at the company. Lucy just wants Josh to like her but having given up all hope to ever get along, they play these little inter-office games designed to one up each other and get on one another's nerves. When a lucrative job opportunity arises, it's game on between the two.

    It was entertaining and a cute take on the enemies to lovers trope with some laugh out loud moments delivered dryly by Lucy. If you're not a fan of insanely positive and upbeat people, Lucy might grind your gears a bit but I really liked her character for the most part. Josh was a tall, cool drink of handsome and was perfect as the love/hate interest. I loved the little idiosyncrasies between the two. There was a bit of repetition from Lucy who's the story teller. Not terrible, but lots of talking about how swoony and fit Josh is and how she just wants him to laugh and like her. As is common with this trope, the plot takes a predictable path and the big build up to a key event where Lucy has to be Josh's plus one to a family event could be picked a mile away. A couple of bits were a bit over the top and made to be more dramatic than they actually were, making it almost a bit of a cringe fest. That being said, it was still a sweet, feel good read with a really happy ending that hit all the right notes to give you that warm, gooey feeling.
    3 people found this helpful
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  • Reviewed in the United States on September 5, 2016
    Lucy Hutton is executive assistant to the Co-Chief Executive Office of Bexley & Gamin, a struggling publisher. As a matter of fact, since the struggle is so real, Gamin Publishing merged with Bexley Publishing about a year ago, and that’s when Lucy met her nemesis, her own personal Newman, Josh Templeman. Let the games (and this review) begin.

    -Excellent writing: Was rated a “MUST read” by a bestie. When she recommends, I listen. 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 makes you smile throughout.

    -Lucy is a very likeable fully fleshed out heroine:Told in first person POV through Lucy’s eyes, I found myself really enjoying Lucy's humor and empathizing with her desire to succeed and beat Josh. Lucy is a smart, small funny heroine whose desire to be liked sometimes holds her back from co-workers taking her seriously. Except for Josh. He brings out the worst, and best, in her and it was fun to read.

    -Workplace romance: There's something about a romance that's set in corporate world, and the inherent humor in that, are some of my favorites and The Hating Game mines that office setting just enough to make the competition between Lucy and Josh believable. The differences between Bexley & Gamin employees from clothing to personalities certainly features in the plot. The promotion angle gives it the impetus for Josh and Lucy’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 how they were going to resolve it.

    -Josh, my new BBF: Josh is a mystery at first, and his scenes with Lucy certainly made me understand why they clash the way they do, even if you see their chemistry. Josh's patience and understanding is pretty well balanced with Lucy's occasionally crazy antics, but it's when you start to see his protective veneer peel back to show his feelings for her that I swooned.

    -Great tension and buildup: The romance is the end all and be all, and that’s just the way I like it. Even their physical differences (at one point Lucy compares them to a Chihuahua and Great Dane) just worked for me on that shallow level.

    For a debut author, I was very impressed with the way Ms. Thorne handled the pacing. Their relationship ramps up little by little, and it is a slow burn, but the sexual tension is built beautifully. 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 engaging that I was completely invested in rooting for them to get it right. I’ll admit I was concerned about how it would all work out but tied up beautifully right when I needed it to and when it mattered, both Josh and Lucy showed why they are so perfect for each other.

    The Bottom Line
    I adored this debut by Ms. Thorne. She’s created a memorable couple in Josh and Lucy and I look forward to re-reading them for years to come.

    For more reviews, visit [...]
    2 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

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  • Claudia
    5.0 out of 5 stars Absolutely amazing
    Reviewed in Italy on October 11, 2021
    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 Reads
    5.0 out of 5 stars Preciosa historia, enemies to lovers llevado a la excelencia!
    Reviewed in Spain on March 6, 2021
    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 🍓♥️
    Customer image
    Albs Reads
    5.0 out of 5 stars
    Preciosa historia, enemies to lovers llevado a la excelencia!

    Reviewed in Spain on March 6, 2021
    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 🍓♥️
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  • Anna Bredow
    5.0 out of 5 stars So witzig und sehr gute Unterhaltung!
    Reviewed in Germany on November 24, 2020
    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.
  • Chelsea Harper
    5.0 out of 5 stars The Sweetest Strawberry Shortcake
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on December 11, 2017
    Where do I begin with this complete and utter gem?

    There is something about this novel that consistently draws me back - I have read it at least 4 times since my discovery of it earlier this year and I still cannot get enough. My hard copy is filled with bookmarks and post it notes and is beginning to wear along the spine, the pages are now appearing dog eared and over-read (which is slightly disastrous for those of us who like our books to remain in good condition) and so the decision was made that a kindle copy had to be purchased - which is even better news for me because, hello?? so much easier to cart around now, i'll probably read it even more than I already have been! - let's be honest, there's no probably about that.

    We will start with our protagonist - Lucinda Hutton. Career minded, driven, intelligent, funny, beautiful (but doesn't know it) - our very own Strawberry Shortcake. It is damn near impossible to not fall in love with her and her authentic demeanour despite (or maybe because of?) her continuous - and sometimes self obstructing - desire to be liked by everybody she meets. Contrast to our hard faced Joshua Templeman, typical tall, dark and handsome and shamelessly curt - who's only desire, it seems, is to have everyone quaking in fear around him.

    A first encounter, a fleeting moment, a smile not returned and Lucy is utterly convinced that since the first day of their working relationship Joshua Templeman has been one up, walking around with her smile in his front pocket - smug as can be and this will just not do.

    Sally Thorne creates a humorous dynamic between the pair that sees them constantly competing - the aim of their game to make the other smile or cry. Lucy is nice and Joshua cannot think of anything worse and so everything they do revolves around their unwavering resentment for each other and their childish games and witty exchanges are hilarious to follow.

    It becomes flagrantly obvious very early on in the story that Josh is not the hard-faced person he makes himself out to be and when a surprising, unexpected (and don't forget steamy) kiss occurs between the pair the dynamic of the couple completely shifts and we're thrown into what feels like an alternate universe where we find that Joshua Templeman's hard exterior has all along been protecting the softest of centres.

    I devoured the book within one evening the first time I read it, staying up until 4am to finish it - I completely and utterly fell in love with Joshua the more I learned about him. He is a character you can easily connect with, he is flawed but has the kindest of hearts. With each new encounter between the pair his tough exterior is slowly chipped away and what's left is a shy and delicate romantic - it is enough to make any lady swoon!

    Their romantic encounters, adorable nicknames and intense/passionate connection is charmingly beautiful, sickly sweet - enough to give the reader cavities, I swear - and so tender (I basically grinned the entire way through)

    I could go on to write essays, articles even books about this book - I have so many thoughts and feelings about the characters and their connection. Every girl dreams of a love like this and I think it really hits the spot for those who love the chick-lit genre.

    Of course I would recommend this to anyone I know, anyone I don't know - just every living soul really. And I would love to have in depth discussions with fans of the book for their take on both characters connection together and their individual characters and backgrounds.

    I implore you all - give it a chance, because I promise you will not be disappointed. Sally Thorne has set herself apart from many of the authors I read and has fast become one of my favourites and I am exceedingly excited to see what she will bring to the table next.
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  • Scally
    5.0 out of 5 stars Absolutely brillant!
    Reviewed in France on November 9, 2021
    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. 🤩🤩🤩🤩