I’m (finally) catching up with posting reviews on the blog so, just in case you’re not sick of them, here’s another (you can read my other reviews: here and here). After watching the film version in February, it only seemed right I see what the hype is all about when it comes to The Hating Game.
Blurb
Nemesis (n.) 1) An opponent or rival whom a person cannot best or overcome.
2) A person’s undoing
3) Joshua Templeman
Lucy Hutton has always been certain that the nice girl can get the corner office. She’s charming and accommodating and prides herself on being loved by everyone at Bexley & Gamin. Everyone except for coldly efficient, impeccably attired, physically intimidating Joshua Templeman. And the feeling is mutual.
Trapped in a shared office together 40 (OK, 50 or 60) hours a week, they’ve become entrenched in an addictive, ridiculous never-ending game of one-upmanship. There’s the Staring Game. The Mirror Game. The HR Game. Lucy can’t let Joshua beat her at anything—especially when a huge new promotion goes up for the taking.
If Lucy wins this game, she’ll be Joshua’s boss. If she loses, she’ll resign. So why is she suddenly having steamy dreams about Joshua, and dressing for work like she’s got a hot date? After a perfectly innocent elevator ride ends with an earth shattering kiss, Lucy starts to wonder whether she’s got Joshua Templeman all wrong.
Maybe Lucy Hutton doesn’t hate Joshua Templeman. And maybe, he doesn’t hate her either. Or maybe this is just another game.
My Thoughts
I’m a massive fan of the enemies to lovers trope and, at least according to various reviewers, The Hating Game was one of the originals. If you’ve been living under a literature-themed rock like me, this book follows Lucy Hutton as she navigates the prospect of a promotion and the even sweeter prospect of beating her work nemesis, Joshua Templeman, to said promotion.
It’s a framework book bloggers and readers worlds over are well versed in yet Thorne’s narrative has a fair bit of heat to it. It might just be the fact I’m single and was probably a tad frustrated reading it in the midst of a rather fruitless situationship at the time but I did find it a sexy read at times (probably down to the fact Joshua shut his mouth for a minute!).
I’ll admit, given my less than glowing review of the movie, I liked it. There was a bit of drama tossed in and I liked the setting being remotely book related.
No book is without flaws though and my flaw is based on one word. Readers of this book will probably know what I’m on about but, if not, it’s Shortcake. I’m glad I didn’t count how many times it’s said but every single time it was said a part of my soul left my body. Don’t get me wrong, I’d love a tall man who works with books (or frankly any remotely decent man, but that’s another discussion entirely!) to give me the time of day but that nickname really spoiled what could have been a nice enemies to lovers narrative. It just made me really dislike Joshua and find him a little bit creepy.
Saying that though, I’m glad to say I didn’t hate this one. It’s not my most memorable read in the enemies to lovers catalogue but it was an alright one.
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Jen Rose Writes🌹 
Have you read I love you, I hate you ? That’s a really good enemies to lover book x
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