Book Review: The Hating Game (Standalone)

The Hating Game by Sally Thorne

                                                                  My rating: 4 of 5 stars

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.

This review contains spoilers! Also, it won't make much sense if you haven't read the book.

With that said, let's jump right in!

I've never read a book quite like this one before. The author has such an unique voice and such an original and different writing style. It was simple and kinda straight forward, but had these really poetic analogies,and ways of describing things, interspersed throughout it, that made it quirky and fun. I really enjoyed it.

Lucy was adorable, if a little bit too clueless when it came to the opposite sex. Such a determined, hard-working little bean! I loved how she was super nice, but still had a backbone. Also, her sassy side and hardass moments entertained me to no end.

And Josh. Insecure, jealous and a totally arrogant asshat on the outside. But so gooey, caring and thoughtful on the inside. He was also adorable, but in a completely different way from Lucy. It broke my heart how battered and torn down his self-confidence and self-worth were because of his dad's neglect and contempt. I wanted to hug him till all the pieces fused back together.

They were both nuanced, rounded out characters. And I really love it when a character's personality has been shaped by their backstory. It shows the author really took the time and put some thought behind the whole thing. They were both such lovables weirdos!

Also, all the games they played to one-up each other and get the other's attention were such a clever, perfect way for their relationship to develop. Observing, learning and getting to know the other under the guise of bitter, fierce competition? Again, a very clever and cool way for a plot to develop.

My favorite aspect about this book was the whole blue thing. I swooned so hard when he confessed he painted his bedroom walls her favorite shade of blue because it was the color of her eyes! Like, some people may think it was cheesy. But let's be real. How more romantic could he get? So amazing.

Least favorite thing? The whole he's huge/she's tiny deal. I get it was kinda-sorta necessary for how their characters were portrayed, but I'm honestly sick and tired of reading novels with dainty, petite, tiny heroines. Women come in all shapes and sizes! I'm way on the tall side and, just for once, I want a female lead I can empathize with about height issues. The struggle in finding tall guys to date is real, y'all! Just saying.

What should I read next?

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