Not sure why I waited so long to read this book! I have never laughed so hard while reading a book!

I highly recommend.

I voluntarily reviewed this book.

No!!!! It's not bad, but it wasn't my cup of tea.

My expectations for this book were way up high, way too high for me to reach, CAUSE I'M A TINY HUMAN BEING AND IT NEEDS TO BE MENTIONED IN EVERY CHAPTER AT LEAST 10 TIMES. Sorry, I'm salty about this.

I mean the writing wasn't bad. When I actually picked the book up, I just flew through the pages. So points for that.

Points also for a few moments when these two didn't make me feel super uncomfortable. I truly enjoy a good hate to love story but man, this one made me feel super weird and just no. Also the twists, if you want to call them that, cause you could see all these revelations come from a mile away.

What I truly loved about the book was the relationship between Lucy and her boss Helen. Those were the moments I truly enjoyed, cause what a wonderful, supportive relationship they had. I wish we could've seen more from Lucy's parents. Those relationships I was much more interested in.

This one was archived very swiftly before I had time to download it to my kindle so was unable to review.

Funny witty characters. Hilarious office romance between Josh who does not know how to express his feelings and Lucy who pretends to hate him. Wonderfully written book with likable characters

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for the eARC

This is a book I got for review ages ago and after months of hearing about how good it was, I have finally read it.

This is a 'hate to love', filled with witty back and forth, which is something I love. Fun dialogue is my favourite thing. They're always at the same power level as well so it's fully enjoyable. I wish all romance focus books were like this one. If read my other reviews, I do paint a picture of me hating all romance. Not true, just a lot romances focus books give no reason for the characters to like each and they have no chemistry at all, which is the opposite in this book.

The characters Lusy and Joshua are well round with filled out backgrounds and good motives. Also surrounded by interesting supporting cast. Their relationships is fun and I just really like them.

The ending was a bit disappointing for me. Not the way the story ends, just the execution. I wanted an epilogue kinda of. I just wished the concussion was stronger. I realise we were near the ending and was like hur? There's not time for a proper resolution. I cared about the plot as well as the characters so I wish it was more satisfying.

Overall, I give this 4/5 stars for Strawberry Smurfs. This is a fun romance, with the background of the publishing industry. I've not said much in this review, but I think it better going in not knowing much. I recommended, it one of the best romances I've read and if you want a fun, light read book

This was my first for star read of the year. I strongly hold an admiration for this truly wonderful and hilarious book.
​
Hilarious. Consuming… The Hating Game was happily devouring. Strongly doting on it.

Right from the beginning, my attention was piqued. And the funny and witty characters were demanding my attention.

I love a good laugh every now and then. My strong inclination towards the storyline and captivating writing and an excellent pacing kept things absolutely interesting.

I am doting on Lucy so much. She is my favorite character ever. I loved being inside her head. Josh was also so sweet and I loved them together.

The only thing I didn't like about Lucy was how she went off on Josh's father. She did stand up for Josh but I don't think she should have done it in that manner cause well, he is still Josh's father. He is an adult figure and I think she should have been respectful of that. And Josh should have stood up for himself. Or his mother at least. I dunno. It won't be that big a deal for most of you but I didn't like that fact.

Otherwise I have really strong feelings for this magnimoniius and funny book.

Special thanks to NetGalley and the Publishers for this review copy.

I read this book a good long while ago and never reviewed it on my blog or Netgalley. It was a fantastic read and I really enjoyed it, I even bought a copy for me to reread at some point. It definitely feels like a romance I could revisit another day and enjoy just as much,

Last year, there was a lot of hype surrounding this book so I was a little nervous going in. Luckily, this book met all the hype and then some. When I first began reading I was a bit uncertain. I mean, Lucy fully just throws us into hating Josh right along with her and it's funny and weird and I wasn't sure at first, but then I thought it was hilarious. The way it was written was a little over the top but it had the right amount of humour to have me giggling along with the book.

The tension between Josh and Lucy was brilliant, you seriously could tell that there was so much chemistry between them. At times I was fanning myself there was fire between them. You spend a few chapters enjoying the strange games they play and enjoying Lucy's utter obsession with Josh and his different behaviours and then you get to see them together as their chemistry boils over. Josh lusting after Lucy after she's dressed in a provocative outfit and then that elevator scene?!?! Let me just fan myself for a second.

I think this book was so perfect because it was on the edge of being weird. I mean, Lucy and her neurotic behaviour is hilarious. She could come across as crazy (she does come across as crazy) but she is adorable whilst doing it and Josh doesn't even bat an eyelash at it. Their battle of wills and their competitive streak with one another is just awesome.
It's hard to fully describe this book and explain why it is so great. It's hilarious and such a swoony romance and it's just brilliant. It's partially a throwback to older 'chick-lit' in the general tone of the book, but yet it's completely it's own book at the same time. I think I've stopped expecting books to be funny like this when it comes to romance and it's showing me I'm wrong for thinking that.

The only reason I didn't rate this book 5 stars is because the ending just felt lacking in some way. I almost felt like we lost a couple of chapters. It was no major gripe, it didn't make me like the book any less, it simply ended too soon for my liking.

This book has everything. I generally don't read a romcom unless it comes well recommended, and this book did fulfill all my expectations.
The banter between Lucy and Josh had me in splits. There is so much sarcastic humor between them, they are just cutely wicked. They are everything that is needed to make me fall in love with this genre and I thank the author Sally Thorne for making me fall in love with rom-coms.
Lucy is confident and self assured and does not back down from any challenge.
Josh comes across as complex, with a bit of edge, and he can sweep any girl off her feer. Did he sweep me off...? (blush...blush)
A well enjoyed book and quite unexpected for me

Actual rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

I'm giving this a 4.5 stars because I honestly didn't like how the story being told from the first few chapters. I actually almost decided not to finish it because I felt boredom seeping through me. But because I have this mantra: finish what you've started, I went on. I always talked myself out everytime I'm feeling like I can't read a book or a story in hopes that It will eventually get better, just wait! And I did! I'm right! I hoped for it and Sally Thorne's The Hating Game amazes me in so many ways I never could imagine.

I know it was only told on Lucy Hutton's point of view and I more than wished in many occasions that I could see, feel or read Josh Templeman's so I can fully understand what's really in his mind, what causes his hard ass personality and why he hates Lucy so much.

Well, Sally Thorne was able to show Josh's side without him talking his own point of view. She thought it so well and really made me fully understand by developing Josh character into something real. Talking his heart out, telling everything I personally want to know. I slowly got to know him better right when almost the story has ended.

Obviously, this book was entitled The Hating Game hence it had to be an enemies to lovers kind of story. I really don't know if the author also intends to make readers hate it at first and love the story after. Because that's what it did to me. I would definitely feel so lame, like a looser if I haven't finished this and seen for myself how beautiful the story went, like it should be.

Like I said I like it, I love it and I really don't hate it. There were just a couple of times I felt the writing was like beating around the bush. And I'm delighted for most 80 to 90% of the story.

Two characters with two completely different personalities, Lucy and Josh, playing along with a lot of games: Mirror game, Staring game, Spying game, HR game, Or Something game and the infamous Hating game. But i knew the moment that kiss from the elevator happened, they'll click! They fit!

“And you’re so tiny. It makes me wonder about all the ways we’ll fit together. It’s all I’ve been thinking about since the day we met.”

They were just too scared. Too scared to trust..too scared to take the chance, and maybe too scared to take the risk..

“Talk to me. I want to know why you’re upset. Let me work this out.”
“I’m scared of you.” I’m scared of him finding out my biggest, newest secret. He doesn’t look offended.
“I’m scared of you too.”

But when it is too much to take, Lucy knew how she needs more of Josh than only one night stand. She knew she's falling for this man and she knew the moment she told him she loves him, everything shall come to its end. But for Josh, he don't take one night stands because it will take days, weeks and it sure never be enough.

The pleasure boils over, my body twists, squeezes, shakes me out, and I’m out-of-my-mind crazy for Joshua Templeman. He’s right. This will not be enough. I need days of this. Weeks. Years. Millions of years.

But because love is stronger than any hate they had threw from each other,

“It made no difference. I loved you the moment I saw you.”
“But I love you.” I can hear how incredulous I sound.
He laughs. “I know.”
“How do you always know everything?” I kick my feet against the mattress.
“I only figured it out a few minutes ago. Your heart has been breaking.”

So they have this new game called Starting Over Game . And believe me when I say, this book is swoon worthy and I love Sally Thorne already!

One of my absolute favorite romance tropes is enemies to lovers.  I love watching the characters go from snapping and snarling at each other until they give in to their physical attraction.  They often then tell themselves that their attraction is purely physical until their emotional connection smacks them upside their head.    When I sat down to write this review I thought about why I am so drawn to the trope two reasons stood out.  The first is that insta-hate seems much more plausible to me than insta-love.  This isn't necessarily specific to romantic relationships for me, but carries over to friendships as well.  Most of my closest friends are people I didn't like when I first met them and now I can't imagine my life without them.  The second reason is that I think so many of us have a list in our head of exactly what we think will make us happy in life, including our relationships so we avoid situations that don't fit those narratives.  The reminder that what seems like it would make us happy on paper doesn't always fit in reality is something I think we could all use now and then.  So given my love of the trope, when I read the blurb for The Hating Game I couldn't wait to read it.

Most of us can relate to working with someone who we don't care for, but can you imagine sitting directly across from them day in day out?  No thank you!   That is exactly what the main characters in Sally Thorne's romantic comedy The Hating Game are dealing with.  Lucy Hutton and Joshua Templeman are  executive assistants at very different publishing houses.  Lucy comes from Gamin Publishing whose employees see literature as art.  Josh on the other hand worked at Bexley Books where the employees believe the bottom line matters far more than the words on a page.  The differences in the styles of the two companies is never more clear than when we see Lucy and Josh interact.    To say that these two don't like each other would seem to be an understatement in the beginning of the book.   They both take passive aggressive to a whole new keeping score on everything from who looks away first, smiles first etc... even going so far to keep score and a list of what they deem to be violations that they could report to HR (Think an in case of emergency break glass kind of situation).  When both characters are up for the same promotion their antics reach a whole new level.

Initially I felt that the antics of both main characters was very immature and I worried the book was going to be too "cutsie" for me, but once Lucy and Josh were thrown into situations where their game-face started to crack and we got a glimpse into their true feelings I was rooting for them all the way.  Josh's character was so swoon worthy once you uncovered all of his cool composure and understood that much of what appeared to be dislike on his part was his own defense system.   I actually found myself irritated with Lucy because she was constantly overlooking the good things that Josh was doing for her well past the time it felt reasonable.  She redeemed herself in the end when she stood up for Josh when he needed her the most.

I don't want to spoil any of the fun scenes that you will encounter in this story so I'll just say that if you like the enemies to lovers trope this book should go on your TBR list right away.  You won't regret it.

“Both love and hate are mirror versions of the same game – and you have to win. Why? Your heart and your ego. Trust me, I should know.”

This book deserves nothing but 5 BIG FAT STARS. For me, one of the highlights of the summer and one of my favourite reads this year. To be honest, I don’t even know why it took me so long to pick it up. The Hating Game is fun, addictive, refreshing, sexy and STRAWBERRY SWEET. The banter between the two main characters was absolutely hilarious at times and terribly sweet toward the end. The title gives away enough for you to guess that we are dealing with one of my favourite romance tropes: from hate to love. The rest, I encourage you to discover on your own. Go and pick up this book NOW.

I love this book so very much. I love, love, love an excellent and well done enemies to lovers story and Sally Thorne does this excellently. The Hating Game has been a big hit in several of my Facebook groups.

This was a fantastic enemies to lover story. Lucy and Josh are stuck in an office together due to the merge of two publishing companies. They hated each other on sight. They have any number of games they play with each other daily to tick the other one off.
Lucy is interested in him from the start but can't get over his snarly attitude. He also calls her "Shortcake" and she takes offense to it because she is short. She admires him across the room and keeps a daily record in her head of his shirt colors.
Josh might be snarly towards her but there is a reason for his attitude. He admires her but doesn't want her to know. He keeps a daily record of pencil marks in his planner that has to do with her. He goes out of his way to throw her off by doing little things that set her off.
This book will keep you laughing and is full of lots of aww moments. If enemies to lovers is one of your favorite tropes then don't pass this one up. You will love it!! Ms. Thorne did a great job of allowing you to feel the characters emotions.

I received a copy to read and review from Netgalley.

The Hating Game offers a fantastic premise for those who love the Rom Com troop and had me all kinds of excited. Centred around the perfect love/hate relationship between the male and female protagonists. Lucy Hutton and Joshua Templeman find themselves battling for the same promotion, a fact that forms the impetus for this enemy-to-lovers romantic comedy. Unfortunately, when it came down to my tastes I found a few things did not suit me. I enjoyed the bones of the story, the ethos behind it and, to some degree, I warmed to the characters but I found that sections of the narrative felt somewhat repetitive in terms of story line and emotion. I also found the narrative to be light on the comedy side, nothing especially made me laugh but perhaps my sense of humour did not align with the story. A pacier style and more succinct telling may have helped my connection to the story and characters within. Having said all that the last 20% is spot on, made my heart race and my face smile and concluded the story in a satisfying manner for romance readers which made me stop and consider how I truly felt about this story but in the end for me personal it’s an ok-2-star read

The Hating Game has received rave reviews from a plethora of my reading friends, and for many represents the perfect Rom Com read so if that is one of your reading loves you may want to give this book a peruse.

Lucy works as an executive assistant for the joint CEO of a publisher and loves books and Smurfs. She is nice and friendly to anyone but Joshua, the other executive assistant with whom she shares an office. Since the first day they met, they have been playing the Hating Game which involves staring games, secret codes and frequent trips to the HR department. The game becomes more heated when there is the chance for one of them to get a promotion. But between paintball games, misunderstandings and late-night feverish confessions, Lucy finds out that maybe Joshua doesn’t hate her so much.
At the beginning, I thought of this simply as an entertaining and romantic novel. But the more I read, the more I became addicted to Lucy’s life and her developing relationship with Josh so that I stayed up late in the night reading. I really loved the character of Lucy. She is weird but in a good funny way that often made me laugh. She is clever and confident and is not afraid to show her insecurities. As the hate between Lucy and Josh turns into lust, you know exactly where the story is going. The concept of the novel is nothing new but the witty and funny exchanges between Lucy and Josh, the author’s captivating writing, and the well-crafted characters create a sexy, smart and hilarious novel that you won’t be able to put down.

This book lived up to every bit of hype I've seen on all my social media feeds. I want to shout from the rooftops how much fun I had reading this and how impossible it was to put the book down because of the chemistry between the two lead characters. Sometimes office settings for romance work for me, but more often they don't. This is my favourite ever office hate-fight-simmer-steam-romance and it is one of my top reads of the year.

These two characters are: Lucinda, the petite, feisty joint-second in command at a publishing house and Joshua, cold, hard and gorgeous joint-second in command. Their hating game is an epic battle that transforms into a different kind of battle over time. The character's banter was so entertaining, the situations they created were ridiculous and funny and their softer sides were delightful.

If you need a lift, a read that will both absorb you and make you feel good, this is the best there is in that category. The fact that this is Sally Thorne's first novel, frankly bowls me over. I'm now off to purchase a hard copy of this book that I'm desperate to have on my shelf ready for a re-read whenever the mood hits me.

A copy of this book was provided by the publisher through netgalley in return for a honest review.

Reviewed for Jo&IsaLoveBooks Blog.

I just couldn't engage. it tool ages to get going, and to be brutally hoinest the characters and the scneario felt predictable

I loved this book!
The characters really draw you in and I couldn't put the book down.
Lucy and Josh work in the same office and from day 1 have been in the hating game, until the day all the rules change. I like the way the whole story focusses on the main characters, and as I have always been told, there is a fine line between love and hate!

Can't wait for the next book from Sally Thorne.

My first book by this author but certainly won't be the last. Fantastic storyline, super characters with a hate hate relationship. I laughed, I frowned & I even had a little tear in my eye. Fabulous!

A quick enjoyable read. I loved the tension created between the two characters in the beginning of the novel however I found the middle section a little harder to stomach. Lucy came across a bit too desperate and lacking in any self restraint or filter! Another argument/misunderstanding and the resumed tension saved the novel for me. Overall an enjoyable read even if some of the speech was a little too unrealistic at times.