The Hating Game: A Novel

by Sally Thorne

Overview

Debut author Sally Thorne bursts on the scene with a 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.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781504735865
Publisher:	HarperCollins Publishers
Publication date:	08/09/2016
Edition description:	Unabridged
Product dimensions:	5.70(w) x 5.20(h) x 1.10(d)

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.

Editorial Reviews

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.

The New York Times Book Review - Sophie Gilbert

06/06/2016
Since the day Lucy Hutton began sharing an office at her publishing company with Joshua Templeman, he’s been the bane of her existence. Every day is a constant parade of one-upmanship and mind games. Now there’s a huge promotion on the line, and they’re both up for it. Lucy knows she couldn’t keep working there if Joshua winds up becoming her boss, so she pours everything she has into a project to dazzle her superior—but at the same time, she’s suddenly gotten to know Joshua on a new level, and she’s realizing very quickly that the lines between attraction and hatred are not as clear as she thought. After they acknowledge the heat between them and begin to do something about it, Lucy’s paranoia sets in: is Joshua stringing her along in hopes that he’ll gain the upper hand and the promotion? The denouement feels slightly off, and though Lucy and Joshua initially have chemistry to spare, the resolution of their story is a little bit too neat. Still, Thorne is skilled at creating Hepburn-and-Tracy-esque banter and an appealing heroine. (Aug.)

Publishers Weekly

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.

Valerie Frankel

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

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

An addictive, dazzling debut. The Hating Game is bursting at the seams with love (and hate) and heart.

Christina Lauren

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.

Jane Litte

Funny, smart, fresh, and thoroughly enjoyable from the first delicious page to the last. I highly recommend.

Susan Elizabeth Phillips

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

‘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

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

04/15/2016
Lucy Hutton and Joshua Templeman sit across from each other working as executive assistants for their co-CEO bosses of the merged publishing house Bexley and Gamin. From the first, it seems they're not destined to be friends: Joshua is tall, intimidating, and wears the same colored shirts in the same sequence every week, whereas five-foot-tall Lucy is approachable, yet feisty with her flamethrower-red lipstick and varying ensembles. Their differences manifest themselves in nonverbal games including the Staring Game, the Mirror Game, and the HR Game. When a promotion possibility comes up, both Josh and Lucy would do anything to get it. Thorne pens a novel that is more than a game of one-upmanship between two coworkers. She slowly begins to unfurl their insecurities both inside and between themselves, fearlessly aiming at the heart of what makes Lucy and Joshua tick. As a result, a new game begins—one of sexual chemistry and frustration. VERDICT 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.—Erin Holt, Williamson Cty. P.L., Franklin, TN

Library Journal

★ 2016-05-22
Lucy Hutton absolutely detests her office mate Joshua Templeman. He's a pompous, self-important, obnoxious ass. But, she's got to admit, he is pretty cute.From the moment they meet, a result of the unwelcome corporate merger between their employers, Lucy and Joshua are at odds. Joshua is assistant to the CEO of what was once Bexley Publishing, a numbers-crunching, foosball-playing frat house-cum-business. Lucy is assistant to the CEO of the now-defunct Gamin Publishing, a Birkenstock-clad, free-flowing commune of literary purists. When the two companies begrudgingly become one, so does the executive suite. Thus begins this hate-at-first-sight romantic comedy. Lucy and Joshua's daily interactions include the staring game, the mirror game, and the HR game, each played with the intensity of the Hunger Games. Their mutual antipathy grows when a new executive position opens at Bexley-Gamin Publishing and both Lucy's and Joshua's bosses think their protégés would be the perfect choice. Here the high-stakes game begins. After yet another 60-hour work week, which now includes prepping for upcoming interviews, Lucy logs off of her computer (Password: IHATEJOSHUA4EV@) to head home, but not before her rival hops into the elevator with her. When Joshua hits the emergency button and stops the ride, Lucy is certain her nemesis is going to kill her. Instead, he plants a (completely consensual) kiss on her that awakens something she hadn't known existed. Debut novelist Thorne delivers something nearly impossible: an entirely predictable plot that is also completely fresh, original, and utterly charming. From the opening page, readers will know the outcome of Lucy and Joshua's relationship, but what happens in between is magic. From Lucy's hilarious inner dialogue to Joshua's sharp retorts, the chemistry between them is irresistibly adorable—and smokin' hot. A breezy tale perfect for a day at the beach, this one's a real winner.

Kirkus Reviews