The Hating Game by Sally Thorne Summary

The Hating Game by Sally Thorne follows Lucy Hutton and Joshua Templeman, two coworkers at a publishing company who despise each other and engage in daily workplace warfare. When a major promotion creates fierce competition between them, their hateful rivalry transforms after an unexpected elevator kiss reveals deeper feelings. This enemies-to-lovers romance explores the thin line between love and hate through witty banter, sexual tension, and the realization that first impressions can be deceiving.

The Hating Game is perfect for readers who enjoy contemporary romance with sharp dialogue, office settings, and enemies-to-lovers tropes. Fans of romantic comedies, workplace romances, and character-driven stories with emotional depth will appreciate Sally Thorne's witty writing style. This book appeals to those seeking a feel-good, uplifting read with intense chemistry, clever banter, and characters who challenge each other while falling in love.

The Hating Game is widely considered worth reading, earning 5-star ratings from reviewers who praise its modern take on office romance tropes and unexpected storytelling. Readers highlight the exceptional dialogue, witty sarcasm, memorable characterization, and delicious sexual tension that make it highly re-readable. While some found the ending slightly abrupt, the emotional connection, humor, and fresh perspective on the enemies-to-lovers genre make it a standout contemporary romance.

The Hating Game modernizes the enemies-to-lovers trope by avoiding typical angry, angsty dynamics in favor of clever workplace competition and layered character development. Lucy and Joshua's hatred masks deeper attraction, revealed through games like the Staring Game, Mirror Game, and HR Game that create visceral tension. Sally Thorne subverts expectations by showing Joshua as "brooding and silent on the outside, but sweet and squishy on the inside," demonstrating that perceived hatred often conceals vulnerability and genuine connection.

Lucy and Joshua engage in an "addictive, ridiculous never-ending game of one-upmanship" through various workplace competitions. Their games include the Staring Game, Mirror Game, and HR Game—juvenile tactics they use to make each other miserable while working in a shared office. These games escalate when they compete for a Chief Operating Officer promotion, with stakes so high they agree whoever loses must resign. The games serve as outlets for their unacknowledged attraction and sexual tension.

Joshua's Robin's egg blue bedroom reveals his softer, vulnerable side beneath his cold, efficient exterior. This unexpected color choice surprises Lucy and symbolizes the contrast between Joshua's intimidating professional persona and his true gentle nature. The discovery challenges Lucy's assumptions about him and represents a pivotal moment in understanding that people contain unexpected depths. This detail reinforces the book's central theme that first impressions don't reveal the complete person.

The Hating Game was adapted into a 2021 movie starring Lucy Hale and Austin Stowell, based on Sally Thorne's bestselling novel. The film follows the same core storyline of workplace rivals Lucy Hutton and Joshua Templeman competing for a promotion while navigating their growing attraction. While the movie captures the enemies-to-lovers dynamic and the pivotal elevator kiss scene, readers should note that book adaptations typically condense plot details and internal character development that made the novel's dialogue and emotional connection so compelling.

The dialogue in The Hating Game is exceptional, with readers frequently reciting conversations between Lucy and Joshua because they're "just so good". Sally Thorne masterfully writes sarcasm between the characters, which is notoriously challenging since it's easily misinterpreted, but creates excellent banter that provokes belly laughs. The witty, clever barbs exchanged during their hate-banter showcase both characters' personalities so distinctly that readers can identify who's speaking based solely on their actions and word choices.

The primary criticism of The Hating Game is that the ending feels rather abrupt, leaving readers wanting more closure about Lucy and Joshua's future prospects together. Some reviewers felt conflicted about certain plot elements after becoming deeply invested in the characters' emotional journey. However, these criticisms are relatively minor compared to overwhelming praise for the novel. Most readers accept the romance novel format while wishing for slightly more epilogue content to satisfy their connection with the characters.

The Hating Game demonstrates that first impressions are often misleading and don't reveal a person's true character. Lucy initially perceives Joshua as coldly efficient, impeccably attired, and physically intimidating, while he sees her as overly accommodating and people-pleasing. The novel teaches that "not everyone is the same" and first impressions are "one-of-a-kind experiences that have different impacts on different persons". By showing Joshua's sweet interior beneath his stern facade, Sally Thorne illustrates the importance of looking beyond surface judgments.

The Hating Game is highly recommended as a holiday or beach read because it's a feel-good, uplifting romance that readers describe as "fucking CUTE" and capable of creating "pleasant feelings of happiness". The book's engaging plot and witty dialogue make it easy to blow through quickly, with some readers finishing two-thirds "in the blink of an eye". Its light, contemporary romance style combined with emotional depth and humor makes it perfect poolside entertainment, though some readers regret not saving it specifically for vacation reading.

The Hating Game masterfully balances "extremely cute" moments with "extremely sexually tense" scenes throughout the narrative. Sally Thorne builds visceral, delicious tension as Lucy and Joshua pretend to hate each other while desperately wanting each other. The emotional connection develops through vulnerable moments—like Joshua refusing to rush their first time together because he wants more than once—that deepen their relationship beyond pure attraction. This balance between steamy chemistry and genuine emotional bonding creates the addictive quality that makes readers consider re-reading the novel.