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The Hating Game: A Novel
The Hating Game: A Novel
The Hating Game: A Novel
Audiobook12 hours

The Hating Game: A Novel

Written by Sally Thorne

Narrated by Katie Schorr

Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

4.5/5

()

About this audiobook

Now a movie starring Lucy Hale and Austin Stowell, USA Today bestselling author Sally Thorne’s 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 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 forty (ok, fifty or sixty) 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 production includes a bonus excerpt from Sally Thorne’s next audiobook, 99 Percent Mine.

LanguageEnglish
PublisherHarperAudio
Release dateAug 9, 2016
ISBN9780062561176
The Hating Game: A Novel
Author

Sally Thorne

Sally Thorne is the USA Today-bestselling author of The Hating Game. She spends her days climbing into fictional worlds of her own creation. She lives in Canberra, Australia with her husband in a house filled with vintage toys, too many cushions, a haunted dollhouse and the world’s sweetest pug.

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Reviews for The Hating Game

Rating: 4.26594479131366 out of 5 stars
4.5/5

4,202 ratings191 reviews

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  • Rating: 1 out of 5 stars
    1/5
    “I wish I could say he’s ugly. He should be a short, fat troll, with a cleft palate and watery eyes.”

    First few pages into the book, and I stumble upon this ignorance. Can’t believe that having a cleft palate (aside from the supposedly humiliating adjectives employed here, like short) was used as an insult, in this age… People with cleft lip and/or palate are challenged enough, with self-image issues and speech disorders, without folks ostracizing them due to personal appearance. Sure, it’s just a line from the book. But it’s the ‘simple’ things like this that enable discrimination. Please educate yourselves. :(

    3 people found this helpful

  • Rating: 1 out of 5 stars
    1/5
    DNF

    I had the audio book version and after only a handful of chapters I just had no desire to keep reading. Lucy is a pushover. Letting the employees walk all over her by NEVER meeting the deadlines she gives them and her always giving them more time. Plus all the childish “games” her and Josh play across the office. It’s like a freaking toddler. The mirror game (you just mirror what the other person does). SERIOUSLY??!! It seems all they do is spy on each other and play stupid, pointless games. I do t get it and I had no desire to continue with it.

    3 people found this helpful

  • Rating: 2 out of 5 stars
    2/5
    This was a cute story BUT there was so much missing.
    I honestly tried my best to like this book.
    But from the beginning I was bored, I find their games childish, and was very difficult for me to connect with the characters the only character I liked weirdly was Danny ?.
    The heroine she was ok but I found it annoying she wouldn't stop pointing out how short she was and also objectifying Joshua the entire time, the hero oh well I kinda liked him at the end but not so much, I just found the whole read, boring, repetitive and childish.
    This was not my cup of tea.

    2 people found this helpful

  • Rating: 2 out of 5 stars
    2/5
    Didn’t really like the characters, didn’t feel a lot of chemistry between the two. Their games I found very childish.

    2 people found this helpful

  • Rating: 1 out of 5 stars
    1/5
    A tale as old as time about misogyny and abuse, complete with the ridiculous over-emphasization of his body size compared to her petite frame. Guy treats girl like crap, sexually harasses her, and then sexually assaults her but it's OK because he's hot. Blah blah blah. He goes on to gaslight, belittle, and manipulate her. Don't forget to also make him insanely jealous. He literally confiscates her phone. Gross. She even points out his lack of empathy *multiple times*. It even has the nerve to give HIM credit for her assertiveness. Of course, she learns he's "difficult man" and she's the only one that can melt his cold heart. Vomit. In the entire book he doesn't do anything more than any decent person would do for another and even that is only because he's interested in her. Ladies, please! We have got to raise the bar higher. This is just sad.

    2 people found this helpful

  • Rating: 2 out of 5 stars
    2/5
    Ehhhh this book was almost cringey with the build up, it made it not that believable. Also, the author made the main girl too quirky.

    2 people found this helpful

  • Rating: 1 out of 5 stars
    1/5
    A book filled with emotional and verbal abuse. No thanks.

    2 people found this helpful

  • Rating: 1 out of 5 stars
    1/5
    I wish authors from romantic comedies wouldn’t be always describing hegemonic beauties that create non relatable characters at all.
    The moment when Lucy has kissing Danny and the disappointment coming from him not being “muscular”… damn. I realized how disappointing American authors are still are. Clichés everywhere, and such a predictable story…

    2 people found this helpful

  • Rating: 1 out of 5 stars
    1/5
    unfortunately, I didn't enter into the love and the hype that surrounds this book.

    2 people found this helpful

  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    ummaryLucy and Joshua are rivals and from the first day they started working together began their hating game. A game they have played for months. Their interactions are full of dislike and hatred. They work as assistants to co CEO's of a publishing house. But the stakes become even higher when both Lucy and Joshua are up for the same promotion and their game becomes even more elevated. Lucy has a love/hate feeling toward her nemesis and even though her deep hidden desire is for them to be friends she knows it is impossible. But suddenly their game boundaries changes after a steamy kiss in a elevator that surprises both of them, how possessive Joshua seems to be, and when Lucy finds herself in a game she is not prepared for....a game that could threaten their jobs when they attempt to try a new and exciting change if they are both up for the challenge...Plot and Story LineYou know I have heard about this book for months and months and I don't know why I kept resisting picking this up. But when it became available for audio at my local library, I knew that it was a sign I needed to give in and try it out and boy I am glad that I did. This book was one of the best enemies to lovers romances I have ever read. This is a trope I don't get a chance to read as often as I would like, and for a debut novel from a new author, the book was simply fantastic and I just didn't want to put my headphones away. These two were so adorable. The story sets off with these two being so antagonistic towards each other, their quick witted bantering was delightful and I got a kick out of their comebacks toward each other. ❝Hating someone feels disturbingly similar to being in love with them. I've had a lot of time to compare love and hate, and these are my observations. Love and hate are visceral. Your stomach twists at the thought of that person. The heart in your chest beats heavy and bright, nearly visible through your flesh and clothes. Your appetite and sleep are shredded. Every interaction spikes your blood with adrenaline, and you're in the brink of fight or flight. Your body is barely under your control. You're consumed, and it scares you. 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.❞ But then we start to see a slow change. It becomes slow though, and then their relationship starts to change to a whole different level. They like each other alot and Lucy doesn't know what to make of it. She has always hated Josh, and she does get confused by the new status of trying a different "game". The Kissing Game goes like this, Shortcake. Press, retreat, tilt, breathe, repeat. Use your hands to angle just right. Loosen up until it’s a slow, wet slide. Hear the drum of blood in your own ears? Survive on tiny puffs of air. Do not stop. Don’t even think about it. Shudder a sigh, pull back, let your opponent catch you with lips or teeth and ease you back into something even deeper. Wetter. Feel your nerve endings crackle to life with each touch of tongue. Feel a new heaviness between your legs. The aim of the game is to do this for the rest of your life. Screw human civilization and all it entails. This elevator is home now. This is what we do now. Do not fucking stop. Now Joshua he was delightful and I loved him to pieces. Josh we see truly cares for Lucy, and I love the way he cares for her in little ways without giving too much away. Joshua hasn't had good history with women, they always tend to burn him and so he is pretty closed off. Shyness takes so many different forms. Some people are shy and soft. Some, shy and hard. Or in Josh’s case, shy, and wrapped in military-grade armor. And it could be heart breaking at times seeing the way he is with Lucy. He takes things really really slow with her, which drives Lucy kinda crazy. She just doesn't understand why he is taking things so slow with her and they have to build a new level of trust. These two have their ups and their downs, a certain level of crazy and sexy chemistry that captivates the reader from the first page. Now there was some moments in this book that seriously made me want to shout out. Literally, especially that breakfast moment with Josh's dad...boy I kinda fell in love with Lucy---so fierce and protective of Josh, I had to replay it a few times because I got such a kick out of it. I honestly couldn't get enough of these two and their chemistry. I love their bantering, the humor, the rich emotion that filters through and a couple that wins your heart. I think the only thing I would have changed was the ending, I would have liked to know the outcome of the promotion and see Joshua grovel to Lucy's folks.The NarrationWhat a fabulous narrator we have here....at first I wasn't sure if I would like her. But she grew on me very VERY quickly. She brings in the humor of the book so well and her voice is just the right fit for the tone of this book. I loved the way she showed the levels of emotion and wit with just the right voice and she portrays the book so superb. If you like audio books, you definitely need to try this narrator out.The CoverI am not a fan of the cover, I will admit. I don't care too much for cartoonish covers but I like the colors used.Overall ViewThe Hating Game is a delightful mix of angsty romance, silly yet fun bantering, a full belly satisfying love story that will leave you with a smile on your face. I haven't wanted you this long, and gone through so much, and given up so much, to have you for one night. It's not enough."

    1 person found this helpful

  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    I love descriptions but this one was too descriptive in some parts. It felt repetitive. I also love a love story but it was hard getting to the end.

    1 person found this helpful

  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    saw all over booktok about how good it is but i feel like it was only okay. Their feelings for each other were so all over the place it was hard to know if they were hating each other at the time or having fun. there was some stalker vibes and it made it very cringy to l read/listen to based on how it was happening. Was a good listen but definitely won’t ever read again

    1 person found this helpful

  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    The deliciously love-hate relationship between a mischievous guy and a nice girl. I highly recommend.

    1 person found this helpful

  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    Too much emphasis on her size was not necessary. Other than that good story telling.

    1 person found this helpful

  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    It like to at least give it a 3.5. It was a fun upbeat cheeky fun book but it took me forever to get through because I felt like it was repetitive a little..the mention of his height and outfits along with her dresses and lipstick got a bit mundane..I felt like it was just getting really good right when the book finished

    1 person found this helpful

  • Rating: 2 out of 5 stars
    2/5
    So when I learnt that @scribd_books was offering a 30 day free subscription, I jumped at it.
    I have no clue why I selected this book. Its supposed to be a #FeelGoodBook.
    Foreplay much!?- That's all I will say, as my review!!
    Oh, and it takes forever to listen to the book! I know I prefer reading books!!! Book- The Hating Game
    Author-@sallythorneauthor
    Genre-Romance
    My Rating-2 ⭐

    1 person found this helpful

  • Rating: 1 out of 5 stars
    1/5
    Maybe I'm too old for this type of story. I found both characters childish and I couldn't get into the story. I didn't find Josh's actions cute or romantic, they were creepy and stalkerish. I agree with one review when they said that there's a lot of nice guy bashing and the endless sexy scenes descriptions were totally unnecessary fillers.
    Not my type of book.

    1 person found this helpful

  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Loved this fun love story! Their cute banter made me smile.

    1 person found this helpful

  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    This was such a fun contemporary! It had the hate-to-love trope, which is one of my favorite tropes. I will admit that I liked the first half better than the second half. It got a little too cheesy for me at the end, but overall I thought this was funny and sweet. I'd highly recommend this to anyone who's looking for something light and fun to read.

    1 person found this helpful

  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    It killed time but it was cheesy and there was some weird obsession about how small and weak the main girl was. I would not read again or recommend

    1 person found this helpful

  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Oh wow, loved this! Loved the narrator too, the best ones really lift the story in the way they read it, like this narrator. Well done!

    1 person found this helpful

  • Rating: 1 out of 5 stars
    1/5
    I really had high hopes for this book which unfortunately were dashed in the first chapter of the audiobook. I have nothing against the narrator but the combination of the weird dialogue and her voice made my skin crawl to the point when I though I was listening to a true crime story rather than a romance novel. The dialogue was boring and non-sensical at the same time. The main source of chemistry for the protagonists is the fact that she is short and he is handsome. Also, fearing your partner? It’s a no for me.

    1 person found this helpful

  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    I received an ARC copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.What a fun read! Lucy and Josh are coworkers who hate each other. Now they are in competition for the same promotion and things start to get interesting. I enjoyed their early banter and the games they played with each other during the hate phase. Things got a little unbelievable during the like phase. I feel like Josh's personality changed quite a bit and there wasn't enough of an explanation as to why or how. It stinks we didn't get his POV, I feel like this would have answered a lot of my lingering questions. But overall, it was a quick, enjoyable read.

    1 person found this helpful

  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    I received this book for free through LibraryThing's Early Reviewers. So it took me forever to finish this book because I was in a huge reading slump. This was a cute book. It definitely got better as it went on. Did it completely blow my mind? No, but it was a solid, quirky, and adorable romance novel.

    1 person found this helpful

  • Rating: 1 out of 5 stars
    1/5
    Vapid linear so called romance.
    She is short he is tall I got that for the millionth time. Other characters are just there to fill pages.
    You can end this novel in less than a quarter of the time
    They don't really ever hate each other just pretend. It's not even realistic.
    Tall aloof guy likes short neurotic girl. Nice short guys bad, tall mean guys rock.
    If this was a guy's pov it would be even more cringe worthy. Pages spend on describing his anatomy under a shirt or his pants.
    Her job is not even relevant to the plot
    Is this a what passes for a 4 star book of romance in the new age?

    1 person found this helpful

  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Delicious! Started listening more than 3 times because of slow beginning, but after chapter 6 it's taken me!

    1 person found this helpful

  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Was it a bit repetitive? Yeah, was there some missing to the story, where I wish there was more? Yeah. Was it absolutely cute, and I found myself hooked? Also yes.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    This was a cute easy read. It obviously was the predictable hate to lovers trope. There was great character development and both characters were complete opposites. He was tall and mean. She was short and lovable. They worked with each other and she even had her password as IhateJosh4eva.

    Of course, this ended on a happy note. The banter between them was playful enough and it kept me reading but there just wasn’t that big surprise ending for me to warrant a 5 star rating.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    Lucy and Joshua both work as executive assistants at a book publishing house. Since day one, they've hated each other's guts. At least that's what Lucy believes and how Joshua has acted. But as Lucy observes (and augurs) on the first page, "Hating someone feels disturbingly similar to being in love with them." It's a daily game of one-upmanship and cheeky insults between the two. Then the bar is set ever higher when both apply for the same job promotion. Let the love/hate games begin!
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    Cute rom com, kinda cheesy. Beginning was a bit repetitive but it progressively got better. Wish it would have finished at a different spot but still cute.