The New York Times Book Review - Sophie Gilbert
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.
NPR's Pop Culture Happy Hour
Romantic comedy is harder than it looks. …[The Hating Game's] sharp, sexy… candy-like in the best way…it’s a very good quality romantic comedy.
Jane Litte
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.
Sarah Wendell
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 MacLean
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.
Valerie Frankel
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.
People
‘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.
Christina Lauren
An addictive, dazzling debut. The Hating Game is bursting at the seams with love (and hate) and heart.
Susan Elizabeth Phillips
Funny, smart, fresh, and thoroughly enjoyable from the first delicious page to the last. I highly recommend.
Bookish
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.
Kristan Higgins
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.
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.”
%COMM_CONTRIB%Sarah MacLean
Kirkus Reviews
★ 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.
