The Hating Game [Movie Tie-In] - by Sally Thorne (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

Now a motion picture 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.

Lucy Hutton has always believed that the nice girl can get the corner office. She's charming and accommodating and prides herself on being loved by everyone. Everyone except sarcastic, cynical, and intimidating Joshua Templeman. Her nemesis.

Josh is the dark and brooding to Lucy's light and cheery, the crisp pressed suit to her retro outfits and bright red lipstick. And he gets under her skin like no one else can. Trapped in a shared office together five days a week, they've become entrenched in an addictive, never-ending game of one-upmanship.

When a new executive position is announced, Josh and Lucy are top contenders for the promotion, but the idea of working for the other is so unthinkable that they strike a deal: whoever doesn't get the job will walk away. The stakes have never been higher and as the competition heats up and the barriers between them begin to fall down, Lucy starts questioning just who her opponent truly is and whether this man she's hated all this time is even the real Josh.

Maybe Lucy Hutton doesn't hate Joshua Templeman. And maybe, he doesn't hate her either.

From the Back Cover

Lucy Hutton and Joshua Templeman hate each other. Not dislike. Not begrudgingly tolerate. Hate. And they have no problems 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 that they're 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.

Review Quotes

"'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

"A breezy tale perfect for a day at the beach, this one's a real winner."--Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

"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, New York Times bestselling author

"An addictive, dazzling debut. The Hating Game is bursting at the seams with love (and hate) and heart."--Christina Lauren, New York Times bestselling author

"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."--Meghan McCain

"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."--New York Times Book Review

"Funny, smart, fresh, and thoroughly enjoyable from the first delicious page to the last. I highly recommend."--Susan Elizabeth Phillips, New York Times bestselling author

"If you miss romantic comedies, the kind that were so funny, you would pay $15 to see them in the theater--plus the cost of popcorn and candy--this novel will make you very happy indeed...The rising tension and Thorne's biting dialogue will make you wish for the romantic comedies of days gone by--or just more books like this one."--NPR Books

"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, Washington Post

"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."--Library Journal