So I read Act Like It earlier this year, thanks to a bajillion rave reviews, and became one of the herd proclaiming its greatness. When Malin then posted a review of The Hating Game, dubbing it the next Act Like It. Boom. Purchased. Boom. Read in about 6 hours of glee. It literally felt like I was reading a romantic comedy. I could see actors already in their roles on the big screen. And that’s okay sometimes. It was just what I needed.
Lucy Hutton and Joshua Templeman have hated each other from the moment they met a year before when their publishing houses merged. They fill their work hours, being administrative assistants to the co-CEOs, finding all of the little ways to needle each other. They score points when verbally sparring or racing to complete tasks. After a year it all starts to change though. One day Lucy decides to mess with Joshua and wear a sexy dress to work. From there our story rolls out with banter, smolder, and a surprising amount of snuggles.
It was delicious. I devoured it like Lucy does pastries. I immediately wanted to re-read it again I enjoyed it that much. And I might. It’s that fun. I really love some good witty banter and these two have it in spades. I’m not usually the biggest fan of the hate to love romance trope, but Ms. Thorne deftly towed the line. You could see right from the start that the hate was a lot more one sided than Lucy thinks. Also, can I just say, for once, THANK YOU Ms. Thorne. No “stark minimalism” for Josh’s apartment. He actually lives there. There’s more than just a bed and a sofa and a TV. It was glorious to read about a bossy, controlling hero who actually inhabited his own home. Also that under his exterior was someone who enjoyed a good snuggle. We all do, why not embrace it.
Total win. And I’ll be the next in line to add my voice to the list of, if you enjoy a good romance read this one. It’s fun, relaxing, and full of enough smolder (and snuggles) to keep you smiling the whole way through.