The Hating Game by Sally Thorne Summary
Overview of The Hating Game
Office rivals Lucy and Joshua battle for the same promotion in this enemies-to-lovers phenomenon that revitalized romance. Named among Oprah's top romances and adapted into a film starring Lucy Hale, this TikTok sensation asks: can the line between hate and desire truly exist?
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The Office Battlefield: Where Attraction Disguises as Animosity
Lucy Hutton and Joshua Templeman sit directly across from each other, their desks forming the frontline in a silent corporate war. They're executive assistants to co-CEOs of B&G Publishing-a company formed when artistic Gamin Publishing merged with corporate powerhouse Bexley Books. Lucy, petite with vintage-inspired outfits and a strawberry-farm upbringing, embodies the creative Gamin spirit. Joshua, tall and imposing in his rotation of meticulously planned dark shirts, represents the calculating Bexley mentality. Their mutual hatred has become legendary. They've filed multiple HR complaints against each other. Lucy maintains a password-protected document chronicling their conflicts. They play childish games to antagonize each other-the Staring Game, the Mirror Game-each designed to push buttons in increasingly creative ways. Yet beneath this hostility lies something more complex. Lucy obsessively catalogs details about Joshua-his shirt rotation, his mint consumption, how his blue eyes darken when angry. Meanwhile, Joshua secretly tracks Lucy in his planner, noting when she wears dresses, when they argue, and when he wishes he could kiss her. Everything shifts when a new Chief Operating Officer position is announced. Both Lucy and Joshua are prime candidates, and suddenly their games take on higher stakes. The winner will become the other's boss-a prospect filling Lucy with both dread and strange excitement. For Lucy, this promotion represents validation. Having grown up on her parents' strawberry farm, she's passionate about books and publishing. The role would prove she belongs in the corporate world despite her unconventional background. For Joshua, the position means finally stepping out of his father's shadow. As the son of prominent surgeons who abandoned medical school, he needs this promotion to prove his worth in a different field.
When Hatred Cracks: Vulnerability Behind Defenses
Beyond the Office: Real Life Intrudes
The Games We Play: Understanding Through Competition
Vulnerability as Strength: Breaking Down Walls
From Enemies to Lovers: The Power of Perception
When Hatred Becomes Love: Finding Truth in Intensity
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"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
From Columbia University alumni built in San Francisco
"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."
"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."
"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."
"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."
"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."
"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."
"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."
"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."
"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."
"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."
"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."
"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."
"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
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