The Hating Game
by Sally Thorne
🌶️ Quick Spice Verdict
Heat Level
Steamy
Spicy Scenes
~3 scenes
POV Style
First Person (Lucy)
About The Hating Game
Lucy Hutton and Joshua Templeman hate each other. Not dislike. Not begrudgingly tolerate. Hate. As executive assistants to co-CEOs of a publishing company, they sit across from each other every day, engaged in an escalating series of passive-aggressive games. But when a promotion pits them against each other, their rivalry takes an unexpected turn.
Reading Vibes
🌶️ Spice Level Breakdown
Moderate spice with well-built tension. The slow burn pays off with satisfying intimate scenes that feel earned after chapters of witty banter and unresolved tension.
Tropes in The Hating Game
Characters who start as adversaries and gradually fall in love
Characters forced into close quarters, sparking attraction
One brooding character paired with an optimistic one
Love blooms in the workplace between colleagues, boss and employee, or professional rivals
Tension builds gradually over a long time before payoff
Content Warnings
⚠️ Content Warnings
- Workplace power dynamics
- Mild language
Should You Read The Hating Game?
✅ Perfect For You If...
- •Fans of enemies-to-lovers with witty banter
- •Readers who love office romance
- •Those who enjoy slow-burn tension that explodes
⛔ Skip This If...
- •You want high spice from page one
- •You prefer fantasy or paranormal settings
Our Take
The gold standard of office romance. Sally Thorne delivers razor-sharp banter, a perfectly paced enemies-to-lovers arc, and a hero who will make you swoon despite his grumpy exterior. Now a movie starring Lucy Hale, this is the book that launched a thousand BookTok recommendations.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is The Hating Game spicy?
Yes, The Hating Game has a spice level of 3/5 on our scale, which we rate as "Spicy (Moderate Scenes)." Explicit intimate scenes, moderately described. Moderate spice with well-built tension. The slow burn pays off with satisfying intimate scenes that feel earned after chapters of witty banter and unresolved tension.
What is the spice level of The Hating Game?
The Hating Game by Sally Thorne is rated 3 out of 5 on the SpicyBooks spice scale. This means it's "Spicy (Moderate Scenes)" — explicit intimate scenes, moderately described. The steam level is: Steamy.
How many spicy scenes are in The Hating Game?
The Hating Game contains approximately 3 intimate/spicy scenes. Moderate spice with well-built tension. The slow burn pays off with satisfying intimate scenes that feel earned after chapters of witty banter and unresolved tension.
What tropes are in The Hating Game?
The Hating Game features the following romance tropes: ⚔️ Enemies to Lovers, 🏠 Forced Proximity, 🌤️ Grumpy / Sunshine, 💼 Office Romance, 🔥 Slow Burn. These tropes are central to the story and shape the romantic dynamic between the characters.
Does The Hating Game have content warnings?
Yes, readers should be aware of the following content warnings for The Hating Game: Workplace power dynamics, Mild language. We always recommend checking content warnings before reading if you have specific sensitivities.
Is The Hating Game a standalone?
The Hating Game can be read as a standalone novel. You don't need to read any other books before or after to enjoy the full story.
Who would enjoy The Hating Game?
The Hating Game is perfect for: Fans of enemies-to-lovers with witty banter; Readers who love office romance; Those who enjoy slow-burn tension that explodes. The reading vibes are: Funny, Witty, Steamy, Feel-good.
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Ready to Read The Hating Game?
Now that you know the spice level, tropes, and content warnings — grab your copy!