Reviews with content warning for Vomit - The Hating Game

I actually ended up watching the movie before I read the book, but I still really enjoyed it! In my opinion the first half of the movie is better, but the last half of the book is better. I think in the book the connection and feelings between Josh and Lucy were much stronger because we actually get to see inside Lucy's head in the book.

I was surprised at how soon I could tell that Josh was in love with Lucy. And I really think that the book makes them into two puzzle pieces that fit together. Josh balances out Lucy's more annoying "nice girl" tendencies, and he pushes her to be brave with her feelings when she works herself up into a freak out. Lucy brings out the nicer tendencies in Josh as well, and she sees him clearly in a way that not a lot of people do. They are each exactly what the other person needs.

I probably would have rated it five stars if it wasn't a little messy and meandering in the first 40 or 50%.

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cait_margaret's review against another edition

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lighthearted medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.5

This was fine? Which feels so underwhelming to type after the hype it has received for years, but I just never really connected to the story or the characters. Josh and Lucy had a hell of a lot of chemistry but their motivations were so hard to keep up with. Maybe it’s because we’re getting the story from Lucy’s perspective and she seems so over dramatic, but it felt like we were constantly slamming between extremes and I just never felt like I had a handle on where they stood. Also, there was some weird stuff about characters’ physicalities that I didn’t like reading (i.e. the way one boss’s description correlates being fat and bald to the fact he’s a creep and an asshole? not here for that, nor the constant underlining of how huge Josh is and how tiny Lucy is). I also hated how much Josh’s behavior at the beginning just comes across as disgusting harassment. Still, the chemistry was real and the actual romance scenes were fun, and in general I really liked the last quarter of the book.

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mollywill's review against another edition

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funny lighthearted medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

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suziereads's review against another edition

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emotional funny lighthearted fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

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gracefully_jk's review against another edition

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emotional funny lighthearted fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5

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shuelace's review against another edition

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lighthearted medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.25

This book. This book. I hate to love it, so, so much because it's definitely NOT perfect. It's a whole lot of bad things and YET, I got butterflies at times? What does this say about me? I DNF'd about 25% into the book after the bratty behaviour and childish games they played with one another. The plot was slow but then took an aggressively fast turn. I don't know why this is considered a slow burn (lol), perhaps because one of the character's kept their feelings a secret for so long? But I forced myself myself to continue and finished it in a day.

The character's engage in weird, obsessive (and stalker-y, and intrusive) behaviour towards/with each other, it's a little too territorial, involves way too much objectification to the point of discomfort from the receiving character (like literally is Josh anything more tho), it's too immature at times, a little too much "oh no I completely misunderstood and now I HATE YOU and as a reader you're frustrated as hell but not is a good way", and a little tamer on the spice train than it's hyped to have had (ha).

Some of the plot points were were formulaic, it frustrated me. In spite of communicating his feelings, Josh shows Lucy he loves her by picking on her like an 8 year-old boy. Which goes to show that finally when this mature girl decides decides show his feelings, the couple's "initiating" is unrealistic. But even if he was being a brat, Lucy not even CONSIDERING that Josh had feelings for her? Wat? There are so many obvious signs.

Did I absolutely love the banter? Yes. The quick retorts were 🤌, though it was difficult to track the dialogue towards the end of the book and who was saying what. I enjoyed the character's commitment to one another even if it frustrated me to no end how immature and noncommunicative they both were at times. Aka being spiteful, rude, and insulting to one another and at times, crossing the line beyond civility.

But did I enjoy Josh's (obvious) secret pining? Yes 🥺. I enjoyed his sweet and tender behaviour towards her once they were together.

I give him a lot more credit for character development as he clearly had more complexity and character growth than Lucy had at all. Her plot focuses basically on her needing saving? Am I simplifying it? Maybe. Josh then confesses he's been objectiified and used in the past for just his body and Lucy immediately...does the same thing? She does a half assed job on showing him and telling him otherwise.

Also, why does he keep saying "your freakouts" to Lucy? You mean her rationality trying to understand what's happening in your relationship and your sudden change of behaviour? Is she just supposed to forgive you based on some very unclear motives and barely communicated intentions? Are you saying she's not allowed to have anxious feelings or caution around her heart? And she's just trying to process everything? Does Josh think she suddenly TRUSTS him and can confide deep, dark things to him even though he's clearly broken her trust many times? WHAT.

Finally, one last frustration. WHY is the trope of big strong man and smol little woman so, so prevalent in current population romance fiction? Like, I get it on a surface level that this could be a steamy idea to some but the fact that it's mentioned ENDLESSLY. we GET it. Lucy is SO SMALL. Josh is RIPPED AND HAS ENDLESS PENT UP SEXUAL ENERGY TO WORKOUT. omg. There's probably so much more to say but THESE ARE MY CURRENT FRUSTRATIONS.

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cari_michele's review against another edition

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emotional lighthearted medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

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sarahmcg's review against another edition

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emotional funny lighthearted fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.75

A quick read, perfect for those who love enemies-to-lovers, workplace romance, grumpy/sunshine tropes. This was honestly a fun read, even though I guessed “the big twist” pretty far ahead. It was fun watching the FMC, Lucy, slowly peel back the layers of her co-worker and enemy, Josh, to find out that he could actually be very sweet, caring, and thoughtful under that gruff, aloof exterior.

It’s obviously a rom-com, if you don’t take it too seriously and can suspend some disbelief, it’s a really enjoyable read.

Honestly - there’s two reasons I took a whole star off! And I can’t do this review without noting these critiques.
1) For some ungodly reason, when the author was describing the red lipstick the FMC wears, one adjective was “slit-wrists red.” Why? Just… why?
2) Also, there were some body-shamey moments where the author described the HR lady as a “dumpy frazzled ghost.” And there were a lot of the description of the two MCs focuses on how teeny, tiny and pint-sized she is and how big and muscle-y and giant he is. That’s fine it’s just… I definitely prefer reading romance with more body diversity/inclusivity (*ahem* enter the Brown sisters series by Talia Hibbert).

Anyway, I enjoyed it, even though I needed to make those complaints!

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