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A review by lisa_m
The Hating Game by Sally Thorne
adventurous
emotional
funny
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
3.5
The Hating Game is probably one of the best known romance book and for most people possibly even the first book they think of when they hear "office romance" or "rivals to lovers". Still this book was nothing special in my opinion.
I absolutely enjoyed the story but it is by no means one of the best romance books ever like some people seem to think.
The plot and reasons for their mutual dislike was intriguing enough. What I liked most about this book were the 'office games'. The chemistry between the characters was also written really well.
Still the story felt a bit flat as did the characters. I didn't feel like I actually understood them outside of their mutual obsession with each other.
Also the female MC is so oblivious which is a trope I really dislike and also the main character is basically a handsome, talented, successful white guy who gets a bad backstory in order to explain away his shitty behaviour and she is portrayed as "the right/only woman who can handle him". She is very much the quirky nice girl next door and he is the misunderstood badboy (while not being bad at all, just a bit grumpy and rude).
I also thought it was kinda ridiculous that his main issue is 'being too hot' and that people only wanted to date him for his body, not his personality.. is someone going to tell him that he can actually work on that? I hate the narrative of guys who think there is absolutely nothing wrong with them and that the women are the ones "who just can't handle it"..
Edit: I changed the rating from 4 to 3.5 stars after a month of debating it. I think I felt bad about giving this book a 'bad' rating because it's so popular.
I absolutely enjoyed the story but it is by no means one of the best romance books ever like some people seem to think.
The plot and reasons for their mutual dislike was intriguing enough. What I liked most about this book were the 'office games'. The chemistry between the characters was also written really well.
Still the story felt a bit flat as did the characters. I didn't feel like I actually understood them outside of their mutual obsession with each other.
Also the female MC is so oblivious which is a trope I really dislike and also the main character is basically a handsome, talented, successful white guy who gets a bad backstory in order to explain away his shitty behaviour and she is portrayed as "the right/only woman who can handle him". She is very much the quirky nice girl next door and he is the misunderstood badboy (while not being bad at all, just a bit grumpy and rude).
I also thought it was kinda ridiculous that his main issue is 'being too hot' and that people only wanted to date him for his body, not his personality.. is someone going to tell him that he can actually work on that? I hate the narrative of guys who think there is absolutely nothing wrong with them and that the women are the ones "who just can't handle it"..
Edit: I changed the rating from 4 to 3.5 stars after a month of debating it. I think I felt bad about giving this book a 'bad' rating because it's so popular.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Medical content, Misogyny, and Emotional abuse