BLOG TOUR: The Hating Game by Sally Thorne

Hi there!

Welcome back to the Friday edition of Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers, where every day is another chance for bookish fun.

Today, we're playing host to a stop from TLC Book Tours as we bring you a New Adult title that is sure to set your pages (among other things *ahem*) on fire.  It's the debut novel from a new voice in the literary arena and can I just say that I have already made room on my wish list for her next release due out next year?  Yes, yes I have.  Before I fangirl too much, allow me to introduce your next book of choice...

The Hating Game

by

Sally Thorne

9780062439598

William Morrow

About the book....

Nemesis (n.) 1) An opponent or rival whom a person cannot best or overcome

2) A person’s undoing

 3) Joshua Templeman

Lucy Hutton and Joshua Templeman hate each other. Not dislike. Not begrudgingly tolerate. Hate. And they have no problem displaying their feelings through a series of ritualistic passive aggressive maneuvers as they sit across from each other, executive assistants to co-CEOs of a publishing company. Lucy can’t understand Joshua’s joyless, uptight, meticulous approach to his job. Joshua is clearly baffled by Lucy’s overly bright clothes, quirkiness, and Pollyanna attitude.

Now up for the same promotion, their battle of wills has come to a head and Lucy refuses to back down when their latest game could cost her her dream job…But the tension between Lucy and Joshua has also reached its boiling point, and Lucy is discovering that maybe she doesn’t hate Joshua. And maybe, he doesn’t hate her either. Or maybe this is just another game.

HarperCollins | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

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From the very start, the lines are drawn and you are forced to make a decision....are you a Gamin or a Bexley?  I knew right away that the Gamin crew was where my heart could feel at home (*high fives Lucy*) but that doesn't mean a little co-mingling should be out of the question.  I mean really, how are two publishing houses suppose to become one without a little give and take, a sharing of resources, and a meeting of the bod...I mean, minds?

Here, you've got Lucy, a likable gal, people pleaser through and through, with a good head on her shoulders and dreams she wants to achieve.  She's in the best place possible to make them happen, until the publishing world takes a nosedive (thanks economy...sounds familiar?) and a merger is required to rise above.  Enter the Bexley crew.  Where the Gamins are all softness, heart, and "books are a treasure", the Bexleys are more number crunching, sales driven, suit wearing line toters.  Nothing wrong with that essentially, but then again....EVERYTHING is wrong with that.  Books ARE magic!  They should be treated as such but if either house wants to survive, they must come together.  Easier said than done...until one day, it's no longer the coming together that's a problem, but how they (she and Josh) will endure possibly never seeing each other again.  A little competition is healthy, but what if it stands to break more than the other's career ambitions?  What if you've got more invested than just a wardrobe in waiting?

There's no way to put this except this graphic.  One of my dear Twitter/blogging friends warned me about the sizzle, but DARN if it still didn't catch me by surprise in the BEST way possible.  The tension between Lucy and Josh could be cut with a knife.  Throwing verbal daggers at each other is the norm as are all their cutesy-time-passing-but-flirty games.  Let's see, we've got The Staring Game, The You're So Game, The HR Game, and my favorite....The Or Something Game.  *giggle*  I mean if I had a Josh at my job, BOY would that time fly by without a glance at the clock!  Their quirks and ticks make them THAT much more adorable, while their breakdowns remain steamy enough to question reading it on your lunch break because really, who wants to explain why you're flushed or fanning yourself to coworkers?

In the end, it was a ride through the publishing world in more ways than one and before I go making any other unintentional innuendos (because trust me, after you've read the book, my review will have a few other chances to make you blush), I'm just going to say, my final thoughts as I turned the last page were...where can I get one and how fast!  I adored both of our leads from their initial introductions to the unexpected (and intense!) elevator stop, the paintball team building event to the hair-holding sleepover, and everything in between.  The characters felt real as did the situations, so you know...fingers crossed.  If this is just the tip of the author's writing talent, we're in for a lot of fun to come...and I for one CAN'T WAIT!

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About the author...

Photo credit Katie Saarikko

Sally Thorne lives in Canberra, Australia and spends her days writing funding submissions and drafting contracts (yawn!) so it’s not surprising that after hours she climbs into colorful fictional worlds of her own creation. Sally believes that romance readers are always searching for intensity in their next favorite book—and it isn’t always so easy to find. The Hating Game is her first novel.

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Special thanks to Trish at TLC Book Tours for the copy for review and chance to bring this tour to you...and congrats on the arrival of your little bundle of joy!  For more information on this title, the author, the publisher, THIS TOUR, or those on the horizon, feel free to click through the links provided above.  This title celebrated its book birthday the 9th of this month via William Morrow, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers, so be on the lookout for it on a bookstore shelf or virtual retailer of your choosing.  It should be easy to spot...just look for the fandom of female readers in office/librarian attire fanning themselves and sporting flirty grins.  ^-^

Until next time, remember...if it sounds good, READ IT!