‘The Hating Game’: Sally Thorne
Source: William Morrow Paperbacks
Two rival colleagues who are opposites in all ways compete for the same promotion. All the classic ingredients for an enemies-to-lovers romance are set up in this premise, and Australian author Sally Thorne certainly delivers in her debut contemporary romance novel, The Hating Game (2016).
Since its release, The Hating Game has gained a cult following, and has since been adapted into a 2021 film starring Lucy Hale. A possible reason for the novel’s popularity (aside from its excellent execution of the enemies-to-lovers trope) is Thorne’s decision to leave the geographical area of the story’s setting ambiguous. We get a sense from the office setting that the location is a CBD of some kind with high-rise buildings, but the deliberately vague location likely appeals to an international market beyond Australia.
There is much to love about this endearing read. Namely, our protagonist, Lucy Hutton, shines as the bubbly lead with enough specificity and depth to her character to extend her dimensionality beyond the ‘quirky girl’ trope she is required to fulfil for this story. While her sunny disposition is a joy to read, it’s the moments where her persona shifts from this – the homesick tears she sheds that she herself can’t quite explain, or the times where she chooses to stand up for herself – that her characterisation is truly elevated. Her desires and fears feel genuine, and one can’t help but cheer her on for all her likeableness.
Vital to any romance is the chemistry between the protagonist and love interest. Certainly, the dynamic between Lucy and Joshua works exceptionally well, and it effectively drives the pace of the novel. Where Lucy is outgoing and sweet, Joshua is reserved and meticulous. The fact that they are so opposite makes their initial hostility feel believable.
That said, some areas of The Hating Game could be improved. Told from a first-person singular point of view, it’s at times difficult to understand Joshua’s interiority. Perhaps this is intentional but, when compared to Lucy, his characterisation can feel underdeveloped. In the effort to make his character complement Lucy’s, he can read as being excessively enigmatic.
The plot twist surrounding Joshua’s ex is also fairly predictable. This is likely a result of how it is set up and foreshadowed. But this is by no means a deal-breaker, as the plot twist isn’t the driving force of this novel, unlike other genres where everything hinges on how the plot twists unfold.
Few Australian contemporary romance authors have caused such a stir internationally upon debut the way Thorne has. This is a testament to not only how enjoyable a read The Hating Game is, but how knowledgeable Thorne is of the romance genre.
