The Hating Game Summary: Enemies to Lovers at Work
The Hating Game: A Workplace Romance of Rivalry and Attraction
Lucy Hutton and Joshua Templeman share an executive floor, a forced corporate merger, and a daily routine of silent psychological games.
In The Hating Game by Sally Thorne, these two executive assistants sit ten feet apart at Bexley & Gamin, a publishing house split between artistic Gamin and corporate Bexley cultures.
Their hostility is precise, observant, and constant. When a new Chief Operating Officer role opens, both apply.
The loser must resign.
What begins as a career showdown becomes a story about proximity, perception, and hidden feelings.
Who Will Enjoy This Book?
- Readers who enjoy enemies-to-lovers romance with sharp banter.
- Fans of workplace romantic comedies and forced proximity.
- Those who like grumpy-sunshine dynamics and slow-burn tension.
- Readers looking for a first-person, fast-paced contemporary romance.
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TL;DR: Office War, Hidden Attraction
Lucy and Joshua are rival executive assistants competing for one promotion.
Their daily games, tallies, and insults hide mutual obsession.
The novel follows their shift from hatred to truce, then to love, while family wounds and career stakes test them.
- Core conflict: One COO job, two applicants, and a loser-quits pact.
- Central shift: Hostility becomes protection, care, and desire.
- Key themes: Love and hate, perception, ambition, family expectations.
- Ending: The rivalry dissolves when both choose each other without career compromise.
The Hating Game Summary
Spoilers ahead.
Lucy Hutton works as executive assistant to Helene Pascal at Bexley & Gamin. Joshua Templeman works opposite her as assistant to Richard Bexley. Their desks face each other in an open executive foyer.
The company formed after Gamin Publishing merged with Bexley Books. Gamin staff value literary art and creativity. Bexley staff focus on profit, spreadsheets, and cost-cutting. Lucy and Joshua embody this divide.
They play repeated games: the Mirror Game, the Staring Game, the HR Game, and the Youāre Just So Game. Lucy logs Joshuaās offenses in a password-protected document. Joshua keeps tallies in his planner.
Co-CEOs Helene and Bexley announce a new Chief Operating Officer position.
The COO will oversee operations and the executive assistants. Lucy and Joshua both apply.
They agree that whoever loses the promotion must resign from Bexley & Gamin. The pact raises the stakes of every interaction.
Their professional rivalry becomes a countdown.
One evening, Joshua kisses Lucy in the basement elevator. He claims he was testing a theory. Lucy is shaken, especially because she has a real date that night with Danny Fletcher.
Joshua waits outside the sports bar during Lucyās date. When Lucy sees him, she breaks down over her inability to accept Dannyās compliment. Joshua shows brief remorse.
At a company paintball event, Joshua protects Lucy from paint pellets. Lucy is secretly ill with a severe fever. She collapses at the end of the day.
Joshua drives Lucy home and stays by her bedside. He feeds her ice, gives medication, and calls his brother, Dr. Patrick Templeman. Lucy overhears Patrick pressuring Joshua to attend his wedding.
While recovering, Lucy realizes she no longer hates Joshua. She offers to be his designated driver and moral support at Patrickās wedding. Their office banter becomes openly flirtatious.
Joshua challenges Lucy to kiss Danny on their second date. If the kiss is not as good as their elevator kiss, she must confess it. Dannyās kiss feels wrong, so Lucy drives to Joshuaās apartment.
Lucy admits that no one kisses her like Joshua does. They hold hands on his couch while watching ER. Joshua insists on waiting before taking things further.
Lucy works with Danny on a freelance sample ebook from Gaminās backlist, Bloodsummer. She plans to present it at her COO interview. Meanwhile, she and Joshua drive to Port Worth for Patrickās wedding.
At the hotel, only one room is available. They share a bed. That night, their restraint breaks, and they share an intense, passionate night together.
At the wedding reception, Lucy learns that the bride, Melinda āMindy,ā is Joshuaās ex-girlfriend. Mindy broke up with Joshua before marrying Patrick. Lucy feels used as a rent-a-date and flees to the gardens.
Joshuaās mother, Dr. Elaine Templeman, finds Lucy and reassures her. Elaine says Joshua has talked about āShortcakeā with affection for months. Joshua follows and insists Mindy is ancient history.
Joshua explains he wanted Lucy by his side because he cannot face his critical father alone.
He reveals deep feelings of inadequacy caused by Dr. Anthony Templeman. His father treated Joshua as the unwanted spare while favoring Patrick.
Lucy forgives Joshua and pledges her support: āTeam Josh.ā At the post-wedding family breakfast, Anthony belittles Joshua and calls him a quitter.
Lucy stands up in front of the family and defends Joshua. She details how his financial strategy saved B&G, saved over a hundred jobs, and kept the company afloat. Her outburst silences his father.
Back in the city, Lucy realizes she is in love with Joshua. Over Truth or Dare, Joshua reveals that his planner codes were tallies of her dresses, arguments, smiles, and times he wished he could kiss her.
Joshua also reveals that his pale blue bedroom walls match the exact blue of Lucyās eyes. He confesses he fell in love with her the first moment she smiled at him.
Joshua discloses that he resigned from Bexley & Gamin on Friday. He accepted a role as head of finance at rival Sanderson Print. This allows Lucy to win the COO position without either of them compromising their relationship or careers.
With all rivalries dissolved and their feelings declared, the Hating Game officially ends. The novel closes without a cliffhanger. Lucy and Joshua choose each other, and their professional conflict is resolved.
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Summary by Chapter
Spoilers ahead. This section provides a brief summary of each chapter for readers who want to explore whatās inside. The Hating Game has 28 chapters.
Chapter 1 Lucy introduces her theory that hating someone feels similar to being in love. She describes her desk mate Joshua, their silent games, and her password-protected HR document.
Chapter 2 Lucy snoops near Joshuaās desk and is caught. Andy flirts with Lucy, Joshua criticizes her for letting coworkers take advantage, and their argument becomes intensely vocal.
Chapter 3 Lucy teases Joshua with the āYouāre Just Soā game, and he retaliates by bringing up her motherās blog. At an all-staff meeting, the co-CEOs announce the new COO position.
Chapter 4 Lucy and Joshua work on their COO applications. They agree that the loser must resign, and Lucyās parents suggest Joshua might be in love with her.
Chapter 5 Lucy wears a short black dress to unbalance Joshua. They play Word Tennis, Lucy lies about a date, and Joshua hijacks her team-building proposal with a paintball outing.
Chapter 6 Joshua kisses Lucy in the elevator and claims he was testing a theory. Lucy meets Danny at the sports bar, then breaks down in tears outside with Joshua.
Chapter 7 Lucy receives flowers from Danny and submits her COO application. Joshua apologizes, and they agree to reset their relationship to normal colleagues.
Chapter 8 The staff boards a bus for paintball. Joshua keeps Lucy on his team, teases her about her date, and takes command of the event while Lucy feels unwell.
Chapter 9 Joshua protects Lucy during paintball and takes multiple hits. Lucyās fever worsens, and Joshua drives her home after the awards presentation.
Chapter 10 Joshua nurses Lucy through a severe fever and calls his brother Patrick for help. Lucy overhears Patrick pressure Joshua about the wedding and tells him about her strawberry farm childhood.
Chapter 11 Lucy wakes with her fever broken and pushes Joshua to leave. She realizes she does not hate him, and on Monday she finds a red rose on her keyboard.
Chapter 12 Lucy offers to be Joshuaās wedding plus-one and designated driver. In the supply closet, they start the āOr Something Game,ā and Joshua sets a kissing challenge involving Danny.
Chapter 13 Lucyās date with Danny is dull, and his kiss feels wrong. She drives to Joshuaās apartment and admits no one kisses her like he does.
Chapter 14 Joshua shows Lucy his apartment, and they hold hands while watching ER. He refuses to rush and gives her an old Matchbox car before walking her to her car.
Chapter 15 Joshua takes a day off, and Lucy sends him flowers. She presents her COO proposal to Helene, then calls Joshua and accepts his dinner invitation.
Chapter 16 Lucy leaps into Joshuaās arms in the elevator. He cooks for her, explains why he quit medical school, and describes a fantasy vacation in Tuscany.
Chapter 17 Joshua and Lucy kiss intensely on his couch. At work, Lucy successfully denies Julie a deadline extension, but Joshua agrees with Bexleyās harsh comment and wounds her.
Chapter 18 Lucy uses her anger as interview fuel. Joshua tries to apologize, sees Lucy with Danny at Starbucks, and demands she bring an overnight bag for the wedding trip.
Chapter 19 Joshua and Lucy drive four hours to Port Worth. They talk honestly, stop at a diner, and declare a weekend ceasefire.
Chapter 20 They arrive at the hotel and must share a single room. Joshua confesses his jealousy and obsession, and Lucy admits her erotic dream was about him.
Chapter 21 They begin undressing but are interrupted by Joshuaās motherās call. The next morning, they cuddle, and Joshua mentions his ex-girlfriend Mindy.
Chapter 22 Lucy wears a blue dress matching Joshuaās shirt. She meets his warm mother and cold father, holds Joshuaās hand during the ceremony, and cries during the vows.
Chapter 23 At the reception, Lucy discovers Mindy is Joshuaās ex and is marrying Patrick. Feeling humiliated, Lucy flees into the hotel gardens.
Chapter 24 Elaine reassures Lucy that Joshua talks about her constantly. Lucy confronts Joshua, he explains Mindy is ancient history, and Dannyās call sparks another confrontation.
Chapter 25 Joshua opens up about his childhood trauma and his fatherās favoritism. Lucy forgives him, says she is āTeam Josh,ā and they make love for the first time.
Chapter 26 At the family breakfast, Anthony belittles Joshua. Lucy stands up and delivers a fiery defense of Joshuaās financial strategy and its role in saving B&G.
Chapter 27 Joshua lifts Lucy in gratitude as they leave the hotel. During the drive back, Lucy realizes she is deeply in love with him.
Chapter 28 Joshua reveals his planner tallies, his blue walls matching Lucyās eyes, and his love from first sight. He resigned from B&G for Sanderson Print so Lucy can win COO, ending the Hating Game.
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Characters In This Book
| Character | Role |
|---|---|
| Lucy Hutton | Executive assistant to Helene Pascal and COO candidate at Bexley & Gamin. |
| Joshua Templeman | Executive assistant to Richard Bexley and COO candidate at Bexley & Gamin. |
| Helene Pascal | Co-CEO of Bexley & Gamin representing Gamin Publishing and Lucyās boss. |
| Richard Bexley | Co-CEO of Bexley & Gamin representing Bexley Books and Joshuaās boss. |
| Danny Fletcher | Graphic cover designer on the Bexley side who dates Lucy and freelances for her. |
| Dr. Patrick Templeman | Joshuaās older brother and a doctor. |
| Dr. Elaine Templeman | Joshuaās mother and a heart surgeon. |
| Dr. Anthony Templeman | Joshuaās father and a doctor. |
| Melinda āMindyā Thailis | Joshuaās ex-girlfriend who marries Patrick. |
| Jeanette | Human Resources manager at Bexley & Gamin. |
| Julie Atkins | Copyrights and permissions employee at Bexley & Gamin. |
| Andy | Courier who delivers parcels to Bexley & Gamin. |
Books Like The Hating Game
The Unhoneymooners by Christina Lauren ā A romantic comedy with rivals forced into close proximity on a tropical vacation. It shares sharp dialogue, misunderstandings, and enemies-to-lovers tension.
Book Lovers by Emily Henry ā Two rival literary editors navigate professional ambition, family loyalty, and an unexpected connection. The publishing setting and workplace rivalry overlap with The Hating Game.
The Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood ā An academic enemies-to-lovers romance with fake dating and forced proximity. It features a grumpy-sunshine dynamic and a slow-burn connection.
Spanish Love Deception by Elena Armas ā A slow-burn workplace enemies-to-lovers romance where rivals pretend to date at a family wedding. It shares the wedding plus-one setup and emotional vulnerability.
The Hating Game: Book Details at a Glance
- Genre & Subgenre: Contemporary Romance / Workplace Romantic Comedy.
- Core Narrative Tropes: Enemies-to-Lovers, Workplace Romance, Grump vs. Sunshine, Forced Proximity, Fake Date / Wedding Plus-One, Secret Longing.
- Tone & Atmosphere: Snarky, witty, fast-paced, sensual, banter-driven, and intimate.
- Primary Conflict: Lucy and Joshua compete for one COO promotion while denying their escalating attraction.
- Pacing Style: Linear, chronological, first-person narration paced by office encounters and emotional revelations.
- ISBN: 978-0062439598 (ISBN-10: 0062439596).
- Pages: 384.
- Book Structure: 28 chapters, first-person perspective.
Quotes from The Hating Game
āI have a theory. Hating someone feels disturbingly similar to being in love with them.ā
āShortcake, if we were flirting, youād know about it… Because youād be thinking about it later on, lying in bed.ā
āI needed to test a theory Iāve had for a while. And you really, really kissed me back.ā
āThe Or Something Game doesnāt resume until you tell me that no one kisses you like I do.ā
āI couldnāt. If Iād let myself smile back, and be friends with you, I probably would have fallen in love with you.ā
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Sally Thorne: Witty, Sharp, and Romantic
Sally Thorne is an Australian author who writes contemporary romance and romantic comedy.
The Hating Game is her debut novel and became a bestseller and a film adaptation.
Her other works include 99 Percent Mine and Second First Impressions.
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