THE HATING GAME

by Sally Thorne

contemporary // romance //

 

 

How is this a debut novel? HOW
I was wandering around Strand the other day in search of more Sally Thorne (before I even finished reading this, mind you), only to realize this is her one and only book. How does one write such an arresting, irresistible, razor-sharp novel right out of the gate? It never even occurred to me, and now I'm depressed because I see a 2018 pub date on her next book.

I'm stingy with five stars. To squeeze five stars out of me, you have to wow me. I have to walk away feeling moved, left with a lot to think about, or left stupidly, irrepressibly happy. And rom-coms just don't do it for me. Usually. Every once in a while I stumble on a gem, and this is one of them. I could not wipe the smile off my face from the moment I opened this book-- on the crowded subway, sneak-reading at my desk at work, wherever. I couldn't shake the smiling, and that is worth more stars than I can give.


You've Got Mail is one of my favorite movies, and this book is so beautifully reminiscent of it. My favorite part of the movie is when he goes to her apartment to take care of her when she's sick. That kind of thing just warms my little heart, so when it happened here to an even greater degree I was basically a puddle on the floor.

I always add notes while I read, and most of these notes are nothing but swooning every time Josh... exists. Mr. Anti-Nice Guy. I was completely unable to dislike him even for a moment.

"I always thought you'd live underground somewhere, near the earth's core."
"Uncle Satan didn't have any apartments available in my price range."

I was hooked from the first few pages simply because I work in publishing and we've had our share of similar ups and downs re: merging and selling imprints, etc. I actually loled when she started talking about "restructuring". I also related a lot to Josh as a ridiculously quiet person, and felt a personal gut-punch when discussing his shitty father. I was not prepared for all these emotions.

Sally Thorne has become an insta-buy author having read this one lonely book (technically before I even finished this one lonely book). If you're a fan of feeling joy, this is the book for you.