Genre: Contemporary Romance
Publication: Hachette India
No. of Pages: 385
Book Type: Standalone
My Rating: 5/5
Trigger Warning: Mature Content
Lucy Hutton, baker of cakes, charming assistant and professional ‘nice girl’, is waging war. She’s got the whole office on her side-except for tall, dark and charmless Joshua Templeman. He’s been nothing but hostile since the moment they met and now it feels like nothing matters as much as taking him down.
Trapped together under the fluorescent lights, they becomes entrenched in an addictive rivalry, There’s the Staring Game, The Mirror Game, The HR Game. Lucy can’t let Joshua beat her at anything, especially when a huge promotion comes up for grabs.
Finally she’s going to destroy the man she can’t seem to get out of her office, the man she hates, the man who’s taking up far too much space in her head. If Lucy wins, she’ll be Joshua’s Boss. If she loses, she’ll resign. The race is on – but the real game have just begun…
Joshua Templeman: The executive assistant to Bexley Publishing House
Lucinda Hutton: The executive assistant to Gamin Publishing House.
On the Plot:
This is one heart-warming rom-com I have read in a while. I was captivated by the story from the very beginning. It revolves around two polar opposite individual who have declared themselves as each other’s nemesis. Lucinda met Joshua when Gamin Publishing and Bexley Books merged to avoid going out of business and they have been hating each other from the moment they met. Surprisingly, Lucy and Josh know everything tiny thing about each other. They have always made sure that the other is on their toes all the time. They keep playing little games with each other like – “The Staring Game”, “The Mirror Game” and “The HR game” and also The Hating Game! Well, to everyone’s surprise – who knew that Cupid had a little station in the Elevator of Gamin and Bexley Publishing House!
It was one hell of a ride to know their story and I enjoyed every bits and pieces of the book. I am absolutely in love with Joshua Templeman, just like everyone else who have read this beautiful book.
Writing & Theme
I really enjoyed the way Sally Thorne wrote the premise and the characters. It was really effortless reading the book. I absolutely loved the pace of the book – one witty piece of work. It was not dragged or there were not any unnecessary characters introduced. For me the book was one great page turner, because I really love a good romantic-comedy. It had all my favorite trope – enemies to lover, forced proximity, opposites attract and hopeless romantic. Both the characters were well matched to each other in terms of sarcasm, they did not go to the extent of bullying each other – it was a cute leg-pulling. There was not a page in the book where I felt like skipping. It was an absolute treat to my imagination!
I have a theory. Hating someone feels disturbingly similar to being in love with them. I’ve had a lot of time to compare love and hate, and these are my observations.
Love and hate are visceral. Your stomach twists at the thought of that person. The heart in your chest beats heavy and bright, nearly visible through your flesh and clothes. Your appetite and sleep are schredded. Every interaction spikes your blood with adrenaline, and you’re in the brink of fight or flight. Your body is barely under your control. You’re consumed, and it scares you.
Both love and hate are mirror versions of the same game – and you háve to win. Why? Your heart and your ego. Trust me, I should know.
– Sally Thorne.
Characters
Lucinda Hutton and Joshua Templaman – these characters could not have been written any better. I absolutely loved how they were the polar opposite of each other in every sense of manner. The author did go an extra mile to make sure that the two characters had every possible dissimilarity. Lucy was so beautifully written and Joshua was such a rugged personality. The way Joshua Templeman was so tastefully descirbed, ughh – I mean who would not fall in love with him!
Well, you guys can clearly see I am in love with this book and it’s characters as well.
Romance
There was no adult, spicy description included in the book. However, I loved the cute romance and romantic gestures involved. It was a classic in all the way. There was a cute possessiveness element introduced in the later part of the story. I definitely fell head over heals in love with the content of the book. The chemistry between the central characters just did it for me. I thoroughly enjoyed reading the banter going off between Joshua and Lucinda – it was hilarious, cute and fun!
Overall
It is the kind of book that you complete in a single sitting. It is warm, cozy and all things nice.
Read if you: are looking for a light read, or you are a newbie reader, or you are a fan of enemies to lovers trope.
- Books were, and always would be, something a little magic and something to respect.
- The trick is to find that one person who can give it back as good as they can take it.
- I hope it’s not too forward of me to say, but your eyes are incredible, Lucy. I die when you blink.
- When you get so little of someone, you take what you can get.
Pages And Quotes 