Even years after its initial publication, we still see people regularly asking for romance books similar to The Hating Game by debut author Sally Thorne, and we can see why. It’s a staple in the enemies-to-lovers sub-genre while also adding in the element of office romance.
In fact, the workplace relationship between the main characters, executive assistants Joshua Templeman and Lucy Hutton, in this sexy romantic comedy has been such a hit that you can now stream The Hating Game movie.
Biochemical engineer Liya is successful at work, but that isn’t enough for her parents, who are determined to find her a husband. When she realizes her parents’ dinner party is actually a set-up with a lawyer named Jay, she escapes out the back door.
A week later, Jay appears in her office and Liya discovers that he’s the new lawyer hired to save the company. Liya and Jay are equally annoyed to run into each other again after the embarrassing mess of a dinner. As initial annoyances turn into witty banter and then late-night chats, Liya wonders if her parents were right about this match after all.
When we saw Shipped recommended for fans of The Hating Game and Unhoneymooners, we were instantly intrigued. Who doesn’t need a steamy romance in their beach read pile?
Henley and Graeme are up for the same promotion at a cruise line. While they’ve never met, they’ve exchanged more than a fair share of snarky emails.
To determine who will receive the dream job, their boss requests that they each prepare their best proposal on how to increase bookings for the Galapagos Island cruise. To give them each an equal chance, their boss sends them on the cruise to experience it for themselves. Obviously, because this is a rom-com, they’re forced to travel together.
Soon, Henley realizes Graeme MIGHT not be as terrible as she thought. This classic troupe is always entertaining when done well, and Angie Hockman pulled it off. You’ll be left with a reinforced belief in the power of second chances.
The Book Girls Say…
The vivid descriptions of the Galapagos will have you adding this destination to your travel bucket list! We’d give Shipped a PG rating, making it perfect for those looking for a rom-com without the steam.
While roommates aren’t a concept unique to the 2010s, this decade was the rise of the sharing economy from ride-sharing to desk-sharing in coworking spots. The Flatshare takes this prevalence into a British apartment.
When night-shift worker Leon needs extra cash to help a family member, he decides to get a roommate. The problem is that he has a one-bedroom flat with just one bed. So he places an ad for someone to sleep in his bed while he’s at work. Of course, they’ll never be home simultaneously, but it’s still a crazy plan. But it’s just the affordable solution that Sophie needs after a breakup.
The Book Girls Say…
The Flatshare will make you laugh out loud as Leon and Sophie exchange notes and learn to co-habitat on opposite schedules. Under the humor, however, more serious storylines encompass other topics equally relevant to the last decade.
Data analytics intern Maya has always been awkward. She blames being busy for her lack of a love life, but really she’s not confident enough in herself to pursue a boyfriend. But that doesn’t stop her from lusting after co-worker Presley, who is appropriately Elvis-ish and dreamy.
While Maya works to be one of only two interns offered a job at the end of her four-month stint, Presley is competing with Nash in the race to acquire the most new business for the firm. Presley makes everything a game, so he bets Nash that he’ll finally top Nash’s sales numbers this year.
And if Nash loses, he has to do anything Presley wants…and Presley wants him to grant intern Maya three wishes.
The Book Girls Say…
This new book has very few reviews, but they are all excellent. It’s available with Kindle Unlimited, so Melissa read the first few chapters to check it out and found herself chuckling out loud. Maya’s awkwardness is relatable, and Melissa can’t wait to finish the book. Readers say Maya and Nash get themselves into all kinds of funny situations around NYC.
When two high-powered agents at competing firms in Hollywood find out their firms are merging, they’re left vying for the same job. The competition squashes the previously budding romance between them as sparks turn to sabotage.
With 10 years of experience, radio host Shay is beyond frustrated with her new co-worker, Dominic, who thinks he learned it all in the master’s program he just finished.
The station is struggling, so Shay pitches a new show – The Ex Talk – featuring exes giving relationship advice. The pitch goes a little TOO well, and Shay gets a big yes, with the caveat that she co-host the show with Dominic since they clearly dislike each other and already act like exes. It’s almost the opposite of a workplace romance!
As the show grows thanks to their funny on-air banter, their relationship off the air gets more complicated and STEAMY. This one contains some R-rated bedroom scenes.
Book Lovers is about a literary agent named Nora. When Nora’s younger sister, Libby, begs her to take a month-long summer trip to a small town in North Carolina, she envisions all the possible romance novel tropes that could happen in her own life. Why couldn’t she run into a handsome country doctor and find her happily ever after?
Instead, Nora runs into Charlie, a brooding editor she has encountered several times back in the city. While neither of them is the ideal heroine or hero, they kept being thrown together in unlikely situations and must confront the stories they’d told themselves about who they were.
The Book Girls Say…
Despite having threads of romance, all of Emily Henry’s books have characters with real-life baggage and flaws. Book Lovers gives us a strong sister relationship and insight into Nora’s work, making her a well-rounded lead.
If you’re a fan of the undeniable chemistry between Lucy and Josh in The Hating Game, you’ll undoubtedly adore Christina Lauren’s Josh and Hazel’s Guide to Not Dating. This rom-com masterpiece follows the unconventional love story of the quirky Hazel and the steadfast Josh, who have been friends since college but never thought of each other as anything more. That is, until they embark on a series of hilarious and disastrous double-blind dates.
Throughout the book, we see their undeniable chemistry, palpable sexual tension, and the eventual realization that they may have been looking for love in all the wrong places. With its witty banter, delightful characters, and swoon-worthy romance, Josh and Hazel’s Guide to Not Dating is a must-read for anyone who loves a good rom-com.
Before her mother’s death, Chelsea was living life to the fullest. She was taking a year in Europe, with stops in Ireland, Italy, and France, and in each country, she managed to fall in love with a different man.
But when her mom got sick, her trip got cut short. And after losing her mom, Chelsea became a grumpy workaholic, but with a purpose. She spent all her energy raising money for people in need. However, after seven years, she was exhausted and desperately needed some joy in her life again. She decides to go back to the last time she was happy – her European adventure. As you journey with her and her unexpected co-worker travel companion, you’ll read about the sites and food of three unique European cities, including Paris!
The Book Girls Say…
While this book is a lighter romance overall, it also deals with heavier topics, including mental health.
This workplace enemies-to-lovers rom-com is about a woman hired to produce a series about Utah’s national parks for an outdoor travel channel. Alia has finally worked her way into her dream job. Unfortunately, Drew, who ghosted her two weeks ago after a date, is now part of her crew. Awkward!
When the host of her new show goes rogue, Alia knows she needs Drew’s help to salvage her dream and save her reputation.
The Book Girls Say…
The ratings are lower than we hoped for this book, largely because it also uses the third-act miscommunication trope. But Angela read it and rated it 4 stars as a light rom-com read set in the beautiful national parks of Utah.
Catalina’s sister is getting married across the ocean in their family’s Spanish hometown in four weeks…and Catalina needs an American boyfriend to join her. She accidentally lied to her family about her relationship status and would rather fake a relationship than disappoint her Abuela.
When noisy and always annoying co-working Aaron Blackford offers his services as her fake date, she’s not eager to agree. Sadly, she also doesn’t see any other options…should she agree to this crazy plan?
The Book Girls Say…
This rom com is beloved by the Tik Tok crowd and even won a Goodreads award, so we’re including it on the list. But be warned, it was one of Melissa’s least favorite romances of all time. There isn’t much chemistry for most of the book and then it escalates from 0 to 100 in the steam department, but not in a way Melissa found very sexy.
In The Hating Game, we’re introduced to Lucy and Josh, two colleagues who can’t stand each other. They work together at a publishing company, but their rivalry goes far beyond a typical work dynamic. They constantly compete for promotions and recognition, and their animosity is palpable. But when a promotion they both want becomes available, the game changes.
As they spend more time with each other, their feelings begin to shift. The hate they once felt transforms into something else entirely, and they’re left wondering if their animosity was really just a cover for something deeper.
The Hating Game Book Review
The plot of this rom com is full of delightful twists and turns, keeping readers on their toes until the very end. We loved the sizzling chemistry and the sassy banter. It’s the perfect blend of humor, romance, and character development, making it a must-read for fans of the hate-to-love trope.
The Hating Game Audiobook
Audible listeners rate this book 4.6 stars for the narration by Katie Schorr. Book Girl Angela, who listens to audiobooks for the majority of her reading, enjoyed the audiobook of The Hating Game, but would have liked it better with dual narration for the two different points of view. Nonetheless, Schorr did a good job with both the female and male voices.
Is The Hating Game Movie As Good As the Book?
The Hating Game movie has a 4.4 out of 5 rating on Amazon, while the book comes out slightly ahead with a 4.5 rating. The movie does a great job of building up the tension between the characters until things erupt, just like the novel. However, we believe that overall, the book was better!
The Book Girls are best friends who jointly read over 200 books per year. We started Book Girls' Guide in 2019 to help others de-stress and find joy through the power of a great book. We do in-depth research on thousands of novels and non-fiction titles each year to provide curated book lists covering a variety of genres.
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