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12 books to read next
If you loved The Hating Game by Sally Thorne
Readers who love The Hating Game usually fall for the sharp, funny back-and-forth between Lucy and Joshua, a slow-burn tension built from petty office rivalry and quiet glances. They enjoy the contrast between a bright, chatty heroine and a buttoned-up hero, the workplace setting with its real career stakes, and a pace that lets the hostility slowly turn into something warmer. The humour is dry and the romance is steamy but grounded.
Jane Austen
Elizabeth and Darcy trade cutting remarks and mutual dislike before their feelings shift, the same sparring-to-romance arc that drives The Hating Game. Austen's wit makes the pride on both sides as entertaining as Lucy and Joshua's games.
Christina Lauren
A bride and a groom who can't stand each other are forced into a holiday together, a premise built on forced proximity and escalating rivalry. Like The Hating Game, it balances playful bickering with a steadily building attraction.
Casey McQuiston
Two people who start out as public antagonists slowly discover real affection, with banter that is sharp and funny. Fans of Lucy and Joshua's escalating hostility will enjoy the witty, warm rivals-to-lovers journey.
Emily Henry
Two writers with opposite approaches clash over their work and their rivalry turns into something more. Its publishing-world setting and witty, wry narration will appeal to readers who enjoyed the office politics and sparring of The Hating Game.
Jasmine Guillory
A woman's fake engagement to a man she dislikes starts a chain of pretence and genuine attraction. Its light, funny tone and a cast of professional, career-focused characters echo The Hating Game's playful tension.
Helen Fielding
Bridget's self-deprecating, candid diary captures workplace humour and romantic chaos with the same warmth Lucy brings to her job. Readers who loved her quirky voice and the rivalry with a stiff, unimpressed love interest will enjoy it.
Gail Honeyman
Eleanor is a socially awkward, unconventional office worker whose odd habits and dry humour make her memorable. Readers who enjoyed Lucy's cheerful quirkiness and offbeat outlook will connect with her warmth and gradual emotional growth.
Helen Hoang
A reserved, meticulous hero and a heroine who approaches life differently form a romance full of humour and tender moments. Joshua's buttoned-up discipline and the way his guard slowly drops will appeal to fans of The Hating Game.
Rainbow Rowell
Two colleagues bond over work-related emails and a warm, witty friendship grows into something deeper. Its funny, low-key tone and workplace setting make it a natural next step for readers who loved the banter of The Hating Game.
Charlotte Brontë
A plain, spirited heroine and a brooding, difficult man circle each other with sharp words and hidden feelings. Its slow reveal of affection and biting dialogue offer the same tension Lucy and Joshua build, with far more emotional depth.
Kazuo Ishiguro
A formal, restrained narrator struggles to say what he really feels, mirroring Joshua's controlled, guarded manner. Readers who enjoyed the subtext and unspoken tension of The Hating Game will find a quieter, more reflective take on the same longing.
Sally Rooney
Two young people repeatedly misread each other, pulling apart and back together as their feelings stay unspoken. Its sharp, honest attention to what people hide from one another suits readers who loved the push and pull of Lucy and Joshua.
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