Dating You / Hating You by Christina Lauren
Publisher: Gallery Books
Publication Date: June 6, 2017
Genres: Contemporary Romance, Women’s Fiction
Pages: 350
Format: Paperback
Source: Library
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Synopsis:
All’s fair in love and work. The first standalone romance by New York Times and #1 international bestselling author Christina Lauren (Beautiful Bastard) is a sexy, compulsively readable romantic comedy that dives headlong into the thrill and doubt of modern love.
Despite the odds against them from an embarrassing meet-awkward at a mutual friend’s Halloween party, Carter and Evie immediately hit it off. Even the realization that they’re both high-powered agents at competing firms in Hollywood isn’t enough to squash the fire.
But when their two agencies merge—causing the pair to vie for the same position—all bets are off. What could have been a beautiful, blossoming romance turns into an all-out war of sabotage. Carter and Evie are both thirtysomething professionals—so why can’t they act like it?
Can Carter stop trying to please everyone and see how their mutual boss is really playing the game? Can Evie put aside her competitive nature long enough to figure out what she really wants in life? Can their actor clients just be something close to human? Whether these two Hollywood love/hatebirds get the storybook Hollywood ending or just a dramedy of epic proportions, you will get to enjoy Christina Lauren’s heartfelt, raucous, and hilarious romance style at its finest.
My Review
I was a little nervous to read this. When I first came across the book, and read the blurb, I thought it sounded too similar to The Hating Game by Sally Thorne, which I had recently read and loved. I had read another workplace enemies to lovers romance, and found it way to similar to The Hating Game for me to like the book. So, that influenced my fear that I was going to do myself and Dating You/Hating You a disservice by comparing it toThe Hating Game.
Happy new though! With the exception of the ‘vying for the same position aspect,’ I found the books to be more different than they are similar; and I really enjoyed the book! It was my first Christina Lauren book and I was not disappointed.
I liked that Evie and Carter had gotten to know each other a little, and definitely had caught feelings for each other, before the aspect of the job competition came up. I thought it added an interesting dilemma. You like someone, they like you; but now all of a sudden you’re competing against each other for a job you both very much love and want.
I appreciated the fact that Christina Lauren addressed workplace gender discrimination, but I will say at times it felt a little force fed. We get it. It still sucks sometimes to be a woman in man’s world. Let’s continue.
The attraction and tension between Evie and Carter was palpable. The inclusion of the pranks they played against each other was great, and I would have loved for there to be a bit more.
Now, while I am not a fan of unrealistic drama, I do need the couple to struggle and work through some issues and come out better on the other side. That said, I did appreciate that once they got together, there wasn’t any added drama between them. I think it was a fairly accurate portrayal of an adult relationship.
I loved Evie. She was driven, funny, smart, and hardworking. And of course I loved Carter. I mean come on! He wasn’t perfect (who is) but he was damn near close. Intelligent, witty, sweet, thoughtful, ambitious. Carters of the world, if you’re out there feel free to hit me up. Just kidding… but really.
A very successful read in my opinion. Perfect for vacation, a night in, or the beach. It’s truly a book for any time and any place.
P.S. Since I live in LA, and this book was set in LA, I plan on doing literary pilgrimages to the places mentioned in the book. So make sure to follow my blog, as well as my Instagram to see when I check these places out!
Trust by Kylie Scott
