Behind the Scenes of The Hating Game

Hey, Shortcakes! 

Let’s play a game. We’ll call it the Sleuthing Game, and it goes like this: We follow every single social media account related to The Hating Game movie and we divine every last behind the scenes tidbit we can from them and then meet back here to fangirl, piece together the screenplay, and create a tiny B&G Publishing diorama to live in. Sound good? Let the game begin. 

 

 

 

 

 

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A post shared by Sally Thorne (@sallythorneauthor)

The Hating Game is the BEST

In case you missed it in 2016, The Hating Game by Sally Thorne was absolutely the best book of that year. It still reigns supreme as my favorite go-to romcom contemporary romance novel. It.Is.Flawless. 

What really makes a book hit the top of a “best of” list for me is the impression it made. When I think back on my reading activity in 2016, there are a couple of stand outs. The last book in a favorite trilogy. The really long epic thriller from an author that’s well-known but I had never read. That one really great graphic novel. I read almost 100 books that year, and those were the only ones that stand out as great reading experiences. Those, and of course The Hating Game.

Which is odd because, over the years I can guarantee you that the majority of my favorite reading experiences have not included easy-read contemporary romances. Epic adventure novels, yes. Long historical romances? Sure. Fantasy tomes? Absolutely. Surprising young adult trilogies? Of course. Shocking erotica? You bet. But rarely the stand alone contemporary romance. It just doesn’t normally matter so much. At the very least, they aren’t usually indelible. This one is.

It was an experience. It was the only book that had me up until 5am, and I read some doozies that year. It was the only book I read that forced me to re-read it immediately. It will forever define for me how good romance should make me feel.

And that was really, really well read.

And Now for the MOVIE …

Which essentially means that I am MORE THAN a little obsessed with the movie, starring Lucy Hale, that is currently filming. Sweet Lucy Hale is playing even sweeter Lucy Hutton and nothing could be more perfect. Except, of course, if she decided to give us quick and fun behind the scenes looks at what’s going on on set of The Hating Game movie. 

 

 

 

 

 

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A post shared by Lucy Hale (@lucyhale)

The roses! The lipstick! The haircut! It’s all coming together. 

If you’ve been following for any length of time, you know that Robbie Amell was originally slated to play Joshua Templeman. Due to scheduling conflicts (THANKS AGAIN, COVID), he wasn’t able to make it. According to my sources (they are stalking Sally Thorne around the internet), they really wanted to hire someone that Lucy had worked with before and already knew and liked. So, enter her former costar from Fantasy Island, Austin Stowell! 

 

 

 

 

 

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A post shared by Austin Stowell (@amstowell)

Come on, Sleuths!

There’s more to find! But you have to be on the top of your game. Little things like Lucy’s yellow “Reading is Sexy” mug. So colorful! Or the actor who’s slated to play The Actual Dr Templeman, Nicholas Baroudi. He looks so much like Austin! I cannot wait for the house call scene. “You’re HIS BROTHER! I thought he was an experiment gone wrong.” Yes, I wrote that from memory. 

We’re sad for Sally that due to COVID, she can’t be on set, but just the other day she got to do a virtual tour and had a wonderful time. There is a story highlight on her Instagram. I cried for her. So great. 

So, get excited. Somewhere out there today, Austin Stowell is scowling and Lucy Hale is double-applying her signature red lipstick, and Peter Hutchings is yelling, “Action!” 

The Hating Game is underway!