Absolutely adorable. Talia Hibbert absolutely knows how to write heart warming romance with just the right amount of tension. Obviously being her YA debut this story isn't as spicy as some of her other books but it's SO WHOLESOME. Add in a realistic depiction of both anxiety and OCD where everyone gets a happy ending? It's like reading a hug, A hug with witty banter. Amazing

All of the fun and humor you expect from Talia Hibbert! Such a warm, emotional story. It felt very wholesome. I am not a teenager, but it felt very respectful to the older teen experience. The story really demonstrated how important their friends are, and how well they know their parents. The story hooked me, I wanted to keep reading and I was sad when it was over.

I did receive a free advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

Talia Hibbert foray into the YA world was a rounding success. Highly Suspicious and Unfairly Cute was sweet and filled with her signature chemistry and banter between her two main characters.

Bradley and Celine went from best friends to rivals at some point in their teenage years. Brad became part of the popular crowd and Celine was not. But as their rivalry has them competing for a scholarship, they are forced to spend more time together, and confront all of the misunderstandings that led them to stop talking in the first place.
Brad and Celine’s rivalry resulted in some of the best witty bather. I loved the scenes that took place during the survival course and thought that was a unique spin on the academic rivals trope. While there was a lot about this book that I enjoyed, the romance itself fell a little flat for me. I’m not sure why because I enjoyed the characters individually, and the banter was incredible. That being said, I’m sure this is a book many people will adore!
Thanks to Get Underlined and NetGalley for the advance copy.

Read if you like: enemies to lovers.
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First, I want to say that this was ultimately cute and I appreciated the OCD representation. Celine and Bradley used to be friends, but now they are enemies. But when they both go on an expedition for a scholarship, they begin to question their old friendship and relationship.
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While this was cute, I thought the progression from friends to enemies to friends to lovers was a bit too much. Celine and Bradley were legit mean to each other. I understand the whole enemies to lovers trope and I usually love it, but this one just didn't work for me personally! I do think some readers of this trope will really love it though!

This was cute and fun, but it seemed to be missing that spark while reading it. I loved that it was a friends to enemies, enemies to lovers story, and that’s what sold me. But I don’t know. It needed a little more in my opinion.

Talia Hibbert's entrance into the Young Adult world was nothing less than phenomenal. Just as witty, just as juicy, just as beautiful and inclusive, I couldn't put the book down until I was done. As an African American woman, I saw myself in BOTH the main characters and wished their story never came to an end. Love it and can't wait for more.

Talia Hibbert, yet again, did not disappoint. I love a book with mental health representation (OCD) and ambitious female MCs.

Brad and Celine were childhood best friends and after a falling out and divergence of paths, they find themselves as enemies back on similar paths. The book follows them as they overcome the usual teen finding themselves issues and navigate their way back through their relationship history to find each other again.

This book was just a lot of fun and was adorable. I love a good YA rom-com and this one was wonderful. When characters are put into uncomfortable situations and have to find their way out, there's going to be some drama and lots of growth. Talia Hibbert transitioned beautifully from adult romance to YA, and I'm excited to see what else is up her sleeve.

**Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.**

Talia Hibbert’s young adult romance debut Highly Suspicious and Unfairly Cute is one of the first books released by Nicola and David Yoon’s Joy Revolution publishing imprint, and they absolutely knocked it out of the park.

Celine Bangura and Bradley Graeme would be happy if they never saw each other again. Once best friends now turned rivals, their relationship is tense and complicated by the fact that their mothers are best friends. When they both apply for the same scholarship, they are forced to work together during their trek through the wilderness, and the proximity makes them remember what their relationship used to be like.

I’ve been hearing a lot about Talia Hibbert’s books, and this is the first book I’ve read by her (but likely not the last). She did an excellent job capturing that awkward phase of not quite being an adult yet wanting to be in her main characters. She also did a great job with the representation in the book (black, body positivity, queer rep, and OCD). I was quite amused by how determined Celine and Brad were to not give in to their feelings. For example, I started snickering when Celine expressed that “it’s true that I am unfortunately in love with him, but that doesn’t make us dating.”

Readers who enjoy humorous contemporary romantic comedy novels with some tender emotional moments should definitely give this book a chance. Audiobook narrators Aina Koroma and Jonathan Andrew Hume did an excellent job bringing Celine and Bradley’s perspectives to life (and I love how they both had British accents like the characters, which isn’t a 100% guarantee with an audiobook). I also want to give a shout out to the glossary of British terms the author included at the beginning of the book for those who might not be familiar - it really made a difference, and some of them are quite fun to say (pillock, slagging off, and Maccies to name a few).

Thank you to the author, the publisher Joy Revolution, the team at TBR and Beyond Tours for providing me with a review copy of Highly Suspicious and Unfairly Cute as part of my participation in the blog tour. I appreciate the opportunity to read and review the book immensely.

CONTENT WARNINGS: Parental Abandonment, OCD

I already love Talia Hibbert...but you had me at the Murderbot reference :D

Seriously though, this was a great young adult rom com. Love the light but telling references to observing other people's problems and behaviors - you mean he always talks to you like that? You mean, you have a problem other than me? OH....

Love the working together for a goal, stress over parent's perception, frankly i never thought my kids cared WHAT I thought about what they did, or hopefully we're just good like that?

This book was so gen z and *so funny*. Thank goodness for the glossary of terms since I am an American who lives in Michigan and does not have nearly the amazing vocabulary as these smarties do. Ex-bff enemies to lovers, academic competitors, high school students finding themselves. I was rooting for every single character. I love Talia Hibbert, her Brown sisters trilogy is in my top favorites of all time, and this was an amazing YA with the same charm, humor and heart. I will read anything dear Talia every writes. Thank you for the chance to read this beautiful book early!

Talia Hibbert made the leap to YA seamlessly, transferring all of her excellent banter, chemistry, and excellent romance development to teenagers. Her depth of characterization, humor, and chemistry are expert-level as always—it's such a joy to read her work!

✨best friends to enemies to sorta friends to lovers✨

it took me a while to to get fully into this book but once i was in, boy was i in. this was a very sweet book. the romance was subtle and more realistic than some other books i’ve read. i throughly enjoyed it.

(thank you Netgalley for my e-arc that took me way too long to finish)

Another book that held some premise, but just fell flat for me! It was so… self centered for a book that was essentially about the body! I loved the relationship between Celine and Bradley as they rediscovered one another, but the drama was just that - dramatic! I know this was YA, so I had to remind myself of that while reading, but I think it went beyond that.. it became petty. I loved the friends to enemies to lovers trope, that was fun - but that was about it! Thank you for the reading opportunity!

So cute, love Talia’s writing so much and it was great seeing her enter the YA sphere. Can’t wait to see what she writes next.

This was a really fun romp between school and woods in the lives of high school kids in the UK. I really enjoyed the character development and the developing relationship between the two of them. The protagonists each wrestle with how to forge their path amid or despite how their parents (or the absence thereof) have impacted them. I loved how they each individually and then together worked through these ideas.

The characters were lovable and charming, their challenges were age-appropriate and manageable. It was easy to be absorbed in this story and root for everyone.

I loved this book! Not surprised as Talia Hibbert is one of my favorite authors. As her first YA novel she killed it. I loved that this book was dual POV, grumpy sunshine and a little adventure added. One thing Hibbert does so well is banter & humor. This book was no different. Brad's character was such a sweetie but also so funny. If you're looking for a book that has great mental health rep, humor and a cute YA romance, this is the book for you!

I have been reading less and less YA every year, but how was I supposed to pass up a new Talia Hibbert? I was not. And I'm so glad I didn't because Highly Suspicious and Unfairly Cute had Hibbert's trademark humor, emotions, mental health representation, and connection to the people in our character's lives. It also involved nature, but not in the All Rhodes Lead Here way, more in the my actual experience with nature. (Basically, ew, I do not want to go there, turned reluctant admiration turned REMINDER, THIS IS WHY WE DON'T GO OUTSIDE.) I might be dramatic about it, but I'm just saying. Nature is DANGEROUS, okay?

Anyways, this book is really great if you already like Talia Hibbert's writing. If you don't... Well, this book isn't going to change your mind, honestly. It still very much feels like a Talia Hibbert novel, it's just featuring characters that are a little younger. But I, for one, absolutely enjoyed it! (And P.S. the audiobook was really enjoyable too!)

Thank you to NetGalley and Joy Revolution for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Highly Suspicious and Unfairly Cute is my first Talia Hibbert book and the writing was fantastic. I’ve recently felt like I’ve outgrown young adult books but something about this one drew me in and I’m so glad it did. Talia Hibbert was able to create an adorable book that had some elements of camping and friendship and familial issues and high school all rolled into one.

We also have a relationship between Celine and Brad which can only be described as best friends to enemies to lovers (minus the spice because it’s obviously young adult). Their relationship was refreshingly cute and watching them get to know each other again was my favorite part. Their banter was a lot of fun and I also loved watching them in all of our different settings.

Talia Hibbert did a great job of creating side characters as well because even though there were a ton of them, I was able to distinctly remember who they all were which isn’t always the case. This is the best young adult romance I’ve read in a long time. I recommend Highly Suspicious and Unfairly Cute to anyone who loves best friends to enemies to lovers and anyone looking for a young adult book that involves camping. I will definitely also be continuing to read more books from Talia Hibbert.

Thank you NetGalley, Random House, and Talia Hibbert for this arc in exchange for my honest review.

I’ll start by saying that I didn’t know this was YA going into it, which is why I kept my rating at 3 stars, because that’s my fault. But YA doesn’t do it for me and here’s why.

Enemies to lovers is one of my fave tropes but this just felt like miscommunication at its finest which is not my vibe. I wanted to like the characters, I wanted to enjoy them, but I just couldn’t because why were they enemies?? It all seems so silly. I’m an adult and the YA genre can’t do it for my anymore because I just can’t relate. Talk to me about someone obsessed with conspiracy theories and I’m usually sold but the background felt lacking to me. Celine was a sweet MC, but that wasn’t enough to hold my attention. I wish I liked this more than I did. Don’t take my word for it though. If you like YA, this may be more for you than it was for me.