Highly Suspicious and Unfairly Cute by Talia Hibbert

The title is apt for this book. It is loaded with cuteness at the same time addressing heavier topics and I loved how well it was handled.

Celine, I have mixed feelings for you but your journey till the end was commendable.
My heart hurts for Brad. He is so sweet, witty and perfect.

This book has great banter, strong and relatable characters, days in wild (not exactly), stolen moments, challenging situations handled well. It was brilliantly written with amazing plot. Reading this was a delightful experience.

Overall, I would highly recommend this to everyone. I can't wait to read more of authors work.

°Favourite quotes ~

"Yeah, well. Who can avoid looking at Bradley? His sheer annoyingness creates its own gravitational pull."

“But I have friends now,”she continues. “And I know they’re worth more than all the people who were  .  .  . who were casually cruel to me, because they’re deliberately kind, and that makes them better people. My kind of people. Except I had to learn that. Don’t we all have to learn that?”

"It hurts like there’s a hole in me."

"I’m kissing her. It’s like birthday cake, back when sugar felt like being high. It’s like laughing as you stumble through the dark under the stars."

Highly Suspicious and Unfairly Cute

By: Talia Hibbert

Publish Date: 3 January 2023

Publisher: Random House Children’s/Joy Revolution Romance

Romance/Teens and YA

#HighlySuspiciousandUnfairlyCute#NetGalley

100 Book ReviewsProfessional Reader

I would like to thank both NetGalley and Random House for allowing me to read and review this book.

Good Reads Synopsis:

Bradley Graeme is pretty much perfect. He’s a star football player, manages his OCD well (enough), and comes out on top in all his classes . . . except the ones he shares with his ex-best friend, Celine.

Celine Bangura is conspiracy-theory-obsessed. Social media followers eat up her takes on everything from UFOs to holiday overconsumption–yet, she’s still not cool enough for the popular kids’ table. Which is why Brad abandoned her for the in-crowd years ago. (At least, that’s how Celine sees it.)

These days, there’s nothing between them other than petty insults and academic rivalry. So when Celine signs up for a survival course in the woods, she’s surprised to find Brad right beside her.

Forced to work as a team for the chance to win a grand prize, these two teens must trudge through not just mud and dirt but their messy past. And as this adventure brings them closer together, they begin to remember the good bits of their history. But has too much time passed . . . or just enough to spark a whole new kind of relationship?

Book Review:

I enjoyed this book and gave it 4 stars. It did get a little slow in the middle for me. I was a little apprehensive at first because I have read her other books and wasn’t sure if she could pull this off. I am glad that she was able to. This book is an own voice story after reading her acknowledgements.

This story is about two people who are in their last of high school. They used to friends and then they fell out and now they are trying again. Bradley is into football and has OCD. Celina is into TikTok and has a huge following. She also has trust issues.

They both sign up for a survival course which can them a full scholarship. This is where the book picks a little. This course takes place at three different times throughout the year. Brad is doing this for the scholarship. Celina is doing this to get back at her father who abandon the family. His firm is one of the sponsors.

What I like about this story is the friendship and family of both the main characters. Even though the book lagged in the middle it was a good story and you learn a lot about OCD.

I really wanted to like this but maybe I am just too old for it. It was sickeningly sweet and missed out on my favorite parts of Talia's writing. I am so sad that her traditionally published works are less intense.

This book is the cutest friends-to enemies-to lovers book. The way that it is written you actually feel like you are in the middle of the conversations with the characters & it just flows so nicely. The banter is funny because you know that something happened previously (which you don’t know exactly what at first) & that they are crushing on each other now, but are trying really hard to be mean and combative to one another. Such a fun read. Perfect to get me back in the reading mood and start the new year out right!

I read this book as part of the blog tour hosted by TBR & Beyond Tours. Special thanks to Joy Revolution for providing a digital ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. 5 BEP stars!

Honestly, what can I say about this other than I loved it? What a fantastic way to kick off my reading in 2023 with my first 5-star read of the year! This book has reminded me why I love Talia Hibbert so much. Although she usually writes adult romance, you wouldn't know this is her YA debut because it was so well written and was essentially classic Hibbert. From the cheekiness, the A+ banter, the wonderfully weird and quirky, flawed yet realistic characters, the heart-swoopingly sweet romance, and the casual queerness and beautiful representation. Reading her stories always feels like a warm hug and they never fail to make me laugh and smile! If you're looking for a cheekily cute YA romance to kick off your 2023 reading, look no further than Highly Suspicious and Unfairly Cute. I mean, couldn't you tell from that name alone that this was gonna be a winner?!

This is a story about two once-upon-a-time best friends who drifted apart, as people are wont to do, but who still existed in each other's orbit thanks to their mums being besties too. There is so much emotional history between them and my heart hurt and soared in turn as we watch them navigate their renewed friendship after all these years apart. There wasn't one moment in this when I wasn't violently rooting for Bradley and Celine to find happiness within themselves and together. I really enjoy the way Hibbert writes her characters and I loved both of them so much! They're quirky, hilariously cheeky, charming and caring in their own ways, but they were also complex and realistically flawed. I mean, they're teenagers and they sometimes do silly things and make stupid mistakes but not to the point where you have to question how they possibly made it so far in life. 😂

Celine is a TikTokker who became famous for her obsession with conspiracy theories. She's smart and scarily ambitious but she's also kind of shy and can be petty. She also doesn't really enjoy people in general but she also loves her people with her own special brand of slightly-mean-and-sarcastic love. You know she's got a soft heart under all that eye-rolling sarcastic exterior. What I liked about Celine is that even though she's stubborn as hell and thrives on being right, which she admittedly is most of the time, she also knows when to admit her faults, even if it's with a heaping side of reluctance and her usual sarcasm. Basically, Celine is the moody grump to Bradley's golden retriever energy sunshine personality, and you know how I love that grumpy/sunshine dynamic! Bradley is the handsome footy player and golden boy that can easily charm even the grouchiest of people—aka Celine. He also has OCD, which most people don't know about and which he does his best to manage alongside his anxiety as unobtrusively as possible. I have always enjoyed the representation in Hibbert's books and how sensitively she addresses the issues, and this was no different. On top of that, I also really enjoyed the way these characters were simply figuring things out and yes, they sometimes made silly decisions but it was also very relatable because seriously, who hasn't done that, especially as a teenager thinking they're "doing the right thing" by not telling a parent something. This brings me to another point I really liked and it's how the families of both characters were positively present in their lives and played big roles when it came to the major decisions and realisations they faced. It was refreshing because, as most people know, parental figures tend to be mostly absent and/or terrible in YA stories.

When it came to their romance, I think the most fitting word to describe their dynamic is adorable. They were sickeningly cute and I loved their interactions, especially as they start exploring and acknowledging their feelings for each other. Even when they're busy hating each other, they still understood each other and in fact, Brad gets Celine in a way that very few people do and vice versa. I loved their comfort with each other and the way they could just be goofy together. Honestly, they were just too cute to handle and I loved their friendship just as much as I loved their romance!

Overall, it's safe to say that I really enjoyed this book and I honestly wish that something had existed for a younger me because I know I would've loved it just as much, if not even more than I do now. This is a fantastic contemporary that not only explores teenage romance but also teenage life in realistic and relatable ways. I really hope that Hibbert writes more YA because I would definitely read them all!

I absolutely love this author and was so excited get the chance to read her young adult book. It was incredibly adorable and pure. It depicted the feelings of young people in love, but trying to deny it so well.

I thought Bradley’s OCD rep was done with respect and true to many people’s reality. Celine’s storyline had a lot to do with family relationships and was done so well, especially her fear of abandonment she didn’t even know was going on. They were wonderful characters and I loved going on their journey with them.

Overall I loved this whole book. I related to each character so much, they were just so real to me. I can’t wait to read more by this author.

The dynamic and chemistry between the two 😩⭐️. Whether it was the enemies , friends , or secret to forever was epic 🫠. I truly enjoyed the representation of OCD 👏🏻. The genuine realness shown in their emotions and like the impact each situation held in the storyline . Regardless if it’s just a book , the characters and story were so real and understated 📌. I adored Brads quirky heart on your sleeve love and Celine’s character growth 💜. Actually the way they both change TOGETHER is a lesson in itself 🫱🏽‍🫲🏿. Just an all around enjoyable and entertaining and just pure book 🥹. I loved the cutesy mush and the banter and the accent words 🫶.. Just know this is my first BUT certainly not my last Talia Hibbert book !!! 🥰

Prolific and extraordinarily talented author Taila Hibbert uses the word cute in the title of her most recent book, Highly Suspicious and Unfairly Cute, and gives readers a new appreciation for this often-used description. Before they were mortal enemies, Bradley Graeme and Celine Bangura were best friends. During their early years in school, they were all but chained at the hip. comrades, companions, two sides of the same coin. Their closeness fragmented when they entered upper school; Bradley did the unforgivable and formed other friendships. As readers we can depend on Ms. Hibbert to pen diverse and complex characters with quirks and flaws. Handsome and charismatic Bradley has OCD while the always surly Celine hides her tender heart under a gruff exterior. It was a joy to witness these erstwhile friends slowly reconnect against the backdrop of a survival course as they compete for a scholarship. Talia Hibbert is one of my all-time favorite authors and I totally enjoyed her take on young love with all the angst, snark and passion that ensued. The dialog and internal musing are hilarious!
Thank you Random House Children's and NetGalley for the opportunity to read a digital ARC in return for an honest review.

Thank you NetGalley and Joy Revolution Books for the ARC!

This was actually my first Talia Hibbert read! I have more of her books on my shelf that I haven’t had time to dive into, but now I definitely will.

This is one of the better YA romance’s I’ve read in a while. Celine and Bradley actually act their ages and it’s just super cute. Friends-to-enemies-to-friends-to-lovers, actually worked quite well.

Celine’s conspiracy theories were amusing, and it’s nice to figure out why she might have started down that route in the first place. Knowing the author has OCD (in acknowledgments), it was interesting and enlightening to read about how it may manifest in people through Brad’s character.

I would definitely recommend this one!

Highly Suspicious and Unfairly Cute is Talia Hibbert’s first YA novel. Celine is a conspiracy theorist. She even has her own TikTok. Bradley is a popular football player. What do the two have in common? Well, they used to be best friends. Now they can’t stand one another. When given a scholarship opportunity, they both jump at the chance, but they soon realize that in order to make it work, they’ll have to work together.

The title fits this book perfectly. It was fun, flirty, quirky, and unfairly cute. There were quite a few laugh out loud moments and I loved the banter between these two characters. Celine is plus-sized, confident, and an overachiever. Bradley is smart, witty, bisexual, and struggles with OCD. I not only enjoyed reading about them but the side characters were equally as enjoyable. I really wouldn’t mind another book set in this universe because I know there are a few characters with their own stories to tell.

I really enjoyed the best friends to enemies to lovers’ story as well as the familial elements. They were both well loved by their families and I loved that representation. This book does touch on parental abandonment as well as parental pressures and expectations. I thought that it was all handled very well.

Highly Suspicious and Unfairly Cute is a coming-of-age story of friendship, family, and taking chances. It does have some typical YA angsty moments, but I think that it was very relatable. I had such a good time reading this book.

When I got the opportunity to get an ARC for Talia Hibbert's new book I was over the moon! I fell completely in love with her writing in The Brown Sisters series, so I was eager to see what her YA "Highly Suspicious and Unfairly Cute" would bring.

First, I love the title. If the sass behind the name isn't the essence of Celine and Bradley, I don't know what is. Regarding those two, I adored them. I dabble in YA or books set in a high-school age group and I often find the characters to be set on 'woe-is-me'. True to the work she created in The Brown Sisters, Talia Hibbert creates characters with a soul. They are alive and complicated and messy and amazing. Celine and Bradley felt like that, too; real and human. Watching (well, reading) them grow, forgive, and fall in love together was so beautiful.

I'm a huge fan of Talia Hibbert's humor and "Highly Suspicious and Unfairly Cute" had that within the first pages. Knowing that each page had wit and sass was a treat, but also seeing it mix with the tougher subjects this YA brought forward was nice for the soul. And that's exactly what Hibbert does in her books, she brings out the soul of people and things, always including and shining a light to those who most need it.

Give this book a read, I promise you it is the sweetest way to start the new year!

This was a cute YA romance with lots of banter and funny antics. I enjoyed the development of the friendship then romance between Celine and Brad and it felt believable. I also loved the sexuality and mental health inclusivity. This is something that really shines in the authors adult novels so I’m glad it was included in this book.

On the downside, some parts felt slow and drawn out, especially between the two outdoor adventures. I also cringed a bit at the miscommunication and inevitable break up. Both of these tropes are so common that it felt repetitive. I also felt that it was really counter intuitive to all of the work Brad and Celine put into rebuilding their communication.

Overall a cute romance with great representation!

Thank you, netgalley for my advanced copy of this book. Talia Hibbert is an auto-buy author for me so I was so excited to get to read this one.

It was a quick read and was super cute, while also touching on some tough subjects.
Highly recommend. 4 stars.

give Talia all of my money. This was incredible pacing, plot, and just felt like the perfect kind of YA read to me. As always the mental health rep and OCD rep were phenomenal

HIGHLY SUSPICIOUS AND UNFAIRLY CUTE is Talia Hibbert’s young adult contemporary romance debut! It follows Celine Bangura, conspiracy-theorist TikToker and resident weirdo, who signs up for a survival course in the woods that can prepare her for an extremely bright future. If only her arch nemesis, Bradley, hadn’t also signed up. Once best friends, their relationship is now nothing more than petty insults and academic rivalry. However, being forced to work as a team leads them to reminiscence on the good times. Is it enough to start something new?

The Brown Sisters trilogy was one of my favorites of last year so when I saw that this author was debuting in YA, I jumped at the chance to read! I can tell you right now, this book is JUST as good as that series. All of the charm, humor, and sweetness that I loved in her writing is present in this book and even more! I loved our main characters and their slightly antagonistic, but also sweet relationship. There’s also a lot explored in this book in reference to family, mental health and how to choose yourself. It was amazing! Highly recommend

I was lucky enough to get an e-ARC for this book and as a #1 Hibbert fan, I was elated to read not only her first YA, but also the first book published under @nicolayoon ‘s new imprint!

Talia Hibbert’s YA debut is a banger….or should I say a Bangur-a (ha ha, get it… I’ve referenced something). Regardless of how far removed you are from age 17, Hibbert is able to capture the sensations of being a teen with a crush and send you right back to that place. My heart clenched at every nervous ramble and sweetly silly misunderstanding. This book was so fun and fresh, set against the backdrop of teens competing for a high level scholarship while also weaving in the highs and lows of high school friendships and how quickly your best friend can become your nemesis. The disability representation, as always with a Hibbert novel, is honest and unapologetic, as Bradley shows us what it’s like to live with OCD and how he copes with it. This book also highlights how the people who love Bradley acknowledge his compulsions and support him along the way. As for Celine, she is the most lovable little ball of sarcasm, wit, and temper and she is a joy to get to know throughout the story. The combination of Bradley & Celine’s personalities, a rich ensemble of supporting characters, and a lovely storyline make this a must-read for anyone keeping their finger on the pulse of YA. “Highly Suspicious and Unfairly Cute” will be released in stores nationwide on January 3rd, and I hope to see you in line for a copy ;)

Thank you to Random House Children's and NetGalley for the advanced reader copy and to PRH Audio and LibroFM for the complimentary audiobook. These opinions are my own.

Imagine a YA book from Talia Hibbert and how amazing that premise is. The book is better. Brad and Celine used to best best friends, but their friendship fell apart when he became popular in high school. Now both are seniors and competing for some of the same opportunities.

I loved both characters and their friends so much. I was completely drawn into their world. They felt appropriate for their ages, and the romance was a good match to the YA audience, too. I enjoyed the OCD rep and techniques for coping that Brad used.

The writing was phenomenal. There were amazing metaphors that captured complicated thoughts and feelings so well. I thought the outdoor excursions we're a bit over the top and not necessary to the plot. But I absolutely adored the ending.

4.5 stars rounded up

thank you netgalley for sending me an arc of this book!!

um this was adorable. not only was the romance so cute, but it made me
want to laugh and cry at the same time. the banter was hilarious, and the chemistry between the two main characters was amazinggg. i loved how the plot unfolded and the time they spent together in the woods. overall just a really good YA romance!

THIS BOOK IS YA NOT AN ADULT ROMANCE.


I wasn't expecting this book to be a ya book when I first requested it from netgalley. I really thought that since it was in the romance category and knowing that Talia Hibbert writes adult romance I just assumed. But no this isn't adult it's her ya debut.

For this book being ya it was decent. I liked the side characters and our male lead but I wasn't the biggest fan of Celine. I think it mainly had to do with her obsession with conspiracy theories and random facts that she made videos about. The amount of times this book mentioned her TikTok account and how she was TikTok famous made me want to stop reading. Yes I watch TikTok but I definitely don't like it when books bring TikTok or most pop culture things into a book. It has always taken me out of the book. I feel like Celine had some daddy issues and I was so glad she was able to come to terms that she needed some help with that. I agree with Brad that we all need therapy. I enjoyed reading Brad's point of views and wish we could have seen some of his daily OCD struggles a little more.

The plot of this book is mainly two teens who used to be best friends having a falling out. Then they become rivals. Then back to being friends and eventually more. I'm not a huge fan of friends to lovers troupe anyway but I feel like this one was done okay. I didn't see anything that I would think is unrealistic. It's also about two teens trying to figure out what they want to do with their life.

Overall it wasn't horrible and I could read it quickly. I did skim over some parts as it got a little boring in places. Also while the cover is extremely cute the title of this book makes absolutely no sense to me.

This is the YA debut of adult romance author Talia Hibbert and I’m so so excited to say that Hibbert hit it out of the park with this one! I’ve loved everyone of their books so it really shouldn’t be a surprise that I loved this one just as much. Brad and Celine were friends before but Brad became popular and the two disconnected. This book is about their journey to reconnect and it’s just *chef’s kiss*. Please excuse me while I scream from the roof tops how much I love this book. Read it!