This book was so cute! It was such a well done take on the enemies-to-lovers trope. Talia Hibbert knows how to write a good romance and the characters were also super cute. The writing was very enjoyable to read, as the witty banter between Bradley and Celine was so fun to read. Overall, this is definitely a cute romance for young adults and I would highly recommend it.

Thank you, NetGalley and Random House Children's for this free arc in exchange for my honest review.

3.5

i liked it but didn’t love it. i didn’t really care for the characters but by the end they started to grow on me. i was not a huge celine fan, and the whole explorer thing was just kind of out there for me and difficult to relate to. i cared probably the most about brad’s arc, and thought he was more likable. the book’s well-written and has some funny moments. i prefer hibbert’s adult romances.

#netgalley

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC of Highly Suspicious and Unfairly Cute!! I became a fan of Talia Hibbert after her Brown sister’s series and was so excited to get a copy of this one! The witty banter between Celine and Brad made my heart happy. This friends to enemies to lovers story is so cute. I do not suffer from OCD or parental abandonment so I can’t quite speak on those aspects of the book but I will say I devoured this book in less than a day! I wasn’t a huge fan of the semi third act breakup due to lack of communication skills. I will disregard my hatred of third act breakups because this is a YA book and the characters are seventeen and their prefrontal cortexes are not fully developed so they haven’t really figured out how to properly communicate their feelings. Overall this book was exactly what I needed to get out of my little reading rut! Thank you again to NetGalley for the ARC of Highly Suspicious and Unfairly Cute!!!

I generally love Talia Hibbert's romances, and this one was overall a decent romance though it didn't live up to her other ones for me. I thought the characters felt a bit surface level, although maybe it was because of the YA focus. The pop culture references really threw me and prevented me from completely enjoying this (for example, tiktok, "walk me to class bestie," finsta, etc). I also thought the heroine gave slight "I'm not like the other girls" energy, and the hero reminded me of the people I didn't like in high school. That said, the banter was fantastic and I thought Hibbert did a great job with POC and mental illness representation.

Highly Suspicious and Unfairly Cute is a brilliant novel about ex-best friends and current enemies, Celine and Bradley, participating in a program that could win them a college scholarship. Forced to trek in the forest—and confront their past—Celine and Bradley may stumble upon something new.

This was a lovely story about making mistakes and making apologies, and learning about how to best take care of yourself—in whatever forms that may take. Talia Hibbert’s YA debut is fun and heartwarming and just further evidence that I will read anything she writes.

*Thank you so much to Netgalley, Random House, and Talia Hibbert for this ARC!

Highly Suspicious and Unfairly Cute is the best way for YA audiences to get to know Talia Hibbert! Bradley and Celine are adorable from the start and their enemies to lovers story is fun, poignant, and relatable. They are both in the process of figuring themselves out (often in round about, stream of consciousness ways), while at the same time figuring each other out. Their ability to understand and appreciate the other is sweet and kind, and leaves the reader wanting more. A perfect YA romance!

This book is adorable. I love how witty the writing is and the banter was everything! Which is what I expect from a Talia Hibbert novel. She always delivers. I appreciated the unique, yet realistic characters and think she really created a great young adult novel with this one.

Talia Hibbert's signature wit and humor transitions seamlessly into the YA space! I'm a huge fan of Talia's adult works, and this YA debut does not disappoint! A fun, romantic romp that'll leave you swooning.

Yes! This is so fun! Talia Hibbert has definitely pulled off a successful YA romance! We've got some great tropes - friends-to-enemies-to-lovers, great representation - Black/Black romance, OCD, fat rep, and a really fun story. Personally, I wanted more about Celine's conspiracy theory TikTok account - but that's my only real complaint.

The characters are super lovable, there's a nice found family element, but also strong relationships in their own families as well. The book is set in the UK and does come with a glossary at the front, but I really don't think it was needed.

Hibbert seemed to capture being a teen today very well, It felt accurate, it was appropriately aged down from her adult work, but still kept all of her charm and skill.

Overall, a super fun YA romance and I would definitely pick up more YA from Hibbert in the future.

Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC!

Highly Suspicious and Unfairly Cute was a good book.

It had lovable, diverse, and well-fleshed out characters. They had unique flaws and interests, like Celine’s TikTok. (I just know someone had taken the handle used in the book)

I loved Celine! She was a strong, black, plus-sized main character with ambition. Celine didn’t take crap and I wish I had more book characters like her growing up.

The romance was also good. I like the way their relationship transitioned from enemies to lovers. They didn’t make out and immediately become soulmates overnight.

In conclusion, this book was great! You should definitely read it if you are considering it.

Mood: Happy, happy joy joy!
This book is perfect. If tears weren’t fighting their ways out of my eyes in laughter, I was holding my breathe waiting on one of the angsty teens to be angsty teens.

I’m a decade & a half removed from my teenage years and I remember everything being so intense as a teen. Decisions about college, about boyfriends, about friends friends , about conversations with my parents … all of it felt TOO intense. Looking back on that time now I realize it wasn’t actually as intense as it felt but that didn’t stop me from feeling like everything Celine &
Bradley faced was the equivalent of moving mountains.

Talia Hibbert is an auto buy author and though this is not her a spicy adult romance, it definitely belongs a spot in your TBR!

Highly Suspicious and Unfairly Cute - ARC Review
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/5
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QUICK LOOK: Young Adult Romance, Wit and Banter, Dual POV, OCD Rep, Parent Abandonment Rep
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WHY 5/5: This book was full of wit, banter, and a whole lot of heart. These teenagers wrestled with existential crises as well as serious and underrepresented mental health issues. Talia Hibbert is quickly becoming one of my favorite writers. Her ability to balance clever sarcasm with deep heartbreak and struggles is truly a unique gift. She wrestles with hard things really well and I cannot wait to read more from her.
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YA Note: let me say I tend to be picky about reading YA and it has everything to do with whether the characters act immaturely or not. I will absolutely read a book about a mature 14yr old. But any character, young or old, that acts in petty, immature ways turns me off of a book. These characters are teenagers, but they are also fairly self-aware and mature.
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Thank you @taliahibbert for writing this gorgeous book. Thank you @netgalley and @jorevbooks. I was given this eARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Thank you to NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book.

Where do I start? This book came to me at the perfect time, I had just finished a fantasy trilogy and could feel that I was about to be in a reading slump. Then this book made its way into my life and made sure I wouldn’t fall into a slump. I was hooked from the first chapter, who doesn’t love a friends to enemy to lovers trope? The pace of the book was perfect, I loved the dual pov in every chapter, I loved the realness of the characters as it is a YA book, and most of all it had me laughing. I highly recommend reading this book when it comes out you won’t regret it. Talia Hibbert has a new fan, and I can’t wait to read more of her books.

Well written and a great read. I loved this story and this author. I enjoyed the pace and the funny moments. I will be buying a hard copy so it can go on my shelf. Read it!!!

Adorable YA friends-enemies-lovers!

Took a little getting into since I’m double the age of the target audience but I really Loved Celine and Bradley.

Loved the diversity of characters and mental health representation!

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Childrens for the ARC to review!

Talia did it again! A fun lighthearted romance that centers around two individuals from two separate worlds. A warm endearing plot line and highly enjoyable characters makes this a must read!

I was so SO excited when I discovered that Talia Hibbert was going to be putting out a YA romance with Joy Revolution! I can definitely say that this book did not disappoint!

Highly Suspicious and Unfairly Cute was a quick and adorable read that had me smiling and laughing all the way through! From the immature banter to the corny jokes to the sickeningly sweet connection between our two leads, this story warmed my heart.

I adored both Bradley and Celine, and I loved how they progressed as individuals throughout the story, while also figuring out how to grow together. The foundation they built when they were younger leaked through in every new development of their relationship, and the progression felt so natural and authentic.

I’ve been begging for a black academic rivals to lovers romance for a while now, and it made me so happy watching these two thrive! Brad and Celine are intelligent and quick-witted, and they KNOW it. There was something so satisfying about watching them be so unapologetically confident in their knowledge while aiming for the top spot.

Also, I believe this is the first time I’ve read a book where the main character has OCD, and that representation is so so important. I feel that so few people know of OCD beyond stereotypes. I love how this book highlighted the ways Bradley took care of himself and that he has a healthy relationship with therapy, which is sometimes a stigma in the black community.

Overall, I adored this book. So many moments of laughter and “🥺” wrapped up in a story that cherishes friendship and family. I’ll absolutely be rereading next time I need a pick-me-up. I rate this 4.25 out of 5 stars! Thank you so much to Netgalley and Random House for an advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review!

I was so excited to receive this arc, and it did not disappoint! Talia Hibbert has done it again! This was such a fun read — I couldn’t put it down. Celine and Brad are such vibrant and unique characters, but they shine the brightest when they banter as rivals, friends, and lovers. It was incredible to watch them grow up and evolve through such real personal struggles. This YA read strikes the perfect balance and can connect with readers within the Young Adult age group as well as more mature readers looking for a wholesome, lighthearted love. As a law student with OCD, “Highly Suspicious and Unfairly Cute” made me feel so seen and it easily became one of my favorite reads this year.

Talia Hibbert kills it every time with romance but especially grumpy x sunshine romances. Celine is the ultimate grumpy, girl boss character and Bradley is the ultimate cinnamon roll. This has fat rep in it and OCD rep.
I loved this new YA romance. I think it really highlights a career motivated girl and that there's nothing wrong with that!! Talia Hibbert could write anything and I would probably read it. Time to catch up on her backlist.

Another fun Talia Hibbert book. Really both characters were more thoughtful and introspective then I ever was as a teen. I did find Celine's conspiracy theory interest hard to like since far too many people actually believe in repilian over lord's. Conspiracy theories are a real problem in this country and I kind of doubt employers would actually find it a good thing to have a popular social media presence about them.