This YA debut was fabulous!! Following the main characters as their relationship evolves from former best friends now enemies to love was refreshing. The thrill of competition, battling OCD and making life-changing decisions during their last year before university was relatable and enjoyable. The way main character Celine examined her emotional intelligence could be used as an example for young people who decide to pick up this book. Great read from Talía Hibbert!

Bradley Graeme is a laid-back popular teen on the football (American soccer) team, managing his OCD, and acing all his classes. Celine Bangura is a content creator sharing conspiracy theories on Tik Tok, toping Brad in all classes they share, and living her best life as her authentic self. Brad and Cel used to be friends, until a falling out years left them both thinking the other abandoned them. Now all that's left between them are academic rivalries and petty insults that sometimes cut deeper than intended. When both are chosen to participate in an enrichment program which involves an outdoor survival course in the woods, and need to work together to win a full university scholarship, they'll need to sift through their messy past as well as literal mud and dirt. But when they temporarily set their differences aside in order to work towards success, they start to remember all the good parts of their friendship, and it's possible that a new spark can be ignited just as well as a campfire.

This was just absolutely delightful. From the dual perspective in first person, we get to see both Celine and Bradley's opinions on each other and their prior friendship from the beginning, and we get to watch as they slowly start to develop deeper feelings of appreciation and love throughout the book. I appreciated how Celine is unapologetically herself, and even when she believes Bradley left because her personality was too outlandish for his new friends, she doesn't shy away from what makes her unique. She leans into the conspiracy theories and doesn't let anyone try to dissuade her, while also earning top marks in all of her classes to one day apply to Oxford or Cambridge to study law. While initially Bad only attends the Katherine Breakspeare Enrichment Program information session because he felt bad for *maybe* breaking Celine's wrist and didn't want her taking the bus alone, once Katherine herself starts speaking about how people treated her differently because of her dyslexia and how she had to work twice as hard to prove her worth, he connects with the sentiment and decides to apply as well (and if it proves to Celine that he can do anything she can do, well that's just icing on the cake). I really loved how much development was given to the side characters - Brad's parents and brother, even his sister who isn't present because she's studying in America, Celine's mom and sister (and sometimes her father when he appears, but not often), Celine and Bradley's best friends Minnie and Jordan, and the fellow Breakspeare candidates they befriend - Aurora, Sophie, and Raj. It was great to watch Celine and Brad's banter, which everyone else just interprets as the flirting it truly is (and they're just waiting for the two to realize it), and the frank discussions about relationships, sex, and not wanting to be left behind after secondary school, which are real fears of teens this age. I think one of my favorite parts of the book was when they throw a party for Aurora at camp, because Celine didn't want her to feel unimportant when her 18th birthday was away from her family and friends, even though they barely knew each other a week. And when Bradley puts everything together, he doesn't take all the credit because they know it was Celine's idea. The two work well as a team, even when they're butting heads, and it was really great letting them come together in the end.

I really want to highlight two specific aspects that were explored - Bradley's OCD and intrusive thoughts, and Celine's experience with parental abandonment. Early on, Bradley says that his OCD is managed (pretty well), but there will still be times when he needs balance, or can't share a bathroom with anyone so he can keep it as clean as necessary, or will get up earlier than anyone to make sure he's the only one in the camp bathroom / shower. At one point he does note that before he found medication and routine that worked for him, he thought it made his parents upset to see him and his life in disarray because of it. There are also moments in the book where we see Bradley's mental exchange with his intrusive thoughts - the most prominent is when Celine throws mud on his shirt during their first survival camping expedition. He takes the time to acknowledge the thoughts are there, accept them for what they are, and breathe deeply while letting rational thinking supersede them. It's been a while since I've seen intrusive thoughts mentioned and discussed in this way, and I really appreciated the depiction. Celine, her mom, and her sister were abandoned by her father years ago, when he came clean about having an affair and another family to tend to. While Celine doesn't want to admit it for a large portion of the book, even when she declares she's been fine without a father figure, she acknowledges that she got jealous seeing Bradley's solid relationship with his dad, and shapes a large portion of her future to a path that will prove him wrong - she wants to become a corporate lawyer at the second largest firm behind his and watch him squirm as he watches her succeed. Throughout the book, Celine has to have in depth discussions with Bradley, her sister, and her mom to work out these feelings and realize that she should shape her future around something she wants, and what she thinks will bring out the best in her. I also appreciated how Celine talks to her mom about seeking counseling, so she can further work out these feelings with a professional.

In conclusion, this was a great book to start the new year off with. This just makes me want to delve more into Talia Hibbert's backlist and hope she writes more of both adult and YA in the future. This also makes me more interested to see what the imprint, Joy Revolution Books, has in store for the future. Please pick this book up if you're in need of some cute and fluff in your life, or have loved some of Talia Hibbert's work in the past. *Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher, Joy Revolution Books, for the e-copy, all thoughts and opinions are my own.*

Thanks to Netgalley and Random House Children’s for the ARC of this!

I absolutely love the idea of this new imprint, and having loved the author’s Brown Sisters series I was so stoked to read this!

I think she did a great job moving into YA, and I loved the friends-to-enemies-to-lovers backstory/story arc. The setting was fun, I loved the diversity of the character and I especially loved the OCD rep as someone who struggles with intrusive thoughts and anxiety.

this was so charming and sweet! a YA debut that really stands on its own compared to talia hibbert’s stunning adult romances. this story follows celine and brad, friends turned enemies after they had a falling out a few years prior. they both end up signing up for a camping survival course for a chance to win college scholarships, and they have to work through their problems to achieve this. this felt like the perfect blend of friends-to-lovers, enemies-to-lovers, and academic rivalry and made for such a cute humorous plot!

the characters were definitely my favorite part of this book. it was told in dual POV, and hibbert did a great job of creating distinct voices for both celine and brad. their inner dialogue was sooo funny to me, and i loved getting more insight into their personal lives outside of their academic goals. celine is my fave conspiracy-loving, moody, introverted girly (although she was a capricorn when she was clearly giving aquarius vibes) and soft boy brad was such a complimentary love interest for her. their mutual pining that they were pretending didn’t exist was absolutely everything to me, however, there was a bit of a miscommunication trope (which i don’t love) but it was easy to overlook since this was a YA book and felt more realistic for their age range.

i adored this book so much & highly recommend!

An adorable YA debut from Talia with all the charm, wit, and swoon of her adult books!

A very sweet romance with our couple getting a second chance even at a young age. I felt like the serious subject matter of the heroine's dad leaving was handled really well.

A perfect blend of serious subject and cute and fluffy. Very much enjoyed!

This YA romance was super cute! I really liked Celine and Brad as characters and they felt mature while still acting like 17 year olds. I really appreciated the OCD and queer representation in this book and I’m so excited that it’s becoming more common in YA books. The ending felt a bit rushed and I wished we got a little more closure for the storyline with Celine’s dad but he was the worst so I’m simultaneous glad he didn’t get any more attention.

Bradley and Celine used to be friends. But AN EVENT happened and now they barely speak. And when they do speak, it is highly snarky banter. Unfortunately, while they would normally avoid each other at all costs, that is not possible when they both are accepted into a prestigious survival course. They don’t have to team up to win, but…well, it’s easier to deal with the enemy you know.

But as they spend more time together, they remember why they were friends to begin with and maybe…why they would like to be more.

I LOVED Celine and Bradley. Their banter is off the charts. Amazing. Spectacular. Top tier! But I really expect nothing less of Talia Hibbert.

And, of course, the romance was so freaking cute and sweet. I can barely come up with words. These two may be so different but they are perfect for each other. They work well together, they get each other, and they care for one another.

I LOVE how Celine cares for Bradley and his OCD. I practically cried at the way she knows what things affect him and knows what he needs at certain times. And Bradley knows how Celine feels about her father and what she needs after she sees him for the first time in a long time.

I also really loved the friendship group that came together while they were at the survival camp. Before, Celine had one friend and didn’t think she was capable of making more. But the team bonding at the survival camp proves her wrong. She also learns to trust a little more and as someone with trust issues, I so appreciated seeing that.

I also love Bradley and Celine’s unique hobbies/interests. Celines love a conspiracy theory and is famous on TikTok and Bradley loves writing and despite what his parents want, he really wants to be a writer.

The ending had me crying because it’s so wonderful and surprising and I love seeing a whole gang of friends come together to celebrate one another.

If you love Talia Hibbert, contemporary YA romance, or cute AF books, you need to read Highly Suspicious and Unfairly Cute. It is a must!

Highly Suspicious and Unfairly Cute by Talia Hibbert is available now.

Thank you to NetGalley and Joy Revolution for the free eARC in exchange for the honest review.

4 stars for this dual POV, former-friends-to-enemies-to-lovers young adult romantic comedy!

"Highly Suspicious and Unfairly Cute" by Talia Hibbert is a super cute and charming YA romance with excellent OCD/neurodivergence, body positivity, and OWN Voices representation.

Let me start off by saying that Talia Hibbert is one of my all-time favorite authors. Her humor, inclusion, love of geek culture, and stellar, descriptive writing are a breath of fresh air!

Celine is unapologetically Celine. She's proudly sure of herself in academics and her thriving conspiracy theory TikTok account. Still, her anxiety in social situations and trust issues (because of her father) make it hard for her to let down her walls and let people in. Brad is a charismatic, popular, bisexual all-star footballer with a heart of gold. He has OCD, which is much more manageable now than it was a few years ago. Still, it sometimes rules his life, and he has to actively work to keep his racing thoughts at bay. He is also harboring a secret: he doesn't actually want to study law like his father but is afraid of telling his family what he really wants to do instead. Celine and Brad used to be the best of friends, but an incident a few years ago turned them into enemies. They have always been academic rivals, and now, with a scholarship on the line, they both enter into an outdoor adventuring competition and are pitted against each other to win it.

This is a sweet, quirky, witty, wonderful coming-of-age story. I adored Celine and Brad as the main characters! I loved how Celine got to be the grump, and Brad got to be the sunshine of the pairing. They are definitely one of those couples I could see lasting forever if they were real-life people. Their connection is and always was undeniable. Both Brad and Celine go have terrific character arcs. They both learn lessons that feel believable, earned, and natural. And when they learn lessons together? Magic. Wonderful. Sparks!
The way Talia Hibbert talks about mental illness is so honest and understanding and refreshing. She is such a terrific, passionate writer. This is not some dumbed-down version of a YA novel. Hibbert talks to her readers with maturity and compassion, never talking down to them or making them feel less-than. "What is normal? What is fine?"
I also liked the side characters and hope we get to see some books about them, too!

While I really enjoyed this book, it's not my favorite from Talia Hibbert. I think it's because it is a young adult novel, and I have a hard time relating to what 'the youths' go through that now that I am ancient. I can't imagine being a high schooler in the age of Facebook/Instagram/TikTok. Still, there's enough good here that I was able to look past that and really enjoy this read. I found it unputdownable.

Thank you to NetGalley, Talia Hibbert, Random House Children's, and Joy Revolution for providing me with an ARC copy of this book! All opinions are my own, and I was not compensated for my review.

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!
This was cute! Brad and Celine's arc through all the ups and downs in their relationship as friends, enemies, rivals, etc. was fun and entertaining. The portrayal of Brad's OCD was respectful and realistic while not making the story revolve around it completely-as was Celine's anxiety. While I cringed at some of the decisions both of the main characters made, the plot flowed well and wasn't bogged down. Outside of Brad and Celine, the side characters were not very well fleshed out. The focus was clearly on Brad and Celine and that did some of the more interesting characters a disservice.
Overall, a nice and light read, if not an especially great one. 3/5.

Talia Hibbert has been on my radar for a while and I have been excited to read her for a while. So, when I had the chance to read an early copy of Highly Suspicious and Unfairly Cute I was very excited. This is a young adult romance that was sweet and charming. Bradley and Celine were once friends, until they weren’t. Now they are sworn enemies, right?

Bradly was a sweetheart. He is popular, a football player and adorably charming. Celine is quirky and unapologetically herself. They have no time for the other, until one day Brad finds himself helping her unwittingly. Celine has a plan for her future and is determined to do what it takes to get there. Brad is struggling with what he wants for his future and what he thinks is expected of him. When they find themselves vying for the same scholarships and needing to work together, can they do it? I enjoyed reading about the struggles each are facing and choices they need to make as they get to know each other again and find that they may not really hate each other. I truly enjoyed reading this story and am very excited to read more from this author in the future.

Happy reading!

In Talia Hibbert's first foray into Young Adult we follow Celine and Brad two teenagers who used to be best friends when they were younger but are now heated enemies on opposite ends of an academic rivalry. When Celine decides to sign up for a survival course in the woods that is offering an academic scholarship for uni to whoever wins, Brad decides to join her in the competition. This adorable YA rom-com follows the two as they traverse the woods, high school, their fears about the future, and their relationship with each other. Filled with witty banter and lively characters this book about old friends turned enemies is positive to make every reader fall head over heels for Brad and Celine.

Talia Hibbert honestly never misses. I'm going to be completely honest, I was slightly hesitant about this one because sometimes authors don't always navigate the transition from YA to Adult or Adult to YA that smoothly and I desperately didn't want to lose pride in one of my all time favorite romance authors. But Talia Hibbert slid into YA as smooth as a seal with absolutely zero faults. This book was absolutely perfect, it had all of her usually sparkle just adapted for a younger audience. Give me everything she writes and I will eat. it. up. I loved Celine and Brad as protagonists. I adored being inside both of their weird and beautifully interesting minds and I loved watching them figure out their futures and their priorities together. I loved reading about Brad's struggle with OCD especially since the author explained that most of his intrusive thoughts about OCD came from her personal experience. I loved watching Celine understand the innerworkings of her relationship with her dad and how that brought her closer to her sister and her mom. I also loved all their friends from high school and from the wilderness course who were rooting for Celine and Brad the entire time.

If you are looking for a sweet YA rom-com to pick up, please put this at the top of your list. I can assure you, you will not be disappointed!

This book was literally everything I wanted it to be and so much more! I am so excited to start off 2023 with such a strong five star read, it seems to be paving the way for some excited things to come. Truly though, after reading of the Brown Sisters books I’m of the opinion that Talia Hibbert can do no wrong, and this book has just solidified her genius to me.

Her characters are all incredibly smart, witty, and self aware in a way I typically don’t see in contemporaries (especially YA ones). Brad and Celine and very emotionally intelligent and they have some tough conversations with each other but they are brave enough to be vulnerable with each other and I loved every moment of it.

This is truly an enemies to lovers story and it was incredibly well written. Going from friends to enemies to friends to lovers was such a delightful whirlwind. I could literally gush nonstop about this book because I truly enjoyed it with every fiber of my being.

Not only was the story well written and had excellent pacing; but the characters were also diverse. Celine has trust issues due to her fathers abandonment and has trouble letting people in. Brad has diagnosed OCD that he works hard to keep from impacting him negatively. There is so much good stuff in this book and I’m truly impressed with it as a whole.

If you're looking for a YA that absolutely nails a particular tone and mood - buoyant and funny and character-driven, but with a sharp canny edge that keeps you from floating away on a sea of fluff - <i>Highly Suspicious and Unfairly Cute</i> is without a doubt worth picking up. I actually went back and forth a bit on the star rating, and on whether I should just stop giving things star ratings at all: while this book may never enter the pantheon of my personal favorites, not being angsty or grown-up enough (by design), it absolutely, resoundingly NAILS so many things that I think YA writing can and should be. And in that sense this book is not just enjoyable, but also smart and accomplished and extremely important. So, 5 stars it is.

Part of what delighted me in reading this book, as a long-time Talia Hibbert reader and fan, was watching how she so deftly adapted her tone and writing talents to a different type of story. It still felt like a Talia Hibbert book (emotional, readable, fundamentally kind, very British, extraordinarily funny), but it also clearly had a different mission and approach than her other work. This absolutely was not a case of an author just filing off their edges for a different demographic, or slapping numerically-younger ages on their protagonists. Rather, HSaUC struck me as a fundamental reconceptualizing of how an author's strengths can work across sub-genres and categories, and for that alone I think it might be worth reading if you're already a fan of Talia's adult romance work.

It's also worth reading for how delightful Bradley and Celine are. The two of them start off the book as academic rivals and enemies. Enemies in a way that is simultaneously really funny - hyperbolically, teenagedly funny - and clearly related to some very serious wounds and insecurities that they both carry, and which the book treats with respect and consideration. We get bits, in flashbacks and conversation, of how they started off as great friends, drifted apart, and came to both hate and obviously still love each other. This love-to-hate-you energy comes to a head as they both join an outdoor adventuring program. The program is led by Celine's idol and role model, and offers a scholarship opportunity that both Brad and Celine want, albeit for different reasons. The plot of the book takes us from the start of the program to its finish, interspersing their time in the woods with lots of scenes of them at school, with their families and friends, and interacting with each other.

Celine is a delightfully prickly teenager, whip-smart and very guarded. Watching her learn to open up - learn that it's ok to have "feelings about people" - made my heart grow several sizes. And Brad is an absolute sweetheart: both his struggles with OCD and his insecurity over his dream to become a writer are treated with such sensitivity. I loved how the author showed him presenting one face to the world (cocky and confident, but never cruel) and another to the reader (vulnerable, unsure, striving) yet he always felt like a coherent character to me. I think there's also some very valuable rep here in having a bisexual MMC in a YA romance- the way that feels unabashedly integral to who Brad is and how he moves through the world is really great.

Gushing aside, there were a couple things that didn't work for me. Most significantly, the book ran into pacing issues in the middle. I scarfed down the beginning in a whirlwind of charm and glee at meeting these characters and their unique senses of humor, and I finished in a greedy gulp, wanting to see them both together and happy. But in the middle there, I got lost in a meander long enough that I put the book down for a couple weeks and didn't feel too much urgency to go back to it (I'm so glad I did though).

I think part of the issue was that I was never really sure what the "outdoor experience" element was contributing to the plot? I expected it to bring higher stakes: problems to solve, forced proximity, humorous situations.... but it never really did. The whole thing felt a bit manufactured - and honestly the way they were "graded" on their performance in the outdoors made me a bit uncomfy, though that's probably an accurate reflection of how a corporate empire would run an outdoors empowerment scholarship program. That element took up a big chunk of the middle of the book, and probably contributed to my brief loss of engagement.

Still, this book is so, so worth it. I scrolled through my Kindle highlights in preparation for writing this review, and was amazed all over again at how sharp and fresh the writing is, and how much I already miss Brad and Celine. This book makes such a great addition to Talia Hibbert's backlist, and to YA romance as a genre. A real gem.

Bradely and Celine used to be friends, then he got popular and she..didn't. Enemies in highschool, they end up in a situation in which Bradely feels guilty and offers Celine a ride to an informative scholarship meeting. Both Bradely and Celine apply and get accepted to compete for a scholarship by camping out in the woods of Scotland and proving their leadership abilties. The two begin to support eachother through struggles that they are having, Bradely has OCD and wants to be a writer and not a lawyer like his parents want, and Celine has trust issues from her father leaving, and they end up being friends, maybe more.

This was a YA romance that was actually a romance. A lot of YA romances are more contemporary coming of age stories with a romantic side plot. This actually centeralized around the romance, the characters spent lots of time together and both felt like fully flushed out characters. I would have loved reading this in highschool, and I still really enjoyed my time as an adult reading this.

Tropes: LBGTQIA+ rep; Mental Health Rep (OCD); Afraid to commit; coming of age; enemies to lovers; highschool; camping

Thank you Netgalley for the advanced reading copy! This book was indeed “unfairly cute” as the title suggests, and I really enjoyed Talia Hibbert’s first Young Adult (YA) book. Celine and Bradley were best friends, then hated each other, and through a British youth scholarship program became friends and then more. I thought this book was super charming in a lot of ways. I really really love Hibbert’s writing, I think she’s one of the best contemporary writers out there, even beyond romance, and Hibbert really is great at writing romance. I thought the chemistry and charm between these two characters was great, with just the perfect amount of angst for a YA. Hibbert writes dialogue (inner and outer) like no one else, and she’s very funny and has perfect pacing. I loved the main characters Celine and Bradley, and thought the OCD representation was well done and enjoyed the family dynamics and side characters. My only argument with this book was that I am used to Hibbert’s adult romances (full disclosure, her adult romances are all my favorites of all time). I personally just do not connect as much to people under the age of 25, but I am an old, so I think that this book is an overall great addition to the genre of YA. I recommend this book for fans of romantic comedy, YA, OWN Voices (OCD representation), and Talia Hibbert.

This is my first book by Talia Hibbert and now I am planning to read her backlist. Highly Suspicious and Unfairly Cute was such a fast and joyful read to close out my 2022. It is an "enemies" to lovers story between ex-childhood best friends Celine and Bradley told in duel POVs.

I'm not a big romance reader because I dislike lack of communication as a plot device. This book was refreshing in the way Celine and Bradley resolve their differences and work things out throughout the story instead of leaving it for the last chapter pages. I also loved the survive the wilderness vibes as they compete with eighteen others for three academic scholarships that would help pay for university.

Definitely will be displaying and recommending this book.

Thank you Netgalley for an e-arc of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Talia Hibbert has done it again! I don't know how, and I won't even begin to question why, but gosh does she know how to write a romance!

I love that this book highlighted humor and feel-good funnies, while also allowing the characters to discover who they are. I found myself interested in the supporting characters as much as the main characters in this story (no surprise because that's just how good Talia Hibbert's writing is).

I'm so excited to listen to this audiobook and get the same feet-kicking, heart-fluttering, aww-melting moments!

Let me start of by saying that this truly was "unfairly cute." I loved getting to know Celine and Brad, and their quick-witted banter and funny quirks made the story that much better. Additionally, I greatly appreciated Talia's approach to writing a character struggling with OCD. This illness manifests itself in many different ways, and it was neat to see how Brad dealt with triggering situations.

This is somehow both an enemies-to-lovers and friends-to-lovers novel, and I'm so here for it! A huge thank you to @netgalley and the publisher for a free early copy of this book.

Happy Pub Day to Highly Suspicious and Unfairly Cute! Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced copy of this book! I loved the Brown Sisters trilogy, so when I saw that Talia Hibbert was releasing a YA novel, I knew I had to jump on it.

HS&UC was an absolute joy. I loved the diverse cast of characters, body positivity, neurodivergence representation, and the care and respect that was given to all of those topics, and more! Bradley & Celine had the funniest banter and just the right amount of teenage angst that was relatable without feeling over the top. This rivals-to-romance YA romcom had me laughing, swooning, tearing up, and flying through the pages. I highly recommend this book if you like romcoms, even if YA isn't your thing!

Rating: 4.5/5

📖Book: Highly Suspicious and Unfairly Cute
⭐️Rating: 4/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
✍🏼Author: Talia Hibbert
📚Genre: Teen & YA | Romance
🗏 Pages: 320
💕Tropes: Friends to Enemies to Lovers, Childhood Friends, Close Proximity, Miscommunication
⚠️Warnings: Parental Abandonment, OCD
🔖Readability: 4/5 italic font is used
🥇First Line: "Its the first day of school, and I'm already being forced to socialize"

Things to expect:
✨Duel POV
❤️OCD Representation
💞Plus-Size Representation
💛Grump x Sunshine
😂 Laugh Out Loud

If I'm suggesting a YA, that means RUN. This was laugh-out-loud adorable and just had me smiling the entire time. Two high schooler seniors who used to be friends find themselves signing up for the same woods survival adventure. They will have to work together to make it out, and maybe something more will happen. This was the cozy warm romcom I needed this winter, and I immensely enjoyed it. I can't wait for what Chole Brown has in store next.

Thanks to TBR & Beyond Tours & Penguin Random House for the advance reader copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.