Reviews with content warning for Infidelity - Highly Suspicious and Unfairly Cute

This was a really cute read. I knew that it was YA and so the tone is certainly a little young, but it is still applicable for young adults. The struggle of identifying what you really want and finding the courage to go for it is something that so many people can relate too, whether you are trying to figure out where to start like Bradley and Celine are in this book, or if you are considering whether to start over. The struggle against parents was interesting as well. <SPOILER> For Bradley, it was about finding your own path even though you are afraid your parents may not be proud of you going your own way. For Celine, it was about living her own life and not worrying about her deadbeat dad. As someone who also had a complicated relationship with their father and went through similar experiences, I really relate to Celine's struggle to against proving other people wrong and just living your own life. The weakest part of the plot to me was the actual expedition. It was paced strangely and it took some of the air out of the tension. And then the resolution of Celine and Bradley's rivalry happens really quickly as well, so the tension felt like it dissipated early on in the book and then the second half just kind of passed. <END SPOILER> The plot is fun and the characters are cute; you won't regret spending a few hours on this book :)

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funny inspiring lighthearted fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

“Even if neither of us ever did anything interesting in our entire lives, it wouldn’t matter. You don’t need to be special or significant to have value. You’re just important, always, and people either see that or they don’t. They either love you, or they don’t.”

Highly Suspicious and Unfairly Cute is a love story between once friends, now enemies, Celine and Brad. They both enter a survival contest for a chance to win a scholarship and are forced to work together. Along the way they learn more about themselves and the dreams of the future they were so set on, but they also rehash the past, discovering why they really stopped being friends in the first place.

I absolutely loved this book. It was so funny and the characters had so much personality. I loved Celine and almost related to her a little too much. I loved Brad and all his quirks. I loved getting to see these two learn to trust each other again, especially Celine as she dealt with more personal issues and learned to open up. I especially loved seeing how they supported each other and their dreams. They helped each other realize their potential and encouraged each other to go after what they truly wanted. Overall, I adored this. It was so cute and very meaningful.

Thank you to NetGalley and Joy Revolution for an ARC of this book!

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adventurous emotional funny hopeful inspiring reflective medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

“Me and Celine, we’ve been best friends. We’ve been enemies. We’ve even been a secret. But right now? Right now, we’re everything. Anything. Whatever we want.”

Seventeen-year-old Celina Bangura spends her days creating TikToks about conspiracy theories for her 32,000 followers, acing her classes, and definitely not thinking about her ex-best friend, Bradley Graeme. Ever since their falling out several years ago, Celine and Brad have been enemies, exchanging insults and rivaling each other at academics. But when they both sign up for a leadership survival course, they’re forced to spend quite a bit of time together as they compete for a uni scholarship. While trekking through the woods, Celine and Brad also find themselves plodding through their past—both the messy and the good bits. So when sparks start to fly, can they let themselves trust each other? Or will things between them always be highly suspicious (and unfairly cute)?

HIGHLY SUSPICIOUS AND UNFAIRLY CUTE is exactly what you’d expect from a Talia Hibbert young adult novel: cute, sweet, hilarious, and deeply emotional. To say I enjoyed it would be a severe understatement. From the glossary to the acknowledgements, Hibbert dives straight into humour and heart. Celine and Brad are fantastic protagonists, both working through their own obstacles and so realistic. I also loved the cast of side characters, from Brad’s football mates to Celine’s quirky BFF to the friends they make in the woods. As a hardcore Brown Sisters fan, I can tell you with absolute certainty that Talia Hibbert is phenomenal in both adult and YA. Do yourself a favor and read HIGHLY SUSPICIOUS AND UNFAIRLY CUTE right away! You can thank me later ;)

(Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review. Any quotes are taken from an advanced copy and may be subject to change upon final publication.)

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