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

I love Talia Hibbert’s writing and I loved this book!! It did have more of the miscommunication trope than I usually prefer but since they’re 17 I’m giving Brad and Celine a pass especially bc they for the most part actually communicate fairly effectively given their ages etc
Anyways I absolutely loved this, loved the characters and I’ve been in a book slump for like over a month and I think this might’ve just gotten me out of it :)

Content Warnings

toffishay's review against another edition

Go to review page

funny lighthearted fast-paced

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

3.75

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 :)

Content Warnings

caseythereader's review against another edition

Go to review page

emotional funny lighthearted fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.5

Thanks to Joy Revolution Books for the free advance copy of this book.

- HIGHLY SUSPICIOUS AND UNFAIRLY CUTE is Talia Hibbert's YA debut, and what a joy it is. Hibbert's adult romance novels have the best banter, and this book is basically solid gleeful banter all the way through.
- Celine fits right in to the Hibbert pantheon of smart, headstrong women. I loved how driven she was, even when pointed in the wrong direction, and seeing Brad gently help her reassess was so lovely.
- I loved that Brad had OCD, and that instead of this being a discovery and diagnosis story, he already had a fair handle on it and was shown on the page using his techniques to combat intrusive thoughts.

Content Warnings

More...