A review by bookobsessedmommy
Highly Suspicious and Unfairly Cute by Talia Hibbert

emotional funny hopeful lighthearted relaxing 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? Yes

4.75

I binged this in one sitting. Very easy to read and I just couldn't put it down. Celine and Brad are friends turned enemies thrown back together only to realize they like each other even more than they used to. Their teenage logic combined with the difficulties they've faced with loss and isolation feel very relatable, and my heart broke and leaped in turn as I followed their story. While there is queer representation in the story, it almost feels like an afterthought. Celine's best friend is gay, though she is barely involved in the story, and Brad is bi. I thought this would be more integral to the plot (past relationships, love triangle, etc.), but it seemed incidental instead of intentional. There are a few times in the book where Brad's banter takes on a "gay best friend" tone (think 00's rom-com), and I wonder if his bisexuality was to prevent the necessity for a re-write. Throw in a former male crush who happens to be a complete jerk (particularly toward Celine) and voila: bisexual main character. Other than the side characters basically being caricatures (including the siblings and parents, though they do get a bit more depth towards the ends), I really enjoyed this book and can absolutely see myself re-reading it at some point.