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

4.0

 

⭐⭐⭐⭐

TROPES

👽 Childhood Friends to Enemies to Lovers

👽 Forced Proximity

👽 Dual POV

I read this book as part of #TheDiverseBaseline and because I keep meaning to read a Talia Hibbert book. I have heard nothing but good things, but I just kept getting distracted by other books like the mood reader I am. 

The characterization, especially for a YA book, is amazing. I feel like I both understood and felt Celine and Bradley’s journey and all the growth it took to end up where they did. And they had flaws and interests that made them interesting. I love that Celine runs a TikTok about conspiracy theories. Brad’s entire personality is so fun to follow. He’s definitely the sunshine of the two.

And, both Celine and Brad grow in a realistic way. Everything they experience in the year before college makes sense and is something any teen would endure. They both have their unique circumstances that add to it, but they are relatable issues that help the story stand out in the genre.

I cannot praise the pacing enough. We didn’t spend a ton of time bogged down by applications to programs or little things. We move through nearly an entire school year at what feels like a moderate stride, hitting all the key points while not lingering longer than necessary.