2.5

I enjoyed this but nowhere near as much as this authors previous serious about Chloe brown and her sisters. I didn’t warm to the characters and found that the plot line lacked alot of what the previous books offered. An enjoyable read but very forgetful.

I received an Advance Reader Copy from the publisher, via NetGalley. This in no way impacted on my view.

Discovering that she can apply for a place on a prestigious survival course, run by her idol, overachiever Celine Bangura jumps at the chance to do it, and is in shock when she discovers that she got a place. However, that's nothing like her shock when her ex-best friend, Bradley Graeme turns up, and she has to show that she is apply to work with someone who broke her heart and dropped her when he became more popular. Bradley may be a genius, and a star football player, but his popularity has no appeal, and he has always regretted losing Celine's friendship, or the rivalry that has formed since. Forced into the countryside with only a handful of others to act as buffers, they need to work through their differences, and also fight the romantic feelings which are about to ruin all their best laid plans.

I've not read any of Talia's books, though I've seen them all over GR and Twitter. When this one appeared, and the synopsis sounded really interesting, I decided to give it a go, and had mixed feelings. On the one hand, it had great representation, and Celine and Bradley's quirks were interesting, but on the other, it didn't grip my attention as much as I would like. I liked how "British" the book was, as a lot of the hyped YA books at the minute are American, so this was refreshing, definitely. Celine and Bradley were okay main characters, but I didn't love either of them. I really liked the way they worked through their differences, and though they had been hurtful to each other in the past - both were at fault - they eventually apologised and hashed it all out. Their chemistry was definitely passionate, and all of their new friends on the course could clearly see that they had feelings for each other, but it took them a long time to get there. I think I might try the author's adult books in the future, and see if they grab my attention more.

Usually a big fan of this author but this book was not the one. I'm not sure how it was so different from the Brown sisters but it think I actively disliked this book.

This was fun and engaging. I thought I'd prefer to have more of the setting in the expeditions and see more of that but it actually worked for me the way it was.

I have heard nothing but great things about Talia Hibbert's romances, and this YA debut of hers sounded so sweet - I'm so glad I gave it a go! I had no idea that she was British, but the whole time I was reading Highly Suspicious and Unfairly Cute I was honestly shocked at how accurately British it felt, and how appropriately aged the characters behaved and spoke. While the plot itself didn't have me as entertained as some other romances I've read recently, the fact that I didn't get annoyed at the characters either being too immature, or inappropriately aged up in their behaviours, made me really enjoy this. I liked that Bradley and Celine had that foundation of previously being best friends, as I found it made their budding relationship more realistic and believable, and how their families really shaped them and helped them grow up. This was very cute, and now I want to read some of her adult romances as I think they would appeal to me even more!

"You're the bane of
my existence. Did you know that?"
She grins. "I hoped."

Very cute and fluffy as the covers promised, but something was lacking. The first 100 - loved it, really good, the academic rivals had perfect tension, but later it couldn't hold my attention for long and the last 100 pages was just trying to finish. Despite it being really short, only 300 pages, it felt longer. But still it's cute and nice.

Thank you Netgalley for providing digital advanced copy in exchange for honest review.

I unfortunately didn’t love this one. I was so excited about it as I’ve really enjoyed a few of the authors other books and I thought this story/tropes sounded just so fun but it just didn’t work out for me. I couldn’t warm up to the 2 main characters at all, I found the story was really slow and just wasn’t keeping me at all!

Oh I AM OBSESSED - I LOVE TALIA HIBBERT AND HER WRITING AND HOW SHE CREATES SUCH WONDERFUL, YET FLAWED, CHARACTERS AND I LOVE IT

Celine and Bradley used to be friends. but these days, there's nothing between them other than petty insults and academic rivalry. So when Celine signs up for a survival course in the woods, she's surprised to find Brad right beside her.

This is Talia Hibbert's first stab at YA - and for me it missed the mark a little... It was too... wordy?

The characters seemed to be caricatures rather than people and you could tell the dialogues were made to sound like a movie, but they were just awkward for me.

I’ve read many of Talia’s adult romances, but it’s not often I read YA contemporary romance anymore. Since it’s Talia Hibbert though, this was always going to be a book I knew I’d enjoy! I love her writing style and the representation in her books.

This was adorable and I loved the dynamic between the two main characters from the very beginning. I did fine Celine toxic at some parts, but honestly I think that was the intention and it made her growth so much more interesting!

3.5 stars

"Highly suspicious and unfairly cute" by Talia Hibbert presents us with the story of Bradley Graeme and Celine Bangura, former best friends turned rivals. Bradley is the epitome of perfection, excelling in academics and sports while managing his OCD. Celine, on the other hand, is an eccentric conspiracy theorist with a social media following but lacking popularity. When circumstances force them to team up for a survival course, they must confront their complicated past and rediscover their connection. However, despite its promising premise, the execution falls short in delivering a satisfying experience.

The book offers an engaging writing style and moments of adorable banter that Talia Hibbert fans will appreciate. The characters display their humorous sides, creating some enjoyable moments throughout the story. However, while the title promises a highly suspicious and cute journey, it didn't fully deliver on those fronts.

One aspect that stood out was the representation of characters with OCD and bisexuality. Hibbert incorporates these elements into the narrative with sensitivity and care, shedding light on important themes. The inclusion of such diverse representation is commendable and adds depth to the characters.

Unfortunately, the story fails to fully explore the potential of the friends-to-enemies-to-lovers dynamic. The transition from friendship to rivalry lacked sufficient depth, leaving me feeling disconnected from the characters' emotional journey. The romantic connection between Bradley and Celine also fell short of expectations, feeling more like a friendship than a passionate love affair. The chemistry between them could have been developed further to evoke a stronger emotional impact.

Additionally, the pacing of the story felt inconsistent at times, with certain parts feeling rushed and others dragging on. This unevenness hindered the overall reading experience and prevented a smooth flow.

While the book does contain elements of suspense and intrigue, it didn't fully deliver on the promise of a highly suspicious storyline. The plot lacked the necessary twists and turns to keep me on the edge of my seat. Instead, it leaned more towards cuteness and lightheartedness, which may appeal to some readers but left me wanting more depth and complexity.

In conclusion, "Highly suspicious and unfairly cute" by Talia Hibbert offers glimpses of enjoyable banter and representation but falls short of fully realizing its potential. The exploration of the friends-to-enemies-to-lovers dynamic could have been more nuanced, and the romantic connection lacked the intensity and depth needed to truly captivate. The inconsistent pacing and the discrepancy between the promised suspense and the delivered cuteness prevented the story from reaching its full potential. While there are still elements to appreciate, this book did not leave a lasting impression or become a standout in the genre.

This was a cute but somewhat forgetable read. Talia Hibbert always brings great characterisation and this swing to YA was no exception. What didn't bite for me was the dramatics from the FMC in particular. I really warmed to the MMC and his OCD experiences were great to see represented.

I definitely prefer her books in the adult genre but no doubting the cute here.

This was such an interesting read! I found myself so engrossed in the story, the characters had such incredible arcs, and I can't wait to follow this author's journey!

BRADLEY GRAEME is pretty much perfect: he's a star football player, manages his OCD well (enough) and comes out on top in all his classes . . . except the ones he shares with his ex-best friend, Celine.

CELINE BANGURA is conspiracy-theory-obsessed. Social media followers eat up her takes on everything from UFOs to holiday overconsumption - yet, she's still not cool enough for the popular kids' table. Which is why Brad abandoned her for the in-crowd years ago. (At least, that's how Celine sees it.)

These days, there's nothing between them other than petty insults and academic rivalry. So when Celine signs up for a survival course in the woods, she's surprised to find Brad right beside her.….

Thanks to a great author we have warmth, wisdom and emotional intelligence, this book was a huge pleasure to read!

Highly Suspicious and Unfairly Cute is such a cute book. It’s an enemies to lovers trope, which is one of my favorites, with the added twist of them having been childhood best friends before they became enemies. The ending is exactly how I wanted it to be, but the path to getting there was pretty convoluted and steeped in a common worry that the other just doesn’t feel the same way. I recommend this book to teens and up who enjoy a sweet, clean romance.

I haven’t read any Talia Hibbert before (and before I started this book I didn’t realise it YA) but I will absolutely be reading more.

Highly Suspicious and Unfairly Cute is adorable. Romantic and funny with real depth. I loved how emotionally intelligent the main characters were (even when they didn’t think they were) and I also loved their friends, parents and siblings.

Also features teen slang that didn’t make me cringe (I’m far from being a teen myself, but even I can tell when authors get it very wrong). I don’t know if Talia Hibbert plans to write more YA, but I hope so.

3.5 stars
As a fan of Talia Hibbert's adult books, I was interested to see what a YA story written by her would be like but sadly it didn't live up to my expectations.
I'm normally a huge fan of the sexual tension that is created in Talia's books and even though I didn't expect quite the same level in a YA book, there wasn't really enough tension for me at all.
Quite a lot of their rivalry and the school year/competition is missed out, which would have added to their story and given us more depth about why they now appear to be rivals. That would have created good tension but it's just not explored.
They essentially become friends again almost overnight, which completely eradicates the enemies to lovers storyline (ie. one of my favourites from the genre).
I did like the OCD representation and how quick and easy this was to read but it just fell a little flat for me.
Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

The first foray into YA was rather different to Hibbert’s usual style. In this story we focus on Bradley and Celine, who have a rather tempestuous relationship. They used to be best friends, but now can’t be in the same room without sniping at one another. We don’t know why, but over the course of the book we get insight into what happened…and realise that things aren’t quite as they’d like us to believe.
One of the key focal points of the book is both are accepted onto an exclusive program that offers the chance to win a full scholarship. They have to complete two outdoor camps, with challenges, and their leadership qualities are reviewed. I expected these to form more of a feature in the book than they did.
Celine was a straight talking character, who showed confidence in herself even when she’s not fitting in with those around her. Brad has OCD so the being outdoors is a challenge. Though they’re both pushing themselves to their limits, the crux of the book is these two have to spend time together and realise they do want to be more than friends. There was a warmth between them, but much of the problem stemmed from their inability to be honest with themselves or talk to each other/family.
This was fun, and will definitely have its fans. It fell rather flat in places for me, which is a shame as I’ve loved the other Hibbert books I’ve read. Thanks to NetGalley for giving me the chance to read and review this.

I absolutely love Hibberts adult romances so was really excited to read this! I did enjoy it and I love Ya. If I think in general I didn’t gel with it as well as I do her adult novels. Still recommend it it was a cute romance!

I really enjoyed this one, Talia is such a fantastic author! Adored the characters and the cutesy storyline.