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Highly Suspicious and Unfairly Cute
Goodreads Choice Award
Nominee for Readers' Favorite Young Adult Fiction (2023)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.
Forced to work as a team for the chance to win a grand prize, these two teens must trudge through not just mud and dirt but their messy past. And as this adventure brings them closer together, they begin to remember the good bits of their history. But has too much time passed . . . or just enough to spark a whole new kind of relationship?
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.
Forced to work as a team for the chance to win a grand prize, these two teens must trudge through not just mud and dirt but their messy past. And as this adventure brings them closer together, they begin to remember the good bits of their history. But has too much time passed . . . or just enough to spark a whole new kind of relationship?
336 pages, ebook
First published January 3, 2023
1536 people are currently reading
76725 people want to read
About the author
Talia Hibbert
28 books34.3k followersTalia Hibbert is a New York Times, USA Today, and internationally bestselling author whose books are available in 15 languages.
Best known for her Brown Sisters series, Talia writes spicy, inclusive romance novels starring complicated characters who make readers feel seen. Talia's debut romantasy will hit shelves in Summer 2026.
A typically cantankerous Brit, Talia's hobbies include chugging cups of tea, eating too many biscuits, and complaining bitterly about the weather.
Best known for her Brown Sisters series, Talia writes spicy, inclusive romance novels starring complicated characters who make readers feel seen. Talia's debut romantasy will hit shelves in Summer 2026.
A typically cantankerous Brit, Talia's hobbies include chugging cups of tea, eating too many biscuits, and complaining bitterly about the weather.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 8,079 reviews
February 5, 2023
“You’re the bane of my existence. Did you know that?”
she grins. “I hoped.”
AHHHHHH the fucking banter in this book was like no other. they were at each others throats even after they got together. and the title is exactly what this book is, “Highly Suspicious and Unfairly Cute.”
“Are you flirting with me?”
“You never asked me to stop.” 😭💓lord
i’m in a puddle. Brad and Celine’s chemistry is tangible. their souls are cosmically intertwined and they’re destined to be together in any lifetime. reading this book wasn’t enough. i wanna forge it into my body💗
she grins. “I hoped.”
AHHHHHH the fucking banter in this book was like no other. they were at each others throats even after they got together. and the title is exactly what this book is, “Highly Suspicious and Unfairly Cute.”
“Are you flirting with me?”
“You never asked me to stop.” 😭💓lord
i’m in a puddle. Brad and Celine’s chemistry is tangible. their souls are cosmically intertwined and they’re destined to be together in any lifetime. reading this book wasn’t enough. i wanna forge it into my body💗
January 4, 2023
This was, quite frankly, fuckin’ precious. Bloody lovely. It had me cheesin’ hard! Laughing out loud and deeply in my feelings.
Right out the bag, I need to highlight the writing. I’ve always loved the way Talia Hibbert writes but for some reason, it shined even more in this book. It was so playful, creative, inventive and just pure fuckin’ fun!
I adored our characters because of this and the overall story.
And speaking of adorable characters, I related to them though I’m in my 30s. I loved Celine so much! Her grumpiness and her individuality and her avoidant nature was a delight to read about. And it rather hit home. And Brad?? 🥹 he’s a fuckin’ puppy! 😭
Talia Hibbert really reminded me why I used to love this genre so much. YA contemporaries have a way of really delving into the depth of their characters and everything that they go through. They’re emotional, they hit deep, there’s a particular focus on mental health and dysfunctional family dynamics, friendships, and coming into your own. They remind you of your teenage years and at times, the childlike wonder we so often miss out on as we get older.
I loved that this included a supportive family dynamic and the light she shined on what it means to live with OCD. The mental health representation was deeply appreciated.
I’m demanding Talia writes more YA romances, because she struck gold with this one!
Right out the bag, I need to highlight the writing. I’ve always loved the way Talia Hibbert writes but for some reason, it shined even more in this book. It was so playful, creative, inventive and just pure fuckin’ fun!
I adored our characters because of this and the overall story.
And speaking of adorable characters, I related to them though I’m in my 30s. I loved Celine so much! Her grumpiness and her individuality and her avoidant nature was a delight to read about. And it rather hit home. And Brad?? 🥹 he’s a fuckin’ puppy! 😭
Talia Hibbert really reminded me why I used to love this genre so much. YA contemporaries have a way of really delving into the depth of their characters and everything that they go through. They’re emotional, they hit deep, there’s a particular focus on mental health and dysfunctional family dynamics, friendships, and coming into your own. They remind you of your teenage years and at times, the childlike wonder we so often miss out on as we get older.
I loved that this included a supportive family dynamic and the light she shined on what it means to live with OCD. The mental health representation was deeply appreciated.
I’m demanding Talia writes more YA romances, because she struck gold with this one!
March 16, 2023
this one took me a second to get into, not sure if it's just been a while since i've read a talia hibbert book but if the sense of humor/language was slowing me down. that being said, this was really charming. i especially adored bradley! his relationship with his best friend is precious and the OCD rep is awesome. also was cool seeing 2 high schoolers figure out what they want to do with their lives for THEMSELVES rather than the people around them :)
July 2, 2023
talia hibbert is truly a genius and Brad Graeme might be my favorite character of the year
This book was a genuine delight from start to finish. I could not stop giggling and smiling down at my kindle as I got to know our two protagonists, Brad and Celine. For a short synopsis, this YA romcom is about two former best friends who drifted into different social circles at the start of their high school career and now are full blown academic rivals who "hate" each other. As academic rivals do, they both enter a wilderness survival competition which could land them an amazing scholarship opportunity. Through this competition they reconnect, sparks fly and yadda yadda ya typical romance stuff.
Where this book excels is the character work and the incredibly witty dialogue. As previously mentioned Brad Graeme may be one of my favorite fictional boys of the year. He's a bisexual, athlete with OCD and big dreams of being a writer some day. Quite genuinely his inner monologue is the funniest thing I have ever read, he's entirely overdramatic and ridiculous while simultaneously being incredibly sweet, earnest and deeply emotionally intelligent. This isn't to say that Celine is less funny, or adorable because she is absolutely all of those things! She's the grumpy to Brad's sunshine, in the best possible way. I loved her emotional journey to figure out who she truly is and what she truly wants rather than allowing herself to be defined by the abandonment she experienced as a child. Something that Talia always does exceptionally well in my opinion is establishing her characters fears and flaws in a way that lays the groundwork for the emotional conflicts that tend to arise in the latter half of most romance books, and so her stories have an emotional depth and sense of clarity to them that I think many romances lack when it comes to the typical third act break up structure most traditional publishers tend to favor.
Anyways I'm a bit off track but Celine and Brad complimented one another in the most beautiful way, and I feel that the friendship aspect of their friends-to enemies-to lovers tale was done with exceptional deftness. The love that bloomed between them was truly heartwarming to read about and I absolutely recommend it.
This book was a genuine delight from start to finish. I could not stop giggling and smiling down at my kindle as I got to know our two protagonists, Brad and Celine. For a short synopsis, this YA romcom is about two former best friends who drifted into different social circles at the start of their high school career and now are full blown academic rivals who "hate" each other. As academic rivals do, they both enter a wilderness survival competition which could land them an amazing scholarship opportunity. Through this competition they reconnect, sparks fly and yadda yadda ya typical romance stuff.
Where this book excels is the character work and the incredibly witty dialogue. As previously mentioned Brad Graeme may be one of my favorite fictional boys of the year. He's a bisexual, athlete with OCD and big dreams of being a writer some day. Quite genuinely his inner monologue is the funniest thing I have ever read, he's entirely overdramatic and ridiculous while simultaneously being incredibly sweet, earnest and deeply emotionally intelligent. This isn't to say that Celine is less funny, or adorable because she is absolutely all of those things! She's the grumpy to Brad's sunshine, in the best possible way. I loved her emotional journey to figure out who she truly is and what she truly wants rather than allowing herself to be defined by the abandonment she experienced as a child. Something that Talia always does exceptionally well in my opinion is establishing her characters fears and flaws in a way that lays the groundwork for the emotional conflicts that tend to arise in the latter half of most romance books, and so her stories have an emotional depth and sense of clarity to them that I think many romances lack when it comes to the typical third act break up structure most traditional publishers tend to favor.
Anyways I'm a bit off track but Celine and Brad complimented one another in the most beautiful way, and I feel that the friendship aspect of their friends-to enemies-to lovers tale was done with exceptional deftness. The love that bloomed between them was truly heartwarming to read about and I absolutely recommend it.
January 25, 2023
all i ever want to be.
this is not the same magic / charm / perfectness/ joy / banter / love / perfection as talia hibbert normally is...and i don't love this as YA either.
it just all felt a little flat for me - there wasn't enough of anything i wanted! and i love to complain but there were like 99 things that would have satisfied the "things i am looking for" box here.
i was interested in friends to enemies to lovers, and in the romance, and in these two characters and their backstories, and in the other friends in the story, and in their academic rivals thing, but i don't feel like i got much of any of it!
so i don't really know what happened!
but i'm going to blame it on it being YA for no reason. (and before you come for me, I LOVE YA ROMANCES. it's the one exception to my dark and hateful heart.)
bottom line: another win for me being a hater.
(thanks to netgalley for the e-arc)
this is not the same magic / charm / perfectness/ joy / banter / love / perfection as talia hibbert normally is...and i don't love this as YA either.
it just all felt a little flat for me - there wasn't enough of anything i wanted! and i love to complain but there were like 99 things that would have satisfied the "things i am looking for" box here.
i was interested in friends to enemies to lovers, and in the romance, and in these two characters and their backstories, and in the other friends in the story, and in their academic rivals thing, but i don't feel like i got much of any of it!
so i don't really know what happened!
but i'm going to blame it on it being YA for no reason. (and before you come for me, I LOVE YA ROMANCES. it's the one exception to my dark and hateful heart.)
bottom line: another win for me being a hater.
(thanks to netgalley for the e-arc)
January 10, 2023
I'm telling ya'll, Ms. Hibbert does not miss. At this point I don't think that she can. This was absolutely adorable, heartwarming, and charming. Once again, I'm believing that these 2023 reads are going to continue to serve me well! 4.5 Stars
Highly Suspicious and Unfairly Cute follows two main characters Bradley and Celine who were once best friends, but are now essentially enemies. The two can barely stand to be around each other. However, after an accident, Bradley is forced to help Celine around and he inevitability takes her to a seminar where she plans to sign up for a survival course that takes place in the woods. The grand prize is a scholarship which Celine could desperately use. Surprisingly enough, Bradley also becomes intrigued by the prospect of getting a scholarship to uni so he, too, signs up. What ensues is a such a heartfelt, fun, and sometimes emotionally scary journey for the two characters who find that they may have more feelings for each other than they expected.
What Worked: Where do I begin with all of the amazing elements of this book?!? From the plot development to the character development, there are so many pieces and parts of this story that will draw a reader in. There aren't many books that make me laugh out loud, but this book delivered so many random outbursts of laughter. Most of it was drawn from the banter between Celine and Bradley. It was hilarious, cheeky, and fun! I've seen banter like this in adult romances that I've read, but it was exciting and fun to see it in a YA romance. I credit all of this to Hibbert's exceptional writing skills. She never fails to excite me and pull me in with her writing.
While this book did have its funny moments, I think that the character development created space for more complex conversations. Bradley has OCD and readers experience how it impacts his day to day life as well as how he views himself and those around him. I honestly appreciated that Hibbert touched on mental health without it necessarily being a "struggle story." While Bradley does have his moments where things get difficult, I adored the fact that he had a supportive family and friends to help guide him. It's clear that Hibbert handled all aspects of mental health in this book with care and understanding. In my opinion, Bradley is the epitome of a cinnamon roll hero. He was charming and sweet and it was clear from the beginning how deep his feelings ran for Celine. I LOVED seeing things from his POV. It gave me the warmest and fuzziest feelings. Celine was the complete opposite, but my heart melted for her as well. She struggles a lot with feelings of abandonment that stem from her father. In fact, a great portion of this story is also about Celine figuring out and understanding how his absence impacts her on a day to day basis. She's stingy with her love, but rightfully so. It plays a big role in how she perceives her relationship with Bradley. However, seeing how she evolves as a character and grows as a young woman made my heart smile at the end of this book.
The pacing of the plot was great as well. I also get nervous about how I connect to the chemistry between characters in romances, but this was done right. While there were quite a few things going on with each character personally as well as with their families, their relationship still felt organic and real. Hibbert allows readers to learn more about why they stopped being friends in the past. In fact, readers get to watch them work through those problems on page. I loved this. It felt feel. Even their hesitancies about pursuing a relationship felt real. This is one of those romance titles that I can I see myself constantly recommending to teen readers.
Overall, this was a great read. I loved it. The expedition elements, the romance, the character development, the pacing of the plot were all done well. I expect nothing less from Hibbert. If you haven't added this one to your TBR yet, I would highly doing so!
Highly Suspicious and Unfairly Cute follows two main characters Bradley and Celine who were once best friends, but are now essentially enemies. The two can barely stand to be around each other. However, after an accident, Bradley is forced to help Celine around and he inevitability takes her to a seminar where she plans to sign up for a survival course that takes place in the woods. The grand prize is a scholarship which Celine could desperately use. Surprisingly enough, Bradley also becomes intrigued by the prospect of getting a scholarship to uni so he, too, signs up. What ensues is a such a heartfelt, fun, and sometimes emotionally scary journey for the two characters who find that they may have more feelings for each other than they expected.
What Worked: Where do I begin with all of the amazing elements of this book?!? From the plot development to the character development, there are so many pieces and parts of this story that will draw a reader in. There aren't many books that make me laugh out loud, but this book delivered so many random outbursts of laughter. Most of it was drawn from the banter between Celine and Bradley. It was hilarious, cheeky, and fun! I've seen banter like this in adult romances that I've read, but it was exciting and fun to see it in a YA romance. I credit all of this to Hibbert's exceptional writing skills. She never fails to excite me and pull me in with her writing.
While this book did have its funny moments, I think that the character development created space for more complex conversations. Bradley has OCD and readers experience how it impacts his day to day life as well as how he views himself and those around him. I honestly appreciated that Hibbert touched on mental health without it necessarily being a "struggle story." While Bradley does have his moments where things get difficult, I adored the fact that he had a supportive family and friends to help guide him. It's clear that Hibbert handled all aspects of mental health in this book with care and understanding. In my opinion, Bradley is the epitome of a cinnamon roll hero. He was charming and sweet and it was clear from the beginning how deep his feelings ran for Celine. I LOVED seeing things from his POV. It gave me the warmest and fuzziest feelings. Celine was the complete opposite, but my heart melted for her as well. She struggles a lot with feelings of abandonment that stem from her father. In fact, a great portion of this story is also about Celine figuring out and understanding how his absence impacts her on a day to day basis. She's stingy with her love, but rightfully so. It plays a big role in how she perceives her relationship with Bradley. However, seeing how she evolves as a character and grows as a young woman made my heart smile at the end of this book.
The pacing of the plot was great as well. I also get nervous about how I connect to the chemistry between characters in romances, but this was done right. While there were quite a few things going on with each character personally as well as with their families, their relationship still felt organic and real. Hibbert allows readers to learn more about why they stopped being friends in the past. In fact, readers get to watch them work through those problems on page. I loved this. It felt feel. Even their hesitancies about pursuing a relationship felt real. This is one of those romance titles that I can I see myself constantly recommending to teen readers.
Overall, this was a great read. I loved it. The expedition elements, the romance, the character development, the pacing of the plot were all done well. I expect nothing less from Hibbert. If you haven't added this one to your TBR yet, I would highly doing so!
June 20, 2023
this wasn’t bad, it was just a bit too young for me. but they are cuties 💗
February 27, 2023
✨👽 Okay so it turns out that this was, in fact, unfairly cute and I have died.👽✨
Highly Suspicious and Unfairly Cute was one of the cutest YA books I’ve read in such a long time, maybe ever. It’s funfetti birthday cake with extra sprinkles. Hibbert’s humor sparkled and her characters jumped straight off the page, right into my heart. Everything about this book was utterly, unspeakably, unfairly cute.
The plot was set up a bit differently than I expected—less nature survival than the summary makes it seem—but I found myself so invested in Brad and Celine‘s journey back to each other. I really enjoyed the dual POV sections, which I haven’t encountered a lot in YA.
I have the urge to say that both Brad and Celine changed a lot from start to finish, but it was more like they found themselves again. The ending was perfect and shaped up exactly how I’d been imagining. (It was fun betting with myself on which three would win the scholarship.)
The side characters were also super fun (at least the ones we were supposed to like). Celine’s mom was such a bad ass, Aurora was adorable, and their best friends back at school were the perfect support system.
Overall, I already can’t wait to reread this. The audiobook is going to be perfection and I can’t wait to see how the narrator(s) interpret the humor. If you want a major serotonin boost and/or the feeling of eating a maple blondie brownie with butterscotch icing and vanilla ice cream from Apple Bees, read Highly Suspicious and Unfairly Cute. It’s delicious.
Warning: You will suffer a 336-page sugar rush with the side effect of smiling into your pillow and fizzing like a bag of pop rocks.
Highly Suspicious and Unfairly Cute was one of the cutest YA books I’ve read in such a long time, maybe ever. It’s funfetti birthday cake with extra sprinkles. Hibbert’s humor sparkled and her characters jumped straight off the page, right into my heart. Everything about this book was utterly, unspeakably, unfairly cute.
The plot was set up a bit differently than I expected—less nature survival than the summary makes it seem—but I found myself so invested in Brad and Celine‘s journey back to each other. I really enjoyed the dual POV sections, which I haven’t encountered a lot in YA.
I have the urge to say that both Brad and Celine changed a lot from start to finish, but it was more like they found themselves again. The ending was perfect and shaped up exactly how I’d been imagining. (It was fun betting with myself on which three would win the scholarship.)
The side characters were also super fun (at least the ones we were supposed to like). Celine’s mom was such a bad ass, Aurora was adorable, and their best friends back at school were the perfect support system.
Overall, I already can’t wait to reread this. The audiobook is going to be perfection and I can’t wait to see how the narrator(s) interpret the humor. If you want a major serotonin boost and/or the feeling of eating a maple blondie brownie with butterscotch icing and vanilla ice cream from Apple Bees, read Highly Suspicious and Unfairly Cute. It’s delicious.
Warning: You will suffer a 336-page sugar rush with the side effect of smiling into your pillow and fizzing like a bag of pop rocks.
May 26, 2023
THIS WAS SO FCKING CUTEEEE
May 4, 2024
It was cute but a little juvenile and the miscommunication nearly killed me.
February 2, 2023
4.5⭐️
It takes particular skill to write a romance novel with realistic teenagers with real life issues and still have a really beautiful book that is better than most adult books.
There’s just something about ex-friends that end up liking each other again and even more than before. My initial question is usually how did they end up “hating” each other and can the author justify them being friends again to lovers? Hibbert definitely gave me what I was looking for, not at the full potential for 5 stars, but just enough to have a great time! I didn’t feel any of them were in the wrong, but Hibbert accurately displayed how certain transitions in a teenager's life can be confusing and affect relationships. Even with their fallout, there was an undeniable familiarity between each other still lingering there.
Celine and Brad were relatable as teenagers because they were going through things that most teenagers go through: uncertainty in relationships with family, friends, and partners, uncertainty about the future, and mental health struggles. Through it all, they were still really ambitious and hardworking. I really loved that this was also filled with a lot of humor and banter, which is always an immediate plus.
I would highly recommend!
It takes particular skill to write a romance novel with realistic teenagers with real life issues and still have a really beautiful book that is better than most adult books.
There’s just something about ex-friends that end up liking each other again and even more than before. My initial question is usually how did they end up “hating” each other and can the author justify them being friends again to lovers? Hibbert definitely gave me what I was looking for, not at the full potential for 5 stars, but just enough to have a great time! I didn’t feel any of them were in the wrong, but Hibbert accurately displayed how certain transitions in a teenager's life can be confusing and affect relationships. Even with their fallout, there was an undeniable familiarity between each other still lingering there.
Celine and Brad were relatable as teenagers because they were going through things that most teenagers go through: uncertainty in relationships with family, friends, and partners, uncertainty about the future, and mental health struggles. Through it all, they were still really ambitious and hardworking. I really loved that this was also filled with a lot of humor and banter, which is always an immediate plus.
I would highly recommend!
February 2, 2023
Talia Hibbert is the romance G.O.A.T. and you can disagree with me, but you’d be wrong. Also, was very pleased to experience her first foray (to my knowledge) in the YA realm, and I feel like she knocked it out of the park. Obviously this doesn’t contain the steam that her usual adult romances have, but it still has that toe curling cuteness that has you grinning like a goober from beginning to end. Great representation all around, and I look forward to Hibbert’s next novel, whether it’s adult or YA!
*Many thanks to the publisher for providing my review copy.
*Many thanks to the publisher for providing my review copy.
January 8, 2023
this was cute but i didn’t feel connected to it like i hoped i would 😭
i loved the ocd + bisexual rep. the characters were really funny and had amazing banter. however, i saw them more as friends than in love.
i didn’t get enough background on why they became enemies and it felt like too much back and forth for no reason. there was quite a bit of tiktok and modern references that threw me off.
a fun and quick read but nothing i’ll be obsessing over.
i loved the ocd + bisexual rep. the characters were really funny and had amazing banter. however, i saw them more as friends than in love.
i didn’t get enough background on why they became enemies and it felt like too much back and forth for no reason. there was quite a bit of tiktok and modern references that threw me off.
a fun and quick read but nothing i’ll be obsessing over.
February 29, 2024
4/5⭐
.5/5🔥 (this was clean)
“You're the bane of my existence. Did you know that?"
She gins. "I hoped.”
Childhood best friends to enemies to academic rivals to friendswith benefits hehe to lovers
Cuteness was overloaded, okay!
Excuse me! It is quite rare for a title to make sense, but this one did. Celine and Brad were adorable and the ideal combination. This book was so on-point that I can't even describe it! I enjoyed their friendship so much, but when they finally got together, it was TOO adorable!!!! Their academic rivalry was not so fiery, but rather classic. Their banter-ish discussions and hateful full of love looks had me kicking my feet.
Celine and Brad were best buds when they were younger, their moms are each other's best friends, but as soon as they grow up, things start to change. But we know every 'childhood friendship' has an end to it...in books.
This was my first Talia Hilbert book, and it won't be the last one. Please don’t go into this book without knowing that this is a YA romance, it deals with high school teenagers, their minds, and their emotions.
I believe this book perfectly captured the feelings and pressures of studying and finding a university; it was not all lovey-dovey. The characters had real-life flaws and struggles during their studies; therefore, this book hit close to home.
There’s a particular focus on mental health and dysfunctional family dynamics, friendships, and stuff. I loved how this book focused more on character development —Brad and Celine finding themselves, their true dreams, and their passions.
If I don’t get this scholarship and Celine does, I’m going to shave off my hair and eat it. 😭😭
She's the grump to Brad's sunshine. Ah, I love it!
The side characters were great!! The whole internship and seeing who would win were also very exciting.
Overall, this was a sugary YA book with CUTENESS and flaw characters.
~Quotes~
“Tell me what’s wrong,” he murmurs. I love you.
“Nothing.”
“You seem distracted.”
“I’m always distracted. It’s an unfortunate side effect of being intelligent. You wouldn’t know.”
“Typical. I put my pride on the line to negotiate an historic peace treaty and you can’t even tell me good morning?”
“Do you hear yourself?” she asks me curiously. “Like, when you speak? Or is it just noise?”
I’m going to strangle her.
“Why do you look like you’ve got gas?” she asks.
“Relationship building?” I whisper.
“Shut up,” she mouths.
“Tell me the last relationship you built. Quickly.”
“I could build one right now, between my foot and your arse.”
____
This was unfairly cute 😭🤌🏻
.5/5🔥 (this was clean)
“You're the bane of my existence. Did you know that?"
She gins. "I hoped.”
Childhood best friends to enemies to academic rivals to friends
Cuteness was overloaded, okay!
Excuse me! It is quite rare for a title to make sense, but this one did. Celine and Brad were adorable and the ideal combination. This book was so on-point that I can't even describe it! I enjoyed their friendship so much, but when they finally got together, it was TOO adorable!!!! Their academic rivalry was not so fiery, but rather classic. Their banter-ish discussions and hateful
Celine and Brad were best buds when they were younger, their moms are each other's best friends, but as soon as they grow up, things start to change. But we know every 'childhood friendship' has an end to it...
This was my first Talia Hilbert book, and it won't be the last one. Please don’t go into this book without knowing that this is a YA romance, it deals with high school teenagers, their minds, and their emotions.
I believe this book perfectly captured the feelings and pressures of studying and finding a university; it was not all lovey-dovey. The characters had real-life flaws and struggles during their studies; therefore, this book hit close to home.
There’s a particular focus on mental health and dysfunctional family dynamics, friendships, and stuff. I loved how this book focused more on character development —Brad and Celine finding themselves, their true dreams, and their passions.
If I don’t get this scholarship and Celine does, I’m going to shave off my hair and eat it. 😭😭
She's the grump to Brad's sunshine. Ah, I love it!
The side characters were great!! The whole internship and seeing who would win were also very exciting.
Overall, this was a sugary YA book with CUTENESS and flaw characters.
~Quotes~
“Tell me what’s wrong,” he murmurs. I love you.
“Nothing.”
“You seem distracted.”
“I’m always distracted. It’s an unfortunate side effect of being intelligent. You wouldn’t know.”
“Typical. I put my pride on the line to negotiate an historic peace treaty and you can’t even tell me good morning?”
“Do you hear yourself?” she asks me curiously. “Like, when you speak? Or is it just noise?”
I’m going to strangle her.
“Why do you look like you’ve got gas?” she asks.
“Relationship building?” I whisper.
“Shut up,” she mouths.
“Tell me the last relationship you built. Quickly.”
“I could build one right now, between my foot and your arse.”
____
This was unfairly cute 😭🤌🏻
January 14, 2023
3 stars
I don’t really know where it went wrong for me with this book. Talia Hibbert’s writing is great and her banter is as entertaining as ever. However, I went into this one without knowing its YA so maybe I wasn’t just in the mood for that? Or maybe I wasn’t just feeling it? Im not really sure, but I’ll say its a me thing, maybe.
Talia Hibbert, I still love your stories and your sense of humour, this one just didn’t work for me.
Huge Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing this copy.
I don’t really know where it went wrong for me with this book. Talia Hibbert’s writing is great and her banter is as entertaining as ever. However, I went into this one without knowing its YA so maybe I wasn’t just in the mood for that? Or maybe I wasn’t just feeling it? Im not really sure, but I’ll say its a me thing, maybe.
Talia Hibbert, I still love your stories and your sense of humour, this one just didn’t work for me.
Huge Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing this copy.
February 8, 2023
⭐️3.5
I picked this up on audio and after listening to 17%, I was in love.
At 60%, I RAN to the bookstore to get a physical copy to annotate.
This is where I went wrong. Upon purchasing a physical copy, I decided it would make sense to start the book from page one in order to highlight and tab the moment's I loved.
BUTBUTBUT this is a YA contemporary romance. The moments are fast and feel-good and FLEETING. You can't reread this book back-to-back and feel the same feelings.
The first time I read it, I was squealing, clapping, raving about it with coworkers. The second read was more placid. I enjoyed it. But the thrill was gone. A fact I should have seen coming and purposively avoided. Shame on me.
I think this is a fantastic book. Especially if you like YA romance.
This has fantastic representation in many different areas. The characters are fun. The banter is top notch.
I will say that the third act break up is preposterous and pissed me off in a big way. I hated that whole scene/scenario/f*ckery. Ridiculous.
If I had continued on with my audio read and hadn't tried to double back, this would've been a 4.5. But with the experience I had, it's a 3/3.5
I picked this up on audio and after listening to 17%, I was in love.
At 60%, I RAN to the bookstore to get a physical copy to annotate.
This is where I went wrong. Upon purchasing a physical copy, I decided it would make sense to start the book from page one in order to highlight and tab the moment's I loved.
BUTBUTBUT this is a YA contemporary romance. The moments are fast and feel-good and FLEETING. You can't reread this book back-to-back and feel the same feelings.
The first time I read it, I was squealing, clapping, raving about it with coworkers. The second read was more placid. I enjoyed it. But the thrill was gone. A fact I should have seen coming and purposively avoided. Shame on me.
I think this is a fantastic book. Especially if you like YA romance.
This has fantastic representation in many different areas. The characters are fun. The banter is top notch.
I will say that the third act break up is preposterous and pissed me off in a big way. I hated that whole scene/scenario/f*ckery. Ridiculous.
If I had continued on with my audio read and hadn't tried to double back, this would've been a 4.5. But with the experience I had, it's a 3/3.5
January 11, 2023
guyssssss this book is the one 🥹
it’s so incredibly good and adorable, i found myself giggling and kicking my feet and it’s just so adolescent. i loveeee celine and brad so so much they’re relationship was one i could not only relate to but i found so fresh and rewarding. i loved it.
it’s so incredibly good and adorable, i found myself giggling and kicking my feet and it’s just so adolescent. i loveeee celine and brad so so much they’re relationship was one i could not only relate to but i found so fresh and rewarding. i loved it.
February 26, 2023
history.
March 2, 2023
I’M SHEDDING ACTUAL TEARS, THIS BOOK IS SO CUTE🥹
I love Bradley Graeme. As in, […] would turn into a supervillain if he died.
^^ if they don’t describe the feeling of loving me to be like this, then I DONT WANT IT.
• Best friends-to-enemies-to-lovers
• Academic rivals-to-lovers
• Reverse grumpy x sunshine
• YA romance
• Dual POV
• The cutest book ever ❤️
Talia Hibbert never misses. One thing that she does exceptionally well that I feel like a lot of other romcoms lack is the depth that she gives to both of her main characters. When the book is a dual POV and only the woman is growing/changing as a person and the man is just… there… plsss 😭 Not with Talia Hibbert though!! She gives even her men depth and I love that about her books ❤️
Her writing style is one of my favourites‼️ The banter + sarcasm is on point and I can always count on her to deliver the sweetest, cutest romance that has me kicking my feet & giggling like a lil girl while crying tears of happiness 🥹
I love Bradley Graeme. As in, […] would turn into a supervillain if he died.
^^ if they don’t describe the feeling of loving me to be like this, then I DONT WANT IT.
• Best friends-to-enemies-to-lovers
• Academic rivals-to-lovers
• Reverse grumpy x sunshine
• YA romance
• Dual POV
• The cutest book ever ❤️
Talia Hibbert never misses. One thing that she does exceptionally well that I feel like a lot of other romcoms lack is the depth that she gives to both of her main characters. When the book is a dual POV and only the woman is growing/changing as a person and the man is just… there… plsss 😭 Not with Talia Hibbert though!! She gives even her men depth and I love that about her books ❤️
Her writing style is one of my favourites‼️ The banter + sarcasm is on point and I can always count on her to deliver the sweetest, cutest romance that has me kicking my feet & giggling like a lil girl while crying tears of happiness 🥹
unreleased
March 11, 2021TALIA HIBBERT IS WRITING YA I REALLY STAY WINNING
February 13, 2023
Bradley and Celine used to be best friends when they were younger, but after a fight they became total strangers. Now, in high school, the two of them are competing in an outdoor course with the prize being a scholarship. Despite hating each other, they need to work together and trust each other so they can both get what they want.
After loving books 1 and 3 of the Brown sisters series, I was really excited to read this book. To my surprise, it just kind of got worse the longer I listened to it. It started off not great with annoying characters, and then got better when the two main characters grew together. But then the end was convoluted and just, well, bad. It made me sad because I think I should have given up on the book earlier and not just continued on. I love Talia Hibbert's books, usually. This one just seemed to be a miss for me.
After loving books 1 and 3 of the Brown sisters series, I was really excited to read this book. To my surprise, it just kind of got worse the longer I listened to it. It started off not great with annoying characters, and then got better when the two main characters grew together. But then the end was convoluted and just, well, bad. It made me sad because I think I should have given up on the book earlier and not just continued on. I love Talia Hibbert's books, usually. This one just seemed to be a miss for me.
August 2, 2024
3.5⭐️ it's funny enough and the childhood friends to academic rivals to lovers in YA is everything!! only problem is, I like Celine and I like Bradley but I don't ship them together for some reason 🥲🥲
I don't think they are mature enough and they are too insecure for each other but try to seem perfect. I still loved the story! just not much harmony in the romance 💕
I don't think they are mature enough and they are too insecure for each other but try to seem perfect. I still loved the story! just not much harmony in the romance 💕
March 22, 2023
➥ 4.25 Stars *:･ﾟ✧
What lacked a promising start, redeemed itself in the end. Strangely, the beginning didn't seem like a Talia Hibbert book at all - it was uninteresting, cringey and the characters seemed like shallow caricatures. I was worried I wouldn't warm up to them at all, but I ultimately did. Still, I don't think this is Hibbert's best, though it was still certainly delightful.
The synopsis informs that there will be forced-proximity while Bradley (H) - horrible choice of name by the way - and Celine (h) embark on an outdoor camping(ish) adventure. Though, in my opinion, that wasn't a very strong aspect of this book at all. I found there to be little relationship development during their times on this adventure, and I felt the stronger aspects of relationship development and angst etc. were in between the two expeditions, where they were at eachother's houses. That was when I could taste the signature TH style on my tongue: the humour, the characterisation, the intimate but appropriate displays of affection. So stinking cute!
Hibbert always writes with elegance and eloquence, and this is another aspect that shines much more towards the second half of the book. At the begining, (I suppose in an attempt to appeal to YA audiences) there was a headache-inducing amount of pop culture references. Everywhere I looked there was "JuiceWRLD", "TikTok" etc. and it was just not my cup of tea. Along those lines, at the beginning, both characters were painfully juvenile. I understand, again, that she is writing about teenagers, but I can assure you that the most teenagers still have substance. At first, they just felt like quite shallow characters, reading from an annoying script - like you'd imagine a stereotypical teenage argument/conversation would go. Later on, of course, there was much more nuance and depth but I was definitely taken by surprise (and worry) at first.
After that hiccup, Hibbert really did take us to the heart of her characters. Their backstories were realistic and moving. Celine's anguish from her dad's abandonment, and her desperate desire to prove herself was so sad to read about, but so well done too. It made sense why she had done everything she did, and I loved how her life turned around for the better in the end.
Bradley's OCD was so tenderly woven into the story, and it was touching to see how Celine had known him so well before, to the point where she new what he needed and what he tended to do. I believe Hibbert herself has OCD, as mentioned in the acknowledgements, so there probably isn't much to say on my part here, but I just thought it was wonderfully blended with the rest of the story, and it never felt as though the aspect was ignored, nor given a prolonged educational spotlight. It was just Bradley, living his life like a regular boy, just with OCD too. I liked how he was somewhat relatable (for me) too (in the end) because he ends up wanting to apply to universities that I had applied to too for English Literature, and his frustration in people telling him his book was good was so funny and relatable, when he explained that he had read so many books that he knows what's good and what's bad lol.
Overall, really just a lovely, pleasant read that was heartwarming and took my mind off of the current stressful times. I hope more children in the YA demographic pick this one up, rather than the more harmful alternatives like The Summer I Turned Pretty and Twilight to name a few. I just think it's so important that they start reading about healthy, mutual relationships before they fall into reading about possessive, weirdo guys. (You could have given us an epilogue for this one though, Talia!). I'm even more excited for the release of Skybriar series (Untitled) [there's a sapphic one too!]. Hibbert remains one of my favourites for sure 💘💘💘.
"Well, this is cozy," I say dryly, because it's either that or I faint with happiness.
"Shut up," he replies, and noses my hair out of the way to kiss a spot just beneath my left ear.
━━━━━━━━━━━ ♡ ━━━━━━━━━━━
What lacked a promising start, redeemed itself in the end. Strangely, the beginning didn't seem like a Talia Hibbert book at all - it was uninteresting, cringey and the characters seemed like shallow caricatures. I was worried I wouldn't warm up to them at all, but I ultimately did. Still, I don't think this is Hibbert's best, though it was still certainly delightful.
The synopsis informs that there will be forced-proximity while Bradley (H) - horrible choice of name by the way - and Celine (h) embark on an outdoor camping(ish) adventure. Though, in my opinion, that wasn't a very strong aspect of this book at all. I found there to be little relationship development during their times on this adventure, and I felt the stronger aspects of relationship development and angst etc. were in between the two expeditions, where they were at eachother's houses. That was when I could taste the signature TH style on my tongue: the humour, the characterisation, the intimate but appropriate displays of affection. So stinking cute!
"What's up?" I ask.
"Nothing," she says, the words landing too deliberately to be true.
"Cel..."
"Nothing, really." Her fingertips brush against my wrist finding the gap between my gloves and my coat with heat-seeking precision.
My stomach flips around like a carnival roller coaster. "Not fair."
"You're so easy."
"Are you slut-shaming me?"
Hibbert always writes with elegance and eloquence, and this is another aspect that shines much more towards the second half of the book. At the begining, (I suppose in an attempt to appeal to YA audiences) there was a headache-inducing amount of pop culture references. Everywhere I looked there was "JuiceWRLD", "TikTok" etc. and it was just not my cup of tea. Along those lines, at the beginning, both characters were painfully juvenile. I understand, again, that she is writing about teenagers, but I can assure you that the most teenagers still have substance. At first, they just felt like quite shallow characters, reading from an annoying script - like you'd imagine a stereotypical teenage argument/conversation would go. Later on, of course, there was much more nuance and depth but I was definitely taken by surprise (and worry) at first.
After that hiccup, Hibbert really did take us to the heart of her characters. Their backstories were realistic and moving. Celine's anguish from her dad's abandonment, and her desperate desire to prove herself was so sad to read about, but so well done too. It made sense why she had done everything she did, and I loved how her life turned around for the better in the end.
Bradley's OCD was so tenderly woven into the story, and it was touching to see how Celine had known him so well before, to the point where she new what he needed and what he tended to do. I believe Hibbert herself has OCD, as mentioned in the acknowledgements, so there probably isn't much to say on my part here, but I just thought it was wonderfully blended with the rest of the story, and it never felt as though the aspect was ignored, nor given a prolonged educational spotlight. It was just Bradley, living his life like a regular boy, just with OCD too. I liked how he was somewhat relatable (for me) too (in the end) because he ends up wanting to apply to universities that I had applied to too for English Literature, and his frustration in people telling him his book was good was so funny and relatable, when he explained that he had read so many books that he knows what's good and what's bad lol.
Overall, really just a lovely, pleasant read that was heartwarming and took my mind off of the current stressful times. I hope more children in the YA demographic pick this one up, rather than the more harmful alternatives like The Summer I Turned Pretty and Twilight to name a few. I just think it's so important that they start reading about healthy, mutual relationships before they fall into reading about possessive, weirdo guys. (You could have given us an epilogue for this one though, Talia!). I'm even more excited for the release of Skybriar series (Untitled) [there's a sapphic one too!]. Hibbert remains one of my favourites for sure 💘💘💘.
━━━━━━━━━━━ ♡ ━━━━━━━━━━━
June 21, 2024
This beautiful pink cover, filled with high chemistry, sets most of the chapters on fire. The cutest and most adorable main characters make you want to give lots of hugs, drawing you into this sweetest YA romance.
I already knew how Talia Hibbert could play rock and roll, strumming the strings of our hearts and composing joyful, rhythmic melodies, having devoured the Brown Sisters trilogy. However, she also excels in the YA category, delivering a very entertaining, heartfelt romance filled with so many sighs and "awww" moments.
I still facepalm myself for delaying the start of this book. Why procrastinate on happiness when its pages are all set to warm your heart? I loved this book. It reminded me that, even as I age, my spirit will still be young enough to enjoy these amazing YA treats that perfect authors create for us.
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I already knew how Talia Hibbert could play rock and roll, strumming the strings of our hearts and composing joyful, rhythmic melodies, having devoured the Brown Sisters trilogy. However, she also excels in the YA category, delivering a very entertaining, heartfelt romance filled with so many sighs and "awww" moments.
I still facepalm myself for delaying the start of this book. Why procrastinate on happiness when its pages are all set to warm your heart? I loved this book. It reminded me that, even as I age, my spirit will still be young enough to enjoy these amazing YA treats that perfect authors create for us.
Follow me on medium.com to read my articles about books, movies, streaming series, astrology:
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March 24, 2023
*3.5 stars*
I love Talia Hibbert and everything that she writes, but I think her writing YA books is... not it for me.
Yes, I know it makes me sound a bit pervy, but Talia writes erotic scenes SO WELL that this book didn't hit all of my marks (*goes and hides in corner*).
Positives are great bisexual male MC rep (in YA, no less!), a fun enemies-to-lovers plotline, and a swoony second chances love story. I related to the drive and pressure of wanting to live up to expectations in high school, even with a loving home life, and I enjoyed each MCs dynamics with their friends and family.
Negatives are lack of sex (yes, I know it's YA but I missed it!), a long-ish story that dragged slightly, and the fact that I felt like both characters were in their heads a lot.
Overall, not even close to my favorite Talia Hibbert book, but maybe a nice read for younger readers.
goodreads|instagram|twitter|tiktok
I love Talia Hibbert and everything that she writes, but I think her writing YA books is... not it for me.
Yes, I know it makes me sound a bit pervy, but Talia writes erotic scenes SO WELL that this book didn't hit all of my marks (*goes and hides in corner*).
Positives are great bisexual male MC rep (in YA, no less!), a fun enemies-to-lovers plotline, and a swoony second chances love story. I related to the drive and pressure of wanting to live up to expectations in high school, even with a loving home life, and I enjoyed each MCs dynamics with their friends and family.
Negatives are lack of sex (yes, I know it's YA but I missed it!), a long-ish story that dragged slightly, and the fact that I felt like both characters were in their heads a lot.
Overall, not even close to my favorite Talia Hibbert book, but maybe a nice read for younger readers.
goodreads|instagram|twitter|tiktok
March 9, 2023
well well well.........here we go again! another book that blew up and I thought maybe, just maybe, this time it could be something good! (spoiler alert: it wasn't...)
lets dive right in...
WRITING/DIALOGUE
before I get into this, I saw people defending this book and being like "the writing is like this because its YA" and I just wanna ask, genuinely, if you have read any other YA books, because I've read PLENTY that I adored, while I had to get drunk to get through this one...😟
The overuse of pop culture references (yikes).🥴 Mentioning TikTok in particular... SIXTEEN TIMES... and FOUR TIMES mentioning her tiktok account. that's TWENTY times TikTok appeared directly and indirectly on the pages. The book consists of 19 chapters. Do I even have to comment on this further? that's at least one mention per chapter.😶
It also the way the first chapter literally starts with her talking about her tiktok. why.
I do love a fast-paced book, but this one was way too fast-paced to the point nothing felt like it was developing at all. This also made it extremely difficult to connect to the story since everything was moving so fast. One minute they were described as "enemies" the next they are "friends" and one chapter after they are in love???🤔
The dialogue......... oh god I almost dnfed. It was so cringe. Like horrendously cringe. NO ONE talks like that. Some sentences made me question why I am still reading this book. I brought receipts... 🥰
"She's in my Lit class this year. She said something about, like, toxic canon and how literary gatekeeping being intertwined with heartless cisheterosexist white supremacist capitalism poisoned Western creative culture."
WHAT THE FUCK DOES THIS EVEN MEAN????? did this book have an editor cause half the sentences are build like this and they make no sense whatsoever.
more writing receipts:
consisting of 70 percent boys' football team and 30 percent girls whose parents pay for their mammoth Depot wardrobes, which equals 100 percent skinny, glowing people who practice TikTok dances unironically and spend they weekend being bland and hooking up at house parties.
"As in I heard she was gay." Also, my gaydar is excellent and she's giving solar-powered rainbow strobe lights.
I point a finger like I'm accusing her of cannibalism. girl what
PLOT
if I didn't mention this was boring before then, well, it was quite boring. I mean it was quite predictable and nothing exciting happened???? there was no climax for me lol.
also what was the point of making such a big deal about celines father when he doesn't even show up...? like I was expecting him to come in the last chapter but he didn't😅
tbh I don't have much to say about the plot since nothing of it was memorable to me...
CHARACTERS
Ill give credit where credit is due. A plus-sized black woman and a bisexual black male, with OCD, as the main characters. I do love representation, but unfortunately it wasn't enough to make up for the writing, which is why im not giving any extra stars for it.
The characters had quite bland personalities and no defining features...? idk I just couldn't connect to them and Celine annoyed the shit out of me.
RELATIONSHIP
enemies to lovers???? yeah sure. they were not enemies, more like academic rivals (if even) and that didnt last long either. It took like 2 conversations and suddenly they are friends again and another two chapters later they are in love and kissing????? bro what even. the development was not developing😭
also this is obviously miscommunication trope but it was so badly executed, I can't even describe it😪
FINAL WORDS
I've read Talias Christmas novella (which I thought was quite cute) and I will definitely read the brown series someday, but this was a hard pass. maybe some people are just not made for writing YA idk.....
lets dive right in...
WRITING/DIALOGUE
before I get into this, I saw people defending this book and being like "the writing is like this because its YA" and I just wanna ask, genuinely, if you have read any other YA books, because I've read PLENTY that I adored, while I had to get drunk to get through this one...😟
The overuse of pop culture references (yikes).🥴 Mentioning TikTok in particular... SIXTEEN TIMES... and FOUR TIMES mentioning her tiktok account. that's TWENTY times TikTok appeared directly and indirectly on the pages. The book consists of 19 chapters. Do I even have to comment on this further? that's at least one mention per chapter.😶
It also the way the first chapter literally starts with her talking about her tiktok. why.
I do love a fast-paced book, but this one was way too fast-paced to the point nothing felt like it was developing at all. This also made it extremely difficult to connect to the story since everything was moving so fast. One minute they were described as "enemies" the next they are "friends" and one chapter after they are in love???🤔
The dialogue......... oh god I almost dnfed. It was so cringe. Like horrendously cringe. NO ONE talks like that. Some sentences made me question why I am still reading this book. I brought receipts... 🥰
"She's in my Lit class this year. She said something about, like, toxic canon and how literary gatekeeping being intertwined with heartless cisheterosexist white supremacist capitalism poisoned Western creative culture."
WHAT THE FUCK DOES THIS EVEN MEAN????? did this book have an editor cause half the sentences are build like this and they make no sense whatsoever.
more writing receipts:
consisting of 70 percent boys' football team and 30 percent girls whose parents pay for their mammoth Depot wardrobes, which equals 100 percent skinny, glowing people who practice TikTok dances unironically and spend they weekend being bland and hooking up at house parties.
"As in I heard she was gay." Also, my gaydar is excellent and she's giving solar-powered rainbow strobe lights.
I point a finger like I'm accusing her of cannibalism. girl what
PLOT
if I didn't mention this was boring before then, well, it was quite boring. I mean it was quite predictable and nothing exciting happened???? there was no climax for me lol.
also what was the point of making such a big deal about celines father when he doesn't even show up...? like I was expecting him to come in the last chapter but he didn't😅
tbh I don't have much to say about the plot since nothing of it was memorable to me...
CHARACTERS
Ill give credit where credit is due. A plus-sized black woman and a bisexual black male, with OCD, as the main characters. I do love representation, but unfortunately it wasn't enough to make up for the writing, which is why im not giving any extra stars for it.
The characters had quite bland personalities and no defining features...? idk I just couldn't connect to them and Celine annoyed the shit out of me.
RELATIONSHIP
enemies to lovers???? yeah sure. they were not enemies, more like academic rivals (if even) and that didnt last long either. It took like 2 conversations and suddenly they are friends again and another two chapters later they are in love and kissing????? bro what even. the development was not developing😭
also this is obviously miscommunication trope but it was so badly executed, I can't even describe it😪
FINAL WORDS
I've read Talias Christmas novella (which I thought was quite cute) and I will definitely read the brown series someday, but this was a hard pass. maybe some people are just not made for writing YA idk.....
November 17, 2022
They say fuck a lot for a YA novel, but I’m not complaining. I’m just surprised, as SJM taught me that vaguely referencing “vulgar gestures” was as far as authors of YA could go.
Anyway, in typical fashion, Talia Hibberts new book is completely hilarious and devastatingly cute. She writes relationship dynamics like nothing I have ever seen, and I read a hell of a lot of romance. How she knocks it out of the park every time, I truly don’t understand, but I have to assume she has a stunning personality to match all of this wit.
You follow two ex-friends who are now full on enemies in an academic setting and watch as they tentatively become friends again, then potentially more. Bradley is a sci-fi nerd cosplaying as a jock in his real life, and Celine is a Tiktok conspiracy theorist who is too confident in her nerdiness to hide it, which causes strife in what was once a beautiful friendship. I loved getting to see these two slowly come back together.
Ultimately, my only hang-up is that this is YA and I prefer her adult books. I am officially old and I have a hard time relating to anyone below the age of 25. But for the right audience? This is a perfect read. I think thousands of teenagers will benefit from this book.
Anyway, in typical fashion, Talia Hibberts new book is completely hilarious and devastatingly cute. She writes relationship dynamics like nothing I have ever seen, and I read a hell of a lot of romance. How she knocks it out of the park every time, I truly don’t understand, but I have to assume she has a stunning personality to match all of this wit.
You follow two ex-friends who are now full on enemies in an academic setting and watch as they tentatively become friends again, then potentially more. Bradley is a sci-fi nerd cosplaying as a jock in his real life, and Celine is a Tiktok conspiracy theorist who is too confident in her nerdiness to hide it, which causes strife in what was once a beautiful friendship. I loved getting to see these two slowly come back together.
Ultimately, my only hang-up is that this is YA and I prefer her adult books. I am officially old and I have a hard time relating to anyone below the age of 25. But for the right audience? This is a perfect read. I think thousands of teenagers will benefit from this book.
December 25, 2022
4 stars
This is Talia Hibbert's first foray into YA and I think she did a wonderful job. I love a good friends to enemies to lovers story and Bradley and Celine were both great.
Bradley and Celine used to be best friends but then a rift happened between them and they're not friends. Not even close. When Celine signs up for a survival course in the woods and Bradley also goes, they have to learn to get along again. Or at least work together. What they end up learning is maybe they don't dislike each other near as much as they've thought.
Celine was such a confident heroine and I loved that. Bradley was a sweetheart and I think Hibbert did an accurate job depicting his OCD. Loved that representation. I enjoyed this one a lot and the end left me with a smile on my face.
This is Talia Hibbert's first foray into YA and I think she did a wonderful job. I love a good friends to enemies to lovers story and Bradley and Celine were both great.
Bradley and Celine used to be best friends but then a rift happened between them and they're not friends. Not even close. When Celine signs up for a survival course in the woods and Bradley also goes, they have to learn to get along again. Or at least work together. What they end up learning is maybe they don't dislike each other near as much as they've thought.
Celine was such a confident heroine and I loved that. Bradley was a sweetheart and I think Hibbert did an accurate job depicting his OCD. Loved that representation. I enjoyed this one a lot and the end left me with a smile on my face.
August 11, 2024
4 stars
{minor spoilers ahead}
”you’re the bane of my existence. did you know that?”
brad is so cute. he is such a golden retriever, it’s adorable💗
celine honestly kind of annoyed me in the last quarter of the book. she needs to just make up her mind 😭 (also tiktok references are always so weird in books, it’s one of my biggest book icks so yeah 😽)
”and then i’m kissing her. it’s like birthday cake, back when sugar felt like being high. it’s like laughing as you stumble through the dark under the stars. it’s like celine loving me.”
i didn’t like the third act “breakup”, i feel like this story could have been written without it, and the last couple chapters just felt so meh compared to the rest of the book. overall, this was really fun, and a very quick read for me. there were some things i wish were different, but otherwise it was super enjoyable!
{minor spoilers ahead}
”you’re the bane of my existence. did you know that?”
brad is so cute. he is such a golden retriever, it’s adorable💗
celine honestly kind of annoyed me in the last quarter of the book. she needs to just make up her mind 😭 (also tiktok references are always so weird in books, it’s one of my biggest book icks so yeah 😽)
”and then i’m kissing her. it’s like birthday cake, back when sugar felt like being high. it’s like laughing as you stumble through the dark under the stars. it’s like celine loving me.”
i didn’t like the third act “breakup”, i feel like this story could have been written without it, and the last couple chapters just felt so meh compared to the rest of the book. overall, this was really fun, and a very quick read for me. there were some things i wish were different, but otherwise it was super enjoyable!
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