Literature & Fiction
![Talia Hibbert - [object Object] author](https://res.cloudinary.com/readsomnia/image/upload/authors/a_a_talia_hibbert.jpg)
Highly Suspicious and Unfairly Cute
From the New York Times bestselling author of the Brown Sisters trilogy, comes a laugh-out-loud story about a quirky content creator and a clean-cut athlete testing their abilities to survive the great outdoors-and each other.
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?
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?
Editorial Reviews
Praise for Highly Suspicious and Unfairly Cute:
★ "A zippy rom-com with strong characterization, bursting with Gen Z–approved verbal sparring and stolen kisses." -Kirkus Reviews
"A pure delight. This book is confirmation: no one does love stories like Talia Hibbert."-LEAH JOHNSON, bestselling author of You Should See Me in a Crown and Rise to the Sun
"An effervescent, funny, tender, and joyous story."-YAMILE SAIED MÉNDEZ, award-winning author of Furia and Twice a Quinceañera
"A razor-sharp, witty enemies-to-lovers rom-com. Readers will laugh out loud and swoon at the same time. Simply unputdownable."-EMIKO JEAN, New York Times bestselling author of Tokyo Ever After
"Hibbert delivers yet another swoon-worthy romance filled with banter that made me grin like a fool from one page to the next. I dare you not to fall in love."-JESSE Q. SUTANTO, bestselling author of Dial A for Aunties and Well, That Was Unexpected
★ "A zippy rom-com with strong characterization, bursting with Gen Z–approved verbal sparring and stolen kisses." -Kirkus Reviews
"A pure delight. This book is confirmation: no one does love stories like Talia Hibbert."-LEAH JOHNSON, bestselling author of You Should See Me in a Crown and Rise to the Sun
"An effervescent, funny, tender, and joyous story."-YAMILE SAIED MÉNDEZ, award-winning author of Furia and Twice a Quinceañera
"A razor-sharp, witty enemies-to-lovers rom-com. Readers will laugh out loud and swoon at the same time. Simply unputdownable."-EMIKO JEAN, New York Times bestselling author of Tokyo Ever After
"Hibbert delivers yet another swoon-worthy romance filled with banter that made me grin like a fool from one page to the next. I dare you not to fall in love."-JESSE Q. SUTANTO, bestselling author of Dial A for Aunties and Well, That Was Unexpected
Readers Top Reviews
Miss MichelleCath
This was a very sweet story. A good first attempt at a YA novel. I will be honest and say I bought it because I have loved all of her books. While it was a sweet read I am hoping for some more adult books.
E L-GMiss Michell
I love the dialogue & all the characters. The internal monologues were so relatable, cringy, ridiculous, heartbreaking, and lovely. This is a fantastic start if Hibbert wants to write more YA. The characters were diverse in all kinds of ways, and genuine in that everyone was flawed and trying their best.
SarahE L-GMiss Mi
Talia has a gift for characterizations, especially stream-of-consciousness that puts you right in the heads of her unique, hilarious, delightful characters as they try and fail and try some more to be brave for the people they love. I adored this book, which is not a surprise, because I've loved every book of hers I've read. Can't wait for her to write some more
Kindle SarahE L-
I have been WAITING for this boom to come out. Based on the synopsis I knew I would love it, and I was not disappointed. Brad has stolen the top position for my favorite Talia Hibbert character. What an amazing complex character. I loved everything about this book but most of all the internal dialogue of Brad and Celine. They're so perfectly imperfect. Organized chaos. And you could genuinely see why they fell for each other.
Brandy MKindle S
Unfairly Cute is SO ACCURATE THOUGH!!! I loved every. freaking. thing. about this book. Everything. I loved Celine, who is confident but also not? Who is wonderful and weird and uniquely herself and determined to get where she wants in life, but is also hurting. I love golden boy Brad who seems to have it all, but is also kind of a complete mess? In the best possible way!!! Every character in this book is filled with depth and emotion and honestly, they just shine. So beautifully. Also!! Also, can we talk about mental health and therapy because THAT IS MY JAM YALL!!! To sum up my rambling thoughts: Characters - perfection Plot - perfection Setting - perfection This book - perfection
Short Excerpt Teaser
Chapter One
Celine
It's the first day of school and I'm already being forced to socialize.
"I'm dead serious," Nicky Cassidy says, his eyes wide and his acid-wash shirt stained with what looks like tomato sauce. "Juice WRLD is alive, Celine. The planet needs to know."
My TikTok account has 19,806 followers-@HowCeline SeesIt, feel free to take me to 20K-so God knows how I'm supposed to inform the entire planet of anything. Besides, I make videos about UFOs and vaccines (conclusion: I believe in both) and that guy who hijacked a plane and literally vanished with the ransom money. I don't make videos about people's tragic deaths because it's rude and tacky.
Also, I don't take requests. For God's sake, I am a conspiracy theorist. There must be some glamor in that, or else what's the point?
"Sorry, Nicky," I reply. "Still no."
He is appalled by my lack of sensitivity to his cause. "You're joking."
"Almost never."
"Fine. If you don't want to tell the truth, I'll do it. Your TikTok's shit anyway." He storms off, leaving me to cross campus on my own.
So much for Mum's hope that I'll make more friends this year.
Oh well. I inhale the warm September air and stride through the school's higgledy-piggledy pathways alone. Rosewood Academy is a rambling maze, but this is my final year, so I know it like I know Beyoncé's discography. It takes five minutes to reach the Beech Hut-aka our sixth-form common area/cafeteria, a tiny, musty building that begs to be knocked down. I snag my usual table by the noticeboard and get on with the very important business of ignoring everyone around me.
I'm on my phone stitching together some footage of cows that I filmed this weekend for a video about the possibility of cannibalistic bovine overlords running the beef industry when my best friend slides into the chair beside me and waves a glossy leaflet in my face.
"Have you seen this?" Michaela demands, her pink curls vibrating with excitement.
"I haven't," I say, "and if you put my eye out with it, I never will."
"Don't be miserable. Look." She slams down the flyer and crows, "Katharine Breakspeare!" Then she clicks her tongue piercing against her teeth, which is Minnie's personal version of a mic drop.
It works. I fall all over that shiny piece of paper like it's a plate of nachos.
There she is: Katharine Breakspeare, her wide mouth severe (no ladylike smiles for Katharine, thank you very much) and her hair perfectly blown out. They did a whole article in Vogue about that blowout, which is ridiculous considering Katharine's famous for her trailblazing career in human rights law. Commentators call this woman the James Bond of the courtroom because she's so damn cool; she's won at least three internationally significant, high-profile cases in the last five years; she bought her mother an entire compound back in Jamaica to retire to. And Vogue is talking about her hair. I mean, yes, the hair is gorgeous, but come on, people.
Katharine Breakspeare is the blueprint and one day I'm going to be her, building my mum a house in Sierra Leone.
My eyes narrow as I study the leaflet. " ‘Apply for the Breakspeare Enrichment Program,' " I read. "Her nature bootcamp thing? But that's only for undergrads."
"Not anymore." Minnie grins, tapping the words in front of us. " ‘Award-winning enrichment program now open to those aged sixteen to eighteen-' "
" ‘-for the first time ever,' " I finish reading. " ‘Set yourself apart from the crowd, nurture early bonds with prestigious employers, and be in with the chance to win a full university scholarship. . . .' " My mouth is numb. My throat is dry. My nerves are fried. "I need a drink."
Michaela is a dancer; she never goes anywhere without a disgustingly heavy two-liter flask of water. "Here ya go," she says brightly, and causes a small earthquake by slamming it on the table.
"Where did you get this?" I demand between desperate gulps, shaking the Golden Leaflet of Opportunity.
"Mr. Darling's office."
"Mr. Darling's- Minnie. It's the first day of school. How are you on his shit list already?"
"I'm not," she says primly. "It was a preliminary warning. You know: Focus on school this year, Mich...
Celine
It's the first day of school and I'm already being forced to socialize.
"I'm dead serious," Nicky Cassidy says, his eyes wide and his acid-wash shirt stained with what looks like tomato sauce. "Juice WRLD is alive, Celine. The planet needs to know."
My TikTok account has 19,806 followers-@HowCeline SeesIt, feel free to take me to 20K-so God knows how I'm supposed to inform the entire planet of anything. Besides, I make videos about UFOs and vaccines (conclusion: I believe in both) and that guy who hijacked a plane and literally vanished with the ransom money. I don't make videos about people's tragic deaths because it's rude and tacky.
Also, I don't take requests. For God's sake, I am a conspiracy theorist. There must be some glamor in that, or else what's the point?
"Sorry, Nicky," I reply. "Still no."
He is appalled by my lack of sensitivity to his cause. "You're joking."
"Almost never."
"Fine. If you don't want to tell the truth, I'll do it. Your TikTok's shit anyway." He storms off, leaving me to cross campus on my own.
So much for Mum's hope that I'll make more friends this year.
Oh well. I inhale the warm September air and stride through the school's higgledy-piggledy pathways alone. Rosewood Academy is a rambling maze, but this is my final year, so I know it like I know Beyoncé's discography. It takes five minutes to reach the Beech Hut-aka our sixth-form common area/cafeteria, a tiny, musty building that begs to be knocked down. I snag my usual table by the noticeboard and get on with the very important business of ignoring everyone around me.
I'm on my phone stitching together some footage of cows that I filmed this weekend for a video about the possibility of cannibalistic bovine overlords running the beef industry when my best friend slides into the chair beside me and waves a glossy leaflet in my face.
"Have you seen this?" Michaela demands, her pink curls vibrating with excitement.
"I haven't," I say, "and if you put my eye out with it, I never will."
"Don't be miserable. Look." She slams down the flyer and crows, "Katharine Breakspeare!" Then she clicks her tongue piercing against her teeth, which is Minnie's personal version of a mic drop.
It works. I fall all over that shiny piece of paper like it's a plate of nachos.
There she is: Katharine Breakspeare, her wide mouth severe (no ladylike smiles for Katharine, thank you very much) and her hair perfectly blown out. They did a whole article in Vogue about that blowout, which is ridiculous considering Katharine's famous for her trailblazing career in human rights law. Commentators call this woman the James Bond of the courtroom because she's so damn cool; she's won at least three internationally significant, high-profile cases in the last five years; she bought her mother an entire compound back in Jamaica to retire to. And Vogue is talking about her hair. I mean, yes, the hair is gorgeous, but come on, people.
Katharine Breakspeare is the blueprint and one day I'm going to be her, building my mum a house in Sierra Leone.
My eyes narrow as I study the leaflet. " ‘Apply for the Breakspeare Enrichment Program,' " I read. "Her nature bootcamp thing? But that's only for undergrads."
"Not anymore." Minnie grins, tapping the words in front of us. " ‘Award-winning enrichment program now open to those aged sixteen to eighteen-' "
" ‘-for the first time ever,' " I finish reading. " ‘Set yourself apart from the crowd, nurture early bonds with prestigious employers, and be in with the chance to win a full university scholarship. . . .' " My mouth is numb. My throat is dry. My nerves are fried. "I need a drink."
Michaela is a dancer; she never goes anywhere without a disgustingly heavy two-liter flask of water. "Here ya go," she says brightly, and causes a small earthquake by slamming it on the table.
"Where did you get this?" I demand between desperate gulps, shaking the Golden Leaflet of Opportunity.
"Mr. Darling's office."
"Mr. Darling's- Minnie. It's the first day of school. How are you on his shit list already?"
"I'm not," she says primly. "It was a preliminary warning. You know: Focus on school this year, Mich...
