TrueStar Staff 
Highly Suspicious and Unfairly Cute by Talia Hibbert is a romantic enemies-to-lovers book that follows the two main characters, Celine Bangura and Bradley Graeme. Celine and Bradley are sworn enemies, determined to dominate each other in their academic careers, but they also have feelings for each other hidden behind their “hatred.” This book had me feeling a rollercoaster of emotions about whether they would end up together or not. This romantic comedy is a fantastic read, especially during this month of love and empowerment. Now, here come the spoilers, so if you’re planning to read the book, I would suggest leaving now and coming back later!
At the beginning of the book, you meet the two characters. Bradley is charming and one of the star players on his soccer team. Throughout the book, he constantly struggles to decide on a career path, especially with the pressure of college applications coming up soon. Then there’s Celine, who is quick-witted and intelligent, on her way to becoming a lawyer. While juggling her conspiracy theory TikTok account, she is always deep in her studies to stay at the top of her class. As you read, more of their story starts to unfold. As they begin to get closer to each other, they tend to hurt each other more (literally, lol). Their academics have always been a priority for these two, so when the opportunity to get a full-ride scholarship to college came up, they jumped at the chance. Bradley wouldn’t have known about this opportunity without Celine and her drive to climb the law ladder. So, they both signed up for the Breakspeare Enrichment Program, which is an exploration program that doesn’t just focus on your book smarts but also on your survival skills.
While on this journey, Bradley and Celine’s parents told them to stick together, but only Bradley seemed to listen. Throughout the retreat, Celine tried to push Bradley away the entire trip, but somehow, he stuck to her like glue. After arguing through a scavenger hunt, they decided to put their past behind them and become “temporary friends” to make the trip a little less unbearable. Once the school year started up again, they slowly started to get closer to each other and became more than just friends. One day, when Celine felt guilty about her life choices, she asked Bradley for advice. Bradley couldn’t hold back his feelings for Celine during the conversation, so he confessed. Thankfully for him, the feelings were mutual. The only issue was that Celine wasn’t ready for a committed relationship, so to keep her around, Bradley settled on being friends with benefits.
During the second trial of the Enrichment Program, Bradley and Celine get into a heated argument about their relationship status. While storming off, Bradley slips and falls off the hill they were walking along. This leaves Bradley in danger of not receiving a scholarship at the program’s end due to his inability to complete the final challenge on this trip. While recovering, Bradley was able to admit to his parents that he no longer wanted to be a lawyer and that he wanted to be a writer. He even got back together with Celine through her romantic gesture. Ultimately, Bradley and Celine attend the Explorers’ ball, celebrating all the young explorers within their scholarship program and announcing which explorers will receive scholarships. Celine was pulled aside and told she would not receive a scholarship but was offered an internship by the owner of the law firm that created this scholarship. Later that night, Bradley was rewarded a full-ride scholarship, and in the end, they both ended their story happily ever after.
This book was a fantastic read! I loved how it gives a slow-burn love story, which I’m always here for. I also love seeing books with diversity and characters who you can relate to. I found similarities between Celine and me, which made me even more interested. This is a great read, especially for this season of love, but it also showcases a beautiful story of Black love during this month of empowerment. Talia Hibbert did an amazing job with this book, and I hope it brings her great success! (Side note: I would love to see a part two to this book, exploring how they grow within their college lives.)
By Khloe Thompson
Instagram: @khloekares
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