thefatpaperback's reviews
475 reviews

Discussions of teacher burnout during the pandemic was too close to home for me. Hoping I can return to this book one day, because it does seem very cute <3

If you’ve read the other books in the unexpected series, then you know how the story goes—it’s outlandish, unrealistic but also realistic??, and ends with a HEA. There is a fair amount of fat phobia toward a minor character that pissed me off throughout the book because it literally served no purpose. However, I enjoyed Lex’s story and character more than I expected to.

“What am I going to do, put my hands on his cheeks and kiss his annoying face? Of course I’m not. You have to be sensible about feelings like this, or they’ll run away with you. Liking someone this much is a dangerous game because what do you do when they’re gone?” 

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 

This book is—in fact—unfairly cute. I want to pinch its cheeks, buy it a cozy blanket, and protect it from all the bad things in the world. I don’t read a ton of young adult, but I loved every page of this read. The witty back-and-forth banter between Celine and Bradley is infused with Hibbert’s fun genius, and I screamed like that one Kermit the frog meme at every single interaction between these cuties. Celine is a lot how I imagine Hibbert’s Dani Brown would have been as a teenager—quick witted, sarcastic, scowling, and doing everything she can to hide her soft, scary feelings.

Bradley and Celine were once best friends, but now they hate each other’s guts. Bradley abandoned Celine to become a popular jock (according to Celine), and Celine refused to be anything but the center of the universe (according to Bradley). But when the two must work as a team on a survivalist retreat in the wilderness, they dig up their messy past too. Can they heal their friendship, or will fear keep them apart?

🌲 Friends to enemies to friends to lovers 

🌲Academic rivals to lovers 

🌲 Grumpy/Sunshine 

🌲 Hero with OCD 

🌲 Young Adult Romance 

FAT REP: Celine’s fatness is clearly stated, but not at all the focus of the story! Which I love in a YA format. Other fat girls will read about Celine and love her. They’ll also see how loved she is by Bradley. 

HIGHLY SUSPICIOUS AND UNFAIRLY CUTE releases January 3, 2023. It will be an EXCELLENT read to kick off the new year 💘 Thank you to Joy Revolution and Netgalley for the ARC!