Two teens in the UK that were once best friends are enemies at the beginning of the book. Both extremely smart, they join a scholarship competition that consists of wilderness challenges. It is not a forte for either of them, but both rise to the occasion in their own way. One of the main characters has OCD, but has received extensive, helpful therapy for it, and demonstrates great coping mechanisms, though still struggling from time to time. I think the author did a good job of writing OCD in an authentic manner, when it has often been very stereotyped in many fictional plots. The two main characters are forced to work together, and slowly begin to understand each other and move past their differences and incorrect assumptions of each other. Since the story was told from both points of view, sometimes it was almost painful how much they misunderstood each other. The main female character really did a great deal of changing, learning to look inward and growing.

this book was so dang cute, while also handling heavier topics really well. the OCD rep was great, the way that Celine’s parental abandonment and how she dealt with it was so so important, plus queer rep! we love a book with a bi MMC! this is my first talia hibbert and certainly won’t be my last!