“Flirty Little Secret” by Jessica Lepe was a balm to my soul, and one of my favorite books of 2024! It wasn't just the scenes of Jewish life like a Shabbat dinner, but the main character’s mental health struggles that were so relatable. The description says this one is “You’ve Got Mail meets Abbott Elementary” and that feels pretty accurate. The main character Lucy is a school counselor, with a secret identity on social media giving advice to others. In person, she feels like a mess but her online persona is well curated. New teacher Aldrich Fletcher is keeping a secret, online and in-person as well. Chaos and fun ensue, and I just loved the buildup in their romance. Plus the closet where Lucy hangs out as a secret hideout is amazing, I wish my school had one! I cannot sing the praises of this one enough, in fact that I hadn’t posted about it earlier is a sign of how much I loved it. I couldn’t figure out how to put my love for it into words for a long time! I was lucky enough that the author Jessica Lepe came to a local bookstore where I got to meet her and get my book signed, and she was just the nicest as well! Thank you to Forever Publishing for both the advanced copy and e-copy! It’s out now and gosh darn go read it!

Flirty Little Secret by Jessica Lepe follows Isla, who gets involved in a steamy fling with a guy full of secrets. While the chemistry between them is undeniable, the story feels overly predictable and relies heavily on clichés. Isla’s emotional journey doesn’t feel as deep as it could have been, and some plot twists seem forced. It’s a quick, somewhat entertaining read, but if you’re looking for something more original or substantial, this might not be for you

I wanted to love this so much but it unfortunately ended up not being for me. I didn't like either of our main characters and felt that the depth the author was going for didn't quite hit. It was all tell and no show which is one of my least favorite things. I almost DNFd several times.
I was also deeply uncomfortable by the Konfident Kids Club acronym and resulting jokes. It was not funny or necessary.

This book was a mix of hit and misses, the love story overall was a miss, but the author discussions about anxiety, panic attacks, depression, ADHD, etc was doe with care and attention that it is why this book is a 3 for us. We love that rep being in books!

Thank you to the publisher for the review copy! I just couldn't get in the mood for this one, but I do love this author!

This novel delivers a heartfelt romance with a deeper emotional core, exploring themes of anxiety and ADHD with authenticity and care. The author does an excellent job portraying these challenges, making Lucy’s journey feel both relatable and meaningful. One of the book’s strongest aspects is the love interest’s role—he doesn’t try to “fix” her but instead offers unwavering support, encouraging her to navigate her struggles on her own terms.

While the story includes plenty of drama, the miscommunication trope—often a frustrating element in romance—was present but ultimately didn’t overshadow the satisfying resolution. The representation of POC characters was well done, adding depth and realism to the narrative. Additionally, Lucy’s relationship with her family was a standout aspect of the novel, providing moments of warmth and emotional resonance.

Overall, this is a beautifully written romance that balances lighthearted moments with meaningful discussions about mental health. The happily ever after feels well-earned, making it a rewarding read for those who appreciate character-driven love stories with depth.

Very much Abbot Elementary. It was an okay enjoyable read. In some parts it felt underdeveloped so it was a little difficult to feel something between the characters. At times predictable.

This book fell a little flat for me. It all felt a bit installed which left a lot to be desired in the chemistry area. The relationship felt convienent and expected but not fully fleshed out. The problems beyond that were overshadowed by the romance and it just felt lackluster. The writing style was nice though so I would try this author again.

Thank you for the opportunity to review this new novel.

I think I'm burned out on romance :( This couldn't hold my interest.

Flirty Little Secret by Jessica Lepe was not my cup of tea. I was hoping for more of a plot or good character development, but I felt that this book offered neither.

I attempted to start this book a few times but struggled with the pacing and found it difficult to connect with the characters. However, the story includes mental health representation that may resonate with other readers, as well as Jewish representation too.

This was a fast paced read with well known tropes like secret identity, workplace romance and friends to lovers, and yet with all those tropes the book falls flat with the rushed development of the romance.

I think some of the humor falls flat and at times could be misinterpreted as offensive, I mean honestly naming a group in high school ‘ Konfident Kids Klub’ , I mean how did no one say anything when this was going through edits. With some never really seen representation in this book( Jewish Mexican FMC) do we really need to bring down other minority groups.

2.5 stars

Thank you Netgalley and Forever Publishing for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Wonderful story, great character development, great writing! Highly recommend this book. I thoroughly enjoyed it

I grabbed this book from my auto-approvals from Forever just because of the cover.

Guidance counselor Lucy moonlights online, giving advice on a social media account as @TheMissGuidedCounselor. Her social media best friend BravesGuy93 slides into her DMs with his own issues and problems to solve. They take turns helping each other through work and family challenges, all through the internet. Unknown to her, BravesGuy39 is the new (hot!!) history teacher that she's been pretty akward around since day one.

Thanks so much for the gifted copy of this one--perfect for valentines season!

High school guidance counselor Lucy Galindo moonlights online, dispensing advice on a social media account as @TheMissGuidedCounselor. It’s where she can be her best, most confident self. On social media, her best friend is BravesGuy93, who slides into her DMs with his own issues and problems to solve. They take turns bolstering one another through work and family challenges. Little does Alice know that BravesGuy39 is Aldritch Fletcher, the hot new history teacher that she bumped into, spilled hot tea on, and tried to rectify by wiping the tea off his groin in the teachers lounge on day one. It’s no wonder she needs a secret crying closet for those anxiety-inducing moments.

Fletcher cringes over running into his ex, Georgia, at his new teaching job—she dumped him and then started dating his brother and he’s not forgiven her yet. When she insinuates she wants to get back together, he, of wealthy and avoidant New England stock, can’t just tell her no, but attempts to dodge, instead of being honest and direct. It’s been his family’s MO through his dad’s affair, messy divorce, and shacking up with his pregnant secretary/mistress, family estrangement, and his mother’s depression. Kind and positive @TheMisGuidedCounselor is the only one he confides in about this stuff.

Lucy also copes with mood swings, tears when she’s overwhelmed, can’t-get-out-of bed-on-some-days debilitating depression, and ADHD. She’s got a loving family, therapist, and prescriber on her support team, and that, paired with her personaljth and social media account, help her function so she can run a Konfident Kids Klub (yep-KKK) for girls engaging in risk-seeking behaviors. The curriculum is 1990s ABC after school special fodder, and the kids know it and don’t take it too seriously. Nor do they allow Ms. Galindo into their circle of trust.

Fletcher and Lucy’s chemistry is strong, but each has a secret about their identity they’re hiding from the other, which drives the mistaken identity plot. Lucy assumes Fletcher could never be interested in her, and thinks she could never compete with Georgia; the possibility of romance keeps getting thwarted. Meanwhile, Fletcher’s dad keeps reaching out to make amends, and he wants nothing to do with it.

Lucy׳s hot take on the cliquey-ness of her colleagues is relatable and funny, and her voice is bubbly and compassionate on her social media platform and snarky in her head. However, it’s also judgmental, and her realization of it—and attempt to make amends and change it—is refreshing. When she starts being a little more honest, if unboundaried, with her students, she makes real strides in connecting and supporting them, and is the person one student turns to after getting into a sticky situtation. It’s Mr. Fletcher who rides shotgun to assist.

Jewish representation is threaded throughout: a reference to the binding of Isaac, not engaging in gossip, a gift of a hamsa, Shabbat dinners. Her father is Sephardic Moroccan Jewish, and her mother Mexican, and her mother and aunt settled their differences by opening a fusion restaurant where Lucy still waitresses for free meals. The culinary details are mouthwatering, and Lucy’s feelings of not fitting in: at school, within her family, in society–includes straddling two cultures, and it’s handled authentically and beauftifully. I loved learning a little more about Sephardi culture through Lucy’s family.

I received a copy of #FlirtyLittleSecret via #NetGalley courtesy of #Forever.

Um...Flirty Little Secret by Jessica Lepe had me when the synopsis promised it was "You’ve Got Mail meets Abbott Elementary." And, it did not disappoint!

I love a rom-com that can also deftly navigate more serious topics (read: mental health), and I was charmed by the romance between Fletcher and Lucy.

Many thanks to the author, publisher (Forever is the best!), and NetGalley for sharing this book with me.

I LOVE unwitting correspondence. It's one of my favorite (sub?)tropes, and I loved reading about this virtual connection. I was on the edge of my seat waiting for Lucy and Fletcher to discover each other's identities and get together in real life!

Lucy had such a great character arc throughout the book. Her mental health journey felt relatable and was handled with care.

I didn't enjoy the lack of communication once Fletcher discovered Lucy's identity: I'd prefer characters be upfront and honest with one another. It tends to lead to a predictable and disappointing third act breakup that doesn't feel true to real life. I enjoyed everything about this book except the third act conflict!

Thank you to Netgalley and the Publishing Company for this Advanced Readers Copy of Flirty Little Secret by Jessica Lepe!

URGHHHH this BOOK!!!!!!!!!!!!! I wish I could unread it so I could read it again for the first time. I'm obsessed with sooo many of the tropes in this book. I adored it.

I was very excited about this book as I'm a big fan of You've Got Mail and appreciated the author's content warning letter in the beginning. But it was just ick after ick after ick from the start. I hate to judge a character heavily based on the author and their mental illnesses, including ones I have as well, but I just found them not well-executed on the page. The characters felt robotic in the story and that their actions were being told to the reader what to do. It didn't feel as authentic or fun as the book blurb made it seem. After setting the book down, I waited for the audiobook, hoping it might make me appreciate it more, but it did not. Ultimately, this is a DNF for me. Excellent idea, but poor execution.