ARC review:
This story follows Lucy, a guidance counselor who has an anonymous online identity @TheMissGuidedCounselor who is confident and always gives the best advice. Fletcher, the new history teacher at school starts to fall for Lucy and turns to his online confidant for advice like always, but he quickly discovers that @TheMissGuidedCounselor is Lucy.

The synopsis of this story really intrigued me at first! I didn’t end up loving this book but I didn’t hate it. It was an easy, quick read and had some funny moments. Lucy struggles with anxiety, ADHD and depression, and as someone who also struggles with some of these things, I appreciated the accuracy and mental health representation, I felt very seen. I always appreciate an author who discusses mental health and for that it got an extra star from me.

I wanted to like the rest of this story more but it was kinda all over the place, some of it felt unrealistic and some of the side stories felt very unnecessary to the main story. It was also insta-lovey (which isn’t a bad thing but I just don’t like that in a book), I didn’t really get a chance to feel the chemistry/tension, and the 3rd act breakup was so frustrating bc it could’ve easily been solved. It also wrapped up a bunch of things really quick which made the pacing feel off. Overall, the mental health aspect was my favorite part and it was a cute debut novel!

Thank you NetGalley and Forever Publishing for the eARC in exchange for an honest review!

By day, Lucy Galindo is an awkward high school guidance counselor. By night, she’s the anonymous @TheMissGuidedCounselor, a bold and confident online personality who always knows what to say.

History teacher Aldrich Fletcher is struggling at his new school. He’s dealing with family drama, trying to dodge a cheating ex, and pining over Lucy. Thankfully, he has his online BFF to confide in… until he realizes that @TheMissGuidedCounselor is Lucy.

I wanted to like this book so much. I love You’ve Got Mail and I was very excited for that storyline. Unfortunately, the execution didn’t work for me and I didn’t enjoy reading it.

My first and biggest issue with the book is that the relationship between the Lucy and Fletcher did not feel authentic. All of a sudden, they’re all in, professing major league feelings, but we’ve hardly seen them interact. Their declarations of love seem ridiculous and out of the blue.

My second major issue with this book is Lucy herself. She’s shallow, judgmental, and self-centered. While these flaws are portrayed as defense mechanisms against her insecurity, they still make her really mean and really immature. Reading the story from her POV meant constant exposure to a self-centered, immature, shallow, judgmental, whiny monologue, and it’s just not enjoyable.

I am really struggling to square my thoughts about Lucy with the mental health issues she experienced. It feels ick to critique the inner monologue of a character struggling with depression, anxiety, and ADHD, especially if that is the lived experience of the author. After sitting with it, I realized it’s the execution of the portrayal that doesn’t work for me. Rather than seeing the impact Lucy’s illnesses have on her life through the plot and from Fletcher, we really only hear about them through Lucy’s incessant inner monologue. There’s too much telling and not enough showing, and it keeps the mental health rep from effectively building awareness and empathy.

My third issue is the “Konfident Kids Klub” that Lucy leads. While the characters acknowledge that it’s horrible name and Lucy wants to change it, it’s also used as the punchline of a few jokes, which were in quite poor taste and may make readers uncomfortable. It added nothing to the plot to use these initials and I cannot fathom why it was left in through the editing process.

One thing about this book that I really appreciated was the Jewish representation and how the author actually shows the weekly Shabbat dinner. I finished reading those scenes wanting more and will seek out more books with Jewish representation to keep learning.

Thank you to Forever and NetGalley for the gifted copy of Flirty Little Secret.

The KKK jokes ruined the book for me. It’s supposed to be a club to help boost the youth’s confidence and yet, they’re isolating and creating an unsafe space for all the students of color. And then making jokes about it, “remember your hood and torch”.

I think the story line had great potential and would’ve loved to have read about them dismantling that name, fighting for a safe space for all students or even if that was left out.

Being a Lucy, myself, I loved this book. I have struggled with anxiety and wasn’t sure if I was one that others loved but the trope of finding each other was great. I loved all the family drama but did think it was a bit much at times. Great debut book for the author!

Thanks to NetGalley for early access to read this book. I thought it was cute, but the characters did annoy me a little. Lucy is very self-centered in real life, but somehow manages to think of others only in her secret online life. Lucy does struggle with depression and anxiety, and I do think the representation is pretty accurate. Fletcher is a bit of a bro, but still sweet. The conflicts in the book are just magically forgiven? It was just ok.

The main characters are 30 and work in a high school but honestly they sounded like they were in high school. They talked and acted too young for me and it made it difficult to get through. However, I commend the author for the way she openly talks about and discusses mental health. We need more of that in books.

"Flirty Little Secret" by Jessica Lepe is a delightful blend of romance, secrets, and self-discovery. Lucy Galindo, a school counselor grappling with anxiety and depression, maintains an anonymous online persona, @TheMissGuidedCounselor, where she exudes confidence. The story takes an intriguing turn when Aldrich Fletcher, a history teacher, seeks advice from this mysterious online confidant, unaware that Lucy is the real MissGuided.

Jessica skillfully navigates the complexities of modern relationships, weaving a compelling narrative around Lucy and Aldrich's budding romance. The chemistry between the characters is palpable, and the discovery of each other's secrets adds a layer of tension that keeps the reader engaged. The novel also explores themes of trust and authenticity, prompting readers to reflect on the importance of openness in relationships.

The author's writing style is accessible and engaging, making it easy for readers to immerse themselves in the characters' lives. With well-paced storytelling and a perfect balance of humor and vulnerability, "Flirty Little Secret" is a heartwarming read that celebrates the power of connection and the courage to be true to oneself. Jessica Lepe has crafted a captivating love story that resonates with authenticity, making it a must-read for fans of romance and self-discovery.

This is a cute romance with good Jewish and mental health rep. I really liked the education setting as the fmc is a guidance counselor and the mmc is a teacher. The fmc Lucy is a Sephardic Jew that's Moroccan/Mexican who has ADHD, depression, and anxiety and navigates that while helping teenagers at school. She also runs an anonymous social media account where she advises people online. She connects with the MMC on her platform, and they become good friends when exchanging messages, but she has no idea that he's the attractive new teacher at her school.

I thought this book was very fun especially the first half of the book, the fmc is relatable and i loved the nice school setting with all the educators. I also loved everything about self-discovery and the main characters becoming their true selves. The middle of the book to the third act breakup was a little slow at times, and I wanted to skim through some parts at times, but overall, this is fun with great representation and nice themes. Thanks to Forever for this arc for an honest review.

Tropes/themes:
- Romcom
- Jewish Rep
- BIPOC fmc
- Educators
- Mental health rep

This book is a must read! As a teacher, I appreciate the school setting and workplace dynamics. I enjoyed getting to see Lucy become comfortable in her own skin and the realistic depiction of depression was appreciated. The diverse characters added to the plot and made you want to keep reading!

This book wasn’t written for me. I didn’t resonate with any of the characters but that doesn’t mean this is a “bad” book by any means. It flowed well, the dialogue was great between characters.

This was a terrific read. It was like Abbott Elementary with You’ve Got Mail mixed in. I also appreciated the portrayal of mental health issues with Lucy. I struggle with anxiety and self-worth, so it was nice having a main character go through the same things and still finding love.

Thanks as always to NetGalley for the ARC.

2.5 stars, really.

There were some really good things in this book: Georgia's character growth (or rather Lucy's around Georgia), Lucy and Fletchers repartee, the mental health representation, and all of the side characters were really fun!

Sadly... Lucy just wasn't it for me. She was whiny and super judgemental (despite the explataion we get later on, it turned me off immediately) and acted more like one of her students than a guidance couselor with a master's degree. Fletcher was a bit better, but his lack of real communication skills was infuriating. Normally, I'm all for a good spicy scene (which this one was), but it felt forced and out of character for both MCs. After their second base adventure on school grounds (red flag), I wasn't for them going any further on the page.

The third act breakup was also a mess. They'd had really good conversations up to that point and it would have taken two seconds to break the news that they're secretly online friends before jumping into bed (see above re: spicy scene) and then it wouldn't have had to be a huge blow up. I don't apply normal human logic to fictional characters, but even this was too much to be forgiven. Both MCs needs therapy. A lot of it. And to get their lives together before they can handle any sort of relationship.

All said, I would absolutely consider picking up the story of any of the side characters (the sisters, Nia, Brodie, even Georgia), but Lucy and Fletcher were not for me.

I enjoyed the story, the character development, the funny and clever romance. IT has a great amount of diversity and family complexity. One thing this story uses is social media to connect and communicate.
Topics Covered: self-discovery, acceptance, communication, the most important one is "being true to oneself"
Definitely a good beach read.
Thanks to Jessica Lepe, Forever (Grand Central Publishing) and NetGalley for the ARC and the opportunity to read and review this title.

Such a fun and unexpected read that I enjoyed! I'm so glad that I got the chance to read it early and will definitely be recommending it to multiple people who enjoy these types of novels. I enjoyed the characters and especially enjoyed the writing by this author. I'm excited to see what the author comes out with next as I'll definitely be reading it! Thank you to the publisher for my early copy of this book!

First off, I have never connected more to a character than I did with Lucy. It was very refreshing to read about a character who is going through so many similar struggles/worries. The connection between Fletcher and Lucy throughout the story, both through their DM messages and in person conversations, was so sweet to see as the story went on. I definitely enjoyed this book so much and cannot wait to see what other books she writes.

Thank you to NetGalley and Forever for the advance review copy. All opinions are my own!

Voicey and big-hearted, FLIRTY LITTLE SECRET delivers compassionate mental health rep, classic rom-com joy, and touching emotional depth.

This was a lovely read! This is my first read with Jewish + Moroccan representation and I enjoyed every bit of the story as well as the characters. The author does a wonderful job of portraying Lucy who’s a strong confident woman online but is struggling with several mental health concerns in real life. Fletcher himself is dealing with family trauma but is the kindest gentleman and they make such a sweet pair. The side characters are hilarious and add color to the story on their own way. Absolutely loved the mental health representation and discussions which is a key element of the story. Even though I don’t have the same identity as the FMC, the identity crisis she’s having really hit home as a S. Asian in the U.S. Thank you for that Jessica! I also learned so much about the Jewish community and traditions for the first time through this book and loved it! I always enjoy learning about new cultures and adored the multi cultural aspects of the story. The chemistry between Lucy and Fletcher was wonderful and palpable through the story while some interactions were hilarious. Jessica wrote the first draft of this book while she was at an Intensive Outpatient Program and reading the author note made me tear up.

Author Jessica Lepe, beautifully done! I can’t wait to see what you have in store for the future. Read forever pub, many thanks for my e-ARC through NetGalley.

Thank you @netgalley , @readforeverpub & @authorjessicalepe for the advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. @thatsostelle recommended I read this one, and I’m so glad that she did! Being a school counselor who is also in the dating world, this one really hit home for me. I loved the MCs awkward moments (and could totally relate), and adored the relationships with her students and her love and encouragement towards them. It was so relatable, and I often found myself laughing out loud. This was such a cutie rom com that I highly recommend for all my rom com lovers!

This was a sweet romcom with You’ve Got Mail vibes. I’m a mental health counselor so I very much appreciated the mental health representation. Yes, this book is predictable but that’s exactly what I wanted when I read it.

A sweet, lovable novel filled with characters you root for; I couldn't ask for a better story. Lucy was such a deeply relatable character, one that was thought out and complex. Knowing now, that Lucy was based off of the authors journey, herself, makes me love the book on a whole other level. Even though the majority of the book was centered around Lucy and her complex mental health issues, I found it to be inspiring and comforting, and not miserable, like I've felt sometimes after reading a book that heavily follows a characters mental health struggles.
The relationship between Fletcher and Lucy is one of my favourites that I've read. I loved the idea that Lucy wasn't
'saved' or needing of a man to make her issues dissipate, but rather a partner that is supportive of her and helpful, without being condescending or judgemental. I loved Fletchers character and feel as though many readers will be able to relate to him, also. I love how Lucy's heritage and religion is explored and implemented into the main story of the book and not just mentioned once or twice in effort to make the book appear diverse. The companionship and journey these characters embark on is truly so heartwarming and couldn't recommend this book more.