*ARC Review*
At first I wasn't into the book. I was reading in hopes it would be more. I was pleased that it did become more. The best part of the book for me was the personal growth of Lucy, a high school guidance counselor that struggles with mental health disorders. While many parts of the story didn't make sense to me, I still enjoyed the outcome. I'm lost when it comes to all the religious terms and phrases. I love how it was included in the story, but as someone that doesn't know what most of that means, it would have been nice to have it explained some more. It has made me want to learn more about it. Thus story is a slow burn romance, but it wouldn't be a fairy tale without the heartbreak. Fletcher withheld things from people for his own personal gain, not thinking about the effects it could have on others or at a later time. However, knowing why Fletcher withheld information. I too can say, he's definitely not the only one. It's a common thing in every day life.

About 10% into the book, I noticed that Brodie was spelled two different ways, at one point.

Overview: Lucy Galindo is a high school guidance counselor responsible for the content behind the popular social media personality @TheMissGuidedCounselor; however, this is a secret that absolutely no one can find out about. She would lose all credibility, as Lucy in real-life is nothing like her polished and confident alter ego: she suffers from depression, ADHD, anxiety, AND has a tendency to cry at the drop of a hat. What Lucy doesn’t realize is that Aldrich Fletcher, the new history teacher who she has the hots for, knows her secret…

Thoughts: Trust me when I say that Jessica Lepe is an author that you need to keep an eye on! The first chapter of this book is GLORIOUS and one of the funniest I have read in a while. I have a tendency to gloss over a lot of opening chapters because they start off descriptive or slow, so I was pleasantly surprised by how fun this first chapter was. You get sucked into the hilarious meet-cute right off the bat, which is from Fletcher’s POV, not Lucy’s, interestingly enough. The situational comedy and the wacky characters meld so well together, and sets the tone for the rest of the book. The teacher dynamics at the school are reminiscent of Mean Girls. I liked the “grand gesture” at the end, primarily because it satisfyingly resolved multiple storylines and brought together various characters who you wouldn’t have expected to meet. My only complaint is that the dialogue veered on being a bit sappy at times, but it made sense considering Lucy’s nurturing personality and the nature of her relationship with Fletcher. I loved Lepe’s sense of humor (and her wacky characters), which reminds me of what you would see in Tessa Bailey’s books, but without the alpha males and dirty talk. This book was ripe with so many amazing side characters - I demand a follow-up book with Brodie and either Liv or one of Lucy’s sisters!!

Take home message:
“Flirty Little Secret” is an impressive debut novel by Jessica Lepe with an emphasis on the “com” in “romcom”! Perfect for those who like dual POV, workplace romances, open-door scenes that are just a tad spicy, and epic meet-cutes. Features a neurodivergent female main character as well as a hilarious/wacky and diverse cast of supporting characters.

Thanks to NetGalley and Forever for this ARC!

3.5 stars
Enjoyable and read it quite quickly. I liked the main characters and their relationship felt fairly believable. I felt side characters were made to seem really important in the beginning then barely mentioned again. The ex girlfriend plot was maybe unnecessary, like how could she possibly think she could get him back after cheating with his brother??

Thank you the publisher and NetGalley for this ARC,

I didn't love this one but I also didn't hate this one. However I'm not sure how I feel about this one. But I also don't regret reading it.

4 stars

I very much enjoyed this romance about a neurodivergent guidance, counselor, and the history teacher.. they were a few times, where the language just got a little overly flowery for my taste. I also was uncomfortable with the usage of the initials of a hate group in a frivolous manner. Nonetheless, I overall enjoyed the book, and would read others by this author. Considering that Lucy, the main character, has sisters., I’m guessing we’ll see more of the Galindo family!

Thank you to Forever/Grand Central Publishing and NetGalley for the digital arc in return for a honest review.

I really liked the idea of this book because I tend to enjoy reading co-worker romance stories. And I did like reading Flirty Little Secret, but I didn't love it as I thought I would. I thought the characters were nice. Lucy reminded me a lot of myself, where she feels like a mess most of the time even though she's quite accomplished. But despite this, I just didn't connect with her romance with Fletcher. The characters felt a little immature at times. Like how Fletcher's ex Gretchen (I think her name was) revealed to Lucy that Lucy was the reason that they didn't get along. It just felt like a very high-school teen interaction as opposed to a mature adult interaction. I still enjoyed reading the book though.

Thanks to the publisher for the opportunity to read this, but it's a DNF. The opening chapters didn't grab me, it was over-expository and I immediately didn't believe that Lucy was a high school guidance counselor. I liked that the chapters alternated POVs but didn't like that they were in first person. I don't think there was enough difference in their narrative voices to pull that off.

I thought this was a fun, cute, quick read. I enjoyed the writing and the banter and the work setting and thought this book was definitely cute. It’s not a book that I think I’ll remember for a long time, but it was entertaining and I liked the romance overall. I wasn’t a huge fan of any of the characters, but I also didn’t hate reading about them. Overall, a good read.

thank you for providing me with an arc. i think this was cute and funny but not something i loved. i felt it lacked something emotionally and i did not feel connected to the story.

I read this book in one sitting, and loved it. The best part of this book is the relationship Lucy has with her sisters and finding someone who understands her struggles and willing to stand by her.

This book made me laugh out loud and kept me wanting to read more.

I will be purchasing the book once in print.

Thank you for the opportunity to read arc.

This was a cute workplace romance between teachers with a case of mistaken identity. I felt like the struggles of each character were well done and relatable. And I liked the diversity of the MC Lucy. I liked the characters, both within the two MC’s families and at the school, and felt like they were fleshed out well.

My main issue was it felt very insta love, even if they knew each other for a while they didn’t really know each other. But beyond that, this was very cute and sweet and I recommend it.

This book is a perfect fun romance while also tackling some serious issues in responsible ways.

A guidance counselor and a new history have a meet cute (of sorts) and end up falling for each other--- only to realized they're in a deep online (anonymous) friendship. What follows is rom com 101-- but with some added cultural aspects (I really appreciated this aspect of the main character's life) and dealing with depression and divorce and dysfunctional families.

It's a fun read for anyone that loves a good romance!

In "Flirty Little Secret," the reader is taken on a nostalgic journey through the realms of classic Disney Channel Original Movies (DCOM), reminiscent of titles like Radio Rebel, Zapped, and Princess Protection Program. However, this novel takes a bold turn into the adult world with an M-rated storyline devoid of the usual DCOM charm.

The narrative seems to mimic Radio Rebel, with a twist that transforms it into a Teacher x Teach dating scenario. Unfortunately, this attempt at a mature adaptation falls short. The book is plagued by unnecessary filler chapters, lacking creativity in both plot and character development. The class names and examples presented are cringe-worthy and inappropriate, contributing to the overall feeling of mediocrity.

The only redeeming quality lies in addressing the characters' struggles with mental health issues arising from dysfunctional families. This relatable aspect adds a layer of depth to an otherwise lackluster storyline. However, even this positive element cannot overshadow the feeling that the book lacks originality.

This book comes across as a copied narrative, borrowing heavily from existing DCOMs, and attempting to compensate for its shortcomings with explicit adult content. Unfortunately, this strategy fails to elevate the book beyond its unimpressive foundation. Overall, it leaves readers questioning the need for such an uninspired and derivative creation.

I really wanted to like this book more than I did. I don’t know exactly what it was, but I had a difficult time relating to Lucy and Fletcher. They’re lovable for sure, but neither one made me feel invested in their journeys. Too much self doubt. Too much bumbling. I love adorkable characters, but these two were a miss for me.

I really enjoyed this book. It has great flow and great character development! I wish it didn't have to end. I will definitely recommend this my patrons at the library.

A story that deals with finding self-acceptance while dealing with mental health, all while juggling a secret identity and work-related romance.

Jessica Lepe, in my opinion, knocked it out of the park for me with her debut novel, and I love, love, love this book. I related so much to Lucy and her thoughts of self-loathing and anxiety about never being good enough to find love. I love her relationship with her family, especially with her sisters.

This book had me giggling in fits and kicking my feet with every cute exchange between Lucy and Fletcher, and Fletcher has made his way onto my list of favorite book men ever!

I do feel as if the ending wrapped up a bit too nicely and too quickly, considering everything that goes on between Fletcher and his father. I do also think the timeline between meeting, dating, and falling in love happens quickly, especially for the happy ending we get, but they don't perturb me enough to not love this story and still give it a fantastic rating because I love the way this book made me feel.

𝘛𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘬 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘢𝘶𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘳, 𝘱𝘶𝘣𝘭𝘪𝘴𝘩𝘦𝘳, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘕𝘦𝘵𝘨𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘺 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘷𝘪𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘯 𝘦-𝘈𝘙𝘊 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘰𝘸𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘮𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘰𝘱𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘶𝘯𝘪𝘵𝘺 𝘵𝘰 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘥 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘩𝘰𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘭𝘺 𝘳𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘦𝘸 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘺.

Flirty LIttle Secret - this was cute, light reading and pretty perfect for a Valentines/Galentines read. I enjoyed it and found it to be sweet with a simple storyline.

So, I recently dove into "Flirty Little Secret" by Jessica Lepe, and let me tell you, it's a bit of a rollercoaster.

First off, the main character's online and real-life personas are like night and day. I mean, she's a school guidance counselor, but her inner monologue sometimes sounds more like a teen than someone giving advice.

Then there's this whole thing about seeking help. The book kind of makes it seem like it's a game to hide how you really feel when talking to therapists and psychiatrists. I don't know about you, but that struck me as a bit off.

Character growth? Not so much. The main character felt a bit stagnant, which was a bummer. And the pacing? Started slow, picked up fast – meeting families within the first two dates? Talk about moving at warp speed.

"Flirty Little Secret" has its moments, but the inconsistencies and pacing left me hanging in the middle. If you're into quick-paced romance, it might hit the spot, but don't expect too much depth.

You've Got Mail plus Abbott Elementary? Sold!

After reading the blurb for this book, it immediately picked my interest. Part of it is because I work in education, and I haven't read many romance books with that setting-those who work in education deserves love stories, too! There were some tough topics in this book which may trigger some readers (no worries, there's a warning page), but for me, they were relatable. I found myself relating to Lucy and what she's goes through. She can be her worst enemy, but slowly grew and found her confidence. As for Fletcher, well, he's honestly probably one of the best book boyfriends out there. The way he is with Lucy-patient, understanding, and supportive.

Other thoughts:
> Appreciate showing what it's like to work in education
> Sister love/supportive friend
> Depiction of different family dynamics

I'd also be interested in a story centered around other supportive characters in this book.

I really liked this book. I thought it had great character development especially in Lucy. The author did an excellent job of capturing the struggles of having anxiety and depression and coveted it so well to the readers. I also like the fast that Fletcher and Lucy had been talking for a long time even though they didn’t know it. It made it more believable to me when Fletcher professed his love for her. Overall I highly recommend this book!