Thank you Forever for the ARC in exchange for a review. I liked the premise; it was definitely unique. I was enjoying this but the multiple KKK jokes made me uncomfy. Risky joke. 5 stars for a DNF because I cannot comment on the overall quality of the book.

I always enjoy the chance to read debut authors, and I look forward to reading future books by Jessica Lepe. I'm a sucker for the "You've Got Mail" vibes when a couple knows each other online - under an alias - and also in the real world, but don't know that they are one-in-the-same. I thought the Instagram friendship and the IRL friendship were both done well and the reason for the online alias was very believable. Lucy's family was a joy to spend time with, I appreciated the diversity and mental health rep, and there were some genuine LOL moments. I was happy to see growth in the kids from the confidence group, Georgia's relationship with both Lucy and Fletcher, and even in the cheating father relationship.
I'm never a huge fan of miscommunication and third-act breakups --- so I didn't really enjoy those aspects of the story. And I understood the initials of the confident kids club being there to emphasize the embarrassment, but I think it could have been done without invoking those particular initials and the negative associations that go along with it.
Overall, I enjoyed this read. I am thankful for the chance to read a review copy and I will definitely be interested to read future works by this author.

DNF at 20%. I was so looking forward to this book because I heard there was great Jewish and mental health rep. But I could not get past the running joke about a children’s school group called the Konfident Kids Klub, or the KKK as they said and joked about multiple times. DO BETTER. How did this go through multiple rounds of reviews and editing and no one thought, “Eh. Maybe we should go a different route?” Racism isn’t a joke.

Immediate DNF once I realized the author chose to name a club in the book the “KKK” and allude to the teacher of said club as the “grand wizard”. As a young black reader it was just unacceptable to me, and I couldn’t look past it.

I’ll keep you my flirty little secret *sings* . I love punny titles. This one was a sweet, cute romcom and exactly what I was looking for after some heavy fantasy reads. I found the main character relatable as I’m myself a Latina that suffers with anxiety and panic disorder. Lucy suffers with insecurities and learning to love herself. I think this book also highlights how important online relationships are in this day and age. Some are just as strong as the ones we forge with people in person; it’s wonderful when those worlds merge (if you want them to). Also how online we can have a whole separate life that we do want to keep separate and how it can be stressful if it’s exposed. She has a very prominent online presence, but Lucy is anonymous and when her best friend online, happens to be the new hot history teacher, her co-worker, these worlds collide. She doesn’t put two and two together at first, but he does.

Thank you NetGalley and Forever Grand Central Publishing for the read!

I really enjoyed seeing a different perspective of the Jewish faith and culture, especially through a mixed family like the Galindo’s. So often (or at least in my experience) it’s portrayed as a bit conservative or sometimes prudish, which can make a romance feel a bit too closed-door and like we’re not along for the full passion behind the love story. Seeing how the family combined both cultures so beautifully and without the women feeling stifled or judged for seggsy feelings was so great, even beyond it just being out of the norm for Jewish portrayal. Is it just me or did Lucy’s father remind you of Moses’ FIL in Prince of Egypt? 🤔 (lol sorry, 90’s kid flashback but I loved that movie) Anyways, I really liked Fletcher and how he made his mom a priority, even if it was also bc he needed a change in his life. I could’ve used a bit more character building for him outside of his parental conflicts and Lucy, as there wasn’t really a lot about him besides being scared to talk to Georgia. We heard about his actual class like once and his friendships were pretty much nonexistent. (Poor Brody) In the end, the big gestures were pretty dang cute and I liked how it brought everyone together, not just Fletcher and Lucy. They truly did fit and I liked how they grew on their own and with each other.

2.5 stars

I am normally the first person to endorse a book that includes mental health representation, realistic characters, and a workplace romance, but this book just didn't do it for me. I feel like there were all the pieces of a really great novel, and with some workshopping I'm sure it would have been, but the execution fell short for me.

As much as I loved that Lucy, the FMC, advocated so much for mental health (she herself deals with depression and ADHD) there was something about how her struggles were written that missed the mark for me. It was hard for me to connect with her when she was unable to really exist without being surrounded by other people, but then all of a sudden at the end of the book she was confident and ready to barge in and stand up for herself. It just wasn't realistic character development. And as for the romance, it did nothing for me. They had this great connection online, but their in person connection was lacking and felt unnatural and really rushed.

While the story had some cute and funny moments, it dragged on for me and I didn't feel like anything notable happened.

Flirty Little Secret by Jessica Lepe is a cute workplace rom-com that reminded me a bit of Abbott Elementary.
There was good mental representation but it did border on overwhelming. While anxiety and depression was treated with care, it did slow down the pace of the story with a lot of internal monologues. The romance fell a bit short because the chemistry between the two main characters, Lucy and Fletcher, wasn't well developed and felt, at times, forced.
Overall, this one just wasn't for me but I will look forward to reading more from Jessica Lepe because I did enjoy her storytelling around Lucy's family and cultural heritage.
Flirty Little Secret was 2.5/3 stars from me.
Thank you to Forever (Grand Central Publishing) and Netgalley for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Flirty Little Secret is a fun, quick romcom following colleagues who don't know they're also besties (with feelings) on Instagram. Lucy and Fletcher are very sweet together, and there's some great character growth, especially for Lucy. The "when should one person tell the other they know the big secret" trope is hard to do without being annoying, but Lepe balanced this well. I wanted to love this book more, there's lots of great stuff going for it! But ultimately the delivery fell a little flat for me throughout. I was never super swoony over their love story, but it was a sweet story I'll still sometimes recommend, especially based on the mental health rep.

There is of mental illness and family trauma throughout this book, but there's just as much humor that makes it a delightful read. Thanks, netgalley!

One of the most relatable FMCs that I've read so far. The humor, the thought process, and even her struggles are so real to me that I feel an instant connection to her. I love overall feel of this book - the school vibe, the tight-knit family, the blended culture, the close sisterhood, and even the rich people drama - it's a perfect story. Pretty basic honestly, but still a fun light read that I highly recommend. I love every character - there's truly no villains here and I adore Fletcher and Lucy! Their connection - both online and in person is so cute and hilarious. Fletcher is someone who doesn't shy away from Lucy's breakdown and insecurity and Lucy lets herself be vulnerable around him and their whole interaction towards one another just makes my heart melt. Solid read for a debut IMO!

Thank you NetGalley for the eARC!

Lepe did a wonderful job with this book! I loved the two main characters and the school setting, and I especially loved the attention to mental health. I can’t wait to read more from her!

This was such a cute book! I loved the mental health representation shown here. There were lots of laugh out loud moments and some serious ones as well. The characters felt believable, and it was so fun to watch their forced proximity romance develop. This book left me with a huge grin on my face, and I recommend it to anyone looking for a feel good story that puts the "comedy" in "romantic comedy."

(3.5 rounded up to a 4)

Flirty Little Secret by Jessica Lepe is a debut contemporary romance with great mental health representation.

We alternate POVs between our leads Lucy and Fletcher. Lucy, a school counselor, is shy and sweet but also constantly struggling to hold off disaster. On the other hand, her anonymous online alter ego, TheMissGuidedCounselor, is confident and always knows what to say. Fletcher moved back home to help is his mother after a family crisis, and is a new history teacher at Lucy's school.

When I see epistolary as a key word for a book, I usually jump on it. Interspersed throughout the book are text conversations between TheMissGuidedCounselor and BravesGuy93 (aka Lucy and Fletcher) by way of Instagram DMs. I love it when books have this conceit!

I identified a lot with Lucy, as I'm a similar brand of neurospicy (ADHD, anxiety, and depression). As someone who deals with invisible illnesses, I really appreciated how these characters talked about panic attacks, depression, and other heavier topics.

There's great cultural representation in the book as well. Lucy's father is a Sephardi Jew from Morocco and her mother is Mexican. Their entire family unit is precious and tight-knit and reminded me a little bit of My Big Fat Greek Wedding.

Miscommunication is one of my least-favorite tropes, and there are also lies by omission here as well. The trajectory of their relationship felt like it moved way too fast to saying the "l" word.

I'd love to see more books from this author about Lucy's (or Fletcher's) sisters. Lucy's coworkers were also great, and I think Georgia deserves her HEA too (possibly with Brodie).

Tropes in this book include: secret identity, epistolary, workplace romance

CW: panic attack (on-page), passive suicidal ideation (no attempt), some ableist language regarding mental illness

I absolutely loved this one and binged it quickly. It was so cute. You get mental health reps, influencer posts, DM's, hidden identities. I thought it was a charming love story with some funny parts. I really enjoyed Fletcher and Lucy's story that I read in one sitting, I couldn't put it down. Thank you NetGalley, publisher and author for this EARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

If you love You've Got Mail then you will love this book! This book is a great blend of flirty and fun but also tackles some serious topics.

Lucy and Fletcher work together and have no ideas that they are pen pals. This book is a great couples meet-cute between two co-workers. Where I felt this book, lacked in romance it was able to bring some serious topics to light. Lucy suffers from anxiety, depression and ADHD. I felt like Lepe did a great job adding that in the book to show it in a real way. Overall this book is a really cute read, I wanted to love it but it wasn't totally for me. I do recommend everyone give it a read though! Huge thank you to NetGalley for the ARC!

Flirty Little Secret has FANTASTIC mental health representation!

LUcy has a secret identity. Yes, she's the school counselor but she's also the voice behind @themisguidedcounselor. One's strong on the outside, one's strong on the inside. Alridch Fletcher takes a high school history teacher job to be nearby his mom in her time of crisis. He's got some messy feelings that he leans on @themisguidedcounselor to navigate. An awkward meet cute puts both in a friendship. But, realistically, they've been friends for A LOT longer than either realizes. How long will they stay just a "flirty" little secret?

I laughed out loud at the meet cute in Jessica Lepe's debut novel! Was it awkward? Yes. Was it highly relatable (along with Lucky's inner thoughts)? Yep. As a former teacher, all the "teachery" school moments hit the mark and had me "ahaing" with how relatable they were. I enjoyed the mental health representation featured, especially the commentary regarding taking meds and sexual drive. Flirty Little Secret hit its mark with me, making me a fan! Those who enjoy a "you've got mail" plot and characters who are just a little too relatable will enjoy Lepe's debut!

HELLOOO CUTIE!!

This book was so adorable – while also having oh so much heart and depth!

Right from the first paragraph – I was cackling!!!!!!

I truly loved Lucy so much – she was beyond relatable and I love how open and honest she was about her daily struggles. What may seem small and insignificant to others – but can be vast for individuals who have anxiety and/or depression.

I loved how perfectly imperfect she was – she was the messy in the most beautiful of ways.

Lucy also had THE most supportive family!! I adored them! (I realllly hope we get more books with Lucy’s family in them!)

I also looooved the Jewish rep!!!!

Gimme a book in the education setting any day!! I really appreciated how realistic it was. There can most definitely be a cliquey “mean girls” side to teaching and it was very much accurately displayed. I also loved the interactions Lucy had with her students – the dialogue as appropriate!

And Fletcher? I too loved his flawed cutie self! Nothing about his life was picture perfect either, and I loved him even more for it.

He was such a golden retriever – I loved his kind heart SO MUCH. I actually LOVE a man who is in tune with his feelings.

While, there was some *miscommunication* and that’s not my fave trope in books…I understood the WHY behind it and because of that, I was okay with it lol

This TRULY was the perfect combination of You’ve Got Mail meets Abbott Elementary – and I can’t wait to see what Jessica Lepe writes next!

SIMONE SAYS READ THIS IF YOU LIKE

Supportive families
Guidance counselor/teacher
You’ve Got Mail meets Abbott Elementary
Dual pov
Jewish rep
Mental health rep

Thank you Forever (grand central) for this review copy, I really enjoyed this sweet and indeed flirty read. Flirty Little Secret nails all of the things I really like about a good romcom, good banter and chemistry, strong character depth and development, and good secondary plots/characters for depth. There is some miscommunication themes but in this book it all worked and the miscommunication worked and made sense to the story. I really loved the themes on being your authentic self as Lucy works on that with herself and also her students and appreciated how Fletcher loved all parts of Lucy, and that how they fell for each other happened through genuine connection at a personal and emotional level, not just attraction but connection.
Jessica Lepe has a new dan!

LOVED! I loved this one so much! I had heard some mixed reviews, but I really don't get why. The banter is top notch, and the Jewish rep is great. I loved how the author tackled mental health.