Huge thanks to NetGalley, Jessica Lepe and Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for this E-ARC!

As someone diagnosed with both ADHD and anxiety, Lucy's character profoundly resonated with me. It felt incredibly empowering to see these aspects portrayed with authenticity and care, adding a layer of depth to this already charming rom-com. Lucy, the guidance counsellor with a penchant for chaos, instantly became a relatable and endearing protagonist.

The references to "Abbott Elementary" caught my attention, and I'm thrilled to say that this book exceeded my expectations. From the hilarious spill-the-tea moment between Lucy and Fletcher, the handsome history teacher, to the complexities of Lucy's anonymous Instagram alter ego, @TheMisguidedCounselor, this rom-com expertly weaves humor, romance, and meaningful issues.

Lucy's battles with anxiety and ADHD are portrayed with remarkable sensitivity, making her character even more relatable. The chemistry between Lucy and Aldrich, especially through their online interactions, adds an extra layer of charm to the story. As their connection deepens, so does the anticipation for the moment Aldrich reveals he knows Lucy's online identity.

The depiction of mental health challenges, ADHD, and the pressure to have it all together resonates authentically, making the characters and their struggles feel genuine. What a breath of fresh air to witness a romance novel that not only entertains but also tackles important themes.

Flirty Little Secret is a heartwarming rom-com with depth, reminding readers that even counsellors have their battles. Jessica, in her debut novel, has crafted a captivating narrative with an irresistible mix of sweetness, humour, and a dash of spice. This book deserves a spot on your must-read list!

- I received this ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

5 Stars!

Thank you NetGalley and Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for giving me early access for an honest review.

I really wanted to like this book, but while I loved the Latina Jewish representation (plus the anxiety, depression, and ADHD rep) from Lucy, the rest fell a bit flat for me. We didn't actually get a lot of interaction between Lucy and Fletcher before they started liking each other - even with the knowledge that they'd been messaging the whole time I didn't feel the connection at all. In fact their online interactions seemed very detached and more of a faceless mentor/mentee rather than friendship (all of their messages sounded like her guidance counselor inspo quotes). Fletcher himself didn't have much of a personality and again I just didn't feel connected to the characters or their relationships.

I also think we often heard a bit too much of what was going on in the characters heads instead of seeing them actually doing anything, it felt like there wasn't a good balance.

Overall a decently cute book.

If you loved Mr. Wrong Number- this is the book for you! The MMC was super caring and the friendship between the two main characters was fun to see develop. They are high school teachers, but some of their actions felt like they were high schoolers themselves. That was my main issue with the book. Overall, this was a fun, quick read with lots of interesting family dynamics to round our the love story. 3.5 stars.

3.5 ⭐️ for me - but still worth the read!

If you’re looking for mistaken identity trope, mental health representation + wholesomeness, pick this one up. My only critique is the incomplete nature of Fletcher + Lucy’s ability to work through things!!!!!!!! Other than that - a very poignant story with a dash of Abbott Elementary sprinkled in.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishing tram for the ARC!

If I could try to come up with a sales pitch for this book in a phrase, I'd say it's like Love on the Brain by Ali Hazelwood BUT with teachers in a high school setting AND lots of mental health representation!💖 And of course, what that means is it is a GREAT book that is quite fast moving, not necessarily lighthearted because there are some tough themes and topics mentioned throughout the book BUT how the characters handle themselves and pick themselves back up is INSPIRING! I love that the FMC in Flirty Little Secret, Lucy, has ADHD + Anxiety + Depression and she actually experiences the feelings and thought that come with those mental health diagnoses, they aren't just surface character traits!
Flirty Little Secret has all of that awesome stuff but it also is a romance book which has a great combination of tropes such as workplace romance + anonymously messaging each other for YEARS but not knowing that they were talking to each other (falling for each other online AND in real life 🥹). There are so many aspects to this book such as the representation, the romance, the tropes, and more that made this such a quick and fun read to me!
As this is Jessica Lepe's debut novel, I cannot WAIT to see more!!! Thank you so much to Forever for a free e-ARC of Flirty Little Secrets!💞

This book is my first NetGalley read, and I am so glad I was able to read this! I absolutely loved this book and I don't think I have ever related to a character as much as Lucy. All of her anxiety, depression, and ADHD was so resonating and I really felt like I was feeling it all right along with her. Such a great representation of what it is really like to live with these demons, and how you can still be a badass at the same time. I have nothing bad to say about this one, and I can't wait for the next one!

Whether being coworkers at the same school or meeting through Lucy's anonymous social media account, Lucy and Aldrich both seem to know just what to say to help the other person navigate what they're going through by messaging or in person. The problem is Lucy doesn't know that Aldrich knows she's @TheMissGuidedCounselor and that her online friend she has gotten close to also happens to be Aldrich. When will Aldrich tell her and how will that change their relationship they have where things are starting to get flirty and steamy?

With Lucy dealing with anxiety, depression, and ADHD I thought made her character relatable, and also by feeling the pressure to feel like you have your whole life together. It was a nice reminder that even the counselors and therapists have their struggles as well. And I have to say, what a guy Aldrich is, that even when Lucy is in the middle of a mental breakdown, Aldrich can't help but have the desire to ask her out right then and there.

Overall FLIRTY LITTLE SECRET is a sweet and feel good rom-com with touches of heavier subjects that still allow the story to feel real. I enjoyed seeing Lucy's online posts that I thought was a clever way for the readers to see another deep layer to her character and with her writing how she is able to help others.

Thank you to Forever (Grand Central Publishing) and NetGalley for the arc in exchange for my honest review.

Thanks to NetGalley I received a free electronic copy of the book to read and provide a review.

Are you telling me @BraveGuy93 was a post-less account without a single picture and Lucy befriended them without question? I can suspend my disbelief for a lot of things for the sake of a HEA and romance, but not this.

The story had some cute and adorable moments that made the book worth finishing, but it also felt uninspired and dragged at times.

Romantic comedy, texts on page, workplace/school romance, Jewish rep, ADHD rep, depression & anxiety rep (own voice experience!) make this a 5-star read for me!

I have a soft spot for debut authors, and this is truly one of the best first books I’ve read. Jessica handles sensitive topics realistically and with grace. I also loved the reader guidance at the beginning of the book.

Lucy is a self-proclaimed mess, has *too* much going on between being a school counselor, running a popular yet anonymous Instagram account and her family. In walks Fletcher to her mess, but he’s struck by her and it’s a bit of instalove but they’re connected in other ways…plus, he’s got his own mess going on.

Yes, it’s messy but also hilarious & sweet (with a few spicy scenes!)

I want to thank Net galley for giving me the opportunity to read this book. This book is an automatic 5 stars for me. The humor, mental health, life of an educator, and rom com nature of this book was so well done! I will be reading more from this author!

This is my first netgalley book and I couldn’t have picked a better one to start! I selected this title because romantic comedy is one of my favorites and I identified with the description of the main character having anxiety, ADHD and more. She is very relatable and I could absolutely put myself in her place. I highly enjoyed the wit, comedy, and romance of this book and highly recommend to fellow readers. I’m giving it 4 stars since I did have a tough time with the male leads character being too complacent and “whiny” if I may. Sometimes I skimmed through his sections because he put me off a little. I know where the author was coming from, but I just wanted reach into the book and shake both mains, saying “snap out of it! Get it together!” Him more than her obviously 😂 All in all very enjoyable and I can’t wait to see what else this author creates. A very good debut novel and hit some really hard topics with comedy and grace.

Flirty Little Secret Review
Rated 4/5

Wow! What a book! I want to thank NetGalley for this ARC.
I was drawn to this book when it said for fans of "Abbott Elementary". One of of my favorite shows! This book did not disappoint.

Lucy is so real. I love when I read a book and can see pieces of myself in a character. This book genuinely had be LOL a few times. Flirty Little Secret was sweet, funny, and kept you wanting more.

Lucy is a guidance counselor at a high school, where she meets Fletcher, the new, handsome history teacher. On the first day of school, Lucy spills the tea. Literally spills tea onto Fletcher for an awkward first encounter. Lucy runs an anonymous Instagram where she posts tips and tricks and advice to fellow followers. Lucy uses this page to be a more-bold, confident version of herself. Lucy suffers with anxiety and depression that can be debilitating at times for her. (The author does an amazing job writing about her feelings) Nobody knows that it is Lucy that runs this Instagram page. Until one day, while Fletcher and @TheMisguidedCounselor were sending messages back and forth, as they have been doing for over a year, Fletcher connects the dots that @TheMisguidedCounselor is Lucy! The same Lucy whom he works with and has been falling for each day. Fletcher has to work up the courage to let her know that he knows that @TheMisguidedCounselor is her, but Fletcher is scared that this could change his whole relationship with Lucy.

I had the chance to read this book when it was still in the drafting stage, and I can confidently say it was one of the funniest books I’d ever read! Lucy is so relatable in her vulnerability and depression but also in her sense of humour, and Fletcher was a sweetheart with her from the start! If you want something that is funny, steamy, and romantic, pick this one up!

I’m a marketing and publicity associate Forever, so I am reading this for work! Aaaaaaand there's a character limit on reviews here are some more words