Flirty Little Secret
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4.3 • 4 Ratings
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- $11.99
Publisher Description
"Jessica Lepe absolutely sparkles in this stunning debut!"
—Lyssa Kay Adams, USA Today bestselling author
You’ve Got Mail meets Abbott Elementary in this charming friends-to-lovers romantic comedy where two co-workers are caught between disaster at first sight—and love at first like.
School counselor Lucy Galindo has a secret.
To her coworkers, friends, and even family, she’s shy, sweet, and constantly struggling to hold off disaster (read: manage her anxiety and depression). But online? She’s bold, confident, and always knows what to say—it’s how she’s become the wildly popular @TheMissGuidedCounselor. It’s also why she keeps her identity anonymous. Her followers would never trust the real Lucy with their problems.
History teacher Aldrich Fletcher thought a new job would give him some relief from his drama-filled family. Instead, he’s dodging his ex-girlfriend and pining over his new co-worker—who only ever seems to see him at his worst. Thankfully, he can count on his online confidant for advice . . . until he discovers @TheMissGuidedCounselor is Lucy.
Now Fletcher has a secret too. And while Lucy can’t deny there’s something between them, she’s not sure she can trust him. Can they both find the courage to share the truth and step out from behind their screens?
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Daily life for neurodivergent high school guidance counselor Lucy Galindo is an uphill battle in Lepe's charming rom-com debut. Though she's kind and caring, and has a loving family and friends and a job where she hopes to make a difference, Lucy struggles with self-confidence due to her depression, anxiety, and ADHD. She can only be truly herself through her secret online persona, @TheMissGuidedCounselor, offering bold advice to her followers. Meanwhile, Aldrich Fletcher, furious at his father for abandoning his wife of 34 years for his pregnant mistress, leaves the family money management business to pursue teaching. Unfortunately, Aldrich's ex-girlfriend Georgia, who cheated on him with his own brother, also works at his new school. The bright spots in his days are fleeting moments with beautiful Lucy, who he meets cute when she accidentally burns him with tea, and his conversations with @TheMissGuidedCounselor, who he connects with via the anonymous handle @BravesGuy93. The romance plays out as a fresh, diverse twist on You've Got Mail, and it's a joy to watch Lucy grow in confidence as she learns to incorporate her online persona into daily life. Fans of Abbott Elementary will be especially charmed.
Customer Reviews
Flirty Little Secret
Flirty Little Secret by Jessica Lepe
Contemporary romance. Mental health issues. Alternating 1st person POV’s for Lucy and Fletcher.
Lucy Galindo is a high school guidance counselor. She is good at her job but she hides her own anxiety and depression with the help of a hidden and remodeled closet that she can escape to when needed. She uses the room to cry, to unwind and retreat from the pressure of life. Lucy also has a secret identity in an online column she writes. Writing the column, she can be positive, bold and always have the right advice to give. She can make the column her own, while hiding her own fears and tears.
New History teacher Fletcher moved to the small public school in Massachusetts to help his mother recover. The timing worked well since he was burned out at the private school and their policies. Fletcher is immediately intrigued with his new coworker, Lucy. She makes him laugh and simply feel better around her. The more time he spends with Lucy and her family and getting to know her well enough to accept her ADHD, her depression he begins to care for her even more. Just a few more facts and he discovers that he and Lucy have been sharing texts for awhile under assumed names as part of her advice column. They were already friends before they had even met. But will she trust him if he reveals their backstory?
I want to say it was nice and welcoming to read a “non perfect” heroine, but I’m don’t want to label her that way. I found Lucy delightful and charming, regardless of her depression induced crying, or her not being able to go shopping. All of us have felt overwhelmed at times or many of us have cried at the silliest of events. Life is messy and this heroine has the diagnosis to explain her issues but she also has a great supportive family that will love her no matter what. That is priceless and Lucy embraces them.
The romance is enchanting and Fletcher being enamored with Lucy feels comforting. The lack of openness on the secret identities felt contrived and unnecessary but the grand gesture made it worth it. A wonderful ending for a perfect pairing.