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kcbatts's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
I hated the third act break up and had to suspend reality for their make-up.
I mostly enjoyed reading this, but doubt I'll revisit.
Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders, Infidelity, and Mental illness
Minor: Pregnancy
livaausma's review against another edition
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
But I feel as if it but could've been executed better.
Many conflicts were due to miscommunication which is undoubtedly the worst reason, and it felt like, the conflict wasn't even that big to begin with. Some characters were too stereotypical and there seemed to be too much introduction to characters that never really showed up again
The flow of the storyline and development was too fast at times - them being
Lastly, I want to mention the mental health struggles. I liked that it was said and shown that it is okay to struggle and that everyone is worth being loved, cared for, and deserves happiness. With that being said, it felt a bit too much/fast/...? :
And lastly, Lucy has terrible self-worth complexes and does not trust anyone to have her best interests at heart. This was really glossed over and also did not seem to get better throughout the novel. And while it was a happy ending, for anyone reading, I feel like it is really important to know how much you are worth and to love yourself and have respect for yourself before starting a relationship. Because if you don't, you could be taken advantage off (mentally, physically, financially and in any other way). While Lucy was had a HEA with someone kindhearted and giving, someone with a similar situation and low self-esteem would not be so lucky. With that being said, take care of you and know your worth <3
Graphic: Mental illness and Panic attacks/disorders
Moderate: Body shaming
Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Sexual harassment, and Infidelity
vickie0326's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
Graphic: Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, and Infidelity
mamawantsbooks's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Graphic: Mental illness and Panic attacks/disorders
Moderate: Pregnancy, Adult/minor relationship, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, and Infidelity
newandhorrible's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders
Moderate: Suicidal thoughts
lololovesthings's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I so very much enjoyed "Flirty Little Secret" by Jessica Lepe, which is a fresh, modern take on a "You've Got Mail"-type of story. This one is SO funny! I feel like I laughed constantly throughout the entire book. I loved the connection between Lucy and Fletcher. I was instantly drawn to them and their love story. Their relationship starts out rocky, but the more they lean on each other, get to know one another, and open up to one another, a tender bond between them forms. The mental health representation is the star of the show here. This book has some of the best mental health discussions I have seen as of late. The conversations around mental illness felt totally realistic, wholly purposeful, and remarkably compassionate. It wasn't just thrown in without any rhyme or reason. Lepe really took her time crafting Lucy and Fletcher's mental health struggles and issues so that they felt lived-in and relatable. Lucy's struggles with imposter syndrome, depression, and anxiety felt extremely pertinent to me. There *is* a ton of miscommunication in this story, but it didn't seem to bother me as much as it has in the past in other novels. I think it's because Lucy and Fletcher are so dang likable and lifelike. Also, A+ representation as Lucy is Moroccan Jewish and Mexican. There are a half-dozen things I could pick apart about this book, but at the end of the day, it made me feel seen and made me feel really good about what I just read. I thoroughly enjoyed it!
Thank you to NetGalley, Jessica Lepe, Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for the complimentary ARC of this book. All opinions are my own. I was not compensated for this review.
Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders and Mental illness
Moderate: Infidelity and Suicidal thoughts
dogoodwithbooks's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders and Mental illness
Moderate: Ableism and Infidelity
Minor: Sexual assault, Antisemitism, Suicidal thoughts, and Racial slurs
my_bookish_diary's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
As for Fletcher – he seemed to be pretty much all green flags, which was nice in the context of this book. He starts off with some issues with confrontation, which he works on over the course of the book and, by the end, is finally able to stand up for himself a bit more. I appreciated that he never wavered in his attraction to Lucy or his desire to pursue a relationship with her, and that when she confided in him about her mental health struggles, he was so supportive and wanted to learn more about how he could help her instead of trying to change her or making her feel like she needed to be anything other than what she was. All in all, the actual romance portion of this book was cute and enjoyable, and I appreciated the neurodivergent representation.
Now, there were some things that I found off-putting about this book as well. Mainly, the inclusion in the story of a school group with triple K initials. The group itself is not a hate group and is actually supposed to be a group that encourages confidence in teens, but I thought the name of the group having triple K initials was unnecessary and, for me, detracted from the story every time it was mentioned – which was honestly way more than it needed to be. Thematically, it seems like the author intended for the name of this group to be a sore point, which it was, especially for Lucy, who has wanted to get it changed to something else for what seems like quite some time. The reason it hasn’t been changed is given as being due to there not being enough in the school budget for a new curriculum for the group, and the group is named after the curriculum. I’m not sure why the name of the club couldn’t have been changed, regardless of the name of the curriculum. Lucy does eventually gain the confidence to bring up the name to the school principal and get it changed, and this is a big moment for her character, as it illustrates some major growth on her part in her ability to confidently stand up for herself and others and feel competent in her job. However, I think it would have been entirely possible for the author to find a different way for Lucy to go through this same growth arc without the club having the same initials as a hate group, and it would have made those parts of the book more bearable to read. If the point was to make the reader as uncomfortable with the name as Lucy and her students must have felt, it worked.
Overall, this was a cute story, and I hope that Lucy’s sisters get their own books as well, because I felt like there was definitely potential for more out of these characters and this author. Thank you to Netgalley for the eArc. My review has been my honest and unbiased opinion.
Moderate: Racial slurs, Suicidal thoughts, Panic attacks/disorders, Infidelity, and Mental illness
chemistryreads's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders