Operation Superglue

by Stacy Lee

A little glue goes a long way. Or at least that’s what thirty-five-year-old single mother Lina Rivera hopes for when she finds herself smack dab in the middle of an undercover operation as a high school senior.

Best-selling young adult crime novelist Lina Rivera is strikingly beautiful and can’t even purchase a scratch ticket without being carded. With her twins Luciana and Max beginning their freshman year of high school in the fall, she has never felt closer to understanding her target teenagers. But when the reviews of her newest release fall short and negative feedback taunts her from every angle, it becomes clear that teenage life in 2024 is nothing like her high school experience back in 1999—and people are starting to notice.

Despite that, Lina is desperate to continue writing young adult books. So, when her ex-husband, Jon Cote, who is a private investigator, invites her to join an undercover operation at Emerson Academy, she can’t say no. She agrees to join “Operation Superglue” and is shocked beyond belief to discover that Jon has been posing as the school’s substitute art teacher for months and without any leads in a case of several missing teens.

Now an undercover high school senior, Lina learns that today’s society is worlds away from anything remotely familiar. And, with her ex-husband back in her life in more ways than one, Lina soon realizes that the choices she made in the past may not be as permanently stuck as she had once assumed.

326 pages, Kindle Edition

Published June 28, 2024

Reviews

[Katie A. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute, would read the next one

This was a pretty cute mix of light romance and tame thriller. Nothing to get super excited about, but I liked the characters enough to want to read the next one.

Also, won this on Goodreads! Thank you

[Erin Marie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thought this would be the perfect light read for my three week trip to the Phoenix area...and it was! I liked the main character and really enjoyed the premise. As much as I think I've had my fill of dual timeline books, it worked for this one. In fact, I think it would've felt like an info dump if Lina's history with Jon been explained in the present. That was well done.

I wasn't surprised by the reveal but I mostly read thrillers, so I tend to figure them out as I'm reading. But it didn't affect my enjoyment of this story. There was also a twist to it that I didn't see coming and wasn't sure how it'd play out exactly, so that was fun.

There was some dialogue at the end that annoyed me. Just seems a little far fetched that a tween girl (and a kidnapping victim) would be preoccupied with a grown woman's feelings about her ex-husband. That part lost me. But since that was the only thing I didn't like about it, book 2 is already in the mail.

[Nicole Never Reads Too Much · Rating 3 out of 5]

I thought that I won this as a giveaway, but it looks like I didn't. Not sure how it got on my Kindle, but let's be honest, I get so many on there!

Okay, the premise of a 30-year-old woman going undercover as a high schooler? Total 21 Jump Street vibes but with a mom-twist. I couldn’t resist picking this up. Like, sure, Botox can work wonders, but blending into a school full of TikTok-savvy teens? That's a stretch. Still, the concept of a mom diving back into the trenches of high school to understand what her kid is going through is oddly brilliant—and kind of terrifying.

Now, let’s talk execution. The story tries to juggle a lot: undercover shenanigans, family drama, some romance, and the inevitable high school chaos. I wasn’t sure it would all fit together, but weirdly, it did. Maybe it was the humor, or maybe it was the heart in those unexpected moments where the protagonist truly connected with her “classmates.” Either way, it worked.

And the plot twist? I didn’t see it coming completely, but I wasn’t totally shocked either. It was enough to keep me hooked and nodding in approval as the pieces clicked into place. The ending left me satisfied—it tied things up nicely without feeling too cliche.

Would I recommend it? If you’re in the mood for something lighthearted but layered, give Operation Superglue a shot. It’s a reminder that high school is never as simple as we remember—and maybe no amount of Botox can smooth over the rough edges of teenage life. 😉

[Katie Perovich · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this! It’s different than any book I’ve ever read. I was interested in it because of the romance aspect, but the suspense/mystery is what kept me hooked. I love the layout of this book since we learned the back story of Lina’s life and how it connects to present day. I highly recommend to romance readers trying to break into new genres!! I received a copy of this book through Goodreads giveaways :)

[Jenn DeFeo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Stacy Lee does it again with a witty story, filled with colorful characters you’ll love, and can relate to on every level! A novel filled with twists and turns, ups and downs, relationship complications, love, and forgiveness! Crack open this book and enjoy the ride! A talented, blossoming author. The series has so much potential, looking forward to the next few books!

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to the author/ publisher for this Goodreads giveaway. I enjoyed the novel about an author turned Private I. A little mystery, a little danger, a little romance makes for a fun read.