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Love Notes #1
Dear McKinnon
Everyone knows what it means to have a teal envelope taped to their locker on the first day of the month.
Everyone except new girl McKinnon Gregory.
The envelope is the start of a monthly tradition called the Secret Admirers, and something McKinnon never thought she'd see.
To her surprise-- and everyone else's-- the teal envelope is taped to her locker on March first.
McKinnon only has one month to figure out the clues. But she barely knows anyone, which makes it infinitely harder to determine her secret admirer's identity.
Will she figure it out before the month's over?
And if she does, will the guy she's fallen for through letters be just as amazing in person?
Everyone except new girl McKinnon Gregory.
The envelope is the start of a monthly tradition called the Secret Admirers, and something McKinnon never thought she'd see.
To her surprise-- and everyone else's-- the teal envelope is taped to her locker on March first.
McKinnon only has one month to figure out the clues. But she barely knows anyone, which makes it infinitely harder to determine her secret admirer's identity.
Will she figure it out before the month's over?
And if she does, will the guy she's fallen for through letters be just as amazing in person?
129 pages, Kindle Edition
Published February 28, 2022
195 people are currently reading
1119 people want to read
About the author
Danielle Keil
58 books354 followersDanielle Keil grew up and spent the majority of her life in the Chicagoland area. A recent transplant, she is enjoying the Mississippi life, especially the pool in her backyard.
Danielle is happily married for over 10 years, and has two young children, a daughter and a son, who are exact replicas of her and her husband.
Danielle's love language is gifts, her Ennegram is a 9w1, and she loves everything purple.
The way to her heart is through coffee, chocolate and tacos (extra guac).
Danielle is happily married for over 10 years, and has two young children, a daughter and a son, who are exact replicas of her and her husband.
Danielle's love language is gifts, her Ennegram is a 9w1, and she loves everything purple.
The way to her heart is through coffee, chocolate and tacos (extra guac).
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 195 reviews
August 4, 2022
At Ryder High, every month, a boy is selected to be the “Secret Admirer”, and it’s his job to write letters to his crush, leaving clues about who he is. This month, new girl McKinnon is receiving the mysterious letters. She doesn’t know anyone at school, so she has no clue who it could be.
This is a lower-YA romance book featuring my favourite trope - falling in love through letters. It’s just as adorable as it sounds!
4 stars, because it felt a little rushed, especially towards the end, and I would have liked more background for the heroine (her family, her new friendships with classmates Skye and Colby, etc.)
This is a lower-YA romance book featuring my favourite trope - falling in love through letters. It’s just as adorable as it sounds!
4 stars, because it felt a little rushed, especially towards the end, and I would have liked more background for the heroine (her family, her new friendships with classmates Skye and Colby, etc.)
March 1, 2022
Dear McKinnon was such a fun quick read. I loved trying to guess who the admirer was. The story was different from other books I've read, the characters were super likable. I can't wait for the rest of the series!
January 13, 2023
The cutest book I’ve ever read. I was swooning through the whole thing lol. It reminded me of first relationships💗 so cute.
April 28, 2024
G-rated, YA, epistolary-romance novella
McKinnon ("Macks") is a 17-year-old junior who has been homeschooled her whole life until a few weeks ago. She and her mother moved to a small town with a midsized high school, halfway through the school year and, with great trepidation, her mother has allowed Macks to give public school a try.
Introverted Macks had hoped to be the invisible girl, and just people watch rather than try to make friends, but the very first day she arrived, she was taken under the wing of the school's self-appointed mother hen, a fellow junior named, Skye. And before very long, bubbly, extroverted Skye declared herself Macks' new BFF.
It is through Skye that Macks learns about the longtime school tradition of Secret Admirer, when a telltale teal-colored envelope appears on Macks' locker door on the first day of February. Every month, a junior or senior boy is chosen by a secret lottery, and he gets to pick either a girl or a boy to whom he wishes to play the part of Secret Admirer. He communicates with them on a daily basis via a handwritten note on the traditional teal stationary, which is taped to their locker. Macks is informed that, as the object of interest of this month's Secret Admirer, she is free to opt in or out at any time. If she does decide to participate, the goal is to figure out the identity of the Secret Admirer, by utilizing clues provided in the letters he writes to her. Skye informs Macks that virtually every couple that has participated in this game, over the course of many, many years, has ended up, at the very least, dating, and some have ended up together long term.
Though, technically, this story is told from the sole first-person POV of Macks, who is a very sympathetic FMC, we get to know her Secret Admirer as well through his letters to her. He is revealed in that manner to be an adorable, Cinnamon Roll love interest, and the story has a satisfying, well-motivated, HFN resolution.
This is a G-rated, YA romance that is suitable for all ages. There is no cussing, no underage drinking, and only one kiss at the very end.
I rate this novella 3.5 stars rounded to four stars.
McKinnon ("Macks") is a 17-year-old junior who has been homeschooled her whole life until a few weeks ago. She and her mother moved to a small town with a midsized high school, halfway through the school year and, with great trepidation, her mother has allowed Macks to give public school a try.
Introverted Macks had hoped to be the invisible girl, and just people watch rather than try to make friends, but the very first day she arrived, she was taken under the wing of the school's self-appointed mother hen, a fellow junior named, Skye. And before very long, bubbly, extroverted Skye declared herself Macks' new BFF.
It is through Skye that Macks learns about the longtime school tradition of Secret Admirer, when a telltale teal-colored envelope appears on Macks' locker door on the first day of February. Every month, a junior or senior boy is chosen by a secret lottery, and he gets to pick either a girl or a boy to whom he wishes to play the part of Secret Admirer. He communicates with them on a daily basis via a handwritten note on the traditional teal stationary, which is taped to their locker. Macks is informed that, as the object of interest of this month's Secret Admirer, she is free to opt in or out at any time. If she does decide to participate, the goal is to figure out the identity of the Secret Admirer, by utilizing clues provided in the letters he writes to her. Skye informs Macks that virtually every couple that has participated in this game, over the course of many, many years, has ended up, at the very least, dating, and some have ended up together long term.
Though, technically, this story is told from the sole first-person POV of Macks, who is a very sympathetic FMC, we get to know her Secret Admirer as well through his letters to her. He is revealed in that manner to be an adorable, Cinnamon Roll love interest, and the story has a satisfying, well-motivated, HFN resolution.
This is a G-rated, YA romance that is suitable for all ages. There is no cussing, no underage drinking, and only one kiss at the very end.
I rate this novella 3.5 stars rounded to four stars.
May 24, 2022
'Fue entonces cuando me di cuenta de cuánto me afectaban las cartas. Me dieron esperanza, algo que esperar cada mañana. Se habían convertido en un punto brillante en mi día, una parte que sabía que estaría allí sin importar cómo se desarrollara el resto del día.'
•Mi opinión puede contener Spoilers
•Esta destinada a ser un descargo personal no para que alguien más lea pero si lo haces y te ofende, me disculpo porque sé lo que es que te guste un libro y otros lo critiquen
Dear McKinnon de Danielle Keil serie
Love Notes libro 1
Argumento:
Todo el mundo sabe lo que significa tener un sobre verde azulado pegado a su casillero el primer día del mes.
Todos excepto la chica nueva McKinnon Gregory.
El sobre es el comienzo de una tradición mensual llamada Secret Admirers, y algo que McKinnon nunca pensó que vería.
Para su sorpresa, y la de todos los demás, el sobre verde azulado está pegado a su casillero el primero de marzo.
McKinnon solo tiene un mes para descubrir las pistas. Pero apenas conoce a nadie, lo que hace infinitamente más difícil determinar la identidad de su admirador secreto.
¿Se dará cuenta antes de que termine el mes?
Y si lo hace, ¿será el chico del que se ha enamorado a través de las cartas igual de increíble en persona?
Mi humilde opinión:
El tema de 'Admiradores secretos por correspondencia' es de mis debilidades y no me encuentro con muchos libros de este estilo, así que salté enseguida a leer Dear McKinnon y... no pude parar de leer!
Me gustó la idea de la trama, este grupo secreto de chicos que elegía a la chica que les gustaba y comenzaba a dejarle pistas durante un mes, dentro de ese tiempo tiene que conquistarla, hasta dejar la última pista revelando su identidad. El club secreto seguía ciertas reglas que dudo si se hiciera en alguna escuela fuera así de respetuoso. Seguro se robarían las cartas pegadas al casillero por la curiosidad!
Volviendo al asunto, el héroe es un misterio durante todo el libro ya que se descubre su identidad más adelante y me gustó cómo la autora nos lo hace conocer a través de sus cartas y pistas que va dejando. Un novio de libro sin dudas para el desmayo! Pero me quedó una duda al final del libro sobre él, seguirá mostrando su máscara de chico popular o con McKinnon a su lado mostrará su verdadero yo?
Por otro lado, McKinnon me gustó por su amor con los libros y nunca deja de ser responsable en la escuela lo que es importante, ella es más del tipo tranquila y tímida porque siempre estudió en casa, también es insegura pero cuando comienza a recibir las cartas poco a poco es como que comienza a salir de su caparazón, hace amigos, se vuelve más valiente y segura.
El romance fue ligero y dulce. Me encantó que los protagonistas se volvieran amigos por correspondencia porque de esa manera comenzaron a conocerse a un nivel más profundo. Y se fue creando cierta tensión entre ellos al llegar el último día y eso hizo su encuentro cara a cara más emocionante.
Las cartas de ida y vuelta y los detalles me hicieron reír y sonreír. Disfruté de todo el desarrollo de su relación y, al igual que la heroína, me ponía ansiosa siguiendo las pistas para averiguar quién le escribía y comprendía totalmente sus temores sobre si esa persona que mostraba en el papel sería la misma en persona.
Me engañó por un momento, pensé que descubrí al admirador secreto pero terminó siendo el que menos pensaba. Era tan distinto a McKinnon que parecía imposible pero al final esas miradas lo dijeron todo.
En resumen fue una lectura agradable y fácil con un romance juvenil en la secundaria realmente ADORABLE y lo pongo con mayúsculas porque fue tal cual.
May 10, 2022
This book was adorable! I loved how the reader gets swept up in the mystery right along with McKinnon, Skye, and the rest of the school. I loved how ??? really got to know McKinnon and sent her gifts that she really appreciated. Their letters were just too, too cute!
If online romances are your jam, then you will LOVE Danielle's new Love Notes series! This was a fun, quick read and I will most definitely be reading more!
If online romances are your jam, then you will LOVE Danielle's new Love Notes series! This was a fun, quick read and I will most definitely be reading more!
October 26, 2022
This was really adorable, I really miss books like this, simple, short, straight to the point and no drama at all
The whole series takes place in Ryder High, where there is a tradition each month that a boy sends a secret letter to a girl and she has a month to figure out who is her secret admirer, this time it's Mckinnon's turn, she is the new girl and somebody saw her and challenged her to accept the "Secret Admirer" challenge.. who is the mystery boy ? and will she figure it out before the month is up ?
the story was simple and sweet, and in my opinion extremely short, and even the revelation of the secret admirer was so anticlimactic, I wished it was someone else because I couldn't ship those two together TBH ..
on to the next book
The whole series takes place in Ryder High, where there is a tradition each month that a boy sends a secret letter to a girl and she has a month to figure out who is her secret admirer, this time it's Mckinnon's turn, she is the new girl and somebody saw her and challenged her to accept the "Secret Admirer" challenge.. who is the mystery boy ? and will she figure it out before the month is up ?
the story was simple and sweet, and in my opinion extremely short, and even the revelation of the secret admirer was so anticlimactic, I wished it was someone else because I couldn't ship those two together TBH ..
on to the next book
May 26, 2024
*2.5
genuinely what teenage boy (especially popular ones) act like this. if any do feel free to contact me! (kidding please don’t or i’ll call the police)
genuinely what teenage boy (especially popular ones) act like this. if any do feel free to contact me! (kidding please don’t or i’ll call the police)
April 22, 2024
I feel in love with this book! Such a cute high school story! Just so cute overall and a quick read as well! I was able to figure out who her secret admirer was but I didn’t mind knowing who it was before he was revealed. I can’t wait to read some of her other books!
May 21, 2022
this was so cuuuuute!! i would totally watch this if it was a movie
July 7, 2022
secret admirer rollercoaster
What a delightful fun quick read with so many swoon- worthy moments. Danielle Keli creates a fast paced world filled with your next best friends. When new girl McKinnon receives a teal note from a secret admirer the game is on.
Prepare for a wild ride filled with delightful characters, mystery and a beautiful HEA. I’m looking forward to binging this entire series
What a delightful fun quick read with so many swoon- worthy moments. Danielle Keli creates a fast paced world filled with your next best friends. When new girl McKinnon receives a teal note from a secret admirer the game is on.
Prepare for a wild ride filled with delightful characters, mystery and a beautiful HEA. I’m looking forward to binging this entire series
April 5, 2022
Intriguing story concept
I was intrigued by the concept of this book - the secret admirer angle - and I loved how McKinnon was as new to the idea as the reader was. Her having no idea about what was happening was the perfect way to let the reader in on the details without seeming unnecessarily long winded. I throughly enjoyed the characters and the letters they wrote that were laid out in the story. Although I typically read steamier books, I was engrossed enough in this cute little tale that I didn’t miss the heat and will definitely pick it up again in the future.
I was intrigued by the concept of this book - the secret admirer angle - and I loved how McKinnon was as new to the idea as the reader was. Her having no idea about what was happening was the perfect way to let the reader in on the details without seeming unnecessarily long winded. I throughly enjoyed the characters and the letters they wrote that were laid out in the story. Although I typically read steamier books, I was engrossed enough in this cute little tale that I didn’t miss the heat and will definitely pick it up again in the future.
June 5, 2023
I'm so glad I read this. I loved trying to solve the mystery of who the secret admirer was.
April 16, 2022
Cute cute cute and clean
Okay. This is such an adorable YA novel. It's one POV, and you spend most of the book not knowing who the male main character is but it's so so cute! It's like a mix of PS I Like You by Kasie West and Perfectly Oblivious by Robin Daniels. And I loved it.
Okay. This is such an adorable YA novel. It's one POV, and you spend most of the book not knowing who the male main character is but it's so so cute! It's like a mix of PS I Like You by Kasie West and Perfectly Oblivious by Robin Daniels. And I loved it.
April 9, 2023
So stinking sweet! I didn't put it down!
I liked all of the characters in the book and even the kind of silly Secret Admirer tradition at the school. I really liked seeing McKinnon open up and really would have liked to have seen more of their HEA. But I really liked the way they connected and got each other without speaking face to face. The only thing I didn't like was the bonus chapter that is on a clickable link at the end office the book. I didn't like how he chose her; it made it seem like he viewed her as a challenge instead of him being intrigued by her from the get go, which is the vibes I got from the letters. Also it seemed like one of his friends kinda liked her first, so that put me off. But I read this in one sitting and stayed up way past my bedtime because it was so good!
I liked all of the characters in the book and even the kind of silly Secret Admirer tradition at the school. I really liked seeing McKinnon open up and really would have liked to have seen more of their HEA. But I really liked the way they connected and got each other without speaking face to face. The only thing I didn't like was the bonus chapter that is on a clickable link at the end office the book. I didn't like how he chose her; it made it seem like he viewed her as a challenge instead of him being intrigued by her from the get go, which is the vibes I got from the letters. Also it seemed like one of his friends kinda liked her first, so that put me off. But I read this in one sitting and stayed up way past my bedtime because it was so good!
November 14, 2025
This is a fun, quick read, and it's the perfect palate cleanser.
I love the plot: Everyone at Ryder High knows what it means to have a teal envelope taped to their locker on the first day of the month. It means that they have a Secret Admirer and they're invited to join in a month long quest to figure out who it is and possibly find love along the way. Notes, gifts, clues. I enjoyed trying to figure out who McKinnon's admirer was right along with her.
This is a short and sweet, low angst, no steam high school romance, but it kept me turning the pages. It's been a very long time since I was in high school, but this book had me reminiscing and wishing that we'd had such a fun tradition back in my day.
I love the plot: Everyone at Ryder High knows what it means to have a teal envelope taped to their locker on the first day of the month. It means that they have a Secret Admirer and they're invited to join in a month long quest to figure out who it is and possibly find love along the way. Notes, gifts, clues. I enjoyed trying to figure out who McKinnon's admirer was right along with her.
This is a short and sweet, low angst, no steam high school romance, but it kept me turning the pages. It's been a very long time since I was in high school, but this book had me reminiscing and wishing that we'd had such a fun tradition back in my day.
May 2, 2022
This was a cute and fun YA romcom. I love the idea of secret admirers and trying to guess who the mystery person is. McKinnon is the new girl, she was homeschooled until the middle of junior year and knows next to no one at her new school. Her best friend skye tells her about the secret admirer game that happens every month, but she doesn't put much thought into it, thinking she won't be picked. But oh was she wrong. Suddenly she opens her locker and there's a letter inside and so the game begins. She spends the month writing letters back and forth with "Charlie" until times up and she has to decide whether to meet the real guy behind the letters or let it go. What will she decide? Read to find out!
March 4, 2022
Opposites Attract
I loved this quick romance read. It was fun and highly entertaining. I couldn’t put it down and had to finish it without putting it down to even get a coffee refill.😉
In Dear McKinnon the author took us on a well written journey about a secret admirer with a pen pal twist. I honestly didn’t expect the S A to be who it was but it made McKinnon’s story so much sweeter once you put the two sides to the same coin together.
An outstanding book that I highly recommend to all opposites attract lovers and romance lovers in general.💖
I loved this quick romance read. It was fun and highly entertaining. I couldn’t put it down and had to finish it without putting it down to even get a coffee refill.😉
In Dear McKinnon the author took us on a well written journey about a secret admirer with a pen pal twist. I honestly didn’t expect the S A to be who it was but it made McKinnon’s story so much sweeter once you put the two sides to the same coin together.
An outstanding book that I highly recommend to all opposites attract lovers and romance lovers in general.💖
March 6, 2022
This book gave me all the swoony vibes, and just the cheesiest thing I absolutely needed. McKinnon finds out her school does a mystery secret admirer once a month, and this month she’s chosen!
The clues, the letters, the references about Colleen Hoover, Gilmore girls, and book boyfriends. By the end of the book Charlie (his pen name not actual name) ended up being the best book boyfriend ever!
I can’t wait for more of these. I absolutely loved them, the mystery, the clues, all the sweet moments. Do yourself a favor and read this!
The clues, the letters, the references about Colleen Hoover, Gilmore girls, and book boyfriends. By the end of the book Charlie (his pen name not actual name) ended up being the best book boyfriend ever!
I can’t wait for more of these. I absolutely loved them, the mystery, the clues, all the sweet moments. Do yourself a favor and read this!
March 1, 2022
I loved this Novella! I could tell this was a new concept for Danielle however she did such a good job flushing the storyline out and keeping a good pace for how the story progressed. Most novellas I’ve read seem to jump around and are very fast paced, this one was not. It kept me so engaged I could not put it down. If you are looking for a fun short mystery romance this is it. It has just the right amount of a serotonin boost to make someone’s day.
May 26, 2022
This is a really sweet book and I really enjoyed it.
Being the new girl, McKinnon doesn't understand the appeal of the tradition of the teal envelopes or believe it could be her, but the first of the month rolls around and the envelope is hers. Given she's new to the school, the month may not be long enough to work out who her admirer is.
I am looking forward to reading the other books in the series.
Being the new girl, McKinnon doesn't understand the appeal of the tradition of the teal envelopes or believe it could be her, but the first of the month rolls around and the envelope is hers. Given she's new to the school, the month may not be long enough to work out who her admirer is.
I am looking forward to reading the other books in the series.
April 1, 2023
Oh this book!!! It was so perfect! I am a sucker for teenage romance stories, and this one did not disappoint! I devoured this story, literally in 24 hours. And while it was a fairly short book (almost a novella,really) it was the perfect length to tell the story. I would have loved a follow up to know how their date went and if they make it, but maybe that will come in future books by this author. I’m hooked on Ryder High now and will immediately start book 2 in the series. This book was amazing and I still am swooning over Charlie and Macks!!!
March 2, 2022
Dear McKinnon is a great novella! I loved trying to guess who the admirer was and the story flowed really well! The characters were great and I liked them a lot! I liked the way the secret admirer game was done as well. It kept me guessing until McKinnon figured who her secret admirer was.
I can't wait for the rest of this fun series! I highly recommend!!
I can't wait for the rest of this fun series! I highly recommend!!
March 4, 2022
This was a super cute quick read. I was smiling and trying to quess the admirer all the way through the book. The charecters were likable and fun to get to know. This was just the sort of fun teen romance book that puts you in a good mood. I found myself cheering McKinnon on to find out who the admirer was. I can't wait to read the rest of the series.
June 13, 2022
Secret Admirers...
MacKinnon is new to Ryder High. She knows nothing about the secret admirer program the students have invented. MacKinnon receives the infamous teal envelope. Who could possibly admire her?
This was an entertaining story about making friends and discovering hidden secrets about them!
MacKinnon is new to Ryder High. She knows nothing about the secret admirer program the students have invented. MacKinnon receives the infamous teal envelope. Who could possibly admire her?
This was an entertaining story about making friends and discovering hidden secrets about them!
March 1, 2022
What an awesome cute fast read!! I have to admit I was sucked right in and going back and forth on who I thought the secret admirer could be. This was such a sweet story and I loved the book world references. I'm really hoping we get more of these 2 or more from this game. Definitely recommend!!
March 1, 2022
This novella hit all the sweet, fun vibes of a 90's movie for me. What's not to love about a secret admirer, writing lots of notes back and forth and an eventual happily ever after? You drop right into this world and take a fantastic ride! Definitely pick this up for a mood-lifting read!
March 2, 2022
Such a sweet book! Reading it put me in an instant better mood! It was fun and made me feel like a teenager again trying to figure out the admirer. And I absolutely loved that it was a novella and super quick read, perfect for a busy mom!
March 3, 2022
This is my first time reading this author and I’m so in love!!! Such a precious story of young love/first crushes. I absolutely loved the plot and how everything played out. I will for sure be reading more!!!
March 4, 2022
Wow! What a book?! It let me forget the craziness of the world for an evening and took me on a lovely ride. I was totally consumed by the mystery and the developing romance between McKinnon and Secret Admirer. Loved it 💜💜💜
Displaying 1 - 30 of 195 reviews