The central theme of Melonie Johnson’s “Too Good to be Real” is finding out if life can truly be like living in a romcom. The story is a cross between the book/movie “Austenland” to the movie “Isn’t It Romantic” to the book “Would Like to Meet”. If you loved just one of these, you’re going to laugh up a storm and be moved during this one.

Like in half the Hallmark heroines, Julia’s job is on the line, and so she seeks out ideas to write about for her company’s website. Luckily, she discovers this resort where you can live out your romcom fantasies. "Real life dating is so bleak, who wouldn't want to spend a week in a fantasy rom-com world with your best friends?”

After arriving at the resort with her two besties, Julia experiences her own meet cute with Luke, the program director of the romcom simulations. They both hide their true identities (she as the one reviewing the program and resort and he as one of the organizers). Instead, they play along as participants and while spending time together - whether it’s walking in the rain, doing karaoke, or painting - Julia and Luke develop feelings for each other, but they also contemplate if what they’re feeling is adrenaline from the simulations or if they’re romcom relationship is very much real.

I truly laughed quite a bit, as this story is a dedication to all that we love about romcoms: the meet cutes, the sidekicks, sibling bonding, mishaps, rain, one-liners, and of course, the grand gestures. You’re going to swoon over the awkward, geeky, and handsome control freak of a guy Luke. He may have some baggage to deal with, but he’s so worth it.

This was such a fun and funny book and what a breath of fresh air. If you get a thrill of romcom movies and you truly understand the importance of meet cutes and the typical formula of a romcom, you’ll enjoy this.

I received a copy of this book from the author as part of her traveling review team in exchange for an honest review.

I was excitedly to finally receive the physical book from the previous reviewer because I have been eager to read about how corgis fit into the story. Like so many others, I love holding the book in my hands. I’ve heard so much about this book and have seen so many posts on social media about it that it didn’t take me long to devour it as soon as I could. I judge a book more by its cover - I rarely read the description because I want to be completely surprised!

The premise of the story involves a resort that is hosting a rom-com role playing event. There are so many references to rom-Vons I grew up watching, that I immediately started finding some of them on streaming networks just so I could enhance my story experience.

There is so much fun to be had by the multitude of characters in this story- but is it all part of the role-Playing game ot is it Too Good to be Real???

Join Andie, Kat and Julia as they embark on a wild rom-com LARPIng adventure!

This book just wasn’t for me. This book is a romcom and it fell a little flat for me in both categories. I wish there was more on page time with the 2 main characters - there was a lot of focus on friendships and the Luke and Julia spend most of their time with other people. I also wish there was a little more tension - I mean they are both lying to each other about who they are and they don’t seem to really care? Also the humor just didn’t work for me - little to cheesy.

I can see this book working for someone with a different sense of humor but it was not for me.

Julia is going through a rough patch. Her dating life is in the abysmal and she is in jeopardy of losing her job at an online magazine. With layoffs looming she makes a pitch to her boss to write about a new hotel opening that gives the full RomCom experience. Luke is the programmer in charge (along with his sister and best friend)of putting together the Live Action Role Playing at the hotel. Of course, Luke and Julia have a meet cute that involves a pooping and thieving seagull. Can our couple get past the fantasy of the role playing and move their relationship back to the real world? This is a fun, cute read and a perfect beach read. I received an advanced reader copy of this book from NetGalley for my honest review.

Just by looking at the cover of this book I knew it was something I would enjoy. I mean it had a cute dog on the cover, I’m sold.

In this book we follow Julia and Luke who are both attending a week long rom com fantasy get away. Here they interact with each other in all kinds of crazy rom com-ish situations. Luke is an awkward and shy guy, while Julia is more out going and ready to have a fun experience. They both have secrets they aren’t sharing which might hurt the relationship that is just getting started.

This book is every rom com movie troupe there is all in one cute and quick read. There are references to many different popular rom com movies. There is a lot of funny dialogue between all the characters and a mischievous bird. While this book may not be the most memorable for me, I definitely had a fun time reading it.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced reader copy.

I was really rooting for this book, so know that when I tell you it let me down, I really mean it. Although the elevator pitch of this book is charming, the characters fell flat and were frankly interchangeable. The plot was unnecessarily convoluted and I came away from it rolling my eyes rather than cheering the characters on. The writing was mundane, lacking any of the wit and sparkle from the romcoms referenced throughout the novel. Overall, Too Good to Be Real turned out to be just not good enough.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Griffin for the ARC!

I wanted to like this book, but I DNF due to secondhand embarrassment and the cliché tropes. I really wanted to enjoy it, because the premise seems right up my alley, but I couldn't get past the cheese.

A disappointing read. What I want out of a romcom is some good laughs, engaging characters, and chemistry between the romantic pair. Too Good to Be Real was 0 for 3 on this.

I just couldn't bring myself to care much about either of the main characters, nor, unfortunately, any of the side characters. And I didn't really feel much chemistry between the pair of them, either. In addition to rarely being actually funny at all, the plot was convoluted and messy, leaving me with a lot of questions and mental edits (never a great sign). For instance, the concept of LARPing romcoms is original and cute, and I do appreciate the allusions to iconic romcoms & romantic tropes, but it doesn't make sense the way it's laid out in this book. And why did Luke have to lie and hide his real position there in order to...get a good review? Not to mention dozens of other tinier details that just didn't hold up to even the slightest bit of scrutiny. The writing style, too, was kind of dull and flat and messy, and just didn't keep my attention.

Basically, I wanted to edit this book, not read it...which just isn't what I want out of a book.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Griffin for the advance review copy.

I wasn’t too crazy about the premise for this book, but maybe that’s because I don’t see the appeal of live action role playing. In this story, the heroine, Julie, goes with her two best friends to check out a resort featuring role-playing based on rom-coms. There she encounters Luke who has been the programmer for the resort activities. I was never clear why they needed a computer programmer to run their activities.

I enjoyed seeing the romance tropes brought in for the week’s activities and Julie and Luke’s growing romance. I just couldn’t get all that engaged with their romance. I didn’t find either of them all that interesting as characters. And it’s a rather tired trope to have each character hiding a secret from the other and then for them to face difficulties when the truth is revealed, difficulties that they soon will overcome for their HEA.

I voluntarily reviewed an advanced reader copy of this book that I received from Netgalley; however, the opinions are my own and I did not receive any compensation for my review.

The book is based on a movie theme type of romantic fun. Its about different types of love, new, rekindle, siblings and best friends. The games and entertainment at the resort brought extra humor to the book.

I’ve never done any live action role-playing in my life so my only even peripheral experience with it was Austenland. If you enjoyed Austenland but wanted it to be a little bit more modern, then Too Good to Be Real is the book for you. Julia is a reporter trying to save her job when she gets an assignment to visit Notting Hill, a brand new resort that promises visitors a true romcom experience. Luke is on the planning team at Notting Hill and his meet cute with Julia is the two of them literally falling into each other. I don’t know if I could personally handle protecting my emotions while really giving into the experience—what’s real and what’s make believe? I am all for Alpha heroes, but I think the part of this book that I enjoyed the most was how different Luke was from your typical romance hero. He’s tall and awkward and lanky and definitely has some self-esteem issues with his appearance. It was a breath of fresh air to have a non-athletic, soft-bodied MC for a change. This book is light and fun with minimal angst. It’s a great book for the beach (or in my land-locked case, my couch). Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC in exchange for an honest review. Book release July 6, 2021. #bookstagram #bookstagrammer #stlreads #steamyreads #chicagobooks #romcombooks #netgalley #stmartinspress #meloniejohnson #toogoodtobereal

Absolutely unique and wonderful romcom about being in a romcom.

An eccentric hotel owner creates a theme of living in a rom-com. Guests are given a "character" and activities where they can interact with other guests, paid actors, and hotel staff. For couples, it gives them a chance to renew their romance. For single guests, the opportunity for a "meet cute" and live through situations they've only seen on film.

The main characters are Julia, a reporter for a trendy magazine, and her two friends. They visit the hotel where Julia runs into Luke, one of the computer programmers that helped set up the system along with his sister and his friend. While she's the actual reporter, the hotel staff initially believe it's Julia's friend Kat, since she's the one who checked them in. Lines between make believe and reality get blurred, and most all end up with their HEA.

I was a bit unsure when I started where this was going, but absolutely loved it! You'll recognize the assigned character names based on real-life romance films and series, and was an enjoyable read!

I have mixed feelings about this book. I liked the concept, and I liked the friendships between Julia, Andi and Kat. I really loved the side characters like Patrick and David, Harry and Sally. But if I am being completely honest, Luke and Julia fell a little flat for me? I am not sure what it was, maybe they were no developed enough? Or their relationship blooming wasn’t all that relatable or real?

Bottom Line: This passed the time just fine, and I definitely had a few LOL moments. It was a cute read, but nothing I would rush to get to.

**I received a copy of Too Good to Be Real from Netgalley in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are of my own.**

Julia's down on her luck. Her love life has fallen flat and she's in real danger of losing her job. Why not kill two birds with one stone? She pitches a review of a resort that allows guests to live out their rom-com dreams through live-action role-playing. Not only could she save her job, but maybe have a meet-cute, too. Although her meet with Luke, the co-runner of the resort, isn't as cute as she'd like it to be, she can't help but be charmed by his handsome, awkward self. Julia hides the fact that she's reviewing the resort and Luke hides the fact that he partly owns it. The two become caught up in the fantasy world of rom-coms and begin to fall for each other. How do they know their love isn't just part of the roleplaying? And will their secrets threaten to ruin everything?

I was hooked from the first page of this book! Julia doesn't believe in love anymore, but she has an amazing group of friends who do. Their friend group was full of three eccentric, different women who loved each other endlessly and that was so nice to see! The way they encouraged each other felt so real and kind. I loved how they were rom-com lovers, even if they had their own romantic issues, too. The resort was EVERYTHING. I wish it was real! From the different rom-com names to Sally's pie for dessert, it was the perfect experience for a rom-com lover. Luke was so cute, too! He was a gentle giant who was the biggest nerd. I loved how awkward his interactions with Julia could be, but also how sweet and honest he was with his feelings. The dual point of view served this book lots of favors because it was so interesting to get inside both of their heads and see the romantic relationship unfold. From the meet-cute to the grand gesture, this was a near-perfect rom-com. I'd recommend this to anyone who loves rom-coms, Meg Ryan, and honest love stories!

Too Good to Be Real give you the sparks and tingles you get watching your favorite rom-com. Bursting with colorful side characters and a charming whirlwind romance, you'll finish the book with a smile on your face.

This was a quick, fun, cute read. It’s the perfect summer book.

When Julia, a journalist, senses that she may be at risk of losing her job she decides to take on an assignment that could save her position. Julia and her two friends Andie and Kat end up at Notting Hill Resort, a place that gives visitors a chance to live out their romantic comedy fantasies. Julia decides to have Kat pretend she’s the journalist so she can get the true experience of the resort. She meets Luke, one of the creators of the experience who is also hiding his true role. He is pretending to be one of the guests. What will happen when their secrets are exposed?

I really enjoyed the friendship between the three women. Their little inside jokes and banter reminded me a lot of my close friends. I also really enjoyed the romance in this book between Julia and Luke. Their relationship is sweet and funny with the perfect amount of heat thrown in.

I really enjoyed this read and would recommend it for anyone looking for a light feel good book.

I initially requested an early copy of this book for one reason - the corgi on the cover. Did I judge the cuteness of the book by the cuteness of the cover? Yes. Was it the right decision? Yes. Because this book was so adorable and everything that I wanted and needed in a romcom book. It had quirky characters, a great group of girlfriends who supported each other, a meet cute that became an amazing relationship, and an ending that left me smiling. I have read books by this author previously, and there is always one consistent thought that runs through my head at the end of each book - I wish I could read it again for the first time.

Julia Carpenter is a walking disaster, especially when it comes to relationships. Between accidentally sending belfies (butt selfies) and going on disastrous first dates, she isn't used to things working out in her favor. When an upcoming layoff has her neck on the chopping block at work, she has to think of something fast to save her job as a reporter, and that's when she discovers a new vacation experience - an immeservice resort experience where guests can experience a romantic comedy in all its glory, as key players in their own story. She jets off to the resort alongside her two best friends, and soon they find themselves with new names, meeting people who may or may not be hired actors, and losing their hearts along the way. Julia, in particular, meets a guy who seems perfect for her - but at a resort where everything is a simulation, is their relationship one too?

Julia was a sweetheart, desperately wanting to succeed at life but constantly running into obstacles along the way. She wanted to do more than write listicles, but she struggled to find her niche. The resort was the perfect opportunity for that, and almost immediately she ran into, literally, the man for her - Luke O'Neal. Luke happened to be a software developer...and one of the designers of the resort experience. It was purely coincidence that they met, but Luke was intrigued by her and decided to be part of the game in order to get to know her and get closer to her friend, who he thought was the real reporter, which Julia allowed him to believe. So their relationship starts off with little white lies that they think are harmless, but as they grow closer, those lies start to show glaring concerns. They both know eventually the romcom experience will end, and they'll have to return to their normal lives. But it's not so simple, and I loved how they grew closer and more in love as time went on. Sure, it's a bit insta-love, given the timeframe, but sometimes you just "know" that the person is the one. Luke was hilarious, not your typical romance hero with lots of muscles and an alpha personality. He was a sweet guy who was more at home working at a computer than lifting weights, and it worked so well for the story. He and Julie were the cutest, and while they had bumps in the road, I was really pleased about how it ended. And there was some extra romance along the way for her friends, which was a nice bonus.

Highly recommend this as a beach read or just something to pick up when you're having a bad day. It's sure to cheer you up!

I love meet cutes, happy ending, and rom com movies, so I thought this book would be perfect for me. While I did enjoy it, I also didn't love it and I think it had to do with the fact that I actually did not like Julia and Luke together. There was something about their romance that just didn't work for me and maybe it had to do with both of them keeping secrets from each other that they knew would blow up everything. And I know that is a common rom com trope, but it just didn't click for me in this book. I also found the storyline to be slow and I think there were just too many rom com tropes thrown in to drag it down.

This was my first Melonie Johnson book and I would give her other books a try despite not loving this one. Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Griffin for an advance digital copy in exchange for an honest review.

Imperfectly perfect - I love this phrase from the book and think it’s exactly right in describing so many things in life.

I thoroughly enjoyed the entire book; the concept was something I would have never thought of, so it made the book that much more fun.

Luke & Julia were adorable right from their meet-cute on.

I loved the extra tropes woven through the book; brother’s best friend and opposites attract.

This book was cute and sweet, but also super sexy - its a combination that often doesn't hit right but Melonie Johnson did with "Too Good to Be Real". I wish we could have spent more time with these characters. I felt like I didn't get to know them as deeply as I wish (I guess that means a sequel is necessary?) Julia and her friends are great and the premise of a rom-com themed resort was icing on the cake. This book is perfect for rom-com lovers, those who love Kerry Winfrey's books, and those who want to laugh while reading. Because you will do a lot of that, starting with the first line.