I love the idea of a resort that hosts a role-play week devoted to romantic comedy movies! Julia is sent to review the facility. Luke is a manager there but decides to work from the role as a guest. As is classic rom com material, they have a quirky meeting, are smitten with each and keep getting thrown together. This was such a fun read! I don't know if this exists in reality but it is a great idea and made for an endearing book. And there are corgis! You can't go wrong with corgis. I read this book in exchange for an honest review.

This is an adorable and amusing book. And what a great idea! Julia is a reporter and needs a story to save her job. She finds a gem of a story in the form of a hotel that lets people live through a simulated rom-com atmosphere (the name of the hotel is Notting Hill! I love it). Anyway, Luke is the developer and he and his sister and friend spearheaded development of this activity. Luke needs the bonus in order to start his own game development company. When he meets Julia, he decides to join the game. I laughed a lot at the hijinks, the thriving seagulls, the corgis, and also, the fact that Luke and Julia are written as normal people- not particularly in shape or gorgeous or good at everything. I thought it progressed a little bit slowly towards the end and it was kind of insta-love (I mean the game only lasted like a week!) which goes against the realness of the characters but otherwise, the story was so much fun!

"Too Good to Be Real" was a light romance perfect for easy reading. The premise is endearing - three best friends go to a resort for a week to experience a LARP (live-action role play) for rom-coms - and the number of references littered throughout the book was fun if you love watching those types of movies & shows.
I did find myself interested in Luke and Julia's relationship, but had a hard time buying that they were in love by the end because it felt a little rushed - it was the epitome of insta-love. They have about three real conversations amidst their intense physical attraction to each other, so while I certainly wanted them to be together, it felt a little quick that they were so in love by the end.
My other issue with the book is the number of storylines that were all happening in one novel. While Julia was definitely the lead, her two friends had their own love and emotional problems that the author brought up and tried to solve. Plus the familial issues that Luke has with his sister, so he also had multiple problems and places for growth. It was just a lot to get through and get resolved all in one book, so I felt like no one thing got the full attention it deserved.
I did enjoy the color from a lot of the side characters, from the other guests to the eccentric owner of the resort to the pesky seagulls!

All in all, while it wasn't my favorite rom-com that I've read, it was still a nice book and I would recommend giving it a read!

A fab read.

Desparate to keep her job, Julia heads off the Notting Hill resort for a week of rom-coms. Within in minutes of arriving at the resort she bumps in to Luke and there is a spark there but they are both keeping secrets so what will happen when the truth comes out.

Too Good to be Real tells the story of Julia, a writer for a popular website, and Luke, a nerd who is planning a live role-playing adventure that simulates a romantic comedy. When Julia shows up to attend the event to write about it online, she has an awkward meet cute with Luke that involves an evil seagull. Luke and Julia hit it off immediately, but they're both hiding the truth about why they are a part of this romantic comedy simulation; Julia is writing about it and Luke is the mastermind behind it.

The good:
This book is funny and relatable with some great dialogue and a very realistic depiction about friendship for twenty-somethings. The premise of a live action role-playing rom-com situation is funny and fascinating and causes some really cute scenes.

The bad:
This book is the essence of insta-love. Luke and Julia fall in love in the space of a week and it's hard for me to take that seriously, no matter how funny or interesting the story is.

[Thanks Netgalley for the ebook. This review is my honest opinion but just another opinion, you should read this book and judge it by yourself]

Sweet and light but not for me.
Although I was hooked by the blurb and the starting point seemed great (seriously, I love rom-coms and I would go to that kind of resort right now!), I couldn't enjoy as I hoped this book.
It all begins great but at some point everithing felt wrong for me, too many misunderstandings, very little interactions between the MC, very few love moments... I don't know but at some point I felt very disconnected and I strugled reading the rest of the story.
I think this is a case of "it's not you, it's me" but, although I loved the movie references and the MC seemed charming and sweet, I didn't feel their love and I couldn't connect with the story.
But the writing is good and I think Melodie Johnson can write something that I like more..
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2'5 estrellitas
Más de lo mismo. Portada colorinchi, promesas de algo divertido y ligerito, planteamiento original, entretenimiento inicial, desarrollo regulero y debacle final.
La protagonista es una periodista que, junto a dos amigas, pasa una semana en un resort (tipo Dirty Dancing) para vivir una experiencia inmersiva en el mundo de las comedias románticas y recrearlas, para luego escribir un artículo sobre la experiencia. El maromo es el game master de la experiencia. El libro está lleno de homenajes a las comedias románticas y eso fue lo que me atrajo a la hora de leerlo pero la autora se acaba liando más que la pata de un romano. Hay demasiados malentendidos, demasiadas ganas de meter referencias y la historia de amor, que parecía mona y original, acaba siendo casi un mero accesorio, empieza llamando tu atención pero luego se tuerce de tal modo que no ves el amor por ningún sitio.
Otro libro que, para mí, prometía más de lo que ha dado.

Thank you to netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for an advance readers copy in exchange for an honest review. This book will be published July 6, 2021.

Have you ever wanted to be in a rom-com? Or wanted to feel like you are in one?🙋🏼‍♀️

While trying to come up with a great pitch to give her boss and beat impending layoffs, Julia comes across a resort that allows you to experience your own romcom. So Julia and her two friends go to the resort in exchange for Julia to write a review. Soon after arriving she has her own meet cute with Luke who will also be participating in the week ahead. Julia hides the fact that she is there to write a review, but Luke has a few secrets of his own. Their experiences intertwine throughout the week and feels develop quickly. Will they realize it’s all real, or is it too good to be real?

Y’all. This book👏🏻👏🏻 my husband was getting so mad at me because I COULD NOT stop laughing. (And then I tried to explain and he was like you’re crazy🙄) I loved the friendship of Julia, Kay and Andie. I loved the meet cute that happened between Luke and Julia. I loved the resort and the activities. I would have probably been more upset at some things than the characters were, and the ending almost ruined it for me but honestly I loved this book y’all.

Rating: 🧪🧪🧪🧪(.5) / 5

QOTD: Would you to a resort like this? Either single or with your partner?

AOTD: I think it could be really fun and I loved that you got to pick your group activities and bonus activity! My husband may or may not go for it!

I really liked the premise of this book, how fun a book all about rom coms! Julie and Luke started outa so fun and promising but then it just got boring, Luke really annoyed me, I thought he was so boring and where was the banter?? I DNF'd this book about 55% of the way. I just couldn’t get into it I'm not sure why but it wasn't for me. Thank you to netgalley for the arc.

A unique premise set in a hotel theme of rom coms. I loved all the references to rom coms. The main hero Luke was such a goofy and adorable man. A well welcomed break from the typical buffed up and perfect male leads.
Julia and Luke both kept secrets from each other. I knew the secrets were going to come out which put me on the edge of my seat.
I loved the opening page with Julia’s friends. Such fun banter.
At the end of the book, I had the sudden urge to watch a rom com.

If I had to give it a short phrase: “Meta Rom-Com Perfection”, “The Mother of All Rom-Coms”, Or, “The Rom-Com to End All Rom-Coms”. This book is perfect for fans of any Meg Ryan romance or for readers who loved Kerry Winfrey’s Waiting for Tom Hanks and Not Like the Movies. Too Good to Be Real isn’t hiding the conventions of romantic comedies from the reader. We know to expect a meet-cute, an elevator scene, and a grand gesture, but it is impossible to not have fun while reading it. I found myself smiling and chuckling throughout the book. You may have to suspend disbelief for some seagull shenanigans, but the love between our hero and heroine is always believable and true.
The rom-com simulation resort was such a clever place for this story, and the characters, including the furry and feathered ones, are equal parts ridiculous and delightful. I loved the multiple perspective and the side characters. Julia and Luke deserve this love story.

Bonnie and Clyde, the seagulls, clearly stole the show!

Have you seen Austenland? Or literally any rom com? Because this book is a gold mine for rom com lovers! A retreat based on rom coms? Yes, please! If you did happen to watch Austenland, this book is the same general idea. Julia is a reporter that needs a story and discovers a retreat that is based around rom coms. Julia and her friends are promised an escape to rom com world to experience what it's like in a fantasy.

This was just a delight! Pure delight. It's always fun to see two characters that have real love in the midst of a fantasy. You get to see the when it's real and discover the hardships with reality that doesn't always show up in a fantasy. Also, Luke is just too cute. Such a fun character! The Big Green Giant indeed.

If you love your rom coms, you'll love this! And you'll love Bonnie and Clyde.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the earc in return for an honest review.

A fun read with lots of storylines to follow. In “too good to be real” We get to see into both Julia and Luke’s experiences and minds. It’s fun to see both sides of things, and they both have something they are hiding. Julia, trying to keep her job and review a romance resort. Luke, trying to ensure a good review and bonus so he can pursue his dreams. It moved a little slowly in the middle, I’ll be honest. It’s hard when a book like this is set over the course of a week basically, as opposed to others that can have more pace to them and passage of time. By being set at a resort during a week long vacation, it focuses the story to be on just what’s happening at that resort... which dragged a bit with a lot of internal thoughts instead of action, and that ever unrealistic falling in love in just a few days. Also “The rules of the game are hard to follow when you mix fantasy and reality” — a quote from the story that I think the book honestly struggled from a bit. But all in all it was a fun story with lots of fun references to romantic comedies sprinkled within!

A resort where guests participate in an interactive real life rom-com experience, what lover of rom-com’s wouldn’t want to experience that? Well that’s exactly what happens in “Too Good to be Real.”

Julia, a writer who doesn’t fully believe true love exists is in a desperate last ditch attempt to save her job. When she stumbles on an article of the grand opening of a rom-com resort, Julia grabs her friends and decides Notting Hill Resort is the perfect place to conduct the article to save her job.

Luke, a computer loving giant, has been hired as game director of the resort and making sure guest have the proper real life rom-com experience. But Luke’s priorities get twisted when he meets Julia.

Sparks fly when the two meet, and Luke decides to go undercover for the week to take part in real life interactive rom-com to be closer to Julia. Little does Luke know that Julia is also hiding her true identity. Let the classic rom-com movie moments commence.

I truly was head over heels in love with this book for the first 50% I couldn’t get enough. I loved both Julia, Luke and the side characters romances. Incorporating classic rom-com moments took me on a trip down memory lane.

What got me not giving this a 5 star review was the incorporated family drama that dragged on which eventually felt repetitive and took away from the romance factor.

Overall I truly enjoyed this rom-com way more than I was expecting. My favorite so far by Melonie Johnson. I highly recommend for rom-com lovers! I definitely wish there was a real life resort like this I could to experience.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC

A must read for rom-com fans! So many cute little Easter eggs in this one that will keep fans of romance movies smiling.

Thanks to the author, publisher and Netgalley for an Advance Reader Copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This is my first foray in years into modern romance fiction - usually I dwell in the land of corsets and carriages, but the concept of this book really drew me in. As a long-time fan of romantic comedies I have lamented the lack of really good romcom movies since the age of Notting Hill and Love Actually.

This book is a RomCom inside a RomCom themed resort which is a really fun idea. Julia and her friends take a trip to this interesting resort so that Julia can write an article about it and save her career; but when she meets one of the organisers in a meet-cute straight out of a movie the line between work and play becomes blurred.
I really loved the witty, funny dialogue between Julia and her friends, the loving relationship between Luke and his sister and the romance, which was plenty steamy enough to keep me reading. A very entertaining book - as soon as I finished I wanted to read more from this author.
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Loved this book. So much more than a rom com. The story is not only fun but has depth and all the feels. We meet Julia, Luke and the supporting characters and their side kicks, which include sweet corgis and a conniving pair of sea gulls. Add this one to the top of your TBR list, it is not to be missed.

It has become traditional thing for me (and I believe many others) to read a cute romance on Valentine's Day.

Too Good to be Real showed up in my life unexpectedly, but I am so glad I had the opportunity to read it prior it's release, because it was a perfect pick.

It is a book for rom-com fans, and reading it felt like being at home. Even though it is a new story, because of all the references about popular romantic movies, I felt like I was re-reading one of my favourites.
Here I have to stress out that the story itself was not predictable.
Ok, let's go all the way in with philosophy: Do you know that feeling you get when meeting someone for the first time but feel like you know each other for centuries? Well, that's how I felt about Too Good to be Real.

The writing style was good. It is written in third person following Luke's and Julia's perspectives.

This was an enjoyable story, light and perfect summer read.

I like the idea of staying in a place with all the rom-com references, but I also appreciate how the author showed us how unhealthy it can be, if we don't know how to separate real life from the simulations (or however you call it).

In the end, I want to phrase the book cover, as it show cute little parts of the story: Bonnie and Clyde the squeals and a corgi (even though there were many in the story).

One more thing: the opening line made me laugh out loud.

This started out promising but after the beginning I just couldn’t get into it. I didn’t like the whole premise and there was way too much going on to get invested. Thank you to netgalley for the arc.

Welcome to the dreamy vacation in Wisconsin to live your own rom-com story in real life: the estate team provides anything you’re looking for to help you find the real one to fall for while you enjoy the activities based on favorite romcom movie cliches!

Heartbroken writer Julia who is about lose her faith in love makes her last attempt not to get sagged from her full time job at popular website ! She’s writing entertaining Cosmogirl style quizzes, entertaining articles about modern woman’s love life. But she needs to find a brilliant idea to keep her job which means she’s due to make earth shattering pitch to her boss Chloe till Monday. Clock is ticking!

As she makes searches about how it’s impossible to find love like romcoms in the real life, she finds the advertisements about this new opening new place providing real romcom experience which gives her opportunity to convince her boss about writing her brand new article for Take that which is also popular travel section of website!

Her idea gets approval and the best part of it: she’ll have all exclusive vacation for one week to experience the romcom taste of the estate and she can also bring guests! She chooses her besties Kat and Andie to accompany her for this dreamy vacation.

After that we’re introduced to our a little control freak, geeky but cute, protective brother Luke who is the game developer of this place. His sister Pen helps him as event planner and his bestie Jay is working on marketing side. They’re just like three musketeers working together for this brand new enterprise and the best thing is Luke is promised to get a bonus if the launch turns into a success.

Luke didn’t plan to meet with Julia at the beach when he was get attacked by the seagulls which steal his notebook and poop on him! Their awkward-ish romantic encounter pushes Luke to join the game as Lance character. His plan was simple! He heard a journalist will write a review about the place so he has to do anything in his power to control everything goes as planned. He also thinks Julia’s friend Kat is the writer!

Julia also hides her identity to write an objective review. But when love is on the way, both of our MCs will be forced to get rid of their disguises and fall for each other!

I think this was creative and entertaining reading and I honestly say I loved Julia and her friends’ conversations more than the romance parts. I think if those characters have their own talk show about modern romance, I’ll be the addictive fan of them. Those conversations were witty, smart, enjoyable!

But the romantic elements of the book was a little overshadowed by the concept of romcoms. Both Julia and Luke’s characterizations are one dimensional. ( I can define both Kat and Andie with few words but I barely do that when it comes to MCs) And I couldn’t feel the real chemistry between them. Their love story is a little unreliable!

But there are still great things about my reading including the supporting characters Patrick and David ( they were amazing) ! Let’s not forget assassin seagulls! They made me laugh so hard!

Overall: even though the romance part was a little weak, I liked the clever dialogues, romcom references and supporting characters. It’s still feel good, enjoyable, creative, easy to read romcoms inside a romcom ( which is a brand new concept! )

Special thanks to Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press/ Griffin for sharing this digital reviewer copy with me in exchange my honest thoughts.

i honestly do not have much to say about this book other than its a pefect read for the relaxing evening. its entertaining and funny, and the main idea ( a getaway place straight from a romantic comedy ) was very original and interesting. there was a lot of references to iconic rom-coms which i really liked. so if youre a fan of films like 10 things i hate about you or notting hill youre going to love this book!<3