Julia works for a web site, TrendList, and is trying to save her job. The web site has a “Take Me” feature and she decides to become a part of a new resort’s Rom-Com week during their opening. She will be reviewing the event. Luke, his sister, and his best friend have arranged the week’s activities and he knows there is a reporter on site. It is important that this week be successful, so when he literally runs into the reporter, he decides he needs to be another one of the guests and make sure Julia has a great time. Except for the overabundance of references to male anatomy in the beginning, I really enjoyed the concept of people experiencing romantic comedy happenings, enjoying each other, and the fun activities that were designed to bring people close. Several characters had different notions of what love looks like and each were worthy of notice.

A writer for a popular website, love becomes the last thing on her mind when impending layoffs threaten her job. As Julia searches for the ultimate pitch to impress her boss, she stumbles upon a resort offering guests a chance to live out their romantic comedy dreams. Real life dating is so bleak, who wouldn't want to spend a week in a fantasy rom-com world with your best friends

This was such a great romantic novel! I absolutely loved these characters and the role they played! These girls friendships is one to want I loved their conversation they had.
The story itself was so cute and left me wanting more!

This was my first read by Melonie Johnson and I really had fun reading this book.
Julia and Luke, were both likable and their romance was sweet and believable without angst.
The dynamic of the girl group was amazing and overall, Too Good to Be Real is what I like to call a good beach read, lovely for a day to escape into sweet romance.

ARC kindly provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

A flirty, fun & escapist read. PIck it up for the first line and prepare to laugh from there on out!

here’s the thing: i really, really, really wanted to like this book because the first sentence to it is a MASTERPIECE. like, how can you not want to like a book that starts with, “his penis looks like your shrimp.” ??!!

for this book, i feel like how much a reader enjoyed reading it depends on his/her taste in rom-coms. so, without further ado, i’m gonna list my pros and cons for this book based on my POV.

pros:
- the seagulls aka bonnie and clyde. these guys were the main stars in this book 🌟🌟 whenever there’s a scene with a seagull in it, it’s WONDERFUL and absolutely HILARIOUS. Plus, seagulls = cute scenes with luke and julia :)
- the trio (andie, julia, kat). the conversations that these three have are the weirdest thing ever, but i loved reading them !! it’s clear that the trio care for each other deeply, but aren't afraid to tease each other recklessly.
- the secondary couples. sally and harry. patrick and dave. what can i say? chef’s kiss.
- scenes with julia and luke. ngl, when these two have scenes alone with each other, it’s the cutest thing ever !! so freaking adorable !!

cons:
- julia. i just had a hard time connecting to julia. at the beginning of the book, she’s presented as kinda clueless, but as the story moved along, that kinda disappeared ??
- luke. again, i had a really hard time connecting to his character; honestly, i just don’t know how i feel about him. also, I hated the way he treats his sister; he doesn’t trust his sister but is also proud of her when he’s “surprised” she did something well. gah.
- the whole “imagine you’re in a romantic comedy”. i just didn’t love it.
- the chemistry between the main characters. even though luke and julia were super cute together, i found their chemistry lacking. but, then again, this is really a personal preference. it’s just i was more invested in the secondary couples lol.
- the ending. i wish there was more to it. the story felt unfinished, and i think i could have enjoyed it more if it was longer.

i guess what i’m trying to say here is that the book itself isn’t bad, but it’s just not my cup of tea 🤷‍♀️

If you love a good Rom-Com, goofy situations and laugh out loud dialog, then Too Good to Be Real needs to be on your "must read" list. Melonie Johnson writes dialog so well that you feel like you're at the table enjoying drinks with her characters! Let's face it, you have to love an author whose tag line is FUN. FLIRTY. AND A WEE BIT DIRTY!
#TooGoodtoBeReal #Netgalley

fun, flirty, and utterly delightful, this one is a joyous celebration of rom-coms, a perfect escape to dive into on dreary, isolated days. The romance is sweet and plays on popular rom-com tropes while Johnson also layers in several other meaningful relationships. She gives us a trio of girlfriends whose banter feels straight out of a Sex in the City episode, a brother and sister building a stronger, more trusting bond, and a braided theme on the legacy we inherit from our parents' relationships. Which patterns do we embrace and which do we shed as we forge our own paths? It's a true genre rom-com with plenty of romance (Elevator make out session! Passionate kisses in the rain! Grand gestures!), and plenty of comedy (Bonnie and Clyde seagulls! A pack of adorable corgis! A When Harry Met Sally inspired fake orgasm contest!). A smile-inducing tribute to the love stories we love.