A quirky romance with a lot of banter, likeable characters, and an unusual setting (I’m getting a bit of a “Dead Romantics” vibe!) will have any romcom reader laughing while they turn the pages.

Mick, the middle child of a very Irish family who owns a funeral home, is a charmer with a well-timed wink or smirk. He has a “deadly” meet-cute with Kat, a recently dumped florist who refuses to give any glances at any more Mr. Wrongs.

This “friends-to-lovers” trope is slow-burn- filled with witty dialogue between characters, and even Mick’s foul-mouthed bird, to help fill the void that some may feel is lacking. I enjoyed the book enough, but felt like I wanted more. Wanted something different. I can’t quite put my finger on what I feel was missing - but would recommend this for romcom exclusive readers, or someone who may want a bit of a cleanser after reading a heavier romance.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me access to a digital ARC for the book!

Too Wrong to Be Right is a charming friends to lovers contemporary romance. While it is technically a stand alone, a couple of the MCs friends make appearances in some of the author’s previous works. This book has a great mix of humorous banter and swoony moments.

Throughout the storyline Kat is worried about her future. She feels like everyone around her is moving on with their lives and she’s stuck in the same place. I appreciate the way the author discusses her anxieties and has her working through in a realistic manner. I like that there is not only growth in her romantic relationship but you also see a shift and strengthening in Kat’s female friendships.

This is the first book that I have read from author Melonie Johnson but I look forward to checking out more of her work in the future.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press (St. Martin’s Griffin)!

I loved this book, and it made me want to rip my hair out by the roots. This was another one where the first line left me gaping like a landed fish and knowing that my funny bone was about to get a workout. (After encountering some utterly brilliant opening lines, I judge all romantic comedies on this criteria now.) I adored Mick. From the moment we first met him to the point where I closed the covers on this book, he was one of my very favorite characters. And the only ones to beat him out for top spot were the pets. I liked Kat, but she had the ability to press all my wrong buttons which made it tougher for me to really connect with her. I’m so happy these two got the Happy Ever After they deserved, I just had my doubts they were going to get there. Now that we’ve met the O’Sullivan family, I want to see all of them get their Happy Endings too.
I received a complimentary advance copy of this book through NetGalley.

2.5 stars. I came for the romance between a florist and a funeral director and I only stayed as long as I did because of a talking bird and a hedgehog with a nocturnal exercise routine.

When I first read this synopsis, I was like, "sign me up!" A meet-cute disaster between a florist and a funeral director? Nothing sets the tone of a potential relationship like being saved by a cute funeral director from falling into an already occupied casket.

The humor and banter were alright at the beginning and I even thought Johnson's writing was *sort of* reminiscent of Emily Henry's style of writing at first––interspersing puns and jokes with more serious subject matter. (But I won't insult Ms. Henry, my romance queen, like that.) Relationships aside, Kat was a well-meaning and relatable character. She wanted to have her own floral shop and pursue her dreams without being confined to her current managerial role with a boss that overworks her; she's a new mom to a cute hedgehog that she acquired under much less cute circumstances. But most of all, she felt stuck in place. Her friends were moving in with their partners and into different stages of their lives while Kat was getting broken up with on repeat. Feeling like you're missing out and feeling "behind" everyone else life experience wise, especially your friends, can be really difficult. It's very relatable for everyone in their twenties right now––not having everything figured out is scary.

But once love was thrown into the mix, I honestly couldn't stand Kat as a character anymore. She wanted to swear off narcissists and the "wrong" men, yet, when Mick, the right guy, came along and helped her out of a literal casket catastrophe, she romantically avoided him. And convinced herself she didn't need to focus on love right now. And then tried her hardest to misinterpret normal conversations as flirtatiousness with his narcissistic brother. And then wanted to date him. Hello, WHAT? I only made it about 50-ish% into the book before I had to DNF because I was getting super frustrated. I almost wish these characters were real so I could yell "Mick, bestie, RUN." at him from the very beginning. When it came to romance, Kat was, to put it lightly, a nightmare who thought that men were the only problem when her relationships fell through. The call is coming from inside the house!

(Also, what's up with the crocheted penises?)

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for the chance to review this eARC!

Kat's life has just fallen apart. Her boyfriend just dumped her (not only leaving the country but asking her to adopt his hedgehog), her best friend's are moving in with their boyfriends and now she has to face her fear and go into a funeral home to deliver some flowers. There she somehow falls all over Mick. Mick is interested in Kat but Kat wants to be just friends. She thinks he is the perfect one to help her find "the one."
Opinion
This book is full of laughs. From crocheted phallus-es to ornery grandmothers, this book will keep you rolling. The situations that Kat finds herself in, while frustrating for her, offer a lot of comedic relief.
I think the thing I loved most about the book was the professions of Mick and Kat. Mick works in a family funeral home and Kat is a florist. It sounds like a perfect match from the get go, but of course they (she) can't see it.
Mick has two siblings, so there is hope for some more books. I cannot recommend this book enough. Run out and buy it to read today.
Many thanks to Net Galley and to St. Martin's Press for providing me with an ARC of this book.

I absolutely adored this book! The FMC was so well written and had so many different facets to her personality which made her super relatable and really allowed me to connect with this entire book. I think it will resonate with a lot of readers!

This is a slow burn friends to lovers read that is absolutely worth all the tension and the wait! I adored the meet-cute disaster (which is easily becoming one of my new favorite rom-c0m tropes) and it has the added bonus of a pet hedgehog! What more could you ask for.

An easy read that is for sure going to be a hit!

A cute rom com with an interesting premise and cast of characters, but I wasn’t a fan of the miscommunication in this one.

A lot of the book’s problems could’ve been avoided if they just talked but, I guess that’s similar to life?

I will say it was interesting enough to keep me reading and didn’t want to DNF it.

RATING:
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

TROPES:
friends to lovers
slow burn
hilarious “meet cute”
closed door
3rd person POV
sassy pets

This book was such a delight! Melanie is a new to me author so i was excited to dive into this one!

I loved that there was a not so conventional “meet cute” 😂 plus strangers turned friends to lovers! This was the ultimate slow burn too so BUCKLE UP!

I enjoyed both of these characters, they were both just trying to find their place in the world and somehow, they were able to get there with each other! Kat is trying to find Mr Right since she just keeps dating all the bad guys. She is also trying to live out her dream of owner her own flower shop! Mick is just trying to find his place in the family business, as the middle child he was always just filling in where he was needed and never really figured out what was going to make him happy.

Another bonus for me was the side characters. I loved each of them dearly! EVEN JOE 😂 and do not get me started on Seamus the sassy swearing cockatoo and the adorable hedgehog Jojo ♥️😍 They truly made this book the perfect “rom-com”

Thank you to NetGalley, st. martins press and Melonie Johnson for this advanced reader copy in exchange for my honest review!

Kat loves happy moments, working at a floral shop and creating pieces that help to celebrate others' special days. Her love life isn't quite the same so she starts rethinking her approach - and wants to try dating someone seemingly not her type, since her type doesn't stick around.

Enter an oh-so-awkward moment at a funeral home making a delivery with Mick O'Sullivan - who seems her type - but that's no longer a good thing?! Ups and downs come throughout this comedy of errors. A cute read, you root for the characters despite some cringe moments!

Thank you to Netgalley and to St. Martin's Press for an ARC in exchange for a honest review.

4.25 Stars
After her latest boyfriend dumps her (and ditches her with his pet hedgehog), florist Kat Kowalski is done chasing after Mr. Wrong. With her two best friends moving on to more serious relationships, she’s ready to stop repeating the same mistakes that are leaving her stuck in the single lane. Armed with a list of qualities for her perfect Mr. Right, Kat swears off dating until she finds him. Then she stumbles across Mick O’Sullivan at his family's funeral home. Their immediate chemistry warns Kat to keep things platonic; after all, following her heart never worked out in the past, and this time she’s determined to listen to her head. As she gets to know him better, the lines blur.
An absolutely delightful romcom with strong characters & a well paced story. I loved Mick & was glad when Kat finally put her brain in gear to realise Mr Right was there & was her friend. I liked Kat but didn’t love her, she was a bit too wallowing for me. However I loved the secondary characters & hope Joe & MK get their HEA's & also Ronnie & Laura, the two Grans were as delight as were Jojo & Seamus. A feel good book that had me smiling most of the way through
My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read

I really like Kat and Mick’s characters. I think Kat is like most women in todays dating world and I related to the emotions she was going through. Mick is a lovable make main character and had some funny lines through out the story.

I found some elements of the plot and story line a little forced. The opening chapter was not very realistic and the opening joke fell flat for me. The story moved at a slower pace at the beginning which made it harder to get into.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the Advance Readers Copy. The thoughts expressed are my own.

Thank you NetGalley and publisher for this ARC publication for an honest review.

Too Wrong to Be Right
by Melonie Johnson
Pub Date: 28 Feb 2023

This one had a lot of potential! There were a lot of cute, sweet moments. A meet-cute in a funeral home. Some fun, quirky characters, loveable grandmothers, a hedgehog and a foul-mouthed bird. I am a big fan of friends who become more, but this one just lacked something. The main thing, Kat. I understand her not wanting to fall into the trap of finding the wrong man. She thought she had a type and decided to find someone different. But Mick! He went beyond "her type..." They found a genuine friendship first even when they were attracted to each other. And don't get me started on him letting her date his brother. Ugh. Yes, I know we need angst in order to have material for a book, but...double ugh. Some parts of the story were painful to read and made me want to shake both of our main characters. Miscommunication and lack of communication can get old after a while. If they would just voice all the inner dialogues everything would be so much better! lol

3 stars

I really enjoyed the prior book in this series (though both can be read as stand-alones), but had issues with this one. Kat Kowalski get’s dumped by her jerk of a boyfriend and decides that she has terrible taste in men, and comes up with a list of what her Mr. Right must have. She has a meet-cute with Mick O’Sullivan, over a corpse at Mick’s family funeral home. Mick is immediately smitten, but Kat friend-zone’s him, since she attracted to him, and set’s her sights on Mick’s brother Joe, the dull. I think I had a hard time warming up to this book because I really only liked Mick. Kat was a self-centered narcissist, who knew that Mick liked her, but insisted that they be friends and he should act as her “wingman” to find Mr. Right. That’s just cruel. Knowing how Mick feels, she dates his brother at O’Sullivan family gatherings. Kat is not a good person. I also wasn’t a fan of Mick’s family either. Joe knows about Mick’s feelings and the fact that he has been friend-zoned, yet still asks out Kat. Doesn’t he know about the “Bro-code”? And Mick and Joe’s sister seemed to delight in the potential pain a love triangle between her brothers would cause. I mean, she seemed downright giddy. And the conflict at the end that drives apart Mick and Kat, 98% Kat’s fault but somehow Mick is suppose to mind read and provide the grand gesture to get to the happy ending. I thought Mick deserved better. I received an arc of this book from NetGalley for my honest review.

This was SUCH a fun read! I loved the humour in this, it was giving Tessa Bailey and I think Booktok will eat this up!

I found myself loving the slow burn romance, the banter and of course Mick.
I need to get my hands on Melonie Johnson's other books because this was such a fun read.

This is a quick read and very cute! The side characters (pets JoJo and Seamus) are such a welcomed addition!!

Kat is a florist who is tired of dating the wrong type of man. Her last boyfriend ended their relationship on the street after leaving his pet hedgehog in Kat's care. She decides to only date men who have qualities she deems acceptable - and she makes a checklist to follow!

Mick works at his family business, but wants to do more with his life. He has an idea for an addition to the business and needs to create a business plan, which he has no idea how to.

Enter Kat. They met briefly while she was delivering flowers. Mick is attracted to her, but she just wants to be friends...and wants him to help her find the perfect man. How will Mick show her HE'S the perfect man for her?

First of all, the title of this book grabbed my attention right away. Then the first page, ensured I was going read this book cover to cover! The main character, Kat is literally fantastic! I loved her personality!! I always love a good romance and this book definitely is one! Loved it.

I have mixed feelings about this book. I found the characters to be vibrant, funny and engaging, but there was something about the plot that felt too formulaic to me. I could predict the whole story by the second chapter. That made it hard to move through with excitement, but honestly the character’s personalities really made it worth it!
All in all, I’d say it’s a cute rom-com!

Too Wrong To Be Right by Melonie Johnson

A warm, sweet and entertaining rom-com filled with laugh out loud moments and fun times with friends as the heroine struggles to find the one after being dumped at a moments notice by her ex while also dumping his pet hedgehog on her.

Kat Kowalski is the manager of Allen’s Arrangements, doing what she loves with the plan to have her own florist in the future. When she gets dumped by her boyfriend and takes on the responsibility of his pet hedgehog she is done. Done dating hot guys who are selfish jerks, no more. She is just going to have to change her whole approach no more listening to herself, she needs to make a list of traits she wants and stick to it. But when she has to make a quick stop for a delivery she meets him.

Mick O’Sullivan is totally taken by the drop deep gorgeous woman who was currently talking to herself while messing with the dead guy in the coffin. Mick is in business the dead business along with his siblings at O’Sullivan’s Mortuary. When a fight breaks out over whatever Kat is doing he has to physically restrain two widows and then deal with her. Only to find out that she has difficulty being around corpses. But wooed and taken by Seamus their grandad’s talking cockatoo. When she wants to meet regarding a work arrangement he can’t wait to get to know her better.

Mick is totally taken by her and the chemistry sizzles between them. But when Kat just wants to be friends he gladly will take anything he can to get to know her. Kat isn’t about to act on their chemistry not this time. She wants not to be left behind,
all alone after both of her best friends are moving on. But will her list get her the right one? Or has she already found him? A crazy, wacky, fun romance!

I received an early copy and this is my honest review.

I was really looking forward to this and it just kinda flopped.

Little bit of friends to lovers, a flower shop, a cute hedgehog AND a cockatoo. Perfect set up for a romance right? Not so much. It’s like all of these parts go started and then barely contributed to the romance at all. It felt like none of these aspects were focused on enough for me to get the attachment i needed to like this book.

Overall I think the story could have been tied together a lot better.

What’s worse than a fade to black book? A book that gives you mouth and finger action and then fades to black. Even what this gave wasn’t very good. I kept expecting more.

These characters drove me nuts. They legit wouldn’t even talk to each other but then got all but hurt about it! Third act break up was so pointless.
The end got beyond cringe-y.

Special thanks to Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for this digital ARC.

The following review was posted on my blog four days ago, on Thursday, February 23rd, five days before publication. It was shared on Instagram twice, once on friday and once today, and has already been posted on Goodreads. It will be shated again the day of publication. The blog post includes links to order the books and to its Goodreads page, so readers can add it to their to-be-read books.




“Do you think he loves her because of, or in spite of, how awful she is?”

“Both. (…) I think when you love someone, you love them inspite of their flaws, but at the same time, it’s their flaws that make you love them even more. It makes them real. Makes them yours.”

Genre: Romance
Actual Rating: 4.5 stars
Spicy Meter: 2 fire emoji
Content Warnings: Revolves around a funeral home. Discusses death, loss, trauma from past relationships, and neglectful parents.

“Too Wrong to Be Right” follows Kat Kowalski, a florist with the dream of opening up her own and unique flower shop, and Mick O’Sullivan, one of the owners of a local funeral home. After a tumultuous run-in during a funeral service, the pair become friends—friends who feel oddly attracted to each other. But Kat has sworn off these kinds of connections. Her hunches always lead to Mr. Wrongs and now she’s set on finding Mr. Right. But what if Mr. Right on paper isn’t right for her, while Mr. Wrong in theory is?

This was one of the funnest reads I’ve had in a while. This lighthearted, strangers-to-friends-to-lovers romance was something else. Through this book you’re introduced to various groups of friend and two wonderfully quirky families—oh, and two unique pets—and I was there for it. I actually wish I had had more time with them. *cough cough* Please make this a series Melonie, I am begging you.

If you’re looking for a friends to lovers romance, think “Beach Read” by Emily Henry vibes, then “Too Wrong to Be Right” is exactly right for you.

If you click here, you’ll be redirected to Goodreads, so you can add the book to your TBR list.

Or you could click here, and be redirected to Amazon, so you can order the book.

ARC provided by NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press in exchange for an honest review.

Publication Date: February 28, 2023

P.S. CCC Nights are a mood and right up my alley, lowkey wanting to implement this with my gym rat friends.