After getting out of a bad relationship, Kat makes a list of qualities that her perfect partner would have. In a weird meet-cute, she stumbles into Mick in his family’s funeral home and there is instant chemistry there- but unlike his brother Joe, Mick doesn’t check off all the boxes on her list of the perfect partner. Will she choose the person who meets the list or the person she has the best time with?

This was not a favourite read for me unfortunately. I really didn’t enjoy Kat as a character- I found her immature and selfish. I was cringing reading the scenes where she was complaining about her friends having partners! I am also really not a fan of the list of qualities in a perfect person plot element and found the Joe-Mick brother love triangle to be a very strange dynamic.

What I liked:
-the parrot
-family relationships
-the characters of the grandmas
-Mick’s character development

Thank you to NetGalley and St Martin’s Press for the advanced reading copy!

"Too Wrong to Be Right" is a slow burn friends to lovers romance book.
The story follows Kat, a constantly unlucky in love gal who determines that she's dating the wrong kind of man. In an effort to look beyond physical attraction, and looks, when finding a partner she sets her sights for a "Mr. Right” who will meet a different set of criteria. During her search she meets Joe, someone she has an instant attraction to but puts in the friendzone because she's afraid of falling into old habits.
"Too Wrong to Be Right" is a slow, quiet read, even lackluster at times. It’s very detail oriented, sometimes too much, and often takes awhile to get to the point. The story sort of moisy's on with no "big" moment(s) or major tribulations, which sometimes you need as a reader. There is however, a big focus on the characters' grandparents, which is nice, but on one occasion whilst in the midst of a sexual encounter together, the characters talk about their grandmothers, which frankly was pretty weird and mood killerish.
Melonie Johnson does a good job with character inclusion in “Too Wrong to Be Right”. Honorable character mentions include JoJo the hedgehog and Seamus the cockatoo who find room for laughs. Johnson also had me googling the recipe for a traditional Polish dessert called Kolache…and now I can’t stop thinking about making this treat!
Thank you to St. Martin’s Griffin, and NetGalley for an early review copy of this book!
“Too Wrong To Be Right” is out February 28th 2023. Go check it out!
*Posted to GoodReads on 2/20/2023

🦇 Book Review 🦇

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐

❝ I think when you love someone, you love them in spite 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.❞

❓ #QOTD What bad streak do you need to break? ❓

🦇 After another crappy boyfriend dumps her (and grants her the honor of babysitting his pet hedgehog as a consultation prize), florist Kat Kowalski is ready to break her bad streak. Eager to ignore the instincts that leave her swooning over a series of Mr. Wrong's, she's prepared to hold out for the perfect Mr. Right. On day one, she crashes into Mick O'Sullivan (who literally sweeps Kat off her feet) at his family's funeral home. Despite their instant chemistry, Kat propositions Mick: into forming a business partnership AND a friendship. How long until Kat sees that Mr. Right is right in front of her?

💜 Melonie Johnson's writing captivates you from the first ridiculous, rom-com-approved sentence and carries you to the last page. She develops real, raw characters in Kat and Mick, who struggle with real internal conflicts that motivate their actions from day one. There's an immediate chemistry between Kat and Mick, even if Kat wants to deny it, that carries through their friendship. The secondary characters (from Kat's work friends to Mick's family, to both their adorable, sassy grandmothers) all play their role in Kat and Mick's decision-making, too. The real beauty of this novel is the friendship between Mick and Kat, which is as realistic and wholesome as it is funny and adorably entertaining.

Loved the:
🌼 Witty (and sometimes punny) banter
🦜 Adorable Jojo & salty Seamus
🌸 Mental health awareness
🦔 Situational comedy

🦇 However, Kat becomes a little too obsessed with love over starting and expanding her business. When love doesn't work, she reroutes her focus, using work as a distraction, when the situation with Mick only distracts her from work. There are multiple times when Mick helps Kat recognize what she's feeling in the moment and coaxes Kat to express herself, proving his ability to read and empathize with her. Despite knowing her so well, he's entirely too blind to her feelings for him, in a way that's not entirely believable (I understand that she would become his blindspot, but still). Then there's the matter of Kat and Joe. Kat convinces herself that Mick's brother is her Mr. Right, but the entire situation seems a little heartless of Kat. It was almost too painfully cringy to read.

🦇 Recommended for anyone in need of a laugh-out-loud rom-com. This book is perfect if you're in the mood for a friends-to-lovers slow-burn while cuddled up on the couch (or your papasan!).

Tropes
🌼 Friends to Lovers
🦜 Laugh Out Loud Funny
🌸 Dual POV
🦔 Everyone Can See It

🦇 Major thanks to @thewritinglush, @stmartinspress, and @smpromance for providing an ARC of this book via Netgalley. 🥰 This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.

#2wrong2bright #TooWrongtobeRight

Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press, and Melonie Johnson for this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

3.5 Stars

First, can we talk about the cover?! It is absolutely adorable! Second, this book was good, but I just couldn't connect with Kat. I tried, but I just couldn't. I did love the banter though. While reading I also laughed, which is always a plus. This is one that I will recommend.

The cutest RomCom I’ve read in a while. Let’s be honest I did judge the book by its cover and I’m happy I wasn’t fooled. I throughly enjoyed the story and found myself laughing at some points.

this was so angsty and for what???? when the mfc and the mmc have the PERFECT meet cute there’s chemistry inmediately and that should’ve been it, but instead their angst is milked the entire time because they “simply can’t be together” for “very important reasons” and it just felt so drawn out and ridiculous. plus the third act conflict was so abrupt. i would still check out her first novel tho

Too Wrong to Be Right is ridiculously adorable, laugh out loud hilarious, and gave me all the feels goods! Mick and Kat meet in one of the weirdest ways and their chemistry is undeniable. I loved watching their feelings slowly bloom from friends to more!

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for allowing me to read and review this book.

“A swoony, slow-burn rom-com, Melonie Johnson's Too Wrong to Be Right features a true romantic on a mission to find her happily ever after.”

This is my honest review, and while there were a few things I didn’t love about the book, I still enjoyed it. I would suggest others read it themselves and form their own opinions.

I would give this book 3.5 stars. I loved how quirky it was. From being dumped by her boyfriend and thrown into being an adopted mom for a cute pet hedgehog- to having a meet-cute in a funeral home, nearly falling into the casket with a corpse mere hours after said dumping. I did feel as though Kat was overly dramatic throughout. Her worrying about her friends moving on in life and being left behind got repetitive. I also wasn’t a fan of Kat messing with Mick’s feelings the way she did. After their kiss , him admitting he liked her, and then the papasan chair… she still wanted to go after his brother Joe? And then got mad when Mick was competitive about his brother when they finally were together, but how would you not after a woman going back and forth between the two of you? Lastly, I feel as though the story dragged on a tad bit. The last few chapters were hard to get through but I am glad I finished and was able to see that Kat and Mick got their happily ever after.

This book will definitely appeal to those looking for a low stakes, cozy type of romance. It’s a bit of a slow burn with a will they/won’t they approach to the relationship, and for those that like that style of storytelling this book will absolutely be right up their alley. However, it’s not my typical cup of tea.

To begin with the dialogue was really clunky. It didn’t sound realistic, more like how someone would expect someone to talk. It felt stilted and almost robotic at times, which didn’t really draw me into the story. Pretty much anything Ronnie said just felt odd and out of place. I loved the inclusion and seeing more diverse characters but it just wasn’t working for me, at least as far as the dialogue went.

I personally prefer a little more grit with my stories, this book isn’t that at all. It’s completely sunshine and rainbows the whole time. Setting aside the fact that a portion of this story takes place in a funeral parlor it really was over the top “goodness” all the time. Everyone is woke, concerned with the environment, and all hyper aware of others feelings. Allen just magically comes up with the perfect solution to make Kats dreams come true and it’s all just too perfect. Aside from the third act breakup it’s almost too cheery.

Speaking of third act breakups: I didn’t like how upset Kat got over being “a prize”. If I had been Mick I wouldn’t have wanted to be with her anyway because if I hadn’t been the clear winner and she waffled back and forth then I would have known she wasn’t the one for me. Especially knowing his past that seems like a hotbed for contention for the family for the rest of their lives. Doesn’t seem like a good idea for Mick or Joe to be anywhere around Kat.

Lastly, competing siblings is a no go for me. I didn’t care for the love triangles in 2008 and I don’t care for them now. It wasn’t technically a love triangle but it felt like one at the same time. Bouncing between brothers isn’t a trope that works for me, especially not in such an otherwise cheery romcom. I would have preferred the “I want him to be more than my friend but I’m not sure how to bring it up” instead of the “I’m gonna ask out his brother”. I would personally be insulted if I was Mick.

As I stated before, some aspects of this story didn’t work for me but I know there a a market out there looking for this type of romance and those individuals will be pleased with finding this one. Interesting family dynamics, pursuing your dreams, and not being afraid to stand up for yourself are all explored in this book and I think those are important themes to have.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for the ARC of this book. All opinions are my own.

This was so dang cute! I wish I had it in me to write a long, drawn out review. But, if you need a book to cuddle up with and just enjoy- this is the book. It was funny, fun and I adored reading it! It was hard to let go of it when I finished or when I needed to get work done. It was a great palette cleanser between the heavier fantasy books. I highly recommend!

Too Wrong to Be Right is a romance novel that follows Kat and Mick. It is strangers to friends to lovers and slow burn. Kat has a long list of exes who all fit one type so after her most recent break up she decided that she needs to go after a different type of guy to find her Mr. Right. After meeting over a corpse in a funeral home Kat and Mick have a connection but Kat decides they should become friend’s instead because Mick is the type of guy she used to go for and she believes attraction does not equal emotional compatibility. I really enjoyed the first half of this book. Kat and Mick develop a friendship first which I like because they got to know each other well and do fun things together. I also loved both their pets and their grandma’s. I love when the grandmothers play matchmaker and the support our main characters got from them. Then there’s Jojo the hedgehog and Seamus the cockatoo and they were funny to read about. Unfortunately things did go downhill for me in the second half of the book. Since Kat has decided that Mick does not fit her criteria for Mr. Right she wants to date his brother instead. While Kat and Mick know that have a connection with each other she’s perusing his brother and he’s pushing them together because he wants her to be happy. This would never have happened if they just communicated. Lack of communication is a big thing in this book and it’s ultimately the reason I did not love it as much as I wanted to. Then in the last 10% of the book the characters finally realize they have been being dumb they jump together with no conversation about the reasons they had issues in the first place. I would recommend this book if communication issues don’t bother you because I did enjoy it besides that! Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for a review!

It was a light and enjoyable book for most of the story. I liked how the book jumps right into the main premise with Kat getting dumped by her horrible, vain boyfriend and decides to stop dating jerks by creating a fool-proof list of qualities she needs to look for in a respectable partner. There was some sweet and funny moments, but the book was very one tone throughout the whole book - not a lot of depth.

What really bugged me was Kat's reasons not to date Mick. She immediately writes him off as a potential jerk and sticks him in the friend zone, despite only seeing positive and charming qualities of Mick??? I didn't understand half of Kat's decisions regarding Mick and further, her decision to pursue his brother instead???? Yet, I let it go hoping that Kat would get it together and realize Mick is a good guy.

BUT, the big miscommunication third act break up completely ruined the ending for me. Miscommunication is already my least favorite trope and on top of it, the breakup in this story seemed to be due a complete overreacting and almost a red flag for me. After that, I found it so hard to root for Mick and Kat to get back together. So very much a let down in the end.

I chose not to finish this one after a few chapters in. It took me a long time to get thru those pages and I didn’t find myself excited to reach for it. Maybe another time and I’ll be in the mood.

This was a really cute and sweet story. I love the element of friends to lovers with the instant attraction. Watching Mick and May grow closer together was so a fun ride. I dislike third act breakups, but appreciated the meddling sibling. The ending was sweet and exactly what you want.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for this ARC. All opinions are my own.

*I received a free ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*

I liked the premise of this book, but unfortunately the execution wasn't for me. I didn't feel the chemistry between the two main characters, which is an integral part of a romance novel. In terms of how the story played out, it felt like a lot of rapid fire events with very little time for the relationship to grow in the quiet moments. Because there were no quiet moments, every time a scene played out it was immediately interrupted by something chaotic.

I also didn't love the love triangle with the 2 brothers and how it played out. Kat saying to Mick's face that Joe is everything she wants in a partner but she has chemistry with Mick felt like she was justifying the 'worse' option and that felt very mean.

I will say, the last 3 chapters of the book did somewhat save it for me. I did enjoy how it ended, that epilogue was so wonderful! But overall, I struggled to get through this one and it wasn't my favourite.

A meet cute that's definitely different from the ones we normally see in. rom-com! Kat's struggling after her ex dumped both her and his hedgehog (but she likes the hedgehog and you will too) especially since her friends are all settling into marriage. She's got her flower shop and she's off to expand her business by working with. local funeral home- and she meets Mick. Not so easy though because she denies her attraction and chases his brother at first. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. No spoilers but this will please if you're looking for easy read that's got some chuckles.

📖 ARC REVIEW 📖

Thank you @stmartinspress and @smpromance for an early copy of Too Wrong to Be Right by Melonie Johnson. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. 🤍

Too Wrong to Be Right is a slow-burn romance about Kat, a florist, and Mick, whose family owns and runs a funeral home. Their paths cross when Kat was hired last minute by a grieving widow to deliver flowers to Mick’s family’s funeral home. Their chemistry was undeniable, but Kat, who’s had enough of jerk boyfriends, wants to find Mr. Right. Thus, the two agree to remain friends, with Mick agreeing to be her wingman as well. As they got closer and got to know each other, Kat starts to wonder if Mick is exactly who she was looking for.

This book is just too much of a slow-burn; at 80% and nothing much has been established between Kat and Mick, romantically that is. They were going back and forth with “I like her/him” but each hesitate, regardless of their several romantic encounters (kissing); acting on their feelings and chemistry.

While Mick was super supportive of Kat wanting to find Mr. Right and prioritizing her happiness above his own, I found it challenging to like Kat; yes she was insecure specifically with how she’s too attracted to jerks – this is the theme throughout the novel. I didn’t feel like she had any character development at all. She has this list of characteristics she wants in Mr. Right. Still, regardless of Mick not ticking off all the items on the list, she feels strongly for him ever since they met, and yet she considers Joe, Mick’s brother, as a candidate for Mr. Right despite knowing Mick and Joe were involved in a love triangle previously. I found this selfish and inconsiderate on Kat’s part to be completely honest.

While I loved the supporting characters and animals, I found it difficult to enjoy this novel halfway through. Kat and Mick’s meeting was hilarious and their friendship was great, but that’s it.

Rating this ⭐⭐.5/5. Releases February 28th, 2023.
Na-edit · 13min

Too Wrong to Be Right by Melonie Johnson is a book that is too good to be wrong. This book is the sequel to Too Good to Be Real; however, you do not need to read the first one to understand what is going on.

This book follows Kat, a florist with a bad taste in men. After being dumped, Kat decides to find the man who checks all of the boxes.

What I liked: I enjoyed this book more than the first one. This is a slow burn, but the pacing was perfect. Thee was always something happening to keep the plot moving. The side stories of Kat and her business ventures while connecting with the love interest’s family was both sweet and made the main character more interesting. The scenes with Kat and her grandma were probably some of the best parts on the book. We love a sassy grandma over here. In addition, I very much appreciated Johnson’s attention to detail in one scene where the two characters attend a shiva and the family’s cultural practices are explained and respected.

To keep in mind: This is a slow burn with a miscommunication/no communication trope thrown in, so if that is not for you, I don’t recommend this book.

Overall, I enjoyed this book and loved how Johnson was able to take so many romance tropes and put it into a novel that was both well written and very self-aware of the genre. This is a book I recommend if you are looking for a fun read that will keep you interested and rooting for the main couple, as you begin to genuinely care about the side characters. Also, I need more stories about MK, Joe, and their day-to-day at the funeral home.

The meet-cute was hilarious and probably the only thing I liked in this book.
This was an okay-ish romance for me. I found myself skimming through it a lot.
Nothing much to say!



<i>Thank you Netgalley and publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.<i>

Kat Kowalski is tired of dating all the idiots out there after her last breakup. Her best friends help her come up with a list of qualities that she should look for in her next guy. When Kat goes on a delivery to O'Sullivan Funeral Home she finds herself meeting Mick O’Sullivan is a really fun and cute way. Kat is instantly attracted to Mick but tells herself he is not what her new list indicates and suggests that they should just be friends. As Kat spends more time with all of the O'Sullivan's, she starts to feel a closeness that she only has felt with a few people. When all the stars finally align, Kat and Mick finally give in to their sizzling chemistry. Everything is going perfect until the other shoe drops and it all blows up. It will take a lot of soul searching from both Kat and Mick before these two can find their way back to each other.....along with the help of family but in the end these two get their wonderful happy ending.

I just loved this funny, cute romantic comedy. Mick was so such a great guy. I loved how goofy he was and just didn't care. Kat had a hard time adjusting to her life changing all around her but in the she came out better for it. I also just adored Semus....what a hoot!