4 Wild Stars.

Oh No He Didn’t! Oh Yes, He Most Certainly Did!

Baawaaah! There were times when I actually clapped and times when I cringed. It doesn’t get better than that.

A Brilliantly Plotted Car Crash Waiting to Happen.

Significant others who are less than trustworthy? AS IF!

Character development at its best.

Three cheers for Carola Lovering for writing a stellar, character driven domestic suspense, told from several POV’s that grabbed my attention from the get go and kept me glued to the end of my seat.

Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press and Carola Lovering for the arc.

Published on Goodreads on 6.7.20.

Wow! The beginning was good but the twist and ending was amazing! A definite recommend! Written very well and I would love to see a sequel. It flows well and the plot with Heather & Burke keeps thickening! The vision with the journal entries worked very well in this book. The endings of most of them left me speechless! Absolutely great work!

OMG! This is the first book I have read by Loverling and I am hooked. I read this book over two days and could not put it down what a suspense it was and what a great psychological thrill! This book contained it all -- great characters, great timeline, thrill, suspense, and the twist is crazy. Loved Loved Loved this book. So glad I requested. Thank you to the publisher for allowing me to read and to NetGalley. Cannot wait to recommend this one to everyone!

I received a copy of TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE on NetGalley in exchange for my honest review. Thank you to the author and publisher for this opportunity.

FIVE stars and here’s why:

CAROLA LOVERING kept me reading all day – I couldn’t put it down! It was very intense and the fast pace writing kept me turning page after page and before I knew it, I blew all my to-do list and finished the book! The three points of view was completely well written so that you really got a good sense of each character, and the author really has character development done in spades. If you love suspense stories that will keep you riveted the entire time, excellent writing, and characters that won’t leave you alone, , then this book is for you. I read it in one sitting just to find what happened next. Highly recommend!

I really, REALLY enjoyed this book. I ate it up in just a few sittings. I loved the backstory of Heather and Burke, especially how Heather's life tied back to Skye. The characters, whether you loved them or hated them, we SO well developed. I really felt compassion towards Heather, even though she purposely set out to make someone hurt the way she had been hurt in the past. I fell in love with Skye, and understood how Burke did as well.... I don't want to give anything away, but I absolutely adored this rollercoaster of a book. I will be recommending this one, as it is hands down one of the best books I have read in a long, long time.

Having loved Carola Lovering’s debut, Tell Me Lies, I was over the top excited to receive a copy of Too Good to Be True. Admittedly, I am huuuuge fan of toxic relationships (probably shouldn’t boast that so much) - at least in books, that is! Upon diving into THTBT, I immediately learned there was some sort of triangle and the relationships were all as toxic as they come. Color me hooked! While this one is definitely different from Tell Me Lies, it has the same binge-worthy quality where you can’t stop turning the pages and your jaw will drop. I ultimately enjoyed this one a great deal and continue to look forward to reading what Lovering writes in the future!

Skye cannot help keeping looking at her left hand. After a whirlwind relationship, a proposal was the last thing that she expected. She suffers from OCD and has much self-doubt, especially after the tragic death of her mother. But she is smart, beautiful, and well off.

The man at the center of her life is Burke Micheals. He is an older man but handsome, loving, and intellectual. Something Skye had never experience before. But there are truths that are being withheld. And he has something planned for Skye.

Too Good to Be True is a story told from present to past and in alternating voices of Skye, Burke, and Heather. As the story unfolds we meet Skye in the present as she meets Burke at a resort in Montauk. We learn about Burke's point of view through journal entries, something he learned at couple’s counseling years ago. And then introduce Heather, Burkes first love whom we meet in the past. The narration travels back and forth through multiple perspectives seamlessly and at about the halfway point, we are privy to Heather’s most intimate thoughts. This is a twist that hooks the reader with the past, present, and future all crashing together.

The best aspect of the novel is the rich character development. The back and forth build layers providing the context of each character's behavior. Journal entries jump back and forth and provide great suspense while creating a dramatic storyline. And who is being reliable? it’s definitely a great ride with a crash ending.


Thank you, NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press, and Carola Lovering for the arc in exchange for my honest review.

Run. Go read this right now. What a great book. Couldn’t put this one down. So glad I got the chance to read this one

Too Good to Be True is an excellent, multilayered novel! I haven't read a thriller/suspense THIS good for a long time and am thrilled to have read an early copy of this one! I can't wait to discuss it further with other readers in 2021!

Full review to come closer to release.

We all know if it seems too good to be true, it usually is. Someone needed to remind protagonist Skye Starling of that old adage. Skye is a 29-year-old woman with a severe case of OCD, which in her case manifests as compulsions like knocking on everything wooden in her apartment. Because of this, she's been truly unlucky in love until she meets Burke. Burke is 46 and professes to love Skye despite her OCD. Unfortunately, unbeknownst to Skye, Burke is married to Heather and father to three children. Burke and Heather have conspired to have him meet, romance, and propose to Skye in order to bilk her of millions. It's a pretty straight-forward story of bad man meets nice girl until about halfway through when author Carola Lovering takes a sharp right turn!

Too Good to be True reminded me a lot of Gone Girl, which I loved. The story is told through the viewpoints of lovestruck but lovely Skye, Burke by way of a diary of letters to his marriage counselor, and Heather, who we meet thirty years earlier when she was a teen working as a nanny in a rundown town called Langs Valley and dating Burke. The characters are all beautifully developed, and the mystery is masterfully crafted. Skye is a lovely human being. Burke is a loser who wants to be a better man. And Heather is one of those women, who if she only worked as hard at bettering herself as she does at destroying others, could have a wonderful life. Sadly, she's just a bitch.

I thoroughly enjoyed every page of Too Good to be True and recommend it highly to all lovers of mysteries and suspense. It's sure to be on all the best seller lists when it is published in March 2021, so add it to your TBR pile.

My thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for providing me with a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Y’all I just knew I was going to love this book once I started and I was right!’ Seriously the characters are phenomenal and you will not want to put this one down. Go read it!

Skye and Heather both had aspirations - different, yet the same. Skye works as an editor and is "trust fund" rich. Heather grew up among poverty but after working as a babysitter for Libby, had her eye on the prize - a rich husband - Heather's goal since her teens...Heather and Libby became close. Gus, Heather's 4 year old brother, even accompanied her to babysitting at Libby's home.

In common was Burke. Burke was twenty years Skye's senior, handsome and financially independent. Skye and Burke enter a whirlwind romance.

But was Burke genuine, sincere? Or did he have motives that he hid well?

This story is hard to put down!!!

A super read!

Many Thanks to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for a real rollercoaster ride.

An absolutely riveting read! A tangled family drama through two generations. Multiple perspectives and narrators add to the confusion. Who is telling the truth?

I absolutely loved this domestic drama, with some suspense and twists mixed within. It was well written, original, and unputdownable! I had most the twists figured out, but still was absolutely emerged and unable to set to the side! A must read for those who love well written domestic dramas, with a few twists, and amazingly developed characters! One of my top reads this year! Highly, highly recommend!
Will make sure to buzz it around platforms and use low Amazon reviewer number on release date!

Skye is a 29 year old woman with OCD. She has had it since her Mother’s death when she was 12. Burke is a 46 year old married man with three children. They meet “cute” and begin a relationship. Skye knows nothing about Burke’s marriage and he has lied to her about his past, yet he did tell her that he was incarcerated for a year for insider trading and also addicted to opioids. They marry, although Burke is still married to Heather as he has been for many years. Both Heather and Burke came from a depressed area and have strived to make a better life for themselves and their children. The story is told from each of their viewpoints, through letters Burke has written to his therapist, conversations Skye has had with her therapist and friends and through their relationship with each other. It is remarkably well done and will hold the reader’s interest throughout. Thanks to Net Galley and St. Martin’s Press for an ARC for an honest review.

Wow! Good one! This is one of those books that you have to gobble up fast. Good portrayal of different classes of people- have & have nots. Believable characters. You may have a hard time deciding which side to root for in the battle over vengeance and happiness. Heather’s drive, strength and motivation are unusual for someone with her background. And poor Skye with everything a young woman could want (well, not her OCD) except someone to really love. The one thing that nagged at me was how her dad didn’t do a background check on his daughter’s fiancée. People with money don’t really make mistakes like that. Especially when it was such a fast romance. I did like how it all turned out.

I loved Carola Lovering's debut, Tell Me Lies, so when I got approved for Too Good to Be True, I was so excited! I can't decide which book was better. This book was a crazy ride full of unlikeable and exasperating characters, and some unexpected twists. I couldn't put it down! The story was cleverly woven together and although it all made sense, I didn't see it coming - the best kind of plot.

I loved this book! I loved how it was told in different perspectives from the different characters. This was a nicely crafted, twisted story and was not what I expected. This exceeded all expectations and I was pleasantly surprised. The characters are well developed and I love the way the back story was told parallel with the current plot. You will not be disappointed!

This has got to be one of the most well executed thrillers I have read so far this year. Does that sound too good to be true? (See what I did there?) Yes, but I am being 100% honest!

Skye Starling is rich. Filthy rich. She has everything she could ever want in her life, but love has eluded her, seemingly due to a strong case of OCD. Then she meets Burke, an older man, and it’s love at first sight for both of them (or is it?). After a whirlwind romance, Burke proposes marriage. Skye has never been happier, but will soon find out that some things in her amazing life are just too good to be true.

Talk about plot twists! I had to be away from this book for hours after getting to a pivotal scene, and it was pure torture! The writing by Carola Lovering is so smooth. This is my introduction to her work, and she is an expert at crafting a HIGHLY UNPUTDOWNABLE, suspenseful piece of fiction. It’s a fun, gripping and 100% enjoyable journey with many unexpected moments. I can’t recommend it enough to fans of the genre.

My sincere thanks to St. Martin’s Press, Carola Lovering, and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE is the best suspense novel I've read in years. The story is so gripping and the character development is so strong that I couldn't turn the pages fast enough. I figured out the "connection" fairly early on, but that didn't impact my enjoyment of the book, as I was so anxious to see how everything came together and what ultimately happened with these characters. Even with having figured out that one point, there were still plenty of twists and turns. Without giving anything away, there's a bit of an unreliable narrator issue that bugs me a little because I don't like feeling "tricked." But overall, this is an extremely well-written story and I'm delighted to have been introduced to this author.

I love an unreliable narrator, and since this story is told from several points of view, it's a lot of fun to try to figure out what's what. It's also a complex story where most of the characters have both positive and negative traits, which is more true to life than having a pure villain. I particularly enjoyed the first three-quarters of the book; the pace of the last quarter or so began to drag a bit as things were wrapping up. Overall though, this is a solid, entertaining read.

I was given this book from NetGalley for an honest review.
My honest review...I could not put this book down!
It grabbed me right from the first page, I was hooked...no skimming either! Ha!
I love how the tail is told thru three voices and how you can love, hate then love a character again. And the nice little twist in the middle was a welcome change to the predictable end of the book twist. At least with this twist we get to actually see what happens to the characters.
There is not really anything I can say about the book since the twist is in the middle of book and I don't want to give spoilers away.
But if you like romance and a bit of a revengeful twist, you've got your summer read right here. It was a very easy book to fall into and great character writing.
I'm definitely going to recommend this book to my book clubs!!
Thanks for sharing this awesome story!

Wow! This was one exciting rollercoaster ride! I was surprised by every twist and turn in this gripping domestic thriller. Just when I thought I had it all figured out, another twist shocked me! Highly recommended!

This one was a great read! First for me from this author. A very enjoyable book.
I will be looking for more from this author. So much happening in this one and easy to get into it.


Thanks to the publisher and Net Galley for an early release of this book.

Terrific a chilling page turner. First book for me by Carola Levering she weaves an amazing story,.Characters that come alive a story that had me gasping.Run grab this book.#netgalley #st.martinspress.

Wow, Carola Lovering has truly knocked it out of the park with Too Good to Be True! I devoured Carola’s first novel (Tell Me Lies) so I was going into Too Good to Be True with high expectations—those expectations were met and exceeded!!!! I enjoyed how the storyline had many layers that were brilliantly unveiled one layer at a time! I was 100% on the hook the entire way through and the well placed twists and turns made this book unputdownable! Too Good to Be True is a 5 star read that I think would make a fantastic book club selection! Carola Lovering has officially become an automatic 1-click for me and I am so excited to see what she comes out with next!

Amazing!! I got just two hours of sleep last night... this book simply wouldn't let me go. The characters were great from start to finish! The storytelling - done though journal entries and regular chapters - was brilliant.

I received this book "To Good to Be True" from NetGalley and all opinions expressed are my own. This book was good from beginning to end. I thought the characters were great and the story was amazing. I didn't want to put this down. Lots of twists and turns. Great book! I will be reading more from this author.

Delicious fun!

This exceptionally well-crafted thriller takes the "unreliable narrator" theme to new heights. I was completely tricked by some of the very clever twists and turns in the beginning of this book.

This story is probably best to go into blind, but I will tell you it is told in part by a man, Burke, who may or may not be too good to be true. It also features two women, Skye and Heather, who have significant obstacles in their pasts. Reading these narrators allows you to pick your favorite, and then maybe have the rug pulled out from under you.

While I loved the tone and the characters, what I am really most impressed with in this book is the mystery and the construction of the plot. In the very beginning of the book I was rolling my eyes and yelling at the book (internally, MOSTLY) about what I thought were plot holes. Somehow as if by magic (and using several very clever twists and devices), the plot totally filled those holes and everything came together. I was extremely impressed with how it was all executed. My one complaint, which is a serious nitpick of an otherwise awesome book, is that at some point at the very end I kept waiting for another shoe to drop or another twist that never came. Maybe I am the victim of too many overly twisty thrillers that I have gobbled up this year. But this book was pretty much perfectly plotted, deliciously told, entertaining AF, and just very fun and addictive reading. The ending was also great, even though it was different from what I expected. This is my first book by Carola Lovering, but it is so good (almost "Too Good To Be True") that I will purchase her next book plot unseen. It is a very, very well-written, smart, well-plotted thriller. More than that though, it is just deliciously fun, and a great quarantine escape.

Thanks to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press and Carola Lovering for the ARC of this book. This review is my own. This book gets an almost perfect 4..75 stars from me! (Because nobody in the book is quite perfect, and they all have their own flaws that make them interesting, this seems to fit.) Great book that is a cut above the rest of the summer thriller crop.

Thank you NetGalley for providing this book for my honest review. I absolutely loved this book. I loved reading the backstory of all the characters from years ago. I fell in love with the characters and sympathized with what they were going through. The journal entries added to the plot and helped with the book twist. This was the first book I have read from this author and I loved reading it with all it's twists and turns.

Holy Cow, hang on to your seat! This is one of the best psychological mysteries I’ve read in a very long time. Talk about a Double Cross, how about a Triple Cross! Just when you thought you knew a character well, and you thought (very smugly) that you knew where the story was headed, there would be an eye popping twist. And the twists just keep on coming. This was truly a story that was hard to put down., with well thought out characters. I don’t want to give too much away, I’ll just say, , sit back and be prepared for a very entertaining read. This was my first novel by Carola Lovering, but it won’t be my last. I will be recommending this to all my book club members., and I will be purchasing copies for our library. Thank You to NetGalley and St. Martins Press for sending me a digital copy of this great book for an honest review..

Wow! If you love the mystery/psychological suspense genre like I do, then you will love Too Good to Be True. It’s very well written with lots of fun twists and turns. This was my first Carola Lovering book and I will definitely look for her others now. The story goes back and forth in time from 30 years ago to the present and a lot of it is written through letters. The main characters are Skye, Burke, and Burke’s wife Heather. Skye comes from a life of privilege while Burke and Heather come from poor families where their parents abandoned them. Their lives become intertwined in all kinds of ways and none of them will ever be the same. This is a quick, easy read that I definitely recommend. Thanks to #netgalley and #stmartinspress for an ARC in exchange for an honest review..

The story takes the reader into the lives of a family and two young high school students. It is written in the first-person style and goes between each person basically three of them, Burke and his wife Heather, and Skye a young rich girl. At first, I found it rather confusing but as I went into the story more it made perfect sense. This is a story of wealth....those who have it and those who want it at any cost. It also is a story of betrayal. It is a fantastic story that pulls the reader in the farther you get into the book. There were a few OMG moments for me, but the author put them in at just the right time and it added to the story. I really enjoyed reading it. I am voluntarily reviewing this book that I received from NetGalley.

"Too Good to Be True" by Carola Lovering was one of the best books that I've read in a while. Just when I thought that I knew what was going on in the story, BAM!, another surprise. This twisty thriller kept me guessing until the very end. I loved that the story was told from multiple POV's. It made it more twisted and exciting. I was so into this book, that I literally couldn't put it down and found it hard to stop reading. Definitely a 5-star book! I can't wait to read more from this author! #NetGalley #TooGoodtoBeTrue #CarolaLovering

"Oh what a tangled web you weave" etc. etc... This book is a boat load of tangled webs. Enjoy the ride, I thought it was very fast paced and I could not stop reading it. I highly recommend you take a few hours and cozy up and read this fascinating story told by a few (flawed) human characters. I cared about Skye and Heather and as you continue on in the book you get quite a few surprises from what you end up feeling about Burke and you may change your mind a few times about these people-the writing is very descriptive and you will want to find out just what is really going on here.....

Thank you to Net Galley and the publisher for a chance to read and review this book.

I started reading this book and thought "typical thriller about a man up to no good...is there anything new here?" Turns out there definitely was - this is a fun, fast-paced story with lots of secrets, hidden connections, and unexpected twists. 4 stars!

Our heroine Skye is beautiful, smart and rich - a true catch if you're willing to deal with her crippling OCD (surprise, surprise, most men aren't). But then she meets Burke, an older man, and things start to fall into place. They even call each other Goose, because geese mate for life. The catch: Burke is already married and is using Skye for her money. Another thread of the story finds teenage Burke and his girlfriend Heather striving to make it out of their opioid-addicted small town. Lovering did a great job balancing the two stories and connecting them with a few well-placed twists.

I really liked the characterization here - even though not all the characters are likable, they are well-drawn, and there's more to them than meets the eye. If you like domestic thrillers, I would definitely recommend this book!

Thank you to St. Martin's Press for providing an ARC on NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Refreshing thriller that makes you question love and the price you pay to make your spouse happy. Will definitely check out the authors other novels!

A tangled web that was actually amazing
This was head and shoulders above the usual fare in domestic thrillers.
For starters, we didn't see a single gormless character that would drive me up the wall with their stupidity (I'm looking at you, The Breakdown by B.A. Paris). In fact, all the characters were relatable, flawed, and human. There were no cartoonish villains and saints.
I rooted for Skye and Burke all the way, and their romance just rang true to me.
"Being in the same room with him is mostly just - relief. Cold water when you've been parched for hours. The feeling of coming home after a long time away."
And those adorable nicknames Burke gave to the women he loved! <3
The plot was another forte, it's clever and believable. I didn't see the twists coming!
All in all, I enjoyed every minute of it. I plan to read all the books by Carola Lovering (who's a new author for me). Keep them coming, please!
Will I recommend this book? Hell yeah!
Thank you to Netgalley, St. Martin Press, and Carola Lovering for my free copy in exchange for an honest review.

This is a very addictive novel and I spent a lot more time reading at a time than I meant to. Good plot, great characters and a nice twist. This really was a book that got better with every page I read.

When Skye Starling meets Burke Michaels it is like a dream come true and it is only months later when Burke proposes. Skye is a wealthy woman who has suffered from OCD since her mother's death and this has had a detrimental affect on her relationships.
Burke is a good looking guy who is a lot older than Skye and everything seems too good to be true, but Burke isn't who he claims to be. Told through the letters to his therapist we learn that Burke is happily married and and using Skye to obtain money.

There is a lot more to this story but don't want to give too much away, this is a page turner and well worth a look.

I would like to thank both Netgalley and St Martin's Press for supplying a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

Just finished this book after two days of constant reading. The characters were so well written that I could see them as if on a screen right in front of me. The background story from thirty years in the past was essential to tell this twisty story of love, loss, betrayal and revenge. This was not the typical story of the evil husband who is not who he pretends to be, but much more complicated and surprising.
Read,Too Good To Be True, while home during this pandemic and you'll forget the precarious state of the world in 2020.

WOW! This book blew me away! Read it in 2 sittings, it was that good!
The relationship between the three characters were amazing, and the POV story telling worked so well. I thought I had it figured out a few times during my read but then a twist proved me wrong every time. I cannot wait to see what else Carola Lovering has to offer. Highly recommend!
Thank you Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for the arc.

Wow! This was a great read! Too Good To Be True has an excellent plot that is paced to perfection with lots of delicious twists and curves. I really like how the author set the book up with three main character's perspectives coming from three different points of the same timeline until they all converge. The character development was very satisfying as well.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for access to this ARC.

I can't say too much here without giving the plot away, but this book was one of the best deliciously twisted, mind blowing plots I have ever read! Burke and Heather are married with three children and are having financial problems. Burke has lost his job and is having difficulties finding a new job because of his past. Heather, since she was a teenager, has always longed to become wealthy and live the good life. She longed to be just like Libby, a wealthy women she babysat for when she was in her teens. Since her current life was not a at all what she had envisioned for herself, she came up with a plan that will change everything and coerced Burke to carry it out. Will this plan give Heather everything she ever wanted.? Does she care who will get hurt if her plan succeeds? The answers to these questions are not what you will be expecting!

Just finished this book and loved it! I liked the way that the story was told from different characters perspectives although at first I had trouble following the story . There were many twists & turns along the way which kept me turning those pages! Too Good To Be True was my first book by Carola Lovering and will be looking for more titles by her. Thank you Net Galley for allowing me to read this advanced copy!!

Completely excellent!

This book had me guessing all along the way, trying to reconcile three different people, stories and timelines with more twists that I thought possible.

A binge read, finished in less than 24 hours.

Thank you NetGalley for this glimpse in to Skye's life.

I received this book as an ARC from NetGalley.

This psychological thriller is told from three points of view using real-time narrative, diary entries, and notes to a marriage counselor. The reader cannot begin to imagine the twists and turns the story will take. I really enjoyed the roller coaster ride!

I absolutely loved this book! I have not read any of Carola Lovering books before, so I am going to have to read her previous book now. It was a great thriller, read it basically in one sitting!

A cleverly crafted story which takes place over a thirty year period. The writing flows ever so smoothly and the characterizations are richly drawn. I loved this book. Its twists and turns keep you going. I’m very impressed with this author and will definitely look forward to more from her.

Thanks Net Galley for the chance to read and review.

Compulsively readable, my whole day was shot once I started this. Soooo worth it.

I was instantly pulled into this story of deceit, betrayal and lies. But who is doing the lying and why? I absolutely had to find out and it was spectacular.

Do yourself two HUGE favors:

1. Read as little as possible about this book before diving into it.

2. Read it the minute it comes out.

Thank you to Carola Lovering, St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for giving me this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the opportunity to read Too Good to Be True by Carola Lovering
I thoroughly enjoyed this novel, it was amazing.,
It was written from the perspective of three different characters, Surprisingly not confusing. Characters were extremely well introduced and described
The story revolves around Burke and Heather and Skye. We learn about Heather's past during the first part of the novel, and then things turn as we learn about Burke and Skie's relationship. Then we learn that there is a connection between all three... The story is well-written, I wanted to keep reading... there was suspense, drama, excitement, tension
I did not want this story to end, or at the very least have a sequel
The relationship between the characters is unknown near the beginning but we become aware as the story unfolds. and as we read their journals. Slowly it all starts to make sense and the pieces start to come together, and then things take an unexpected turn, the story line does a complete, our brains are processing what really happened.
Well done, well written, I want another book like this