Too Good to Be Real

A Novel

By: Melonie Johnson

Narrated by: Juliana Solo, Cody Gordon

Length: 11 hrs and 51 mins

Publisher's summary

"The perfect combination of sweet, sexy, and make-you-grin moments." (Lyssa Kay Adams, author of The Bromance Book Club)

"An ode to everything we love about rom-coms." (Alexis Daria, author of You Had Me at Hola)

In her debut, Melonie Johnson brings her signature humor, sexy romance, and strong female friendships in this hilarious romantic comedy about finding perfectly imperfect love, Too Good to Be Real.

She plans to prove there's a dozen reasons why life isn't like a romantic comedy, only to discover the one reason it is....

While her friends wish for meet-cutes worthy of their favorite rom-coms, Julia is ready to give up on love. Swiping right has replaced getting swept off your feet and good old-fashioned romance has become, well, old-fashioned.

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?

At the resort, Julia literally falls into a not-quite-meet-cute involving an aggressive seagull and an adorably awkward guy named Luke who is also participating in the rom-com experience. Julia hides the fact she is there to do a story, but Luke harbors a few secrets of his own. Among further encounters with thieving seagulls, a gaggle of corgis, kisses in the rain, and even a karaoke serenade, their feelings deepen quickly. But could their love be real when they haven't been honest about their true identities? Once the fantasy is over, can they have a relationship in the real world?

©2021 Melonie Johnson (P)2021 Insatiable Press

Too Good to Be Real

Too Good to Be Real by Melonie Johnson
A romcom with a romcom. Creative and adorable.

Julie and her two best friends go on a getaway vacation, where the hotel has created a movie game playing concept taken from well known romantic comedies. Events include famous scenes from movies encouraging interaction and mingling. Corgis and seagulls add their own unique skills to the mix where adult entertainment ensues.

Yes there are deeper issues going on with the characters so the tone of the story is not all fun and games. But it’s a romance so we get our HEA and there are many great secondary friends that might lead to more stories.
I loved the hotel concept and have played some similar games at Reader conferences. I’m not sure I could give up my phone/iPad for days as was required (work and photos and books!) but the freedom of unplugged is enticing.

🎧 I listened to the audio version narrated by Juliana Solo and Cody Gordon. The two did the alternating, third person POV’s of Julia and Luke. Their voices fit the character ages well and the performance was clean from any noticeable editing issues. I alternated between 1.25 and 1.4 which is the standard for me.

Melonie Johnson's Latest is Pure Gold

I'm a Melonie Johnson fan girl and just like her Sometimes in Love series, she taps into the perfect contemporary romance fantasy. In Too Good to Be Real, the main character, Julia, a writer for a popular website, is on assignment. Her job hangs in the balance. If she messes this one up, it's no job, no health insurance, and a move back to mom & dad's basement—not acceptable. Luke, a programming whiz, has created the first ever "rom com experience getaway." Their grand opening will determine if the idea sinks or swims. He and his staff need to pull out all the stops. Julia shows up for the exciting week with her two besties, all three super-fans of rom com movies. But Julia keeps her role as a reviewer under wraps. Short on staff, Luke must act as another player in the rom com experience. He too, must keep his real connection to the hotel's rom com getaway, but when things heat up between Julia and Luke, their true identities melt away. Five stars for this one. And I hope Julia's friends get their own story! Narrators Solo and Gordon did a nice job, too.

it's a nope from me

Struggled to finish...I sadly have nothing nice to say so I'm gonna leave it at that