Too Good to Be Real - by Melonie Johnson (Paperback)

About the Book

"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? In her trade paperback 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"--

Book Synopsis

"The stuff of rom-com fantasies come to life." - Entertainment Weekly

"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

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?

In her trade paperback 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.

Review Quotes

Buzzfeed, "Best Books To Read July 2021"

Goodreads, "The Top Romances Burning Up Goodreads This Summer"

SheReads, "Most anticipated spring and summer romances of 2021"

"Too Good to Be Real is the stuff of rom-com fantasies come to life....The various scenarios Johnson devises are laugh-out-loud funny; her cast of characters is vibrant and engaging; and the book as a whole is the type of frothy escape readers long for." - Entertainment Weekly

"A setting that readers will undoubtedly wish to visit, a relatable hero and heroine, and a flock of feathered and furry sidekicks make this story memorable. It's sure to please fans of romantic comedies, whether of the in-print or on-screen variety." - Library Journal

"Has all the classic rom-com tropes that readers will rejoice over--an awkward yet kind of hilarious meet-cute, hidden identities, swoony kisses in the rain, and lots of puns that lead to happily ever after. ...Fierce, supportive female friendships and a good old-fashioned romance meet in Too Good To Be Real--a fun romp that's perfect for summer!" - The Nerd Daily

"One of the best Rom-Coms of the year. This novel is smartly written, with enjoyable characters you root for, in a great setting. This book has it all and more. A perfect summer beach, pool or just staying cool read." - Red Carpet Crash

"A sizzling, laugh-out-loud saga." - Woman's World

"Melonie Johnson has written a charming, feel-good romp about all the reasons we love rom-coms! It's the perfect combination of sweet, sexy, and make-you-grin moments." - Lyssa Kay Adams, author of The Bromance Book Club

"Charming and clever, Too Good to Be Real is an ode to everything we love about rom-coms." - Alexis Daria, author of You Had Me at Hola

"Too Good to Be Real gives you the sparks and tingles you get watching your favorite rom-com. Bursting with colorful side characters and a charming whirlwind romance, you'll finish the book with a smile on your face." - Denise Williams, author of How to Fail at Flirting

"A sweet, sexy, and slightly meta rom-com perfect for anyone who craves meet-cutes, serenades, long walks on the beach, and even a grand gesture or two. Too Good to Be Real is an Austenland-esque fantasy for romantic comedy obsessives!" - Kerry Winfrey, author of Waiting for Tom Hanks

About the Author

USA Today bestselling author Melonie Johnson--aka #thewritinglush--enjoys sipping cocktails that start with the letter m. Declared a "writer to watch" by Kirkus and a "fizzy, engrossing new voice" by Entertainment Weekly, her smart funny contemporary romances include Too Good to Be Real and her award-winning Sometimes in Love debut series: Getting Hot with the Scot, Smitten by the Brit, and Once Upon a Bad Boy. A former high school English and Theatre teacher, she spends her days in her Star Wars office, dreaming up meet cutes. She lives in Chicagoland with her husband, their two redhead daughters, and one very large dog.