User Reviews
Rating: really liked it
Too Good to Be True had me hooked hard for the first half of the book. Three narrators, with at least two of them seeming questionable to me, led me along, with chapters alternating between the three. And then a huge twist at the halfway mark...it was a gotcha moment for me and I love that, when I am outfoxed, not suspecting something very big.
But then the second half of the book, with the same three alternating points of view, seemed to be like a very long epilogue. We knew almost everything at this point and it then just seemed like a long telling of the details. I do think it would have helped if two of the characters had been more likable, if two of the characters had been stronger. I call the first half of the book 5 stars and the second half of the book 3 stars so will be rating the book 4 stars. I'm not saying any more about the story because it requires going in with as little knowledge of the book for the first half to hit you like it hit me.
Pub: March 2, 2021
Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for this ARC.
Rating: really liked it
Three POVs, a struggling couple in mid-forties who has insufferable financial problems and a nearly thirty years old young woman who can be a great solution to fix everything goes wrong in their lives :
Heather, longing to perfectly balanced, wealthy life since the beginning of their marriage and her husband Burke is the reason they lost everything with his tremendous mistake and now he thinks they have a chance to way out. He’s going to seduce trust fund baby: Skye who is getting closer to be 30, suffering from OCD, cannot build a real relationship because of her mental illness.
The plan is simple: Burke will marry with the girl without prenup and when they get divorce, he’ll also get his share of money which will help him to compensate the financial loss and provide a better life for his family. That’s what written on Burke’s diary. But the plans can change or the narrators can be inaccurate so be wise and careful when you decide who is telling the truth, who is keeping big secrets for conducting his/ her dangerous plan to serve his/ her hidden agenda.
This book is so smart, addictive and entertaining with too many jaw dropping, WTF moments and shocking twists. Especially two biggest twists are perfectly crafted. Thanks to my spider senses I found out one of them from the beginning but the other one caught me off guard. I still nod my head in disbelief and tell myself how I didn’t see it coming.
I’m not gonna give more spoilers but I have to admit: this book is brilliant and all those flawed characters’ narration parts may be too long but you cannot stop reading and you want to learn more about their dark secrets and how their minds work. You dislike those characters but you start to understand what they’ve been through clearly and begin to question yourself what you would do if you were exactly at the same situation.
The romance parts are a little exaggerated and I just rolled my eyes when I read some parts but it also help me to empathize with the characters.
Overall: If some pages have been discarded, shortened, this would have been more fast paced and intriguing read. So I’m cutting one star and giving four mind bending, entertaining, whirlwind, exciting stars!
I’m looking forward to read the other works of the author.
Special thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for sharing this unputdownable ARC with me in exchange my honest thoughts.
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Rating: really liked it
The Twist Got Me Good!
3.5 stars
Too Good to Be True is a psychological thriller about revenge, deception, and one very smart sociopath. I am not going to write a summary, because I don’t want to give anything anyway.
Narrated by three characters, I never knew where this was going.
Too Good to Be True is a page-turner. It is fast-paced and has some very surprising twists and turns. There is one huge twist that I thought about potentially being an option early on, but I thought no, that’s just crazy-- but crazy it is! Even though I had thought about this possible twist, I was still taken aback and surprised when it was revealed.
I got tricked, my friends! The plot borrows a few notes from soap operas, including some cheesy names, i.e. Burke Michaels and Skye Starling, but I enjoy soaps!
At a certain point, after all of the revelations, the tone shifts and it becomes a bit of a different book that had my eyes rolling. I wanted a darker, more sinister ending versus a sappy one. This could have been accomplished in the epilogue, but even the darkest character turns a little soft at the end.
Apparently, I prefer my thrillers to be dark and evil. Despite my gripes, this book is SO MUCH FUN to read. I will be reading more by Carola Lovering in the future.
Thanks to all my GR friends for putting this book on my radar. I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press in exchange for an honest review.
Rating: really liked it
I think it's best if you go in as blind as possible for this story, so I'll keep my review brief, but I love how the author chose to blend multiple POVs in a way that makes the reader question what is accurate and what is not throughout. Each character has a view of the others, and this made for a deeper look into the story, one that has you wondering if we don't do something similar with the people in our own lives. How well do we really know the ones that we love? And at the end of the day, can we trust our perspective to be the correct one? Definitely put this on your TBR for early 2021!
*Many thanks to the publisher for providing my review copy.
Rating: really liked it
Too Good to be True by Carola Lovering is a 2021 St. Martin’s Press publication.
Wickedly good! This is one of those books that falls into ‘the less you say, the less you know, the better’ category- so to that end-all I’m going to say is:
This is one clever little mind-trip- highly absorbing, and wildly entertaining. If you like getting sucked so completely into a story that you lose track of time, this might be one you want to consider.
There is no agenda- no messages- no sermons, just a good, original, well-plotted thriller with one amazing twist that completely took me by surprise!!
I got a little more than I was expecting from this one! I will definitely read this author again!
Rating: really liked it
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 edge of my seat.
Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press and Carola Lovering for the arc.
Published on Goodreads on 6.7.20.
Rating: really liked it
Another book synopsis that says MUCH more than it needs to.
I just read it, and I am so glad that I hadn’t before starting the book.
As others have said, it is best to go in blind.
*SPOILER FREE*
Is Burke- “too good to be true”?
Well, the first POV shares HEATHER’s opinion.
And, the second POV fills you in on how SKYE feels about him.
But, maybe you will need to hear from BURKE himself, in the 3rd POV before you ultimately decide! 🤔
The three POV’s were EQUALLY COMPELLING as they alternate in the FAST paced first half, that set everything up, even as I guessed a LOT of what was to come.
BUT, I didn’t guess one SHOCKING twist!
Unfortunately though, the second half was NOT as strong for me as the pace slowed down QUITE a bit, as everything that was revealed was too drawn out.
It is A fun “🍿 type” psychological suspense book..
But the long, drawn out explanation and the anticlimactic ending (that just didn’t fit) disappointed.
Thanks to the St. Martin’s Press for my gifted copy, through NetGalley!
Available NOW!
Rating: really liked it
***HAPPY PUBLICATION DAY***
First off I’d like to say that a 3 star from me means that it was an ok book, just not one I could highly recommend.
I think this book started off with a bang. The first 50% of the book was a quick, fast paced roller coaster of a ride and I enjoyed it. I did start to have believability issues pretty early on, but this is fiction and I went with it.
Skye seems to be very naïve considering she is 29 years old. She is, however, still grieving from the loss of her mother who in her own words was her best friend. Her father is around but doesn’t seem to spend a lot of time with Skye, nor does he seem to be invested in helping her work through her problems. Skye does have several good friends, in particular Andy, who has been questioning Skye’s quick moving romance, she does continue to be there for Skye.
From the blurb you will know that Burke, is a 40 something-year-old man that appears to be totally smitten with Skye. He throws everything into the romance and sweeps her off her feet, to the point that she’s willing to go ahead and marry him. Considering that Skye’s family is extremely wealthy, it was surprising to me that her father didn’t research this individual who is going to be part of their family.
Meanwhile another point of view shows us Heather who is the consummate controller. She has gotten a glimpse of the good life when she was younger and wants it all. The big house by the ocean, great schools,for her kids, money to be able to spend extravagantly on whatever she wants. At one point her life seemed to be leading in this direction, but then things with her husband‘s job just do not work out and Heather is one unhappy wife.
While we’re reading what’s going on in the present, there are also entries in a diary which appear to be from Burke. This will either confuse or enlighten you, depending on how you feel about the authenticity of the journal.
The second half of the book moves at a much slower pace. It has the style of writing where the author is “ telling” you what happens rather than “showing” you through an active narrative.
The second half then leads to many revelations most of which I had already figured out. The ending I felt was a somewhat “sappy” and unbelievable, to put it mildly.
Go into this blind and see what you think. For pure entertainment this novel is fine. If you are looking for something stellar, I’d look elsewhere. All opinions of course are my own.
I received an ARC of this novel from the publisher through Edelweiss.
This book is set to publish on March 2, 2021.
Rating: really liked it
Is this a 5 star thriller or is it
TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE? Unfortunately it’s the latter.
I was riveted from the beginning, and loved the voices of the 3 different narrators. The characters were very well-developed:
- Skye, wealthy and privileged but left with crippling anxiety and OCD after her mother’s death, she has trouble meeting men who can tolerate her unusual tendencies. Until Burke.
- Burke. He’s perfect. Mr. Right. Skye’s one and only. Or is he? His chapters are told as journal entries and are so compelling, I couldn’t wait to get back to them.
- Heather. I won’t say who she is, but through her we get a lot of backstory.
It seems that all may not be as idyllic as it seems and a diabolical plot is in play. The short chapters and shifting perspectives make this a propulsive read.
THEN…poof….the propulsive mystery/thriller turned into a sappy ridiculous Lifetime movie romance, and not a very good one at that. I can’t say anything more without spoilers but luckily I had my reading buddy Marialyce to rant with over this one.
An author doesn’t owe me a story arc that I like but it has to make SOME kind of rational sense for me to enjoy it. If I had been reading a physical book I would have tossed it across the room.
The first 50-75% was a solid 4 or 5 stars…then POOF it was truly too good to be true, as I was suddenly reading an entirely different genre.
4 stars for the first half. One star for the second. 2 stars because I finished it.
I want to end on a positive note so I will say that although this was a BOTM club book I downloaded the audio on Hoopla to supplement my reading, and found I much preferred listening. The narrators were SUPERB! Especially Burke’s character.
Rating: really liked it
If he seems too good to be true...well he probably is! Holy twist!! I love a good twist and well this one got me good. This is best to go in blind because...well it just is...so on that note..
Skye has trouble with men. They can't seem to accept her for who she is. Sure she is pretty, rich and fun.. but she has OCD and that has lead to some cruel treatment by...pretty much everyone...then along came Burke. Gorgeous, older and totally in love with Skye. He sweeps her off her feet. However, not everyone is as blown away by Burke...
My heart broke for Skye- all the cruel behavior she had endured. I hoped that she finally found "the one" but I was like her BFF Andie...we didn't quite trust old Burke.
I need to stop right there because seriously this book is super twisty and I don't want to give it away. Afterwards I was like...why didn't I see that coming??? Yet, I didn't! This was a fun, wild ride!
Thank you so much to St Martin's Press for my gorgeous gifted copy!
Rating: really liked it
I enjoyed this one so much! Yes, the ending was an unbelievable one but I went with it.
Too Good To Be True was a page-turner suspense with a great twist that I did not see coming. I actually had an "Oh wow" moment. Skye Starling is a young woman who is working as an editor. She is also a very rich woman. She has a trust that would make anyone more than comfortable in life. Yet, even though it looks like she has everything or she could buy it if she wanted to, she is unlucky in love. She has OCD and is unable to stop her compulsions of knocking on all pieces of wood or kissing clocks. So the men she has met so far, fall short 100%. Some of them total losers for sure. And then, Skye meets Burke Michaels.
Burke is a man in his forties. He looks like a successful businessman who is also handsome and interesting. He is a recovering addict who doesn't hide it. Burke doesn't care about Skye's compulsions. He understands her. There is of course one tiny problem. He is already married!!!
I think that in order to get the maximum enjoyment of Too Good To Be True, is to not read the blurb. It has way too much information and since I went in blind, I had a blast reading it.
Skye had all my sympathy. Dealing with a debilitating OCD is hard. Her meds were not completely useful but at least her therapist was a great one.
I won't comment on Burke because I don't want to give out any spoilers. Just know my friends that you might want to have an open mind about the ending.
Cliffhanger: No
4/5 Fangs
A complimentary copy was provided by St. Martin's Press via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
MrsLeif's Two Fangs About It | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
Rating: really liked it
3.5 starsI enjoyed this a lot more than I was expecting to!
https://youtu.be/-Vgds8Hv5mM
Rating: really liked it
I have to admit that Carola Lovering got me good with that twist! I love nothing more than having the rug pulled out beneath me while reading. When you are so certain about something only to find out that you are entirely wrong. That is so damn satisfying.
Skye is a 29 year old woman that has not been lucky in love. Living in NYC as an editor she has debilitating OCD in which she must knock on wood so many times and in so many ways that most of the men she meets hightail it before date number two. Until she meets handsome Burke Michaels. He's a forty-six year old successful business man that is also a recovering addict. He accepts Skye for who she is including her compulsions. Skye is finally genuinely happy with her life and with Burke who she has fallen madly in love with. After only 6 months the two get engaged and begin planning their whirlwind wedding.
But is Burke too good to be true?
I loved her debut Tell Me Lies and her sophomore effort proves this lady has a knack for writing an exceptional psychological thriller. This isn't a fast paced read but its a compelling one with short chapters that demand you keep turning the pages. The ending surprised me but to elaborate more would be a spoiler. Just know that I will be the first in line for her next book. 4 stars!
Thank you to St. Martin's Press for sending me a physical ARC of this book.
Rating: really liked it
3.75 - 4 StarsAll I know is, if my name was Carola Lovering, I would put a hit out on the asshat that wrote the blurb for this thing.
I mean, really though...talk about throwing open the barn doors and letting all the horses out.
The blurb literally spoils the entire book. If not for the blurb, this would have been amazing.
As it was though, the blurb basically does all the earning for you and you enter the story knowing already what the twist is...or at least having all the tools necessary to easily put together what the twists
are without having to work for them.
I mean, I knew immediately what was going on the whole time. And I'm not even all that smart.
I just kept thinking, this can't be it, right? The author couldn't have really have thought we all wouldn't figure out these connections so readily...right?
But, then again, she probably didn't bank on an idiot penning the blurb.
So there's that.
Now, all that said, I still really enjoyed this book.
I am sucker for any form of domestic drama, marriage in trouble, and/or basically any form of sociopathy. It's like catnip to me. And this book had some dynamics I really enjoyed. I also really related to Skye. We had a lot of childhood...similarities. Except for the mega rich part. I unfortunately missed out on that one.
But anyway. This book wasn't mind-blowing or all that thrilling (for a thriller), but I still really enjoyed my afternoon spent reading it.
Rating: really liked it
Too Good to Be True is an intriguing, well-written thriller that is distributed by a major publishing house, so don't let the drab cover that looks like a self-published DIY job fool you.
Carola Lovering has crafted a story that will pull you in and make you feel for characters you might otherwise despise at the hands of a lesser author. It's particularly interesting that one suffers from OCD, which feels like a fresh plot point for the thriller genre.
There are dual timelines and multiple POVs, but the novel is well structured and easy to follow. There are also many twists, but unfortunately (what I assume is supposed to be) the main shocker was pretty obvious to this reader. Had I not seen it coming so blatantly, it might have been a 5-star read for me.
Trigger warnings for drug use, rape, cancer, and the death of a child.
My thanks to St. Martin's Press and the author for the advance readers copy via NetGalley.
Blog: www.confettibookshelf.com
IG: @confettibookshelf
