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Too Good To Be True
Winner of the Amazon India Popular Choice Debut Book 2025 Award
From one of India's most-loved creators comes something new to fall in love with.
Avani's favourite thing to do is bury her nose in romance novels, but, honestly, life can't be trusted to make the stories real, right?
But in the bookstore where she works, a man walks in, straight out of the pages of her favourite love stories. Aman is hot, successful, seems to know what she's going to say before she's said it, and just cannot get enough of her. In short, he's perfect.
Then why is Avani losing her mind, ignoring the advice of her BFFs and trying to convince herself that he's just too good to be true?
Will Aman ever be able to figure her out? And will Avani allow him to?
Wickedly witty, tender and utterly relatable at every turn, Too Good to Be True by Prajakta Koli is the sparkling, true-blue, will-they-won't-they love story you've been waiting for!
From one of India's most-loved creators comes something new to fall in love with.
Avani's favourite thing to do is bury her nose in romance novels, but, honestly, life can't be trusted to make the stories real, right?
But in the bookstore where she works, a man walks in, straight out of the pages of her favourite love stories. Aman is hot, successful, seems to know what she's going to say before she's said it, and just cannot get enough of her. In short, he's perfect.
Then why is Avani losing her mind, ignoring the advice of her BFFs and trying to convince herself that he's just too good to be true?
Will Aman ever be able to figure her out? And will Avani allow him to?
Wickedly witty, tender and utterly relatable at every turn, Too Good to Be True by Prajakta Koli is the sparkling, true-blue, will-they-won't-they love story you've been waiting for!
274 pages, Kindle Edition
Published January 13, 2025
592 people are currently reading
2635 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 791 reviews
January 22, 2025
1.5/5
"To ChatGPT, for helping me write this acknowledgements section, because, let’s be honest, I had no idea how to do it—and I’ve never actually read the acknowledgements in any book I’ve picked up."
Red flag!!!
Also, a book like this doesn't deserve to be traditionally published.
Honestly, it's fucking infuriating to see influencers generating possibly ai written shit (I was also going to say ghostwritten, but the crappy writing legit gave me Iron Flame flashbacks) and getting published by big shot publishers while so many genuine writers are struggling out there.
(Will update after I get some sleep, I hate that I wasted my time on this bs)
Update -
This is a cringefest self-insert fanfic written for people who don't read books. {If you don't believe me, google Prajakta Koli (and add anything from the book where Avani is being described), and you will actually find a Prajakta Koli reference for that.}
The romance is unrealistic, and the main leads are hypocrites. The multi-billionaire-CEO ml(Aman) of the story, who uses his private jet to travel from Mumbai to Dehradun, wants us to believe he's actually concerned about pollution, carbon emissions, and global warming, and our "that girl" FL(Avani) wants us to believe she doesn't like the ML for his money, like girl, bffr that man has the personality of a wet cardboard, and there is nothing remarkable about him apart from his wealth and good looks.
They never have any heart-to-heart conversations (except maybe for the final act); they don't try to learn about each other, and they are so fucking horny all the time because, tbf these two wet cardboard pieces are only with each other because they are good-looking, not like they have got any interesting qualities. Also, despite the ML being 31 yrs old and FL being 23 yrs old, we barely get to see them acknowledge the age gap, and the ML jumps right into making sexual convo even though he just met her twice. YUCK!
Talking about plot (there's no plot) —
The author makes sure we get lines and lines of inaction where she "tells" us how the characters and their romance flesh out, but she will never show how all of this is actually happening. The main leads don’t do anything to progress their relationship. Everything is orchestrated by other characters who literally instruct them on how to act in their relationship. It’s like a group assignment where the team leader assigns tasks, and the leads simply follow orders. Somehow, this magically results in them falling in love, even though we’re never told what they actually like about each other beyond looks and money.
The characters—
The FL is extremely annoying and constantly whining and throwing temper tantrums yet Prajakta Koli wants us to believe she's a very rational, headstrong, independent woman and far better than other people of her age. My problem is Prajakta Koli never shows her acting in that way; it's the other characters always telling us that she's like that, and we have to take their words for consideration, because in this house we hate "show, not tell."
I don't even want to talk about the ML; he's a total snoozefest, and his holier-than-thou personality makes his dull personality even more insufferable.
Ironically, the only character I enjoyed reading about was Gagan (hate his name tho) who was portrayed as some supervillain bullying our badass FL, but frankly he was the only one with common sense and a personality, and tbh I would have preferred if he were even bitchier to the main leads.
Spoilers—The final plot twist about the FL's trauma was so poorly fleshed out that I couldn't even sympathize with her; the book never builds on her character or her journey after her parents separation, but now, in the final chapter, I’m suddenly supposed to feel bad for her? That’s not how trauma representation works, you don’t just throw it into the story for fun.
Everything I thought was ridiculous about this book—
"The professor stopped professoring, the students stopped studenting and my brain stopped braining."
"Wink wink nudge nudge."
"Lol."
(This is not a insta comments section this is a FUCKING BOOK!)
Their names are Avani, Aman, Ayesha, Anil, Anchal, etc. (Prajakta Koli opened the baby name generator website and picked out all the A-names for the characters because she was too lazy to scroll down through the other alphabets)
Also, the ML's best friends are named Jogi and Mahi 💀 (yay! I love how she doesn't want to put a even bit of effort into the book)
And the ML smelling like "aftershave" being brought up in the book with only 272 pages for more than 15 times. (Nobody cares!!)
A plethora of unnecessary dick jokes that only 13 yr olds will find funny.
Also, last but not least, this book also fails the Bechdel Test.
Honestly, I have so much more to complain about, but my hands are tired from typing.
"To ChatGPT, for helping me write this acknowledgements section, because, let’s be honest, I had no idea how to do it—and I’ve never actually read the acknowledgements in any book I’ve picked up."
Red flag!!!
Also, a book like this doesn't deserve to be traditionally published.
Honestly, it's fucking infuriating to see influencers generating possibly ai written shit (I was also going to say ghostwritten, but the crappy writing legit gave me Iron Flame flashbacks) and getting published by big shot publishers while so many genuine writers are struggling out there.
(Will update after I get some sleep, I hate that I wasted my time on this bs)
Update -
This is a cringefest self-insert fanfic written for people who don't read books. {If you don't believe me, google Prajakta Koli (and add anything from the book where Avani is being described), and you will actually find a Prajakta Koli reference for that.}
The romance is unrealistic, and the main leads are hypocrites. The multi-billionaire-CEO ml(Aman) of the story, who uses his private jet to travel from Mumbai to Dehradun, wants us to believe he's actually concerned about pollution, carbon emissions, and global warming, and our "that girl" FL(Avani) wants us to believe she doesn't like the ML for his money, like girl, bffr that man has the personality of a wet cardboard, and there is nothing remarkable about him apart from his wealth and good looks.
They never have any heart-to-heart conversations (except maybe for the final act); they don't try to learn about each other, and they are so fucking horny all the time because, tbf these two wet cardboard pieces are only with each other because they are good-looking, not like they have got any interesting qualities. Also, despite the ML being 31 yrs old and FL being 23 yrs old, we barely get to see them acknowledge the age gap, and the ML jumps right into making sexual convo even though he just met her twice. YUCK!
Talking about plot (there's no plot) —
The author makes sure we get lines and lines of inaction where she "tells" us how the characters and their romance flesh out, but she will never show how all of this is actually happening. The main leads don’t do anything to progress their relationship. Everything is orchestrated by other characters who literally instruct them on how to act in their relationship. It’s like a group assignment where the team leader assigns tasks, and the leads simply follow orders. Somehow, this magically results in them falling in love, even though we’re never told what they actually like about each other beyond looks and money.
The characters—
The FL is extremely annoying and constantly whining and throwing temper tantrums yet Prajakta Koli wants us to believe she's a very rational, headstrong, independent woman and far better than other people of her age. My problem is Prajakta Koli never shows her acting in that way; it's the other characters always telling us that she's like that, and we have to take their words for consideration, because in this house we hate "show, not tell."
I don't even want to talk about the ML; he's a total snoozefest, and his holier-than-thou personality makes his dull personality even more insufferable.
Ironically, the only character I enjoyed reading about was Gagan (hate his name tho) who was portrayed as some supervillain bullying our badass FL, but frankly he was the only one with common sense and a personality, and tbh I would have preferred if he were even bitchier to the main leads.
Spoilers—The final plot twist about the FL's trauma was so poorly fleshed out that I couldn't even sympathize with her; the book never builds on her character or her journey after her parents separation, but now, in the final chapter, I’m suddenly supposed to feel bad for her? That’s not how trauma representation works, you don’t just throw it into the story for fun.
Everything I thought was ridiculous about this book—
"The professor stopped professoring, the students stopped studenting and my brain stopped braining."
"Wink wink nudge nudge."
"Lol."
(This is not a insta comments section this is a FUCKING BOOK!)
Their names are Avani, Aman, Ayesha, Anil, Anchal, etc. (Prajakta Koli opened the baby name generator website and picked out all the A-names for the characters because she was too lazy to scroll down through the other alphabets)
Also, the ML's best friends are named Jogi and Mahi 💀 (yay! I love how she doesn't want to put a even bit of effort into the book)
And the ML smelling like "aftershave" being brought up in the book with only 272 pages for more than 15 times. (Nobody cares!!)
A plethora of unnecessary dick jokes that only 13 yr olds will find funny.
Also, last but not least, this book also fails the Bechdel Test.
Honestly, I have so much more to complain about, but my hands are tired from typing.
January 21, 2025
1.75 stars
NOTE: Everything here is my personal opinion. If you don’t like them, or adored this book, don’t read this. Scroll. Read positive reviews or something. If you are, however, wondering if this should be your next read, I can’t in good conscience recommend this book to anyone. Sorry.
Yeah, this book was really bad. The only reason I finished it is because I can’t find it in me to leave books incomplete. Too Good To Be True is bland at worst, and mediocre at best. One of my friends said the book reads like it’s an aide to a visual media like a film screenplay or something else, and I can’t help but agree with her.
What I Liked:
I liked the dialogue, I guess? At least, I liked it when the characters weren’t speaking in egregiously modern internet slang in an attempt to sound more “gen-z” and… uhh-
…Yeah, that’s about it.
What I Disliked:
Buckle up, cause this’ll take a while.
1. The Characters: Aman and Avani are really bland. The only thing I really know about Aman is that he likes Avani (obviously), is a workaholic (allegedly, because you never see him doing any work on-page—more on this later), and is somehow a Billionaire at 30. Avani hates rain, and has trust issues and parental issues. Another problem I have with the main characters of this book are that they feel vaguely familiar. To whom, you may ask. Allow me to elaborate.
A girl who thinks anyone who romantically pursues her in life is too good to be true (pun intended) because of her own insecurities and trust issues pushes away a “Golden Retriever Boy” whose only aim in life (I’m not kidding, he actually says this in the book once) is to woo the emotionally unavailable woman who leads him on like a fish by the hook until she magically realises that not everyone is out to get her.
Now, if you’ve seen Mismatched , I’m sure there’s a nerve ending in your brain firing away saying, “Hey, this sounds like Dimple and Rishi.”
Yeah, that’s because it is. Aman and Avani are Rishi and Dimple with a shiny new layer of point on them, but the same rusted rinse-n-repeat iron structure.
Also, if you’ve seen the show, congratulations, you now know the whole story of this book. No, seriously. The whole book is just Mismatched’s skeleton wearing sheepskin. At least Mismatched invests time in its side characters, unlike this book. The only real fleshed out side character in this book was Marvin, and maybe Maya (?). Literally everyone else was just there to conveniently give Avani advice, or show just how much of a swoon-worthy Green Flag Aman was because he calls his mom every Saturday like the well-bred lad he is. I actually lost it when I realised the book literally forgets one of its side characters after three pages of her presence. Whatever happened to Meera aunty? Did she like, die at the Taash party? Okay, jokes aside, the side characters are all stereotypical and only exist to further the plot. And, maybe this is just me, but Avani and Aman had no chemistry whatsoever. Sue me, I guess.
2. The Writing: Now, look, I can’t find it in me to be harsh over Koli’s writing, because I do realise this is her debut novel, but where do I draw the line? The book suffers from a serious lack in editing, and felt like an unedited manuscript at times. The book could’ve been shorter and more concise. I also have a huge problem with Koli’s writing style in this book. Koli needs to work on her descriptions. She has a terrible case of telling and not showing. Her characters do things, but rarely do things happen to them. Time passes in strange ways that give you whiplash, and the pacing is all awkward. Whenever her characters aren’t engaging in dialogue, they’re doing things. Koli isn’t adept at handling scenes that aren’t dialogue, and any scene without dialogue is a scene rushing and sprinting to get to dialogue. This makes it hard for us to get to know the characters because they talk to people and then they turn around and just… do stuff. No thoughts, feelings, or introspection.
Like, for example, we’re told Avani likes snapping at people, but we only see barely one instance of it. There’s no… personal connection to develop with the characters. It’s like they’re being viewed through a veil and not a looking glass. We’re told multiple times how Aman has this ‘big meeting’ with some client or whatever, and then the next paragraph is him like, exiting the meeting ?? I literally have no idea what this guy does. What was his project? What was the meeting about? “It was about their presentation.” Well, what was that about? It feels like the author just made Aman a CEO for “The Aesthetics” and didn’t know what to show for it. The whole thing reminds me of that bit from Brooklynn 99 where Captain Holt and Terry pretend to be talking about something important and just say “Crime Crime Crime” “Spreadsheet Spreadsheet Spreadsheet.” I mean, I even remember an annotation of mine that said,
tl;dr: I feel like Koli didn’t develop her characters outside of their relationships with each other, and that major flaw shows in her writing because she doesn’t know who Avani or Aman are on their own. She can only write skillfully about Avani AND Aman. Also, she sucks at descriptions, but that gets marginally better as the book progresses.
I’ve only barely scratched the surface of the mess this book is, but if you want a very Mismatched like story (which was maybe the reason I found this book as off putting as I did, given my dislike of the show), then maybe you’ll enjoy this. This book has one thing going for it though, and that is its digestibility. The book is extremely readable, and you may even find yourself finishing it in 4 hours like I did. All in all, a lacklustre debut with an interesting premise but total lack of writing prowess.
UPDATE: I’m dropping the rating to 1.5 stars solely for that gmail address. I’m sorry, the writing and the characters pale in comparison to the nightmare that is letmeluluyourlemons@/gmail.com
NOTE: Everything here is my personal opinion. If you don’t like them, or adored this book, don’t read this. Scroll. Read positive reviews or something. If you are, however, wondering if this should be your next read, I can’t in good conscience recommend this book to anyone. Sorry.
Yeah, this book was really bad. The only reason I finished it is because I can’t find it in me to leave books incomplete. Too Good To Be True is bland at worst, and mediocre at best. One of my friends said the book reads like it’s an aide to a visual media like a film screenplay or something else, and I can’t help but agree with her.
What I Liked:
I liked the dialogue, I guess? At least, I liked it when the characters weren’t speaking in egregiously modern internet slang in an attempt to sound more “gen-z” and… uhh-
…Yeah, that’s about it.
What I Disliked:
Buckle up, cause this’ll take a while.
1. The Characters: Aman and Avani are really bland. The only thing I really know about Aman is that he likes Avani (obviously), is a workaholic (allegedly, because you never see him doing any work on-page—more on this later), and is somehow a Billionaire at 30. Avani hates rain, and has trust issues and parental issues. Another problem I have with the main characters of this book are that they feel vaguely familiar. To whom, you may ask. Allow me to elaborate.
A girl who thinks anyone who romantically pursues her in life is too good to be true (pun intended) because of her own insecurities and trust issues pushes away a “Golden Retriever Boy” whose only aim in life (I’m not kidding, he actually says this in the book once) is to woo the emotionally unavailable woman who leads him on like a fish by the hook until she magically realises that not everyone is out to get her.
Now, if you’ve seen Mismatched , I’m sure there’s a nerve ending in your brain firing away saying, “Hey, this sounds like Dimple and Rishi.”
Yeah, that’s because it is. Aman and Avani are Rishi and Dimple with a shiny new layer of point on them, but the same rusted rinse-n-repeat iron structure.
Also, if you’ve seen the show, congratulations, you now know the whole story of this book. No, seriously. The whole book is just Mismatched’s skeleton wearing sheepskin. At least Mismatched invests time in its side characters, unlike this book. The only real fleshed out side character in this book was Marvin, and maybe Maya (?). Literally everyone else was just there to conveniently give Avani advice, or show just how much of a swoon-worthy Green Flag Aman was because he calls his mom every Saturday like the well-bred lad he is. I actually lost it when I realised the book literally forgets one of its side characters after three pages of her presence. Whatever happened to Meera aunty? Did she like, die at the Taash party? Okay, jokes aside, the side characters are all stereotypical and only exist to further the plot. And, maybe this is just me, but Avani and Aman had no chemistry whatsoever. Sue me, I guess.
2. The Writing: Now, look, I can’t find it in me to be harsh over Koli’s writing, because I do realise this is her debut novel, but where do I draw the line? The book suffers from a serious lack in editing, and felt like an unedited manuscript at times. The book could’ve been shorter and more concise. I also have a huge problem with Koli’s writing style in this book. Koli needs to work on her descriptions. She has a terrible case of telling and not showing. Her characters do things, but rarely do things happen to them. Time passes in strange ways that give you whiplash, and the pacing is all awkward. Whenever her characters aren’t engaging in dialogue, they’re doing things. Koli isn’t adept at handling scenes that aren’t dialogue, and any scene without dialogue is a scene rushing and sprinting to get to dialogue. This makes it hard for us to get to know the characters because they talk to people and then they turn around and just… do stuff. No thoughts, feelings, or introspection.
Like, for example, we’re told Avani likes snapping at people, but we only see barely one instance of it. There’s no… personal connection to develop with the characters. It’s like they’re being viewed through a veil and not a looking glass. We’re told multiple times how Aman has this ‘big meeting’ with some client or whatever, and then the next paragraph is him like, exiting the meeting ?? I literally have no idea what this guy does. What was his project? What was the meeting about? “It was about their presentation.” Well, what was that about? It feels like the author just made Aman a CEO for “The Aesthetics” and didn’t know what to show for it. The whole thing reminds me of that bit from Brooklynn 99 where Captain Holt and Terry pretend to be talking about something important and just say “Crime Crime Crime” “Spreadsheet Spreadsheet Spreadsheet.” I mean, I even remember an annotation of mine that said,
“I know more about Chandler’s job than I do Aman’s.”But, I will give her credit where it’s due; Koli’s writing gets better as the book progresses, and by the end it’s at what I would consider a standard level for a debut novel. Still not mind-blowingly great, but… readable. Dare I say, even enjoyable (I dare not, though).
tl;dr: I feel like Koli didn’t develop her characters outside of their relationships with each other, and that major flaw shows in her writing because she doesn’t know who Avani or Aman are on their own. She can only write skillfully about Avani AND Aman. Also, she sucks at descriptions, but that gets marginally better as the book progresses.
I’ve only barely scratched the surface of the mess this book is, but if you want a very Mismatched like story (which was maybe the reason I found this book as off putting as I did, given my dislike of the show), then maybe you’ll enjoy this. This book has one thing going for it though, and that is its digestibility. The book is extremely readable, and you may even find yourself finishing it in 4 hours like I did. All in all, a lacklustre debut with an interesting premise but total lack of writing prowess.
UPDATE: I’m dropping the rating to 1.5 stars solely for that gmail address. I’m sorry, the writing and the characters pale in comparison to the nightmare that is letmeluluyourlemons@/gmail.com
February 6, 2025
This book didn’t start off too bad. It seemed like an interesting premise. Avani is a law student who works part-time at a bookstore named Bombay Bound, owned by her best friend’s family. She seems to have some unresolved issues in the past. And then she meets Aman. That’s when things get weird. She tries to text him but he gives his driver Ashok’s number out at stores probably cos he doesn’t want spam. But what about Ashok??? #JusticeForAshok. Also, kind of unrealistic that he happens to be a 30-year old millionaire/billionaire(unclear which), CEO of the Raina empire with a private jet (and a chopper). He says they can visit grandma in Pune on the jet but she declines because corn fritters in Lonavala. Also, some of the jokes were gross and why are they saying “Chinese takeout” instead of “Fried rice and chilli paneer parcel”. I would have given 2 stars just to commend her attempt, but “letmeluluyourlemons (@gmail)” absolutely ruined it. And then I realized they had to cut trees to print this. I can’t believe I got a signed pre-ordered copy. Love is not blind, Prajakta. Sorry.
January 30, 2025
0 stars. 0.
if an influencer is using her platform to get a trash book like this published by a reputed publishing company, taking away the opportunity from actual good authors, she better listen to all this feedback.
the book, based on the ripped off premise of prajakta's own show, has no saving grace. the main character is insufferable (her trauma which is referenced in the last 15 pages has been depicted nowhere in the first 200 pages of the novel), and the love interest bland (he's a CEO @ 30 and his job entails vague meetings and mentions of contracts, without any actual allusion to his work). avani's friends are just side-pieces, without any depth or character development- they're just there to call her "bitch" every 2 sentences or prop her up as a good person and aman as attractive. we're always told everything about avani, we never see her being this person her friends describe her as. the only thing we see is her throwing temper tantrums and being snappy for no reason. she has a cringe sense of humour and lashes out at the drop of a hat. even after working in a book store (while incomprehensibly being a final year law student...........................................), avani thinks 3500rs can buy her more than 10 books. she gives 'pick me' and 'im not like other girls' vibes because apparently putting on makeup= being an OF model.
aman's entire world revolves around avani, so much so that he seems jobless, but he still owns everything avani mentions. he has 0 self-respect and seems accommodating and a "green flag" until the last 15 pages when he suddenly showcases the personality trait of lashing out and mindlessly blaming avani. his charm seems forced and his personality ZERO, with his entire character unfortunately coming across as if the ideal male lead of a romance novel has come out deformed. he calls her 'baby' on their 1st date and says that his friends will get to meet his wife and a part of my soul cringed so hard, it permanently shrivelled up.
coming to the writing-there is no romance or comedy in this rom-com, everything seemed too forced, fake and CRINGE. the writing style is terrible, even keeping in mind this is prajakta's debut novel. it's not at all realistic and seems as if a usual, American, small town rom-com has been squeezed into ChatGPT with the prompt of: MAKE IT INDIAN. there was virtually no description (there's an actual scene with the sentence: “The room was … honestly, let your imagination run wild.”) and every scene without dialogue was rushed-through. I cannot even try to sum up how horrible this book was and how many times I questioned the integrity of the publishing house because WHO was reviewing and passing dialogues/lines such as:
“All I can say is that he hums when he…
Wink wink nudge judge.”
"We’d finished our coffee, spent another hour playing tonsil tennis and other spicy games that grown-ups play..."
& the cherry on this collapsed cake was the ending:
after 225 excruciating pages of cringe, the readers are punished for even picking up the book in the first place by a 3 month time jump, which conveniently addresses everything and ends the book in 15 pages. ANDDDDD avani (now in therapy, where she herself says it was a "her problem") still yells at aman for not showing up when she told him to fuck off. another temper tantrum added to an ever-growing list. but he still takes it because a spine may be the last thing he develops (after his personality).
basically, prajakta: please never write again. your sad attempt at a book can best be described as a self-insert fanfic which never should've made it out of wattpad and at worst, as abysmal.
all in all, whichever publisher was high enough to pass this off to the printing press- give me what you're smoking/snorting. I need it after this "book".
if an influencer is using her platform to get a trash book like this published by a reputed publishing company, taking away the opportunity from actual good authors, she better listen to all this feedback.
the book, based on the ripped off premise of prajakta's own show, has no saving grace. the main character is insufferable (her trauma which is referenced in the last 15 pages has been depicted nowhere in the first 200 pages of the novel), and the love interest bland (he's a CEO @ 30 and his job entails vague meetings and mentions of contracts, without any actual allusion to his work). avani's friends are just side-pieces, without any depth or character development- they're just there to call her "bitch" every 2 sentences or prop her up as a good person and aman as attractive. we're always told everything about avani, we never see her being this person her friends describe her as. the only thing we see is her throwing temper tantrums and being snappy for no reason. she has a cringe sense of humour and lashes out at the drop of a hat. even after working in a book store (while incomprehensibly being a final year law student...........................................), avani thinks 3500rs can buy her more than 10 books. she gives 'pick me' and 'im not like other girls' vibes because apparently putting on makeup= being an OF model.
aman's entire world revolves around avani, so much so that he seems jobless, but he still owns everything avani mentions. he has 0 self-respect and seems accommodating and a "green flag" until the last 15 pages when he suddenly showcases the personality trait of lashing out and mindlessly blaming avani. his charm seems forced and his personality ZERO, with his entire character unfortunately coming across as if the ideal male lead of a romance novel has come out deformed. he calls her 'baby' on their 1st date and says that his friends will get to meet his wife and a part of my soul cringed so hard, it permanently shrivelled up.
coming to the writing-there is no romance or comedy in this rom-com, everything seemed too forced, fake and CRINGE. the writing style is terrible, even keeping in mind this is prajakta's debut novel. it's not at all realistic and seems as if a usual, American, small town rom-com has been squeezed into ChatGPT with the prompt of: MAKE IT INDIAN. there was virtually no description (there's an actual scene with the sentence: “The room was … honestly, let your imagination run wild.”) and every scene without dialogue was rushed-through. I cannot even try to sum up how horrible this book was and how many times I questioned the integrity of the publishing house because WHO was reviewing and passing dialogues/lines such as:
“All I can say is that he hums when he…
Wink wink nudge judge.”
"We’d finished our coffee, spent another hour playing tonsil tennis and other spicy games that grown-ups play..."
& the cherry on this collapsed cake was the ending:
after 225 excruciating pages of cringe, the readers are punished for even picking up the book in the first place by a 3 month time jump, which conveniently addresses everything and ends the book in 15 pages. ANDDDDD avani (now in therapy, where she herself says it was a "her problem") still yells at aman for not showing up when she told him to fuck off. another temper tantrum added to an ever-growing list. but he still takes it because a spine may be the last thing he develops (after his personality).
basically, prajakta: please never write again. your sad attempt at a book can best be described as a self-insert fanfic which never should've made it out of wattpad and at worst, as abysmal.
all in all, whichever publisher was high enough to pass this off to the printing press- give me what you're smoking/snorting. I need it after this "book".
January 20, 2025
0.5 ⭐️
the fact that this is an actual published book physically pains me.
the fact that this is an actual published book physically pains me.
January 29, 2025
too bad to be published
i wasn't going to rant but i saw a video of the author deflecting a question about g-strip and now im pissed, this book is BAD, the writing was ameuter and felt like no editor has seen even a single page of it before it came out
it was horrible.
both main characters were one dimensional and didn't have an individual voice, if you don't read who's pov it is then you won't be able to tell who's the one talking, so monotonous and wattpadish (derogatory)
avani was annoying, she was a pick me, 2016 wattpad heroine who didn't put any effort in her looks yet got a 31 year old billionaire to call her the prettiest girl, she is a law student, lives in her own apartment in sobo ( a rich area ), has house help, takes the cab everyday and only has one job at a bookstore (she isn't even shown to be rich to justify it ) also an actual law student (my best friend ) told me she barely has time to breathe and miss avani was roaming about the city. the author had an identity crisis and forgot that she was writing a brown girl living in mumbai and not some white girl in nyc with the way she talked,
aman is pathetically written, he has no personality what so every, he isn't a green flag, he was literally the pole that green flag was attached to, stiff and irrelevant, i get billionaire romances are supposed to be a little nonsensical but this was straight up nonsense.
the romance, almost instantly with the cringest lines and scenes, and i do love my romances here and there and i don't need it to have world changing plot lines, just something fun with characters i could care for, but this was hard to read with so much info dump, unlikable and honestly pathetic main characters and a story which could've been a sentence or two at max.
(im enraged sorry)
all in all it was a very bad try to recreate the kind of books she read, lack of plot, half assed characters and no editing, im actually embarrassed such a big publishing house released it.
i wasn't going to rant but i saw a video of the author deflecting a question about g-strip and now im pissed, this book is BAD, the writing was ameuter and felt like no editor has seen even a single page of it before it came out
it was horrible.
both main characters were one dimensional and didn't have an individual voice, if you don't read who's pov it is then you won't be able to tell who's the one talking, so monotonous and wattpadish (derogatory)
avani was annoying, she was a pick me, 2016 wattpad heroine who didn't put any effort in her looks yet got a 31 year old billionaire to call her the prettiest girl, she is a law student, lives in her own apartment in sobo ( a rich area ), has house help, takes the cab everyday and only has one job at a bookstore (she isn't even shown to be rich to justify it ) also an actual law student (my best friend ) told me she barely has time to breathe and miss avani was roaming about the city. the author had an identity crisis and forgot that she was writing a brown girl living in mumbai and not some white girl in nyc with the way she talked,
aman is pathetically written, he has no personality what so every, he isn't a green flag, he was literally the pole that green flag was attached to, stiff and irrelevant, i get billionaire romances are supposed to be a little nonsensical but this was straight up nonsense.
the romance, almost instantly with the cringest lines and scenes, and i do love my romances here and there and i don't need it to have world changing plot lines, just something fun with characters i could care for, but this was hard to read with so much info dump, unlikable and honestly pathetic main characters and a story which could've been a sentence or two at max.
(im enraged sorry)
all in all it was a very bad try to recreate the kind of books she read, lack of plot, half assed characters and no editing, im actually embarrassed such a big publishing house released it.
Read
January 20, 2025Girl what (derogatory)
February 17, 2025
0.5 stars (only for the sake of her efforts)
*big rant incoming*
okay, i dnf. i cant.
not everyone can write, we all should know that.
my reasons:-
the author was trying way too hard.
THE CHARACTERS-OOOOF! this Avani person- im sorry you are not relatable (nor likeable). sweetheart, in india, its not humanly possible to study law and do a part-time job together being so light-headed that she has to care for the lamest of things but not her internship? girl? she doesnt have her own opinions, her own sense of judgement, all she needs are advices- from anyone and everyone. my girl cant make her own decisions because she is so shallow- how will she ever be a lawyer. god i cant even-
i had hoped and wished for a driven, strong and a bold protagonist, i was disappointed. Avani- our sweet girl thinks applying makeup makes her have an onlyf**n account. she's so stupid i wanna rip my hair off :////
i did not get a lot about Aman but apparently he is a workaholic who didnt seem to be working in any part of the 179 pages i read.
ofcourse the Aman guy has to be rich- i mean how could a great guy who's well behaved and head over heels for our Avani be a man with no money? it's "too good to be true" and only a guy with brick loads of money should be good, right? (screams wattpad-ceo-pedophile-stopimnoteventhatpretty-whydoyouloveme to me)
no plot development, no character development, just a stupid teenage romance novel. i cannot believe a 31 year old this. i hated it. i hated every page of it.
you are not DMing your bestie on instagram. THIS IS A BOOK AND PEOPLE ARE GONNA READ IT. i expected better than "lols" "brains stopped braining" "golden retriever guy"- i mean wtf.
she read a bunch of romance novels, a few wattpad stories, compiled the most cringey parts of them and wrote this.
i'll pray to santa claus that this author never writes another romance book again- BECAUSE SHE CANT.
(ik this comes off as too rude- but it is what it is).
too anyone who is in a jeopardy whether or not to read this book- my advice: DONT.
*big rant incoming*
okay, i dnf. i cant.
not everyone can write, we all should know that.
my reasons:-
the author was trying way too hard.
THE CHARACTERS-OOOOF! this Avani person- im sorry you are not relatable (nor likeable). sweetheart, in india, its not humanly possible to study law and do a part-time job together being so light-headed that she has to care for the lamest of things but not her internship? girl? she doesnt have her own opinions, her own sense of judgement, all she needs are advices- from anyone and everyone. my girl cant make her own decisions because she is so shallow- how will she ever be a lawyer. god i cant even-
i had hoped and wished for a driven, strong and a bold protagonist, i was disappointed. Avani- our sweet girl thinks applying makeup makes her have an onlyf**n account. she's so stupid i wanna rip my hair off :////
i did not get a lot about Aman but apparently he is a workaholic who didnt seem to be working in any part of the 179 pages i read.
ofcourse the Aman guy has to be rich- i mean how could a great guy who's well behaved and head over heels for our Avani be a man with no money? it's "too good to be true" and only a guy with brick loads of money should be good, right? (screams wattpad-ceo-pedophile-stopimnoteventhatpretty-whydoyouloveme to me)
no plot development, no character development, just a stupid teenage romance novel. i cannot believe a 31 year old this. i hated it. i hated every page of it.
you are not DMing your bestie on instagram. THIS IS A BOOK AND PEOPLE ARE GONNA READ IT. i expected better than "lols" "brains stopped braining" "golden retriever guy"- i mean wtf.
she read a bunch of romance novels, a few wattpad stories, compiled the most cringey parts of them and wrote this.
i'll pray to santa claus that this author never writes another romance book again- BECAUSE SHE CANT.
(ik this comes off as too rude- but it is what it is).
too anyone who is in a jeopardy whether or not to read this book- my advice: DONT.
January 28, 2025
““To ChatGPT, for helping me write this acknowledgements section, because, let’s be honest, I had no idea how to do it—and I’ve never actually read the acknowledgements in any book I’ve picked up”
No. Just no. This is disrespectful to the people who have put effort into publishing this book.
Also, as a law student, WHY IS THE FEMALE LEAD NOT INTERNING??? Hello????
No. Just no. This is disrespectful to the people who have put effort into publishing this book.
Also, as a law student, WHY IS THE FEMALE LEAD NOT INTERNING??? Hello????
January 23, 2025
I wish I could say the book is bad. The book is sad! It's so sad what creative female writers do to themselves, the the characters, to the romance genre so they can be "hyped":
1/They pick an extreme case of Schizophrenia: an FMC who's a warrior: a law student/ a debate champion/ an independent woman/ a lover of books and of quite vibes. The factor that would activate her Schizophrenia is the MMC:
Suddenly she's shy+ rude+ dismissive+ cold+ with racing heart+ she's stupid that she can't know a man flirting with her is someone who wants to be with her/ she can't know that someone who said "Would you be my girlfriend is someone who's into her.
2/They broadcast a severe case of illusion and self destruction: What do you do ladies when the man you love is smitten with you? You say loudly and hysterically: He's Too good to be true!!! and no evidence (material or emotional) would convince otherwise.
3/They balance the shitty FMC with a shittier MMC who just exits laying around waiting for FMC approval/attention/ recognition of his efforts.
And here I though 30 years old CEOs had a lot more self respect!
Also: there was one particular character: the FMC's eccentric male friend who speaks to her, like this "Talk, bitch" "what the hell bitch" "come here bitch"
That weird ass character have its own place in the pits of my literaly hell!
1/They pick an extreme case of Schizophrenia: an FMC who's a warrior: a law student/ a debate champion/ an independent woman/ a lover of books and of quite vibes. The factor that would activate her Schizophrenia is the MMC:
Suddenly she's shy+ rude+ dismissive+ cold+ with racing heart+ she's stupid that she can't know a man flirting with her is someone who wants to be with her/ she can't know that someone who said "Would you be my girlfriend is someone who's into her.
2/They broadcast a severe case of illusion and self destruction: What do you do ladies when the man you love is smitten with you? You say loudly and hysterically: He's Too good to be true!!! and no evidence (material or emotional) would convince otherwise.
3/They balance the shitty FMC with a shittier MMC who just exits laying around waiting for FMC approval/attention/ recognition of his efforts.
And here I though 30 years old CEOs had a lot more self respect!
Also: there was one particular character: the FMC's eccentric male friend who speaks to her, like this "Talk, bitch" "what the hell bitch" "come here bitch"
That weird ass character have its own place in the pits of my literaly hell!
March 12, 2025
this book being good was just too good to be true
April 4, 2025
avani is studying law and aman is a workaholic but they do everything other than study and work.
this book had no editor and IT SHOWS.
this book had no editor and IT SHOWS.
January 27, 2025
Okay soo this 1 star just for this book to be written .
What's wrong with the book?
Ans : Everything
I mean first of all I don't understand how this book even got published because the writing is horrendous (not a hyperbole) it's like the writer was debating whether I should write in third person or first person and then came up with a crappy mix of both because WTF is it completely in past tense even when the FMC and MMC and talking in present . In a book which is barely of 280 pages I kid you not that whenever the protagonists are meeting the MMC is always removing a stray strand of hair from the FMC's face al-fucking-ways. It feels like while writing the story which for instance doesn't even feel like one prajakta wrote the first statements that came to her mind without even re reading it because the structure of the dialogues made me want to bang my head like : Avani : I don't want to ruin this night for him . I thought .
wtf it's her internal thoughts what's the need of adding 20 + time I thought at the end of each monologues . It's feels like she published the book in the very first draft without anyone reading or editing it .
I have read a tons of Indian authors with writing that can blow people's mind but never saw them being publicly appreciated or recognised which just speaks the volume of reality in itself.
That is why I am not even gonna write about the story because it was utterly and truly NOTHING?!
Hence I won't waste my time on that .
In future if she even writes again prajakta please as a readers yourself judge your writing first and then think about getting a publishing house !
What's wrong with the book?
Ans : Everything
I mean first of all I don't understand how this book even got published because the writing is horrendous (not a hyperbole) it's like the writer was debating whether I should write in third person or first person and then came up with a crappy mix of both because WTF is it completely in past tense even when the FMC and MMC and talking in present . In a book which is barely of 280 pages I kid you not that whenever the protagonists are meeting the MMC is always removing a stray strand of hair from the FMC's face al-fucking-ways. It feels like while writing the story which for instance doesn't even feel like one prajakta wrote the first statements that came to her mind without even re reading it because the structure of the dialogues made me want to bang my head like : Avani : I don't want to ruin this night for him . I thought .
wtf it's her internal thoughts what's the need of adding 20 + time I thought at the end of each monologues . It's feels like she published the book in the very first draft without anyone reading or editing it .
I have read a tons of Indian authors with writing that can blow people's mind but never saw them being publicly appreciated or recognised which just speaks the volume of reality in itself.
That is why I am not even gonna write about the story because it was utterly and truly NOTHING?!
Hence I won't waste my time on that .
In future if she even writes again prajakta please as a readers yourself judge your writing first and then think about getting a publishing house !
September 6, 2025
Well… KEEP YOUR INSANE UNREALISTIC EXPECTATIONS ASIDE and just pick up this book ONLY WHEN you need a feel good fluffy mushy mushy lovey dovey rich guy cute girl romance with a happy ending.
I love reading this book. It made me forget some of the worse moments of my life which I have been through recently.
I love the chemistry between the main characters.
The first half is bubbly cute, good and fun! The last 20
percent is a bit of a hurricane dealing with separation, emotional distress and mental health issues with one of the main characters.
BUT I loved reading this book! So much better than the overhyped ones.
I love reading this book. It made me forget some of the worse moments of my life which I have been through recently.
I love the chemistry between the main characters.
The first half is bubbly cute, good and fun! The last 20
percent is a bit of a hurricane dealing with separation, emotional distress and mental health issues with one of the main characters.
BUT I loved reading this book! So much better than the overhyped ones.
March 31, 2025
Since the moment, I had seen Prajakta talk about her sudden love for reading and romance novels on her YT channel, I knew a book was coming in the near future. I have been eagerly waiting to read her debut novel and see how it works out for her fans and readers in general.
Too Good to be True by @mostlysane follows the story of Avani - who is currently pursing her law career along with working part-time in a bookstore, her love for books and her witty nature made me instantly like her (and ofcourse we share the same name soo :P). Aman on the other hand is the CEO of a multi-million dollar company who happens to visit the bookstore very frequently.
The plot is very cliche for sure, but the book somehow kept me hooked and engaged throughout. What I liked was the simple yet elegant flow of the writing, I would say the book was equally plot-driven and character-driven. I did not see much development individually in our MCs but somehow their missing pieces of the puzzle just fits right together.
The storyline follows a common romance trope, making it somewhat predictable for readers familiar with the genre. While enjoyable, it doesn’t offer major surprises. I personally felt the book could have some more layers and depth to the characters/plot.
Too Good To Be True is an enjoyable and heartfelt read for fans of contemporary romance. While it doesn’t reinvent the genre, it offers a relatable protagonist and an engaging narrative. If you’re looking for a light yet emotionally driven love story, this book is worth a read.
Too Good to be True by @mostlysane follows the story of Avani - who is currently pursing her law career along with working part-time in a bookstore, her love for books and her witty nature made me instantly like her (and ofcourse we share the same name soo :P). Aman on the other hand is the CEO of a multi-million dollar company who happens to visit the bookstore very frequently.
The plot is very cliche for sure, but the book somehow kept me hooked and engaged throughout. What I liked was the simple yet elegant flow of the writing, I would say the book was equally plot-driven and character-driven. I did not see much development individually in our MCs but somehow their missing pieces of the puzzle just fits right together.
The storyline follows a common romance trope, making it somewhat predictable for readers familiar with the genre. While enjoyable, it doesn’t offer major surprises. I personally felt the book could have some more layers and depth to the characters/plot.
Too Good To Be True is an enjoyable and heartfelt read for fans of contemporary romance. While it doesn’t reinvent the genre, it offers a relatable protagonist and an engaging narrative. If you’re looking for a light yet emotionally driven love story, this book is worth a read.
January 26, 2025
0.5/5 actually.... This book is horrible, just like her videos and that Netflix series it was inspired from !!
You can't just sit with AI, wear Emily Henry wig & become Emily Henry ....
You can't just sit with AI, wear Emily Henry wig & become Emily Henry ....
January 31, 2025
This book is an example that not all readers can become a writer. There is no storyline, character development or scenes worth remembering. Yes there indeed are some good dialogues but that do not defend the fact that it lacks the soul of the book which is the plot.
As a non writer the way the author had written description is far much better than those engineers turned authors.
Characters :-
The story revolves around Avani and thats it nothing less nothing more only Avani her feelings her life her problems and her friends are litreally just to cheer her up no storyline of their own or any character development as such. So Avani throughout the whole book seems full of herself cause she is the only 23 year old in this whole wide world to be independent and living alone also self reliant enough to live in a luxurious rental apartment with a part time job that too of course with the help of her contacts. In between she do seems like someone obsessed with rich people all her friends except Martin is super rich the guy she likes is triple rich and she dont know why she fell for him at first glance (any guesses..)
Her life story seems forced and when she discloses about her trauma we fail to connect as throughout the whole book her thoughts had been vague no emotional connection can be formed even from her pov.
Talking about lead actor Aman, well he was a robotic rich person with only physical proximity thoughts. Honestly his character has no story worth remembering all we get to know is his parents struggled then rest is history. Him living a luxurious life with lots of struggle that is to attend meetings make presentations. In order to make him look rich author forgot to mention how was he rich initially we got to know he is working in Textile industries then suddenly on a date with Avani we got to know he own restaurants then private jet then chopper then has enough money to host a party within hours Honestly that do not make sense the lie he told about hosting party and then making it true in lavish style.
His feelings and past about ex girlfriend is written for sake. There is no depth in his story of pov just blant thoughts about how he like her personality, looks and nonsense thoughts.
Martin - a barista in bookshop seems confused i think his character was written just to cheer her up and call her go bi*** and all stupid slangs.
Rhea - there just as a rich supportive friend who had a crush on Avani's classmate Dhruv and at the end they become a thing without any story just we got to know they're together. Which after reading we feel even if she had not mentioned it wont affect the story cause we don't know these characters well.
Maya - yet again a rich friend to support Avani and her tantrums also to let us readers know how sensible considerate (which while reading the story you wont feel a bit) Avani is.
Gagan - a bit sensible and unnecessarily being portrayed as a villain. His questions do make sense and honestly what he told Avani was not even something serious the way she reacted definitely make us believe she is a tantrum queen with self Obsession.
Aman's parents seems animated cause lets face it no Indian parents either rich or poor are like that its like we are watching cartoon characters with don't care attitude.
Avani's grandmother idk seems yet again an imaginary character far away from reality cause i know no grandparents will encourage you to accept a stranger whom you met on a bookshop and fell in love at first sight.
Storyline:-
As i mentioned we mostly got to know about Avani then the POV of Aman do not disclose much about him. I don't believe in love at first sight cause it do not make sense how someone can love on the basis of looks its definitely infatuation. And throughout the story you will feel that too as the whole love thing seems way too forced and the lovey dovey dialogues looks cringe and forced too. Him calling her gorgeous, baby etc do not form any connections instead seems offbeat.
At the last 40 pages the whole drama seems like a compulsory thing to do cause while writing the 250 pages the author forgot that she has to write something in order to make this book interesting wish in 50 pages she had realised that. So the whole trauma confrontation the twist (which was not a twist) that her parents are dead and she has so many hidden insecurities and mental trauma do not seem connected.
The romantic scenes are unnecessary instead of writing about make out session it would had been better to build up their emotional connection and conversations.
Instead of Love their story seems full of Lust.
Also the author lacks the skill to write conversations. She literally has used more slangs than actual conversation also had made sure that everything sounds fake cause no friend group consists of friends who firstly takes you seriously and secondly will arrived in just one call cause mine always takes 4 calls and lots of persuasion to even meet.
No rich person would waste their money like the male lead do.
There are dialogues like :-
1. "Confrontations have always been the death of me. If you threw me into a room with someone who could potentially
draw me into drama of the negative kind, my cognitive functions would shut down, my self-confidence would dip lower than my standard of humour Just another gift my life has given me via childhood trauma."
( In the whole book you don't think its true)
2. "Our minds are such weird little places,
It stores our insecurities and issues SO
close to our joys and Laughter, like rooms sharing walls. Sometimes aloud noise
one side echoes in the other and sometimes the wall is so thick that you forget there is a room on the other side at all."
(These lines are good and make sense)
3. "On my way to becoming a fully functioning twenty-three- year-old adult, I've avoided confrontations the best I could."
( The only 23 year old in this wholde world)
4. "You're one of the smartest, most
intelligent people know, Ani. You've always lived by your own rules. I've watched you deal with whatever life has thrown at you and never felt you needed a reality check. You're careful and conscious everyday"
(Only in words otherwise in the whole book she was dependent the hell on the guy)
5.That's exactly my point, okay?' I retorted. '
"Is that all that matters? How good he looks, how he's saying and doing all
the right things?
(Thats what mattered to her in the whole world)
Yeah, he looks great. Yes, he's thoughtful and charming and respectful and funny. Yes, he's focused and successful and close to his family. He has dogs and loves them enough to leave everything and fly a thousand kilometres when one gets stung by a bee. He knows exactly what to say and where to be, and he brings me a lot of joy ..
(There was zero efforts from her side so this make sense)
"My point is that too good, How can someone be everything? He's too perfect.
He's too good,
(I guess this is where the title comes from)
6. "Bitch, youre really not making a case for yourself here "Martin said, his voice quiet.
(In the whole book he was just there to say such lines)
Conclusion :-
When i got to know about this book it seemed interesting to me and the fact that it was written by a content creator was something which grabbed my attention but unfortunately it was yet another marketing strategy cause the book disappoints a lot.
I was expecting some story not a full on description of a girl going gaga over dark romances and her fantasies.
The guy instead of showing him as rich mannequin she should had shown more human side of him also the fact that "Too Good To Be True" is a myth and people have their flaws its just that some people hide it way better and some just blame the situation and people (like main female lead). But it was not the case at all the guy was weird cause not all thing that glitter is gold.
So will say read at your own risk if you are a fan of storyline and character development otherwise people who are finding something to read as a timepass can read this.
As a non writer the way the author had written description is far much better than those engineers turned authors.
Characters :-
The story revolves around Avani and thats it nothing less nothing more only Avani her feelings her life her problems and her friends are litreally just to cheer her up no storyline of their own or any character development as such. So Avani throughout the whole book seems full of herself cause she is the only 23 year old in this whole wide world to be independent and living alone also self reliant enough to live in a luxurious rental apartment with a part time job that too of course with the help of her contacts. In between she do seems like someone obsessed with rich people all her friends except Martin is super rich the guy she likes is triple rich and she dont know why she fell for him at first glance (any guesses..)
Her life story seems forced and when she discloses about her trauma we fail to connect as throughout the whole book her thoughts had been vague no emotional connection can be formed even from her pov.
Talking about lead actor Aman, well he was a robotic rich person with only physical proximity thoughts. Honestly his character has no story worth remembering all we get to know is his parents struggled then rest is history. Him living a luxurious life with lots of struggle that is to attend meetings make presentations. In order to make him look rich author forgot to mention how was he rich initially we got to know he is working in Textile industries then suddenly on a date with Avani we got to know he own restaurants then private jet then chopper then has enough money to host a party within hours Honestly that do not make sense the lie he told about hosting party and then making it true in lavish style.
His feelings and past about ex girlfriend is written for sake. There is no depth in his story of pov just blant thoughts about how he like her personality, looks and nonsense thoughts.
Martin - a barista in bookshop seems confused i think his character was written just to cheer her up and call her go bi*** and all stupid slangs.
Rhea - there just as a rich supportive friend who had a crush on Avani's classmate Dhruv and at the end they become a thing without any story just we got to know they're together. Which after reading we feel even if she had not mentioned it wont affect the story cause we don't know these characters well.
Maya - yet again a rich friend to support Avani and her tantrums also to let us readers know how sensible considerate (which while reading the story you wont feel a bit) Avani is.
Gagan - a bit sensible and unnecessarily being portrayed as a villain. His questions do make sense and honestly what he told Avani was not even something serious the way she reacted definitely make us believe she is a tantrum queen with self Obsession.
Aman's parents seems animated cause lets face it no Indian parents either rich or poor are like that its like we are watching cartoon characters with don't care attitude.
Avani's grandmother idk seems yet again an imaginary character far away from reality cause i know no grandparents will encourage you to accept a stranger whom you met on a bookshop and fell in love at first sight.
Storyline:-
As i mentioned we mostly got to know about Avani then the POV of Aman do not disclose much about him. I don't believe in love at first sight cause it do not make sense how someone can love on the basis of looks its definitely infatuation. And throughout the story you will feel that too as the whole love thing seems way too forced and the lovey dovey dialogues looks cringe and forced too. Him calling her gorgeous, baby etc do not form any connections instead seems offbeat.
At the last 40 pages the whole drama seems like a compulsory thing to do cause while writing the 250 pages the author forgot that she has to write something in order to make this book interesting wish in 50 pages she had realised that. So the whole trauma confrontation the twist (which was not a twist) that her parents are dead and she has so many hidden insecurities and mental trauma do not seem connected.
The romantic scenes are unnecessary instead of writing about make out session it would had been better to build up their emotional connection and conversations.
Instead of Love their story seems full of Lust.
Also the author lacks the skill to write conversations. She literally has used more slangs than actual conversation also had made sure that everything sounds fake cause no friend group consists of friends who firstly takes you seriously and secondly will arrived in just one call cause mine always takes 4 calls and lots of persuasion to even meet.
No rich person would waste their money like the male lead do.
There are dialogues like :-
1. "Confrontations have always been the death of me. If you threw me into a room with someone who could potentially
draw me into drama of the negative kind, my cognitive functions would shut down, my self-confidence would dip lower than my standard of humour Just another gift my life has given me via childhood trauma."
( In the whole book you don't think its true)
2. "Our minds are such weird little places,
It stores our insecurities and issues SO
close to our joys and Laughter, like rooms sharing walls. Sometimes aloud noise
one side echoes in the other and sometimes the wall is so thick that you forget there is a room on the other side at all."
(These lines are good and make sense)
3. "On my way to becoming a fully functioning twenty-three- year-old adult, I've avoided confrontations the best I could."
( The only 23 year old in this wholde world)
4. "You're one of the smartest, most
intelligent people know, Ani. You've always lived by your own rules. I've watched you deal with whatever life has thrown at you and never felt you needed a reality check. You're careful and conscious everyday"
(Only in words otherwise in the whole book she was dependent the hell on the guy)
5.That's exactly my point, okay?' I retorted. '
"Is that all that matters? How good he looks, how he's saying and doing all
the right things?
(Thats what mattered to her in the whole world)
Yeah, he looks great. Yes, he's thoughtful and charming and respectful and funny. Yes, he's focused and successful and close to his family. He has dogs and loves them enough to leave everything and fly a thousand kilometres when one gets stung by a bee. He knows exactly what to say and where to be, and he brings me a lot of joy ..
(There was zero efforts from her side so this make sense)
"My point is that too good, How can someone be everything? He's too perfect.
He's too good,
(I guess this is where the title comes from)
6. "Bitch, youre really not making a case for yourself here "Martin said, his voice quiet.
(In the whole book he was just there to say such lines)
Conclusion :-
When i got to know about this book it seemed interesting to me and the fact that it was written by a content creator was something which grabbed my attention but unfortunately it was yet another marketing strategy cause the book disappoints a lot.
I was expecting some story not a full on description of a girl going gaga over dark romances and her fantasies.
The guy instead of showing him as rich mannequin she should had shown more human side of him also the fact that "Too Good To Be True" is a myth and people have their flaws its just that some people hide it way better and some just blame the situation and people (like main female lead). But it was not the case at all the guy was weird cause not all thing that glitter is gold.
So will say read at your own risk if you are a fan of storyline and character development otherwise people who are finding something to read as a timepass can read this.
Read
January 12, 2025୧ ‧₊˚ 🔍⋅ pre-read
my pre-order for this book is on it's way, excited to start it <3
my pre-order for this book is on it's way, excited to start it <3
January 29, 2025
What was the point of writing this?
I won't say that I wasted my time or money because every experience matters irrespective of how good or bad they are. But seriously?
If you are looking at this review before buying the book, I'd say don't do it. Don't buy the book. Please go and read something else, there are tons of brilliant books that deserve more recognition. No wonder writers are turning towards self-publishing because Big publishing companies don't want good content anymore; they want money to fill their pockets, which can only be done if these influencers continue to write.
When people were drawing parallels between 'mismatched' and this, I didn't think it'd be that bad. For starters, I didn't like the show either but at least it was bearable. I'll tell you how the book was in a few words.
Cringey
Lame
Superficial Characters
A knock-off of 'Mismatched'
(Even Mismatched had lore)
Also, Avani's character sounded too much like Prajakta herself. I had bought this book only because of her ( as I used to watch her content and had actually liked it) but now it seems like she tries too hard to be funny and fails.
There was no character arc; the dialogue wasn't good either. At times I felt like she had excluded some parts that could have been amazing or made this better. The chemistry wasn't chemistry-ing.
Nothing was special about MMC Aman except the fact that he was a billionaire and hot.
Also, what was going on with Martin and Rhea?
For the entire part of the book, I thought Martin was gay, but it was revealed at the end that he had a girlfriend. Then comes Rhea. Was she just there for the bookstore to exist and to pass off cringe comments about Aman and Avani?
What the hell were those nicknames??
Only Maya seemed to be a genuine friend.
Anyway, I don't know what made Prajakta do this. But I hope she realises that this ain't it. This is not what we expected from her being a reader.
Also using Chatgpt to write your acknowledgement just shows how unserious you are about this.
I won't say that I wasted my time or money because every experience matters irrespective of how good or bad they are. But seriously?
If you are looking at this review before buying the book, I'd say don't do it. Don't buy the book. Please go and read something else, there are tons of brilliant books that deserve more recognition. No wonder writers are turning towards self-publishing because Big publishing companies don't want good content anymore; they want money to fill their pockets, which can only be done if these influencers continue to write.
When people were drawing parallels between 'mismatched' and this, I didn't think it'd be that bad. For starters, I didn't like the show either but at least it was bearable. I'll tell you how the book was in a few words.
Cringey
Lame
Superficial Characters
A knock-off of 'Mismatched'
(Even Mismatched had lore)
Also, Avani's character sounded too much like Prajakta herself. I had bought this book only because of her ( as I used to watch her content and had actually liked it) but now it seems like she tries too hard to be funny and fails.
There was no character arc; the dialogue wasn't good either. At times I felt like she had excluded some parts that could have been amazing or made this better. The chemistry wasn't chemistry-ing.
Nothing was special about MMC Aman except the fact that he was a billionaire and hot.
Also, what was going on with Martin and Rhea?
For the entire part of the book, I thought Martin was gay, but it was revealed at the end that he had a girlfriend. Then comes Rhea. Was she just there for the bookstore to exist and to pass off cringe comments about Aman and Avani?
What the hell were those nicknames??
Only Maya seemed to be a genuine friend.
Anyway, I don't know what made Prajakta do this. But I hope she realises that this ain't it. This is not what we expected from her being a reader.
Also using Chatgpt to write your acknowledgement just shows how unserious you are about this.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 22, 2025
why is this book published. this deserves a wattpad release and nothing more. harper Collins are lowering their standards for such people
the fmc is the most irritating and annoying character who has trauma? but it's not mentioned correctly in the book
the mmc is shown as a "PERFECT" boyfriend and the character has no depth or persona except being the ceo of the dad's company
the romance in this book is so forced and fake that I cringed while reading half the parts
ew.
the fmc is the most irritating and annoying character who has trauma? but it's not mentioned correctly in the book
the mmc is shown as a "PERFECT" boyfriend and the character has no depth or persona except being the ceo of the dad's company
the romance in this book is so forced and fake that I cringed while reading half the parts
ew.
May 17, 2025
pre-read :
can't wait to read the book one of my fav youtubers has written! hopefully it lives up to the hype and isn't too cringe & wattpad-y 😭
post-read :
extremely disappointing but i kinda had a feeling already
can't wait to read the book one of my fav youtubers has written! hopefully it lives up to the hype and isn't too cringe & wattpad-y 😭
post-read :
extremely disappointing but i kinda had a feeling already
February 16, 2025
After a long time a coffee table romance that attempts to reignite young readers to world of Books. Nothing wrong with that. In fact a noble near successful attempt at it. All marks to Prajakta for that. Here's what works in this 1. Pace (easy, relatable to its core TG Gen Z young adults in terms of language and usage of phrases) 2. Visual (does not make you read through language and follows the genre pattern to keep it easy on the mind) 3. Not complex (has one plot and very little side distractions for it so an hour's read at best for those that can skim through) 4. Genuinely well marketed (Honorable attempt by the author and her team)
Here's the led downs: 1. Western (Post sex and city - fifty shades of grey - and endless other popular fiction that I might not be aware of - shallowness in character sketch of the Hrithik Roshan on Business tycoon with six packs caricature that lowers the intrigue about character development at all) 2. Cliche by design (makes little to no effort to even attempt a genuine moment of scene or dialogue that isn't predictable, not blaming PK for it but just shows the lack of oversight on the editorial desk to turn it into anything of memorable value) 3. No dialogues (It's a rough sketch on conversation at best) 4. Lacks structure to be called a romance novel (And this isn't about the language or prose, it has almost little to no barriers for protagonists and thereby no reader rooting for them)
Net net --- an average book that can make people read is better than nothing on the shelves. Pick this up without expectations and just for the cause to make the endless scrolling generation see a page. I hope she succeeds in doing so
Here's the led downs: 1. Western (Post sex and city - fifty shades of grey - and endless other popular fiction that I might not be aware of - shallowness in character sketch of the Hrithik Roshan on Business tycoon with six packs caricature that lowers the intrigue about character development at all) 2. Cliche by design (makes little to no effort to even attempt a genuine moment of scene or dialogue that isn't predictable, not blaming PK for it but just shows the lack of oversight on the editorial desk to turn it into anything of memorable value) 3. No dialogues (It's a rough sketch on conversation at best) 4. Lacks structure to be called a romance novel (And this isn't about the language or prose, it has almost little to no barriers for protagonists and thereby no reader rooting for them)
Net net --- an average book that can make people read is better than nothing on the shelves. Pick this up without expectations and just for the cause to make the endless scrolling generation see a page. I hope she succeeds in doing so
April 17, 2025
Thanks to my friend for lending me this book, I don't have the heart to tell you how much I hated this book. So you will be hearing lies from me.
If Character.ai and Wattpad had a child, this book would be the child.
This child is a disappointment to the parents.
This book was short, simple, and fast-paced. Now, where the problems lie is how the author thought it would be good to mix all the tropes of every single romance book out there and clash the book with it, in attempt to keep the reader hooked.
This book is about a girl named Avani who works as a part-time employee in a bookstore and cafe (every modern girl reader's dream). She reads dark romance and romance books as her hobby, again, literally what every girl does these days.
Then she wear kurtis with jeans and Kolhapuri jootis and to top it all wear silver jhumkas and carries a tote bag (trendy shit), again what every girl want to be like this these days because how trendy it has become and how people die to be part of trend. Shockingly, it wasn't mentioned how she didn't wear silver bangles, too.
She talks to herself. She doesn't have inner monologues. She has full-blown conversations with herself, as shown in the animation where the character talks with an angel and devil on each shoulder.
Avani has the awful main character syndrome while being the main character of this book.
For the first time in a book, the girl has family issues and insecurities, rather than the guy. Every reader irl has read the total opposite.
She's a bitch and always complain that Aman didn't approach her and took the initiative when she was going through shit. Like girl, c'mon as if you gave any options after what you said, and you, YOU GIVE MIX FEELINGS. You are the reason males out there say, "girls say something and mean something else". You should be grateful to all the times you mentioned God for giving you a mature man in your life who is willinging to be patient with your annoying ass. She is not headstrong or mature, as the author seems to be telling the readers by breaking the fourth wall.
Again, a man straight out of the novel, existing in a novel life, which is every reader's dream.
The traditional what letter? in modern what e-mails? I cringed so bad. It felt like the book moved around it.
The writing style is so podcast. Avani breaks the fourth wall and starts talking to the readers. Either keep it fictional or make it a podcast. The times the author has used the famous trendy slang that came into existence after the book takes place. At first, one will be like "ok, this girl is of modern era genz for quoting 'brain isn't brainin', but no, it's the author being a millennial quoting genz slangs for her 23-year-old fmc. The slang didn't even exist in early 2023. Also, it felt like I was reading fanfiction.
Absolute no character development. Skimming through the main relationship development and focusing towards the chapters when a bomb is about to be dropped on the characters' relationship. There is so much focus and energy and pages, and ink wasted on the wrong plot.
"To ChatGPT, for helping me write this acknowledgements section, because, let's be honest, I had no idea how to do it-and I've never actually read the acknowledgements in any book I've picked up."
(Even the author gives me pick me girl, quirky, and pays attention to me vibes, so just imagine how much of the quirky energy the fmc holds)
I will just say, as a reader, that Koli needs to be ashamed of herself for not reading acknowledgements or even skimming her eyes through them. You need to hesitate. And given this thing mentioned in the acknoledgements how am I supposed to believe that you didn't use ai to write the whole book?
If Character.ai and Wattpad had a child, this book would be the child.
This child is a disappointment to the parents.
This book was short, simple, and fast-paced. Now, where the problems lie is how the author thought it would be good to mix all the tropes of every single romance book out there and clash the book with it, in attempt to keep the reader hooked.
This book is about a girl named Avani who works as a part-time employee in a bookstore and cafe (every modern girl reader's dream). She reads dark romance and romance books as her hobby, again, literally what every girl does these days.
Then she wear kurtis with jeans and Kolhapuri jootis and to top it all wear silver jhumkas and carries a tote bag (trendy shit), again what every girl want to be like this these days because how trendy it has become and how people die to be part of trend. Shockingly, it wasn't mentioned how she didn't wear silver bangles, too.
She talks to herself. She doesn't have inner monologues. She has full-blown conversations with herself, as shown in the animation where the character talks with an angel and devil on each shoulder.
Avani has the awful main character syndrome while being the main character of this book.
For the first time in a book, the girl has family issues and insecurities, rather than the guy. Every reader irl has read the total opposite.
She's a bitch and always complain that Aman didn't approach her and took the initiative when she was going through shit. Like girl, c'mon as if you gave any options after what you said, and you, YOU GIVE MIX FEELINGS. You are the reason males out there say, "girls say something and mean something else". You should be grateful to all the times you mentioned God for giving you a mature man in your life who is willinging to be patient with your annoying ass. She is not headstrong or mature, as the author seems to be telling the readers by breaking the fourth wall.
Again, a man straight out of the novel, existing in a novel life, which is every reader's dream.
The traditional what letter? in modern what e-mails? I cringed so bad. It felt like the book moved around it.
The writing style is so podcast. Avani breaks the fourth wall and starts talking to the readers. Either keep it fictional or make it a podcast. The times the author has used the famous trendy slang that came into existence after the book takes place. At first, one will be like "ok, this girl is of modern era genz for quoting 'brain isn't brainin', but no, it's the author being a millennial quoting genz slangs for her 23-year-old fmc. The slang didn't even exist in early 2023. Also, it felt like I was reading fanfiction.
Absolute no character development. Skimming through the main relationship development and focusing towards the chapters when a bomb is about to be dropped on the characters' relationship. There is so much focus and energy and pages, and ink wasted on the wrong plot.
"To ChatGPT, for helping me write this acknowledgements section, because, let's be honest, I had no idea how to do it-and I've never actually read the acknowledgements in any book I've picked up."
(Even the author gives me pick me girl, quirky, and pays attention to me vibes, so just imagine how much of the quirky energy the fmc holds)
I will just say, as a reader, that Koli needs to be ashamed of herself for not reading acknowledgements or even skimming her eyes through them. You need to hesitate. And given this thing mentioned in the acknoledgements how am I supposed to believe that you didn't use ai to write the whole book?
January 14, 2025
I’ve always been a slow reader, someone who would take weeks to finish a book. But Too Good to Be True completely changed that for me. From the very first moment, I felt an instant connection with the characters. It was like watching a movie play out in my mind—vivid, emotional, and so real.
I laughed with them, cried with them, and experienced their journey as if it were my own. And guess what? For someone who’s never been much into reading, I finished this book in just 12 hours! It felt effortless, and that’s a testament to Prajakta Kohli’s incredible storytelling.
This book has reignited my love for reading, something I didn’t think was possible. I can’t wait to read more from her. Highly recommend this gem to anyone looking for a heartwarming and relatable story!
I laughed with them, cried with them, and experienced their journey as if it were my own. And guess what? For someone who’s never been much into reading, I finished this book in just 12 hours! It felt effortless, and that’s a testament to Prajakta Kohli’s incredible storytelling.
This book has reignited my love for reading, something I didn’t think was possible. I can’t wait to read more from her. Highly recommend this gem to anyone looking for a heartwarming and relatable story!
September 4, 2025
2.75 stars rounded up
May 8, 2025
It felt like reading a Bollywood movie story and I absolutely loved every bit of it!❤️
April 15, 2025
This book isn't for me. I am sure there are many who will resonate to this genre and the author. I picked this up sheerly because my goal is to intentionally try reading books that are not my usual-go-to-ones. I have read Indian authors and their romance novels in the past. Some have matched to my taste but this book didn't speak to me as I expected it to. However, I do realize how it feels when one becomes and author and what great deal it takes to write something and get published.
Will I still recommend this book? Yes & No. Yes to newbie who like romcoms, easy read, and no to my friends.
Will I still recommend this book? Yes & No. Yes to newbie who like romcoms, easy read, and no to my friends.
March 13, 2025
Don’t read.
February 15, 2025
Every reader, at some point, has imagined writing their own book—a story where they are the protagonist, weaving in the little details of their daily life, and sharing it with the world. Prajakta has turned this dream into a reality, and it’s truly heartwarming to see how far she has come. From once recommending books to now promoting her own—it’s an inspiring journey!💙
Now, let’s talk about the book. While I’m a big admirer of Prajakta’s content creation and her journey, her writing didn’t resonate with me as much. I went into it understanding that this wasn’t the work of an experienced author but rather a personal project from someone who loves books and wanted to write her own. In that sense, the book feels genuine; though there were aspects I found hard to ignore.
The cringe factor was hard to miss—from the chapter titles to the dialogues, there was plenty of it !! It’s a straightforward rom-com without any significant twists or surprises. While it might work for someone new to this genre, seasoned rom-com fans might want to give this one a pass🙊
Now, let’s talk about the book. While I’m a big admirer of Prajakta’s content creation and her journey, her writing didn’t resonate with me as much. I went into it understanding that this wasn’t the work of an experienced author but rather a personal project from someone who loves books and wanted to write her own. In that sense, the book feels genuine; though there were aspects I found hard to ignore.
The cringe factor was hard to miss—from the chapter titles to the dialogues, there was plenty of it !! It’s a straightforward rom-com without any significant twists or surprises. While it might work for someone new to this genre, seasoned rom-com fans might want to give this one a pass🙊
March 14, 2025
DNF at 50% , if anything this book is CRINGE, CRInge and just cringe!!!!😬
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