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Troppo bello per essere vero

by Kristan Higgins (Goodreads Author), Marco Zonetti (Translator)

3.91 of 5 stars 3.91 · rating details · 7,707 ratings · 546 reviews

C’è chi guarda le vetrine desiderando cose che non potrà mai permettersi, chi invece ammira le foto di alberghi di lusso in cui non andrà mai. Io mi sono spesso immaginata di aver incontrato un ragazzo carinissimo e perfetto quando invece non esisteva. Come quel giorno in cui avrei preferito restarmene a casa anzichè partecipare a un matrimonio. Non era tanto la cerimonia...more

Hardcover, 336 pages

Published June 30th 2012 by Harlequin Mondadori (first published January 1st 2009)

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Feb 03, 2009 Tammy rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2009-reads, contemporary-romance

Grace Emerson is a history teacher at a stuffy prep school, devoted sister and daughter, and a Civil War buff (who participates in re-enacting the battles), but she also has a small problem: she invents imaginary boyfriends in time of crisis. For instance, in middle school she wanted to be accepted by the cool kids, so she invented an older, much cooler boyfriend who attended a different school. Worked like a charm. The same thing worked for her in high school when she invented a beautiful, Fren...more Grace Emerson is a history teacher at a stuffy prep school, devoted sister and daughter, and a Civil War buff (who participates in re-enacting the battles), but she also has a small problem: she invents imaginary boyfriends in time of crisis. For instance, in middle school she wanted to be accepted by the cool kids, so she invented an older, much cooler boyfriend who attended a different school. Worked like a charm. The same thing worked for her in high school when she invented a beautiful, French man who was in college and totally adored her. And so on and so on.

When her baby sister, Natalie, begins dating Grace's ex-fiance, Andrew, everyone takes pity on Grace and presto! Another imaginary boyfriend pops out of her mouth before she can take it back. Wyatt turns out to be a pediatric surgeon who comes to Grace's rescue when her car tire blows out. In his spare time Wyatt rescues feral cats, speaks at medical conventions, and is simply too good to be true. But what other options does Grace have? The pain of being dumped by Andrew two weeks before her wedding is still fresh and the poor girl can't find a decent man to date.

Then late one evening Grace happens to see the dark shadow of a man testing the doors and windows of the empty house next door. She calls 911. When the intruder knocks on her front door minutes later, Grace opens the door and beats him upside the head with her field hockey stick. The man is subsequently arrested. When Grace is questioned by the police the next day, she learns that the man is, in fact, her new neighbor, Callahoun O'Shea. Feeling horrible, Grace takes a plate of her special brownies and a bottle of wine to Callahoun's house by way of an apology; however, she ends up smacking the poor guy again (by accident this time). Days later she wrecks Cal's truck that is parked near the end of her driveway.

After pages of squabbling and hilarious dialogue, Cal and Grace finally hit it off. Their romance is simple and very sweet. Cal goes out of his way to do the most incredible, sweetest things possible to prove his love for Grace, including driving her to a movie theatre an hour away to surprise her with the movie Gone With The Wind. The only barrier to their relationship is the fact that Cal is an ex-con, having recently been released from prison, and Grace's family does not know how to deal with that. (Please note that Cal is not an alpha, nor is he a reformed bad-boy.) I honestly enjoy the heros that Kristan Higgins writes into her stories. They are refreshingly different, well-rounded characters. I only wish I could hop into their heads and read their perspective on things once in awhile.

I really struggled as to whether or not I wanted to give this book 3 or 4 stars. It started slow for me and I was annoyed with the fact that Grace was a pushover - a true doormat - to her family and her youngest sister, Natalie, who became engaged to Grace's ex-fiance. These issues are cleared up by the end of the story when Grace finally makes her stand (and what a great ending to this story I might add!), so I suppose this is a case of the end justifying the means. Grace's oldest sister, Margaret, an attorney and a real ballbuster, has some of the best lines in the book. But I couldn't help feeling that many of the characters and family members were cliches (the gay sidekick and the cranky grandmother) or were added simply for filler.

But all in all, it was a good book with slow start and a better ending. Not as much fun as Just One Of The Guys, and it lacked the wholesome family dynamic that I like in Higgin's books, but I can honestly say I enjoyed it and would recommend it to my friends.

(less)

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Feb 14, 2010 Mojca rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: fans of smart, funny, funky chick-lit

Shelves: contemporary-romance, freebies, hqn, e-book, own, first-person, chick-lit, favorites, kristan-higgins

Meet Grace Emerson. She's thirty, she's a prep school history teacher, Civil Was enthusiast, member of a Civil War reenactment group, proud Highland Terrier owner, old Victorian house owner, middle child, jilted three weeks before the wedding...But that was more than a year ago.

Now, her ex-fiancé is dating her younger sister (that's the reason he broke up with her), she's indulging in too much Ben and Jerry's, she invented a boyfriend so people wouldn't pity her, and she recently assaulted her h...more Meet Grace Emerson. She's thirty, she's a prep school history teacher, Civil Was enthusiast, member of a Civil War reenactment group, proud Highland Terrier owner, old Victorian house owner, middle child, jilted three weeks before the wedding...But that was more than a year ago.

Now, her ex-fiancé is dating her younger sister (that's the reason he broke up with her), she's indulging in too much Ben and Jerry's, she invented a boyfriend so people wouldn't pity her, and she recently assaulted her hot new neighbor with a lawn-hockey stick. Okay, so she was a bit tipsy, but he is and ex-con. Sure, embezzlement doesn't sound as ominous as rape or murder, but he does have a record.

And did I mention he's hot? Well, he is, and she suddenly finds herself having all kinds of improper thoughts about him. But she can't because he's an ex-con and besides, she's looking for someone ready to settle down with a wife and four children. And her little dog can't stand the man. And she does have a boyfriend, imaginary, but still, she can't go cheating on Wyatt Dunn, pediatric surgeon, and disappoint her whole family, now, can she?

I'm so happy when Harlequin decided to give away good ebooks. Because this one was good. In fact, it was great. Though I'm not particularly fond of first-person POV I found myself reading this one in one sitting and enjoying it immensely. It was hilarious, a little sad, a little strange, a little annoying when the heroine was in a funk and didn't want to get out of it, it was funky, it was sparkly, spunky, and very well-written.

It had all the elements a chick-lit book requires. A slightly crazy heroine, a middle child that doesn't want to hurt people's feelings, but doesn't want their pity, either, so she invents a boyfriend. There was her crazy family with an old, nasty, belligerent grandmother, a tax-lawyer quirky father, a porno-artist mother, a grouchy older sister deciding to leave her husband and move in with Grace, a coddled, protected younger sister, and a cute little Highland Terrier named Angus.

Throw in a hunky, sexy, bedroom-eyed neighbor slash punching bag slash chew toy, a gay best friend who owns a dance studio and hasn't been in a relationship in eight years, a female best friend who can't keep a guy, a two-hour "How To Get Your Man" seminar, a classroom of bored teenagers, a race for chairman of the History department, a few battlefield (in Connecticut!) reenactment, a few lies strewn here and there that almost ruined the HEA, a weddin' in the making, a hillarious pre-HEA brawl, and a cute epilogue, and you get yourself this charming little story.

I absolutely loved it. And I'm thinking of giving the author's other books a try. If they're as good as this one, I'm in for quite a fun few hours.

Highly recommended.(less)

9 likes · like · see review

Jan 16, 2009 Tasha rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: favorites, hqn-mira-club, own

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Jul 08, 2010 Allison (The Allure of Books) rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2010, chick-lit-and-contemporary, loved-it, own-it

Grace Emerson's ex-boyfriend is a prick. Seriously. And her younger sister? A spoiled moron. Grace sure isn't perfect either.

Luckily, she has better luck next time around in the love department with her neighbor Callahan (I love the name Callahan, by the way). She accidentally hits him with a hockey stick...and then a couple of other times too. Luckily, he has a well-developed sense of humor. He also appreciates that Grace's neurotic tendencies can be construed as cute instead of completely insa...more

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Sep 09, 2012 Wanderlust rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: baby-mama-drama

This book is so fantastic, i laughed so many times. It is honestly one of the funniest books i have ever read. Absolutely amazing book. There is a scene in this book in a restaurant, i laughed so hard I thought I might pee my panties. seriously :)

Favorite lines - "Jesus is my wingman." & "Was it me, or did a lot of men leave in handcuffs when i was around"

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Jul 11, 2012 Azzurra rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: romance-contemporary, romance, humor, chick-lit

Grace ha trent'anni, fa l'insegnante di storia al liceo, partecipa alle rivisitazione storiche della guerra di Secessione, adora Via col vento (il romanzo, non il film...anche se poi ;)) e sogna l'uomo da sposare.
Peccato che l'ultimo tentativo sia andato così male che ora è stata costretta ad inventarsene uno per tranquillizzare l'adorata sorellina, che si è appena fidanzata con il suo ex (che sfiga eh?!). Senza contare l'evidente effetto anestetizzante sulle ansie dei genitori invadenti con con...more Grace ha trent'anni, fa l'insegnante di storia al liceo, partecipa alle rivisitazione storiche della guerra di Secessione, adora Via col vento (il romanzo, non il film...anche se poi ;)) e sogna l'uomo da sposare.
Peccato che l'ultimo tentativo sia andato così male che ora è stata costretta ad inventarsene uno per tranquillizzare l'adorata sorellina, che si è appena fidanzata con il suo ex (che sfiga eh?!). Senza contare l'evidente effetto anestetizzante sulle ansie dei genitori invadenti con contorno di nonna Mèmè, l'acida...e l'utilità per niente disprezzabile di farsi belli con i propri parenti serpenti sempre pronti a criticare.
Ma Grace non ha fatto i conti con quel gran bel fusto del nuovo vicino, tale Callahan O'Shea. Ex carcerato -ma non per colpa sua!- con cui vorrebbe tanto avere un contatto più ravvicinato...anche se non con la mazza da hockey con cui lo colpisce al primo incontro. E nemmeno con il rastrello del secondo!

Se queste poche righe vi hanno fatto incuriosire...bene, vi posso assicurare che il romanzo è anche peggio! XD
Tutta la storia si mantiene su uno humor a tratti imbarazzante a tratti da sbellicarsi. La povera Grace sembra non combinarne mai una giusta nel tentativo di dimenticare l'ex fidanzato Andrew e trovare finalmente l'Uomo Giusto. L'unica sua consolazione sembra essere l'amato Angus, cagnolino affettuosissimo ma un pò troppo appassionato alle scarpe in pelle.
Tra incontri al buio per lo meno inquietanti, vernissage stravaganti e cene andate storte le ci vorrà un pò per capire cosa e CHI è che vuole veramente... e conquistare infine il suo Rett Butler.

Kristan Higgins è un’apprezzatissima autrice di romance contemporanei che, in ogni suo romanzo, sa donare momenti di divertimento leggero e storie di vita quotidiana sempre eleganti e lineari.
Anche in Troppo bello per essere vero non troviamo un romance del genere ormai “comune”, di quelli dove i protagonisti saltano costantemente (e immediatamente) nel letto l’uno dell’altro. Anzi, sembra di tornare ai romance un pò classici dove l’importante è la storia della coppia, sentimentalmente parlando, e di come si evolve. Condita da un pizzico di dolcezza, passione ed humor che danno il pepe necessario al tutto.(less)

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Feb 04, 2011 Autumn rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: chick-lit, library-rentals

2.5 stars....

Im beginning to think chick-lit genre is really not my cup of tea for good romance.

Overall i think is was a good story, but had many glitches along the way..technically speaking.. i would say she had many writing inconsistencies and lacked structure... As far as the story itself, i didnt think it was terrible,but the character`s reactions.. towards certain situations..lacked so much depth.. idk.. There were some parts where i found my self laughing, and waiting for the bloom of the...more

8 likes · like · see review

Oct 24, 2010 Lili rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

The writing was good but the plot was not very... believable?, interesting?, appealing?
And the characters... well.. I liked the dog!

I loved Cal until the lying thing, then he went bersek and made a huge deal about someting so stupid!, the whole scene didn't make sense to me.

Grace... ugh! I just feel soooo sorry for Grace, she's so busy worrying about what other people think of her that she forgets about living and ejoying life.
But forget about that, my main problem with Grace is the fact that h...more

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Jun 02, 2013 Justin rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: at-library, e-book, kindle

I love, love, loved this book! Grace Emerson is an extremely kind-hearted, witty, clumsy, american history loving young woman. She is ubber devoted to her family, and although it doesn't strike me that she has low self-esteem, Grace definitely lacks confidence enough to realize that her hunky handy-man next door, Callahan O'Shea.

From the moment Callahan moves in next door Grace finds him irresistable, yet at the same time terrifying. That could be because she thinks he's trying to break in, ins...more

1 like · like · see review

Jul 16, 2012 Nowheregirl rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

okay 3 star...and one more for the familiarity lol. everyone makes up fake bfs...atleast i did. i used to had this friend and i told him about this perfect(imaginary)boyfriend i had...and continued the whole charade for more than 2 years because i was trying not to complicate things with him...anyway the whole book just reminded me of that time. ah. memories.
nice book by the way...i liked the happy ending, for once i wont bitch about predictability and cliches.

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Mar 15, 2009 Samantha rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2009, ebook-own

I'll give kudos to Ms. Higgins that she knows how to write laugh-out loud scenes, but that's where the fun stops.

This story is about Grace, a high school history teacher with her fair share of romantic issues. Her fiance dumped her three weeks before the wedding, only for him to later hook up with her sister. To complicate matters she has a history of making up boyfriends to avoid pity (gag me now).

I think the problem with Grace was she cared way too damn much about what other people thought. En...more

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Jun 10, 2013 MRB rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Normally, I prefer reading historical romances to contemporaries, but Kristan Higgins is among the very, very few exceptions. It's finally dawned on me, though, that I gravitate so strongly towards KH's contemporary romances because most of them aren't truly romances. As many other reviewers have noted, the majority of Higgins' novels seem to qualify more as 'chick lit' (argh---hate that term!); fiction that explores myriad facets of a woman's life. Romance is PART of her novels, of course, but...more Normally, I prefer reading historical romances to contemporaries, but Kristan Higgins is among the very, very few exceptions. It's finally dawned on me, though, that I gravitate so strongly towards KH's contemporary romances because most of them aren't truly romances. As many other reviewers have noted, the majority of Higgins' novels seem to qualify more as 'chick lit' (argh---hate that term!); fiction that explores myriad facets of a woman's life. Romance is PART of her novels, of course, but often neither the salient nor best part. Honestly, I think she tends to write about familial relationships, friendships, careers and beloved pets with more heart, wit and style than she does about her characters' love lives.

KH's books are brimming over with humor and warmth, and they're written in a cozy, breezy style that I find endlessly engaging. She creates some vivid, memorable characters who are lovably flawed, and she offers a surprising amount of sharp, poignant observations to give her books some substance beneath the frothy fun. However, reading all of her novels has underscored for me that she tends to write frustratingly desperate, needy, 'OMG I need a marriage and baby right now or life isn't worth living!' heroines, some of whom have some serious obsessive, stalker-y tendencies as well. She also veers into overly cutesy preciousness, having her characters use ridiculously juvenile catchphrases and language that one might expect from a book with a 13-year-old protagonist!

All that said, I'm reviewing this particular book because I found it so quintessentially Higgins in ways that were both wonderful and groan-worthy! There's a lot of wit, warmth, and terrifically written dialogue and prose. There's also an endearing yet pitiful, obsessive and needy heroine and a rather unconvincing, underdeveloped romance between her and the likable but under-explored hero. You get great moments with friends and family members, and also scenes where things get so cutesy and goofy that you're torn between a smile and a cringe.

Overall, I feel like readers eager for a romance revolving around a couple will be disappointed by this and other KH entries, while readers craving women's-centric fiction that explores ALL aspects of a woman's life with humor and poignancy may be more satisfied. Happy reading!(less)

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Jun 08, 2013 Rebekah rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This was my third Kristan Higgins book I have read, each one more funny and endearing than the last. It has been years since I have discovered an author that I am so excited to read that I literally am tempted to call in sick to finish the book and start on the next. All of my other fun reading is on hold. Her dialogue is absolutely hilarious, the situational comedy is laugh out loud funny. The heroines are (so far) sweet, nice, kind, attractive, women, but somehow can't find true love. The hero...more

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May 17, 2013 Keertana rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: swoooon

Callahan O'Shea. If you're not a pile of goo after just hearing that name, then I don't know what's wrong with you. BUT *clears throat* this review isn't about the tall, handsome, utterly charming hunk of a neighbor who just happens to be an ex-convict. (Really, who cares about the convict part when there is the tall, handsome, utterly charming hunk part to focus on?) All goofiness aside, though, Too Good to Be True is, really, almost too good to be true. For me at least. As a cross between two...more Callahan O'Shea. If you're not a pile of goo after just hearing that name, then I don't know what's wrong with you. BUT *clears throat* this review isn't about the tall, handsome, utterly charming hunk of a neighbor who just happens to be an ex-convict. (Really, who cares about the convict part when there is the tall, handsome, utterly charming hunk part to focus on?) All goofiness aside, though, Too Good to Be True is, really, almost too good to be true. For me at least. As a cross between two of my favorite movies - "27 Dresses" and "The Family Stone" - Too Good to Be True cinches the deal for me with its Lincoln-loving protagonist, Gone With the Wind references, and utterly swoon-worthy romance.

It's not very commonly known in the blogosphere, but I am obsessed with the Civil War. And Gone With the Wind. And Abraham Lincoln. As such, the protagonist of this novel, Grace, who helps re-enact Civil War battles with her father, was an immediate winner. Grace mirrors my passion for history and her tragic tale of being dumped by her fiancee for her gorgeous younger sister broke my heart and made me ever-so-thankful I had a younger brother, not sister. When Grace is dragged to a family wedding, she is forced to quickly make up a boyfriend - Wyatt Dunn, a pediatric surgeon - in order to placate her sister, Natalie, that she was truly over her ex-fiancee and soon-to-be brother-in-law, Andrew. With such a classic tale of woe, it is difficult not to sympathize with Grace within the first chapters itself. Grace is the type of person who puts her family first and is constantly a pillar for them, whether it be her relentless support of her parents marriage - that doesn't seem all-that-perfect on the outside, but just might be after all - or her generosity in housing her older sister, Margaret, as she takes a break from her boring, besotted, and routine husband, or even the very fact that she brought Natalie and Andrew together after realizing her engagement had been broken off because of Andrew's affections for Natalie. And yet, Grace is evidently not a perfect person. While she makes silly mistakes and is chock-full of flaws, all this only serves to make her an even more endearing protagonist.

It is hard not to fall for Grace, but surprisingly, it was hard not to fall for her family too. Grace paints a picture of her close friendship with Natalie - so much so that we simply cannot despise her. Natalie is genuinely distraught at having fallen for her sister ex-fiancee and she wants the best for Grace, and while she can come across as a little too pampered or perfect, we still come to like her, despite our initial bias for Grace. Margaret is the not-so-nice sister. A little like me. And yet, beneath her sarcastic front and blunt exterior, Margaret is caring and, most importantly, confused. Too Good to Be True highlights the difficulties of both finding a man and sustaining a relationship. Although Grace herself never experiences the latter, those around her from her older sister to her parents go through bad phases in their marriages and, once again, I am floored that Higgins dares to make these secondary characters such a huge part of this story. Higgins seems like the typical chick-lit writer, especially with her charming heroines, but her heavy emphasis on family and the strength of her secondary characters makes her books contain so much more depth. Too Good to Be True may not have been as funny as Catch of the Day, but it was just as satisfying at the end of the day.

If there are any complaints I seem to have with Higgins, it is that the development of her romances are so understated. And yet, this makes perfect sense as something must evidently give to make way for the depth she manages to incorporate. And, honestly, the romance in this novel is far more central than in Catch of the Day. With Grace and Callahan, these two have your laugh-out-loud kind of encounter that makes you grin like an idiot because you just know they have to be made for each other. Although their journey towards one another is sweet, the times they spend together afterward are even more poignant. I really love that Higgins writes about men and women who are sensible, who may not know exactly what they want from life but who aren't afraid to own up to their mistakes and deal with the consequences of their actions. Callahan and Grace are honest to one another, supportive, loving, and share a deeper understanding than we can initially imagine. And I love Callahan. You'd think a guy who was an ex-convict would be a classic bad boy, falling into the tropes of an arrogant jerk, but this carpenter just won my heart. Too Good to Be True is another Higgins novel I immensely enjoyed, possibly even more than my first, and I fully intend to sink deeper into Higgins's work. Believe me, this is one author I'm not letting go of so easily. (less)

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May 05, 2013 Devika rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I took up this book around 12 yester-night, as I was having trouble sleeping.. A major mistake on my part, for I remained awake all night long. And when i finally hit the sacks, six hours later, it was the satisfied sleep of a satisfied reader.
Too Good To Be True had me laughing, crying, sighing, and wishing it would never end... Grace Emerson "as in Ralph Waldo" is a beautiful character, both inside and out. Your heart just melts as she tries to keep her head high after her fiance calls off the...more

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Jan 24, 2013 Kristen rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: romance-favorites

The characters of Grace and Cal are really good, they have a lot of chemistry but there is also a lot of laugh out loud moments from the moment they meet throughout the rest of the book. Higgins fills the book with great one liners and truly funny moments.

While this is a romance novel, there is a lot more going on in the story than Grace falling in love; she’s also trying to find herself again after being dumped by her fiancé and learning to stand up for herself. Her family plays a pivotal role...more

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Oct 26, 2012 Stephanie rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: why-do-i-read-this-cheese

Decent enough. Callahan was a nice character, Grace was a bit dull for me. And that dog of hers...ugh, even reading about it was annoying. I can't imagine if you'd ever have to deal with one like that in real life, biting everyone who came over, yapping incessantly, getting into something every time you left the house. What bad behavior! After the twentieth description of Angus and her baby-names for him, I was rolling my eyes. I can get goofy about my dog, too, but it feels a little over-the-to...more

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Aug 30, 2012 CriCra CriCra rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: ebook

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Salve! Sono felicissima di essere single e non sono
alla ricerca disperata di un uomo, ma se sei etero,
sotto i quarantacinque, attraente e di sani principi morali,
fatto sotto!

Bello, bello e ancora bello. È così che voglio iniziare nel commentare questo libro: Troppo bello per essere vero di Kristan Higgins.
Usare un “ragazzo immaginario” come espediente per affrontare meglio la vita e le attenzioni a volte un po’ asfissianti dei propri parenti. È questo il metodo che Grace Emerson usa per distr...more

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Jul 21, 2012 cupcake rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

So I love Kristan Higgins. We know that, right? I rave about her all the time, I gave away one of her books, and I can't get enough of how she writes. So it will come as no surprise that I really liked Too Good to Be True.

Grace Emerson is the middle child of bickering parents. Her father is a lawyer, while her mother crafts glass sculptures in the shapes of female reproductive organs. Gorgeous older sister Margaret, also an attorney, is in a complacent marriage not improved by her caustic observ...more So I love Kristan Higgins. We know that, right? I rave about her all the time, I gave away one of her books, and I can't get enough of how she writes. So it will come as no surprise that I really liked Too Good to Be True.

Grace Emerson is the middle child of bickering parents. Her father is a lawyer, while her mother crafts glass sculptures in the shapes of female reproductive organs. Gorgeous older sister Margaret, also an attorney, is in a complacent marriage not improved by her caustic observations. Gorgeous younger sister Natalie is an architect. She's also dating Grace's ex-fiance.

When Grace has come up against romantic conundrums in the past, she solved her problems by making up a boyfriend. Her solution to Natalie's relationship with the ex-fiance is no different. This time she creates Wyatt the Pediatric Surgeon, who, in addition to saving lives, also rescues feral cats. Grace's intentions are honorable; she knows that Natalie will not invest herself in a relationship with Andrew unless she knows that Grace is happy, and Grace is smart and intuitive enough to know that what Andrew and Natalie feel for each other is very different - far more passionate - than what she and Andrew shared.

But then trouble shows up in the form of Callahan O'Shea, Grace's new rugged and HOT neighbor, who recently spent time in the old Grey Bar Hotel. Callahan's ex-con background may put off some people, but Grace is too attracted to him to let a little thing like a prison record keep her from finding out if he's a good kisser.

Like most of Higgins's books, you know exactly where this is headed. And, like most of her books, our heroine has a colorful family for whom she does too much and to whom she is a bit too devoted. Grace's self-sacrifice knows no end. There are times when you want to scream at Andrew and Natalie on her behalf. Thank goodness for Margaret, who often says what we think.

This book differs from others, however, in that Grace and Callahan are together as a couple more than Higgins typically delivers. We actually get to see them struggle together to work things out, and it's fun to read.

Still, this is a feel-good, happy book, full of Higgins's witty one-liners. The path to true love never runs smoothly, least of all in a Higgins novel, but fortunately she gives us heroes and heroines we can root for, along with some good, hot kissing.

Published on cupcake's book cupboard. @VivaAmaRisata(less)

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Jul 15, 2012 →kelly♥[: rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: cute-romance, r-a-s

My Rating: 3.5

With a book blurb dealing with imaginary fake boyfriends, Too Good to be True immediately caught my attention. A gorgeous next door neighbor? Check. A sisterly twist? Double check. An author I've heard good things about who wrote the book? Triple check. If there was such a thing as a triple check.

My first thought when I read Too Good to be True was what kind of sister is Natalie?, seconded by how can Grace be so kind and understanding? I understand that Natalie nearly died and h...more

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Jun 23, 2012 Ste80 rated it 4 of 5 stars

Come accennato nel mio post di pochi giorni fa è nata una nuova linea di romanzi Harlequin Monondadori che da giugno mese potrete trovare in tutte le librerie. I primi tre titoli presentati sono uno più affascinante dell'altro. Ed il fatto che la collana proponga solo i migliori bestseller internazionali dalle autrici di punta del panorama americano e si rivolga a un pubblico femminile mi assicura sulla scelta fatta. Ho voluto deliziarmi proprio con "Troppo bello per essere vero" di Kristan Higg...more

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May 06, 2012 Amy rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

So far this is my favorite book by this author. Callahan O'Shea was wonderful. The author usually writes really great leading man characters, but they always have some major emotional hurtle to overcome. Callahan (love the name) had baggage but he had dealt with it and moved on. In typical Higgins fashion the family of the heroine were judgmental and opinionated. However, for some reason they did not bother me as much in this book as they usually do. This book was also the most humorous I have r...more

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Oct 22, 2011 Tanya rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Not quite as funny as "Just One Of The Guys" but I thought the romance was a lot more satisfying. The ending in general with the entire cast of characters was just more satisfying - especially the beat down. One of the stupid things that bothered me about this book was the weird religious swearing. I'm not religious but the sayings were just so bizarre. What the hell does "God's nightgown!" mean? It was the MC's favorite phrase and it was too corny.

On a side note, I'm starting to see a pattern w...more

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Oct 08, 2011 Brandi rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

OK. I liked it. I really did. However, I was so lost in Grace's first person musings that I almost stopped reading the book. I am normally so charmed by the quirkiness of Higgins' female characters that this shouldn't have bothered me but it just seemed to be too much. Let me say that I did find the book to be funny and it tugged at my heart strings a few (appropriate times) but COME ON!

*****I usually don't do spoilers but this deserves it*****

Grace is a jilted woman. Three weeks before her wedd...more

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Sep 04, 2011 Krista rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Delicious! This book was instantly funny, fabulously quick witted, riddled with heartbreak and hopefulness and more than a little lust, but it was, mercifully, not at all overdone or trite. An imperfect girl with her little white lies, freakish family, devoted friendships, nasty coworkers, even a delightfully quirky little dog named Angus...this book has it all. I quickly fell in love with Grace, her family, her friends, her house, her crush (even the name, Callahan O'Shea, was enticing). All of...more

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Aug 22, 2011 Sheyla rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Grace Emerson lives in Peterston, she is a school teacher in a Prep School. She loves history, especially the Civil War. During her free time she likes to Reenact the Civil War with hundreds of others. She also likes to make up boyfriends. She has done it through high school and college. This time she invents a Pediatric Surgeon/Feral Cat lover/Married to his profession boyfriend.
Why, you may ask? Her little sister, Natalie is dating her ex-fiancee Andrew, and she is tired of people pitting her....more Grace Emerson lives in Peterston, she is a school teacher in a Prep School. She loves history, especially the Civil War. During her free time she likes to Reenact the Civil War with hundreds of others. She also likes to make up boyfriends. She has done it through high school and college. This time she invents a Pediatric Surgeon/Feral Cat lover/Married to his profession boyfriend.
Why, you may ask? Her little sister, Natalie is dating her ex-fiancee Andrew, and she is tired of people pitting her. It's specially tough around her cousin's wedding. Her parents, grandmother, her older sister worried about her and spinsterhood. When she finds Natalie crying in the bathroom at the wedding she figures out her baby sister is not moving forward with her ex because of trying not to hurt Grace's feelings. This too good to be true boyfriend is her savior.
During this wedding she drinks a little too much, goes home (the home she bought with Andrew) and sees a stranger around the house next to her. Since she lives alone, she calls the cops and arms herself with a hockey stick. When her doorbell rings she answers it thinking the police are there. When she sees the stranger she just reacts and hits him with it. The cops take him to jail and later confirms he is her new neighbor Callahan O'Shea. She cooks brownies and takes a bottle of wine to apologize, and ends up hurting him again.
Callahan has just been released from prison for embezzlement and is trying to start his new life. What he didn't expect is to find himself in prison a night later because of getting mistaken for a robber.
This book is funny, at times it can make you cry. But, I just loved it. I love the way it is written. Miss Higgins does a beautiful job with her descriptions, the secondary characters are all great in their own way. It was so refreshing to read Too Good To Be True. The addition of her dog Angus makes it fun to read.
As soon as I finished this book I grabbed another one written by her.
5/5 Fangs
cross posted at my blog http://mrsleifs.blogspot (less)

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May 19, 2011 Dewi Read rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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May 03, 2011 Capillya rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Recommended to Capillya by: Sarah (Inklings Read)

Gag, this cover. But cute pup!

I've gotta give it to Higgins, she knows how to bring the funny. The MC of this novel, Grace, is in a (train wreck) class all by herself, as well as her judgmental and mean grandma, sex-organ-art-making-mother, crazy dog that chews up everything, and bitter but hilarious sister Margaret. The characters are just a lot of fun, even though their situations got a little ridiculous and their reasoning for acting like the way they did was a little more than unnerving.

This...more

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Mar 05, 2011 Becky Moe rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: contemporary

I loved this book! I enjoy all of Kristan's books--her characters are fantastic: flawed, yet always seem like people you'd love to get to know in real life, and by the end of her books they feel like friends--but this one will always stand out for me. Its heroine, Grace Emerson, is a history teacher and weekend Civil War reenactor. As a history teacher and reenacter wannabe, I just loved reading her story! (One of my favorite parts will always be when Grace, reading an email from a parent asking...more

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Sep 26, 2010 Jane Stewart rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: contemporary-romance

I enjoyed the couple’s relationship, but I didn’t care for Grace’s ponderings and the Margaret subplot.

STORY BRIEF:
Grace is a high school history teacher engaged to Andrew. Andrew fell in love with Grace’s younger sister and broke up with Grace. Grace made up a fictitious boyfriend. Grace’s family is an eclectic mix of people who cause a variety of discomforts for Grace. Grace has a good heart, and she wishes her family would stop doing certain things. She continues making up lies to deal with t...more I enjoyed the couple’s relationship, but I didn’t care for Grace’s ponderings and the Margaret subplot.

STORY BRIEF:
Grace is a high school history teacher engaged to Andrew. Andrew fell in love with Grace’s younger sister and broke up with Grace. Grace made up a fictitious boyfriend. Grace’s family is an eclectic mix of people who cause a variety of discomforts for Grace. Grace has a good heart, and she wishes her family would stop doing certain things. She continues making up lies to deal with them. Meanwhile, Cal moves into the house next door to Grace. Grace and her little dog have a series of klutzy mishaps with her new neighbor. She is drawn to everything about him except his past, he’s an ex-con.

REVIEWER’S OPINION:
I have mixed feelings. On the one hand, many times I was chuckling and laughing, frequently over conversations between Cal and Grace. That alone should make this book worthwhile to some readers. Other times I was losing interest when Grace was pondering imaginary events. For example (page 14), her car has a flat tire. No one stops to help her, and she fixes it herself. Later, the author spends half a page describing what Grace wished would have happened: an imaginary doctor stopping to help her fix the tire, the kind of car he drove, what he looked like and what they talked about. Another example is when she makes a date with Dave (page 92). The author has a paragraph with Grace imagining how the date goes, what they talk about, how they plan their future wedding, what he says when she tells him she is pregnant, etc. This is all before they even meet, before the date happens. The actual date with Dave later was entertaining to read, but not the pre-date imagination. The ponderings were a minor part of the book, maybe a dozen of them or fewer, I’m not sure. I still enjoyed the rest of the story. I enjoyed the relationship between Cal and Grace, once it got started, but it took longer than I liked to get there. I liked Cal’s personality and his morality, especially interesting since he was previously in jail. I enjoyed the feel good ending.

I didn’t care for a subplot consisting of Margaret (Grace’s sister) wanting to separate from her husband Stuart. Margaret is mad that Stuart doesn’t pay the right kind of attention to her. When Stuart asks what she wants him to do, she won’t tell him. I didn’t enjoy that type of conflict - based on vague communication.

DATA:
Story length: 371 pages. Swearing language: strong. Sexual language: mild. Number of sex scenes: 2. Total number of sex scene pages: 3. Setting: current day Connecticut. Copyright: 2009. Genre: contemporary romance.

CAUTION SPOILER:

I loved Cal’s line on page 341 when he broke up with Grace. “To be really blunt here,” he said very quietly, “I don’t want to be with someone who lies to make herself look better. Someone who can’t tell the truth.” Since Cal had previously been in jail, I was intrigued that I loved his morality and ethics. Plus, his reason for being in jail was understandable.(less)

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About Kristan Higgins

Hello! I’m flattered that you clicked the button. If you clicked by mistake, well, hello anyway.

I live in a small Connecticut town with a beautiful library, a great agricultural fair, nice people and not much else. I have two lovely, entertaining children and a brave firefighter for a husband, who is, perhaps more importantly, a fantastic cook. Digger from Fools Rush In is inspired my very own Dig...more Hello! I’m flattered that you clicked the button. If you clicked by mistake, well, hello anyway.

I live in a small Connecticut town with a beautiful library, a great agricultural fair, nice people and not much else. I have two lovely, entertaining children and a brave firefighter for a husband, who is, perhaps more importantly, a fantastic cook. Digger from Fools Rush In is inspired my very own Digger, our cheerful Lab mutt. We also have two cats and grieve for an occasional, short-lived beta fish.

I worked as a copywriter until I had kids and started writing fiction when my children graced my life with simultaneous afternoon naps. Writing, I surmised, was infinitely more satisfying than folding laundry, and so I started my first novel. Before long, I had finished Stalking Joe, whose title was later changed to Fools Rush In. Catch of the Day followed, winning the 2008 Romance Writers of America's RITA© award, which just thrilled me to my toes. Then came Just One of the Guys (August 08), Too Good To Be True (Feb 09), The Next Best Thing (Feb 10), and All I Ever Wanted, summer 2010. More books are in the pipeline.

I love to write books about relationships, since the search for love and security is one of the driving forces of life. And I try to focus on an aspect that’s common, if not universal, hence the “stalking” in Fools Rush In and the crush on the unattainable man in Catch of the Day. People ask if I’ve ever stalked a guy. Of course not! Jeez! Come on! It’s fiction! They also ask if I’ve ever had a crush on a priest. Of course not! Jeez! Come on! It’s fiction! As far as being crazy about one of my brother's friends, which is the plot of Just One of the Guys, well, yes to that one. But I'm not naming names. Dating a fictional man, like Grace does in Too Good To Be True? Um...can I take the fifth on that one? Whether it's my own experience or not, I try to find something we can all relate to.

When I’m not writing, I like to be with my kids, goof around with my husband, read, watch baseball, ride my bike and bake. I suffer from chronic bedhead and an unhealthy (and completely understandable) obsession with Derek Jeter, shortstop for the New York Yankees. Like Millie Barnes, I run, which provides the neighbors with some real entertainment.

We spend as much time as possible at our family home on Cape Cod, swimming in the Atlantic, shivering on the beach, swatting horseflies and watching fish evade my lure at Higgins Pond. It’s as close to heaven as it gets.(less)

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Quotes from Troppo bello per esser...

“You shouldn't give him a ride, Grace!" Meme snapped. "He's likely to strangle you and dump your body in the lake."
"Is this true?" I asked Callahan.
"I was thinking about it," he admitted.” — 40 people liked it

“Dance class, huh?" he said. "You don't look the type."
"And what does that mean?" I asked.
"You're not built like a dancer," he commented.
"You should probably stop talking now," I advised.
"Got a little bit more meat on your bones than those girls you see on TV."
"You should definitely stop talking now." I glared.” — 35 people liked it

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