Too Good to Be True is filled with shocking twists and dirty secrets. And I’m all for it!
Rating: 4/5
ONE LOVE STORY. TWO MARRIAGES. THREE VERSIONS OF THE TRUTH.
Skye Starling is overjoyed when her boyfriend, Burke Michaels, proposes after a whirlwind courtship. Though Skye seems to have the world at her fingertips―she’s smart, beautiful, and from a well-off family―she’s also battled crippling OCD ever since her mother’s death when she was eleven, and her romantic relationships have suffered as a result.
But now Burke―handsome, older, and more emotionally mature than any man she’s met before―says he wants her. Forever. Except, Burke isn’t who he claims to be. And interspersed letters to his therapist reveal the truth: he’s happily married, and using Skye for his own, deceptive ends.
In a third perspective, set thirty years earlier, a scrappy seventeen-year-old named Heather is determined to end things with Burke, a local bad boy, and make a better life for herself in New York City. But can her adolescent love stay firmly in her past―or will he find his way into her future?
On a collision course she doesn’t see coming, Skye throws herself into wedding planning, as Burke’s scheme grows ever more twisted. But of course, even the best laid plans can go astray. And just when you think you know where this story is going, you’ll discover that there’s more than one way to spin the truth.
Trigger Warning: Rape, Death, Psychological Abuse
I buddy read this with the lovely @inkstainedlibrarian this was our first buddy read together and it was so much fun! I look forward to many more with you, Lori!!
There’s a lot to unpack with this one! I really enjoyed reading this! I found this to be captivating, shocking, and just full on mind blowing. I already have a hard time trusting or opening up to people. This book made me never want to trust anyone ever again! Just from the title alone, you know there’s going to be drama, Too Good to Be True. Whenever you think this, it’s usually true.
Just from the title alone, you know there’s going to be drama, Too Good to Be True. Whenever you think this, it’s usually true.
However, Skye Starling didn’t want to believe her boyfriend, Burke could be anything but genuine and ignores her best friend’s wishes to wait after he proposes only after being together for 6 months. However, we get to see another perspective through letters Burke writes to his therapist revealing a dark truth, he’s happily married and just using Skye. We also get to see a third perspective, years in the past following Burke’s wife, Heather.
Too Good to Be True is filled with shocking twists and dirty secrets. And I’m all for it! I was captivated from beginning to end, I just did not want to put this down. I practically read it in just two sittings. I especially enjoyed the letter aspect of this one! Especially seeing how upfront Burke was about the engagement is a sham, I didn’t know what to believe about his character as we continued through the story.
Too Good to Be True is filled with shocking twists and dirty secrets. And I’m all for it! I was captivated from beginning to end
When it came to the twists, I basically didn’t see any of them coming! Except for one that I was able to guess, but only just. For a while, I wasn’t sure my guess was even feasible, as I had nothing to back it. Up until my theory came to light in the most shocking way, I literally went “what the fuck…” Even though I guessed it, I didn’t want to believe it and at that point, I didn’t think it was going to happen. Let alone, I didn’t see any of the details around this twist.
The entire first half of the book shows us a story that’s just messed up and completely unsettling as we see Skye and Burke’s engagement play out. I wanted to scream at Skye, but at the same time, I completely understood why she ignored those saying she and Burke were moving too fast. I honestly didn’t think things could get worse, but as we reach the second half, I couldn’t have been more wrong! New details came to light and shed some light on this already effed-up story. I swear I had this fixed wide eyes and shocked face as I went through the second half of the book.
I honestly didn’t think things could get worse, but as we reach the second half, I couldn’t have been more wrong!
When it comes to the letters we see, I was reminded of Gone Girl and Verity. Even though those didn’t have letters, the idea there being something written by a character was the same and it left you wondering how much of what you’re reading is true. Which I just love in books! If you’ve been following me for a while, you’ll know how much I hated Gone Girl. But for the sake of sharing similar stories, I figured I’d point it out! Though, I’d place Too Good to Be True around the same level as Verity for sure!
That being said, I didn’t agree with the ending. Just from the events that had played out, I expected a much different ending. Though I will say, I was happy that Skye got a happy ending. After everything she was put through, I was happy to see her happy.
As I mentioned, there is a lot to unpack with this one. Despite having such a shocking twist, there are quite a few triggers throughout this one. Including rape and psychological abuse. This might be intense for some. It definitely made my heart hurt as we got to know our characters better.
I think this is a great thriller! If you enjoy suspense thrillers, then I highly suggest picking this one up!