Just Too Good to Be True: A Novel

Just Too Good to Be True: A Novel
by E. Lynn Harris

Just Too Good to Be True: A Novel
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Book Summary Information

Author: E. Lynn Harris
Edition: Hardcover
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 2008-07-15
ISBN: 0385492723
Number of pages: 336
Publisher: Doubleday

Book Reviews of Just Too Good to Be True: A Novel

Book Review: JUST TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE is another winner from E. Lynn Harris.
Summary: 5 Stars

Brady Bledsoe is about to go places. He is a senior in college, a superstar on the football field and a contender for the Heisman Trophy with a likely future in the NFL. He is also a practicing Christian and belongs to a group called "Saving Ourselves" for those who are remaining celibate until they marry. His relationship with his mother Carmyn --- who is single and a very successful businesswoman --- is near perfect.

Then along comes Barrett, a beautiful woman who is targeting Brady as a potential boyfriend. She's a cheerleader at his college, and he has no reason to suspect that she's up to no good. But when Carmyn meets Barrett, her instincts are on red alert and Carmyn worries that she will tempt Brady to break his celibacy vows. Brady doesn't think Barrett will compromise his beliefs and ignores his mother's warnings.

As Brady and Barrett become closer, a secret that Carmyn has been keeping from Brady is about to be revealed, and once Brady finds out, he will no longer want to have anything to do with her. It's a secret that will change things forever, and Carmyn's reputation will be on the line. Brady is part of a larger scheme that will give Barrett what she thinks she wants --- the man she really loves, and wealth beyond what she's ever known before. Carmyn's secret may be the ticket to Barrett's future.

I've read several E. Lynn Harris books in the past and enjoyed them all. He is a good writer and storyteller, and always creates characters who keep me focused on the plot, and are real and believable. In JUST TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE, Barrett comes across as a stereotypical vixen, but I still believed in the story and bought the whole premise. The contrast between Brady's good Christian values and Barrett's greed and unwholesome personality renders this an excellent character study, but Harris doesn't make her totally shallow and without compassion. You will see a glimpse of a human being under Barrett's hard exterior before the novel ends.

I found that Brady might be too good to be true, but I know that in this day and age of rampant teen sex, there is still a small core group of young men and women who are dedicated to saving themselves for their wedding night. Harris is able to paint a clear picture of who Brady is, and I felt that he came across as a realistic person as well.

I'm not a sports fan, so the details about the football games went over my head. However, these passages did make the story a lot more authentic. The main setting of the novel is the world of college football, so it felt more credible with all the gridiron talk that went on.

With interesting characters and a good story that kept me hooked from start to finish, JUST TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE is another winner from E. Lynn Harris.

--- Reviewed by Marie Hashima Lofton

Summary of Just Too Good to Be True: A Novel

Harris serves up a treat that will capture and enchant audiences everywhere?a big, bold, and irresistible novel about football, family, and secrets.

Brady Bledsoe and his mother, Carmyn, have a strong relationship. A single mother, faithful churchgoer, and the owner of several successful Atlanta beauty salons, Carmyn has devoted herself to her son and his dream of becoming a professional football player. Brady has always followed her lead, including becoming a member of the church?s "Celibacy Circle." Now in his senior year at college, the smart, and very handsome, Brady is a lead contender for the Heisman Trophy and a spot in the NFL.

As sports agents hover around Brady, Barrett, a beautiful and charming cheerleader, sets her mind on tempting the celibate Brady and getting a piece of his multimillion-dollar future?but is that all she wants from him, and is she acting alone?

Carmyn is determined to protect her son. She?s also determined to protect the secret she?s kept from Brady his whole life. As things heat up on campus and Carmyn and Brady?s idyllic relationship starts to crumble, mother and son begin to wonder about the other?are you just too good to be true?

A sweeping novel about mothers and sons, football and beauty shops, secrets and lies, JUST TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE has all the ingredients that have made E. Lynn Harris a bestselling author: family, friendship, faith, and love.

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