Just Too Good to Be True: A Novel [Hardcover]

E. Lynn Harris (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 15, 2008

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.

Editorial Reviews

Review

“Steamy, funny, and real.”
—The News & Observer

“Harris is a great storyteller who knows how to tug on the heartstrings with wit and sensitivity.”
—USA Today

“Harris's books are hot, in more ways than one.”
—The Philadelphia Inquirer

“[E. Lynn Harris] tucks in plot twists bound to keep his readers turning pages late at night.” —The Washington Post

“The storyline involving the exploitation of star athletes—a hot-button topic to be sure—is excellent.”
—Chicago Sun-Times

“Electrifying.... Widely entertaining and heartwarming.”
—Urban Reviews

“What's got audiences hooked? Harris's unique spin on the ever-fascinating topics of identity, class, intimacy, sexuality, and friendship.”
—Vibe

“Harris is a wonderful writer. His romantic scenes...are always touching.”
—San Francisco Chronicle

“From naked cocktail parties to religious conundrums, Harris gives you just the right amount of raunchiness and redemption.”
—Upscale

“E. Lynn Harris is the Beach Read King. All hail.”
—Fort Worth Star-Telegram

“Harris has stimulated a dialogue within the African-American community desperately needed for so long about the complicated issues of sexuality.”
—Southern Voice


From the Trade Paperback edition.

About the Author

E. LYNN HARRIS is a nine-time New York Times bestselling author. His work includes the memoir, What Becomes of the Brokenhearted, and the novels I Say a Little Prayer, A Love of My Own, Just as I Am, Any Way the Wind Blows, If This World Were Mine, and the classic Invisible Life. Harris divides his time between Atlanta, Georgia, and Fayetteville, Arkansas, home of his beloved college football team The Razorbacks.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 336 pages
• Publisher: Doubleday; 1 edition (July 15, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0385492723
• ISBN-13: 978-0385492720
• Product Dimensions: 6.4 x 1.2 x 9.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.3 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (106 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #618,041 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

E. Lynn Harris (1955-2009) is the author of ten previous novels and the memoir What Becomes of the Brokenhearted. His recent novels Just Too Good to be True, I Say a Little Prayer, A Love of My Own, and Any Way the Wind Blows hit the bestseller lists in the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, the Washington Post, and other publications. He founded the E. Lynn Harris Better Days Foundation, a nonprofit company that provides support to aspiring writers and artists.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

18 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Keep Your Eyes On The Prize, July 15, 2008

By 

Tangerine (IL) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Just Too Good to Be True: A Novel (Hardcover)

Brady Bledsoe is the apple of his mother Carmyn's eye. Since the day he was born she has been the devoted single parent who has managed to keep Brady on the right path especially since he wants to pursue playing pro football. A savy businesswoman of a prospering beauty salon and day spa in the ATL and a loyal christian to the man above, both have committed themselves to being a member of the "Celibate Circle" at church. Carmyn have some past secrets that involves her son that will be revealed. The question is will he forgive her transgressions?

Now that Brady is a senior at Central Georgia University he has been getting much attention on and off the field from sports agents, coaches, teammates, and fans. A candidate for the Heisman Trophy, he has not let his success go to his head or has he?

Brady meets Barrett Manning a transfer student he falls head over heels for, but Carmyn is not liking her one bit. She thinks Barrett is not who she proclaims to be or is she? Will the real Barrett Manning please stand up.

Just Too Good to Be True: A Novel is a good read that I enjoyed. Its a story full of secrets, lies, relationship between mother and son, and football. Its a little different for E. Lynn but exceptionally good all the same. A biblical verse that comes to mind while reading is "Train up a child the way he should go and he will not depart from it" and it was very well portrayed in this story. A handsome character from his previous books makes an appearance in this novel as well. This book is just too good to be true. Well done Mr. Harris.

Tangerine, Reviewer

Reader's Paradise Book Club

18 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars ....Can't Take My Eyes Off of You., July 15, 2008

By 

Urban Reviews "Your Source for the Best in AA... (Online) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Just Too Good to Be True: A Novel (Hardcover)

Brady Bledsoe and his mother Carmyn have the perfect mother and son relationship. Carmyn is a single mother who owns several beauty salons and is a faithful church member. She is devoted to her son and shares his dream to become a professional football player. Brady has shared the same values as his mother, including joining a celibacy circle at church. Because of his hard work and dedication, Brady is now in his senior year in college and is a lead contender for the Heisman Trophy and a spot in the NFL. Things soon get complicated for Brady when a beautiful cheerleader named Barrett has her eyes on him and his potential multi-million dollar future. Will Brady be able to stay out of Barrett's clutches? Meanwhile, Carmyn is trying to keep Brady's eyes on the prize. Carmyn is also trying to desperately protect a secret that she has kept from Brady his whole life.

Just Too Good To Be True is an electrifying novel by E. Lynn Harris. Harris once again gives readers what they want by delivering a story that's full of drama and emotion. You get a bird's eye view of the wild and exciting world of a college football athlete. Brady is a complex character that you will root for. Although he does make a few mistakes along the way, you will see how Brady is still trying to stay on task for his future football career. You'll also feel for Carmyn as she tries to make amends for her past mistakes. Harris perfectly illustrated the strong mother and son relationship between Brady and Carmyn, which was refreshing. This author's novel wouldn't be complete without his signature plot twists that will have you flipping the pages. Just Too Good To Be True is widely entertaining and heartwarming. E. Lynn Harris has brought a novel that doesn't disappoint and will satisfy his legion of fans and will possibly gain a whole new fan base.

Reviewed by Radiah Hubbert

for Urban Reviews

15 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Just to weird to be true, August 26, 2008

By 

M. J Soverall "ledare66" (Brooklyn, New York United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Just Too Good to Be True: A Novel (Hardcover)

I eagerly purchased this book looking forward to another page turner from Mr. Harris, what I got instead was a book full of people who need psychiatric help. Camryn's obsession with her son's celibacy, to the point where she was lying to herself was just sick and weird also her son's need to pretend that he was perfect was also weird. WAAAYYY to wrapped up in each other's lives to be healthy. Mothers like that raise sons who are incapable of having relationships with anyone else without having Mommy call the shots. Ugh, I can't even finish it, I just put it down. I'll try the next one, but I'm done with this one.