Just Too Good to Be True: A Novel

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.

This was my first E. Lynn Harris book and I can honestly say I enjoyed it. I didn't know what to expect given what I heard his last novels were about but this book had drama, love and real issues that people face in their everyday lives. I recommend people to pick this up!

I am a big fan of E. Lynn Harris and have read all of his books. I ordered this latest offering the minute it was available and eagerly anticipated its arrival.

As usual, the plot was engaging and beautifully executed. My disappointment partly came from the fact that the central male character was not gay or bi or even on the DL. I love Harris' work for the intricate plot he weaves with his central gay male characters, their struggles with inner demons and their eventual acceptance of their sexuality and pairing off with another equally hot black man.

I enjoy books of all genres, but if I wanted to read a book about a straight football player I could choose from a plethora of other titles. But I love nothing more than to indulge in books filled with characters I can identify with on the level of sexuality.

I enjoy E. Lynn Harris' work because it deepens my knowledge of African American society (I am a white Australian dude) and helps me understand the struggles therein. Reading Harris' books, I am always surprised by the level of prejudice and discrimination against African Americans by other African Americans and wonder if perhaps, like members of our own gay 'community', they are their own worst enemies. If we can't unconditionally love and accept those who are like us, then how can we ever expect it from those that are different?

My disappointment further came from the fact that I was disgusted by the character of Carmyn's description of her boyfriend as 'an hourly worker' and 'an underachiever' because he worked in a takeaway food outlet. Even though I do not pull an 'hourly rate' and do well for myself I found that whole way of thinking utterly offensive and derogatory. It is snobbery and prejudice and tainted my whole experience of the novel.

Overall, it was a necessary read because of my love for Harris' other books, but again, if I want to read a novel where the pivotal characters are totally straight I can choose from millions of other titles. If all of our beloved authors of gay literature decided to start making their main characters straight then where would we be?

Overall this was a good book. I highly recommended it to several of my friends that had given up on E. Lynn Harris. Since it was not all about gay men, the storyline was actually interesting and exciting. Although by the end, it was predictable...

There were too many unanswered questions. Like what was Delmar's actual on the side gig? Was he G4P??? Why did Maybelline have a heart at the end? Was it really necessary to throw Basil in the book? I mean can he not write a book that is Basil free?

I did stop to wonder if this happens for real in college football. Wouldn't it just be easier to pay off the current girlfriend, instead of the condo, the fake parents, fake transcripts? Oh well I don't follow football all that much, so I was not too impressed with the extra game day details...

I read Invisible Life and Say a Little Prayer and had decided I would not read anymore E.Lynn Harris' books. To my pleasant surprise, he decided to write about a heterosexual couple, so I decided to give him another shot.

In this book, Brady is the only child of Carmyn. Carmyn is estranged from her family because she refused to place Brady up for adoption after she thought she had been raped and could not figure out who his father was.

Brady is a big football star and Nico, an agent, wants him really badly. To bring Brady into the fold, he uses the feminine wilds of Barrett/Bethany/Raquel.

Just when Nico has Brady just where he wants him, Nico is busted.

The book was very good.

PROS: Excellent writing, interesting storyline, great character development
CONS: Brady's celibacy claim just was not believeable as it was written by Harris; the side characters (Shelby, Zander, Maybelline, Lita) could have been left out; they really added nothing to the story.