Too Good to Be True by Prajakta Koli

Too Good to Be True by Prajakta Koli

Too Good to Be True is the debut romance novel from Prajakta Koli, widely known online as MostlySane.

Published by HarperCollins India, this contemporary romantic comedy follows Avani, a devoted reader of romance novels who loves fictional love stories but has become much less convinced that real life can ever deliver the same kind of magic.

Then Aman walks into the bookstore where she works.

He is confident, successful, attentive and seems almost impossibly perfect.

The problem?

Avani has read enough romance novels to know that a man who appears perfect may very well be too good to be true.

HarperCollins describes the book as a funny, fresh and feel-good romance exploring modern love alongside friendship, family and self-discovery.

Meet Avani

Avani loves books.

More specifically, she loves romance novels.

She understands fictional romance tropes, knows the kinds of characters readers fall for and has spent plenty of time imagining dramatic, unforgettable love stories.

But enjoying fictional romance does not mean Avani completely trusts romance in real life.

That creates the central contradiction in her character.

She wants to believe in love, yet when something that resembles the perfect fictional romance appears directly in front of her, she becomes suspicious.

That tension drives much of the humour and emotional conflict in the story.

Aman Seems Almost Too Perfect

Aman enters Avani’s life in the bookstore where she works.

He appears to have many of the qualities a romance reader might expect from an ideal fictional hero.

He is:

• Attractive
• Successful
• Attentive
• Confident
• Charming
• Interested in Avani
• Surprisingly good at understanding her

Instead of simply enjoying his attention, however, Avani begins questioning everything.

Why is he so interested in her?

Why does he always seem to know what to say?

Can someone really be this good?

And if he genuinely likes her, why is accepting that possibility so difficult?

The publisher’s official synopsis frames the relationship around exactly this tension: Aman appears almost as if he has walked directly out of one of Avani’s favourite books, while Avani keeps trying to convince herself that he cannot possibly be real.

A Will-They-Won’t-They Romance

Too Good to Be True is strongly built around the will-they-won’t-they romance dynamic.

The question is not simply whether Avani and Aman are attracted to each other.

The real challenge is whether Avani will allow herself to trust what is happening.

Her own doubts become an obstacle.

That makes the story less about instantly finding the perfect person and more about learning whether something good can be accepted without constantly searching for reasons it must go wrong.

Books, Bookstores and Romance

The bookstore setting gives the novel an especially appealing atmosphere for readers.

Avani spends her time surrounded by books while simultaneously experiencing something that begins to resemble the type of story she normally reads.

That creates a playful relationship between:

fictional romance

and

real-life romance.

The story repeatedly plays with the expectations created by romance books.

Can real relationships feel like fiction?

Should they?

And what happens when a romance reader becomes suspicious precisely because her own life suddenly seems too much like a novel?

Modern Indian Romance

HarperCollins India has positioned the novel as a contemporary romance rooted in modern relationships, friendship and family.

Prajakta Koli herself described the book as a celebration of modern Indian love stories and the experiences surrounding them.

That gives the book additional appeal to South Asian readers looking for contemporary romance with culturally familiar characters and settings.

For readers in Sri Lanka, the social environment, family dynamics and everyday cultural details may also feel more familiar than those in many US- or UK-centred romance novels.

Friendship Matters Too

Although the romance between Avani and Aman drives the central story, friendship also plays an important role.

Avani’s close friends become part of the emotional journey as she tries to understand:

• Aman
• Her own feelings
• Her expectations about relationships
• Whether she can trust her instincts
• Whether fear is preventing her from enjoying something genuine

This means the novel is not simply about finding romance.

It is also about the people who help us understand ourselves.

Family and Self-Discovery

HarperCollins describes the story as touching on:

• Modern love
• Relationships
• Friendship
• Family
• Self-discovery.

Avani’s romantic uncertainty therefore becomes part of a larger journey.

She has to decide what she actually believes about love rather than relying only on expectations created by books, other people or past experiences.

Humour and Heart

The novel is designed as a light, accessible and feel-good read.

Its appeal comes from balancing:

• Romantic tension
• Humour
• Friendship
• Awkward situations
• Emotional uncertainty
• Bookish references
• Hopeful romance

The publisher repeatedly describes it as witty, tender and relatable, making it particularly suitable for readers who enjoy contemporary romance without wanting an extremely dark or emotionally heavy story.

Prajakta Koli’s Debut Novel

Too Good to Be True is Prajakta Koli’s first novel.

Before becoming an author, she built a major career as a digital creator and actor under the name MostlySane.

HarperCollins India announced the project as her debut in fiction and released the novel in January 2025.

For WooCommerce:

Series: Standalone

Book Number: Not applicable

A Major Indian Bestseller

The book became a significant commercial success after publication.

HarperCollins India reported in February 2025 that it had sold 150,000 copies within its first month and reached the top position on Nielsen India BookScan’s fiction bestseller list.

By 2026, HarperCollins was celebrating the title with a special hardback edition and listed awards including the Amazon India Popular Choice Debut Book 2025 Award and the Crossword Popular Choice Award for Fiction 2025.

The ISBN in this listing, however, remains the original paperback ISBN 9789365693393.

Who Will Enjoy Too Good to Be True?

This book may especially appeal to readers who enjoy:

• Contemporary romance
• Romantic comedy
• Indian romance
• Bookstore settings
• Book-loving heroines
• Will-they-won’t-they romance
• Feel-good fiction
• Friendship
• Modern relationship stories
• BookTok-style romance
• Prajakta Koli / MostlySane

It can also be a good option for readers looking for an accessible contemporary romance with humour, relatable characters and a strong South Asian context.

Buy Too Good to Be True in Sri Lanka

For customers looking to buy Too Good to Be True by Prajakta Koli in Sri Lanka, ISBN 9789365693393 identifies the English Harper Fiction paperback.

Sri Lankan retailer Jumpbooks also lists this exact ISBN as a Harper Fiction paperback with 320 pages.

Exact-ISBN physical records cluster around:

• 228–234 g
• approximately 19.7–19.8 cm high
• approximately 13.1–13.5 cm wide
• approximately 2.0–2.1 cm thick.

For WooCommerce shipping, I recommend:

0.234 kg / 19.8 × 13.1 × 2.1 cm