Just Like Heaven

I'm not sure if it is Marc Levy or his translator but one of them seems to think that all Americans speak like they are in a 1950s detective movie. The dialog was just strange. Too many other things were wrong with this book and I had a hard time suspending my disbelief.

It's not that I don't like paranormal stories or romantic tales or even the romance genre, but this title just didn't do anything for me. Unfortunately, Marc Levy has repeated an oft told tale without anything new or interesting. While the first half is an OK read, the second half falls into trite rhetoric which any romance reader has already read in a newer and fresher manner.
The basic premise of the book is that while a young woman lies in a coma, her ghost visits a man who has much to learn about love. And while Arthur at first can't believr whats happening, he then goes on to fight to save Lauren's life when her mother is advised to remove her life suppport system. During their time together, both Lauren and Arthur learn more about themselves, love and the meaning of life. And while the premise could have been somewhat interesting, Levy tends to be overly sappy including a message makes the e mail rounds almost weekly. This message, which asks the question of what is the meaning of a year, month, week, day, hour or even a tenth of a second has been hashed and rehashed so much, I was surprised to see this once again in this book.
This is the first book by Marc Levy. I hope that his next book, if there is one, is better.

From beginning to end, I loved this book! It is a short quick read that creates a magical romantic spell. The hope that true love is something which surpasses our physical existence is supreme; and this book addresses that hope of the heart. Because the book is set in San Francisco with a brief interlude to Carmel, it's seems SO American! It is all the more remarkable knowing it is a translation from the original French. Yes, there are small inconsistencies which the more literally-minded among us might interpret as barriers to accepting the simple story. But the construction of the tale and its reversal at the end are great moments. Enjoy this book. It is a rare gem and a treasure!
[Note: This is my second attempt to review this. Should the other try subsequently turn up, sorry for the rerun! But that's how good this book is that I waited 10 days and came back to try again!]

What would you do if you found a stranger in your closet?? A stranger that can disappear and reappear on a whim? What if that person than told you that they were in a coma and that their body is in a hospital on the far side of town?

Well this is the begining of a dilemma for Arthur,a young architect when he discovers Lauren, a headstrong young woman in his apartment. Arthur is the only person that can see Lauren, and this leads to some wild situations including a kidnapping of sorts. Who ever said that the course of true love ever ran smoothly.

If I was to choose between the book and the movie, I would choose the book. While the movie was enjoyable, the book allows for a more in dept look into all of the characters, and I personally feel drawn into this strange relationship that Arthur and Lauren have.

This book evokes the essence of romance and our boundless capacity to believe, whether its in the supernatural or simply to believe and trust in another person. I highly recommend this book

A week ago while I was in Paris, I stopped by the Village Voice, a superb little Anglo-American bookstore. There I saw and purchased "If Only It Were True" by Marc Levy. I paid 110 francs for it. And then I made the further mistake of reading it.
"If Only It Were True" is meant to be a tearjerker, but it is so poorly written that it fails to jerk tears. The book is tritely done and crudely derivative. Levy borrows from here, there and yonder and never acknowledges his debts. He owes a singular debt, for example, to the late Jean-Dominique Bauby who had a very rare conditon, the locked-in syndrome, but. miraculously managed to "write" his memoir: "The Diving Bell and the Butterfly." Levy's heroine just happens to have the locked-in syndrome, too.
According to the dustcover, Marc Levy is an architect who divides his time between France and the U.S. We hope his career in architecture is successful, since his book is not. "If Only It Were True" is reportedly a bestseller in France but, if I return soon to Paris, I want my 110 francs back. Levy's book is not worth a sou.

This book reads like an immature male's fantasy of himself - a poor, pitiful rich kid with somehow amazing spirituality and integrity. Several pages are devoted to love letters from the main character's dead mother, and none of the characters or relationships are well developed.
The fanciful, spiritual rescue plot is by far the best part of the book, and I was quite disappointed by the author's inability to explore the issues the premise (coma victim "detaches" spirit from her body) raises in more depth. The author mentioned the TV series "Bewitched" a few times - obviously an inspiration to him - but the writers of that series did a much more thorough job of exploring the options within its self-imposed magical limits. There are plot holes one can drive a truck through. For example, the coma victim/spirit and the protagonist can't seem to figure out how to communicate to others who can't see her, but the average reader will envision many ways it could be done that the characters don't think of. And the issues of coma and spirituality aren't really explored at all.
It was a quick read, with some stilted but good San Francisco imagery, and I did read it all the way through. If you're still tempted, go ahead. Just don't pay full price for it.

Wow, I am not a cynical person, I don't belive in fairy tales they are nice to read but, yeah right, the tooth fairy nope, pots of gold at the end of rainbows,or santa no no no. However, I do believe in this book in this story; "If Only it Were True". The book was so wonderful, I would love to meet the writer. I would like to write a first time book that makes you cry, that makes you laugh out loud, and one that makes you believe. Believe in love, believe in self, that makes you believe in a much higher entity. I loved reading this book. I loved the way he discribed Arthur and his mother and Arthur and Lauren. Each person it seems either hated it or loved it, but to each his/her own. I loved it and will go out and buy it in a heart beat. I hope Marc reads this review I loved your book. Keep writing you have inspired me. Peace

Paranormal love story written by first time French author, Marc Levy. Story of a young female doctor who is involved in a car accident and ends up in a coma. Her "spirit" is discovered by Arthur in a cupboard in the flat that he has just rented from the girl's parents. He is the only person who can see and touch her. The story goes onto to show them falling in love and then Arthur has the task of preventing her life support machine being switched off. There is a twist to the ending and whether you find it a sad or happy ending depends on your interpretation.
I liked the idea of this book but I felt that it could have been written better. However, not bad for a first time author.
"Where are you?" and "Seven days to Eternity" are his latest books but as of date have only found them in French.

I liked this book for what it is: a piece of summertime fantasy that's been spiced with a bit of the supernatural for interest.
Aspiring physician Lauren Kline survives a car wreck, only to be put into a seemingly irreversible coma. After six months, Lauren learns how to take her spirit out of her body and move around. One of her favorite places to visit is her beloved apartment overlooking the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco.
The only problem with Lauren's ability to move about is that no one sees her, leaving her without human interaction. That is, until Arthur, the architect who rents her apartment and finds her hiding in a closet.
The remainder of the short book deals with Lauren and Arthur's inevitable romance, complete with an eerie kidnapping.
It's not Proust, but it provided me with a good night's read.
Enjoy!

In a San Francisco apartment, a man hears a noise, opens up his closet, and finds a beautiful woman inside who claims she is a ghost. Arthur thinks she is either crazy or part of a practical joke. His thoughts are revised when she escorts Arthur to a nearby hospital where her comatose body lies.

Arthur desperately wants to reunite her soul with her body, but his investigations prove futile. Her situation turns desperate when her distraught mother decides to pull the plug. Arthur, who is falling in love with Lauren, kidnaps her body in a last ditch effort to save her life.

IF ONLY IT WERE TRUE is a beautiful love story that will appeal to fans of romance, supernatural fiction, and adult fairy tales. The hero turns into a modern day Don Quixote willing to fight windmills to save the woman he loves. The heroine has the spirit of a warrior as her mental well being allows her to accept a bleak future as long as she can enjoy today with Arthur. Marc Levy is a talented author who provides his readers with an uplifting work.

Harriet Klausner

This book was so so. Only after I started reading it did I realize I'd seen the movie a while back. I did find several parts of the book comical, but it was all too mushy and goody goody, no conflicts between the main characters Lauren and Arthur. I felt the book going off into Arthur's life with his mother didn't quite fit. Good lessons and all, but I don't know, it just quite didn't click for me. I also didn't care for the parts where dialogue was replaced by summary. It just seemed like the author got tired of dialoguing and then just summarized the rest of what was said. The book wasn't terrible. There was some cute parts in it. But truthfully, I preferred the movie, which is rare for me.

I actually give this book an A+. The title caught my eye while reading an article in PREMIERE magazine that Spielberg had purchased the film rights to do a movie based on the book. It was a fun "what if" kind of book that explores an 'almost' loss of life and moments that occurred during a comatose state. It's an original romantic novel with a lot of meaning intertwined. A lovely book. Some of the tricks that the main character, Lauren, did reminded me of "Bewitched" the old TV sitcom that I usd to love and watch as a child. This book also helped me personally during a difficult time of grieving in my life. One favorite line: "How many realize what a privelege it is to wake and see, feel, touch, hear?"

This is a tale of love and committment beyond the spectrum we know of.
I liked the way I'm teleported to another place where a normal life is changed by a single magical element - the spirit of Lauren Kline.
The language and prose of the story was soothing and easy to drink in albeit a lack of development links seemed to mark the story. This caused "little bumps" in the tale which made me think "sounds a bit strange there" which prevented a smooth flow of events in the story.
Even though there was a predictable turn in Arthur's and Lauren's relationship, I was sucked into their whirlwind of great joy and couldn't suppress a smile.
A very enjoyable read that would keep you holding on to the end.

Okay, so we know from other reviews that this book is on its way to Hollywood (I personally see Lauren played by Mira Sorvino and Arthur played by Michael Vartan), but read the book before the movie comes out.
Some people seem to try too hard to make this novel something it is not: a complicated, hard-to-read book. If Only It Were True is a charming love story revolving around the death of a San Francisco doctor and her predicament of being stuck between life and death.
The leading man, Arthur, is the only one that can see the comatose woman in her ghostly state. They embark on a journey to find out how to get her soul back into her body. The tale is sweet and memorable. Read the book.

Marc Levy manage himself to be really a hit box. This is the kind of story that helps to forget about reality and submit you into a beautiful fantasy. A good mix between suspense, fiction, humour, and love. Nice salad of feelings between a suposed to be ghost of a patience in coma, and the only guy that can see her. Is a book you'll read and laugh in about 2 hours. Those who like romance maybe will take more...just to don't let the book end! I read that Spielberg bougth the rigths to make the movie. That means is a captivating story...isn't it? It will make a good gift if you ignore the personal taste of those you want to give. By the way, I read this book in spanish...

I was a little confused when I started to review this book. Apparently, there's a movie based on this book. I never saw the movie and never heard of it until now. Apparently, the movie is a comedy or at least has comedic moments.

This book doesn't have that. It's got more of a serious tone to it. Our girl, Lauren, is not cracking jokes left & right. She got into a car accident and is in a coma in a hospital. She goes back to her old apartment and the only guy that seems to see her is the new tenant. The rest of the book is learning about each other, falling in love, losing each other and having faith.

It's a good love story. I didn't cry or anything, but it was relatively light reading. I liked "Sundays At Tiffany's" by James Patterson a lot. This is in the same genre, I think. If you read that and liked it, this is a good book to read.

Because I had heard that "If Only It Were True" was a bestseller in France and will be a Spielberg film, my expectations were high. Boy, was I disappointed! The writing style is horrible, and the dialogue sounds completely unnatural. Perhaps it lost something in the translation from the original French. If not, the author should consider returning to his job as an architect. I certainly hope that Dreamworks gets a decent screenwriter to clean this up for the film version. The plot is silly and completely predictable, and I confess that I only skimmed the second half to reach the ending because the awful prose and dialogue annoyed me. Don't waste your time with this one.

This is such a captivating book that you'll not want to put it down. The story draws you in from the very beginning and holds you till the very last page. It's unlike any romance story you have read before. It's a refreshing, new kind of story... there is none other like it. Marc Levy spins a wonderful tale of a women named Lauren who lives in California who gets in a very bad car accident and is clincly dead, but suddenly she comes back to life... but stays in a coma. A man named Author moves into her old apartment and oneday he sees Lauren. She is not exactly a ghost since she is still alive. She figured out how to transport her spirt outside of her body that is lying across town in a coma. Now I know this is far fetched, but you just HAVE to read this story! It's wonderful! I didn't want to put it down! This is a book for anyone who is willing to belive in the unbeliveable!!!

This small book can easily go unnoticed in any big bookstore. I discovered this little book by happenstance and needless to say, there are no regrets. A small very readable fairy tale story of Laura & Arthur with a backdrop of selfless love, commitment, purposeful life and beautiful San Francisco. It is very difficult to write a review about such a book. Reading this book invokes a deep, quintessential and subliminal feeling that is best experienced rather than written or reviewed. An impressive debut by Mark Levy. He already writes like a seasoned campaigner and I'd looking forward to his other forthcoming books.

One star for a great story idea--a woman in a coma whose soul is traveling around town, while her body is wasting away in a hospital. Other than that, the book is laughable all the way. Arthur, the new tenant in her old apartment, finds her in the closet. He can see her, although no one else can. So, why was she hiding in the closet in the first place, since no one could see her? Never mind. It doesn't matter. The dialogue between the two main characters in this book is so bad, it takes on a life of its own, and you soon want to kill it. Dead. No coma. It might come back to life, and you'll have to read some more.

Even more painful is reading about Arthur's life, and how he views life. It all goes back to his mother. Arthur's father died when he was three, he had no siblings, it was just him and mommy. Oh, except for a "painter" who lived on the grounds, and was his mother's secret lover, and a terrific groundskeeper, but he doesn't really count. As his mother told Arthur in a letter she wrote for him to read after she died: "But I want you to know that you were my whole life, my whole reason for living, the best, most beautiful, most important thing that ever happened to me." A little boy's fantasy come true! He's the only one in the world who counts! What happened to his mother? She died of a very painful type of cancer. In another note she left him, she states she probably brought on the cancer herself with her negative attitude, that she had cheated on his father, and that she had an abortion. It's always important to note when you suspect an ambiguous relationship between a son and mother in a book like this one, what eventually happens to the mother in the book. Is she made to seem guilty? Does she die? Does she die in a painful manner? This is a work of fiction, not a memoir. The writer is God!

The way Arthur describes himself makes one want to wince even more. Why? Because it sounds like some unreal fantasy image created by a guy still emotionally stuck in late adolescense. His ideas of love between a man and a woman sound like fantasy, too. Oh, and Arthur was orphaned at a very young age, and had to grow up in a boarding school. Let's not forget the unspoken self-pity. That's very, very important in case there are any feelings of guilt about anything.

And the true nature of his relationship with Lauren, the spirit he finds in the closet? When Lauren leaves her comatose body, she sees no light to go to, like so often described in near-death experiences. No, instead she travels back to her old apartment and encounters Arthur. He is the only one who can see her, hear her, touch her. She can't talk to her mother or girlfriends. She can't go back to work. She can't call up an old boyfriend, much less go back to him. Arthur is her light! Her savior! (She has no choice!) It's just the two of them--just like him and mommy! At the end of the book, it is obvious he intends to be the main one to rehabilitate her damaged mind and body, which will make her beholden to him. As she is looking at him from her hospital bed, wondering who the heck he is, he starts telling her "our story" and "our secret" . . . just like two little kids living in their own little secret world. Secret worlds between children are often charming. Secret worlds between adults are often creepy.

This brings us to the title of the book: "If Only It Were True". If only WHAT was true? A spirit could leave a comatose body and end up communicating with only one living person? Or if only a man could have such an exclusive relationship with a woman, and have had such an exclusive relationship with his mother? The phrase "if only it were true" suggests the author knows it's not true; it's all false. Or is it all farce? I was wondering this, since this novel was apparently a hit in France. But for it to be a farce would require a talented writer, who could write farce. Mr. Levy does not come across like a talented writer. Thus, is it possible the French simply perceived the book as being a farce? Is it possible while Americans were cooing how sweet, sensitive, touching and fairy-tale like this book was, the French were in France laughing their heads off at the ludicrous description of the relationship between Lauren and Arthur?

Arthur. Author?

i remember going to the booksinging for this: me and maybe one other person had shown up. mark had become so disgusted that he cancelled the signing. when i asked him to sign the book, he rudely took the book from me, scribbled his john hancock and handed it back to me like it was a turd...
i waited almost a year before reading this book. i shouldn't have bothered. typical sitcom tripe. a guy who's a crub moves into a house haunted by the ghost of a woman in a coma; she reveals herself to him, tells him " only you can see me " she pleads for his help, the usual calamity ensues, they fall in love,yada, yada, yada...one of the reasons i haven't watched t.v. in a year was because i wanted to read more, to strengthen my mind. i didn't expect to find books to be this dumbed down...levy proves that all you need to do to aualify as an author is to compose a complete sentence...i was not moved at all by this story...i gave up after the first third, then later sold the book. i could write a better novel and i'm a poet. maybe i should try writing a book. i couln't do any worse than he did. my second nominee for the golden shovel for the worst book i ever read...

Lauren is in a car accident and slips into a coma at a local hospital. Arthur moves into her apartment and find her in his closet. He thinks his best friend is playing a joke on him, but Lauren has to prove that she is alive at the hospital. The more time they spend together, the more they begin to fall in love. Arthur decides to find a way to wake Lauren from her coma, but his mission turns into a wild and unsafe escape. Will she live to meet Arthur in the flesh or will she die? The answer is in the book "If Only It Were True." You will laugh and cry thru out the entire book! Enjoy!

I just finished this book, and though it may have been terribly innovative to the readers in Europe, it seemed like just another formulaic American romance novel to me. Formulaic, but without the sparkle of the best of the romance genre...Spencer, Phillips, Mittman, etc. The story didn't seem to make the unbelievable believable. The premise and the potential were the, but the characters never grabbed me, I knew the ending all along, so I wasn't terribly motivated to turn the pages. If it hadn't been so short, I'm not sure I would have finished it at all. However, the author has potential, and I would not discount further works by him.

The idea behind this story is a good one. However it could have been so much more with a more accomplished author. The love between Lauren and Arthur is not believable. There's no foundation for the depth of commitment it would take to commit the crime and therefore run the risks that he did. The friendship between Paul and Arthur was not believable. Again, why would Paul take the risks he took. Relationships are not well built, dialogue is strained. Past memories are just thrown in to accomodate the next chapters. The tough cop ends his role out of character. So many things wrong that, with more planning, more thought, more devotion to character development, could have made and awesome trilogy.

I don't get this book. I too was sucked in by the coverlines that hailed it as an international bestseller and I thought it must be a sweet tale with something extra, maybe like The Little Prince, a book I loved. But this book was so bland, so amateurly written, so obvious that it's hard to believe it was published. Yes, I can see it as a movie with Julia Roberts, as someone else here suggested, but only if they hired a really witty screenwriter who could make this leaden prose sparkle. I like sweet stories but please give me some originality with my sugar. Yuck!

If the book were indeed written in french originally, I can understand why the writing seemed a little flat and akward, especially in the beginning. Sometimes the scenes jumped a little too much to make too much sense.
But the plot was very good and there were a couple one liners that were very memorable. A story on the theme of "living every moment". The writing settles in after a few pages and I was hooked till the end.
I think it'll make a great novel if someone like Jude Deveraeaux wrote it. The book needed to be a little longer and the characters a bit more developed.

I just finished reading this book in the original French version, so I know that my disappointment was not due to a bad translation. I had heard that this was the best-selling book in France a couple of years ago and I'd read some good reviews, so I was expecting much more.
What an amateurish mess. Although the central premise could have been interesting, the book doesn't really work on any level. The writing is extremely pedestrian: the cops eat donuts, the sidekick makes wisecracks, and all the cliches appear just where you expect them. The characters don't behave like any human beings I know. There are huge, careless gaps in the plot (for example, why does Lauren's "soul" bother to hide in a bathroom closet if no one has been able to see her?) and the author doesn't even bother to get the geography of San Francisco right -- a quick look at a map would have shown that it is Post Street, not Polk Street, that runs along Union Square.
Of course, none of this really matters because the book reads like a sketchy proposal for a throw-away romantic comedy starring Sandra Bullock and Hugh Grant. And I have a feeling that's exactly what we're going to get. *sigh*

As an avid reader, I seem to often find myself reading the same worn-out formulas, but just reading the overview of this novel told me I was in for a treat. I was not disappointed! The surreal becomes real and believable in this novel of love, hope and second chances. The more serious, underlying message in this novel could not be ignored. I read the last few lines with a smile and a renewed appreciation for life!! This is a book you will pass on to all your friends!

Oh my... what a love story. The premise maybe improbable - a young architect finds the ghost, or spirit, of a young woman in his closet. Her comatose body residing only a few miles away in the hospital. After he believes her, how can he help her ? I loved this story and can easily visualise it in celluloid before the year is out. The characters feel real and the story has a nice, easy flow to it. This is a romance cut from a different cloth than the usual repetitive pap. I yearn to see more like it.

I admire the author's imagination; how he turned an 'Impossible' situation into a 'Could-happen' one. There are smart jokes, and the ending is unexpected. Right when you think it has come to an end, you are surprised and relieved that there's a final twist to spice up the 'epilogue'. I recommend this book for people who like smart jokes, and simple romance. Of course, you should keep an open-mind as you read this. It could happen to any of us! Marc Levy is brilliant.

I don't know what to think about this novel.

Well, let's start by saying that it's not a good one.

The construction is really mediocre. Many chapters are useless, starting with the very beginning. The novel would have greatly benefited from starting directly with Chapter 3 or 4, directly with the accident, or even with Arthur and his discovery in the closet. Besides, I liked the idea of the closet, Lauren should have stayed in it (no pun intended), it would have been a much more original and interesting story than being able to go wherever she feels like any other ghost.

Another useless part (and a big one), is the whole subplot with the kidnapping of the body, the house in Carmel, the cop, the childhood flashbacks, etc. They bring nothing to the story, and they really make me feel like the author didn't know how to get enough pages to get the "novel" status for his book, so he artificially added a few episodes in the middle. This is kinda sad, because without these unfortunate parts, it would have been a quite interesting short story. And even if he wanted to get a novel no matter what, it could have done it quite interestingly by venturing in other directions (the topic being quite original) and/or developing more the relationship between the two main characters and Lauren state.

Strangely, the parts that I like best are included in the unnecessary chapters, for example, the moments when Arthur and Lauren are getting closer in the family house. But these parts could have easily been relocated in the apartment, and developed more.

Concerning the ending, the last two chapters are way too obvious, and there is nothing worse than a failed attempt at creating suspense. But still the final twist was a good idea. A good idea spoiled by a lame and useless final paragraph.

Overall, it really looks like the screenplay for a Hollywoodian romantic comedy. And actually, a few days ago I learned that it has indeed been adapted into a Hollywoodian romantic comedy starring Reese Witherspoon. Who else?

But, in spite of all its faults (the list that I gave is not comprehensive), I could read it until the end, some parts are quite interesting, at times, the characters are interesting (at times, they're not at all). Yeah, this book is really like a Hollywoodian romantic comedy. Even if it's sappy, it's watchable, almost enjoyable, quickly forgotten and to be used moderately.

I read this book a couple years back and then completely forgot about it until i saw commercials for the new movie with reese witherspoon. i thought it looked familiar.

like others review-writers, this book was an easy read. i think i finished it in an afternoon. The writing wasn't great, the story was alright, and the ending was not-so-surprising.

but overall, it was tolerable and at some points even interesting.

i'll say this in closing, the book was enjoyable enough that i'm looking forward to seeing the movie. but save your money, and borrow the book from a friend or a neighborhood library...it wasn't anything special.

This book is a wonderful change of pace from the usual storylines. It requires the reader to use some imagination in joining Arthur and Lauren in a love based on faith and trust, and belief in the spiritual side of life. It is a blend of humor and impending tragedy that is met with unfailing courage and a message of hope that miracles can, and do,sometimes occur.If you enjoy delving into the supernatural, and you want to get involved in a mood lifting type of book, pick this one up and experience the beauty of it!

This book, about lonely young man who acquires a phantom girlfriend whose physical being is lying comatose in a hospital was an overwhelming success in its french edition, and yet is a genre not frequently seen in english. I haven't yet seen the french edition but suspect that the transalator did much more than "merely paraphrase", and has transferred the story and its characters into modern San Francisco, and with some success. The second half of the book is a little less successful. The protagonist steals the actual girl from the hospital to prevent their withdrawl of life support, and one wonders how the young man can manage to carry this off by himself. And a further and somewhat unlikely complication, a rather intense policeman who has come to suspect that someone is hiding a dead body rather reduces the story to low comedy rather than involving any suspense. The character development is well handled giving the reader a real interest in the outcome. While reading the book I felt the young woman must be very similar to the actress Laura (Reese) Witherspoon, and was later surprised to find that some movie producers felt the same way when the novel was filmed.

Basically this book is about a girl who got a bad accident and when her body's in a coma in the hospital, her spirit's dating a guy. Cool huh? And the story goes on about how much the guy wants to save her from dying and everythin'. Everybody knows that this book has an impossible stories. But if you just let urself get into it and enjoy the book, I guess its gonna be a perfect book for you! Cause this book has a magical plot. sometimes, however, when you get into the real world, ur gonna think its ridiculous. So i suggest this book to those people who actually can imagine things and drifted into the dreamworld!! Have fun on experimenting....

The author's repeated word-for-word use of the "you won't believe this..." speech reminded me of schoolkids' 100-word essays: "I had a very, very, very, very, very, very, very fun summer..." Did he have a page count to reach, or what?
Nor do I understand the bizarre late-book interjection of the police-chief-character-avec-paramour and the exciting new info on Arthur's mom (how is this relevant?).
The prose was so stilted -- I don't believe anyone speaks like these characters (translated from la French, eh?).
So many problems with this book, maximum 1,000 words in my review...
And yet, I finished the book, which to me means that I wanted to know the ending. I'll just never read it again or recommend it.
Here's an open plea to excellent contemporary romance writer Judith McNaught -- please publish soon!!!

At just 216 pages, this book rocketed to the best seller list and made me wish I had written it myself. As a reader, it was one of those books that I just couldn't put down. A heart-warming love story about a woman who meets a man, while in a coma, when he moves into her apartment after her friends and family give up hope of her ever coming out of it. This story will make you laugh, make you cry, and will undoubtedly make you question the most powerful force of all...the human mind! A great weekend or beach read.

There are good books, bad books and original books. I have never read a book like this before. I do not read romance novels, nor did I think this was one, as another reviewer did. I believe in ghosts, and in the spirit, the soul. I intimately know life and death.
Although not a romance novel, this book is about love. About sharing and compassion. About an obsession about life. And retreiving one's life. It is about death, and the fraility of humans.
If you have a curious mind, if you are open to the different realities, if your soul soars, you may love this book, and you may cry. It is a walk I am glad I took.

After reading a fabulous review of "If Only It Were True", I rushed out to buy myself a copy. Unfortunately, after reading it, I was a bit disappointed. It's the story of Lauren, a young beautiful doctor (I couldn't get Julia Roberts out of my mind)who gets in a terrible car accident in the first chapter of the book which puts her in an irreversible coma. In the second chapter, Arthur, a young, relatively unhappy architect (who is renting Lauren's apartment) finds Lauren hiding in his closet one night. Lauren is suprised he can see and hear her, Arthur is suprised there is a strange, but beautiful, woman in his house. Lauren proceeds to tell Arthur that she is actually in a coma on the other side of town. Arthur has a real life human ghost on his hands! Should Arthur believe her? Will Lauren ever wake up from her coma? Will Laren's mom take her off life support, and if she does, what will happen to the human ghost that Arthur has fallen madly in love with? Doesn't this sounds like the plot of a day time soap opera? The book does have a romantic feel, and it touches on the theme of living every moment to the fullest, but I found it to be a bit on the cheesy side, and the realtionship between Lauen and Arthur to be unrealistic and trite. If you're looking for a summer "no-brainer" and if you love daytime soaps, I'd say give this book a whirl!

This is a brilliant book - mixes proper happy-ending romance with some fairly steep ups and downs on the way - and in true French style, a fair few comments on life, the universe and everything on the way. Like a couple of the other reviewers, I read it in the original French (it's an excellent choice if you're learning the language at a sort of A-level/pre-university level - settle down with this and a dictionary and it'll keep you riveted enough you won't even realise you've just read a whole book in a foreign language); I therefore didn't suffer the inevitable translationitus. The follow-up is just as good, as are his other books. Interesting to find a French author writing commercially viable books about non-French people and set in a country other than France. Fabulous stuff - cannot recommend more highly as these books are some of the best I've read for ages.

Before the movie's release...I read Just Like Heaven. I can now say the movie has to be better than the book. I know it was originally written in French and published there, but the American/English publisher seems to have commissioned a literal French to English translation with horrible results. There is a complete lack of understanding for spoken American English and general American life. The errors make it seem as if the author "just doesn't get it" and would have been much better off setting the book in France with French characters. Street intersections are "crossroads." EMTs are "doctors" who answer calls from the hospital. Doctors and technicians are interchangeably referred to as "medics" (although no one is in the U.S. Army in this book). I could go on.... If only a decent translation had been done, reading this book would have been much more fun. The twist at the end is sweet, but it's painful to get there.

I read "If Only It Were True" the first time and absolutely hated it. At the end of the book, I read that the author is French. The second reading, I had to make myself hear the prose in a French cadence, rather than my usual American. The second time around I enjoyed the book, but I still don't feel like raving over it. The plot is fluffy and I didn't feel much emotion, but then again, I don't feel much emotion watching French cinema. I can see how the average American, weened on a diet of instant gratification, ADD-inducing mass media would have a hard time digesting Levy's work. Those with a longer attention span might consider giving it a whirl. It's not The Great American Novel as the cover blurbs would have you to believe, but it's fun to get lost in the story for a couple of hours.

The story was a little more of soap operaish but I did like the story only it is too slow about Arthur's mom. But It's a great buy! Lauren suffers an anmesia and finds herself in Arthur's closet but Arthur is the only person who can see her, hear her, talk to her so Arthur must find a way to stop Lauren's doctors agreeing to do euthanasia to Lauren's unconsious body and destroy their bond...

This book had been on my "to read" list for a while, because I was intrigued with the concept. However, the book did not meet my expectations. It was obvious that English was not the writer's first language - his sometimes cumbersome word and phrase choices took me out of the fantasy. And I guess that's the bottom-line for me. This book requires the reader to suspend his/her disbelief a great deal. I can usually do this *very* easily, but wasn't able to with this book. Therefore, I never really "bought" the story.

I picked up this book because it was advertised as a best-seller in France, but I was quickly disappointed. The author seemed to be in a hurry to finish, picking up speed after the introduction of Lauren and gaining speed at a rate that provided no motivation to buy into his plot. Dialogue is trite and attempts at humor are very 1950's.
Maybe the movie will add some depth, but I'll definitely wait for the video to find out. I should have remembered the French like Jerry Lewis movies, too.

This book is a very spectacular romance/mystery.I recommend this book to anyone who loves phenomenal romances.Before I read this book,I thought it was going to be boring.But after the second chapter,I knew this wasn't so.Levy's characters really play well with the story.Their actions make the book more alive.The book is so extraordinary that it makes you feel every emotion,especially the accident in chapter two.Whenever I read that realistic accident scene,it causes me to stop breathing.Toward the end of the book I was crying so hard that I just couldn't read anymore.After I finished the book,I figured out that life is a mystery and anything strange can happen when people least expect it.

When I heard about the concept and the Hollywood bidding war that ensued for this book, I thought that I was going to be in for an interesting read. I am still impressed with the concept, but this has to be one of the clunkiest things I have ever read. A story with the cast of perfect characters and sugary platitudes that just doesn't cut it as worthwhile reading. The first two chapters showed immense potential but the dialogue when Laurel and Arthur got together was cloying and unnatural. Much of the "life live to the fullest" content was the same old same old and I read parts of this in spam emails that I DID NOT forward to my friends. If this thing is going to be made into a movie, the dialogue has to be thrown out the window and somebody has to cut the sugary sentimentality out of it.

When I thought of writing this review I knew I should come up with a negative about the book so the review would appear balanced, so here is what I finally came up with: Most of the characters are too nice to exist in real life. That should tell you how great a book this is. The best part is that the story ends the way it should. Not exactly the way I wanted but better than that. Already I have recommended this book to customers where I work and family and I just finished it this morning. If this story doesn't become a Julia Roberts blockbuster in the future there is no justice. If you read only one new author this year Marc levy is the one to choose!

It's a good thing I had a supply of insulin on hand to counteract the saccherine of this book. I was willing to suspend disbelief - I knew from the blurb the nature of the story. The book started promisingly enough - I particularly liked how the hero's friend and partner made sure the hero saw a psychologist once he (the hero) had reported a ghost in his appartment. However, the ease with which the partner was persuaded to break the law (and break it seriously!) was scarely credible. But my main problem with the book is the descent into sentimentality in the second half of the book. What a disappointment from such a promising premise and beginning.

Summary: An okay book that eases away a few hours. Although the story and writting is substantially better than Nicholas Sparks' "Message in a Bottle" it would still make a poor movie.
Strengths: Moderately interesting storyline. Nice touches of San Francisco.
Weaknesses: The writing is trite and uninspired. The relationship dynamics between Arthur and Lauren are largely superficial and left me wondering why they were so much in love. Many key details were incorrect, e.g. a 1961 Ford "Woody" station wagon? with a V-6? Woody's were made 10-20 years earlier and V-6's didn't appear in Ford until many years later, bringing into question the integrity of other aspects of the story. Simple research would have tightened up the facts.

I thought the premise of this book was interesting, but it turned out to be a little trite and with awfully large holes in the plot. I might be being stupid, but I expected a sort of metaphysical mystery, how to get Lauren back into her body ? It smacks of something that was written in order to be sold to Dreamworks and star Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks. But if you would like to spend a day reading a very undemanding book then this is for you. (I'm still confused, why did she go back?)

I don't usually read this type of book but it looked interesting and so I picked it up. I loved it. It was a funny, lighthearted book that made you feel good. Not deep reading, just relaxing. I passed it on to my sister who loved it also. I read it a long time ago and now I see a movie is coming out. Can't wait to see it! Read the book and then see the movie,

a fun kind of movie. Romance and humor.

After reviewing this disappointing book for a small local magazine, I called the publisher and had them send me a copy in the original French. It was much better. Editors for the English version (employees of Pocket Books, I assume) had deleted dialogue, rearranged scenes and destroyed Marc Levy's surprise ending. I found the French version a very interesting, very beautifully written book. Unfortunately for those who only read English, reading the translated substitute is like eating Cheez-Wiz instead of Brie.

Unlike many of the other reviewers, I didn't love this book at all.

Although its good qualities included being light, fluffy, and a quick and easy read, I think that's where it stopped for me.

The transitions in the book were choppy, the premises all way too far-fetched, and the descriptions were lacking.

It's a good book to read to escape for a little while (2 hours top) but it lacked substance for me.

It is an awesome book. The story is romantic but yet original, the writing is light. I read it in French so I don't know about the translation into English, but I was disappointed to finish this book and the next one (there is a follow up). I really enjoyed reading it (in 4 hours !).

This book deserves many more good words then it got so i decdied to let you guys know how wonderful this book really is. I loved this book and all sappyness. Athough you can tell from the beginning what will happen between the main characters, you are interested to see how it will work. The best part is how Lauren seems to give up and Authur wont let her. The ending is a suprise and although it seems to be predicatable it does have a twist which isnt easy to figure out. This book is so uplifting, id recommend it to anyone who just wants a book to enjoy.

Even though the story centers itself on a "classical" theme: "I am the only one that can actually see the ghost", it does not exploit the obvious. Yes, there are "Who are you talking to?" and "I am worried about you, my friend..." kind of scenes, but if you accept the supernatural principle of it, the entire story falls into place in a very sound manner. All in all, it is a metaphor about two people falling in love, without realizing, due to the more pressing matters they have to attend to (namely, one of them is in a state of coma!)

This was something that I do not normally read, and I am still not sure why I picked this book to read. But, I have to tell you that I read this book about a year ago, and it was a wonderful, hopeful story. It was an easy read. I loved the characters and fell in love with them too. I can usually read about two to three books a week, and this is one story that that has stuck in my mind....I usually forget. The book cover said that it was being made into a movie, and I have been looking for it. I never read the romance novels...they just don't appeal to me, but this was very ooooh and aaahh, and touching for me. I loved this book! It made me feel good.

I would like to share my opinion of this wonderful book. I will first point out that I read it in French, my native language. When I was in Paris earlier this year, everyone was talking about his book. I read most of it in a red eye flight between San Francisco and Chicago,...and i could not put it down! There are two key points that make this a must read book: - Its originality - Its humor, which makes you forget how serious the situation is. I found myself many times laughing out loud, almost to tears.

Just Like Heaven is an amazing book. If you find yourself searching for an incredible love story than this is the book for you. Sure some of it is a little far-fetched (being the fact that Lauren is the ghost of a comatose body) but that is what we have imaginations for, to dream the impossible and unimaginable. Enjoy this book, I sure did. I found my self smiling as I read the last paragraph to this now treasured book.

This book was one of the best books I have read in a while. I am 16 years old and I don't read much anymore unless it is a book I really get into, if not I just skim over it, but this was an awesome book! It really touches you, it gives you tingles, because what if it really was true that a person in a coma really was walking around. I definetely recommend this book!!

READ THIS BOOK! I'm only 13, and I absolutely loved it. I mean, I couldn't put it down! A highly entertaining read. Within the 1st hour, I was already on, like, page 62, no kidding! I'm always hyper, so my mom worships that book like the Bible for keeping me quiet. I've told all of my friends, then loaned it to them. They loved it, too! So now I want you to go read it. .... Yay! I love happy endings!!! ;)

If you're in the mood for a quick, entertaining read, this book is definitely for you. Marc Levy is a great storyteller. Throughout the entire book, I just couldn't wait to see what was going to happen next.

The only issue someone might have with this book is that you can tell it was translated from another language. I personally found this interesting, so it didn't bother me at all.

I really thought I would like the idea of this book. Getting through the first hundred pages has really been tough. I keep hoping it will get better. Someone wrote that it seems like it is a movie script for Meg Ryan and I can't help but agree. It does remind me of City of Angels but this is just plain silly. I keep thinking of I Dream of Jeannie or Bewitched. I will try to finish it. Hopefully I will be back to say that it was worth it.

This is the best book I've ever read. You can't put it down until the end. It's funny, sad, touching, suspenseful and just awesome. Marc Levy is a very talented writer who shows his readers how valueable their life is. He has a great imagination that captures readers attention. It's amazing that this is his first novel. I look forward to more books from Mr. Levy.

This is a brilliant book - mixes proper happy-ending romance with some fairly steep ups and downs on the way - and in true French style, a fair few comments on life, the universe and everything on the way. Like a couple of the other reviewers, I read it in the original French (it's an excellent choice if you're learning the language at a sort of A-level/pre-university level - settle down with this and a dictionary and it'll keep you riveted enough you won't even realise you've just read a whole book in a foreign language); I therefore didn't suffer the inevitable translationitus. The follow-up is just as good, as are his other books. Interesting to find a French author writing commercially viable books about non-French people and set in a country other than France. Fabulous stuff - cannot recommend more highly as these books are some of the best I've read for ages.

It was a good book. I always wonder were people in a coma go or just dreaming
The movie was cute that where i found the name of this book. Drs. Should sleep at the hospital before driving home after long hours work.

I am an avid reader and I was really looking forward to this book because the story line looked cute. The book was written so that it was hard to relate to the characters. I liked the storyline but the writing was hard to endure. I am hoping the new movie coming out will be better than the book.

This is a very cute book and quite a fast read.

My only problem with this book was the fact that there was such a lack of character relationship development between Lauren & Arthur; their romance felt rushed.

Other than that? It was a pleasure to read.

What a wonderful book. I just happened to pick it up at the sale table and have recommended to everyone. I love the fantasy aspects as well as the romantic, and I especially love the surprise ending! This is just a great, feel good, book! Read it as soon as you can!

This is the best book that I've read lately (next to Message in a Bottle - N Sparks). For me, it was definitely a page turner. I must say I was surprised with the ending. I'm anxiously awaiting Marc's next book. Great reading!!

Patty Engelmann in Booklist says "Levy has managed to make the improbable seem possible".I disagree, being too grounded in reality,but Levy would be pleasedwith her review since an accurate translation of the title is "What if It Were True?"

Please don't read the publishers weekly review, they don't even have the facts of the book right. I don't want to spoil the book for you, but lets just say it is a great love story about some pretty eccentric people. This was a fun and easy read. It is great for a mother of 6 that has to be able to put down a book at in point and be able to resume without back paddling.

If I could give this book less than 1 star, I would. I can stand sappy, but this was just stupid. Neither the plot nor the characters were at all believable. I still can't believe I actually finished it.

If I could give this book less than 1 star, I would. I can stand sappy, but this was just stupid. Neither the plot nor the characters were at all believable. I still can't believe I actually finished it.

I love this movie. I play it every so often because it is entertainment with a capital E. It has romance, humour, and imagination plus. It is devoid of offensive language, explicit sex and non-violence...a movie I can sit with anyone and feel comfortable. The lead actors portray their characters beautifully.

This is not a movie for those who prefer a more realistic, slice-of-life story. It is light and non-disturbing.

MARC LEVY EST UN EXCELLENT AUTEUR CAR IL CAPTURE L'ESSENCE MEME DU VRAI AMOUR , CE N EST PAS UN AMOUR FOU DES LA PREMIERE RENCONTRE MAIS PLUTOT UN AMOUR QUI VOUS EMPORTE AVEC LE PLUS DE TEMPS PASSE A ETRE ENSEMBLE . TRES BON ROMAN DE POCHE.