TROPICAL KISS AND TELL by Liwen Y. Ho
SERIES: Tropical Kisses #2
GENRE: Inspirational Contemporary Romance / Novella
PUBLISHER: 2 Square 2 Be Hip
RELEASE DATE: November 2017
PAGES: 101
Falling in love with the girl next door was never part of his plan … until she fell for someone else.
Micah Chan has loved Lucy Choi ever since they were kids, but life—and some regretful decisions—stopped him from pursuing her. Now he has a choice to make: Let her marry another man or break up her engagement to make this Christmas the most memorable one of their lives?
Micah and Lucy were introduced as children in the books Tropical Kiss or Miss and Taking a Chance on the Enemy, respectively. Meet them now as adults on the brink of discovering their own happily-ever-after.
I haven’t yet read the author’s previous books in which Micah and Lucy appeared (as children) but I definitely want to go back and read them soon – because I fell in love with both of these characters! Through the flashbacks of their close friendship that started in adolescence to the present day scenes where things could either go very right or very wrong with new awareness of deeper feelings… Micah and Lucy leapt off the pages and into my heart.
Micah seems at first to be Lucy’s polar opposite – he’s buttoned up where she’s free-spirited, for instance – but once we get to know them a bit more, we can see how alike they really are, too. Both have big hearts, both are loyal (even if they have different ways of showing it), both have a gift at connecting with people. They also have a similarly blended family, a shared cultural heritage, and hold onto the truth that God works all things for good for those who love Him. This smooth blend of personalities makes for some very sweet scenes as well as other scenes that will leave a grin on your face.
The author’s writing voice is engaging and bright, the characters layered and well-developed in spite of the relatively short word count. The plot progressed at a steady pace, and the transition between flashbacks to present day was seamlessly executed. I also loved the organic way that Asian-American culture & family life is part of the dimensions to both the characters and the plot. Micah and Lucy & their story could not be separated from their heritage and have the story still be as dimensional or enjoyable as it – a balance that’s sometimes hard to achieve in other books I’ve read but Liwen Y. Ho has done so in a way that feels effortless.
A well-written, tender, witty, and sweet friends-to-more romance that will have you rooting for Micah and Lucy to see (and embrace) what – and who – has been right in front of them all along.
(I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I read through Kindle Unlimited. All views expressed are only my honest opinion. This review first appeared on Diversity Between the Pages.)
My Rating: 4.5 stars / loved it
KissingBook Level: 3 / may forget to breathe on occasion
amazon affiliate link used
Also available to read for FREE with Kindle Unlimited
Liwen Y. Ho works as a chauffeur and referee by day (AKA being a stay at home mom) and an author by night. She writes sweet and inspirational contemporary romance infused with heart, humor, and a taste of home (her Asian roots).
In her pre-author life, she received a Master’s degree in Marriage and Family Therapy from Western Seminary, and she loves makeovers of all kinds, especially those of the heart and mind. She lives in the San Francisco Bay Area with her techie husband and their two children, and blogs about her adventures as a recovering perfectionist at www.2square2behip.com.
Other Books by Liwen Y. Ho
What about you? What interests you most about Tropical Kiss and Tell by Liwen Y. Ho?
Thanks for sharing about a new author. I like the description of the characters and they sound interesting to read about.
they were!
Thank you so much, Carrie! Reading this review (again) brought a big smile to my face! 🙂
🙂