The More the Merrier

Seasons of Love #1

by Liwen Y. Ho

Fed up with a string of bad blind dates, health blogger Alyssa Wu just wants to drown her sorrows in ice cream. But there’s one more evening she must endure - a fake date with her best friend Barry Chang. They must convince her family they are in love, an act which may (or may not) be easy to pull off, thanks to the magic of some mistletoe.

This 10,000 word short story is perfect for your lunch break, workout or while you wait in line at the mall. Read it today to get in the Christmas spirit any time of the year!

Love listening to music while you read? If so, check out The More The Merrier's playlist, available now on Soundcloud and YouTube! Go here: soundcloud.com/2square2behip/sets/the...
YouTube: youtube.com/watch?v=WA4iX5D9Z64&l...

Song List:
1. We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together - Taylor Swift
2. Winter Wonderland/Don't Worry Be Happy - Pentatonix (ft. Tori Kelly)
3. Falling For You - Colbie Caillat
4. Beauty and A Beat - Justin Bieber
5. All I Want For Christmas Is You - Mariah Carey
6. Thinking Out Loud - Ed Sheeran

Genres: Romance, Christmas, Short Stories, Clean Romance, Contemporary

37 pages, ebook

First published October 18, 2015

About the author

USA Today bestselling author Liwen Y. Ho works as a chauffeur and chef by day (AKA a stay at home mom) and a writer by night. Her strength is in creating character-driven, deep POV romance infused with faith, humor, and happy ever afters.

In her pre-author life, she received a Masters degree in Marriage and Family Therapy from Western Seminary. 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 (AKA munchkins).

Sign up for Liwen's newsletter for news about her upcoming releases, book giveaways and more at http://liwenho.com/free-book!

Reviews

[Kathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Super cute short Christmas story.

Content: Clean
Source: Kindle Unlimited

[Kate Willis · Rating 3 out of 5]

I picked up this short story on a Clean Indie Reads promotion, read a few pages, and then promptly forgot about it until now when I opened my Kindle to review another book and “accidentally” read the whole thing. ;)

It was a pretty cute, classic, cheesy Christmas story, but friends-to-lovers is one of my favorite storylines, so I was all in. ;)

I liked how Alyssa and Barry did regular, down-to-earth things together like just talking about life, eating ice cream (that’s always good), and handing out gifts for charity. The message of valuing someone for who they are instead of our own opinion of what they should be like was really special too. ;)

Just a note, there were a couple instances of things along the lines of a guy “just being for kissing and not conversation” or something looking “sexy”. Also, there were three very sweet but slightly detailed kisses.

Best quote: “I say I must have been a very good girl this year. Santa outdid himself.” “Well, I do have connections with the man in red.”

Altogether, this was a cute, short read! I look forward to trying out more by this author.

Also, I need ice cream.

[H.L. Burke · Rating 4 out of 5]

While not my usual genre, I enjoyed this cute little story. It had likable characters who managed to have believable foibles without making me want to scream at them for stupid choices. A quick read with a satisfying end.

[Elizabeth Edwards · Rating 5 out of 5]

1st time reading Liwen books before??! such a new fan. i gotta admit i have a bit of an obsession with Christmas books ...i have read a bunch this holiday season ...and it has been a great love i have always had ... just reading Christmas books ... no matter the time throughout the year. I enjoy the cover, on Kindle Unlimited if you do that service. short, sweet, and oh so romantic!! such a sweet great read for this Christmas season, and i do look forward to more from Liwen soon enough!!! 'cause i really enjoy these characters, Liwen writing style ... fo fun!

[Ru4repeat · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a marvelous book. I enjoy seeing how characters that begin as friends become more. It is especially fun to read that moment when reality strikes and they realized that they can't possibly live without each other.

The one caveat that I didn't enjoy was the use of religious expletives. It may seem minor to some, but to me that was a large enough to remove an entire star from my review.
On a steaminess level I would rate this a pleasant PG.

[Skye Kilaen]

Overall I liked this, especially both main characters, but I think it needed to be about 25% longer to make the conflict feel real. It was too easily resolved.

[Toni Shiloh · Rating 4 out of 5]

I always enjoy the friends to more tropes. This was a good, short read.

[Nadine Keels · Rating 5 out of 5]

She couldn’t remember the last time she had kissed a guy or even held hands with one. Being a third wheel wasn’t usually so bad, but the holidays always reminded her that she had wasted yet another year searching for Mr. Right.

Ah--a quick Christmas in late April. That hit the spot!

Having enjoyed other romances by author Liwen Y. Ho, I was rather certain I'd like The More the Merrier, even though I didn't know what it was about ahead of time. I just dove right on into Alyssa Wu's dilemma concerning a string of unfortunate blind dates and a "fake date" with her guy-friend-neighbor, Barry Chang--a date that may or may not get Alyssa's parents off her back about finding herself a husband already.

Yes, the read is short, sweet, romantic (even a little hot), Christmassy, and not just a straight shot to Happily Ever After without believable conflict. Sure, there are a couple of emotional swings that happen a tad fast to keep the story going, but not so fast as to give the reader whiplash or anything. I even had some real giggles and a moment or two of eyebrow raising--in a very good way.

I'd recommend this fun splash of Merry to any fans of sweet romance at springtime, summertime, Christmastime--whatever time a splash of Merry is wanted or needed.

[Julie Spencer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Book Review of The More the Merrier by Liwen Ho

I loved The More the Merrier by Liwen Ho and I wished it were longer! I know, I know, it’s called a ‘short story’ for a reason, but I really wanted to get to know the characters even more and delve into their lives. Liwen did a great job with character development, because I feel like I can really picture them in body & mind. I loved the ‘boy next door’ aspect of the story and how they were best friends before they fell in love. The best person to fall in love with is your best friend! I asked Liwen about the title because I was a little confused by it. Other than the cute reference to ice cream at the end, I wasn’t sure what she meant by the more the merrier. She told me that it’s in reference to the ‘more’ that Barry brings to Alyssa’s life in terms of fun and a different perspective on life. In other words, there’s more to life than money and status. She’s so right about that! I look forward to reading more stories by Liwen. Have you read The More the Merrier by Liwen Ho? What’s your opinion? –Julie L. Spencer

[Joyful · Rating 5 out of 5]

This short story novella is a heart warming, sweet, funny romantic story. How can she be in love with her neighbor and good friend? He is so different than what her dream man is suppose to be. But wait. How can her dream man even be real? Is she expecting the impossible while the reality is right in front of her? I was given a copy for an honest review. I recommend this story and author.

[Marty Moore · Rating 5 out of 5]

The More The Merrier

This is a sweet story about friends who fall in love.
I like the idea of being good friends before you fall in love. I feel this gives the relationship a more solid foundation. God should be the head of the family, then your relationship. This is a quick read and is very up lifting.

[Jay Tria · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book! I've read Liwen's other work, but Alyssa and Barry are my favorites. I love how their friendship was easy and comfortable, and how natural it felt when a trigger pushed it into so much more. Plus it's an Asian-American romance, and I think we need more of those! More of these please, Liwen. Congratulations! <3

[Erica · Rating 5 out of 5]

Heartwarming romance

This was a heartwarming story. I almost want to give it 4 stars because I want more. It ends too fast! I wish the story was longer! I want more time with Barry and Alyssa.

[Tanya · Rating 5 out of 5]

I so enjoyed Alyssa and Barry's story! It was a fun romance perfect for any season!

[Chele Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mistletoe and Ice Cream are Perfect Anytime

I read this short story while waiting for my husband's medical procedure on a dreary, wet January day. Some holiday cheer was just what I needed. This is my second Liwen book and I've enjoyed both.
The story was well written and believable, not too silly but just the right amount of fun.
Organized and precise, health blogger Alyssa is burrowing in chocolate, sick of blind dates gone wrong. Too bad she doesn't realize what's she looking for has been under her nose, offering spoonfuls of consolation ice cream all along. Lys and scruffy, laidback Barry have a very special mint chocolate friendship, even though she prefers plain ole predictable vanilla. Barry has just the right things to say to fix Alyssa's problems and after a weekend of favors posing as a pair leads to a merry mistletoe mix up, she must face the fact she's been missing. But are the comfortable pals willing to risk freezer burn if they splurge on the sundae of true love with all the toppings?
If you enjoy sweet romance and quick reads, I recommend this cute story. And now I'm off to rummage for a scoop of frozen perfection, myself.

[Naika · Rating 4 out of 5]

I went into this book without any expectations but was pleasantly surprised by how cute it was. The More the Merrier is a very quick, friends-to-lovers, faking dating story that follows Alyssa - a health guru and writer - and Barry - a laidback videogame developer. Basically, the romance tropes I tend to favor.

Alyssa and Barry agree to help each other out when they find themselves in a bit of a dilemma; Alyssa needs a date to her dad's 60th birthday party, and Barry needs someone to be the elf to his Santa for a holiday event he agreed to volunteer for at a hospital. You could tell they really did care and look out for one another.

Aside from the fake dating, which was introduced and resolved fairly quickly, this was really low angst. There wouldn't have been any room for that, as this story is under 40 pages.

There is a food element to this book; I was all for the ice cream talk - can't say the same for the unappetizing smoothies and baked goods Alyssa insisted on making.

This felt like a nice introduction to the author. I will look into their backlist.

[Christi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a cute story!! Definitely put me in the holiday spirit this year!

Unexpected love between friends is one of my favorite plots, so I was immediately smitten! Alyssa and Barry have such an organic feel together, and I loved the birthday/Christmas Eve party! I could've seen this being a full-length novel easily, as it has a wonderful flow that you don't want to see end. I also loved the ice cream analogy! What a delicious way to describe personality traits and so creative!

A fun, short story with engaging and relatable characters, beautiful writing, and in the perfect setting. Who doesn't love finding someone you can freely be yourself with, and right before your very eyes? Definitely a must read, and I cannot wait to read the other books in the Seasons of Love series!

[Joanna Alonzo · Rating 5 out of 5]

I didn't expect to get so sucked in...

Let me just say from the get-go that it'd been years since I read romance. I think the last one I read was A Walk to Remember by Nicholas Sparks when I was fifteen. (Unless you count Atonement as romance, but I digress...)

I love this! What a great way to get back to reading romance! Clean and warm and amusing. Great characters and a wonderful lesson learned. A good reminder to give "different" a chance to surprise you. I'm so grateful I picked up this book and will definitely read the rest of the stories in the series. And I'm also gonna look for mint chocolate chip ice cream...

[Sandra Lopez · Rating 3 out of 5]

Alyssa Wu was spending yet another holiday looking for Mr. Right. Always so intense about her work (she’s a blog writer for a health company,) she just wants someone as compatible to her. Then comes the deal: In exchange for being Santa’s Little Helper, her neighbor/friend, Barry, will be her pretend boyfriend at her parent’s 60th anniversary party.

After one hospital event in an elf costume, Alyssa has decided that she’s in love with Barry. Wow, that fast, huh? And how convenient that Barry has always liked her.

The two play a good role for each other. Writing was pretty good, too.

An okay Xmas love story.

[Leila Tualla · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was such a short and quick read. We meet Alyssa and her "dilemma." Classic fake boyfriend/next door neighbors/friends turned lovers. I'm pretty sure I smiled through the entire exchange between Barry, the next door neighbor who cleans up nice, and Alyssa, our by-the-book, serious heroine who needed a little fun and merry in her life. Bonus: this reminded me of a Hallmark movie and one where Asians were the lead and knowing that certain professions (doctors, engineers, lawyers) are accepted in an Asian community and some are not. For a blogger and writer like Alyssa, I completely related to her, right down to the ice cream choices and stress eating sweets.

[Pattisue · Rating 4 out of 5]

“All work and no play makes for a lonely Alyssa Wu.” There are no pretenses with video game programmer Barry Chang, “what you see is what you get.” Opposites attract in this friendship turns into love. Fun moments of deception with a few twists and turns along the way keep this short story interesting. Alyssa must examine her priorities. What her heart wants versus what her family and others expect. “Barry doesn’t want to be defined by his bank account or his job.” Story themes include appearance versus reality and making judgments. This little novella is a fun, sweet Christmas treat.

[Carolyn Vandine West · Rating 4 out of 5]

Alyssa can count on her best friend Barry for just about anything. But when she needs a date for her father’s birthday party can she count on Barry? Barry offers her a trade off if she plays Santa’s elf for him, he will be her pretend date and boyfriend. Sparks fly when the mistletoe is hung above their heads.
I really loved this shortie, definitely a 41/2 just shy of a 5.
Don’t skip this one
I received this free not sure now if directly from the author or on a promotional sight. But the view is mine and was not required

[Richard Goodrum · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great, little story. It is inspiring that Barry, a plain homebody, is willing to go to extremes to support Alyssa in front of her parents. It took words from her father to unlock Alyssa's blinders and allow her to see the real Barry for herself. Not a full HEA, but it contains a lot of potential and promise.

Easy-to-read. Entertaining. Inspirational. Page-turner. Romantic. Tear-jerker. Unpredictable. Whimsical. Wonderful characters.

Part of "Seasons of Love: A Collection of Clean and Wholesome Romances"

[Toni · Rating 4 out of 5]

Oh wow! I absolutely loved this short book. Alyssa and Barry are next-door neighbors and best friends who talk about everything while eating ice cream. Alyssa is a very straight-to-the-point, goal-oriented person, while Barry is her carefree sweatpants-wearing friend, which makes for such a fun combo. They find themselves in a situation where they need to fake date, only to realize they’re falling in love with each other. The book was so adorable! It’s a classic fake relationship trope, but this one was just so awesome.

[Chicken · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This story was an exciting, adorable story. It was complete and didn’t feel cut off. It left me with a smile on my face. The protagonist grew as the story went on. She learned that money and wealth isn’t what define a person. It’s their actions and words that make them. I love how it was devoid of bad language and mature scenes. It was also pretty funny.

I wrote this voluntary review in exchange for an ARC copy.

[Patricia Kiyono · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this friends-to-more story. I quickly identified with the characters, since Alyssa's parents, with their high expectations and adherence to Asian traditions, reminded me of my own. Barry was adorable, and I liked the way he kept his achievements and good deeds to himself. Alyssa is driven, and it's easy to see how she would overlook Barry as a serious boyfriend. A cute read!

[Abigail Ford · Rating 4 out of 5]

Short and Extra Sweet

This was a great book to help me chill for a little while after the holiday craze. It was very sweet, very cute. Loved it! Will definitely be reading more from this author.

[Reina Williams · Rating 5 out of 5]

The More the Merrier is a fun kisses-only short story, perfect to get in a holiday mood. I love the main characters and their friendship that soon shows the possibility for romance. Looking forward to reading more sweet romance by Liwen Ho.

[Sandra Hartzel · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had a free copy of this book, but this is my honest and voluntary opinion. Health blogger Alyssa Wu goes on a fake date with neighbor and best friend, Barry Chang who ends up being the perfect date which changes their relationship. A heartwarming short story by Liwen Y. Ho.

[Cathie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very well written short story

Liwen did a nice job on this story. I've never read anything by her before, but I'll be looking for more!!