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Taking Chances #2
Taking a Chance on Mr. Wrong
She’s an Asian doctor who’s given up on love. He’s the perfect catch in every way but one—he’s not Chinese. Family drama ensues when she decides to take a chance on Mr. Wrong.
Melanie Koo may be a physician skilled in helping others, but the one thing she can’t fix is her own love life. That’s why her mother comes up with the perfect remedy—an arranged marriage. Being a dutiful daughter, she agrees to this loveless match … until a chance meeting leads her to the cure for her hopeless heart.
Ben Peters is everything Melanie was not looking for, but she can’t help but be drawn to his passionate and kind nature and, not to mention, those adorable dimples. For once in her life, she considers breaking parental expectations to go after what she wants. The only thing standing in her way is a five foot one traditional Chinese mother and her scheming ways.
Melanie must make the biggest decision of her life. Will she stay true to her family or will she choose to believe that true love can be colorblind?
*Taking a Chance on Mr. Wrong was formerly titled True to You. This story was edited and rereleased with a new cover for your reading pleasure.
Melanie Koo may be a physician skilled in helping others, but the one thing she can’t fix is her own love life. That’s why her mother comes up with the perfect remedy—an arranged marriage. Being a dutiful daughter, she agrees to this loveless match … until a chance meeting leads her to the cure for her hopeless heart.
Ben Peters is everything Melanie was not looking for, but she can’t help but be drawn to his passionate and kind nature and, not to mention, those adorable dimples. For once in her life, she considers breaking parental expectations to go after what she wants. The only thing standing in her way is a five foot one traditional Chinese mother and her scheming ways.
Melanie must make the biggest decision of her life. Will she stay true to her family or will she choose to believe that true love can be colorblind?
*Taking a Chance on Mr. Wrong was formerly titled True to You. This story was edited and rereleased with a new cover for your reading pleasure.
Unknown Binding
First published April 25, 2015
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364 people want to read
About the author
Liwen Y. Ho
95 books330 followersUSA Today bestselling author Liwen Y. Ho works as a chauffeur and referee 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!
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!
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 33 reviews
December 23, 2016
I have a hard time reviewing romances because I am very aware that a lot of the things that annoy me about the genre (and hence why I rarely read it) are kind of expected and even enjoyed by romance readers in general. Mainly drama. I have little to no tolerance for drama (in real life or fiction) ... I enjoy quieter character driven romances from time to time with the drama played more for humor than frustration and people actually talking through things to solve their problems, and this one satisfies that ...for the most part. At the end we're introduced to a "drama upper" which I could've done without (can't discuss without spoilers), but I felt like it was more a few pages of "speed bump" rather than a serious flaw. Honestly, I kind of would've liked the whole thing to be him just trying to adapt to her family and making little cultural mistakes which her mother would blow out of proportion. That would've been just the right amount of drama for me. However, if you don't mind a story going a level deeper with some more serious dramatic issues, that probably won't be a negative for you.
December 20, 2015
First of all, this book has a wonderful cover. Its very cute and fits the story perfectly. True To You is a novella about love, two kinds of love actually; the prearranged love and the coincidental love. Melanie and Melvin are going to get married soon, two well-accomplished young adults who’ve been put together by their families. That’s right, a prearranged marriage. That may sound odd for a modern day story but the characters are Christian Chinese Americans so that’s to be expected in a family that still follows the stickler portion of their culture.
The relationship between Melvin and Melanie isn’t bad, Melvin actually adores his new fiancée—in fact, he always has since they first met in medical school five years ago. Unfortunately, and this is where the story gets interesting, Melanie doesn’t feel the same way. Its not that she hates Melvin, she just doesn’t like him that way. She does try to be fair and give the engagement a shot but after meeting a hunky bachelor in the store one afternoon, Melanie becomes all too aware that an arranged marriage is NOT for her. Forget tradition, this girl wants love and she wants it now. But then, what 26-year-old still living with mom and dad doesn’t?
You can imagine the rest of the story from there, I don’t want to spoil too much but I will say that there are many elements brought up along this short journey. There’s religion, education, even a bit of racism. Basically all the things you can expect from a sheltered family who practically forbids dating outside of their race. I very much enjoyed the story and I would recommend it to readers of all ages and religious backgrounds. It doesn’t give you that passionate oomph you might be looking for in most romances but it is sweet and offers an alternative side of romance that you might enjoy if you want to keep things clean.
One of the things I liked about this story was that it was full of minority characters. Melanie was Chinese while her second love interest, Ben was an all American kind of guy. Chiseled jaw, great height, a real man. But there was always that cultural element that reminded us of our main characters and their national background. This is my biggest compliment and complaint at the same time.
While I love books with minority leads, ESPECIALLY biracial couples, I do not like being reminded of their race every other page. This is something that I notice is quite common in books with Asian leads. Every other page there is some sort of reminder of their skin color or their jet black hair or their language or their food or their style of dress. It gets to a point where there is SO much detail about their CULTURE that there is hardly much writing done on the actual STORY. I just want to scream; I get it! You’re Asian! Now tell the story!
Maybe I feel annoyed because I’m actually well acquainted with many Asian cultures. I myself attended a Chinese Christian church for over a year, yes I was the ONLY one there who wasn’t Asian. I can name over 100 different Japanese shows, dozens of Korean dramas, and I can probably go toe to toe with a Vietnamese cook. So seeing all these details just gets in the way for me because I already know these things.
I also find it irritating that Asian leads tend to be the same; smart, overachievers, ridiculously sheltered, ridiculously innocent, and ridiculously naïve. I dare Asian authors to write a book about a promiscuous Asian who curses like a sailor. Give me something I’ve never seen before! So far Park from Eleanor and Park is the only Asian character who isn’t completely stereotypical and that might be because he was only half Korean. But hey, I haven’t read EVERY book with an Asian lead so maybe the novel I’m looking for is around the corner.
Ho did a good job with this romance, it is good but I felt like some of the description lacked a little.
There just wasn’t enough emotion where there should have been and at times the POV switched without a smooth transition. For example, the story is told from third person past tense narration but there’s a spotlight on Melanie so we always hear her thoughts and feel her emotions. When Melanie first meets Ben though, the spotlight switches to him and suddenly we hear his thoughts about how beautiful Melanie is then the next second we’re back to Melanie.
Overall, this is a four-star-story. Its very good but with a little more expansion and tweaking it could be great.
*I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review*
The relationship between Melvin and Melanie isn’t bad, Melvin actually adores his new fiancée—in fact, he always has since they first met in medical school five years ago. Unfortunately, and this is where the story gets interesting, Melanie doesn’t feel the same way. Its not that she hates Melvin, she just doesn’t like him that way. She does try to be fair and give the engagement a shot but after meeting a hunky bachelor in the store one afternoon, Melanie becomes all too aware that an arranged marriage is NOT for her. Forget tradition, this girl wants love and she wants it now. But then, what 26-year-old still living with mom and dad doesn’t?
You can imagine the rest of the story from there, I don’t want to spoil too much but I will say that there are many elements brought up along this short journey. There’s religion, education, even a bit of racism. Basically all the things you can expect from a sheltered family who practically forbids dating outside of their race. I very much enjoyed the story and I would recommend it to readers of all ages and religious backgrounds. It doesn’t give you that passionate oomph you might be looking for in most romances but it is sweet and offers an alternative side of romance that you might enjoy if you want to keep things clean.
One of the things I liked about this story was that it was full of minority characters. Melanie was Chinese while her second love interest, Ben was an all American kind of guy. Chiseled jaw, great height, a real man. But there was always that cultural element that reminded us of our main characters and their national background. This is my biggest compliment and complaint at the same time.
While I love books with minority leads, ESPECIALLY biracial couples, I do not like being reminded of their race every other page. This is something that I notice is quite common in books with Asian leads. Every other page there is some sort of reminder of their skin color or their jet black hair or their language or their food or their style of dress. It gets to a point where there is SO much detail about their CULTURE that there is hardly much writing done on the actual STORY. I just want to scream; I get it! You’re Asian! Now tell the story!
Maybe I feel annoyed because I’m actually well acquainted with many Asian cultures. I myself attended a Chinese Christian church for over a year, yes I was the ONLY one there who wasn’t Asian. I can name over 100 different Japanese shows, dozens of Korean dramas, and I can probably go toe to toe with a Vietnamese cook. So seeing all these details just gets in the way for me because I already know these things.
I also find it irritating that Asian leads tend to be the same; smart, overachievers, ridiculously sheltered, ridiculously innocent, and ridiculously naïve. I dare Asian authors to write a book about a promiscuous Asian who curses like a sailor. Give me something I’ve never seen before! So far Park from Eleanor and Park is the only Asian character who isn’t completely stereotypical and that might be because he was only half Korean. But hey, I haven’t read EVERY book with an Asian lead so maybe the novel I’m looking for is around the corner.
Ho did a good job with this romance, it is good but I felt like some of the description lacked a little.
There just wasn’t enough emotion where there should have been and at times the POV switched without a smooth transition. For example, the story is told from third person past tense narration but there’s a spotlight on Melanie so we always hear her thoughts and feel her emotions. When Melanie first meets Ben though, the spotlight switches to him and suddenly we hear his thoughts about how beautiful Melanie is then the next second we’re back to Melanie.
Overall, this is a four-star-story. Its very good but with a little more expansion and tweaking it could be great.
*I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review*
August 21, 2015
Melanie Koo has been the perfect Chinese-American daughter—done well in school, become a doctor, and now agreeing to marry Melvin, another doctor and a member of their Chinese Church. There is the slight problem that Melanie wants the American dream of falling in love with her fiancé, and she’s not in love with Melvin. In fact, he brings her out in hives. Literally. Oops.
Then she has a chance meeting with Ben, who brings the butterflies to her stomach along with all the other falling-in-love clichés she’s read (and who doesn’t bring her out in hives). But he’s everything her mother doesn’t want in her future husband. He’s not an engineer. He’s not a doctor. And he’s not Chinese.
True to You is a romance novella with a difference, in that it features a heroine from a minority not often seen in US Christian fiction (Camy Tang is the only other author I can think of who features Chinese-American heroines with an emphasis on the cultural aspects). It’s lots of fun, with excellent characters and plenty of awkward situations (many of them caused by Melanie’s interfering and opinionated mother).
There were a few minor writing glitches, but nothing sufficient to take me out of the story, which was an excellent mix of romance and foreign culture with some more serious themes of racism and faith.
Thanks to the author for providing a free ebook for review
Then she has a chance meeting with Ben, who brings the butterflies to her stomach along with all the other falling-in-love clichés she’s read (and who doesn’t bring her out in hives). But he’s everything her mother doesn’t want in her future husband. He’s not an engineer. He’s not a doctor. And he’s not Chinese.
True to You is a romance novella with a difference, in that it features a heroine from a minority not often seen in US Christian fiction (Camy Tang is the only other author I can think of who features Chinese-American heroines with an emphasis on the cultural aspects). It’s lots of fun, with excellent characters and plenty of awkward situations (many of them caused by Melanie’s interfering and opinionated mother).
There were a few minor writing glitches, but nothing sufficient to take me out of the story, which was an excellent mix of romance and foreign culture with some more serious themes of racism and faith.
Thanks to the author for providing a free ebook for review
October 17, 2016
Melanie Koo's life has become a game of tug of war. The prize? Her heart.
Melanie was born and raised in a very traditional immigrant Cantonese family. As the eldest daughter, she feels a powerful weight of responisbility on her shoulders, the pressure to be perfect. She is the example for her younger sisters, and her every move is met with intense scrutiny.
Her parents have decided that she has been single too long and decide to marry her off to Melvin, a friend whom she has known for some time. Though he is a great guy and certainly fits her criteria list (Chinese, christian, cash, and career) he just doesn't hold any draw for her. Heck, she breaks out in hives whenever she's around him!
Enter Ben Peters, tall, handsome, and most certainly not Chinese! He's everything opposite of what's on her list. Yet their paths keep crossing, and the draw between the two of them is growing steadily stronger. If her parents find out she's interested in a non-Chinese man, they'll probably disown her!
When Ben realizes just how torn she is, he backs down and waits for her to come to her own decisions about whether or not their budding love is worth it. But by the time she decides what she wants, will it be too late?
Check out my blog for the rest of this review and ratings: https://embersreviews.wordpress.com/2...
Melanie was born and raised in a very traditional immigrant Cantonese family. As the eldest daughter, she feels a powerful weight of responisbility on her shoulders, the pressure to be perfect. She is the example for her younger sisters, and her every move is met with intense scrutiny.
Her parents have decided that she has been single too long and decide to marry her off to Melvin, a friend whom she has known for some time. Though he is a great guy and certainly fits her criteria list (Chinese, christian, cash, and career) he just doesn't hold any draw for her. Heck, she breaks out in hives whenever she's around him!
Enter Ben Peters, tall, handsome, and most certainly not Chinese! He's everything opposite of what's on her list. Yet their paths keep crossing, and the draw between the two of them is growing steadily stronger. If her parents find out she's interested in a non-Chinese man, they'll probably disown her!
When Ben realizes just how torn she is, he backs down and waits for her to come to her own decisions about whether or not their budding love is worth it. But by the time she decides what she wants, will it be too late?
Check out my blog for the rest of this review and ratings: https://embersreviews.wordpress.com/2...
February 13, 2016
This is another great romance from Ms. Ho! After meeting Ben and Melanie in Straight to You, I was happy to find out how they ended up together. :) Their story is full of chemistry and fun, but it's got the real life element as well. Because while there's an immediate connection, neither one of them was looking for it. In fact, Melanie is engaged to a very nice man already. I confess that love stories that begin with one of the protagonists engaged to someone else make me a little leery, but Ms. Ho handles this very well. I appreciated that Melvin was a genuinely nice guy and that their breakup wasn't full of dramatics (except maybe from Melanie's mother :). Because once Melanie meets Ben...well. You'll have to read it and find out for yourself! :D
January 23, 2016
She didn't need a degree in math to know the chances were slim to none that her parents would ever accept someone outside of their race.
So the fact that Melanie Koo is falling for a man who isn't also Chinese is complicating her life.
In True to You, author Liwen Y. Ho brings a mix of sensitivity and humor in a romance headed toward cultural and emotional obstacles. In this easy and nicely paced story, Melanie, Ben, and their cast of supporting characters are interesting and believable--and even when a character or two is unbelievable (my goodness, Mrs. Koo!), it's a good thing.
From a technical standpoint, I found the reading to be bumpy in places due to the "head hopping," when the story switches back and forth between the viewpoints, thoughts, and feelings of different characters within the same scene. Generally sticking to one character's viewpoint during a scene, or intentionally alerting the reader when the viewpoint is about to switch, makes it easier for the reader to adjust when moving from one character's thoughts to another's. Some issues with punctuation also slowed the reading down for me but didn't stop me from enjoying the story, which I thoroughly did.
The depiction of the characters on the front cover put me in anticipation of a New Adult or younger read (nope, I didn't carefully check the book blurb beforehand.) However, Melanie and Ben are actually more mature in age, and I'd recommend this novella to fans of Christian romance, from teenagers to adults.
_________________
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.
So the fact that Melanie Koo is falling for a man who isn't also Chinese is complicating her life.
In True to You, author Liwen Y. Ho brings a mix of sensitivity and humor in a romance headed toward cultural and emotional obstacles. In this easy and nicely paced story, Melanie, Ben, and their cast of supporting characters are interesting and believable--and even when a character or two is unbelievable (my goodness, Mrs. Koo!), it's a good thing.
From a technical standpoint, I found the reading to be bumpy in places due to the "head hopping," when the story switches back and forth between the viewpoints, thoughts, and feelings of different characters within the same scene. Generally sticking to one character's viewpoint during a scene, or intentionally alerting the reader when the viewpoint is about to switch, makes it easier for the reader to adjust when moving from one character's thoughts to another's. Some issues with punctuation also slowed the reading down for me but didn't stop me from enjoying the story, which I thoroughly did.
The depiction of the characters on the front cover put me in anticipation of a New Adult or younger read (nope, I didn't carefully check the book blurb beforehand.) However, Melanie and Ben are actually more mature in age, and I'd recommend this novella to fans of Christian romance, from teenagers to adults.
_________________
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.
December 3, 2015
What a fun little romance! I was pleasantly surprised by this book and how much I liked it. There were so many little things that made me smile throughout.
The characters were easy to like. Especially Ben. I loved his attitude toward life and how he was so easy going. He brought out the best in Melanie and that is what love should do.
It was interesting to have the Chinese culture so embedded in this story. I loved learning about cultural ideas and phrases. In fact, the book refers to Chinese people who act more white as bananas. Yellow on the outside, white on the inside. And white people who act more Chinese as eggs. White on the outside, yellow on the inside. I'd actually never heard of that before. I was sitting in a college class later that day and the instructor mentioned this very thing. It was so weird because I had JUST read about it. At least I could say I knew what she was talking about. Ha! In a way, this book reminded me of My Big, Fat Greek Wedding. Only Chinese instead of Greek.
I really enjoyed this story and I'll be looking forward to more by this author.
Content: Clean (there is a reference to sex outside of marriage that resulted in a pregnancy but no details)
The characters were easy to like. Especially Ben. I loved his attitude toward life and how he was so easy going. He brought out the best in Melanie and that is what love should do.
It was interesting to have the Chinese culture so embedded in this story. I loved learning about cultural ideas and phrases. In fact, the book refers to Chinese people who act more white as bananas. Yellow on the outside, white on the inside. And white people who act more Chinese as eggs. White on the outside, yellow on the inside. I'd actually never heard of that before. I was sitting in a college class later that day and the instructor mentioned this very thing. It was so weird because I had JUST read about it. At least I could say I knew what she was talking about. Ha! In a way, this book reminded me of My Big, Fat Greek Wedding. Only Chinese instead of Greek.
I really enjoyed this story and I'll be looking forward to more by this author.
Content: Clean (there is a reference to sex outside of marriage that resulted in a pregnancy but no details)
November 30, 2016
True to You, written by Liwen Ho, is an interesting bi-racial read.
Ho gives us a view of what it’s like to be an immigrant from another country, namely Hong Kong for this book. True to You is a very Asian book. The Koo family has been in the USA for ten years, but still set in their Asian ways. I learned quite a bit from this book as to how Asians look at Americans. It seems like the author was expressing how Asians expect their families to be a doctor, lawyer or engineer. Since I’m not Asian, I felt like each page was filled with more Asian information that I had never been privy to before reading.
I did find that Ho seemed to switch POV’s often without the reader clearly anticipating it. There were times in the dialog that I got lost and didn’t know who was actually speaking. It was easy enough to go back and figure it out, but to clearly state that within the dialog makes it a smooth read.
True to You is an informative read as far as learning about a different culture and it was fun to read as far as the romance. I would recommend this for older teen through adult because the couple is in their twenties. There is mention of sex out of marriage, but no descriptions are in the book and consequences are explained clearly. Clean Christian read.
Ho gives us a view of what it’s like to be an immigrant from another country, namely Hong Kong for this book. True to You is a very Asian book. The Koo family has been in the USA for ten years, but still set in their Asian ways. I learned quite a bit from this book as to how Asians look at Americans. It seems like the author was expressing how Asians expect their families to be a doctor, lawyer or engineer. Since I’m not Asian, I felt like each page was filled with more Asian information that I had never been privy to before reading.
I did find that Ho seemed to switch POV’s often without the reader clearly anticipating it. There were times in the dialog that I got lost and didn’t know who was actually speaking. It was easy enough to go back and figure it out, but to clearly state that within the dialog makes it a smooth read.
True to You is an informative read as far as learning about a different culture and it was fun to read as far as the romance. I would recommend this for older teen through adult because the couple is in their twenties. There is mention of sex out of marriage, but no descriptions are in the book and consequences are explained clearly. Clean Christian read.
August 14, 2015
When first-born daughter Melanie Koo agrees to marry her friend Melvin at the suggestion of their mothers, she didn’t feel she had a choice—she couldn’t disappoint Ma and Ba. She would learn to love him over time…or at least that was the plan until Ben Peters unexpected dropped into the picture.
In True To You, the second installment of the Taking Chances Series, Liwen Ho spins a lovely and emotional story of cross-boundary love. After growing up in Hong Kong, Melanie moved with her family to the United States during her sophomore year of high school. A decade later, while in her second year of residency specializing in Pediatrics, Melanie is ready to get married.
Unfortunately, though, she doesn’t want to marry the man who fits the bill on paper (a man with the four Cs: Chinese, Christian, Cash, and Career), who is also the one she already agreed to marry...
...read the rest of this review at UndergroundBookReviews(dot)com
In True To You, the second installment of the Taking Chances Series, Liwen Ho spins a lovely and emotional story of cross-boundary love. After growing up in Hong Kong, Melanie moved with her family to the United States during her sophomore year of high school. A decade later, while in her second year of residency specializing in Pediatrics, Melanie is ready to get married.
Unfortunately, though, she doesn’t want to marry the man who fits the bill on paper (a man with the four Cs: Chinese, Christian, Cash, and Career), who is also the one she already agreed to marry...
...read the rest of this review at UndergroundBookReviews(dot)com
August 29, 2015
"True To You (Taking Changes #2)" by Liwen Ho, is a book that does not have to be read in order of the series, I have not read "Taking Chances #1" and I was not at all confused while reading "True To You".
This book was about a girl letting down her walls while still trying to adjust to her life in America. Which is kinda hard since her parents are still living like they are back in their home country. While Melanie's mother decides to set Melanie up with a doctor and a colleague, while also setting a date for their arranged wedding, Melanie meets a guy that is against all of her mothers rules for finding a future husband.
I enjoyed reading this book, it was a quick read, but definitely a book that I would recommend for someone to read. I think it is geared more towards Young Adults- but I wouldn't tell someone not to read the book. This romantic comedy was a nice read that brought many laughs and had me reading until the end.
This book was about a girl letting down her walls while still trying to adjust to her life in America. Which is kinda hard since her parents are still living like they are back in their home country. While Melanie's mother decides to set Melanie up with a doctor and a colleague, while also setting a date for their arranged wedding, Melanie meets a guy that is against all of her mothers rules for finding a future husband.
I enjoyed reading this book, it was a quick read, but definitely a book that I would recommend for someone to read. I think it is geared more towards Young Adults- but I wouldn't tell someone not to read the book. This romantic comedy was a nice read that brought many laughs and had me reading until the end.
October 16, 2015
True to You by Liwen Ho is the second book in the Taking Chances series and is very well written. What better title could you have for a story that is full of soul and about being true to yourself, being true to those you love, and being true to your true love while balancing that with being true to your family and your culture? Melanie is a dilemma. Her journey is full of challenges. This author did a great job with the different languages and different cultures, and how it affects a relationship. This inspiritional story shows a growing faith and is very moving. I highly recommend this novella and its author.
October 27, 2015
This was a delightful read. It was very enjoyable following Melanie, a Chinese-American, as she decides to stay true to herself and not marry the person that was arranged for her to marry by her father and then watch as the relationship between her and Ben, an American school teacher, develops, in spite of the cultural differences. This is the first I have read by this author, but I definitely look forward to reading more by her. I was given a copy of this novella in return for an honest review, and it is one that I certainly recommend.
July 28, 2016
1-Pre // 1-New // 2-EHS // 2-1-2- OHS // 2-MPR
I really was hoping I would enjoy this one more! It was a cute little novella, but I do wish some parts weren't in it. Nothing went to far in the mentions, but I could have personally do with out. Super cute cover for all the books in the series, though. Since it was a novella it was short, but I did really enjoy the Asian theme, as I'm reading this E-book on a train to Beijing. Pretty neat! ;)
{Oh, and Goodreads is wrong. This is Book #1, not #2. :) }
I really was hoping I would enjoy this one more! It was a cute little novella, but I do wish some parts weren't in it. Nothing went to far in the mentions, but I could have personally do with out. Super cute cover for all the books in the series, though. Since it was a novella it was short, but I did really enjoy the Asian theme, as I'm reading this E-book on a train to Beijing. Pretty neat! ;)
{Oh, and Goodreads is wrong. This is Book #1, not #2. :) }
October 18, 2015
A delightful, sometimes humorous, look at the mix of two cultures: lovely Chinese woman and handsome American man. Her mother is so not pleased. I absolutely loved learning about the Chinese culture and how the mix affected family. I could imagine what was happening due to the great writing of Mrs. Ho. There were some serious moments, too. All in all a truly great read. Highly recommend. I received a copy in exchange for an honest review.
November 28, 2016
True To You is my first book by Liwen Y. Ho. This book was entertaining and a fairly short read, perfect for those with limited time for reading. Ben and Melanie's story is loaded with drama, humor and is appropriate for all ages. I especially loved the characters in this book. I enjoyed this book. True To You is book 2 of the Taking Chances Series but can be read as a standalone. This is a complete book, not a cliff-hanger.
February 8, 2017
I enjoyed the clean and Christian aspects of this novel. I loved reading about various aspects of Asian culture incorporated naturally into this story. I didn't appreciate the focus on "doing your own thing" and the push for the main character to choose her own life regardless of what God or her parents might want; however, for the most part this was an enjoyable story.
October 15, 2015
This was a wonderful Christian Romance
I loved the characters and glimpses of another culture.
We find The Lord helps guide us in the major decisions of our lives.
I look forward to reading more by this author.
I loved the characters and glimpses of another culture.
We find The Lord helps guide us in the major decisions of our lives.
I look forward to reading more by this author.
February 4, 2016
A sweet Christian romance :)
August 23, 2016
A sweet, clean romance. Loved the impact of cultural differences on the story.
April 1, 2017
A sweet and i must say lovely story.First book i read of Liwen Y. Ho, i enjoy it. And i recomend it. :)
April 26, 2017
Cute story
October 12, 2020
Very engaging! I almost couldn't put it down! I really loved the hero and heroine. I enjoyed learning about some Asian stereotypes and especially loved how prejudice was overcome. The insight into English idioms was hilarious. I also loved the sibling dynamics.
The world-building was wonderful—I felt like I was in the Chinese restaurants and the grocery stores.
Even the editing was great -- I didn't notice but maybe one error!
The only thing I didn't love was the ending. I felt that the proposal was a little unbelievable—and not romantic enough to make up for it. I wish that we had seen a bit more of the romance until a more reasonable proposal. But the Epilogue was very satisfying, as to the family dynamics, not necessarily the romance.
Favorite quotes:
“Melanie sighed. She knew her sister meant well, but she didn't know half of what it was like to be in her shoes. Not that her fashion-loving sister would ever share her footwear; her closet was the last one Sam would raid.” (chapter 1, p. 8)
“If she hadn't experienced this kind of intimidation before, she might have succumbed to the pressure. But guilt trips were part and parcel of her family life; she could spot one coming a mile away, especially when it came from her mother.” (chapter 2, p. 22)
“'Math tends to have a bad reputation for being boring or too hard. But laughter makes any kind of suffering a little more bearable, at least I think it does.'” (chapter 3, p. 29)
“If there was such a thing as a good bedside manner for teachers, he had it.” (chapter 3, p. 31)
“Adventurous? Letting go? Had anyone ever described her in those terms? Certainly not in the past few years. But Ben's words seemed to resonate within her heart. 'Maybe there is an adventurous spirit buried deep down inside of me. I guess it just needed the right opportunity to come out.'” (chapter 4, p. 39)
“'Life's too short to dwell on small talk.” (chapter 4, p. 46)
“'You worry too much.' 'You worry too little.'” (chapter 5, p. 53) Classic opposites.
“'You only need to be true to God and to yourself. Life is too short to do otherwise.'” (chapter 6, p. 69)
“'You are like the answer to a math equation I've spent years trying to solve, and now I've finally solved it. I know everything I need to know about you. It's going to sound like a cheesy love song,' he confessed, 'but I fell for you the day we met, and I fall for you more with every breath I take.'” (chapter 7, p. 88)
“'...for someone who didn't mind working her butt off in school, you sure like to take the easy way out in love... Sometimes the hard things in life are the ones worth fighting for.'” (chapter 7, p.89)
“'I think they are called idioms because you feel like an idiot when you get them wrong.”' (chapter 10, p. 122)
The world-building was wonderful—I felt like I was in the Chinese restaurants and the grocery stores.
Even the editing was great -- I didn't notice but maybe one error!
The only thing I didn't love was the ending. I felt that the proposal was a little unbelievable—and not romantic enough to make up for it. I wish that we had seen a bit more of the romance until a more reasonable proposal. But the Epilogue was very satisfying, as to the family dynamics, not necessarily the romance.
Favorite quotes:
“Melanie sighed. She knew her sister meant well, but she didn't know half of what it was like to be in her shoes. Not that her fashion-loving sister would ever share her footwear; her closet was the last one Sam would raid.” (chapter 1, p. 8)
“If she hadn't experienced this kind of intimidation before, she might have succumbed to the pressure. But guilt trips were part and parcel of her family life; she could spot one coming a mile away, especially when it came from her mother.” (chapter 2, p. 22)
“'Math tends to have a bad reputation for being boring or too hard. But laughter makes any kind of suffering a little more bearable, at least I think it does.'” (chapter 3, p. 29)
“If there was such a thing as a good bedside manner for teachers, he had it.” (chapter 3, p. 31)
“Adventurous? Letting go? Had anyone ever described her in those terms? Certainly not in the past few years. But Ben's words seemed to resonate within her heart. 'Maybe there is an adventurous spirit buried deep down inside of me. I guess it just needed the right opportunity to come out.'” (chapter 4, p. 39)
“'Life's too short to dwell on small talk.” (chapter 4, p. 46)
“'You worry too much.' 'You worry too little.'” (chapter 5, p. 53) Classic opposites.
“'You only need to be true to God and to yourself. Life is too short to do otherwise.'” (chapter 6, p. 69)
“'You are like the answer to a math equation I've spent years trying to solve, and now I've finally solved it. I know everything I need to know about you. It's going to sound like a cheesy love song,' he confessed, 'but I fell for you the day we met, and I fall for you more with every breath I take.'” (chapter 7, p. 88)
“'...for someone who didn't mind working her butt off in school, you sure like to take the easy way out in love... Sometimes the hard things in life are the ones worth fighting for.'” (chapter 7, p.89)
“'I think they are called idioms because you feel like an idiot when you get them wrong.”' (chapter 10, p. 122)
October 1, 2024
Book two of the Take a Chance on Love series by Liwen Y. Ho is full of delightful moments between two different cultures.
I enjoy reading books by this author because she brings flair, fun, and truth to her depiction of what it’s like to be from an Asian culture and want to fit in. The whole “auntie and mom” pressures are very real and strong in these cultures. The expectations to be perfect, or close to being perfect, and married to the “right” person are very high.
Liwen Y. Ho brings all these pressures to light but in a fun and entertaining way. I love all the banter and schemes her characters have. She also weaves wonderful lessons from a Godly point of view into her stories. Even when her characters have messed up and made wrong choices, there is redemption.
I have come to really enjoy reading books written by Liwen Y. Ho. Her writing is smooth, and the stories flow with wonderful characters and dialogue. Her stories are so relatable to readers. I had a problem not wanting to put this book down. It was tremendously enjoyable! I was definitely caught up in the story and didn’t want it to end.
If you like tender stories of love, friendships, overcoming life struggles, and bits of romance, then this is a book you will want to read.
It was such a joy to read.
I highly recommend that you pick this book up.
I enjoy reading books by this author because she brings flair, fun, and truth to her depiction of what it’s like to be from an Asian culture and want to fit in. The whole “auntie and mom” pressures are very real and strong in these cultures. The expectations to be perfect, or close to being perfect, and married to the “right” person are very high.
Liwen Y. Ho brings all these pressures to light but in a fun and entertaining way. I love all the banter and schemes her characters have. She also weaves wonderful lessons from a Godly point of view into her stories. Even when her characters have messed up and made wrong choices, there is redemption.
I have come to really enjoy reading books written by Liwen Y. Ho. Her writing is smooth, and the stories flow with wonderful characters and dialogue. Her stories are so relatable to readers. I had a problem not wanting to put this book down. It was tremendously enjoyable! I was definitely caught up in the story and didn’t want it to end.
If you like tender stories of love, friendships, overcoming life struggles, and bits of romance, then this is a book you will want to read.
It was such a joy to read.
I highly recommend that you pick this book up.
August 12, 2017
Melanie Koo came to the United States as a young girl from China. Her parents are very traditional and proud of their eldest daughter who is a doctor. Her mother wants to marry her to another Chinese Christian doctor from their church in an arrangement, but Melanie is urged by her younger sisters who have become more Americanized to hold out for love. When she meets Ben Peters, a math teacher at her sister's school, Melanie thinks they might be right. But there are a lot of obstacles before these two can find their HEA.
This is a quick read and a cute story. I liked that the author was careful of stereotyping while still using elements of Chinese culture throughout the story. There was some head-hopping which sometimes made it hard to understand who was speaking, but otherwise, the writing was good. This is a clean romance with interesting characters, suitable for any readers.
This is a quick read and a cute story. I liked that the author was careful of stereotyping while still using elements of Chinese culture throughout the story. There was some head-hopping which sometimes made it hard to understand who was speaking, but otherwise, the writing was good. This is a clean romance with interesting characters, suitable for any readers.
March 2, 2019
I loved this story, even though it takes you back many years before the events in the first book happened. No worries, they can be read in any order.
I really enjoyed getting to know Melanie and her family, as well as all the traditions that come with a Chinese family. Of course, it was more interesting to see the cultural "clash" once she meets Ben and starts dating him ;) Loved the characters growing (especially Melanie's), as well as the Christian references; enjoyed the writing (as always), and can't wait to read Sam's story.
I really enjoyed getting to know Melanie and her family, as well as all the traditions that come with a Chinese family. Of course, it was more interesting to see the cultural "clash" once she meets Ben and starts dating him ;) Loved the characters growing (especially Melanie's), as well as the Christian references; enjoyed the writing (as always), and can't wait to read Sam's story.
September 19, 2017
I loved this story of Ben and Melanie. Their story from the first book intrigued me and I'm glad Liwen Ho took up the banner to tell how they met. As a minority myself, it was interesting to see some of the same ideas about culture, acceptance, and other aspects of multicultural relationships played out. I loved learning the different Cantonese words. It made me laugh how Melanie had a hard time understanding American idioms. All in all, a great story.
March 6, 2022
Don't be deterred from reading the book because of the 3-star rating. It's a cute story, well written and so worth reading. Ben and Melanie have a meet-cute in a supermarket, and things just grow from there. I enjoyed every minute of reading the book.
For me, 4-stars is a must-read, and 5-stars is epic and should be a classic.
For me, 4-stars is a must-read, and 5-stars is epic and should be a classic.
March 20, 2017
Melanie somehow finds herself engaged to Melvin when their parents decide they're the perfect match. Both families are from Hong Kong, both kids are training to become medical doctors, it appears obvious!
Except Melanie has zero feelings for Melvin. How can she break things off and disappoint her traditional Chinese family? And how will she ever admit to herself and then her family that she's in love with someone who isn't Chinese and doesn't have a high-power job?
This book is a lot about balancing family and culture with personal happiness and honesty.
Except Melanie has zero feelings for Melvin. How can she break things off and disappoint her traditional Chinese family? And how will she ever admit to herself and then her family that she's in love with someone who isn't Chinese and doesn't have a high-power job?
This book is a lot about balancing family and culture with personal happiness and honesty.
July 10, 2019
Melanie is Chinese and Ben is not. There starts the problems, well at least for her mom. They were so adorable and he was sooooo understanding. There is a part near the end that I just wanted to shout at Melanie "please stop and wake up"!!! She came through!!!
September 18, 2018
Enjoyable
Loved this story about relationships between 2 people from totally different cultural backgrounds. Includes faith and family issues as well.
Loved this story about relationships between 2 people from totally different cultural backgrounds. Includes faith and family issues as well.
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