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Loveboat, Taipei

(Loveboat, Taipei #1)

Abigail Hing Wen

3.96 · Rating details · 1,917 ratings · 610 reviews

Perfect for fans of Jenny Han and Sarah Dessen, and praised as “an intense rush of rebellion and romance” by #1 New York Times bestselling author Stephanie Garber, this romantic and layered Own Voices debut from Abigail Hing Wen is a dazzling, fun-filled romp.

“Our cousins have done this program,” Sophie whispers. “Best kept secret. Zero supervision.”

And just like that, ...more

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Hardcover, 432 pages

Published January 7th 2020 by HarperTeen

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Jan 03, 2020 Jesse (JesseTheReader) added it · review of another edition

This was an excellent debut! I loved every bit of it. It's such an addictive read full of well built up characters & a plot full of surprises. There was so much drama going down and that's honestly what kept me reading. There was a great display of character growth with each of the characters and all the complicated relationships. I loved the group of characters that we spend time with & seeing how they all had come into their own by the end of the book. I can't say this book is perfect ...more

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Jul 08, 2019 Melanie rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Recommended to Melanie by: Lily ☁️

Shelves: contemporary, buddy-reads, young-adult, own-voices, read-in-2020

I loved this so much. This really is a love letter to belonging and seeing all your different parts, and the parts you came from, and exploring those parts and connecting deeper to your culture. This is also a story very much about what it means to be asian american and how sometimes those two parts can make you feel not enough for either half. This was beautiful, and the story was so good, the romance (and love triangle) was everything, and I feel so honored to have read this. <3

Youtube | ...more

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Jan 26, 2020 Warda rated it did not like it · review of another edition

Well, I’m glad this is now over.
In reality, I should’ve DNF’d this book. I knew it wasn’t going to be for me, but I thought the story would’ve developed more substance as it went on. But it didn’t.

It felt so lacklustre overall, even though I appreciated what this book was trying to do.

I related to Ever in a way. The immigrant story, the guilt, your parents, the expectations they place on you, identity, the disconnect etc. All of us who come from an ethnic background have experienced this in ...more

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Jan 29, 2020 Chloe rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: audiobooks, cover-love, own-voices, 2020-reads

3.5 stars*

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Feb 12, 2020 MischaS_ marked it as not-sure-if-i-ll-read-it · review of another edition

So, I am seriously torn!

This book does not sound like the type of book I usually enjoy but then it takes place in Taipei! Taiwan is one of the best places I've ever visited. And I'm a bit considering reading this book just because of Taiwan but then I worry a bit that I won't like it because of the topic... And I don't know what to do! ...more

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Jan 24, 2020 monica kim rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: 2020-releases

“I would die for my family if I needed to. I would emigrate to a foreign country and give up dancing to unwrap blood-soaked bandages every hour of every day if it meant food and shelter for my family. But because of them, I don’t have to.”

this book hit me hard.

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Dec 13, 2019 Alexa rated it really liked it

Shelves: wishlist, friends-with-arcs, read-in-2019

Loveboat, Taipei is like Crazy Rich Asians meets American Panda, but is also very much a contemporary YA that stands all on its own. Ever Wong’s summer plans are completely disrupted when her parents send her off to Taipei to attend Chien Tan, an educational program meant to help Ever with her Mandarin skills and appreciation of her culture. But what Ever discovers is that the program is affectionately known as Loveboat, a summer-long party where adults turn a blind eye and teens have the ...more

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Dec 26, 2019 Kayla Brunson rated it it was ok · review of another edition

Shelves: arc, disappointment, read-in-2019

I really wanted this to be as beautiful as that cover, but I was sadly disappointed. I seriously felt like I was maybe too old for this and most of the scenarios that take place in this book.

I was all for our main character Ever for about 40% of the book. From there I went from being hesitant about what her character would do to straight up disliking her. That’s right, I don’t like our main character. She does a few things that rub me the wrong way and I have no shame saying that I wanted to ...more

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Jul 08, 2019 Lily ☁️ marked it as 2020-pub

Shelves: asian-rep, poc-author

If this book doesn’t end up being my favorite read of 2020, I shall perish.

But in all honesty, this is the rep I’ve been waiting for my entire life?? Someone pinch me.

Blog | Twitter | Instagram | Tumblr |Bloglovin’ ...more

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Dec 13, 2019 Nursebookie rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Loveboat, Taipei by Abigail Hing Wen

I was beyond excited to be one of the first chosen to read this ARC. I have been waiting for something like this to be written, specifically about the young adult Taiwanese American experience - not just about the Chinese or Asian experience growing up in America, but as a Taiwanese specifically and to have it written ever so accurately by someone who understood, is pretty special.

College bound Ever Wong was sent to Taiwan the summer before entering college ...more

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Dec 01, 2019 Kelsea rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: reviewed, favorites, arc, ya-romcom

It's hard to know where to start with this review - I usually have the hardest time reviewing books I love (knowing I'll never do them full justice), but I'm going to try my best. Because I need to convince EVERYONE to read this book! Yes, that means you.

I'm going to go with a totally cliche line, but it's so so true. This book made me feel seen. Growing up, I never thought about the lack of Chinese American characters in books... until I read my first Amy Tan novel. And still, every time I read It's hard to know where to start with this review - I usually have the hardest time reviewing books I love (knowing I'll never do them full justice), but I'm going to try my best. Because I need to convince EVERYONE to read this book! Yes, that means you.

I'm going to go with a totally cliche line, but it's so so true. This book made me feel seen. Growing up, I never thought about the lack of Chinese American characters in books... until I read my first Amy Tan novel. And still, every time I read a book with a Chinese American main character, I'm reminded once again of that moment. That realization. Oh, there others who share my experiences. There are others out there like me.

Loveboat, Taipei made me tear up for many reasons, but especially for the personal cultural connection. There were things in the story - little things - that made me realize _____ is actually a cultural thing, not just a quirk of my family. It was shocking to realize that I honestly don't know whether a lot of things my family does are "Chinese" things or "my family" things.

I read Loveboat, Taipei over Thanksgiving weekend, while I was visiting my family. My mom is from Taiwan, so of course I talked her ear off about the book. Those conversations actually led to her telling me more about her childhood. I told her the premise of the story and she told me her best friend from college had gone to one of these programs and came back with a boyfriend! I'm forever grateful to Abigail Hing Wen for writing a book that sparked those conversations. Conversations that allowed my mom to reminisce and me to listen and learn.

I should add that my parents weren't nearly as strict as Ever's parents, but I had Chinese friends whose parents were. I thought that aspect was written really well, with a lot of compassion for both sides (teen and parent). I love how that element played out.

And beyond all of the personal cultural connections for me (that won't be relevant to a lot of readers), this story is just plain fantastic. Romcoms are really far from my usual genre choices and I tend not to enjoy romance plots or subplots in general. I accepted this book from Epic Reads because it's an #ownvoices story set in Taiwan, but I wasn't sure if I'd enjoy the romcom aspects. Wow, was I wrong!

This romcom is anything but frivolous. It's ridiculously fun, but it also touches upon a LOT of powerful themes. True to the genre, the book doesn't really dive into "gritty" issues (nothing on screen), but they are deeply emotional and relatable themes. I'm in awe of the author for balancing entertainment and depth so, so well. It's fun and important. That is HARD to do.

I think the only thing I wish there'd been more of is local Taiwan. I wanted to experience the city more. But I also understand that this is just my personal desire because of my own family's background and that this book was SO packed that it would be hard to add in much else.

Anyway, as with most reviews I've written about books I love, this review is all over the place. It's just hard to figure out what to put in specifically without listing every single element and telling you how well done it was. Instead of a big list, I'll sum it up for you: this book is compassionate, entertaining, powerful, and phenomenal and you need to read it!

It's out January 7, 2020, and I highly recommend pre-ordering! ...more

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Aug 15, 2019 ✨ A ✨ marked it as to-read · review of another edition

Shelves: 2020-release, arcs-to-read

This. This is the content we need.

ARC provided by publisher via edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.

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Jan 04, 2020 Yna the Mood Reader rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: arc, the-ffbc-book-tours, startonyourshelfathon, 2020-year-of-the-asian, armed-with-a-bingo

"My parents sent me to discover my heritage, but in the process, I’m also finding parts of myself, even if that self isn’t who they want me to be."

Series: Yes, according to Goodreads.
Genre: YA Contemporary
POV: First
Cliffhanger: No

Content Warnings: Love square/quadrangle. Asian stereotyping. Racism. Graphic description of injuries. Leaked nude photos. Mentions of depression & self-harm. Sexual content.

Read if: you love Crazy Rich Asians and/or American Panda.

Let me start this ...more

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Dec 23, 2019 Jen Ryland added it · review of another edition

Shelves: 2020-arcs, beware-of-love-triangle, cheating

Super cute - loved the setting, the themes of family, friendship, and following your dreams.
The romance situation is messy so if that is an issue for you, be warned. But this was really fun!

Read more of my reviews on JenRyland.com! Let's be friends on Bookstagram!

Thanks to the publisher for providing an advance copy for review!

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Jul 09, 2019 caitlin ✶ rated it liked it · review of another edition

And as I lunge and whirl my bo staff, dancing to the ancient drum beats, I feel all the parts of myself coming together: glad that a part of me is Chinese, a part of me American, and all of me is simply me.

Loveboat, Taipei by Abigail Hing Wen is one of my most anticipated 2020 releases. From its absolutely riveting cover, to its own voices Asian representation, there was no way I wasn't gonna read it.

A big reason why I wanted to read Loveboat, Taipei so much was because it centers on

And as I lunge and whirl my bo staff, dancing to the ancient drum beats, I feel all the parts of myself coming together: glad that a part of me is Chinese, a part of me American, and all of me is simply me.

A big reason why I wanted to read Loveboat, Taipei so much was because it centers on characters spending the summer in Taiwan learning Mandarin. In 2019, I did the exact same thing, except I went to China and not Taiwan! Reading about Ever and her friends' experiences made me remember my memories from my own trip. I even found myself relating to a few of the shenanigans they went through!

Fair warning: This book features a love triangle. But fear not! In my opinion, it was handled super well. For a while, I genuinely had no clue who Ever was gonna end up with, and both men in the love triangle had their own "pros and cons."

The main reason why I didn't enjoy this book as much as I could've was the pacing. At 423 pages, this book is on the long side, especially for a contemporary. I didn't think that it needed to be that long. There were many parts wherein what's going to happen next is fairly obvious, yet the book dragged instead of getting to Point X already.

Loveboat, Taipei stars a huge cast of all-Asian (!!) characters, and I loved that every character, even the minor ones, were properly fleshed out.

Ever Wong, the main character, is the child of first-generation immigrants. Her parents have sacrificed everything for her, and they've planned for her to go to med school her entire life. However, Ever can't handle the sight of blood, and all she wants to do is dance.

Why give me honey when you knew my future was diabetic?

It was so easy to empathize with Ever's struggles, because on one hand, she knows what her heart wants, but her parents have also done so much for her. The passion she felt for dancing was palpable on the page, and you could tell how happy dancing---or even just choreographing a dance---made Ever.

At the same time, she (and, to be honest, most of the characters) made a few choices that were a tad frustrating, but I loved that this added realism to their characters, because we can't expect teens---or anyone, really---to be perfect human beings.

Xavier Yeh is the brooding bad boy we've seen about a million times in fiction, and I wasn't here for it. His character was given more depth in the end, but I honestly didn't care. :/

Rick Woo is every Asian parent's dream child---smart, sporty, charismatic---but we get to see what's hiding under his seemingly perfect exterior. Undoubtedly my favorite character in the book, he was the perfect balance between nerdy and charming, and some of his moments with Ever made me swoon so much.

Set against the backdrop of Taiwan, this unapologetically Asian story is about love and finding yourself. It tackles so many relevant issues: financial privilege, Asian stereotypes, beauty standards---too many to count. I would've loved it so much more if I hadn't had such a hard time with the pacing. But take my rating with a grain of salt, because a lot of early reviewers have given this 4 or 5 stars!

Thank you so much to the publisher for granting me an e-arc via Edelweiss!

Content Warnings: sexual content, drinking, attempted sexual assault, abusive parent, depressed side character, slut-shaming

Blog | Twitter ...more

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Jan 22, 2020 Lance rated it it was amazing

Shelves: all-time-favorites, koi-no-yokan, fave-protagonists, family-dynamics, gorgeous-writing, contemporary, romance, young-adult, 2020-faves

"I would die for my family if I needed to. I would emigrate to a foreign country and give up dancing to unwrap blood-soaked bandages every hour of every day if it meant food and shelter for my family. But because of them, I don’t have to."

"I never talk to my parents about the books I read or the music I love or the dances in my head. I can't trust them not to take what bit of soul I offer them and not throw it away into a dumpster."

"And as I lunge and whirl my bo staff, dancing to the ancient "I would die for my family if I needed to. I would emigrate to a foreign country and give up dancing to unwrap blood-soaked bandages every hour of every day if it meant food and shelter for my family. But because of them, I don’t have to."

"I never talk to my parents about the books I read or the music I love or the dances in my head. I can't trust them not to take what bit of soul I offer them and not throw it away into a dumpster."

"And as I lunge and whirl my bo staff, dancing to the ancient drum beats, I feel all the parts of myself coming together: glad that a part of me is Chinese, a part of me American, and all of me is simply me."

5 full stars. Loveboat, Taipei is at once a dazzling romp through Taiwan and a love-letter to growing up Asian-American. I went into this novel with little-to-low expectations; I'm still not over how fucking good this was. Abigail Hing Wen somehow managed to write a novel that is the perfect amalgamation of an Asian Gossip Girl/Teenage Crazy Rich Asians and a coming-of-age narrative that tackles important, timely topics ranging from the fetishization of Asian women to the guilt Asian-Americans feel for pursuing their dreams because of all of the sacrifices their parents made for them in coming to America. While this is an entertaining foray into Taiwan, snake-blood sake and late-night clubbing included, it also manages to include conversations about issues relevant to Asian-Americans without feeling forced or overly heavy. While this book isn't flawless, I loved almost every aspect of this novel: from prose, to characters, to plot, and more.

The prose of this book snuck up on me. When I read contemporary, unless I know otherwise, I don't really expect much out of the prose apart from the fact that it is readable and captures the voice of the character whose POV the the story is from well. Not only is this book's prose compulsively readable, but it managed to so perfectly capture Ever's voice as a young, talented Chinese-American girl just trying to find her footing both externally and internally. Her thoughts are beautifully expressed with a prose that just barely verges on purple; the best way I'd describe this Wen's writing is graceful. She paints the world through Ever's eyes in such a vivid way. All the imagery in this book is described with same finesse that Ever has when she dances: it's fluid, intricate, and detailed perfectly.

I also firmly believe the prose is at its best when describing Ever's thoughts on being Asian-American. Every single thought, passage, and sentence describing Ever's thoughts on her being Asian-American and the burden she feels destined to carry as the child of immigrants who sacrificed everything to get here felt like they had come straight out of my head. Some of the passages of this book felt like someone saying "I understand you" and I can not emphasize how amazing that feeling is.

Plot and pacing. Interesting and paced in a way that zips along. One of my favorite things about this novel is that as you go on throughout the novel, at least in the first half, you don't have a clear idea of what direction the plot is going (in a good way). The events are thrilling and exciting, and Hing Wen avoids falling into a repetitive structure by having events such as clubbing and dancing and performances and more happening, but not having them occur right after one another in any particular order. I also did love the final direction the plot took: (view spoiler) There was also brief fake-dating in this!

Now for characters. Every single important character in this novel is intricately characterized in a way that I envy as a writer. The four "main" characters of this novel I'd argue are are Ever, Rick, Sophie, and Xavier. Each one of them has layers that the narrative takes care to explore. Ever is a fish-out-of-water, a young woman trying to figure out her place in the world as she is forced to attend a summer program in Taiwan; Rick is the child genius that has been the gold standard for Ever ever since she was young that is hiding a dark secret. Sophie is a fashionable, powerful young woman who has much more to her her beautiful appearance than you'd expect while Xavier is one of the best takes I've seen on the "YA bad boy player" I've seen in recent memory.

In particular, I love how each of their character arcs are intrinsically related to being Asian-American. Ever's obvious conflict with her wishing to follow her dreams, but worrying she is wasting all of the sacrifices her families made for her is one thing, but the other three's character arcs are also very heavily related to being Asian-American. (view spoiler) All of them grow and develop over the course of this novel. I'd say this novel, at its core, is a character study of Asian-American teens set against the backdrop of Taiwan.

As you can guess, one of the key components of this novel is the romance. Yes, there is a "love triangle." However, I believe it was done in a way that befitted the story and allows each of the characters to retain the integrity they deserve. In my eyes the "love triangle" between (view spoiler) isn't really a love triangle as two of the people involved don't love each other, romantically or otherwise. It's not a true love triangle unless all the legs of the triangle do, at least in my opinion. However, I will say that what I liked about this novel is that the narrative takes time to show the reader that Ever doesn't have an obvious choice, and I changed ships several times throughout this novel. I won't spoil who she ends up with, but I was satisfied by who she did at the end.

Conclusively, I highly recommend this book and I know we're only in January, but I think this is may be a contender for my favorite book of the year already. It was such a joy seeing the Asian-American experience reflected on page in what on the surface levels, appears to be a fluffy, escapist story about partying in Taiwan. Thank you, Abigail Hing Wen for writing a story that expresses so many of the thoughts I've had but could never put into proper words. ...more

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Dec 02, 2019 Danielle (Life of a Literary Nerd) rated it it was ok · review of another edition

Shelves: contemporary, poc-main-character, cover-envy

I wanted to love this so much, but unfortunately I found the story so disjointed and rushed it was a struggle for me to get through it. While Ever's passion for dance was powerful and I really enjoyed her exploration of her Chinese American heritage and the pressures of family responsibility, the story did nothing to hold my attention. I thought the characters were kind of all over the place without satisfying growth and there were quite a few heavier topics that were mostly glossed over. ...more

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Jan 09, 2020 The Nerd Daily rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Originally published on The Nerd Daily | Review by Tracy Truffles

A concept in books that I personally adore and think a lot of authors should incorporate more into their novels are important themes that can create change in the real world for readers. Topics that are important to communicate and talk about to the young adult audience whether they can directly relate to it or not, and Loveboat, Taipei definitely came through with some of those themes.

We are introduced to Ever Wong, this young, Originally published on The Nerd Daily | Review by Tracy Truffles

A concept in books that I personally adore and think a lot of authors should incorporate more into their novels are important themes that can create change in the real world for readers. Topics that are important to communicate and talk about to the young adult audience whether they can directly relate to it or not, and Loveboat, Taipei definitely came through with some of those themes.

We are introduced to Ever Wong, this young, passionate character who loves dancing more than anything else and wants to pursue it as a career. Unfortunately, coming from a strict Taiwanese family who immigrated to the United States, she is somewhat forced into studying and going into a career in Medicine even though she faints at the sight of blood. Out of nowhere, instead of spending her last summer with her friends, she’s shipped out to Taiwan for a program (which is actually a real program!) called Chien Tan. This program brought a lot of fun to this event, as she finds out that it’s mostly used for matchmaking rather than teaching young Asian-Americans Mandarin and more about their ancestral Taiwanese culture.

This book was just so plain interesting and relatable. Although I don’t come from a family forcing me to study medicine at college, I’ve had friends who were thrust into careers they were not passionate about. The idea of children living out the dreams of their parents seems relatively common in many families, especially of immigrant families trying to get by in a new foreign country. It really hit me many times when Ever spoke about her gratitude towards everything her parents sacrificed for her and her sister, but it can be said that there is a line and it can be crossed when it comes to trying to dictate someone’s future.

The writing in this was so easy to read, you could easily speed through this contemporary and because of that, you can really feel the rush and the excitement as things happen. It did not feel like a book over 400 pages for sure but it was not necessarily fast-paced – this novel just showcased the idea of ‘time flies when you’re having fun’ really well, especially when the worst happens and the story visibly slows as Ever has to navigate her new and alarming situations.

The plot was interesting because it wasn’t solely based around Ever finishing or surviving through this program (without getting caught going out with her friends) but also about how she can find a way to still pursue her passion of dancing in Taiwan while she was there.

I also really loved the character development in the book, which there was more than I originally anticipated. We get to see Ever learn from her mistakes, especially when she realises that breaking every rule in her parent’s book doesn’t mean it’ll make her happier. That defiance isn’t the answer to feeling real freedom and that things don’t always seem like what they appear when it comes to friendships and family relationships. It’s truly a coming-of-age novel and emphasised the importance of communication among family, friends and having the courage to put your trust in someone, whether it’s about telling a secret, telling the truth or just staying true to yourself and your beliefs.

My only qualm with this book is that I’m not a fan of love triangles at all, and there was kind of one in the book – almost a love quadrangle too at one point. It was the worst and best way to represent complicated relationships in an environment where these teens aren’t entirely expected to find their future spouses but there is the underlying expectation that you’ll at least find or experience love there.

Finding out that this program is real also made this more exciting; as if I’m reading a story that is partially and/or has potentially actually occurred in real life. A dramatised version of it obviously because the drama was real in Loveboat, Taipei. It made me more aware of how cool it would be if more countries did this to first-generation or second-generation teens, to learn more about their family’s culture and ancestry. It’s definitely something I’d sign up for!

Overall, this was such an enjoyable, fast read. I’d say it has some great representation, specifically for dyslexia which I don’t see often in YA books and it is a very strong debut for Abigail. Definitely, recommended! ...more

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Nov 15, 2019 Fanna rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: young-adult, arc, diverse, contemporary, female-protagonist, poc, asian, first-person, standalone, cover-love

January 7, 2020

Loveboat, Taipei is a well put together mix of Asian-American representation and young adult themes. It uses tropes from its genre but doesn't let it be a cliche: a teenage moving far from her parents, finding new friendships, a love triangle and coming of age. A great YA contemporary romance that can effectively tug at the reader's heartstrings and be swoon-worthy at bits.

Sum it up in points!

- Asian-American representation
- overseas summer school program
- parental pressures, ...more

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Feb 18, 2020 Drewthereader20 rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: audiobook, own-books, scribd, new-releases, contemporary, hardcover, debut-authors, tbr-shelf

For a debut novel this was really good. A bit to long for a contemporary but I loved our cast in here. So happy that I picked this book up!
Rating: 3.5/5

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Jan 01, 2020 Sara rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: fiction, romance, young-adult, contemporary, arc

ARC received in exchange for an honest review

Loveboat, Taipei is a story about discovery - finding out who you are when you’re defined by a culture you don’t understand. And it’s also about escaping the suffocating pressures placed on you from well meaning, but overbearing parents. Ever is one such girl. Forced to give up her dreams of studying dancing, when her parents discover her wearing a leotard and practicing dance instead of studying for med school, they send her to ‘discover her ARC received in exchange for an honest review ❤️

Loveboat, Taipei is a story about discovery - finding out who you are when you’re defined by a culture you don’t understand. And it’s also about escaping the suffocating pressures placed on you from well meaning, but overbearing parents. Ever is one such girl. Forced to give up her dreams of studying dancing, when her parents discover her wearing a leotard and practicing dance instead of studying for med school, they send her to ‘discover her heritage’ at an infamous school in Taipei. But what her parents don’t know is that this school is secretly known amongst the pupils as ‘Loveboat’ - a hot bed of rule breaking and sexual tension, where relationships are made and broken. And free for the first time in her life, Ever is determined to break all the rules.

It took me a while to warm to Ever. At first I found her painfully naive, overly trusting and she gives her heart and friendship too easily. It’s simple to think that Ever is like this because of her closeted upbringing - she’s in surroundings completely out of her comfort zone, but at times her behaviour during the first part of the book is just irritating. However, we see a lot of growth in her character which I really appreciated. She makes a lot of mistakes, and with each one we see her struggle with her guilt but also her acceptance of her decisions. It made her relatable and realistic.

I also found that the novel managed to cover a number of interesting and insightful topics, including casual racism (for example adopting Westernised names instead of using their traditional Chinese names, which were beautiful), pressures from being first generation Asian Americans and the cultural divides this creates between parents and children, and many others. I found these topics incredibly fascinating to read about, and they’re handled in an intelligent way.

The plot starts out really strong, with the students exploring Taipei through a cat and mouse game to break out each night to go clubbing. They dance and drink the night away, with hedonistic carefree tendencies and close knit friendships that really propelled the story forward. I also found the descriptions on Taiwan and its culture, which are scattered throughout, very descriptive and immersive. I will say however that the pace slows a lot at the half way mark, and a number of cliche trophies start creeping in - including a love triangle that I didn’t really enjoy and a ‘fake dating’ aspect that I personally don’t like. I also wasn’t keen on the love interests, and thought Ever treated one of them particularly badly (although she does at least admit to her bad behaviour).

I also didn’t like some of the mental health representation. It felt a little forced, and used mainly for plot advancement with no redeeming aspects to it. It felt like it was used to demonise a character rather than show it in a positive, healthy light.

A decent contemporary that I applaud for its diversity. The first half was definitely on to a winner for me, but unfortunately it falls victim to a few too many tropes for me to rate higher. I’d still be interested in this author’s future work though, as there was a heap of potential here. ...more

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Dec 29, 2019 Nenia ⚡ Aspiring Evil Overlord ⚡ Campbell marked it as to-read · review of another edition

Shelves: poc-interracial

FOR FANS OF CRAZY RICH ASIANS YOU SAY?

#sold

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Jan 30, 2020 Anya added it · review of another edition

Shelves: dnf, cover-love, own-voices, audiobooks, cringe, 2020-reads

Dnf at 50%

Yeah... I’m just really not into the love triangle and all the tropes.

Also, I thought it was weird that BOTH of her love interests had girlfriends? (One of them being her friends boyfriend)

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Jan 07, 2020 Jenny rated it did not like it · review of another edition

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. I went into the book expecting at least a four star read, because a POC romance set against the backdrop of Taiwan, a place of rich history and so much delicious food? Heck yeah! You bet I was excited!

In fact, I was so excited that I read this book the day it was released and I even stayed up until 2AM to finish the book.

Argh.

This my friends, is why we should never have high expectations because you'll only be gravely disappointed.

CAUGHT IN A BAD ROMANCE

This book is like the Chinese version of ...more

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Feb 05, 2020 Isabella rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: audiobook

Actual rating:

3.5 stars

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Dec 24, 2019 Bookphenomena (Micky) rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: arc-read, ya, triangles, pback-owned, mature-ya, friendships, family, pback-arc, ya-contemporary, 2019-read

3.5 - 4 stars

LOVEBOAT, TAIPEI had a narrative voice that just shouted ‘give me more’ vibes and I enjoyed the reading experience. I’ve heard this book heralded as a more mature & Taiwanese ‘To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before’ and it did give me some of those vibes at times. This is a more mature YA from a sexual perspective but the characters weren’t always mature in their decisions and actions.

This book brought an enjoyable coupling of American-Asian and authentic Taiwan culture as the 3.5 - 4 stars

LOVEBOAT, TAIPEI had a narrative voice that just shouted ‘give me more’ vibes and I enjoyed the reading experience. I’ve heard this book heralded as a more mature & Taiwanese ‘To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before’ and it did give me some of those vibes at times. This is a more mature YA from a sexual perspective but the characters weren’t always mature in their decisions and actions.

This book brought an enjoyable coupling of American-Asian and authentic Taiwan culture as the protagonist Ever was sent to a summer school in Taipei. The students were all sent by their parents for a summer immersion into the language and customs, but that was not the focus for the students. They were rebellious rabble-rowsers, looking to hook-up, drink alcohol, have fun and break the rules. Ever had a list of rules from home.

Straight A’s
Dress like a Nun
Curfew of Ten
No Drinking
No Wasting Money
No Dancing with a Boy
No Kissing Boys
No Boyfriend

A triangle emerged that I wasn’t super excited about but in actuality, it was pretty palatable. Xavier and Rick were two very different characters and the more I got to know them both, the more I thought they were both great friends and potential boyfriends for Ever. There was a lack of tying up of ends in one direction and I am really hoping that book two will journey down this character’s path.

There were friendships that seemed empowering and positive and there were friends to hate with a passion. I struggled a little with Ever’s quick forgiveness and I’m still holding a grudge.

This book is generally fun but it did tackle some serious topics of domestic abuse and exploitation (of which, I’m not going to elaborate on). I appreciated that Abigail Hing Wen actually ‘went there’ with sexual relationships rather than glossing over or pretending that things wouldn’t go that far. This made it a much more tangible story.

I think this was a great author debut and I am definitely looking forward to reading the next book. I enjoyed the Taiwan context as I knew little about the country but I now know just a little more.

Thank you to Simon & Schuster for the early proof copy.

This review can be found on A Take From Two Cities. ...more

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Dec 18, 2019 Tiffany Chiang rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: all-time-favs, heartwarming-contemporaries, really-want-to-read, asian-representation, yarc2019, 2020-releases, physical-arc-wishlist, contemporary

FULL REVIEW

When I first heard the plot and storyline for Loveboat, Taipei, my heart immediately grew 10x as this was the representation I had always been dreaming of my entire life.

After flying through the pages in less than a day, I’m so happy to say that Abigail Hing Wen’s story not only met my expectations, but she went above and beyond, crafting a plotline that kept me continuously on my toes and yearning for more. From the heart-skipping romance to moments of self-discovery, this book was ...more

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Dec 15, 2019 Dani ❤️ Perspective of a Writer rated it really liked it

Shelves: g-t-contemporary, genre-coming-of-age, genre-romance-deliberately, reviewed, series-book-1, stars-4, imo-great-setup, g-c-asian, genre-friendship, genre-cultural

Let’s Share Culture as we go ‘Teens Gone Wild’ on Loveboat, Taipei

Taiwan isn’t written about a lot in young adult fiction, but is a place and culture that I’d love to learn more about. As a part of China Taiwan is and isn’t Chinese. It has a melting pot feel that nicely bridges Chinese and American cultures. Loveboat, Taipei gives us a glimpse into what it means to be an Asian American teenager getting back to their Taiwanese roots.

Did Loveboat, Taipei get too crazy for this Fangirl to handle?

I’ ...more

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Jan 25, 2020 Simone rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: funny-reads, ya-novels, books-i-recommend, romance, diverse-reads, 2020

It's Lunar New Year and some folks on the Internet's put together a wonderful little readathon featuring Asian authors for the occasion. Of course I wanted to participate because I love my friends and I love reading Asian authors. The book I chose for my readathon was Loveboat, Taipei by Abigail Hing Wen.

Loveboat, Taipei follows Ever Wong, an 18-year-old overachiever who was just admitted to Northwestern's prestigious medical program. She's also been accepted to the Tisch School of the Arts in
It's Lunar New Year and some folks on the Internet's put together a wonderful little readathon featuring Asian authors for the occasion. Of course I wanted to participate because I love my friends and I love reading Asian authors. The book I chose for my readathon was Loveboat, Taipei by Abigail Hing Wen.

Loveboat, Taipei follows Ever Wong, an 18-year-old overachiever who was just admitted to Northwestern's prestigious medical program. She's also been accepted to the Tisch School of the Arts in NYU for dancing. Two major worlds within Ever's life, she's currently in the midst of making her decision. Does she want to go to Tisch or does she want to go to Northwestern? Of course, there's a little bit of conflict for which school she chooses coming from her parents. Her parents want her to go to med school, become a doctor, and have a respectable career. There's no money in dancing. However, this is something many 1st generation Americans face. We want to create our own dreams, but also have to keep in mind the dreams our parents have for us. I guess that's a story anyone can really understand.

In the midst of making the biggest decision of her young life, her parents decide to send Ever to Taiwan for a cultural immersion program. This eight-week program will allow her to learn more of her Chinese culture in the actual country it originates. When Ever finally makes it to Taiwan, she thought it would be a summer of studying Mandarin and seeing all the tourist spots in Taipei, but it turns out that the kids in the program lovingly call it "Loveboat." Why? Because of how much hooking up happens in this program. Seriously, parents send their kids to Loveboat to find a suitable match to marry. They know the deal. But sadly, Ever doesn't and while she's been such an obedient kid with her family, it's finally the summer of freedom and tasting what it feels like to be a teenager in a strange world.

Wow, this book was everything I was looking for in an own voices story. There was so much covered here and it was wrapped up in a contemporary YA romance filled with tons of food and the exciting sights and sounds of Taiwan. When they went to go see the jade cabbage and the jasper pork belly, I might have salivated at it (btw, these are real and you should google them because they're breathtaking works of art). Taiwan is one of those places I've been wanting to see my entire life and getting a glimpse of that through this book was a lot of fun.

However, this book also discusses a lot of the things many Asian Americans experience in their world. We straddle two worlds in America; the country we came from and the country we're born into. Growing up both Korean and American was a lot of juggling not only with the culture, but language, religious affiliation, where we ate, what school we went to. Both of these made up a huge part of my upbringing especially when it came to making yourself happy vs making your parents happy.

The experiences Ever and her friends have in this story were similar to the ones I had as a kid. With an ounce of freedom, you can accomplish so much and Ever takes her unique opportunity in her hands and learns to grow up a little along the way. The conflict was average when it comes to YA contemporaries recycling the same tropes you see. Complicated relationships, friendships are tested, grown up decisions need to be made, and everyone goes home happy. Despite all the tropes, it was well-balanced and made the story seem more real than cliched.

Abigail's writing is also pretty easy going. The language is not overly done and it didn't read like an annoying teenager is telling this story (which I'm not a huge fan of). Ever felt real and a friend; like someone I've known and grew up with my entire life. And despite not being Chinese or Taiwanese or knowing that life, I resonated deeply with the story. That's the important part; that the story feels and looks true despite it being fiction. It's about sharing the truth behind the fantasy and connecting with a group you may not normally connect with.

I highly recommend if you're fans of Jenny Han or Nicola Yoon or David Yoon. It's a great contemporary YA romance set in a beautiful city.

I received a copy of this book from Epic Reads for free in exchange for an honest review. My opinions have not been influenced by the publisher or the author. ...more

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Jan 27, 2020 Merb rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: read-books-only, read-in-2020, audio-books

Loveboat, Taipei follows dancing enthusiast Ever, who has spent all eighteen years of her life following the strict guidelines and lifestyle of her parents, forcing her to have the dream of being a doctor, when all she wants to do is dance. Her parents send her packing her bags from Ohio to Taiwan to study Mandarin, without realising that the students at this school do not have the same ambitions as her parents - they want to drink, party, have sex and find a lifelong partner. Tentative at Loveboat, Taipei follows dancing enthusiast Ever, who has spent all eighteen years of her life following the strict guidelines and lifestyle of her parents, forcing her to have the dream of being a doctor, when all she wants to do is dance. Her parents send her packing her bags from Ohio to Taiwan to study Mandarin, without realising that the students at this school do not have the same ambitions as her parents - they want to drink, party, have sex and find a lifelong partner. Tentative at first, Ever dives into the crazy shenanigans of Loveboat, whilst harbouring guilt towards her parents.

Loveboat, Taipei proved to be a rather average contemporary, with lacklustre, dull characters but a good theme and discussion on relevant contemporary issues. My personal disappointment with this book and what took it from a 3.5 stars to 3, was how easily problems were resolved. This book was tackling mature, adult trauma and cultural expectations, and did not do that justice. After what Ever's parents had been through and how they treated her their entire life, the disconnect and behaviour between them would not have been resolved that easily. I get this story wanted to focus on Ever finally being able to live a little, but it did this book a disservice to neglect the amount of time and challenge it takes for adults to change systemic beliefs. Just my two cents, maybe I am wrong.
Ever could easily have been a spoilt and ungrateful teenager, but she constantly harboured guilt and determination, so she was a likeable character to follow. She lacked personality traits that did not work to create or further the plot. There was an annoying love triangle, and a guy that creepily drew portraits of her, which was deemed romantic? Odd. There was a negative friendship dynamic where someone treated their friend repulsively, and was very easily forgiven. Not a great message for teenagers who often suffer from toxic friendships. I liked the discussion on being in a relationship with someone suffering from a mental health disorder, and how that should not dictate the discourse of unequal treatment within said relationship. Of course, this book also tackled the struggles and detachment young people face when their parents migrate to a different country, but still harbour strict beliefs and values of their origin country.
At the end of the day, I enjoyed this but think it needed some more serious editing on what to focus on. I guess this was just another book with potential that tried to tackle way too much. Less is always more. ...more

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About Abigail Hing Wen

Abigail Hing Wen

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Abigail Hing Wen is a Silicon Valley venture lawyer working with AI startups. She is a Vermont College of Fine Arts graduate, Wild Things blogger, and YA writer of her debut, Loveboat, Taipei.