Name: Loveboat, Taipei
ISBN: 9781471192852

Abigail Hing Wen

Perfect for fans of Jenny Han and Sarah Dessen, 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, Ever Wong's summer takes an unexpected turn. Gone is Chien Tan, the strict educational program in Taiwan that Ever was expecting. In its place, she finds Loveboat: a summer-long free-for-all where hookups abound, adults turn a blind eye, and the nightlife runs nonstop. But not every student is quite what they seem: Ever is working toward becoming a doctor but nurses a secret passion for dance. Rick Woo is the Yale-bound child prodigy bane of Ever's existence whose perfection hides a secret. Boy-crazy, fashion-obsessed Sophie Ha turns out to have more to her than meets the eye. And under sexy Xavier Yeh's shell is buried a shameful truth he'll never admit. When these students' lives collide, it's guaranteed to be a summer Ever will never forget! PRAISE FOR LOVEBOAT, TAIPEI: 'A unique story from an exciting and authentic new voice.' - Sabaa Tahir, #1 New York Times bestselling author of An Ember in the Ashes 'Equal parts surprising, original and intelligent. An intense rush of rebellion and romance.'- Stephanie Garber, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Caraval 'Fresh as a first kiss.'- Stacey Lee, award-winning author of Outrun the Moon 'Fresh, fun, heartfelt, and totally addictive, a story about finding your place - and your people - where you least expected.'- Kelly Loy Gilbert, author of the William C. Morris Award finalist Conviction

Loveboat, Taipei

Linara K.S

DNF after 65% because the story started to become a bit problematic in my opinion. The beginning was full of splendour but slowly i started to hate the MC and so i decided it was best to stop the book in order to keep the good things about the book in my mind.

Bria

I was hesitant to read this since a lot of reviews given are really mixed, and I watched the movie first which was great until it wasn’t, lol. a lot of the plot was changed from the book to the movie so reading loveboat was an entirely new experience.

I will admit, this book is messy. there are a lot of red flags and messy relationships between ever, rick, sophie & xavier, as well as rick’s complicated relationship with jenna. there was a lot to balance, and especially trying to navigate ever’s identity crisis as an asian american. was it an amazing book? no. BUT, I still really enjoyed it because ever’s identity crisis is precisely what I went through at 18 when I went to college. the relatability I had to this book made it more enjoyable for me because it felt a little raw and real. it’s still a little cringey and cheesy at points, but I knew that going it which I think changed my reading experience and perspective. 

so I guess read at your own discretion. I enjoyed this more than I expected to!

Tara Bounkeovisane

I was hesitant to read this since a lot of reviews given are really mixed, and I watched the movie first which was great until it wasn’t, lol. a lot of the plot was changed from the book to the movie so reading loveboat was an entirely new experience.

I will admit, this book is messy. there are a lot of red flags and messy relationships between ever, rick, sophie & xavier, as well as rick’s complicated relationship with jenna. there was a lot to balance, and especially trying to navigate ever’s identity crisis as an asian american. was it an amazing book? no. BUT, I still really enjoyed it because ever’s identity crisis is precisely what I went through at 18 when I went to college. the relatability I had to this book made it more enjoyable for me because it felt a little raw and real. it’s still a little cringey and cheesy at points, but I knew that going it which I think changed my reading experience and perspective. 

so I guess read at your own discretion. I enjoyed this more than I expected to!

Nova

i really get how this could be one of those childish, juvenile books because how it started but that is exactly why to read this book until the finish is a need! it's a pretty easy and light read anyway, and i ended up enjoying everything. no unnecessary scenes that bored me out, everything happens for a reason (usually for the characters' growth). ever is such a likeable narrator, as in she is realistic and rounded as a character. she's the eldest daughter in her struggling family and i immediately identified with that, finding myself empathizing with her. i loved going through her change and growth from how she sees the outside world And inside, and i love how she's always had that fire inside her but going on loveboat has really let her step into herself and reached her potential. the side characters are also super intriguing, and i couldn't get myself to be irked at sophie too much no matter how sus she was from the start. xavier :( oh xavier. he's so vulnerable and unpredictable. the only character i don't really find myself drawn to is rick, i guess, because he's depicted as super steady and everything, so i didn't care for him much except that he's good for ever. ever's family arc was UNTOUCHABLE. i cried so much every time about her family, i could relate so hard. a really enjoyable read! it's not spectacular or anything but it was still pretty good

alya adlina

basically i picked up this book just because i don’t want to see this book on my tbr stack. i had heard a lot of mixed reviews for this book so i lowered my expectations and OMG I DIDNT EXPECT I ENJOYED THIS ONE. 

so this book is about Ever Wong, who is taiwanese-american teen that sent to Taipei for the program known secretly as “loveboat” by her parents during summer. ngl i loved the setting and the plot of this book. very interesting. the characters in here really really intrigued me. ever is really different character, but i can connect with her sometimes. i could see her motivation towards something. she’s very passionate and rebel. 

the romance in here…we got love triangle….i know a lot of people hate this trope. but actually this book written it so well and developed the trope so good that i couldn’t hate the trope at all. we got a golden boy and every asian mom’s dream son, Rick Woo. then we got a mysterious and bad boy, Xavier Yeh. i adore these characters so much. rick is very boyfriend material i loved him so much. and xavier oh my god i wish we have more scenes and background of him i really wanna hug him so bad. 

i do recommend this book to everyone who wants to know more about asian culture, also some topics like racism, dyslexia and mental illness. also if you love summer vibes, love triangle, fun, emotional and insightful.

Ally

tbh had strong dnf vibes at the beginning but I just continued to listen. there were definitely overused tropes of someone believing they HAVE TO follow their parent's path. sometimes they did touch on cultural identity which I liked but it was just such a vast range of topics

honour

rita

plot was… very interesting? a bit unrealistic? i feel like i wouldn’t have kept going with it if it wasn’t a physical book. either way! gave me a new perspective on being asian american and ! yea! a fun read that i def needed between all the heavier, slower books lately. i might reread it for fun ?? certain bits.. like sophie…. were vvv weird….

edit! wtf that book was so bad

becky oh

I knew I was going to fall in love with this book when I saw the cover of Loveboat, Taipei. A beautiful Asain girl needs a beautiful story right? And my gut instinct was right: I fell in love, heard with this book💓

After what seems like eternity, flying through the words on the pages (me just eating it all up), I am just so happy that I read this beautiful story that involved charming romance, self-discovery of doing what you love the most and the glittering culture of family.

"Maybe part of fighting the unhappiness in this world is to seize happiness when we can"

Loveboat, Taipei follows an Asian-American girl named Ever Wong being sent to an educational summer programme in Taiwan, nicknamed Loveboat for the lack of adult supervision. As Ever enters the world of Loveboat, she becomes more free, her passion for dance grows and she starts learning more about the culture around her. 🌱

Taiwan is not my original home but as an Asian myself, it felt like a home while reading Abigail Hing Wen's beautiful writing style. She did an exceptional job making me fall for the culture in the book and tackling Asian stereotypes, racism, abuse in relationships, financial problems, intimate feelings of love and sex, first-immigrants, children with dyslexia and learning the literature of Western and Eastern side. I felt like watching an intense drama with a popcorn by myself and fangirling over the characters. Sometimes, I even just shouted at the book in anger and released my very-evil-Becky🔥

I actually read some reviews before reading this book and there were some complaints about the pace but the pace for an 400+ page book was perfect for me. There was no dull-moment and I smiled, gasped and screamed while reading which, happened a lot. 

"I don't care what baggage they dragged over the ocean. They have no right to make me carry it the rest of my life."

Can I just say, my heart was bouncing all over the place because of this love triangle💖😭I usually hate love triangles because they are so annoying but this, this love triangle I am now living for it⚡️And here comes in with two mysterious boys: Rick Woo the perfect golden boy every Asain parents wants their child to marry, with his handsome features and being a football star. And (my oh my) Xavier Yeh, the classic bad boy with a sinful promise of a broken heart and his famous luring smirk. I love both of them with all my heart and I can't choose who to love more because whenever one of these boys entered, my heart just splattered all over the place.



I related so much to Loveboat, Taipei and as a former Asain ballet dancer, I felt a strong connection to Ever and her dancing, family issues and how to cope with racist things out in the world. I'm so glad all my babies in this book improved so much from being closed-hearted characters to becoming a beautiful swan like they deserve to be. I am so privileged to have read this book and I hope you guys enjoy it as much I did if you decide to pick up this book and have a go!

Vicky (A City Girl's Thoughts)

I thought this was gonna be another lame, chick-lit, gossipy, nonsense drama-filled story but with Chinese, Taiwanese, Chinese-Americans, and Taiwanese-Americans a la Crazy Rich Asians, but Abigail Hing Wen turned this into a coming-of-age story about Asian-American (specifically Chinese-American and Taiwanese-American) multiculturalism, assimilation, and navigating through their culture's toxicity. 

Ever Wong wants to be a dancer but her parents push her into the medical field. Post-H.S. graduation they send her to Taipei, Taiwan to learn more about her ethnicity, thinking it will be a strict, enriching program. Turns out the teachers aren't THAT strict, so the 500 students (mostly) decide to spend that summer finding themselves and break some rules they would've never had the opportunity to do back home. 

I don't mind Hing Wen writing her characters as social rule breakers to discover themselves but I wished Ever wasn't SO careless! I understand why she broke her culture's rules but some stuff I felt were flat out stupid; things she KNEW, despite being raised in a culturally conservative family, that will hurt her regardless of her upbringing, such as hookups and getting drunk. I also didn't like the queerbaiting the boys in the talent show did to break stereotypes about Asian men; they should have done something different. There performance didn't show a solution to that. 

As an Asian-American myself - who's partially Chinese - I'm glad Hing Wen exposed toxic traits Asians are taught. The way Asians handle depression, learning disorders, and relationships-both romantic and non-romantic- are a HUGE problem within our community, and it's worse when religion is included! Depression and cognitive disorders aren't solved through shaming, ignoring, or abusing the person! A girl hugging a boy does NOT mean she's a slut! Minor stuff such as unnecessary humiliation when something doesn't go your way shows immaturity and arrogance! Asian parents, as well as older Asians in general, don't question whether their cultural traits are damaging or not, but Hing Wen perfectly captures this throughout this story!

I'm also glad Ever learned her recklessness was stupid and hurt her. Most authors turn their conservative characters into proud, reckless idiots who get unabashedly drunk, high, or hookup with any and everybody with no remorse, but Hing Wen made sure Ever learned and changed. She acknowledged why Ever did what she did but turned that into a lesson to beware of pop culture's hold on their definition of morality-they are no less harmful than the "conservative" morals Asians are taught. A solid ⭐⭐⭐⭐ for me!

When Ever Wong's parents sent her away fro the summer, she's expecting Chien Tan: a strict, educational immersion program in Taiwan. Instead, she finds the infamous "Loveboat." There, Ever is surrounded by prodigies, like Rick Woo, Chinese American wonder boy and longtime bane of her existence; Ever's roommate, the confident and clever Sophia Ha, as glamorous as she is sharp; and the intimidatingly cool Xavier Yeh, heir to an international tech empire. But her classmates are more interested in the nonstop Taipei nightlife than anything to do with the curriculum. Hookups abound, snake-blood sake flows, and adult supervision is nonexistent. For the first time ever, Ever is discovering what freedom tastes like and it's exhilerating. But summer will end and Ever will be back to her parents and the future they've planned for her. Will she let this glimpse of freedom go - or will Loveboat give her the courage to pursue fhe future she dreams of, and the Ever Wong she wants to be?

alexandra

Sarah Selvaratnam 

This book blew me away. I wanted a book that was light and full of summer fun, this was what the blurb promised, and while this book was full of new friends, sneaking out, nightlife, and drama, it was also so much more. 
“Loveboat, Taipei” touches on the pressures of growing up with immigrant parents, balancing two identities: being ethnically Asian but also American, healthy and unhealthy relationships, familial expectations, mental health, and following your dreams. 
It explores how people from Asia are viewed by the West, the disrespect shown to immigrants and the undervaluing of their experience. 
I learned so much about the different cultures in Taiwan. The different dialects spoken across regions. I related strongly to Ever who couldn’t speak the language of her parents and how this summer changed her as she grew into all the different parts of herself. 
I can’t recommend this book enough, both for the pure enjoyment and fun it presented but also the importance of its voice on issues faced by Asian Americans.

cute!!! definitely FEELS like a debut novel but still so so enjoyable!!

vinny<3

tish

Ashley Wendt

Cute self-discovery story. It was a bit drawn out in parts. And sometimes the storyline felt like a hot mess…but I guess when you are struggling to figure out who you are at 18 bad decisions and unnecessary messes follow. Still there was something very charming & heartwarming about this story.

Putrimolia Sutejo

2.5*
xavier deserved better is all im gonna say
rick woo so boring boooooo 👎👎👎

Lauren Tabor

** spoiler alert **
           This easily could have been 5 stars and a new favorite, but it was sooo long for no reason. 

I never liked the love interest who was endgame. Rick was so boring and he was everything she hated in her own life. Then after she had gotten in trouble and was getting herself back together he sneaks her out and has her break mores rules after she had vowed to do better. Whereas Xavier was right there the WHOLE TIME. He was a way better option and suited her lifestyle way better. They could’ve done art and dance and had a sweet life loving their dreams side by side. He was way more interesting and captivated my attention way better. I’m still not sure why she chose Rick 🤨

mighty dragon 

actual rating: 3.5 stars.

they said it's like tatbilb. well, it's better. so many relatable things are inside this book (having asian parents problems). it was well written.

Debbi

elif sinem

Amazingly fun first half, but by the second half the ugly side of the love square started to show... not only that, but the discussion on mental health was not good. And the one political sentence there was ?!?!?!? And that one shoehorned drama moment near the end... Too little time, too much brushed over. A shame, cause otherwise I think this is one of the best descriptions on being an immigrant and a very fun novel otherwise.

Ana Robbinson

4.25/5 

SYNOPSIS
—————
Everette “Ever” Wong is the eldest daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Wong who has migrated to the United States, in hopes of setting up a better life there for themselves and their children. Ever has a younger sister Pearl whom she adores. Her life revolves around school, her best friend Megan and her family. She carries the dream of her parents of her becoming a doctor. Despite her straight As and an admission to Northwestern, she’s still disappointed, for deep down she wants to be a dancer. Dancing helps her feel fuller and more like herself but her parents do not understand it. However she secretly applies to NYU and got admitted to Tisch. But she has to make a difficult choice between her dreams of dancing and her parents plan of sending her off to Taipei for summer to learn more about her culture. All her cries fall on deaf ears and she is shipped of to Taipei. She was sure her life as she dreamed of was over, and that her wings were promptly clipped off, but Taipei could be different that she envisioned it to be. It could turn out to be a turning point in her life, for better or for worse.
—————

I went in to the book expecting nothing, which I am beginning to understand, is a very clever strategy. 

And the first couple of pages was honestly a drag for me... I am no second or third culture kid, my parents are not immigrants... So there was nothing I could relate to in the beginning of the book. But as it progressed, things changed. I began to see a lot of myself in Ever Wong, the protagonist. But before getting to the good bits, let me tell you why I hold off that .75 points. 

If the writing style doesn’t sit well with me, I often give up on the book altogether. So it definitely wasn’t the writing style that put me off in the beginning. But there were definitely certain sentences here and there, which demanded a tad bit more attention and care to decipher properly. Certain sentences and their overall structure irked me. I know I am nitpicking and that I am no book connoisseur, but since this is an open forum I thought I’d just get on with it. 

I didn’t exactly adore Ever from the beginning. She isn’t your perfect protagonist. She made her mistakes, did some stupid things, but in the end, she revived herself. She grew out of her shell, her insecurities, her somewhat skewed perception of the world and of herself. She wasn’t the girl who made all the right choices. She was like you and me, who had to do a lot of exploration to truly find herself. 

And to help her along the journey she had some amazing friends she met at Chien Tan. Granted, friendships didn’t come easy to Ever and Chien Tan was no different. There were some usual teenage dramas and some more serious fallouts but she amidst all this, she was still able to forge some close-knit friendships. I adored all the characters who surrounded her - Sophie, Xavier, Debra, Spencer, Marc, Rick, Mei Hwa, Li Han, the dragon. All of them had something unique to bring into the story. 

Each of them collectively helped Ever in rediscovering herself and it was such a gentle reminder that we all need that support group in life. 

I loved the elements of friendships, romance, heartbreaks, unrequited love, adventure, filial relationships etc. 

Although, I could have done with less graphic you-know-what. It’s not too much, but I can only handle so much... 

I don’t want to end on such a sour note, so here’s a little trivia. I might have shed a tear or two at the last chapter and screamed an infrasonic scream after the epilogue.

** spoiler alert **
           This was a great read! I loved the culture, the way the character is learning the heritage with the reader, and how strong the character is. 
my ONLY complaint is the way (Spoilers) Sophie’s backstabbing is handled. No way, I hate the author for making Sophie a victim. 
And also Jenna? Threatening suicide, also again, making her into a mental health advocate is great… but she was manipulative. End of story.

Nadine 

Someone put me onto reading this, as it's a typical scenario of parents sending their offspring to learn Chinese and consort with their kin-folk.
It was ok as these types of books go, with the usual teen / YA angst and melodrama, touch of the rich and famous and alls-well-ends well.