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jessgreads's review
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
sad
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⬜⬜
Title: Loveboat Reunion
Author: Abigail Hing Wen
Genre: New Adult / Contemporary Romance
Setting: Taipei, Taiwan / Dartmouth / California
Month Read: February 2022
Book Type: Hardcover
Publication: 2022
Publisher: HarperTeen
Pages: 448
If you'd like to see my review for Loveboat, Taipei (the first book in this series)- you can here: https://jessgreads.wixsite.com/websit...
TRIGGER WARNING-
Alcohol / Sexual Themes / Physical Abuse / Dyslexia
"All along, my tornado was at work, and only now am I seeing the devastation it's caused."
No Spoiler Summary:
Loveboat Reunion is the companion novel to Loveboat, Taipei. It centers around Xavier Yeh and Sophie Ha, both supporting characters from the first novel. Xavier is repeating his Senior year of high school, forced by his father in order to gain access to his trust fund. Sophie is a Freshwoman at Dartmouth, trying to get a job to pay for supplies, while trying to get into a coveted AI class she's on the waitlist for.
Both characters need something from the other, whether they know it or not. Will their mistakes at Loveboat the summer before get in the way? Will they be able to work together and forget their pasts?
Review:
I loved Loveboat, Taipei, and as soon as I saw preorders were available for this book I ordered it immediately. Boy, did this not disappoint! It had everything I loved from the previous novel, with the added bonus of new characters, new stakes, and new locations! It also seems like I'm one of the few people who love a good villain becoming the heroine of their own spinoff novel. (You also really get to see that Sophie isn't so bad, just misguided and coming into her own.)
I think I am partial to misunderstood, bad-boy Xavier, but getting to see his familial relationships was a really lovely theme in this novel, and I loved seeing that it really wasn't "champagne problems" as Sophie says closer to the start of the novel.
I loved how much Ever and Rick we got, as well, I really wasn't expecting them to play as much of a role as they did and am super grateful that we got to see their arcs play out to a nice finish. Emma was a refreshing add, Victor had some interesting moments, and I reeeaaalllllllly hate Bert and Priscilla. A lot. I'm wondering if there's another book in this series if any of them will feature as a new lead. (Can I say I hope it's Emma or Victor?)
Overall, I liked this novel a little less than the former one, but was totally worth a read, and reads faster than I thought it would. I really couldn't put it down once I hit about page 250. Now, to wait for another book, or for the movie for Loveboat, Taipei!
"Leaves are numerous. Always growing. They are all over the world. Like the Yehs."
Title: Loveboat Reunion
Author: Abigail Hing Wen
Genre: New Adult / Contemporary Romance
Setting: Taipei, Taiwan / Dartmouth / California
Month Read: February 2022
Book Type: Hardcover
Publication: 2022
Publisher: HarperTeen
Pages: 448
If you'd like to see my review for Loveboat, Taipei (the first book in this series)- you can here: https://jessgreads.wixsite.com/websit...
TRIGGER WARNING-
Alcohol / Sexual Themes / Physical Abuse / Dyslexia
"All along, my tornado was at work, and only now am I seeing the devastation it's caused."
No Spoiler Summary:
Loveboat Reunion is the companion novel to Loveboat, Taipei. It centers around Xavier Yeh and Sophie Ha, both supporting characters from the first novel. Xavier is repeating his Senior year of high school, forced by his father in order to gain access to his trust fund. Sophie is a Freshwoman at Dartmouth, trying to get a job to pay for supplies, while trying to get into a coveted AI class she's on the waitlist for.
Both characters need something from the other, whether they know it or not. Will their mistakes at Loveboat the summer before get in the way? Will they be able to work together and forget their pasts?
Review:
I loved Loveboat, Taipei, and as soon as I saw preorders were available for this book I ordered it immediately. Boy, did this not disappoint! It had everything I loved from the previous novel, with the added bonus of new characters, new stakes, and new locations! It also seems like I'm one of the few people who love a good villain becoming the heroine of their own spinoff novel. (You also really get to see that Sophie isn't so bad, just misguided and coming into her own.)
I think I am partial to misunderstood, bad-boy Xavier, but getting to see his familial relationships was a really lovely theme in this novel, and I loved seeing that it really wasn't "champagne problems" as Sophie says closer to the start of the novel.
I loved how much Ever and Rick we got, as well, I really wasn't expecting them to play as much of a role as they did and am super grateful that we got to see their arcs play out to a nice finish. Emma was a refreshing add, Victor had some interesting moments, and I reeeaaalllllllly hate Bert and Priscilla. A lot. I'm wondering if there's another book in this series if any of them will feature as a new lead. (Can I say I hope it's Emma or Victor?)
Overall, I liked this novel a little less than the former one, but was totally worth a read, and reads faster than I thought it would. I really couldn't put it down once I hit about page 250. Now, to wait for another book, or for the movie for Loveboat, Taipei!
"Leaves are numerous. Always growing. They are all over the world. Like the Yehs."
Content Warnings
Graphic: Physical abuse
Moderate: Alcohol and Sexual content
maple_dove's review
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
"What? Never heard of that. No such thing."
"Well, why can't we have a password that's based on colors? Or tones? Why can't more desks and doorknobs be made for lefties? Why can't lefties write from right to left so they don't smudge the ink? Same thing. What if locks were made of complex shades that only people with eyes like yours could distinguish?"
I frown, considering. "A lock where all I'd have to do is pick out the right shades of color? I could do it. But it doesn't seem fair to make everyone else use a lock like that."
"Neither is making you use a combination lock. Why not have different locks for different people?"
Yes, what would it be like if the world were built your way? Or at least, not built against you? A whole layer of rules and resistance . . . just gone. (pg. 316)
This felt more like a New Adult book (though, "New Adults" = Young Adults).
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Medical content, Grief, Misogyny, Sexism, and Sexual harassment
Moderate: Death, Death of parent, and Sexual content
Minor: Gun violence and Infidelity
Slut-shaming (graphic), verbal abuse (graphic)
More...