Mixed feelings; it was fun and well paced but there were parts I just felt like I had to skim through as I wasn't entirely invested

I waited far too long to read this but after seeing a film had come out of the first book I decided to pick it up. Thankfully it reads enough of a standalone that it didn't matter too much.

This time we follow the characters of Sophie and Xavier with some cameos from others from Loveboat Taipei. I will make sure to pick up the third in the series much quicker.

This was a sequel to an already great book, and it was filled with intense mystery, romantic tension, and so much angst that I was clutching the pages of my book in pain.

I really enjoyed the first book in this series but honestly I just kept putting this one off and I've come to the conclusion that I'm honestly just dont think I will ever get around to reading this one.

I've heard good things about it but with the amount of unread books on my tbr I doubt I will ever get around to reading this one.

I'm so sorry!

i have really, really grown out of YA :')
found the characters quite annoying at times, not just because it's YA but just annoying in general, which affected my reading experience.

- thanks to netgalley and the publisher for providing me with the ARC in exchange for an early review.

this is a highly original and heartfelt romantic story with loveable characters and a testament to the growing diversity of YA fiction. I initially thought I would not have to read the first book but I think I would have enjoyed this one more had I done so. still, I especially loved how the author portrayed the settings and memories across taipei and the us.

I really enjoyed Loveboat, Taipei two years ago, so imagine my joy when it turns out there's a sequel! I definitely had doubts going in though, as this YA novel is essentially a second-chance romance between Xavier (who I loved) and Sophie (who I didn't). But by the end, I was totally won over!

Unlike its predecessor, Loveboat Reunion is told in dual perspectives and the character development is stellar. There's sufficient insight into the conflicts that Sophie and Xavier each struggle with, such that I became very invested in their lives and journeys. I loved seeing them come into their own, embrace who they are, and go after their dreams.

This book also delves deeper into gender inequality and stereotypes as well as societal expectations. The disability rep is more significant here as well, with the author also exploring the stigma surrounding dyslexia and dysgraphia.

A lot happens in this sequel since we are following two protagonists now, especially towards the end. Some parts felt rushed, such as Victor's arc. I also wanted more closure between Xavier and his father, though their tumultuous and incredibly fraught relationship is definitely something many can relate to.

Once again, the Taipei backdrop is a captivating one with the author painting a lush and vivid picture of its many landmarks. Not only are there references to the first novel, we also get glimpses of Rick x Ever.

Overall, this was a solid duology that I really enjoyed. Do we get a third book? I hope we get a third book.

This book was the best second part for the 1st book.
In first book I really didn’t like Sophie character much but this book story showed us she is so much more than what happened in the last book.
After reading the last book I wanted to know more about Xavier character and I really got to see a representation for learning disability which was written well.
Story was also well written. And I enjoyed reading it!

I rarely reach for contemporary - it's just not my thing, and that's a personal taste thing. However, after reading Abigail Hing Wen's second book, she's become an auto-buy author for me.

One of the things I loved was all the pressure and stress of educational expectations. Sophie is in her first year of college and Xavier is repeating his final year of high school. I'm in the final year of my degree, and I could relate so easily to the stress of deadlines and the desire to achieve even as obstacles pile up.

Xavier has dyslexia and dysgraphia, and the book deals with the abuse he gets from his family over that. By comparison, Sophie is supportive and understanding, helping him gain the confidence in finding his own way to express himself and navigate the world.

Also Sophie as a girl in STEM?! Yes please! I also loved that she got to blend it with a "typically feminine" passion for fashion because often I see female characters who like STEM pushed as these "unfeminine" characters, who don't care about appearances. And yeah, some of us are like that, but it's such a stereotypical view - and the fact that Sophie wasn't portrayed like that was a really nice mirror to the way the Yeh women end up taking centre stage at the end.

There is a bit of romance between Sophie and Xavier, but it felt very much like a background element of the book (which is what I prefer in contemporary.) I also appreciated that it felt built on friendship, like they were getting attracted to each other after talking and supporting one another as friends.

Most of the criticisms I've seen of this book relate to how it deals (or doesn't) with events of the previous book, and that Sophie is now the protagonist after being the antagonist in the previous book. It's been two years since I read LOVEBOAT, TAIPEI, which means my memory of it is hazy, so I read LOVEBOAT REUNION practically like a standalone. It works so well in that context.

This was very different from the first book, but in a good way I didn't expect, which I love when this happens when I read. Some of the characters went in a different direction that felt a little out of character, but nevertheless a good second book.

Loveboat Reunion is a spin-off from Loveboat, Taipei, following former side-characters Xavier and Sophie, as they’re brought back together by a spontaneous reunion of Loveboat alum that Sophie is roped into organizing. Both with their own struggles and a complicated romantic history from their time at Loveboat, they struggle to cope with returning feelings, family pressure, and intense academic pressure on the both of them.

I wasn’t actually sure how I was going to feel about this book when I went into it as I absolutely adored Xavier in book one, but Sophie was one of my least favourite characters. I was interested to see her growth in this book and I was impressed by how authentically she developed throughout, but unfortunately she didn’t grow enough for me to root for her in this story. I was glad to see her come into her own, but I still felt at times like I was rooting for other characters in the story much more.

On the other hand, I loved Xavier’s growth from the reckless rich kid that he was in book one and loved him as much as a character as I did before. I did find myself wishing at times that he was a little firmer with Sophie when she seemed to be pushing him around, but everything he did seemed mostly in character and I enjoyed his half of the story much more.

The overall plot was really fun and a great escapist read, despite the stresses that the characters faced. Some of the challenges that both Xavier and Sophie face are quite intense and emotional, but returning to the joy and enthusiasm of their summer on Loveboat was so enjoyable and, somehow, a little nostalgic. I found myself loving the cameos from characters in the first book, and the overall party scene both in Taipei and on their journey to Taipei did seem like so much fun, bar the obvious issues that they faced.

Overall, I did enjoy this book and found it to be a quick, easy read. It was a shame that I didn’t connect more with the protagonists and their relationship, but I would still recommend if you’re looking for a fun romance read, and if you enjoyed Loveboat, Taipei as much as I did.

I really enjoyed Lovebat Taipei it was a great read. Loveboat Reunion was a lot more mature and i loved it!!

Saying that there isn't any sex scenes but i feel like alot of the things dealt with in this book were alot more heavy.

I could tell the author really cared about the characters she was writing. They were so well written i couldn't help feel every emotion for them.

A perfect sequel to the first book!

I really enjoyed the first book, Loveboat, Taipei, when I read that one so I was really excited to read about Xavier and Sophie. This was a duel perspective which I loved as we got the see the story from both Sophie and Xavier’s POV.

I loved the setting of this story and how it was split between the US and Taipei and really liked seeing how the characters grew throughout the novel. In this book we also got much more insight to Xavier’s family and his struggles with them and his dyslexia and how he deals with it.

Sophie and Xavier were a great pairing and I really liked seeing them rebuild their relationship as they worked together and go from being able to be friends again to something more as they realise they can’t keep away from each other.

This was a great read that I read in one sitting, definitely recommend!

I think I might need to go back and read Loveboat Taipei all over again because this one gave me ALL THE FEELS! It was just perfect - little references to the first book, more Xavier and a slow burn romance. I am 100% here for it. I feel like this book was a full redemption for Sophie - she is amazing and I found myself cheering for her at the end in the print shop. Please can we have more Loveboat stories!!!

Thank you NetGalley and Simon and Schuster UK Children's for providing this ARC for me with exchange honest review.

In this book, we follow right after what happen in Loveboat, Taipei. So, I suggest you to read the first book then read this one. The difference is now we follow Xavier and Sophie who trying become a better person than in the previous book.

I'll tell you first about the characters here. From the first book, I always love Xavier better than other characters even the main, because I think he always do and honest with his feeling. The only mistake he has is falling in love (even we can't call it mistake) and from the first book I can say that I don't like Sophie at all. I can see how bad she is in the first book even she change a little at the end, and now this book tell about them.

But, I must say that I like her now in this book. Because we follow Xavier and Sophie, we can see how much they change trough out the book. I even thought that I saw completely different people, because the character changes of these two characters were very significant. I really like their character changes. Xavier became more open and Sophie became more calm and focused because she knew what she wanted to do now. Although there are some actions that can still be considered a little stupid but this adds to the drama in the story.

The conflict is a little heavier than the first book. Not only focus on the future pursued by Xavier and Sophie, but there is also a fairly complicated Xavier family problem that is revealed here. It's a classic story of a rich family but it's also quite fun to follow.

It's interesting to see Xavier who is trying to stay away from his family instead to help maintain his family and all of that is accompanied by Sophie. Seeing the chaotic relationship between Xavier and Sophie in the first book, it has completely changed. They become dependent on each other and become friends to confide in each other. Moreover, there is something that turns deeper between their relationship. I really like following the development of Xavier and Sophie's relationship here.

I think this book is much more fun to follow. Moreover, there are two points of view, Xavier and Sophie, so we can really know what they are thinking and feeling.

Full review here:
https://www.tikbookholic.com/2022/02/review-loveboat-reunion-abigail-hing.html

I think there’s two ways I can write this review. One is to approach from the perspective that Loveboat Reunion is the sequel to Loveboat, Taipei, and to evaluate it as a continuation; the other is to treat it more as a stand-alone, focus less on the connection between the two books and more on the content of the book itself. I’ll be mostly going for the latter, partially due to my tendency to not remember the proceedings of earlier books in great detail, but also because there are aspects of the book I view in a more positive light looking at it this way.

The first thing that makes me rate Loveboat Reunion above Loveboat, Taipei, is I simply liked the characters more. Emma, Victor, Lulu… While none of them had extensive character arcs, I liked that key parts of each character were initially concealed from readers, only to be revealed at the right time. They had real struggles that we didn’t always know about since we were locked out of their heads, which became amplified in the duality of character once the setting moved from the US to Taiwan. I appreciated this the most with characters like Victor, who perfectly illustrated how different someone can be in different settings depending on whether familial pressure is present.

One of the reasons I liked Loveboat Reunion a lot more than Loveboat, Taipei is the college-oriented narrative. I loved hearing about Sophie’s life at Dartmouth and her very real struggles of being a girl in STEM. Similarly, Xavier navigating high school felt authentic given his character and dyslexia. Loveboat Reunion managed to create the same atmosphere as Loveboat, Taipei in a more grounded setting, which also added to the contrast of moments such as the party on the private jet. Instead of a truckload of extravagance from start to finish, there were thoughtful splashes of it throughout.

All in all, Loveboat Reunion gave me everything I felt was missing from Loveboat, Taipei. It felt more like an older sibling than a sequel, and I think that’s for the best. I came for Xavier, but Sophie definitely won me over; leaving the events of Loveboat, Taipei firmly in the past, she establishes herself as a beautifully flawed force to be reckoned with. Loveboat Reunion weaves together the challenges of balancing ambition, love, and family—leaving a tapestry of hope and new beginnings.

Loveboat Reunion picks up right where Loveboat, Taipei ends. Instead of focusing on Ever and Rick, this book focusses on Sophie and Xavier as they are leaving Loveboat for the next stage of their lives. I would highly suggest you recap yourself on Loveboat, Taipei before going into this one because it picks right back up!

I found it really interesting to see more of Sophie and Xavier and the way in which they handle life after Loveboat. We get to see the different barriers that both the characters face. Sophie is trying to get her college to realise her skills in the tech industry. Whilst, Xavier is heading back to high school to get his diploma, after his father sends him back there, much to Xavier’s anger. Both of these storylines are interesting but it gets even more interesting when they both travel back to Taiwan for the moon festival to complete assignments they both have at school / college.

I enjoyed seeing Xavier and Sophie’s relationship develop. We see them rebuild trust for one another and explore what this might mean for them. I would have loved to see more of their relationship towards the end of the book as I felt it didn’t get the time it deserved before the book ended. There are a whole host of cute moments though which I loved.

I loved how the author discusses women in tech throughout this book. Sophie is incredibly apprehensive about her ability to fit into an environment which is extremely male dominated. This means she faces a number of challenges when she tries to combine technology with her love of fashion. Despite the challenges and backlash she gets, we see Sophie never back down. I feel this is inspiring for so many people out there. On top of this, it was lovely to see Xavier’s aunties and how amazing they are in the tech and business world.

This book does come with a content warning for parental abuse. Xavier’s father is emotionally and physically abusive towards him. Ba is so cold and calculated and it is horrible to read at times. This abuse all leads to Xavier not addressing his learning disability. We do see his learning disability explored more in this book as he learns to deal with his dyslexia and dysgraphia and it is refreshing to see his shock at the accommodations given to those with learning disabilities.

I really wish this book would have addressed what Sophie did during Loveboat, Taipei a little more. I was apprehensive going into this book due to it centring around Sophie and having what she did in the first book in the back of my mind. We do get to see Sophie feel guilty for what she does but I wish we got more insight into her motivations behind this. I did grow to like Sophie throughout reading this book but I feel I did not fully forgive her as not enough insight was given to her previous actions.

Overall, this was a good instalment to the Loveboat series. Although some may shy away from this as it is told from the perspective of Sophie and Xavier, their character development is excellent and something readers will appreciate. We also get to see some old friends from the first book which was a lot of fun. I’m not sure if there will be more books in this series but if there are I’m sure I’ll pick them up.

I really enjoyed this book. It was fun, easy to read, light and fluffy and perfect for something quick to fill in the gaps of more intense reads like I did. Would recommend.

I didn't actually realise this was the second book so I hadn't read the first, this made it tricky to follow sometimes as they referenced previous events but it was ok as a standalone too.
I didn't like the main characters at all sadly, they just really irritated me and I found it hard to actually like anything about them. The romance didn't feel very natural to me, the surprises in it were kind of underwhelming and I just didn't feel invested in the outcome. I did like the perspective of women in STEM for this and the idea that she doesn't need a husband and can achieve her dreams of a wealthy life off of her own achievements but this didn't really feel fully explored or captilised upon.
Overall, it was an ok book but not something that would make me read more from the author.

I really loved Loveboat Taipei so I was thrilled to find out there was a sequel! This story focuses on Sophie and Xavier’s relationship and it’s so lovely to read, the character progression is so important here and really focuses on family dynamics sharing some very important messages.
Although some parts of the story were predictable it was an enjoyable story and was a great way to revisit all these characters!