Loveboat, Taipei by Abigain Hing Wen

Ever Wong is a first generation Chinese American young woman finishing up her senior year of high school. Her passions are dance and choreography but here parents' dream is for Ever to be the doctor her father was in China but wasn't able to be in America. Ever's parents send her to a summer program in Taipei that students have nicknamed the Love Boat (after the late 70s/80s show) because of all the hooking up that happens throughout the summer.

Loveboat, Taipei is basically a coming of age story. Ever must figure out what she wants and how to articulate that to her parents in a respectful way. One thing I appreciated is that Ever eventually comes to appreciate her parents' position. She still gets angry at them for controlling her life but realizes they aren't bad parents for pushing her into a medical career. They sacrificed a lot when they left China. Her father went from being a doctor in China to a hospital orderly in the U.S. They believe a career as a doctor will her secure her future. In Taipei Ever gains an appreciation for her parents and her and their culture, while also realizes that she has to figure out a way to talk to her parents.

There are lot of shenanigans and soap opera tropes in this story and how much a person like it will in part depend on how much one is willing to tolerate those shenanigans. To name a few, there's a fake relationship, two love triangles (both of which involve Ever), a misunderstood artist bad boy, and plenty of bad teenage decisions. There is perhaps a bit too much going on but it isn't bad for a debut novel.