Lindsey Cheng Dates a White Boy!!!: A Graphic Novel

by Asia Miller

The rock-steady bond of college bandmates is tested by a new boyfriend in this hotly anticipated graphic rom-com by cartoonist and viral animator Asia Miller, perfect for fans of Bryan Lee O'Malley and Mariko Tamaki!

Lindsey Cheng is a college freshman figuring herself out. She's got a band with her best friends, an overprotective Chinese mom, and a date with a super cool indie rocker boy named Jason. Good luck, Lindsey!

It's the anticipated graphic debut by CalArts Alum and viral YouTube animator Asia Miller, expanded and in full color! An indie rock rom-com of liberating self-discovery, Lindsey practices juggling love, friendship, and family––ultimately learning to choose herself. 

Genres: Graphic Novels, Comics, Romance, Queer, Graphic Novels Comics, Young Adult, New Adult

208 pages, Paperback

Published May 5, 2026

Reviews

[Joanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lindsey Cheng Dates a White Boy!!! feels like Scott Pilgrim meets BoJack Horseman. Lindsey is a college freshman navigating friendships, romance, and emotionally self-absorbed band guys
(an experience that felt a little too familiar!!) Funny, self-aware, and genuinely cute, with just enough bite beneath the charm. I’d happily read more if this turns into a series.

[Mehsi · Rating 2 out of 5]

I received this book from Edelweiss in exchange of an honest review.


So this one sounded like a lot of fun, but I don’t know, Giant Days (at least in the beginning) was much better at seeing girls go to college and date/figure out life. It didn’t help for me that several characters in the book were animals? I was very confused by that as I hadn’t expected it and it just didn’t fit. I thought at times they were just hallucinating but no apparently people are actually crocodiles, poodles, alpacas, or whatever else animal, and people are also dating those animals. That just constantly kept yeeting me out of the story. It just didn’t fit at all. Plus, a lot of the characters we meet along the way are animals. So are people rare and animals normal? I am just overthinking this, I know, but that is how my head is.

And then there is Jason. The white boy that Lindsey is dating and who is a toxic pretentious asshole. I just didn’t get what Lindsey saw in him. At all. He was constantly being an ass to her and her preferences, laughed when she was being serious, expected her to listen but if she had an opinion he would scoff or just talk over her to correct her to his correct views. What the fuck. I just wanted her to see that he was an asshole. Then again, the same I want to do to my past self, haha. One of my exes was also a big red flag (not as pretentious as Jason) but I kept trying to stick with him. Back to Jason, my lord he was so horrible. He makes it all about himself. Even when fighting it is never his fault.

Lindsey, she was supposed to be like 18/19 since she just started college, but all she did was feel like maybe 15. I guess it didn’t help that her parents were totally overbearing and kept her away from a lot of experiences. But still. It was just so awkward at times. She was so weird about things.

And then when things escalate and she talks to her friends about it the book just ends? I was very confused by that. I would have liked to get maybe a page with an epilogue on it. Or maybe just more pages to make it feel more of an ending than what it is now.

But I did have things I liked. I loved how each chapter has its own title + a fun overview scene. The art was really fun and I like the style. I loved that when Lindsey talked to her mom we also get to see the Chinese text above it, I don’t know if it is all accurate I never learned any Chinese, but it was a nice touch and give it an extra dimension. And I love seeing characters in college/university and discover the world/get to know themselves more.

And while the ending confused me/the transition to a new bit was odd I did like the story there as we get to see Lindsey friends POV and read about her love. OK, sure, it was creepy she was stalking Jason, but eh I guess it is for the greater good? Plus, we get to see another POV on the relationship with Jason and Lindsey. And I just wanted to push the two friends together, haha, they were so cute but so awkward. Both wanting it but not being able to word it right.

So all in all, not the best graphic novel. It wasn’t the worst, but not one I would recommend.

Review first posted on https://twirlingbookprincess.com/

[ladybird · Rating 4 out of 5]

knives chau if she was dating an emotionally manipulative manchild sanji

[♡ kitty *:･ﾟ✧ · Rating 5 out of 5]

i loved this!!! it had such a funky art style & the characters were so realistic and relatable!!! i loved the queer representation and overall the way it depicted how it feels to be a girl with big feelings felt so accurate!!
the story and humour was really quirky and funny, i absolutely ADORED Lindsey’s friends and would love to see this become a series so we can see things be explored more!

highly recommend picking this up especially if you’re a fan of the Scott Pilgrim series because this reminded me of that but better hehe

thank you to netgalley and the publisher for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review!

[Radwa · Rating 5 out of 5]

This gives me all the scott pilgrim vibes and I loved it!!

[Sol V · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review of advanced copy received from Netgalley

This was a delightful read from start to finish! The characters were all very fun while still feeling grounded and the art style is wonderfully expressive and just full of so much charm. Plus, the colors really make it pop! My only issue was how abrupt the ending felt since it rather suddenly shifted focus away from Lindsey, though I did still think it was pretty cute.

Overall, I definitely recommend and if there ever is more of Lindsey and her friends, I will absolutely be reading.

Thank you to Netgalley and Andrews McMeel Publishing for the ARC!

[Uzia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lindsey Cheng is a girl in college who gets her first relationship with a WHITE guy. *Gasp*
The strict parental restrictions were so accurate and I did not like Jason at ALL. He was way too aloof and careless.
I did like the illustrations and how it portrays youthful experiences in the dating field.
It was quick and fun read. Though it was more of a manga I would make younger children read. 😅

[Hannah · Rating 5 out of 5]

This graphic novel was so charming and once I picked it up I couldn’t put it down. I loved seeing Lindsey navigate college, family, and having her (kind of the worst) boyfriend. I absolutely loved Lindsey’s friends and if we get a second volume I hope a possible romance between them can be explored!

Overall this was such a fun read and one I will be recommending!

Thank you so much to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

[Monica (switching platforms) · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.75

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of this graphic novel!

I really enjoyed the art style: it’s expressive, colorful, and full of personality. One detail I especially appreciated was the inclusion of Chinese dialogue between Lindsey and her mother, with translations underneath. It added authenticity and depth to their relationship.

Another creative choice I liked was portraying most side characters as animals, while Lindsey, Jason, and her parents remain human. I was a bit curious about Cordelia (one of Jason’s friend’s girlfriends) being depicted as human too. I’m not sure if there’s a deeper meaning behind it or if I’m just overthinking, but it definitely stood out. Either way, it’s a fun stylistic touch that reflects personalities and makes the characters more memorable.

The story itself is quite quiet and character-driven, mostly revolving around Lindsey navigating her “relationship” with Jason in college. Their dynamic quickly reveals itself to be unbalanced: Lindsey is clearly more emotionally invested, while Jason feels somewhat detached from everything except his band and his friends. He comes across as more focused on himself than truly open to have a relationship. Watching Lindsey slowly come to terms with this imbalance was one of the most relatable aspects of the story.

At its core, the novel explores Lindsey trying to figure out who she is and whether she’s willing to compromise her friendships and her band for a relationship that isn’t giving her the same energy back. That internal conflict felt realistic and grounded.

The ending, however, caught me a bit off guard. The shift in focus toward Lindsey’s friends was interesting, but I wish it had been handled differently, especially from a visual standpoint. Since the perspective changes, I would have preferred seeing them in human form to better match the narrative shift.

Overall, this was a cute and enjoyable read with a strong visual identity and a relatable coming-of-age theme. It’s not particularly plot-heavy, but it works well as a soft, introspective story about relationships, identity, and learning to choose yourself.

I’d definitely be interested in reading more if this turns into a series!

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

Painful, but cute story of Lindsey being away from her mom for the first time to go to college, and dating a cool white band guy. Lindsey is also in a band, with some of her girl friends, but they haven’t bothered to name themselves yet. Like an adoring puppy, Lindsey puts up with oh so cool Jason, whose every word is to be feasted on.

He offers to let her band play at a gig he’s doing, and then ghosts her, so she doesn’t know what is going on. Lindsey tries to talk about it with him, but he is just so cool, that he doesn’t give a dang if her band plays or not.

It reads like some of the AITA that run on Reddit, where you know the woman has to throw the whole man out.

The drawings are cute.The secondary characters have their own thing going on. And Lindsey is really her own woman. I do like how Lindsey’s facial expressions show what is going on in her head, and how she is really feeling.

Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review. This book is coming out on the 5th of May 2026.

[Jamie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lindsey Cheng is a college freshman navigating her new adulthood with school, friends, and a ‘cool’ new boyfriend. That new boyfriend, Jason? Not so cool after all, he’s a self-centered jerk but having a crush on someone has a way of putting blinders over our eyes. Lindsey learns a hard lesson about placing a partner on a pedestal, and her story is bittersweet. I found Lindsey to be relatable, I have definitely found myself in her shoes and I think that this sort of story is great for young adults.

The art is also really cute and the characters are likeable. This graphic novel is full of charm and remains lighthearted and humorous throughout. A delightful read and easy recommendation.

[Bea (beansbookshelves) · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received an advanced reader copy of this book to read in exchange for an honest review via netgalley.

Very entertaining and funny read! But I was expecting to read more about Asian mom haha. I loved that her and Lindsey's conversations we written in both English and Chinese, it gave it a nice and realistic touch. Other than that, I was a pretty simple story about her friends and her boyfriend.

[Fiona Yim · Rating 5 out of 5]

read this while sitting across from a mother-daughter duo on the train, seething with jealousy that she’s hanging out with her mom while mine is on the other side of the country.

as with any asian-american/diasporic media: don’t let lukewarm reviews from non-third culture folks stop you from reading.

[Bryony Martin · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️¼

[Demetri Papadimitropoulos · Rating 4 out of 5]

She Doesn’t Want the Boy, She Wants the Script
What Asia Miller’s “Lindsey Cheng Dates a White Boy!!!” understands about coolness, status, and the fantasy of already knowing who you are
By Demetris Papadimitropoulos | April 1st, 2026

The first crisis in “Lindsey Cheng Dates a White Boy!!!” is a bangs emergency. Lindsey trims them herself, panics, calls her mother, and gets reminded that care can arrive carrying both a bowl-cut solution and a lecture about not wasting weekdays. Asia Miller starts there for a reason. In this comic, a self is something you can botch in ten seconds with a pair of scissors.

The title peddles a boyfriend, a dare, and a backstage pass to indie adulthood. Miller is after something both smaller and more exact. Jason, the white boy in question, matters less as a romantic object than as evidence that some people seem to arrive already labeled for the room. He has the band. The records. The pedals. The crate-rat authority. The practiced disdain for seeming too eager. Lindsey, a Chinese American freshman with a watchful mother and a band so new it still lacks a name, does not only want Jason. She wants whatever lets him move through a crowd without having to jury-rig a self on the fly.

The boy is the bait. The real plot is Lindsey mistaking Jason’s finish for a future she can step into. She goes out with him, slides into his orbit, meets the friends and bandmates who make up his world, gets corrected by that world in ways both tiny and cumulative, and eventually loses him in an argument that sounds petty until you hear the stakes underneath it. Petty in summary, life-sized in the body – that is the book’s scale. Miller bones the plot down on purpose. That leaves room for the real struggle to show itself: who gets to sound finished, who gets to seem native, who has to keep improvising.

That struggle is visible almost immediately in the way flirtation smuggles rank into the room. Jason hands Lindsey a record in the store. It is sweet. It is also instructional. He chooses. She accepts. He introduces. She follows. Later, when Lindsey calls his band “math rock-y,” he gives a little authenticity sermon about labels and “posers,” and her attempt at connection comes back warped. The scene hurts because Miller understands how small corrections can strip the skin off a whole evening. A girl says the near-right thing in front of the near-right people and suddenly has to hear herself as they hear her.

Jason’s power lies there. He is not a villain, and the comic is smarter for refusing that downgrade. He is inconsiderate in small, low-drama ways – the kinds that leave marks because they do not present themselves as cruelty while they are happening. He assumes his scale of investment is the normal one. He corrects easily. He wears authority as if it costs him nothing. He can treat taste as if taste were weather. Lindsey cannot. She is still trying on vocabularies and watching them fail in public.

That is one reason the dialogue works so well. Miller gets strain right by refusing to clean it up. People hedge, backtrack, over-explain, and hear themselves too late. Lindsey’s speech comes in apology loops, corrective swerves, bursts of enthusiasm that curdle into self-consciousness half a beat later. Jason’s language is shorter, smoother, more declarative. He sounds like someone who has never had to jury-rig a self in real time. Lindsey’s mother, moving between Chinese and English, brings in another rhythm – practical, fretful, faintly scolding, and absolutely convinced that care requires logistics. Those calls do more than establish family pressure. They keep the comic from drifting into the undergraduate fantasy that freedom is simply a matter of getting away. They also let the phone become two things at once: leash and lifeline.

The pages do even more. Miller’s cartooning is pared down, matte, and spare: flat color, clean lines, faces simplified enough that tiny shifts in expression count for a great deal. The grids do more than keep order. They count out embarrassment. A pause gets a panel. A weak answer hangs for one beat too long. White space opens just when Lindsey feels smallest. The little cartoon side-skids – exaggerated insertions, absurd flashes, psychic flickers – are not decoration. They run beside the literal action and translate what Lindsey cannot yet say cleanly: panic, projection, mortification, the hopeful, sick-making idea that someone else’s certainty might rub off on her. Plenty of coming-of-age books report awkwardness. Miller makes it measurable.

That page logic is what turns the comic from premise into perception. The plotting stays lean. The title stays loud. The real work happens in how the book measures Lindsey’s failed attempts to sound native to a crowd that has already marked her unfinished at a glance. If the comic shares something with Mariko Tamaki’s “Laura Dean Keeps Breaking Up with Me,” it is the refusal to sneer at a young woman for misunderstanding her own desire. If it brushes Bryan Lee O’Malley’s “Scott Pilgrim” books, it does so after stripping away the fantasy combat and leaving the record bins, the party air, the house-show pecking order, the smaller wounds. Miller’s best scenes do not explode. They tighten.

The structure helps because it keeps refusing false grandeur. Haircut. Date. His friends. Party. Art show. On paper those chapter markers sound almost cute. On the page they become a sequence of social tests. At the store Lindsey lacks fluency. At the band house she lacks references. At the party she lacks the loose, easy cool the scene rewards. At the gallery she lacks the relaxed confidence to let a conversation stay where it is. The book does not organize itself around escalating plot mechanics so much as around escalating forms of exposure. It keeps asking what version of herself Lindsey can present before she has one she trusts.

That question comes to a head in the comic’s best emblem. Lindsey’s band has no name. At first this reads like a good freshman detail, one more sign of a life still mid-assembly. Then Jason asks what the band is called, and the question turns mean. His world arrives labeled in advance: band, stance, references, an aesthetic that looks complete from ten feet away. Lindsey’s is real but still provisional. She has friends, feeling, momentum, even talent, but not yet a name sturdy enough to stand beneath. When she later says that she wanted to be part of his world, the line does not merely explain the breakup. It explains the whole comic. Jason was never just a boy. He was a shortcut past uncertainty, a fantasy of finishedness with guitar pedals attached.

Miller is also exact about a few contemporary pressures the comic is too light on its feet to underline. One is record-bin snobbery – not grand contempt, just those quick little corrections by which one person proves they know the shelves better than another. Another is the demand to become brand-ready before becoming known. Lindsey’s anxiety over naming the band is funny because it is disproportionate and painful because it isn’t. A third is the way phones now collapse care, panic, surveillance, and reassurance into the same bright rectangle. The location requests from Lindsey’s mother are annoying, comic, affectionate, and a little frightening. That doubleness feels right.

So does the book’s handling of race. Not as thesis. As pressure. Lindsey enters Jason’s world and is immediately asked whether “Cheng” is Chinese, then steered into off-key talk about acupuncture and Tibet – a moment half comic and wholly revealing, in which she is turned from person into prompt. Miller is too observant to overinflate that exchange into a set piece about identity, but she is also too observant to let it vanish as harmless awkwardness. The comic understands that a lot of contemporary racial friction arrives like this: in small, earnest, flattening recognitions that ask you to represent more than you are while pretending to make room for you.

The comic is sharpest on self-erasure before anyone has even asked for it. Hedging. Mimicking. Apologizing in advance. Trying to sound native in a language of taste you only just learned to hear. Here the book becomes more piercing than its rom-com shell initially suggests. It is not simply about a bad relationship or a cool-boy misfire. It is about the humiliating labor of self-assembly, and about how tempting it can be to mistake someone else’s social ease for a bridge out of that labor.

It is wiser about friendship than romance too. Lindsey’s friends are not backup singers in her drama. They are the people among whom she becomes readable again. Their teasing, protectiveness, and occasional idiocy give the comic its emotional scale.

Romance flattens Lindsey. Friendship lets her see the distance properly.

That is the book’s central achievement. Not just that it is funny, though it is. Not just that it is emotionally accurate, though it is that too. It is that Miller has found a form for misrecognized aspiration. She shows how wanting can attach itself to a room, a scene, a vocabulary, a style of finishedness, and then disguise that attachment as love. The book knows the difference between being drawn to a person and being drawn to what proximity to that person seems to promise. Plenty of stories about young desire understand the first. Fewer understand the second with this much tact.

The limitation follows from the same design. Jason is kept thin on purpose, and the choice makes structural sense: he functions more as a projection surface than as an independent center of gravity. Still, he registers more clearly as house-band authority than as a particular person. Other pressures – race, queerness, class – briefly bite, then recede. Miller’s restraint is mostly a virtue, but it sometimes means the comic glances off material that could have borne a little more weight. The ending reaches the right recognition and says it perhaps one shade more plainly than the rest of the comic had prepared us to need.

Even so, the book has a sure hand with humiliations that sound minor in summary and feel life-sized while you are living them. Miller knows that a bad date is often a referendum on much more than romance. She knows that subculture can look, to the right person at the right hour, like destiny. She knows that being corrected in front of cooler people can produce the exact bodily misery of a sports injury. A haircut, a record, a text thread, an off-key compliment, a party misfire, a band without a name – she lets these stay concrete before asking them to carry thought.

I landed at 88/100, which is 4 stars on Goodreads: a high score for a comic that is funny, visually quick, emotionally precise, and a little less probing in some of its side pressures than its title makes it sound. That feels like the right temperature for a book whose real intelligence lies in not pretending every small humiliation is a grand tragedy, only in knowing how much of a life can turn on one anyway.

By the end, Lindsey has not acquired glamour, certainty, or even the neat lesson a worse coming-of-age story would hand her. She has learned something less flattering and more useful: that what she wanted from Jason was not romance exactly, but relief from the work of becoming legible on her own. The band is still unnamed. Good. The comic knows she can strike the first note before the name exists.

[Sophia U · Rating 5 out of 5]

just binge-read this all in one sitting because i could not put it down!!!!!!! loved it entirely :,) asia has such a way of putting so much charm, humor, and heart in a wonderful package with a punch! i’m beyond inspired, loveeee lindsey cheng! ❤️‍🔥🎸🎸🎸🎸🎸

[Maria · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a really cool, fun comic to read :-)

🌟 Stars
- love the art style! Totally reminded me of the 2010s CalArts Adventure Time adjacent stuff I grew up with
- tone struck a good balance between making fun of certain situations/scenes/types of people, but also being sincere and real
- all the pop culture/indie music references were really fun
- I thought the pacing was great, I wasn’t bored


🔮 Wishes
- more of Lindsey’s mom and family! I initially got the impression they’d play a way bigger role in the story/be more present
- more, overall! But that’s not a bad thing - it would be great to see a sequel!


Grateful to NetGalley for the arc!

[Bookmeaway · Rating 4 out of 5]

3,75-4/5

This was a pretty fun read ! Refreshing, light, amusing, a little sad and serious sometimes. It's the - simple, not so simple - life of a teen/young adult trying to figure things out in college.

Lindsey Cheng Dates a White Boy!!! is about a young college freshman girl, who loves music, is in band (at the drums) with her two friends, V and Mel. Then Lindsey starts dating this boy... Jason, a "super cool indie rocker"...

One day Lindsey ends up at Jason's group music practice, and waw, she thinks they are soooo cool. It's quite a big theme in here : Teenagers are admiring other teenagers while denigrating, diminishing themselves at the same time. Some tend to forget themselves and they drown in trying to be like others, imitate, missing out on the opportunity to be themselves, their authentic self. Missing out on do what they like, enjoy, and be what they inspire to be.

"I think i just felt like if i was around him enough... Some of that coolness would rub off onto me."

We see the differences of personnality and of culture between the Jason and Lindsey. Awkward moments. Jason is so enerving, she deserves wayyyyy better ! It's clear that they don't have the same idea of what dating is, they do not understand each other. Or, to be correct, and honest, Jason doesn't understand Lindsey at all and doesn't seem to want to... Grrr. They do have different upbringings, different educations, different backgrounds, different family and cultural dynamics. Different upbringing, different education, different background, family and cultural dynamics. Though it's NOT an excuse for Jason to be such a...

Lindsey's friends are hilarious. I love their personalities and how they encourage Lindsey, they support her and lift her up when she's down.

"Lindsey !! Hereby begins your maiden voyage... Through the restless seas of LOVE !"

The characters are mostly all nice and interesting, except from you know who. Cordelia is cool ! Mel and V also are going on their own adventures and have things to deal with... I totally want a spin off with more of Mel and V ! I would read it immediately, they are so cute and fun.

Lindsey Cheng Dates a White Boy!!! reminded me of the two following TV shows, To all the boys I've loved before, and Never have I ever. I think if you enjoyed watching these two, you would like to read Lindsey's adventures.

[Andra-Mihaela · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.75 stars!

I want to thank NetGalley and Andrews McMeel Publishing for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for a honest review!

When I saw this little graphic novel is available, I was really excited to read it! There are so many subjects one can tackle regarding an interracial relationship.^^... alas, I was quite disappointed.:(

The story started very well, showing the mother-daughter dynamic and Lindsey's apprehension about talking with her mother when it came to relationships or personal problems, but it quickly derailed. In the end, Lindsey and Jason were very different from what the other imagined...Jason is a little narcissistic, Lindsey a little too naive and easily star struck. I'm glad stories like this exist...where people just drift in and out of each-other's lives and it's ok to make mistakes as long as you figure it out what actually is good for you, but i wanted more.
The budding friendship with the other girlfriend, the side story about Mel and V (very cute btw!^^..even if I don't really approve of Mel's behaviour >..>) and the art gallery show..they all had potential and, frankly, they were more interesting. I think my main complaint is that we don't really have that much time with the characters to connect with them and actually get to some conclusions. :(

We have a nonbinary character, as well as a budding sapphic relationship- always a plus!;
I loved the concept of using animals as people for most side characters in order to focus on what's important, but then the author decides to disregard that...In the end, I think the story would have benefitted of focusing on a single relationship instead of a whole group dynamic and try to showcase why Lindsey was the way she was, when and if she made mistakes and how she could move past them.

In conclusion...I think this is a great little book for new readers of graphic novels that are ok with bite-sized narratives, or very young teenagers who just want to see themselves represented, especially if they lack the courage to talk with the important people in their lives about their concerns.

[hazel · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was such a fun, charming little comic, I just wish there had been more of it.

The art style is genuinely delightful. It’s expressive, playful, and really leans into the awkwardness and intensity of being young and figuring yourself out. Some of my favorite panels were actually in the rock star era drawings toward the end. Those felt confident and fully realized in a way that made me want an entire sequel built around that energy.

Story-wise, it’s light and breezy. Lindsey is a college freshman navigating her overprotective Chinese mom, her band, and a new relationship with Jason — the “super cool” indie rocker boy. Really easy to read, I wish it was a bit more complex? Surely there was potential.

I was also confused about some of the animal/human visual elements. I couldn’t tell if they were metaphorical, stylistic, or meant to carry thematic weight, and because the book is so short, there isn’t enough space for those choices to fully land.

And that’s my biggest issue: it’s so short. This feels like a sneak peek of a larger story. Lindsey reads more like a young teen than someone on the cusp of adulthood, and I kept waiting for the narrative to dig deeper — into her identity, into the band’s trajectory, into what being in this relationship actually means for her. I would have loved to see the band slowly gain traction, struggle, grow, maybe even fail before succeeding. The groundwork is there! The potential is there!

As others have said, the epilogue came a bit out of nowhere, but I’ll admit… I did enjoy it. It gave us a glimpse of something bigger and more confident, which only reinforced my feeling that this series (if it becomes one) could really blossom.

Overall, this is a very cute, quick read with a lot of promise. Not the strongest execution, but definitely not the worst either — and I’d absolutely pick up a continuation. It feels like the opening act of something that could become really special.

P.S. Great title.

[leigh · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to Asia Miller, Andrew McMeel Publishing and NetGalley for providing me with an eARC! 💝

This graphic novel immediately reminded me of Scott Pilgrim vs. the World, especially Knives Chau but this time, it felt like we were finally seeing the story from her perspective.

The art style brought me straight back to my childhood. It strongly reminded me of Dork Diaries and The Popularity Papers, which I loved growing up. There was something very comforting and nostalgic about reading this and it felt familiar in the best way and made the experience feel light yet emotionally grounded.

As for the story itself, Jason genuinely got on my nerves. He felt like the kind of guy who only paid attention when something directly affected him, and it was frustrating to watch Lindsey slowly realize that he didn’t really know her at all.

I had mixed feelings about Lindsey’s mom. On one hand, I understood her protectiveness, wanting Lindsey to share her location and worrying about her going out on school nights clearly came from fear and care. On the other hand, it also made me question how much trust she actually had in Lindsey. That tension felt realistic and added depth to their relationship.

One of my favorite moments was when Lindsey finally realized that Jason didn’t truly see her and chose to walk away. It was such a strong moment of self-respect and growth.

And Mel and V? Absolutely adorable. Their dynamic brought so much warmth and joy to the story.

Overall, this was a quick and enjoyable read that balanced nostalgia, and meaningful commentary on relationships and identity. While I did wish it were a bit longer, mostly because I wanted to see more of Lindsey’s journey after everything, I still really enjoyed my time with this book.

[Heloísa · Rating 3 out of 5]

First things first, I loved the art style of this graphic novel. It’s so full of personality, and I can even see it being animated. I was also quite fond of the mixed cast of people and anthropomorphic animals; it added a nice charm to this story.

In regards to the characters, Lindsey is a very relatable college-aged woman: her first experience being away from home, the relationship with her parents, fruitful friendships and… an asshole “boyfriend”. It’s a very faithful portrait of growing up and discovering more of others and yourself; what you’re willing to tolerate and who you truly are as a person. The supporting cast isn’t very distinctive, with the exception of Lindsey’s close friends (who are very cute and supportive, and have a little subplot of their own) and Cordelia (who is probably the most interesting character or, at least, the one who pushes Lindsey further in her reflections). The boyfriend character also stands out with his woe-is-me persona, mixed with ripe pseudo-intellectualism. Miller was very good in her portrayal of this specific kind of person — unfortunately, this means the titular white boyfriend annoyed me to no end (which, to be fair, was the intended reaction to be had).

As previously stated, the story follows the highs and lows of college life, with all its first experiences and disappointments. I wish this was slightly longer, since the book ends very… openly? With little resolution to be had. It feels abrupt, which could be explained if this ends up having a sequel (which I hope it does!).

[shereadsbecause · Rating 3 out of 5]

'Lindsey Cheng Dates a White Boy!!!' gives major 'Scott Pilgrim' energy, except imagine it from Knives Chau's perspective, and if she was the drummer.

Lindsey finds herself navigating first love, cultural differences, band life, and the overwhelming feeling that everyone around her has an opinion on what she should be doing. And honestly? The moment I saw "white boy" in the title, I knew there was a non-zero chance he was going to disappoint me.

But as it turns out, the story isn't just about dating someone from a different background, but also about understanding the people who care about you, even when it feels like they're being overprotective or standing in your way. So I appreciated that Lindsey eventually learns to see where her mom is coming from. Because what initially comes across as controlling is ultimately rooted in concern, and I thought the book handled that dynamic quite well.

Sure, the story itself is slightly insufferable, yet funny and easy to get through. Because I still found myself rooting for Lindsey and would happily read more of her adventures in the future.

My only real gripe was that side story featuring her friends/bandmates at the end of the chapters. I never quite understood how they fit into the overall narrative, as they pulled me out of the main story rather than adding to it. But whatever, I still had a good time with this one. 3 stars!

Thank you NetGalley and Andrews McMeel Publishing for the e-ARC!

[Julesy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lindsey Cheng is a liberal arts college student who meets Jason who is the lead singer in a band. Coincidentally, Lindsey plays drums in an unnamed all-girl band so they have music in common. They start dating while Lindsey is adjusting to college life. Lindsey’s protective mother is a constant reminder to Lindsey about keeping up her studies. Jason wants Lindsey to ignore her mother, be more independent and be her own person since she is now in college, just like he is. In actuality his independence and advice comes across as selfish, uncaring and very rude, especially when he tells Lindsey to f-off her parents. Sorry, but Asians have been taught to have more respect than that for their parents. I guess at the college age, it is not unexpected to encounter this type of scum personality. The title of the book should actually be “Lindsey Cheng Dates a Jerk of a Boyfriend”. Or “Lindsey Cheng Dates a Douchebag Band Guy”, which is what Jason calls himself, which I agree is apropos.

I thought the story was really quirky in a fun way with anthropomorphic friends and band members (bichon frisé, llama, alligator, aardvark, meerkat). It’s a good coming of age or slice of life story, although the ending was very abrupt and did not involve Lindsey at all. It left me confused.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a review copy.

[Virginia Easthome · Rating 5 out of 5]

This graphic novel feels like a return to the opening weeks of freshman year of college - and I am here for the nostalgia! That uncertainty of dating someone new, of forming your friendships that'll last for either a month or the rest of your life...cutting your bangs (rite of passage, for real). That tension between needing your independence, and needing your parents.

The bilingual (English/Mandarin) text is awesome too - I love how much that really adds to our understanding of the character living between two worlds (and when Lindsey has an inner monologue, it's in both languages, and when she's talking to her American friends - or other characters are talking, it's only in English). The use of language is SO CLEVER, and to those of us living in or raising kids in bilingual/multilingual environments, that is exactly what it feels like to live with multiple cultures in your head.

I also loved the art style in both its detail and brevity - there's an economy of scene except when necessary, which allows readers to zero in on the emotional qualities of the scene (and it's richer when the environment/context is a character as well - like the roof scene, or sitting on the curb). Ugh, I loved it all.

*Opinions are my own. Thanks to Andrews McMeel Publishing via NetGalley for an eARC of this book.

[Ezza Syuhada · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lindsey Cheng Dates a White Boy* was such a quick and easy read. I finished the graphic novel in under an hour. The quirky art style and straightforward plot really helped with the pacing, making it super accessible and engaging.

Even though Lindsey and I don’t have much in common aside from being Asian, I still found myself relating to her insecurities and that deep desire to feel accepted, to be “cool,” and to fit in. That emotional thread felt very real.

I did find myself a bit anxious watching how she handled Jason and his behaviour. I kept hoping she wouldn’t just let things slide. So it was really satisfying and empowering to see her finally stand up for herself, call him out, and choose to walk away from a relationship that wasn’t treating her right.

I also really appreciated the portrayal of her mom. Despite her own concerns, she showed up for Lindsey in such a comforting way, reassuring her that everything would be okay and that they would figure things out together. That moment felt especially warm and grounding.

And the side story with Lindsey’s best friends? Honestly, so cute. It perfectly captured that awkward, uncertain stage of young love—figuring out when and how to make a move, especially when feelings are involved in a friendship. It added a really sweet layer to the overall story.

[Kristen Branch-McGlamery · Rating 2 out of 5]

Thank you NetGalley and Andrews McMeel Publishing for the chance to read this ARC!

In this easy to read graphic novel, Asia Miller tells the story of college freshman, Lindsey Cheng who is trying to figure life and herself out. In the midst of all of that she starts dating Jason who may seem cool, but he’s not exactly top of the charts boyfriend material.

This book is definitely for the reader or viewer who wished that Knives would’ve just opened her eyes and seen what a jerk Scott was to her in Scott Pilgrim. It’s a story that is funny and relatable to so many. I enjoyed the art style quite a bit and thought her mix of human and animal characters were interesting! I also liked seeing how Lindsey’s relationship with her mother came through in different parts of the story.

I will say that the graphic novel did feel a little rushed for me, particularly the ending. There was also a sudden change of point of view at the end that I felt was unnecessary and could have been removed in order to flesh out the main story.

To summarize, I thought the art was interesting and will probably be the thing I’ll remember most, but the story itself was pretty rushed and forgettable for me. I don’t think it would be one I would reread, but it certainly scratched that itch for something with Scott Pilgrim vibes.

[Petra Petrella · Rating 3 out of 5]

Review of advanced copy received from Netgalley

Lindsey Cheng Dates a White Boy!!! is a quick, quirky read with a lot of personality. The art is expressive, the indie-band atmosphere works, and I loved the slightly surreal choice of mixing human and animal characters. Lindsey herself is messy, anxious and painfully naive at times, but that's also what makes her believable: watching her slowly realise that the mysterious, cool guy she's so invested in is actually giving her very little was probably my favourite part. The relationship with her mother and her friendships add some welcome substance to what could otherwise have been a very simple dating story.

The story itself is quite slight, though, and the pacing gets especially wonky towards the end, when the focus suddenly shifts away from Lindsey instead of giving her story more room to breathe. I would have happily traded some of that for a little more depth. Still, this knows what it is: funny, weird, occasionally second-hand-embarrassment-inducing, and very much about being young and making questionable choices while figuring yourself out. Not groundbreaking, but distinctive enough that I'd happily read more of Lindsey's adventures.

⭐⭐⭐1/2 stars.

[Horace Hudson · Rating 4 out of 5]

ARC provided by Netgalley

I found this book quite charming. The art is wonderfully expressive with cute character designs, both human and furry humanoid, and nice backgrounds. The only thing I wish the author did was to put some art in the first scene with Lindsey's band because that part felt a little like they didn't know what the band room looked like, but that's the only part where the issue was very noticeable.

I think the characters' personalities are very fun. The relationship between Lindsey and her boyfriend, Jason, felt quite real with carelessly how he treated her. The best friends were the cutest. I think it's cool that the author put the Chinese text above the English text instead of the usual

I did find the ending to feel a bit overly abrupt, along with wishing it stayed with Lindsey a tad longer, to make it feel more impactful. The extra comics featuring a short story line with the best friend and the short 2 pager with the boyfriend were good to have. However, Lindsey is our main character and I don't feel like she was sent off like a main character. I still found this book really enjoyable though

[Supriya K · Rating 5 out of 5]

💖🎸Lindsey Cheng Dates a White Boy!!!
A Graphic Novel💖🎸

by Asia Miller @punkratkid

🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

Mythoughts 💖🎸:

This was such a cute, soft, coming-of-age love story!
Lindsey Cheng is a college freshman trying to balance her band life, her overprotective Chinese mom, loyal besties… and a super “cool” indie rocker boy, Jason. And yes she falls hard. 🥹

But slowly she realizes that being with someone cool isn’t the same as being with someone who truly cares. Jason gives bare minimum energy, while Lindsey gives her whole heart. And that contrast? It hurts.

What I loved most is how this story turns into a self-love journey. With her friends by her side, Lindsey learns to choose herself and that growth was beautiful to watch. 💛

Also… CAN WE TALK ABOUT THE ART?! 😍
Lindsey is sooo cute! Her expressions, her outfits, her emotional moments everything is drawn so adorably. The art adds so much warmth and charm to the story.

Soft romance + friendship + self-growth = YES please.

Would love to read more from Asia Miller! ✨

Thank you @NetGalley and @AndrewsMcMeelPublishing.

#LindseyChengDatesaWhiteBoy #NetGalley.