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.
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.
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!
I received this book from Edelweiss in exchange of an honest review.
Not the best but also not the worst. The art was fun, I did like the epilogue even if it came out of nowhere, I loved that the mom was despite being overbearing also sweet and kind. But I hated Jason, I was confused about the animal/human stuff, Lindsey was more a teen rather than someone about to be an adult.
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!
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.
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.
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.
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.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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.
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
💖🎸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.
This is a graphic novel about the struggles of an asian girl dating a boy in college. Each chapter is its mini story. It’s short, not too heavy, and a fast read. I enjoyed reading the book.
This book should be titled “Lindsey Cheng Dates a Jerk!!!” Not “Lindsey Cheng Dates a White Boy!!!”. Or at least take out his race. It doesn’t explore interracial dating at all or Lindsey Cheng being a minority. Their races aren’t relevant so I don’t know why it’s titled that way. As someone in an interracial relationship, I was hoping this book would strongly resonate with me, but it didn't.
Lindsey also didn’t seem particularly into Jason. When she first told her friends during band practice, she looked apprehensive at being labeled his girlfriend. She looked uncomfortable, not excited. On page 40, I read it as Lindsey thinks Jason is annoying and she doesn’t want to answer his text. I viewed their breakup as an inevitability and emotionally low-stakes.
I think all my critique stems from the misleading title. It’s an enjoyable read, but it’s just not the story the title promises.
Okay but this book? Adorable. 💖 The art style is super cute and immediately pulls you in, and the story is way more relatable than I expected. Lindsay Cheng gets swept up by Jason—the “cool” lead singer of a band—and honestly… haven’t we all fallen for that guy at least once? 😅 The question is: is he actually cool, or just your standard full-of-himself white college boy with a guitar? (Spoiler: yeah… we know.) What really surprised me was the bonus story at the end featuring Melanie, one of Lindsay’s besties/bandmates—such a fun little extra that made the whole experience feel richer. It’s a quick, straightforward read, but Miller sneaks in these thoughtful moments that show who Lindsay is beyond college life and what truly matters to her. Lindsay and her crew are so earnest and emotionally open that it’s impossible not to root for them. I caught myself grinning more than once at the painfully familiar situations and goofy little moments. Sweet, funny, and charming in the best way—this one left me smiling. 😊
Full of energy, humour, and emotion, “Lindsey Cheng Dates a White Boy!!!” follows freshman Lindsey learning to become her own person. That includes playing drums in an unnamed indie band with her friends, ignoring her protective mom’s texts, and dating cool musician (and said white boy) Jason.
With expressive and funny artwork, the story draws you into Lindsey’s world from the very first pages, dropping you into a hilarious moment where Lindsey has cut her bangs right before a date. The slightly dingy colour palette suits the 2010s setting, and reminded me of the “Flight of the Conchords” tv show.
Miller pokes fun at her cast or characters, but also explores their emotional depths. I would love to see more of their journeys, and would be happy to read a whole series.
“Lindsey Cheng Dates a White Boy!!!” balances humour and emotion, and gives you just enough to leave you wanting more.
3,5 stars! Lindsey Cheng Dates a White Boy!!! was quite fun overall: light, breezy, and playful in a way that reminded me of Scott Pilgrim, albeit in reverse (or maybe that comparison is a stretch, but the vibes are there). I enjoyed it, even if I wouldn’t say I was fully won over.
I didn’t always care that much for Lindsey herself, which made some parts feel more “okay” than compelling, but there were moments that really worked for me. I loved the scene with her Chinese mother reassuring her with something along the lines of “it’s going to be okay." It was simple, tender, and easily the emotional highlight of the book for me.
The animal friends were cute, though I’m not entirely sure what purpose they served beyond style or metaphor, and the ending felt a bit abrupt, cutting things off just as I was hoping for a more cohesive emotional wrap-up. Still, it’s charming, easy to read, and has its heart in the right place, even if it didn’t fully come together for me.
Lindsey Cheng is a Chinese girl in her first year of college. She is excited to be part of a band, and the cute boy she likes just called her his girlfriend. She is filled with nerves and is trying to make sure her parents let her have some freedom, though this is pretty hard. Her band is really excited for her as her new boyfriend is part of an already established band, but things start getting weird. Eventually, after a party goes south, they break up, but Lindsey isn't sure if this was the right thing.
This art style is not one that I enjoy, and I'm not sure why some of the friends are animals and some of them are human. I don't know if I missed something or if this is just the artist's style. The manipulation from Lindsey's boyfriend was very accurate, but also so infuriating that I didn't like the story. The ending was also abrupt and left so many things in the air.
This was so punk rock! The graphic novel was quirky and cute. Also sincere! As director James Gunn said during the press tour for the latest Superman installment kindness is punk rock. Ennui isn’t the only emotion we allowed to feel. Speaking of emotions, I got sooo much second hand anxiety from that opening scene where Lindsey cuts her bangs herself. I immediately knew that could only spell trouble lol I was honestly surprised that this was a full color preview! Lindsey’s boyfriend Jason is a jerk. Only criticism I have is that the whole thing ends rather abruptly. Abrupt even for a slice of life style comic. Thanks to NetGalley and Andrew’s McMeel for absolutely crushing it with this release!
Lindsey is at college, away from home and her overly protective mother. She spends her time studying, playing drums in a band with friends, and dating a young man named Jason. Like many young women her age, she is exploring the world and trying to figure out who she is and what she wants.
Even though I am middle aged now, I remember being Lindsey’s age, searching for a sense of place and belonging, sometimes being confused by the way others treated me. Experience leads to growth. The illustrations in this graphic novel are charming and do a good job of conveying the characters’ emotions. The story is universal and relatable. Keep going, Lindsey; stay open and you’ll get there!
Thank you to NetGalley and Andrews McMeel Publishing for allowing me to read an ARC of this title.
Lindsey Cheng frets and whines about her jerk boyfriend for a long time. Surprisingly, it's not unpleasant as it zips along, but I did blow right past the conclusion without realizing and was confused to find myself in an epilogue with a new point of view and new plot elements that are introduced but not resolved.
The whole book is that way, really. Nothing really pays off or gets fully explored. It's just there, and then it isn't. The end.
I'd certainly like to see what Asia Miller can do when she has a point to make.
Disclosure: I received access to a copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley.com.
Absolutely adorable, it threw me right back to my college days! Crushing on boys who couldn’t give two…well, you know. It gave me “Scott Pilgrim” vibes, which I love. So cute, I feel for Lindsey Cheng on a deep level with her relationship with her mom and wanting to find herself in this world.
I love this kind of art style, making it a fun and easy read while still having those emotional connections to the characters throughout.
Thank you to NetGalley and Andrews McMeel for an advanced readers copy!
Thank you the publishers and NetGalley for this e-arc for review.
This was a cutely drawn short graphic novel that kind of gave off Scott Pilgrim vibes, but with animalistic characters not just humans. Main character dates for the first time with a "cool boy" and she goes through a bunch of first experiences. It takes place in college, but she was definitely more naïve like a teenager instead, which may have been due to how her mom had raised her. The story ended a bit abruptly and it felt like there should have been more.
I love how this was blatant Scott Pilgrim but from Knives' perspective -- from the cover (where we will quickly learn that Lindsey doesn't even play the bass lmao) to down to the dates they have in the first book lol. Plus the splash of animal hybrids.
Like this was really a fun one, with our girl struggling with deciphering white validation from owning her own person. It's very interesting how outside of her mom, all the humans were white hmm. Regardless, it's the book Knives Chau deserves honestly.
Lindsey Cheng Dates a White Boy is a quick and fun graphic novel that will take you back to trying to find yourself freshman year in college (indie music included). Lindsey's boyfriend was a total douche and was very realistic in how inconsiderate he was. Her two friends were the absolute best and reminded me of my best friends in college. This book also gives Scott Pilgrim vibes in all the best ways which contributed greatly to my nostalgia. Thank you NetGalley and Andrew McMeel Publishing for the advance reader copy!
Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for an e-ARC of this book.
I thought this was a good graphic novel. The main character is mostly likeable as are some of the side characters, though some of them are just kind of stereotyped awful people. I liked the art style (a little reminiscent of Scott Pilgrim) and the plot was good. The changing of certain characters into animals was also an interesting addition (confusing at first, but ended up being charming once I got used to it). I would read another book in this series!
Lindsey Cheng is a sweet college freshman in a band with her two best friends. She just went on A Date where the boy DTR’d (Defined The Relationship)! She is his ~girlfriend~ now!
As Lindsey gets to know her new boyfriend, his friends, and how they fit into her current friendships and band, she also has to deal with her overprotective Asian mother.
She can be a bit awkward sometimes, but she doesn’t let it stop her from making friends, trying new things, and growing. Oh, and she has the best friends and band mates! I love seeing healthy friendships.
Thank you to NetGalley and Andrews McMeel Publishing for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Short and sweet. I saw another reviewer say this was a cross between Scott Pilgrim and Bojack Horseman. That observation is 100% accurate. I wished for more of a resolution for Lindsey's story but I also liked the slice-of-life approach. Fun characters, annoying male love interest, girl power, and avoidance of overbearing parents... definitely a college story.
With thanks to NetGalley and Andrews McMeel Publishing for the eARC.
Sadly I didn't love this. Neither the art style nor the story were my cup of tea. I prefer a prettier art style, though I know some people like this quirky style.
As for the characters, probably suitable for today's college go-ers. I hate to say it, because I frequently love YA, but this storyline I could not relate to.
At the very least, it was a different kind of read from what I’m used to. I enjoyed the last couple of chapters the most, since at the beginning I wasn’t quite convinced about where the story was going. As for the artwork, I have to say it stands out, since you don’t see friends drawn like that every day.
Thanks to NetGalley and Andrews McMeel Publishing for the advanced copy of the book.
Huge thanks to NetGalley for the ARC! I had a blast with this short read. Following Lindsey through her first year of college and her friend group was wonderful. The ending took me by surprise, but it was so cute that I didn't mind—though I really didn't want it to end! I’m obsessed with the art style (shoutout to the fanart at the back). I’d love a sequel to spend more time with this crew!
A super cute and fun art style with a relatable story! Lindsay Cheng gets swept along by Jason, the cool lead singer for a band, and girl, we have all been there. But is he actually cool, or is he just a run of the mill full of himself white boy in college? I think we know the answer. I was so pleasantly surprised by the little bonus story at the end about Melanie, one of Lindsey's besties/bandmates. A quick read with a pretty straightforward story, but Miller does a nice job of threading in moments that tell us more about who Lindsey is outside of college, and what is important to her. Lindsey and her crew are so earnest and emotive you can't help but like them, and I more than once found myself grinning at a recognizable experience, or a silly moment.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Andrews McMeel Publishing for the digital ARC!