David Tung is doing the best he can in life. He comes from a Chinese family that wants him to work hard at school and at the families restaurant. Studying at school comes naturally to him, but what does not is all of the social aspects. How can he tell everyone that he is not able to have a girlfriend or go to a dance, when he himself doesn't understand his home life? He works so hard and tries his best, how can he come to find out there can be smiles and happiness in the times when he isn't working at the family restaurant or studying?

As soon as I saw this title, I was done, taken, absorbed, invested with no return. I HAD to read it. It's realistic, engaging and wonderful. I mean, this book is called "David Tung Can't Have A Girlfriend Until He Gets Into An Ivy League College" - are you serious?! Give me some tea, a blanket and let me read!

While I don't belong to this group myself, the Chinese-American culture is very close to heart, and I think this book can help people understand various particular aspects of this culture. I'm not saying it tells an absolute truth about Chinese Americans, but that the story of David Tung realistically depicts the life of a young man trying to firgure out his life while also dealing with strict parents. David is a senior in high school, achieving top grades while working at his parents' restaurant in New York. While he has feelings for a Chinese girl, his strict mom won't let him have a girlfriend until... you know it. So David needs to decide whether he's going to obey his mother and study, or actually have a little life and go out with a girl.

Ed Lin's new novel is a beautiful, funny at times, heartbreaking at others, and absolutely relatable. It is an intelligent exploration of a young man's journey to self-discovery as part of a minority in the US. I can't wait for more books like this, which American teenagers are in dire need of.

*Thank you to the Publisher for a free advance copy of this book in exchnage for an honest review.