Hangry Hearts- 2.5⭐:
The kids that they work with for their project are so adorable. The foods mentioned sound so good and I enjoyed learning more about Taiwanese and Korean culture. I love the tropes of the book; however, I think the pacing ruins the efficacy of the tropes. I would’ve preferred them going from ex-best friends/family rivals to lovers to be a little slower and they reconnect a little longer through their school project. The writing and pacing make me unable to feel the characters' emotions because it quickly glances over moments that would’ve been perfect to evoke feelings in me. Their periods of longing would be better if it was prolonged and talked about.

Don’t read this book if you’re hungry as you will be craving dumplings and all kinds of rice cakes by the need. There was mention of a mango cream mochi that especially made me upset I couldn’t taste it. This book was a sweet story about two families who hated each other and their grandchildren who had a secret love. It is was supposed to be an Asian Romeo & Juliet but it unfortunately lacked the depth that I wanted. There was so much I did appreciate. One family was Korean and their food was discussed in depth. The other was eventually revealed to be Taiwanese. I say eventually as I was not clearly told for quite a bit. The representation of a trans character was very nice and I loved how his grandmother loved him for who he was. I loved how so many loved him. It was a breath of air to see him be in a safe space. I however, wanted more. This person not only went through something big but it’s also even more dramatic to Asians. As an Asian myself I wanted to know more about his thoughts traversing such a change and living authentically while being Asian. I enjoyed his character a lot more than Julie. Julie was a devoted granddaughter but she didn’t have as much conflict as I would expect while doing something that would have made her family so upset. I lived through a similar situation and I was shocked by her actions sometimes. Girl, let’s be more discreet. Let’s be patient. This is deep rooted drama between families and Asians stink at “talking it out”. We like to hide our feelings in a box and put it away while behaving politely. She also felt unkind and annoying at times. She hated kids and always had the wrong footwear. (This is my pet peeve) She gave Randall ultimatums and I actually felt bad for London as she used him as a cover story.

I also felt like the story jumped so quickly over moments that should be lingered on. Time flew so fast and big feelings were happening and not discussed that I was struggling to connect. I enjoyed certain scenes where a hand gripped something, a breath was lost, something crunched, or a smell lingered. I felt like I was so close to the story in those moments and was then shoved out by the next paragraph which had a time skip. I really wanted more from this story but I still feel like stories with these characters should be told more often. This story is YA and it only had some kissing. Very appropriate for teens. I would recommend it just for the cultural and LGBTQI+ rep.

I received this book as an ARC from St. Martin’s Press. The thoughts are all my own.

This is a YA Novel with dual POVs. Tropes: Former best friends, family feud, enemies to lovers, Romeo and Juliet-esque

Read if you like:
--Asian culture
--LGBTQ+ rep
--Foodie

Overall, this novel had potential but I felt the topics it tried to tackle didn't connect. 2/5 stars.
*I received a complimentary copy from the author/publishing company via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts & opinions are my own.

I think it may have been a mistake to read reviews of this before I started reading. I knew a lot of people weren't liking it and it may have jaded my opinions, but I really did not like these characters. I felt like the author went out of her way to be progressive but it felt forced at times. Every time someone makes fun of being gluten free is also a bit of a trigger for me. But overall, the characters were all immature and insufferable. Who does Tyler think he is just snooping through Julie's room? And those grandmothers? Oy. Enough already. Randall's grandma was so understanding with Randall but then totally awful to her best friend? I also agree with another review that said there were weird time hops that just skipped over a bunch of details. Even when they got together, it seemed to happen way too fast. Overall, a miss for me.

I started out really liking this book but the more I got into it the less I loved it. I still enjoyed it but just not as much as I would have hoped. There was a lot of character switching throughout the chapters. In one chapter, it switched probably 10 times. So Julie would get 1 paragraph, then Randall would get 1 then Julie, etc. I surprisingly didn't get confused by but I know a lot of people would. I also liked how there was no transphobia throughout the book. It was really nice just seeing everyone accept Randall for who he is and just moving on with their lives. I really appreciated that. I liked that aspect of it and I also enjoyed the bit of culture/food we got to see. I thought this was an interesting way to give a spin on the Romeo and Juliet story. I would have liked to see a bit more flirty banter leading up to them getting together, though. I thought that was a bit lacking. Overall a good read, just not full to what I expected.

Personally, I just found this book to be boring. The description of the book hooked me in, don’t get me wrong, but the plot just fell flat for me. The plot had a ton of potential, and if it was executed properly, the book overall would have been great. I also felt like I was confused because of how all-over the place the timeline was. Overall, I know I would have at least enjoyed the book if I was younger.

This story felt incredibly choppy and didn't flow as well as it should have. It also read quite younger than I would have liked.

This was a cute YA book about a first-love rival family. It's perfect for those who love a sweet story with a little family drama. I loved how food played such a huge part in the story and how, ultimately, it ended up bringing people together.

Thanks to Wednesday Books and Net Galley for the e-arc!!

Hangry Hearts by Jennifer Chen is a YA contemporary romance that reimagines Romeo and Juliet through a modern lens, featuring a Taiwanese-American female lead and a biracial Korean-American transman lead. While the premise is promising—a childhood-friends-to-lovers romance set against the backdrop of feuding grandmothers and rival food stalls—the execution left me wanting more.

The biggest issue is the pacing. The main conflict, a community service project, is wrapped up in the first 100 pages and never mentioned again. Time jumps between chapters make it hard to feel connected to the characters’ growth, especially in the romance. When Randall asks for a month-long break to process his emotions, the story skips ahead without showing how this impacts them, reducing key emotional moments to quick summaries. For a romance, this lack of development is disappointing.

The book does shine in some areas. Randall’s identity as a transman is seamlessly woven into the narrative, with his POV offering insight into his experiences. His passion for gardening is a nice contrast to Julie’s love of cooking, adding depth to their characters beyond their relationship. However, I expected more from the food descriptions given the setting. While mandu and fan tuan are highlighted, the culinary focus shifts toward produce and gardening, which wasn’t as engaging.

Overall, Hangry Hearts has a strong premise and important representation but falls short in execution. The romance is sweet, but the rushed pacing and lack of emotional build-up lessen its impact. Recommended for YA readers looking for more trans and Asian representation in romance, but those hoping for a deeply immersive love story might find it underwhelming.

#HangryHearts #YARomance #TransRep #AsianLoveStory #ChildhoodFriendsToLovers #RomeoAndJulietRetelling

At heart, this book is a delightful nod to Romeo and Juliet. Even the character names hearken back to Shakespeare. In addition to the central characters, Julie and Randall, there are secondary characters named Tyler and Mercy. Also like Romeo and Juliet, the main characters in this story can be quite annoying at times and do things that are quite infuriating. However, they can also be a really sweet couple at times. Tyler like his counterpart, Tybalt can be quite hotheaded. He gets way too involved in and opinionated about his sister Julie's life. Mercy like Mercutio is easygoing, she is very loyal and helpful to her cousin, Randall.

The book provides great trans representation through the character of Randall. Although he does not transition during the book, his character gives the reader a good idea of what it is like to be on the other side of the transition. Of course, Randall is lucky enough to have a very supportive family which is unfortunately not always the case for everyone.

Numerous descriptions of Tawaneese and Korean foods are provided throughout the book as the two main families run competing food booths. Thus, if you are a foodie or a fan of both or either of these types of food you might not want to read it when you are hungry. On the other hand, if you are interested in learning more about either or both of these cuisines that might add to your enjoyment of the book.

In Hangry Hearts Julie Wu and Randall Hur were best friends until their families had a falling out. Now they see each other at Pasadena Farmers Market where they have food stands. When Julie and Randall are paired with the wealthy London Kim for a community service school project, they are forced to work together and acknowledge their attraction to each other. Randall is transgendered, but that doesn’t seem to be a problem for them or their families. The falling out happened years ago when the two families attempted to open a restaurant together, but it burned down before they could open. As Julie and Randall sneak around stealing kisses, they hope to find away to get their feuding grandmothers to forgive each other.

I’ve been looking forward to reading this ever since I first saw the cover because I loved the design so much! Unfortunately, the story didn’t live up to the same expectations… I thought this was a lovely YA romance with LGBTQ+ and Asian representation, focusing on family businesses, cuisine, traditions, and second chances. Emphasis on YA though, because the writing style felt very juvenile and some dialogue didn’t seem realistic enough given the emotions of certain situations. I think calling this a romance is a bit of a stretch because more of the focus of this book was on solving the longstanding family feud between the main characters’ families, and the romance parts felt very rushed. Overall, this book made me crave (and order) Chinese food, and I liked the attention to detail on the many dishes mentioned!

Cute and easy YA read with Romeo and Juliet vibes! Julie and Randall were the best of friends until their grandmothers had a falling out and now the families are at war with one another. Can love win out?

Hangry Hearts by Jennifer Chen
A deliciously sweet and heartfelt novel, Hangry Hearts blends food, romance, and self-discovery in a story that will leave readers craving more. Jennifer Chen crafts an irresistible narrative filled with relatable emotions and mouthwatering descriptions, making this book a treat for contemporary fiction lovers.

Rounded up to a 3 star read. While this book has tasty food descriptions and the plot was the reason I requested this title, there were a few things that kept this from being a 4 star read for me. One insufferable character [you will know when you meet them] and time jumps with no warning or reasoning behind it. If the love that was put into the food descriptions was put into the rest of the writing, this would be a different and better story for it.
*Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for a chance to read and review this title. My opinions are my own*

Hangry Hearts by Jennifer Chen is a cute Romeo and Juliet inspired YA romance.

I really enjoyed seeing the family dynamics and how relationships can evolve and impact others - often beyond anyone's control. Randall and Julie went from best friends, to family enemies; until they are forced together for a group project. Watching the relationship between Randall and Julie grow throughout the book was both wholesome and fun.

I loved the nods to Asian culture throughout, and I’d love to read more books like this in the future. However, reader beware because there are so many delicious sounding food references (don’t read this while you’re hungry).

Some of the plot points felt a bit rushed, with certain events wrapping up quickly or jumping back and forth, which could make the story feel a little disjointed at times. However, I was still able to follow along and enjoy the book overall.

The LGBTQ+ representation was a wonderful surprise! While it wasn't hinted at in the blurb, I loved how the character’s identity was explored. It felt genuine and raw, which I really appreciated.

If you're looking for a sweet, lighthearted YA read that centers on family, friendship, and yummy food, this book is definitely for you!

Release Date: March 18th
Instagram Review: Live March 10th
Goodreads Review: Live March 10th
Amazon Review: Live March 18th

3.5 ⭐⭐⭐
1 🌶️

Thank you to NetGalley and St.Martin’s Press | Wednesday Books for providing me with this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

It’s a fun and cute romance definitely targeted for YA I loved the trans representation I wasn’t expecting it but it was a nice bonus.

Some parts seemed to be rushed through unfortunately it can be hard to find a balance between either rushed or dragging on.

Loved loved loved the descriptions of the food it was like the food was being brought to life right in front of me.

Thank you Netgalley St. Martin's Press | Wednesday Books for the arc

dnf @ 35%

I was so excited to read this rival food stall families mcs(Korean mmc × Taiwanese fmc) book with friends to enemies to lovers kind of trope, was totally thinking that there was going to be lots of talk about Asian food(street food, Taiwanese and Korean specially) but the writing style is all over the place and just... omg I don't have words to explain... hardly 5 chapters in and I read this...

"Randall, look at how they've grown," cries out Laura, a fat red-haired girl.

mind you this is a teen kid's perspective about a kid who's in third grade... Some things that other characters say don't make any sense at all, the time skips are weird, and who in their sane mind would put multiple POVs in the same chapter...

I just want to read without frowning every two pages.... I totally don't recommend this

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for this book! Hangry Hearts is a cutesy YA romance. The forbidden romance with family feud, Randall and Julie are the epitome of modern day Romeo and Juliet. The food descriptions… OMG it made me hungry every time food was mentioned. I was intrigued with the book cover and the talk of food. Some parts were a bit confusing bc it kept going to past and present day without any indication of a time jump. I appreciated how the book highlighted LGBTQIA characters and themes.

Julie Wu and Randall Hur, former best friends turned rivals due to their families, are forced to work together on a school project with London Kim, who has a crush on Julie. Despite London's feelings, Julie and Randall rekindle their own romance, leading to secret dates and kisses. When their families discover their relationship, old feuds resurface, causing heartbreak. However, with the Year of the Dragon symbolizing new beginnings, Randall is determined to fight for their love and hopes the Lunar New Year will bring reconciliation for both their relationship and their families. Will it work?

This was a delightful and quick YA read. I loved how Chinese and Korean culture and food played a significant role in the story, especially in bringing Randall and Julie's families together. Julie and Randall's romance was charming, with their secret meetings and the recurring Scrabble board adding a cute touch, though it did feel like insta-love.

However, I didn't feel as deeply connected to Randall and Julie as I would have liked; I found myself more attached to the two grandmas. I appreciated the author's inclusion of Randall's internal struggles, but the plot sometimes felt a bit drawn out and scattered. Overall, it was an enjoyable read, I just wish there was a little bit more depth included.

Rating: 3/5
Spice: 0.5/5

Tropes:
Best Friends to Enemies to Lovers
Forced Proximity
Banter
Romeo and Juliet Retelling
Hidden Relationship

Thank you NetGalley, St Martins Press, Wednesday Books, and Jennifer Chen for a copy of this ARC. All thoughts are my own.