Thanks to Net Galley, who gave me a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed this graphic novel, which captures the brain numbing confusion and open-hearted wonder of learning a new language in a place foreign to you. Using language as a sort of lens, the author explores a budding relationship and all of its related assumptions, delights, epiphanies, and misunderstandings.

Our two main characters, one an English woman and the other a woman from Hong Kong, meet while living abroad in Paris. Each is studying French, and ends up teaching and learning each other's native tounge. They speak in a mix of French, Cantonese, and a English that will tickle the brain of fellow polyglots with its visual representation.

Their growing friendship spans different classes (one a nanny, the other a business woman) and experiences, but they connect over a shared desire to communicate and know one another.

The art, especially the use of color to portray mood and denote different characters, is excellent and unique. Although I read a digital copy on my phone, I might have to invest in the print version just to be able to really soak up the gorgeous imagery and detail.

Recommended for anyone who appreciates good comics and for speakers of multiple languages who miss that special spark of finding someone whose brain can joyously flit and dart between lexicons with your own.

Review also posted on Goodreads.

A chance encounter in Paris between two foreigners in a friends to lovers/queer awakening graphic novel different than any I’ve ever read.

Sarah is from England, living in Paris in a managerial position full of pompous men (a$$holes). She hasn’t made any friends, so when a woman asks to buy her coffee, she wants to run away and hide. That could also have to do with the fact that said woman saw her fall flat on her face the day before…

Ping is working as an au pair for a wealthy family. She’s from Hong Kong and while her French isn’t great, she’s learning. Her love for the baby that she takes care of is really beautiful. Honestly, she’s just a really caring thoughtful person.

Their friendship starts out a little broken, since neither speaks or understands much of the other’s first language, but over time (a year, I think it was), they learn how to interact. Sarah learns Cantonese and you can see their friendship get even better.

The language barrier being conquered was one of my favorite parts of this story, because throughout, the author uses each of the languages in the book and as one of them starts to understand the other, the original language is covered by English (which is what I’m reading it in, but my assumption is it would be changed into whatever language it’s printed in).

The artwork is wholly original. I don’t see or read many books that use the same style, so I felt it made the story pop so much more. On top of that, the book is painted entirely with watercolors (I think?), which makes it so incredibly beautiful. Another thing with the coloring that I loved is that when the characters are sad, the colors are in blue shades and when they are really happy, they’re in yellows. The time they spend together are in every color. The whole thing is incredibly vibrant.

'Love Languages' is a graphic novel that follows Sarah Huxley, a Londoner living in Paris trying to find her place within new work and life environments. A chance encounter with the excitable Ping Loh, an au pair from Hong Kong, sets off a sequence of events that leads Sarah out from the isolation bubble she's struggling with and into the sometimes-tense negotiations of newfound love.

Language plays a huge role in this budding romance. The book opens with beautiful watercolor scenes of Paris, a metropolitan city brimming with diverse cultures. Bits of words from many languages float in the air and through crowds. As you stroll, you might just pick up a familiar word or two. The author/artist did a fantastic job at representing the immersion of languages in a way that's visually charming on the page. And this style carries beautifully throughout the main storyline.

As Sarah keeps up with learning two new languages - French and Cantonese - so she can communicate with Ping, she shows us how this is changing her. These scenes were illustrated so beautifully. As Sarah and Ping catch up with each other's spoken languages, they find the space to get to know each other with an emotional intimacy that dazzles on the page.

This was a wholesome, queer-affirming, light-hearted read with beautiful art that utilized careful use of colors and lines. I enjoyed it, especially as a Valentine's read! I would have liked to see more depth with the characters' acceptance of their queerness though, since it came up in a tense situation but fizzled out abruptly. It just felt like the story ended too quickly for me.

But it was a happy ending, which I wholeheartedly appreciated! Recommended for a quick, feel-good read.

Thank you to the publisher, IDW Publishing, and NetGalley for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review

truly a gift on the eyes - i love watercolour and how it speaks to the mood, especially in a setting like this one. an inspiring and invigorating story about finding yourself and finding where you belong. the library will love this one!

This graphic novel had a unique art style. I liked the colors. The way the three languages, English, French, and Cantonese, were twined together was quite interesting. I could see that it was going the romance route, but I also would have liked it as a friendship story. The fall out seemed sudden and overdramatic, but it is nice that everything worked out.

Love Languages by James Albon is a sweet sapphic romance about two very different women far from home, united by their feelings of disconnect in a foreign country. They happen upon one another and strike up a friendship as they desire to master multiple languages and ultimately learn that love surpasses all other languages. As they spend time together, Sarah realizes she has strong feelings for Ping and may not be as straight as she thought.
This romcom was interesting and had me chuckling several times. The characters are likable, and the relationship feels completely organic.
The art works extremely well for the content. The watercolors and the way the images flow emphasize their feelings of being carried along through their experiences, almost passively.
I am impressed at the depth and completeness of this story in such a small amount of space. I recommend this graphic novel.
#fishoutofwater #Paris #English #Cantonese #French #HongKong #sapphic #oppositesattract #toasterover #multilingual #interracial

It was such a cute and sweet story. I loved how colourful it was, and the art.

I also loved having different languages- French, English, and Cantonese. Alost each time another language than English was used, there was the translation or sometimes the characters would use a mix of two languages-which makes it quite relatable as it is sometimes hard to find what we want to say in one language.
It was nice to see the Parisian life not depicted as something incredible and out of this world. The character is happy to live there but also shows the negative aspects that we are not always aware of.
I would recommend it!

Finally a comic that live to its name.
Love languages is about two strangers coming from different world speaking different languages and colliding into Paris by chance. What I loved about the comic was the dry humour as well as the candid experiences of learning different languages at the same time. The language soup that was communicated with ease between the two and the way that become their central bonding way is so close to my own experiences with my best friends.
The only criticism I would say was that the ending felt a bit rushed as the story in the beginning was so relaxed and took its time to build their bond. Also, I may have a difference of opinion with how things were handled at the office. But all in all I think this was a really fantastic comic. I cannot wait for more by James Albon.
Thankyou #NetGalley for providing an arc copy. All opinions are my own.

This is one of my favorite graphic novels I have ever read. Easily top three. The art is absolutely gorgeous, and I love how the way language is presented changes as the two characters get to know each other. This is cavity sweet, and I will be reading over and over and over again.

This graphic novel was such a lovely palate cleanser! The art is stunning and some of my favorite art I've ever seen in a graphic novel and the story was sweet, engaging, and hopeful. Definitely something that can be recommended widely and you'd be hard pressed to find someone who couldn't take something away from this story. I think this serves as a nice entry level graphic novel for those just starting to get into them and fills a gap adult graphic novels have as a genre.

The author captures the essence of a blooming romance, depicting characters gradually learning to understand and speak each other’s language. It's fascinating to see how their interactions evolve, creating a rich tapestry of connection and intimacy. Additionally, the illustrations breathe life into each character, showcasing their unique personalities and enhancing the overall narrative. The colors and expressions on the pages mirror the characters' feelings, making their journey all the more relatable and engaging.

This was an easy read graphic novel. It reminded me of my own time living in a foreign country so. I enjoyed the relatability. The art is gorgeous but I admit sometimes it was hard to read some of the blurbs. I truly enjoyed this though. I liked the unique take on the struggle finding friends/love in a foreign country

Woah it was kinda fast and literally having 3 languages like Cantonese, English and French on top of each other made it really confusing for an English-only pea brain like myself 😅

However it’s still a ok read like it is a good one to waste time on if you’re in a reading slump. Both girls were interesting and cute together👍

Loved this graphic novel. Two people from different backgrounds finding themselves in a foreign place to form a connection/language that is truly understand only by each other? Yes please

4.5/5⭐️

this was so cute!!!
the art style for this was so pleasing to look at and I love how it got more exaggerated for characters who were sleazy, I found that to be a cool and interesting touch. it was so easy to care for these characters and what would become of them and their relationship! I got so emotional in the ending and I’m so glad it ended happy!
I would definitely recommend to friends and followers!

“The process of learning two languages is doing something strange to my brain. I’m trying to seize disjointed gusts of wind, flailing, trying to tie sound to meaning.”

I loved Love Languages. In this graphic novel, the arts are sweet but also have a lot of energy. I loved the colors choices, with an alternation between cold and warm colors, depending on the situation Sarah is in (alone vs with Ping).
This story is as much about learning a (some) new language(s), being a foreigner and forge ties with someone. I loved seeing the friendship between both MC deepen and end with something more. The choice to have them learning new languages (their respective mother tongues, and French) as they discover each other was very interesting. I loved how it was pictured graphically, as if everything was mixing in their heads. It truly felt relatable and made it pretty easy to read and understand too.
In one word, that lost in translation love story left me with a swooning feeling and a little bit in awe.

Thank you to the author, idw publishing and Netgalley for the eARC. My opinions are my own.

3.5 overall (I’ll be nice and roundup)

This is why I love languages. There’s magic in connecting with people despite language barriers. I was rooting for this couple the entire time and loved the ending.

I really enjoyed the artwork for this graphic novel. I think it’s one that I would recommend to a book club or discussion. I think it got a bit too information heavy when it came to some parts. I did enjoy exploring more of the relationship and its connection to language and how speaking in itself is forming a relationship of any type.

Book Review: Love Languages by James Albon

At first, I found the story a bit unclear, as the narrative wasn’t immediately obvious. However, as I kept reading, I was drawn in by the heartfelt journey of the two main characters. It was amazing to see how they overcame language barriers and still made the effort to build a genuine friendship. Their determination to learn each other’s language while navigating the challenges of daily life in a new country felt both realistic and inspiring.

That being said, I didn’t particularly care for the career storyline of one of the characters. It felt like it took up too much space in the book, and I would have preferred if the focus had remained more on the friendship itself. Additionally, the miscommunication trope did get a bit frustrating at times, but I was ultimately happy with how things worked out in the end.

Overall, Love Languages is an engaging story about connection, perseverance, and the beauty of learning to communicate across cultures. While some parts could have been more streamlined, the emotional core of the book made it a worthwhile read.

Love Languages reminded me so much of an artful adult version of New Girl by Cassandra Calin.
Being alone in a new country with only the basics of a language is scary. Albon beautifully illustrated the way the main character, Sarah, was able to adapt to the languages around her. This was gorgeous and hopeful and so Parisian. It was a little wordy and hard to get the hang of at the start, which could scare some readers, but I would recommend this book to multilingual readers!