Heartbreak Hotel was a nice surprise—quiet, introspective, and one that makes you reflect on how we process grief, depression, and broken hearts. This graphic novel doesn’t try to fix you; instead, it gently sits with the pain and turns it into something strangely beautiful.

We follow four storylines—two of which are subtly connected—and are only given their point of view and how the mysterious Heartbreak Hotel touches their lives. The narrative leaves space for silence and interpretation, much like real grief often does.

The striking with colorful and black-and-white illustrations and sparse, poignant dialogue hit deeper than expected. It’s a short read, but the weight of it lingers. A small book that holds big feelings.

Wow this was so sad . I teared up . I didn’t get the connection with the characters and I thought it was Laura who died not Maya .
It was really shocking when I figured that out .
I cried. I thought Laura was lost in a dream world and one come back but it was Maya who was gone . Man I nearly sobbed!

This had Alice in wonderland vibes and the song wonderland played in my head and she used to be mine .
I loved this book a whole lot !

This is a book that dives into teenage self-discovery, acceptance, and the often-painful journey of coming out.

Loved the exploration of gender identity and the struggles many young LGBTQ+ teens face: the anxiety, the fear of judgment, the desperate need for support as they navigate their identities and try to find their place in the dating world. But it's so much more than that. It's a poignant reminder of how profoundly our interactions with others can shape their lives, for better or for worse. Every scenario presented felt, in its own way, utterly heartbreaking, living up to the book's evocative title.

Fiona's story in particular felt incredibly personal; there’s a vulnerability there that’s both captivating and deeply affecting.

The story was also reminiscent of a Lonely Castle in the Mirror in its exploration of complex emotions and interconnected narratives. Essentially, urging us to be present, to acknowledge both the joy and the sorrow, and to avoid getting bogged down in regret. It's a call to embrace the full spectrum of human experience.

I love the message about the people we think we've lost often find their way back to us, perhaps transformed but ultimately present, is incredibly powerful. It encourages us to embrace growth and to let go of what no longer serves us, trusting that what is meant to be will return, enhanced and ready to support us on our journey. It’s a beautiful testament to the cyclical nature of life and relationships.

Stunning illustrations, and despite the title, this was an uplifting read.

Alright. This review will have some spoilers in it so I’ll go ahead and say this: SPOILER WARNING! ⚠️⚠️

I actually loved this graphic novel. It asks the tough question of how do you move on in times of great stress whether it’s from a parasocial crush that you put your all into, a friendship and relationship that falls apart at the seams, or losing the one you love in the most sudden of ways? Heartbreak Hotel follows the story of four teens that each have their own version of heartbreak where they wanted to get away from the world and just live in the moment before their heart collapses. At first, they live in this fantasy world where they never want to leave, but eventually they do have to check out and address what’s been eating them alive.

Myself personally, I think this topic was tackled very well and addressed from many angles. The characters in this book may be teens, but I can tell you that, as a 28-year old guy, I still learned something from this and I think anyone can too. The only negative I have with this is that I wish we could have gotten a little bit more of a connection with the characters, specifically Finn and Maya, as they didn’t really see each other’s point of view. Now, maybe that was the point and, if so, then I get that you don’t have to like the person, but you do both have to move on for your mental health. Still, I enjoyed it and feel like people from all walks of life can see themselves in these characters in one way or another. Excellent read!

Oh the tears were REAL reading this!

I've suffered some different types of heartbreak in my live and I kind of wish I had a Heartbreak hotel experience. It might have helped my healing experience, but who knows.
This book is beautifully drawn and highlight some truly emotionally impactful stories for the 4 characters (and bonus one as we count that) and how they each helped each other in that magical hotel to get back to their lives.

2.5 Stars

While I thought the art was cute, the style to me was more reminiscent of unfinished line work. Nevertheless the art style was still enjoyable and I really liked how the color of the art changes with the main characters emotional journey. It was cool to see a subtle switch with different colors for each character’s heartbreak story, but because of this it feels disconnected from the main storyline.

The main plot didn’t really make much sense and it didn’t feel like their journeys had a satisfying conclusion in the end. It was a weird to force them to check out when and then force them to resolve their heartbreak instead of letting them work it out in their own time. Because of this, the plot was a bit confusing in the beginning and it made all of their stories feel rushed.
I was surprised by the some of the plot twists but when the final explanations were presented about their journeys I felt like there was something missing.

Marty and Fiona felt like underdeveloped side characters that really didn’t have much of an impact on the main story between Maya and Finn, which left their stories rushed and provided less time for us to delve into the main characters stories. I also didn’t like how Maya and Finn’s stories came to an end. They were basically forced to get over it and didn’t choose to connect the hearts and move on themselves. Finn was especially done a disservice by Maya and Laura and didn’t get much of a resolution.

Overall I really like the concept of this world and the potential this story could have had, but at the end of it I’m left wanting more.

Thank you to NetGalley and Mad Cave Studios for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

This story transported me back to the feelings of teenage heartbreak! I enjoyed the illustrations and how the artist utilized color throughout depending on the setting in the story. The writing was good and felt realistic to their ages. I do wish the author would have fleshed the story out in some parts as some of the relationships felt rushed. It felt very reminiscent of Before the Coffee Gets Cold in a transformative way. Overall, I will be on the lookout for this author's future works.

My only other critique is that I did not like the typeface in the ebook and felt as though the placement of the writing took away from some of the illustrations.

Heartbreak Hotel brings together four teenagers experiencing heart break and grief in a sort of emotional purgatory turned physical location. The teenagers must work through their feelings and come together to be released back into real life. The art style is sketch like colored in with watercolor, using a minimal color pallet. It's an overall dreamlike effect. Personally, it is a bit too stagnantly sad for me with no payoff.

4/5 stars
Thank you to Net galley for allowing me an honest review!
I just tried Heartbreak Hotel, a graphic novel about four teens healing from broken hearts in this dreamy, floating hotel. The art is super soft and cozy, really fitting the vibe
I was into the mix of magical feels and teen drama—there’s betrayal, guilt, unrequited love—and it didn’t feel too over-the-top emotional . Plus, the hotel idea kind of makes heartbreak feel less lonely.
It did seem a bit short and rushed in places, but I liked how gentle and not super dramatic it was. The visuals really make it feel special.
Who it’s for:
If you’re into fluffy YA reads with cute art.
If you like stories about teen feelings plus a touch of magic.
If you want something emotional but not depressing.
Cute and heartfelt! Quick and easy read!