Where to start… I feel like this book needs more editing and flushing out. The way the chapters end and then abruptly start without any resolution or connection to the previous chapter is very jarring. For example, Tyler yelling at Julie forbidding her to see Randall. Then the chapter ends and the new chapter begins and nothing is ever said or done with that! I was so mad for Julie so how can she just let that go? The ending drags on and on (I had to skim the last 20% just to finish) with the way Julie and Randall and their grandmothers are on again/off again over and over just got old. Additional minor issues: describing someone as a “fat red head” is not the right language to use these days, and where does her older brother come from if she has a one night stand dad? It also always annoys me when a cooking/baking book doesn’t seem to acknowledge how much time it takes to prepare food–from the procurement of the ingredients, to the prep work, to the cooking, it seems like they just snap their fingers and the food is done without any time passing. Speaking of time passing, the months-long school project was over and done in a few pages. This could have been its own book and leave the feuding grandmas for a separate tale. I had high hopes for this one but it really fell short of my expectations.

Julie and Randall were best friends until a tragedy five years ago tore their families apart, Thrown back together for a school project, they soon realize they have feelings for each other...but how can they possibly date when their families are sworn enemies??

This YA romance has all the heart of strong family ties, a bit of second chance romance, and star-crossed lovers. When Julie and Randall have to keep lying to their families to be able to spend time together, it puts a strain on all their relationships. Told from both points of view, it focused a lot on their Korean and Taiwanese backgrounds, which was educational for this Caucasian. The closeness of the family members was developed nicely, and they are all relatable. It also had a gay character and a transgender character, which I believe were told in a positive light, although neither of those things were a big focus of the story.

Thank you to @NetGalley and @StMartinsPress for a digital copy for review consideration. All opinions are honest and my own.

All in all, if you enjoy young adult romance (no spice!), a Romeo & Juliet retelling, or close family stories, then this is right up your alley! I really enjoyed this one!

loved this romance and finding love and remembering love before the one. love the friends and the chemistry between the couple was on fire and loved the banter.

Hangry Hearts by Jennifer Chen is a unique and flavorful YA debut that reimagines Romeo and Juliet with a modern twist and a delicious Taiwanese night market setting. I loved the representation—especially the biracial, trans male lead and the Taiwanese-American female lead—as well as the childhood-friends-to-lovers trope, which always tugs at my heart. And the food descriptions? Chef’s kiss. Seriously, I was craving dumplings and shaved ice the whole time. However, the constant shifting of POVs—sometimes even within a single paragraph—made it hard to stay grounded in the story, which pulled me out of the emotional beats more than once. While I appreciated the cultural richness and heartfelt moments, the execution left me a little hangry for more consistency.

Thank you, Wednesday Books and NetGalley, for my eARC of Hangry Hearts by Jennifer Chen. All opinions expressed are solely my own.

This was such a fun rom-com. We're following Julie and Randall, friends turned enemies, who have to work together in a project for school, alongside London, a rich classmate who has eyes for Julie. As Julie and Randall work together more and more, they realize they miss each other and it turns from strictly project meetups to secret dates. The only problem is that their families have a feud going--think Romeo and Juliet--so it makes dating complicated. But during the Year of the Dragon, anything can happen...

I am a sucker for enemies-to-lovers, so this was right up my lane. Some of the things that happened felt a bit out of reach, but it was a cute book, so I don't mind. This was well written and I enjoyed finding out how Julie and Randall would figure things out.

Thanks, Wednesday Books!

Okay, so to be fair, I was really intrigued going into this one. A YA, foodie-themed, Romeo and Juliet-style romance? That’s a combo I’m usually all in for—even though I’m not a big romance reader, if you throw in food, I’m a sucker.

There were definitely things I liked. The MMC is trans, which I thought was fantastic to see in a YA book. That representation was one of the strongest parts for me. And the food descriptions? Incredible. I hadn’t even heard of most of the dishes, but I was starving while reading and basically just wanted to go out and eat everything.

That said… this one didn’t totally work for me. The POV shifts were a big hurdle. It wasn’t mid-paragraph or anything, but the perspectives would change from one paragraph to the next, and that made it feel a little chaotic at times. I get what the author was going for, but it didn’t quite land for me—it kept pulling me out of the story. The pacing also felt uneven, and the plot ended up being pretty predictable.

I did finish the book, though I’ll admit I skimmed through the second half just to see how everything wrapped up. There’s definitely some charm here, and I think readers who are into light YA romance with a foodie twist might still enjoy it. It just didn’t fully hit the mark for me.

This was ok, but it was just that. Maybe it’s my bias toward enemies to lovers, but I think all that fighting was so petty. I know that pride might be in their culture, but this was a crazy reason when it wasn’t even them.

Ok so this has feuding families because of something that happened a long time ago. And it wasn’t even something that happened with them. They were just raised to be included in not liking them as well. Which I get… But with them doing all that and ending up getting kicked out of things that might make them money? I don’t know that that was the smartest thing to do lol The romance was cute enough from there, but it was pretty basic. I was however pleasantly surprised to see that the MMC was trans tho.

The plot tho was what suffered. It was so basic. Everything that you think might happen, yeah, it did. I think I wanted to see more conflict of the one that she didn’t want, and I also wanted to see more of the garden? I get that it was just their project, but it was so cute and such a good idea. I would love to do one IRL if I could. Anyway, I think it could have used more of these things ad less predictability.

The food in this tho? My GAWD. I haven’t heard of most of these things, but let me tell you how much I’ve been wanting to eat everything they mentioned. Again, I haven’t tried anything in this book (besides the dumplings) but I want all of them now in an unhealthy way lol And the way Chen was basically describing everything, from the way it looked to some of the smells. I was craving food I haven’t ever had lol

This was cute, but I wanted more. Chen’s first book was so good! It had depth and more. This one was a bit lacking, but I still enjoyed it. I hope there’s more to come from Chen!

It was Romeo and Juliet with food and thats how I was sold! Julie and Randall used to be friends and now they are rivals but being forced together during a class assignment has them rethinking their place in each others lives... Now if they can just get their grandmothers on board.

I had some issues with this book. What was with the constant chaging of POV??? UGH I hate that on a normal day but during the same chapter... NO NO NO!

I didn't feel the love vibes either.. I think it was personally unnecessary for the book for them to be lovers. I think it was done to virtual signal to a specific group and it failed. They should have rebuilt their friendship. That would have worked.

I get that the author was doing buttttttt it missed the mark. I did finish it. I enjoyed the tone of the writing but I think there were some missteps here..

3 stars

This was such a cute romance read! The romance was cute and enjoyable along with the plot. I struggled with the characters at times as I found their personalities a bit hard for me to mesh with. I also struggled in some parts with the pacing of this one it felt at times choppy and would take me out of the story. Definitely recommend giving this one a try!

Honestly, I had a hard time getting through this one because of the constant changing of POVs within the chapters. I like a dual POV story, but make them separate chapters. I think I more skimmed this book than read it... so that says a lot.

**3-Star Review of *Hangry Hearts* by Jennifer Chen**

*Hangry Hearts* by Jennifer Chen is a lighthearted yet heartwarming exploration of food, friendship, and personal growth. The story follows two women, Mia and Sophie, who bond over their love of food and cooking while navigating the ups and downs of their personal lives. As they open a food truck together, their shared passion for cuisine becomes a backdrop for the deeper emotional journeys they embark on.

Chen’s writing is warm and relatable, and the themes of self-discovery and friendship are well-executed. The dynamic between Mia and Sophie is engaging, and their camaraderie feels authentic. The book also does a great job of highlighting the role food plays in shaping connections and finding comfort during tough times.

However, while the story has plenty of charm, it occasionally falls into predictable territory, and the pacing can feel uneven. Some of the secondary characters lack development, and at times the narrative feels more focused on the food aspect than the deeper emotional arcs of the main characters. While enjoyable, the plot doesn’t offer much in terms of surprises or fresh perspectives.

Overall, *Hangry Hearts* is a fun, easy read for fans of food-themed stories and light contemporary fiction, but it lacks the depth and complexity to make it a standout. It’s a pleasant read that will likely satisfy those looking for a feel-good, low-stakes novel, but it doesn’t leave a lasting impression.

I really could not get past 20% of this book, I tried but couldn't. I liked the premise but the execution wasn't for me.

A heartfelt story about Julie and Randall.
Best friends that had a falling out.
Now….they are rivals at the local farmers market where they both have food stalls.
Family
Love
Forgiveness
New beginnings
Hangry Hearts is a fast read….I just couldn’t get into the Romeo and Juliet vibe in the story.

Thank you for the opportunity to read this book for my honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.

I quite enjoyed this read! It was easy to follow and you kind of forgot that the characters were only in high school. Definitely young adult, but could grasp as an older adult. Super cute read!

This was such a fun read!! I really enjoyed the dynamics between the characters and the rivalry - plus especially all the food mentions!

“I put my arm around her and walk back to KoTai with a full belly and my love next to me… It’s a damn good day for a grand opening.” 🍽️❤️

a special thank you to Net Galley, St. Martin’s Press & Wednesday Books for allowing me access to an Advanced Reader’s Copy of Hangry Hearts by Jennifer Chen!! it’s an absolute privilege to receive an ARC & i’m so honored to be able to share a honest review in exchange.

🥟 publication date: march 18th, 2025
review: ★ ★ ★ ★ (03/18/25)
what a absolutely adorable love story!! reading all the cute, romantic scenes between julie & randall had me giggling and sighing with them! i did cringe at moments but awkwardness is a part of the high school love experience.

i loved all the representation from immigration and lgbtq+ characters to LA wildfires! i was so happy to read about the support system randall had while transitioning, which often isn’t the case for others!

i also loved how the families were so involved throughout this book, it added such a sweet sentiment & made it so easy to root for reconnection!! while the food and family moments were very fitting, i couldn’t help but read & be hangry myself HAHA

i will say that the pacing was quite fast, which honestly kept me more engaged with the storyline but it may not do the same for others! in addition, certain parts were questionable in how realistic they were but i understand how it is needed for the plot. overall, i’d recommend this cute story!! ❤️

This was so lighthearted and humorous for a romcom book, but it also gave insight into culture and family values that I really appreciated.

Hangry Hearts made me so hungry. It is the story of two teens whose families used to be tight but after an accident, are mortal enemies. And yet they have competing booths at a weekly market. The descriptions of the food was off the charts in this book. So detailed and descriptive. Otherwise it was a sweet teenage angsty vibe of a book with so much representation. I loved the diversity.

Rating: 4/5
I received the eARC for my honest opinion.

Hangry Hearts is a cute YA book about two ex-best friends and their family that have a legendary feud. When Julie and Randall are paired together for a class project, they both are dreading it and they both didn’t think that it would bring up old feelings. However, with the fact that their families are still feuding can these two even think about a future.

Hangry Hearts is a sweet, lighthearted, YA. You will find family drama, great foods, LGBTQ rep, and second chance romance. I really enjoyed getting to know Julie and Randall, along with their families. I enjoyed that both of these families have such a strong connection with each other through food and let me tell you that the food in this book will leave you wanting to try every dish. In this book you will see how these two kids helped heal their past wounds and help heal their families feud and it’s all done through love. I really enjoyed getting to see how two families are accepting of transman Randall. It was so refreshing to read that in this book. I loved that throughout the book you will see these two come together through playing scrabble together, having secret dates and sweet moments. I think the way that these two healed their past helped their parents to understand that healing is part of life. I found the characters to be well developed, the plot to have been fun and easy to read, the pace of the book is perfect for the YA romance, I loved that you will find a great rep for the trans, amazing Asian foods.

I want to thank NetGalley and SMP for the opportunity to review this book.

Okay. Do you want a nice little Romeo & Juliet moment? Well look no further. This book is so cute! It is also such a quick read that I think you'll be able to binge within one or two sittings (just don't read on an empty stomach) Rival families. Love interest from the two opposing families. What more can I say? Not much aside from... READ THIS!