Unfortunately, this one was not for me. From the get-go there were inconsistencies in the storyline and I know they’re teens, but the writing was just cringey. Maybe actual teens will like this more, but they’d have to be more in the tween range.

My thanks to NetGalley and Wednesday Books/St.Martin's Publishing for the ARC of 'Hangry Hearts' in exchange for an honest review.
Oh, the food, the food. One of those books where you can hear your stomach rumbling all the through the read. By the time you finish,, you're already waiting for Door Dash or Grubhub to deliver a 10 course Taiwanese-Korean meal.
The book? Very standardized YA Romeo & Juliet/Friends-to-enemies=t0-rivals-to-kissers, all against a backdrop of feuding food truck families. The two kids are duly adorable, destined for boyfriend-girlfriend status and once that's established, proceed to smooch at every opportunity.
The story construction, however, is another story altogether. Author Jennifer Chen throws in a lot of different elements here, with the intention, I'm supposing, of keeping all these balls in the air at the same time. (Gender transition, generational divides, sibling rivalries, culture assimilation, community outreaches). But somewhere on the way to the expected Happily Ever After for everyone, subplots fade away and disappear, never to be seen or heard from again.
Julie Wu and Randall Hur grew up in warm friendship right along with their two families. But a traumatic event forever affecting both families split them apart into hated enemies and rivals at their separate Farmer's Market food booths. This makes tough going for Randall and Julie, who still nurse lifelong crushes on each other even as their force-of-nature grandmothers (and super chefs) hurl death glares at each other.
A community school project throws our rival cutie-pies together and before you can say 'Wherefore art thou'?' romantic sparks fly. But our feudin' foodies need to keep their non-stop kissing hush-hush lest their unforgiving families smell what's cookin'.
As I mentioned before, the book never keeps a firm grip on all the issues it raised. Randall's gender transition is put out there, but not really dealt with in any depth and seems irrelevant to the main story anyway. The community school project falls to the wayside less than halfway through. And the book resorts to a too perfectly timed easy way out of yet another of its conflicts.
I could accept all of the above flaws but then the book tries something that takes a lot of nerve for an author. By that I mean assuming we've so fallen in love with all the characters that we won't mind hanging out with them even after the main story's been long resolved. I usually can't stand this, but to author Chen's credit, I didn't mind staying in the company of families We and Hur a little bit longer than necessary.
Julie and Randall are indeed the sweetest kids imaginable (as well as their extended families. (Not to mention terrific, dedicated kissers). But YA readers will, I"m sure, make up their own minds if they're charmed enough to spend all that superfluous time with them.
Nothing in this story you haven't read before, but oh that food. Pardon me while I order some to go.......

First and foremost as always thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the advanced copy of this book. This was an incredibly good read! The story was beautifully written and the characters were flushed out really well! Loved this! Definitely worth the read!

3.5/5
What a cute YA, Romeo and Juliet-inspired romance! I was immediately sold on how cute this book cover is, and obviously its synopsis. I loved the rivalry between Julie and Randall’s families, which ultimately broke their friendship. When they are forced to work together on a community-service school project, the two realize how much they’ve missed each other, and feelings quickly follow. The push to be together, while also not wanting to upset their grandmothers, quickly forces them to navigate these new dynamics. As most reviews have mentioned, this book will leave you hungry! The food descriptors had me desperately wanting to head over to my local farmers market and snack away!
I will also add that I loved that this YA story included LGBTQ2S+ representation via Randall’s character. We need more in novels, because at the end of the day, representation truly does matter!

There was a lot to like in this "Romeo and Juliet" (ad language for the book) for young adults. Specifically the food descriptions, with dim sun and Korean street food lovingly and deliciously described. I loved the sense of filial piety from traditional custom up against LA's laid-back cultural chaos.

I also liked the idea of many of the characters, and some of the dialogue was fun. But it took me a long time to read the book. Partly that was due to the grammar errors, which I hope were ironed out in the final version, but mostly because the author seemed to be trying to reinvent the omniscient narrator, the result being oddly jerky segments split between POVs, which, interspersed with text messages, could get confusing. The pacing thus seemed off, and the narrative voice would frequently undercut the dialogue by telling crucial bits before we saw the action.

Finally there was a formulaic feel, largely because The Big Incident that caused the families to feud was referred to without being told up front. I found myself impatiently reading for the "why" of all the drama.

So it was a bit of a mixed bag, but with lots of potential. Especially the food! Looking forward to more by this author.

I was excited to read this YA 'Romeo & Juliet' inspired romance. When I started 'Hangry Hearts' I thought it had so much promise. Then after a while the pacing felt off and I started to skim. Unfortunately it just didn't hold my attention like I'd hoped.

Jennifer Chen’s Hangry Hearts is a sweet, food-filled romance with a nostalgic best-friends-to-enemies-to-lovers arc. Julie Wu and Randall Hur navigate family rivalry, high school drama, and a love triangle, all while juggling their feelings for each other. The novel shines in its depiction of Taiwanese culture, especially through mouthwatering food descriptions and the lively Pasadena Farmers Market setting. The exploration of generational family conflicts adds depth, making the story more than just a romance.

While the book has charming moments, the pacing feels uneven, especially in the middle where the love triangle subplot slows the momentum. London Kim’s presence creates tension, but it sometimes overshadows the central romance rather than enhancing it. Julie and Randall’s relationship development is sweet but predictable, and their struggles—while heartfelt—don’t always pack the emotional punch needed to make their story stand out in the crowded YA romance genre.

Despite its flaws, Hangry Hearts is an enjoyable read for fans of food-centric romances and second-chance love stories. The Lunar New Year backdrop adds a unique cultural touch, and the hopeful resolution is satisfying. Though not groundbreaking, it delivers a cozy and lighthearted experience with themes of love, family, and reconciliation.

I didn’t love this book. It felt super dragged out and there was so many scenes I felt were unnecessary to put it. The main couple was always breaking up and fighting and it just felt ingenue. I had a really hard time just getting through the book. I liked learning more about the different cultures and food but that was the only good thing about the book.

I loved Artifacts of An Ex. I was way too excited for a new Jennifer Chen story.
Hangry Hearts was such a fun, romantic exploration of love, family, and food. Great banter, fun chemistry and a truly enjoyable read.
From the first page to the last, this book held me spellbound. The characters are so richly developed, and the storyline is beautifully crafted.
The chemistry between our characters flowed well and their growth independently was refreshing. Side characters were also entertaining.
A great book for those looking for cute romance, adorable friendships and great writing.

This is a sweet romance. Julie and Randall used to be friends, but a family feud meant the end of their friendship. A school project forces them to work together, and the question is whether they can mend not only their relationship but also one between their families. Romeo and Juliet-inspired, this is also a love letter to Korean and Taiwanese food. I thought the story was well-written, and I liked the character development.

this was cute but much like jennifer chen’s first book it is not for me!! the food talk is fun and this is a very lighthearted time, but there’s something deeper missing here — at least for me.

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.

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