This was such a cute and fun graphic novel! I loved the artwork and colors. Can't wait to check out more from Jem Milton.

Thank you to the author and publishers for the opportunity to review this graphic novel.

11/19/2024 || Hungry Heart by Jem Milton || #HungryHeart #NetGalley #QueerReads

Thank you NetGalley, Lex Croucher and Andrews McMeel Publishing for making this e-ARC available!

Please note: This review may not be reproduced or quoted, in whole or in part, without explicit consent from the author and myself.
All of my thoughts are my own~

5 Stars

What worked for me:
I decided to grab this one without looking too much into it aside from it being queer and about food with romance!

I ATE THIS ONE UP! (pun intended lol)
Both Oryan Adjei and Laurie won my heart! I hope in future chapters Milton explores them both as individuals, gives them their well deserved healing, and really pushes these two in the happily ever after direction!

For a first installation, I think Milton did a phenomenal job introducing both Oryan and Laurie, their traumas and issues, and life goals. The build up of their friendship into something more was so natural and I was giggling and kicking my feet up! I'm curious how the developing dramas will get sorted out and overall- I am hooked and need more!

Milton's art style is GORGEOUS and very diverse! I loved every page!

There is some CW/TWs here, so please be mindful, but I think everything was handled with delicate care!


What did not work for me:
Literally nothing - aside from now I have to get on Tapas and read the rest!!!

I forget that you can have a lot of fun while reading a comic book. The only thing left was me kicking my feet and giggling while reading (I wasn't far from doing that). I stayed up late to read this first volume in one go and I would continue if there was more. The romance was so sweet and so cute, I love them. The story is very light-hearted even when focusing on harder topics. The tone is always very comedic, and I enjoyed something I've only seen in manga, a simplified but exaggerated expression of emotions by the characters (manpu or iconography) that never fails to amuse me. I loved this story from the first page until the last, and I can't wait to continue reading the rest.

Jem Milton's Hungry Heart is a beautiful queer romantic comedy that expertly combines love, humor, and a dash of reflection. This graphic novel, which is based on the popular webcomic, tells a sweet tale of acceptance, self-discovery, and, of course, love.

Laurie is such a likable and sympathetic lead character. A beautiful and awkward first encounter that swiftly develops into something more is set in motion by his love of food writing and his ecstatic respect for celebrity chef Oryan Adjei. For his part, Oryan is more than simply the attractive chef Laurie looks up to; he's a complicated person who struggles with both emotional and professional uncertainties. It's charming and emotionally fulfilling to watch these two negotiate their developing bond while doing interviews and food tours throughout London.

I felt as though I was there with Laurie and Oryan because of the delectable culinary scenes and the exquisitely rendered surroundings, which included bustling kitchens and comfortable cafes. Beyond the humorous parts, Hungry Heart tackles serious subjects like loneliness, self-doubt, and the demands of celebrity head-on. However, it counterbalances those more somber elements with a feeling of consolation and hope, particularly in the way that both characters find comfort in one another.

The story is made richer by the supporting and varied group of friends, whom I adored. It was encouraging to observe how Laurie and Oryan were able to be authentic in their shared times. The pace was ideal, and I read the entire book in one sitting because I was so absorbed in their trip!
Hungry Heart is a must-read for anybody seeking a satisfying LGBT romance with nuance, endearing characters, and a hint of delectable cuisine. It is heartwarming, compassionate, and packed with meaningful discussions in a cozy, fluffy packaging. Definitely recommend!

I received a free copy through the publisher on Netgalley.

Sadly my copy expired before I could get around to reading it. I hope to eventually buy a copy so I can still read it.

CW: eating disorders

This is the beginning of the series and this volume is slow. It really takes the time to introduce the characters, the storyline and their romance. While this is a great thing, it did make it a little difficult for me to really get into. For me, it seemed that nothing really started to click until nearly the end up this volume.

The art was great. I loved the colors used throughout it. The character designs were cute and managed to stand out.

Hungry Heart is a cute graphic novel that highlights some mental health issues. Each issue is treated with care.

With that though, I do wish it was noted that this was going to be discussing an eating disorder as that caught me by surprise and added to my struggle of getting through this volume.

Overall, this was cute. It was a slow start that ended with some positivity of it going on an uphill slope.

First I like to thank NetGalley, the Author and the Publisher for this ARC.

This was just the cutest!!!
I really adored how both Laurie & Oryan grew together and how they opened up towards each other.
Understanding both their inner demons and admitting them towards themselves and each other.
The safe place both of them have not only with each other but also in their friend group and/or family is heartwarming.
The comic has such a lovely cast of characters. It was a pretty comforting read, even though it does deal with some heavier themes.
10/10 recommend

Okay this was really cute! I didn't know much about the webcomic, but I think this was a good first volume.

The story was easy to follow and engaging. The art and colors itself of course were beautiful. However, sometimes the storytelling would feel disjointed? Like it would jump from tone to tone so suddenly? Start of the page is all serious and then at the end of the page, it's comedic and dramatic. I also did not like Laurie's friends (or should I say, Pepper's friends 😭). I don't know but I just don't like their vibes? I feel like Laurie was just going with the flow with them too.

Despite that, I still love that apart from the romance, it also highlighted on mental health struggles of the two MCs. Laurie coping with eating disorder and Oryan developing anxiety because of his fame. (Also I love the trope where characters who lost passion for what they love because of fame/time/etc, meets someone and then regains that passion because of them. 🥹)

Overall, a nice short read! Wouldn't be opposed to reading the next volume!

Recently, I read this great graphic novel which followed a food writer, Laurie, who gets to meet a famous chef named Oryan. Throughout their interview sessions, they explore the variety of questions that they each have about their own futures. I found both of these characters so endearing and couldn’t help but want to reach through my screen and offer both comfort and cheers. Along with this story being about their growth, Jem Milton gives us pages in which we get to view Laurie’s blog and are enticed with delicious recipes. I wouldn’t suggest reading this story if you are hungry! The illustrations were a wonderful addition to the story and really brought it to life. Thank you to Andrew McMeels Publishing for an advanced copy! All thoughts and opinions are my own!

I really enjoyed seeing the characters progress in this story. The story was well paced and well written. I was hooked from the beginning and devoured it in just a few sittings.

I would absolutely recommend this book to anyone who wants a sweet and short queer romance! But it also has very important conversations amidst the fluffiness. As love interests, both characters were absolutely lovely.

I doubt there is anyone out there shocked to see I adored yet another queer graphic novel, but here we are! Hungry Heart was as wonderful as I anticipated. The graphic novel follows Laurie, a young writer struggling to pay his rent and failing to navigate adulthood.

Hungry Heart was particularly special because it contained a celebrity romance. I adored the love interest Oryan, a celebrity chef who is struggling to navigate the world of fame.

I really enjoyed the discussions around pansexuality and I believe this may be the first graphic novel I’ve read with a pansexual character. The romance was wonderful but I really appreciated that we got to know both characters as individuals before their relationship fully blossomed. I loved the dynamic between the two and how Laurie’s perception of Oryan was challenged. He thought he knew the chef, but soon realised that he was so much more than the imagine he had created based on the celebrity he saw on television.

The little gifts they exchanged was my favourite scene - so heartwarming! I’d definitely recommend this to those looking for a gorgeous graphic novel that isn’t afraid to tackle more difficult topics.

Thank you to the publisher for sending me an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

This was a refreshing and thoughtful story that is set in London, and follows two young men navigating two very different worlds. I love how a chance encounter leads them to each other, and how open and honest the relationship was. This was has a great diverse cast and mental health rep as well. (TW for anxiety and eating disorders)

Hungry Heart is a charming, heartwarming story about a journalist and his interviewee, a famous chef, evolving from a professional relationship to a much more intimate and personal relationship. Readers see the journalist struggle with his integrity and the chef question his life choices all while maintaining a wholesome relationship between each other. There are some jumps between pages that don't feel as cohesive, which might work when released as a weekly comic but in a novel format like this sometimes feels a bit jarring. But these jarring moments aren't enough for me to not recommend this book.

Hungry Heart by Jem Milton is a graphic novel that follows an anxious and awkwardly sweet aspiring food writer named Laurie Gale who gets to interview the star chef Oryan Adjei. Oryan recently came out as bi and appears to have it all, but is in reality becoming more and more unhappy with his stardom and what it entails. Since their interview goes well, they set up to do a series of interviews, which gives them a chance to get to know each other and maybe even find love. It is a sweet story, that touches on some heavier topics such as eating disorders, difficult family relations and fame. The story felt a little bit hasty at some points, and could have benefited from being a couple of pages longer to develop the storyline a bit more. The art fits the story well, and the book is all in all a sweet and pleasant read.


I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

Loved all the representation in this book, queer people including trans charactres, people of color, a person in a wheel chair, the representation of eating diorders and probably many more that I am forgetting at the moment. Jem milton wrote a novel that really hit me on a deeper level. I willl definetly look into more of their books.

NetGalley ARC

This was such a fun read with beautiful illustrations! As a pansexual myself I always love reading about it.

Thank you to NetGalley and Andrews McMeel Publishing for providing an advanced listener copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

Summary:

Laurie has always wanted to be a writer. He works mostly freelance but could really use a break to get his name out there. Enter Oryan Adjei, a chef who was made famous through all those cooking competition shows.

It'll be golden if Laurie can nail this interview with the chef. Of course, he idolizes Oryan, so this is going to be more intimidating than usual. Hopefully, he doesn't completely mess everything up.

Review:

Okay, can I please have the authority to give an award for the cutest graphic novel? No? Bummer. If I could, I'd give that award to Hungry Heart. It was sweet, fun, and heavily character-driven - just how I like them!

In truth, there's a lot to love about Hungry Heart. Laurie is a likable character. He has little to no self-esteem, yet he's trying to make a life for himself by writing. His journey is relatable. As is the fact that he's a total fanboy.

Likewise, Oryan is a likable character. Anybody who enjoys cooking shows (like The Great British Baking Show) will probably appreciate Laurie's fan crush on Oryan, but that's just a relatable layer to the story.

Overall, I really loved their adventure here. It's soft and sweet, providing realistic takes on two characters coming to know one another.

Highlights:
Contemporary Romance
LGBTQ+
Mental Health
Writing Aspirations

Thanks to Andrews McMeel Publishing and #NetGalley for making this book available for review. All opinions expressed are my own.

I'm gonna head over to Tapas and see whether they have released any new chapters because excuse me?? Why is this so good?? Oh gosh Oryan and Laurie are way too cute together and I love how the author explored such meaningful things with this story. Can't wait to read more of this!

Oryan and Laurie story was great. I like the story and love the artwork. These to understand each other. Also get to see them work through and realizing that they can trust each other. Laurie has anxiety and other issues. And you get to see him work through them, and also talk about what it’s like to have mental health problems. I like that he gained confidence to keep on seeing Oryan. Oryan has been in the public for a long time. He keeps to himself, but with that he becomes what others want him to be. I’m happy that he stood up for himself and did what was the best for his mental health. Both admire one another. They’ve grown closer and you can just see what they mean to one another. But the two are so sweet, but also nervous around one another. I like how both notice small things about each other. I cannot wait to see what happens in the next volume.