What an adorable romance story about an english woman working in Paris, meeting a "fille au-pair" from Hong-Kong. The rendition of the context and the atmosphere is greatly done, through a beautiful flow of colors, dialogues and thoughts. The relationship between Sarah and Ping evolves with an intriguing complexity, a variety of emotions and it's beautiful and satisfying to witness!

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

4.5 ⭐

I adored being swept away into Sarah and Ping's stories with absolutely gorgeous watercolour illustrations. This was a vibrant, wonderful tale of two women becoming friends and slowly learning each other's languages (English, French and Cantonese). I love the way their conversations were visually portrayed with overlaying text boxes to demonstrate the clunkiness of cross-cultural communication. The use of watercolour and red-yellow-blue colour palette worked fantastically to really express the various tones and locations across the story. From the blues and greys of Paris to the reds and yellows of Hong Kong, it was absolutely stunning! I will say, however, Sarah's work bored me to death, which I understand was featured to demonstrate why Sarah was so bogged down in life, but man I did not want to be bogged down with her.

I will be looking forward to finding this in bookstores and can't wait to have my own physical copy!

Gorgeous, gorgeous art, especially of Paris and that dimsum!

The writing is very clever, especially in the beginning. The romance does feel like it comes out of the blue, so I was never fully convinced by the characterisation, but it's such a beautiful depiction on living in a foreign land and the way fluency is fluid and can feel forever elusive.


Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.

Sweet and chaste lesbian romance between two immigrants, one Chinese and one English, living temporarily in Paris for work. As much about the nature of language and language acquisition as the couple itself. There's not really much of a traditional plot and the one "villain" isn't a villain so much as an immature drunk with limited power. While the villain triggers the main crisis point of the story to occur, the fallout is entirely the action of the main characters. Think more cerebral and emotional action, rather than action-adventure or even action-driven plot

This was a really sweet book. Exploring a romance through a language barrier was a really interesting take and I enjoyed it. The book also tackles what it's like being a foreigner and feeling isolated. This was also really well done, and the use of text bubbles really brought the two themes to life over the course of the book. It also touches on the feeling of being lost in your career. However, this is a lot for a book to tackle, especially in this one's short runtime, and I don't think there was enough time to dive into each theme. I would have honestly loved like 50 more pages of this. The art is also very expressive and interesting to look at. It goes a long way to sell each character's emotions. The ending does wrap up really well and I had a great time reading it.

A story about loneliness, belonging, and bridging language barriers in order to forge meaningful connections. It touches on the frustration we feel when what we want and what we think we should want do not align, making us feel like imposters performing ourselves while missing out on living.

If you ever felt lonely in a crowd or needed a nudge to resume your halfway-finished Duolingo course, maybe consider giving this a shot.

This was a beautiful story of two lost people finding each other and the love that follows, the multilingual conversations they had were interesting and honestly very funny in places. The love story was beautiful and the watercolour art was also stunning. 4/5

The story is about two women in Paris, Sarah and Ping and them getting to know each other through a patchwork of languages. The story is through Sarah's POV and so we see more about her being in Paris and how she feels lonely.

The artwork is not only amazing but it fits with the story very well. The use of color also adds to the storytelling.

My only note is that I feel like the characters moved from friends to being more was a bit rushed but the build up of their friendship was well done and the pacing was good for less 200 pages.

First of all, I am very thankful to Netgalley for giving me the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Now, onto the review. Love Languages is a graphic novel with such an original proposal, which starts with the interactions between two foreigners in the big city of Paris. While feelings between the two women starts to flourish, so does their very curious way of communicating with each other, creating their own personal language. With an original but at the same time relatable experience for many foreigners living abroad, the author illstrates such interesting topics such as loneliness, culture shock, language barriers, love and many others.

I personally loved how the author portrayed the very realistic multilingualism experience, how one may start combining languages in order to communicate with other people, while not really being in complete control of what you are saying due to the lack of fluency; actively learning and teaching a language (or more than one at the same time)being so confusing but also so positive to one's character. The author also addresses the never ending experience of translators: how does one translate or explain a joke, irony or metaphor in another language? This question alone opens so many discussion topics in so many fields, not only formal working fields but also personal ones.

The journey our protagonist Sarah goes throug in order to try finding joy in a new place, far from your home, your family, friends, surrounded by people you do not know, hearing all the time a language you are not fluent in, not being able to understand fully whatever it is said... As a foreigner myself, both Sarah's and Ping's experiences were so relatable. Seeing them try to find a space in which they could fit in a new country, failing and having such a relatable existential breakdown, and then little by little starting to find themselves... both hurt and healed my soul in such a beautiful way.

Haven't yet mentioned anything about the art style because I was speechles at pecific points in the story, there was such a smart use of the vignettes and the speech bubbles... it added to the story and characters personalities even more. It really warms my heart everytime I think about them.

I cannot recommend this story enough. Super short and super cozy, but at the same time making room for addressing so many important serious issues, with such an innovative proposal and stunning illustrations, I wholeheartedly hope this graphic novel to have the merit and love it deserves.

I loved the drawing style and how the different colours were used.
Sarah is British and Ping from Hong Kong. They randomly met in a café but didn't exchange numbers or even their names. Several coincidences bring them back to each other and separate them again.
The story felt real and was really interesting to follow. Sometimes it was a bit confusing because Sarah spoke mainly English and French while Ping spoke mainly Cantonese and a bit of French and English. It was still really interesting to see them communicate with each other and find their own way in understanding each other.
I wasn't a huge fan of the plot twist. It was all a bit rushed and felt unnecessary. The story itself was good and I liked the characters.

Thank yoh to Netgalley for this EARC!

This graphic novel is a work of art in every sense. The watercolor illustrations are absolutely sublime—I could stare at these pages forever.

The story is just as stunning. It perfectly captures the experience of being a foreigner, navigating a new language, and finding connections in the in-between spaces. The way Sarah and Ping communicate—through a messy, beautiful mix of English, French, and Cantonese—felt so real and deeply relatable. I especially loved how the speech bubbles visually shifted to reflect their ease (or struggle) with different languages—such a clever touch!

The romance itself is so subtle, swaying away from tropes to create something that feels completely authentic. I kept checking the author’s name, convinced I was reading a real-life love story. It’s tender, quiet, and utterly believable.

If you love graphic novels that are as much about feeling as they are about story, this one is a must-read. Absolutely obsessed.

Hailing from England, Sarah lives and works in France. She barely speaks the language and most of the time feels rather lost. After one rough morning, a simple gesture of food by a stranger turns into a blossoming friendship with a woman from Hong Kong named Ping. Although originally from Hong Kong, Ping works as an au pair for a Chinese family in France. Their friendship is a mishmash of speaking to one another in Cantonese, English, and French. These two outsiders have found the other in a mess of different cultures, languages, and lives and it is quite beautiful. Definitely worth a read.

#ThxNetGalley #JamesAlbon

"Love Languages" is a heartwarming and beautifully crafted graphic novel that captures the transformative journey from strangers to friends to lovers.

The characters’ growth throughout the story is captivating as they navigate language barriers and learn to understand each other on a deeper level. The natural development of their friendship and eventual romance feels genuine and touching, making their bond truly unforgettable.

What stands out is how the story doesn't sugarcoat life. The characters face their struggles, but the narrative balances these moments with joy and warmth. I particularly appreciated how the mood subtly influenced the colors on the pages, shifting from melancholic blues to vibrant yellows as the characters found happiness. Initially, I wasn't drawn to the art style, but with each page, I grew to love it—it perfectly complemented the evolving story.

As someone passionate about languages, I was deeply moved by the detailed and authentic portrayal of language learning. The book brilliantly captures the confusion and frustration that often accompany learning a new language, mirroring the characters' experiences. And then, almost imperceptibly, the language barrier disappears, symbolizing a deeper understanding that transcends words.

The characters felt so real—flawed, relatable, and unmistakably human. Their authenticity, combined with the unique use of languages in a graphic novel format, makes this book a standout.

If you're looking for a charming, queer romance that offers both emotional depth and linguistic delight, "Love Languages" is an absolute must-read. It's an adorable and comforting story that will leave you smiling long after the last page.

Love Languages is a brilliantly illustrated cross-cultural and cross-language love story. It follows Sarah, a English woman working a thankless but well-paid corporate job in Paris, who encounters and befriends Ping, a woman from Hong Kong. As they meet more and more they start talking to each-other in a mixture of English, Cantonese and French, and slowly begin to find a common language. While the story is about them developing feelings for eachother, it's equally as much about language and the role it plays in self-dicovery and expressing love and connection. At the end, I couldn't help but feel for the characters - they were flawed, at times insecure, and so believably human. Another thing that set this book apart is how well the art conveyed emotion - the illustrations of facial expressions, combined with the strategic use of colour to set the mood, made the text and narrative so much more impactful.

This graphic novel shows the real struggle of learning a language but also living in another country. The difficulty of finding friends, understanding people, integrating slang...
I like following their friendship and their improvement in languages too. It was a sweet story.
The art was really colorful which i also really enjoy

I loved "Love Languages". The art style conveys so much emotion and adds depth to the story that even three languages cannot. Exploring falling in love despite language barriers, expectations of women in the workplace and the relationships we find ourselves trapped in there, and the sharing of cultures, this book covers so much ground without feeling overwhelming or rushed. The pacing is beautiful, and the messages are so beautifully tied together. An amazing read! (Plus it's queer, which is always a win.)

The short graphic novel follows Sarah, a British woman living and working in Paris. Sarah is struggling to learn French while living in this new environment. Then she meets Ping, a woman from Hong Kong, working in Paris as an Au Pair. From the moment Ping is introduced, she add color to Sarah's life. I loved how in scenes with Ping, the watercolor would be very vibrant, showing her effect on Sarah.

The art was STUNNING, and helped make certain scenes more impactful. I also really liked how we only understood what Sarah understood. The novel had a mix of English, French, and Cantonese, and as the story went on, the more the reader could understand. I think this really adds depth to the story, and an interesting take on language barriers. On same pages, it would feel overwhelming due the amount of French words or Cantonese words with no translations, which added to the loneliness Sarah was feeling at that time.

However, this only gets a lower rating because of the romance plot. We learn a lot about Sarah, but very little about Ping. The novel ends quite suddenly too, with a happy, but kind of flat ending. The story felt very rushed, and I think it could have benefited from being slightly longer. I felt invested in Sarah's happiness, but I think the romantic relationship with Ping kind of came out of nowhere.

Overall, the story is very impactful, especially if you have struggled with language barriers or learning a new language. Although the romance is a little lacking, the rest of the story makes up for it. Give this graphic novel a try!

Thank you to NetGalley for giving me an advanced reader copy in exchange for a review.

Love Languages is a queer, European style comic. The comic follows Sarah who just recently moved to Paris from London for work. She feels somewhat disconnected from people as she is still learning French and her demanding job leaves little opportunity to meet new people. One day she runs into Ping at a bakery and the two start an unlikely friendship. Ping is a Chinese au pair working as a nanny in Paris. The communication between the two of them is most interesting part of the comic - they use a mix of French, English and Cantonese to speak to each other. While not even Ping's friends seem to be able to fully understand this mix and match of languages, it just seems natural for Sarah and Ping. As the two spend more of their time together a closer bond and even a possible romance starts to bloom.

This was one of the most unique comics I have read in a while, mixing in so many languages together while the story remains absolutely coherent and easy to follow. I was glad to see a happy end for Sarah and Ping, even if it was rather different than what I originally expected.

Soft paces graphic novel about an introvert English girl in Paris and the struggles with getting along in a city where she doesn’t speak the language.
There’s a heavy loneliness dripping through the illustrations in the beginning of the story.

Until there’s some yellow sunshine when Sarah accidentally meets Ping another foreigner in Paris. Meeting Ping and the search of a friend brings Sarah in all kind of socially awkward situations. The illustrator did a fabulous job in drawing the inner landscape of Sarah, here thoughts, insecurities and feelings form a wonderful portrait.

Through the book there’s a blend of languages, the French, the Mandarin and the English language. They emerge and compliant each other in the story as well as in the pictures.

Really enjoyed the soft introverted pace in this slice of live novel. Also totally loved the speech bubbles in this book as they were like floating banners.

Altogether a beautiful graphic novel, it was a joy to witnes the friendship of Sarah and Ping unfold as the grow and discover their own inner worlds.

Thanks to NetGalley for providing an e-arc in exchange for my honest review.

This graphic novel is absolutely great. It beautifully captures the struggles and joys of learning a foreign language and communicating in words that aren't part of your mother tongue. The illustrations support the story and show the blossoming feelings between the characters subtly even before they put it into words and through this catch the way it often takes longer for our heads to catch up to our hearts. Very relatable story, definitely will recommend this!