Item: Hungry Heart
Rating: 4.00
Author: quirkycat

by Jem Milton

The humdrum life of an aspiring food writer changes when he meets a famous celebrity chef. Equal parts funny and heartwarming, Hungry Heart, based on the hit webcomic, is an endearing queer rom-com that grapples with self-discovery, finding your voice, and the power of acceptance.

Laurie, a plucky young food writer, gets his big break interviewing heartthrob chef, Oryan Adjei. Laurie has idolized Oryan since watching him rise to fame in the UK Kitchen Trials back when they were both teens. But Oryan's life is lonelier than it seems from the outside and his career has taken a direction he isn't sure he wants to continue. Laurie seems to get Oryan in a way few others do. Their clumsy first meeting turns into a series of interviews that takes them on a food tour across London, from a coffee shop in a snow flurry to a hole-in-the-wall burger shack and Oryan's own kitchen. Despite their attempts to keep things professional, the two begin to bond over cheesesteaks, flat whites, and stolen hors d'oeuvres. As the pair find themselves in a pressure cooker of celebrity and personal struggles that threatens their chance at romance, will Oryan learn to trust himself and follow his heart?

Hungry Heart is a beautifully illustrated graphic novel that reminds us that all kinds of love are possible.

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.

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Hungry Heart

by Jem Milton

Reviewed by Quirky Cat on Dec 21, 2024

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