Day’s YA: HANGRY HEARTS

HANGRY HEARTS by Jennifer Chen
9781250374400 (TP) | 9781250865687 (HC)
Wednesday Books
3/18/25
Ages 12-18

E-galley available on Edelweiss and NetGalley

Julie Wu and Randall Hur are mortal enemies–and so are their families. After “The Incident,” their grandmothers and both of their families, who were once one big family, immediately cut all ties and became rivals. The rivalry was only made worse once both families opened their own food stands at the Pasadena Farmers Market, fighting to be the more popular choice of customers. But when Julie and Randall are paired together for a school project, working to raise money for a gardening project that Randall runs, they are forced to be civil for the first time in five years. In a shocking turn of events, they find that underneath all of the tension and resentment, they have strong feelings for each other–and suddenly they can’t understand why their families have to be fighting at all. They can’t tell their families the truth, so secret dates ensue–from fake school project meetings to beach trips. But when their secret is revealed right as the old feud is rehashed, they find that they’ll have to fight for each other and their love, for their families, and for their friendships. Could the Lunar New Year be the perfect time for a second chance for everyone?

This contemporary romance is a Romeo and Juliet retelling with all of our favorite tropes–childhood friends to rivals to lovers, star-crossed lovers, and forced proximity. Diversity is at the heart of this novel. Randall is trans, and you learn about his experience transitioning, and all of the emotions and struggles that come along with it. And with two Asian American leads, you’re completely immersed in their family’s cultures, traditions, and histories–not to mention all of the descriptions of the delicious Taiwanese and Korean food they cook, which will leave your mouth watering. My favorite part of this book was getting to know each family member–from Tyler, Julie’s older brother who is dedicated to holding the grudge forever, to Mercy, Randall’s cousin who just wants the feud to end (and who is hilarious), and to the grandmothers who are at the center of the fight, who were once best friends who bonded as immigrants trying to build new lives for themselves. As you learn more about what happened during “The Incident,” you discover the hardships and the emotional turmoil that the rivalry has caused each person. The characters are messy but lovable, and by the end of the story, you almost feel like you’ve become a part of their families.

Julie and Randall’s story is certainly one that I cheered for. With a dual-POV storyline, you get to experience the first person POV from each of them, as they share their inner thoughts and feelings. Their banter is impeccable, and as a rivals-to-lovers fan, I adored them together even when they were picking fights with each other. As they begin to catch feelings for one another, the reader gets glimpses of flashbacks into their friendship as kids, making it all the more apparent as to why they were destined to fall for each other. Even during their rough patches, I could tell just how much they still cared about each other. It’s the perfect classic first love story, where the love is all-consuming and heartwarming–and beyond their own love, it’s a story about friendship and the importance of family. It’s a fast-paced read, perfect for a one-sitting read type of day. You should pick up HANGRY HEARTS if you were a fan of Jennifer Chen’s first book, ARTIFACTS OF AN EX, or if you love foodie romances like A PHO LOVE STORY and A CUBAN GIRL’S GUIDE TO TEA AND TOMORROW.

Happy Reading!
<3 Margo

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