Hungry Hearts by Julie Hoag

Hungry Hearts is a YA romance that combats eating disorders. This book was sent to me by the author. Landra, struggling with anorexia, is committed to being as thin and in shape as possible. On the other side, her classmate Brian, striving to be a gourmet chef, idolizes Landra and starts baking her treats and snacks every day. With Brian and her best friend Becca by her side, Landra learns to enjoy food again, whilst becoming romantically drawn to Brian.

I enjoyed how Hungry Hearts proves that those who struggle with eating disorders do not necessarily need psychiatric care but also more importantly support from friends and family. Brian and Becca were passionate and fully invested in making sure that Landra ate and was taken care of. The love from them, and her big brother, gave her the confidence to appreciate food again. She kept a constant struggle of dealing with negative body image, but her friends and family helped to convince her of her beauty and contradict Landra's negative feelings.

I love how honest the book is on eating disorders. Some of the sentences are so outright honest that it almost hurt to read them. This author has a lot of courage. The romance was so cute and enjoyable that almost every chapter left a smile on my face- as did the gorgeous cover! The love between Brian, Landra, and Hunter was intense, and the imagery and description of the yearning for each other was vivid and skilled. I will definitely say that this book is best for older YA readers due to some of the language.

I recommend this book! The author has informed me that there will be a sequel. In 2021 the Hoag will also be releasing the book Out of Control.

Title: Hungry Hearts
Author: Julie Hoag
Publisher: Month9Books
Pages: 291
Series: Yes, Book 1
Rating: 5 Stars
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