sweet and bitter

Relationships are hard. Everyone steps up to dating with different experiences, different expectations, and different values. And they are trying to find a way to connect with another person in order to get what they want, whether it’s forever, for a while, or for a night. Sometimes it turns out to be a beautiful combination. Other times, it’s so not. I think we’ve all been there. No matter what your relationship status, you’ll find a candy heart that speaks to you.

From basic dating to moving in together, loving pets, sharing hobbies, and creating dating profiles, these candy hearts wear their thoughts on their chests, giving us a glimpse into their private thoughts. As you read through these comics, your dating history pops up before your eyes, whether you were painfully shy or wildly overconfident. There are notes of popular culture, like Star Wars and Super Mario, flat earthers and fairy tales.

Cartoonist Tommy Siegel has put together this collection that seems simple at first, but these single frames reveal more about relationships than some entire novels. They are smart and honest and poignant, and that makes them extremely funny. It’s about the lies we tell to get in and stay in relationships, and the truths that we discover along the way.

These comics about candy hearts are surprisingly moving while also putting a genuine smile on your face. Perfect for one of those holidays where you’re supposed to show how much you love someone, or as an every day gift when you’ve screwed up or want to drop hints. Or you know, just to say, “I love you.”

Egalleys for The Secret Lives of Candy Hearts were provided by Andrews McMeel through Edelweiss, with many thanks, but I liked it so much I bought a copy myself.