Last Night I Dreamed of Home

by Sophie Li

This romantic debut graphic novel follows two college freshmen grappling with coursework, new friends, first love, and their Chinese heritage.

After botching the only exam that matters in China, Alice arrives at college eager to party like the North Americans on TV―not to hang out with a studious boy who reminds her why she left home.

All Haoran wants is a business degree. His father has spent all his money sending Haoran overseas, and in return, he must graduate and find a stable job. If only he could get rid of the nagging itch to draw a comic book.

From burnt cooking, a stuck elevator, and late-night bubble tea, Alice and Haoran’s unlikely friendship promises into something more―unless their differences drive them apart. When a creative opportunity arrives, Haoran must choose between his passion and his family, and Alice must discover her own identity or lose touch with her roots altogether.

Last Night I Dreamed of Home is a richly nuanced and sweetly satisfying rom-com from a brilliant new graphic novel creator.

illustrations throughout

Genres: Graphic Novels, Romance, Young Adult, Contemporary, Comics, Graphic Novels Comics, Fiction

336 pages, Paperback

First published October 20, 2026

Reviews

[ellie · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Life isn’t meant to be a straight line. So let it wander.“

Thanks to Sophie Li and NetGalley for sending me an early review copy! 💕 Out 20/10/2026 📖

For the girls who feel lost and burnt out, this one’s for you. This graphic novel is a heartfelt love letter to everyone who’s experienced longing and never feeling like you’ve belonged anywhere.

As someone who’s also since moved abroad for university, it feels incredible seeing myself in both Haoran and Alice. Holding on to your heritage while missing your home is a very difficult experience to get used to (not enough asian restaurants where i am i miss my ppl!! >_<) Then there’s also the constant guilt and pressure to do something good with your life because your parents gave everything to put you there. If you fit these boxes then I highly recommend! This graphic novel is light, a tad romantic, and a bit emotional at the same time.

Perfect for fans of Ann Liang and Tashie Bhuiyan 💕

[jo ❣︎ · Rating 4.75 out of 5]

huge thank you to netgalley and the publisher for an advanced copy!

𓍢ִ໋🌷͙֒ guys this was such a cute graphic novel, the art, the plot, the vibes, literally everything about it was so sunshine and rainbows but with an actual plot and characters that felt so real! plus reading about characters similar age to you and going through such real life things is always so fun. i just wish the ending hadn't been so abrupt!! i really wanted more and it just ended all in all, a stunning debut! 𓍢ִ໋🌷͙֒

[Ashton Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5⭐️ This was cute! The beginning started off a bit slow, but as the story continued I connected more to the characters. I wish we had gotten some more scenes of them together and developing their connection (the scene where they fell asleep together was adorable and I wanted more) instead of some pages dedicated to schoolwork jargon, but overall this was a great debut!

The artwork was well-done and I enjoyed the random pops of color such as with Alice’s hair. I would’ve ideally enjoyed more overall color, like on the cover, but it didn’t detract from the story.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for sending an early copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Stacey | read.with.stacey · Rating 3.5 out of 5]

Thank you to the author for the paperback arc 🫶.

This is my first graphic novel arc and I did enjoy it overall! I thought the story was cute and sweet and showed some of the challenges/culture shock that students may face when going to university in a different country. As a Canadian, I liked that this book was set in Toronto. I also enjoyed the flashback scenes we got to both main character’s childhoods. I will say that I was planning to rate it higher, but then the ending was super abrupt! I actually thought pages were missing 😂. I don’t know why you’d do such a nice job developing the two main characters relationship and then have it just end without any sense of what happens to them and their budding relationship.

[Terri · Rating 4 out of 5]

Last Night I Dreamed of Home had stunning artwork combined with a simple color palette that I really enjoyed. As for the story itself, I loved following Alice and Haoran on their college journey. Going off to college even a few hours away can be daunting but for Alice and Haoran going from China to study in Canada was even more so. Both had to face difficulties that came with going to school in a different country while also dealing with expectations put on them by others and themselves. Watching them find their way and what they really wanted to do with lives was wonderful.

Switching to Alice and Haoran’s relationship, I think them going from strangers to friends was done really well. Both had different personalities and outlooks on what college was supposed to be and how they were going to spend their time so I think their progression from just roommates to friends was really natural. And I loved the scenes/hints we got that their friendship was turning into more. And while it ended on a hopeful note I found myself wishing we got a little more from that aspect of the story.

Overall I really enjoyed this graphic novel and I’m excited to see what comes next from Sophie Li!

*I received an arc of this book. All opinions are my own.*

[Nadia Masood · Rating 4 out of 5]

A cute and culturally-rich coming-of-age graphic novel about identity and love.

I loved Sophie Li’s visual storytelling (she created the artwork herself!), especially the dual blue-and-pink color palette and subtitles to represent bilingual dialogue. I also enjoyed the simple and fast-paced storytelling.

I would recommend this novel to anyone who has moved far from home to a different country and experience cultural disconnection and loneliness, especially college students.

[Simon James Gonzalez · Rating 4 out of 5]

Alice begins college in Canada with an eagerness that is as alive as it is faulty, when suddenly her path is intercepted by Haoran, a hard-working exchange student who comes from China, just like her. Despite being from the same town, however, these two’s polar-opposite personalities soon face the challenge to make the right choices while coping with their past traumas through dreams of home.

I quite enjoyed this book. Alice seemed like an enthusiastic character that I couldn’t help but enjoy following. She had a peppiness to her that aided the story and anchored it in a sweet enough tone— enough to make Haoran’s less-enthusiastic point of view still engaging. Additionally, the humor was light and charming, keeping things simple yet still being quite funny.

Ultimately, this is a story about courage. The themes are driven forward almost completely predictably until the end, when Haoran’s courage plays a big role in the unraveling of the story. The narrative choice to right a wrong through pre-established character roles and hobby was picture perfect and I thought the way it was done here worked remarkably well. The author utilizes such a handy device yet jabs at it unexpectedly, which is fun for the reader.

I found myself laughing at Alice’s quirky personality and endeared by Haoran’s determination to give his family a better life. These motivators were each enough to drive the characters forward individually, so when paired up within a contained enough narrative line, they bloom together organically.

Finally, as an ARC, this was quite solid and fun. I can see it producing a couple sequels to hone in this opposites-attract dynamic that was so enjoyable— I’d love to find out.

[pineapple tofu · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an advance copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
For two Chinese international students, life in the West is quite different from home. While Alice comes from a well-off family, she fails the only exam that’s important in China. For Haoran, choosing a business degree isn’t what he perceived it to be, as more and more of his thoughts drift towards comic making. Life in university is tough for both: from burning a pumpkin pie, past life misunderstandings, and the comfort of finally being home, let these two young adults change their perspective on what life truly means to them.
Soft pastels and hanging lanterns bring forth a lovely story of two university students who share a student apartment, all while trying to be the best for their own parents overseas. Alice, who seems bright and bubbly, hides a devastating secret from her high school years. Haoran, who seems studious and educated, comes from a background of street food and locals. These two go through the ups and downs of being international students, making friends in different majors, and the slow moments of falling in love. This standalone graphic novel is dreamy and realistic, all while keeping the thought of home in China close to their hearts.

[Christy Broderick⁷ · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this debut graphic novel! I could’ve finished it all last night, but I decided to save the last 10% or so for today after work. I liked how this GN followed two college students trying to figure out life, making new friends and deciding what actually brings them joy in terms of careers. Alice and Haoran make a cute pair and it was sweet how encouraging they were with one another and finding the light that sparks joy in each other ✨ I look forward to more stories from this author - so glad I saw this shared online by a trusted reader friend 💜

[sofia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley for an e-arc of this book!

The artwork was so cute and I loved the colors, and the way it changed when there was a flashback, it made it easy to identify! I think it did a good job of showcasing different people and their experiences in college but there's still things to connect us together. I do wish we had more to learn about the characters and see them interact with each other th0ough, but I still had fun reading.

[Nathania Calae]

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for the arc copy in exchange for my honest review ✨

Super cute and fast-paced!! My only complaint is that I wish it was longer! Though, the art style was cute and the choice to add the Chinese translation whenever the main characters spoke to one another was clever and made for a more immersive experience. Genuinely wish it was about 100 pages longer, but other than that pick it up!!

[Bookish_Aly_Cat · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was such a cute story! I loved the characters and found them to be quite relatable. The art style was really pretty and had a nice flow to it as well.

Thank you to the publisher for the gifted copy of the book.

[Relena_reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

This bilingual romance comic is adorable. The red backstory pages were an especially beautiful touch. Some of the finances didn't quite make sense, but one of the beauties of a romance is that it doesn't all need to make sense. The interpersonal relationships do mostly make sense, which is the part that actually matters.

Everything about this is soft, sweet, and lovely, and I'm very glad that I got an eARC from NetGalley to preview it!

[Monica Lourenco · Rating 4.25 out of 5]

What a great surprise this graphic novel! While some parts of the story were not clear right way, I enjoyed learning about their Freshman college experience (Canada) by the characters and how different their lives were although coming from the same country. I truly appreciate the language representation on the pages - what a great idea! Great book for older high schoolers!

[Tree Dickens · Rating 3.5 out of 5]

This was a beautifully simple story about two Chinese students who immigrate to Canada for university, and how they navigate the challenges they face. They're from different economic backgrounds and family dynamics, and have different goals for their time at uni, which makes for an interesting duo.

Although this is not my favourite graphic novel I've read, it did some things uniquely well. I loved the Mandarin alongside the English text. I also really enjoyed the flashbacks being monochromatic and thought they were well timed, helping with the context and pacing of the story.

Despite there definitely being deeper underlying messages about cultural experiences, parental expectations and the class divide, this felt like a quick and enjoyable light read. The messaging was accessible without being too blatant.

The reason I didn't rate this higher is that I would have liked to see more interactions between the characters. Unfortunately, a lot of their time spent together seemed to happen in a montage. Additionally, I would have liked some deeper character development. Alice especially needed to reflect more on her privilege and how that impacts her empathy for Haoran's situation. It's a shame the romance didn't really start until the end. I would have liked to see more. I wonder if there will be a follow-up.

To end on a good note, I loved the way Haoran's comics illustrated (literally) the words he didn't feel he could say out loud, and reflected his longing. I always love when storytellers, especially illustrators, self-insert their own career goals or hobbies into their fictional characters. Comic artist inception. Comic art within comic art.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for this eARC. Congratulations to Sophie Li on her debut graphic novel!

[Veronica · Rating 2.75 out of 5]

Rating: 2.75 stars

I don't usually review the graphic novels I read, but when Sophie Li reached out about providing an eARC of her debut for review consideration, I couldn't say no. I loved the pitch to the cover art, but, unfortunately, the actual story was a little disappointing.

Quick disclaimer: part of the reason for my low review might be because I started Last Night I Dreamed of Home with the wrong expectations. Based on the cover, I thought the comic would be full-color and highly saturated, so the dual-tone art was a bit of a letdown. I don't think the art style is bad and actually liked the color palette Li used, but you don't get second chances on first impressions, and my first impression was one of disappointment when the art didn't live up to my admittedly presumptuous expectations. (It doesn't help that I've been spoiled by all the incredible art in Korean webcomics and now have ridiculously high standards.)

The story also felt a bit lacking. The promise of a "richly nuanced and sweetly satisfying rom-com" is a bit ambitious. The pacing was incredibly rushed, and I never felt like I really got to know the characters or connect with them on an emotional level. There wasn't really any kind of nuance since the storytelling was pretty surface level, and the romance felt neither sweet nor satisfying since there was so many giant time skips. I love the story conceptually, but it really needed to be developed a lot more. The stakes weren't there, and the story desperately needed some kind of tension. The character arcs were pretty flimsy, and I think everything needed be to fleshed out more.

I really like the idea of creating a bilingual comic. I keep saying that I want to work on my Chinese reading comprehension, but I've been too lazy to do anything about it. Last Night I Dreamed of Home is such a fun and accessible way for diaspora kids like me to work on our literacy, and the dialogue was actual the perfect level for someone with my limited vocabulary. Unfortunately, the two languages made the speech bubbles look really cluttered, and I found my eyes glazing over the Chinese and jumping straight to the English.

I genuinely do think Sophie Li has a great story on her hands, but there's just a little too much going on for such a short graphic novel. She tries to tackle parental expectations, culture shock, filial piety and guilt all in a single romance, and, unfortunately, all the subplots came together to create a muddled story. I'm not going to pretend I understand how much time and effort goes into creating a graphic novel, but this felt more like a storyboard than a fully fleshed out story approaching publication.

tl;dr- great effort, missed on the execution

I received an eARC from the author for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

[Charlotte · Rating 4 out of 5]

'Last Night I Dreamed Of Home' was my first graphic novel experience and it made a lovely introduction to the genre. As someone who's particularly fond of lyrical prose and is excited rather than daunted by chunky fantasy tomes I have to admit that I was a little bit apprehensive about trying the genre, due to the limited text throughout. But they do say that a picture paints a thousand words and apparently that's true as this did manage to pack in quite a lot. It was a sweet, little contemporary tale about family ties, finding your own path and moving across the world for studies.

The art style here is very easy to fall for. There's a sort of softness around many of the illustrations and the muted colour palette used suits it really well. There's lots of grays, blues and pinks and there are a couple of montage style scenes that I particularly appreciated.

Dotted throughout there are a few red scenes too. When the first one popped up I was a little confused, thinking a new character was being introduced, but once the second appeared I realised that these were flashbacks to Alice's and Haoran's pasts. As someone who is always excited to discover a character's backstory this was such a wonderful inclusion, especially as it gave insight into how they became the people they are now and what both of their family dynamics are like.

Alice and Haoran come from very different backgrounds. Alice has wealth to draw upon but a complex relationship with her mother and the expectations she places upon her. Haoran's finances are much more limited and his goal is to become successful so that he can support his father. Alice swiftly falls in with an outgoing crowd whilst Haoron craves quiet and dreads such busy gatherings. Together they experience a mix of heartwarming, tender and painful moments throughout. There were a couple of times when I found Alice slightly overly dramatic but both characters had depth to their backstories and I appreciated the tender moments scattered throughout.

It was also a nice touch to include text in both English and Mandarin throughout, something that I imagine could prove helpful to readers who are learning either language.

Altogether I recommend 'Last Night I Dreamed Of Home' to fans of graphic novels who want a sweet but emotional tale of two very different people experiencing college in a whole new country. It has an art style that is very easy to fall for and uses flashbacks to flesh the characters out nicely. On the whole I'm personally quite likely to remain a novel reader at heart, but its nice to know that graphic novels are an option to break things up from time to time and experience a whole story in a relatively short timeframe.

[Hannah Hartridge · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️.75/5

Sophie Li’s Last Night I Dreamed of Home is one of those graphic novels that wraps around you softly — visually, emotionally, thematically. The first thing that struck me was the beautiful, dreamy colour palette, all hazy pastels and gentle gradients that make every page feel like a memory you’re trying to hold onto. It’s the kind of art that makes you pause, breathe, and just look.

But what really stayed with me was the dynamic between Alice and Haoran. They’re complete opposites — she’s brazen, outgoing, a little chaotic; he’s quiet, studious, and laser‑focused on repaying his father for years of sacrifice. Yet they share a deep, unspoken common ground: two young people away from home, carrying the weight of their upbringing, trying to figure out who they are allowed to become.

Their friendship-to-love arc is sweet and tentative, just beginning to bloom… and then it’s over almost too quickly. I found myself wishing for more — more stolen glances, more emotional payoff, maybe even a scene where Alice finally reunites with her family. But the more I sat with it, the more I realised that the romance isn’t the point. The story is really about home — how it shapes you, how it haunts you, and how you eventually find your way back to it.

Alice’s journey hit me hardest. She’s convinced she’s a disappointment, running from a disastrous school experience and reinventing herself so thoroughly that she loses touch with her roots. Her fear of facing her mother is palpable. Watching her slowly confront that fear — even if we don’t get the reunion scene — is quietly powerful. It’s about reclaiming the parts of yourself you thought you had to abandon.

Haoran is an absolute darling. Raised by a widower father who poured everything into his education, he’s determined to repay that sacrifice by going into business… even though his true passion is drawing. His arc is gentle but meaningful: he has to learn that making his father proud doesn’t mean erasing himself. And the moment his father gives him permission to choose his own path? Soft, understated, and lovely.

Last Night I Dreamed of Home is a lovely little story — tender, atmospheric, and emotionally honest. Yes, I wish it had been fleshed out more. I wanted more romance, more closure, more time with these characters who feel so real. But what we do get is a thoughtful meditation on identity, family, and the complicated, beautiful idea of home.A good read, and one that lingers.

[Jasmine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review: 4.25 stars

Thank you, Sophie Li, for the eARC via Netgalley.

This is such a cute and sweet read about two freshman exchange students, Alice and Haoran, who, despite being from China, are polar opposites in personality and outlook due to their upbringings.

Alice comes to Canada to escape the pressure she faces from her mum and to avoid doing poorly on the national exam in China. Wanting change, she majors in English literature and just wants to enjoy life in Canada. Haoran is pursuing a business degree to seek a better life in response to his father’s sacrifices. He also secretly loves drawing comics. Despite their differences in personality and outlook, they find themselves bonding over bubble teas, Chinese dramas, and late-night talks.

The struggles they face in moving to Canada to study were portrayed well and are relatable to what I faced when I first came to Canada in pursuit of my degree. The adjustment period was definitely a thing coming from an Asian country to a Western country, and it could be quite jarring at times. It was wonderful to see it being depicted in a graphic novel. I especially relate to the struggles Haoran faced in pursuing a business degree to honour his father's sacrifices, even though it wasn’t his passion, as I find myself in the same predicament at a university crossroads, having to make a choice.

I love the development of their relationship. Alice is enthusiastic, outgoing, and optimistic, while Haoran is studious and quiet, yet the friendship between them slowly blooms tentatively, eventually turning into love as they spend more time together. I do find that ultimately the book is all about two people trying to figure out what they want despite the pressures they face in life and the weight of their family pressure and sacrifices.

The art isn’t the usual type I usually go for, having normally read more manga/manhwa than graphic novels, but I do love the depictions of the characters and how the story naturally flows. The emotions are clearly seen and felt, and I love that the author uses a one-colour palette to drive the story. I also love that this is bilingual and you can read it in either English or Chinese.

My only wish is that I had wanted more, as I felt it was too short and fast-paced at times, but overall, a fun and sweet read featuring the opposites-attract trope!

[Naomi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Last Night I Dreamed of Home is a heartfelt story about two opposing students who try to connect and find their way in student life. The sweet feels are enhanced by the beautiful, smartly put-together graphics of richly soft colours, as shown on the cover. While on the short side, the story immediately pulled me in and made me empathise with the characters.

The story follows Alice and Haoran, both starting college as freshmen. One longs for a fresh start, to find new friends, and discover college life like in American TV. The other wants to make the most out of his studies for a better life for his family. Yet both Alice and Haoran slowly start to form a strong bond over time. Their chemistry was sincere and surprising. They show that the dichotomy between introvert and extravert is more complex than it seems. Alice and Haoran have more in common when you get to know them better. I also loved that while Haoran pursues a business career, his passion lies with drawing comics. There's this beautiful moment about this with his father. On the other hand, Alice's relationship with her mother is the complete opposite. It's kind of your stereotypical "work hard, study hard, and you climb the social ladder." Notably, Li pushed this further by showing a few genuine loving moments between Alice and her mother when they were younger.
We meet a few side characters, but the story solely focuses on the main characters. Alice is the kind of person you'd immediately want to be friends with because of her magnetic nature, while you might need some patience with Haoran, but that patience pays off when you get to know him.

Personally, I could find myself more in Haoran, but I also felt much for Alice. The flashbacks into their childhood were a great addition to the story, and I loved the way those were made distinctive from the regular timeline, style-wise. The graphic style in general was amazing and cleverly done.

Underneath the coming-of-age arc are some interesting themes of immigration life and family expectation vs discovering who you are and what you want. They were wonderfully carried through the main characters. It was a very fast-paced graphic novel, and It's definitely worth continuing.

A 4.7🌟 for me!

[Hailey · Rating 4 out of 5]

★★★★☆
Last Night I Dreamed of Home (Sophie Li - releasing 10.20.2026)
eARC Graphic Novel Review

✧ Read with me ✧ Instagram ✧ | @haileydianereads

A massive thank you to NetGalley, W.W. Norton & Company, Norton Young Readers & the author, Sophie Li, for the e-ARC in exchange for my honest book review! 🥰🙌

“They say your memories change a bit every time you relive them in your mind.” 🥟 🍜

“Life isn’t meant to be a straight line. So let it wander. Let it bring you joy and failure. Let it take you places you’d never thought you’d be.” 🫂 🧳

This book is perfect for readers who enjoy…
- New friendships
- College settings and the life transition that is one’s freshman year
- The dreamiest of color combos

Graphic novels are one of my favorite forms of storytelling. I think they offer so much in such a limited amount of time and space. From beautiful settings to complex and nuanced character relationships, Sophi Li’s debut hits the spot!

Two Chinese college freshmen arrive in Canada for their first year of university. When Alice and Haoran meet, it quickly becomes apparent how different they are. They came from different socioeconomic backgrounds. Alice is grappling with who she wants to be as she starts fresh in a new city. Haoran is striving to make his father proud after all that his father has worked and sacrificed for Haoran’s future, but will he remain true to his own passions or let his dreams fall behind?

What I love about this graphic novel is the impression that you are left with after it is over. Sure, I am a huge fan of closure, but readers get a more realistic ending of what the college transition looks like when our family relationships are being renegotiated, and young adults start forming their identity outside of familial expectations. What is home and who are our family?

I’m not sure if Li is going to continue this story or not. It definitely feels like it could easily become a series. Four books? One for each year in college? I’m not sure if this was supposed to be a slice-of-life with little closure or if there might be more to the story on the horizon. While the ending did feel a little abrupt, if Li continues the story, I will be eagerly waiting to see what comes next for Alice and Haoran.🤞

Gratitude, always.
- H.

[luchie ☆ · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m pretty new to graphic novels and I’m happy I stumbled upon Last Night I Dreamed of Home. It had me giggling and tearing up in the same breath. 

There's two things that stand out the most: the use of both English and Mandarin for dialogue and the pink/grey color palette. Both were unique and excellent choices for the narrative and characters.
It was definitely an ambitious undertaking to include both Mandarin and English for Haoran and Alice's dialogues. The choice for dual language captures the reality our characters are living in as international students from China now studying in Canada. I don't really speak Mandarin so I can't comment on the quality of the translation. But I can trust the author since (as far as I know) they had a sensitivity tester for the cultural accuracy of the translation.

Another thing that stood out was the color palette. At first, it was adorable to see a pastel pink against a cool grey. These colors were muted so the flashbacks (in bright, blood red) were intense.
The color palette matches the baggage our characters Alice and Haoran carry. Their wounds and traumas weigh on them. Alice's insecurities and wounds seep into her connection with Haoran. Any form of pressure (even the productive kind) sends her flashing back to her mom and her experience being bullied. On the other hand, Haoran is weighed by the pressure of supporting his father who sacrificed so much for him.

Alice and Haoran share the same heritage yet are part of different social classes. This brought so much angst to their connection! They understand each other, but, at the same time, they also don't. They're friends who could be lovers, who bond over their culture and homesickness. And they're both so deep in their wounds that they don't realize their parents aren't holding them at gunpoint.

I loved Last Night I Dreamed Of Home. I would love seeing more from our lovely cast of characters.
Thank you to Sophie Li and Norton Young Readers for providing an eARC for review.

[My Fairytale Days · Rating 2 out of 5]

📖 𝗥𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗱 𝗳𝗼𝗿: Readers who enjoy coming-of-age stories, first love, cultural identity and finding a sense of home.

I really wanted to love this one. Being married to a Scotsman and navigating two languages in everyday life, I thought I might connect with the themes more than I did. There were some genuinely cute moments, and the emotions were there, but I never quite found my way into the story. By the end, I was mostly disappointed that it hadn't clicked for me.

I think part of it was that the whole thing felt a little raw, as though it could have benefited from another round of editing and fine-tuning. I liked the idea of having both languages in the speech bubbles, especially with the story exploring different cultures and the feeling of being far from home. In practice, though, I found the pages cluttered, and it made it harder for me to settle into the reading experience. The artwork felt a little rough to me, too.

I can see what this graphic novel is trying to do, and I don't think it's badly made. It simply didn't come together for me in the way I'd hoped. I suspect there are readers who will connect deeply with its themes, but sadly, I wasn't one of them.

✨ 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗱:
• The cute moments sprinkled throughout the story.
• The emotional themes of identity, belonging and finding home.
• The idea of reflecting a bilingual, bicultural experience through the dialogue.

🌧️ 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗳𝗮𝗹𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗱:
• I struggled to connect with the characters and the story overall.
• The bilingual speech bubbles made the pages feel cluttered to me.
• The artwork and storytelling felt as though they needed more fine-tuning.

🎨 𝗔𝗿𝘁 𝗻𝗼𝘁𝗲𝘀:
The artwork was okay, but a little rough around the edges for my taste. Alongside the amount of text on the pages, it made the reading experience feel busier than I would have liked.

⭐️⭐️ / 5

𝘈 𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘵𝘭𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘬 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘵𝘰 𝘕𝘦𝘵𝘎𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘺 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘶𝘣𝘭𝘪𝘴𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘰𝘱𝘦𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘥𝘰𝘰𝘳 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘭𝘦𝘵𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘮𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘳 𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘺. 𝘈𝘭𝘭 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘴, 𝘧𝘦𝘦𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘴, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘣𝘰𝘰𝘬𝘪𝘴𝘩 𝘳𝘢𝘮𝘣𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘴 𝘐 𝘣𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘣𝘢𝘤𝘬 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘳𝘦𝘭𝘺 𝘮𝘺 𝘰𝘸𝘯. 📖✨

[Melting Into Fiction · Rating 4 out of 5]

A huge thank you to the author for the advanced physical copy!

The story takes place during a single post-secondary school year. We’re first introduced to Alice, who's arrived from China to study in Toronto. She loves her bubble tea & is ready for that full college experience. Behind her bubbly persona, she's grappling with past events that left her studying overseas. Then there’s Haoran, her quiet roommate, whose father's sacrifices weighs heavily on him. All he wants is a business degree & find a stable job - even if his real passion lies in drawing.

The two form an unlikely friendship as they both try to adapt to the culture & manage mounting pressures. They also shared a sense of loneliness that comes from being so far from home. It reminded me of first year university where I thought I needed to have my entire future laid out on day one. I felt out of place coming from a smaller town with no familiar faces in sight. I also found myself in a similar situation as Haoran - questioning if I was on the right career path. I originally went into accounting, since it's what I thought my parents wanted. I ran far away from it after first year!

That first year learning curve is so real as they both slowly discovered what future path they wanted to take. Their budding romance was sweet to see unfold. While the story leaves lingering questions of their future, there’s no doubt the impact they had on each other during such a formative time. Even if the connection was short, the impression it left would be lasting.

I found this to be such an introspective YA romance graphic novel. It reminded me of a period where I was just trying to figure out who I was. University was a stressful time, but also where I learned a lot about myself!

I would be remiss to not mention the stunning illustrations! It truly elevated the storytelling & I loved all the little nods to Toronto sprinkled throughout.

It's been a while since I've read a graphic novel, but this was such a great one to re-introduce myself to this form of storytelling!

[Paige · Rating 2 out of 5]

thank you to netgalley & the publisher for the ARC!

Cute premise, messy execution on a few fronts.

Let's start with the art, because it's the thing that threw me the most: young Alice is drawn with typical Asian features (as she should be, she's from China), but present-day college Alice suddenly has blonde hair and completely different facial features. Like... she got fully whitewashed by her own graphic novel? I get that it's supposed to represent her reinventing herself in North America, but changing her actual bone structure is a choice. A costume change or a dye job reads as "new identity." A different face reads as "we swapped artists." Real turnoff.

The story itself: cute. Two Chinese exchange students, polar opposite personalities, stuck orbiting each other through burnt cooking and a stuck elevator until it turns into something more. That part works.

Some notes though:

The lettering needs a pass. Several bubbles overlap and it's clearly happening because they're trying to cram both Chinese and English into the same bubble. Pick one. If the point is showing the reader when they're speaking Chinese vs English, there are cleaner ways to do that (font change, color, a small tag) that don't turn the panel into a word jumble.

The ending: we build this whole slow-burn, they finally kiss, and then... credits roll? They just go visit their families and that's it? After all that setup I wanted an actual landing, not a "sure, I guess that's resolved now." Doesn't earn the abruptness.

Flashbacks: fine, not a complaint really, just kind of there. They didn't drag, but they also didn't add much emotionally; felt more like structural filler than anything that deepened the characters.

TLDR: sweet couple, ending needed another 20 pages, and someone needs to explain why Alice's face got a rewrite.

[✩｡°⋆ Lala ⋆｡°✩ · Rating 4 out of 5]

• 3.75 ☆ •



── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──

Last Night I Dreamed of Home took me a little while to settle into. The beginning felt slow, I wasn't immediately connecting with Alice or Haoran, and I wasn't totally sure where the story was going.

But then we got toward the end and the tension between the two of them finally came to a head and I felt it. That's when it clicked for me. It didn't happen gradually either. It all clicked for me right near the end, when everything the book had been quietly building finally came together.

The cover? Stunning. I saw it and immediately thought: yes, this is going to be a whole vibe. But once I got into the actual pages, the interior art was much simpler than I expected. It's not bad, it just wasn't what the cover had prepared me for. I was hoping the inside would carry that same dreamy atmosphere, so the mismatch made it harder for me to stay fully locked in.

The story itself is sweet and the themes around identity, heritage, and figuring out who you are outside of your family's expectations are handled in a way that feels genuine rather than heavy handed. Alice and Haoran's dynamic is the heart of it and once I was finally invested in them, the softer pacing stopped bothering me.

Slow start, but a genuinely satisfying finish. Not bad at all for a debut, and I'd be curious to see what Sophie Li does next.

── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──

If you like:

✔️ coming-of-age
✔️ identity and heritage
✔️ slow burn friendships
✔️ family expectations
✔️ emotional character growth
✔️ contemporary YA

── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──

📅 Pub Day: Oct 20, 2026 📚
💌 Thank you to NetGalley and W. W. Norton & Company for gifting this ARC in exchange for an honest review! All opinions are my own.

[Megan · Rating 5 out of 5]

For a romantic debut graphic novel, this did not disappoint. I immediately fell in love with the art style for both main characters, Alice and Haoran. Not to mention, the cover art truly caught my attention to desire to read this novel.

Book Description/Storyline:
The story follows Alice who is off to college after not doing so well on an exam in China (not to mention there are other factors to consider as well). At her new school, she wants a fresh start, meeting new people, and partying. Little does she know how much of an impact one of her roomates, Haoran, has on her.

Hanoran, the main male character, wants to focus and achieve getting a business degree. He wants to study hard and do all his best since his Dad sacrificed so much for him to attend school overseas. However, Hanoran always has an itch to draw and aspire submitting comics for a contest.

When these two characters get tangled up in burnt cooking, getting stuck in an elevator, and just overall hanging out, Alice and Hanoran realize that there may be something more than just a simple friendship. Each character faces a different challenge whether it be choosing your family or your passion; discovering your identity or losing yourself.

My favorite part of the plot was seeing how Alice and Haoran develop a friendship which leads to a crush/romance. The part that takes the cake for me is the misunderstanding yet, how it is made up was heartfelt and sweet. I felt the pacing of the storyline was not rushed and every scene made the build up worth it!

I would recommend this novel to any young adult reader interested in romance, going off to college, and facing difficult situations.

Thank you NetGalley, Sophie Li, and Norton Young Readers for the early ARC!

[Bibliothecat · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you Norton Young Readers for providing me with the eARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Alice and Haoran are both international students from China now attending college in Canada. Both face their own set of struggles, be it their personal circumstances, adjusting to a new environment and figuring out what it is they want from life and their studies. Despite their different personalities, they connect and even help each other discover things.

I don't often read graphic novels but this was simply lovely. While my personal experience wasn't quite the same, I do recall the struggles I faced at university - having moved country to study, not knowing anyone and navigating my way to a yet unknown career goal. I have also seen my husband's struggles as a Chinese adjusting to a Western university life and I could see a lot of that reflected in Alice and Haoran's story. I can absolutely see this book hitting close to home for anyone who has experienced studying abroad.

The romance was really cute though I would argue that it's not central to the plot. Yes, there is a romance and I am happy that it's there. But I think it's more about Alice and Haoran finding their way forward and figuring out what they want in life.

The art isn't a style I usually gravitate towards but I did appreciate how colour was used. It doesn't use many colours but it effectively changes tone for scenes such as flashbacks. What I also really enjoyed was that all the dialogue that was meant to be in Mandarin was written in both English and Chinese - it makes this a really great book for language practice.

[Lynne · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

Last Night I Dreamed of Home is for anyone who’s had to leave their home while young and go far away for the sake of their future, whether it be for school or work. The illustrations were gorgeous, and the artwork choices were fun. I was particularly impressed with the creative storytelling decisions Li makes with her illustrations. For example, she uses film strips to show flashbacks and a long panel across two pages to show Alice and her brother communicating between two different countries. It was always enjoyable to see the various ways Li shows the progression of Alice and Haoran’s story.

As a coming-of-age story, Last Night I Dreamed of Home was both relatable and nostalgic; however, as a romance, it fell a bit flat. For most of the book, Alice came off as incredibly inconsiderate, and while part of it could be due to her background and past, it also shows just how great of a divide there was when it came to her and Haoran. While I can appreciate that both are young and are going to make the effort, I still don’t buy their love story. Given how short of a read this was, it would have been better if the book focused on developing Alice and Haoran's relationship as roommates and friends more. Though the extra material from the author's Instagram suggests there is potential for a fun romance between the two characters, the condensed nature of this graphic novel meant there wasn’t much room for it to happen organically while also following both characters’ personal journeys. Still, Last Night I Dreamed of Home has a lot of warmth and humanity, and as an Asian Canadian, I appreciated the representation, as the postsecondary experience in Canada does have its differences when compared to our American counterpart.

[Julesy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Two foreign exchange students from China are studying abroad at University of Toronto and coincidentally are sharing an apartment. Haoran is an introverted studious nerd who needs his quiet time at the library due to too much partying noise. Alice is an extroverted party girl who thinks college life is awesome and whose primary goal is to make lots of friends and ignore any studying. You’d think they would have a lot in common since they were raised in northern China, but they have opposing backgrounds. Haoran grew up without his mother who died while he was young and had a supportive father. Alice has a mother who applies pressure for her to be the best at everything. Haoran is financially struggling; Alice comes from wealth. Haoran’s father encouraged him to see the world; Alice couldn’t get away fast enough from her mother. In time during the school year, their differences are actually what brings them together and they form an unspoken bond and romance eventually blossoms.

First of all, I enjoy all graphic novels with characters of Chinese descent who try to find their place in the world. I wish I had these types of books to read while growing up in the U.S. The red-hued flashbacks of Alice and Haoran provided some context to their differing backgrounds and help the reader to understand their personalities. The story was enjoyable and the illustrations were fun and cute, not too manga-ish. Even though this graphic novel is a bit longer than most, I was surprised how quickly I was able to read it in just a couple of hours. Despite its fast pace, it was completely enjoyable.

Warning: excessive alcohol consumption