REVIEW: ‘Virtually Yours’

Virtually Yours is a comiXology Original slice of life, romantic comedy graphic novel, written by Jeremy Holt, with art and colors by Elizabeth Beals, with lettering by Adam Wollet. This story takes place in the current digital age,  where many folks are looking to be loved and find the perfect partner. As we all know, dating is a mess.

Virtually Yours follows the lives of Eva Estrella, looking to be hired for her dream job as a journalist and Max Kittridge, former child star, who’s in the middle of a frustrating divorce. Eva’s mother is constantly hounding her to find a job and a boyfriend. To alleviate half of Eva’s stress caused by her mother, Eva’s sister creates a fake profile on a hot new non-dating app called, Virtually Yours. This app gives you the proof that you’re in a relationship, all while not being in one. While Max is navigating a divorce and dodging his casting agent’s calls, he takes a job as a fake boyfriend at Virtually Yours servicing clients. Unexpectantly, through fake profiles, Max and Eva connect and form a bond and budding friendship/relationship.

Holt’s script/story of Virtually Yours is down to earth, relatable, wholesome, and cathartic. I found myself in both Max and Eva when it comes to pressure from family on expectations, job hunting, finding love, and getting over love. It was quite refreshing to see how human these characters were and multidimensional. There’s a part in the story where Max, hits his emotional breaking point and confesses deep hurt to his best friend Patrick. This was my most favorite and cherished part of the graphic novel due to Max’s comfortability to cry in front of another man and Patrick holding and comforting him. In a time where we are battling toxic masculinity, pictures and scenes like these need to be normalized for guys, letting them it’s okay to be vulnerable.

Coupled with Holt’s story, I love Beals’s art and colors. I love that the cast of this story is black folks and people of color. You don’t get that kind of representation every day. I appreciated Eva’s art design of being a plus-sized woman and the star of a love story. She wasn’t apart of the usual trope of someone feeling ugly, having low self-esteem, and unworthy of love. Nor did a guy fall in love with her out of pity. Every character has a unique design and due to writing, personality matches. Wollet on writing brings Holt’s story to life, easy to follow, and a breeze to read.

Virtually Yours is an amazing read and readers are sure to relate and learn something about themselves as they’re navigating themselves through life and love. Holt’s story is so wholesome, it will leave readers wanting more. I personally would like a film or television adaptation. Every character is organic and does not need cliche tropes to move the story along.

Virtually Yours is available now on ComiXology and can be purchased using our affiliate link.