Reviews

Okay, this is getting better and better and I'm hopelessly hooked. Also, I loved how detailed they are about food and its cultural meaning and value. This series screams authentic japanese. I mean, it literally took my appreciation for the country in a whole new level. It's actually what I find most fun in this manga. And I like the main couple's love and hate relationship. Tsubaki's unpredictability may somehow get on my nerves, but I love how the story goes.

rouge_red's review against another edition

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mysterious tense medium-paced

3.0

So the plot thickens. Did young Tsubaki accuse Nao's mother because... she and Mr. Takatsuki were having an affair? As such, his feelings towards his childhood friend Sakura are complicated, to say the least. He admits that if he saw her now, he'd want her out of his life forever. But as I conjectured at the end of vol. 2, this is because she would be in danger. Mother is unforgiving as always and continues trying to confirm whether or not Nao is Sakura, and even Tsubaki is starting to suspect that's she's hiding something, some secret. Nao says she wants to marry Tsubaki because she'll be able to make wagashi and that's all she cares about, but whether or not Tsubaki actually cares for her and takes this as a slight is anyone's guess...as he proceeds to lock her in a storeroom at the back of his home. It turns out (unsurprisingly) that he's doing this to protect her, but can't quite get it right as his family was never affectionate to him. He's got a long way to go, but he does continue to open up little by little. He sets a wedding day and even tries to show Nao how the tradition behind the tea ceremony, so that she can see a bit into his world.

Don't even get me started on whatever the fake mom/benefactor behind the scenes is. I have no idea.

What I appreciate about Nao is that she pushes back at Tsubaki. It doesn't always work, but she tries to work around how poorly she's treated in this household. Like with the previous vol. and how she switched the wagashi around and how she immediately plays along with the fake mother surprise. She doesn't just go the way of cheerful "I can do it" type girl that is annoying for me; instead, she's kind, intelligent, and tries to make the most of her situation. Not a flawless character, but I'm curious to see what she'll do next.

jaysoweird's review against another edition

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dark mysterious fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.75

randomly_kait's review against another edition

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3.0

*3.5

kamikazegirls's review against another edition

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4.0

yall wouldnt believe the shit tht happened in this chapter

kozy_books's review against another edition

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dark mysterious tense fast-paced

4.0

marie_thereadingotter's review against another edition

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mysterious tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

This is a very strange romance. It's a very toxic romance, and everybody kind of sucks in their own way. I'm very interested in where things are headed.

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