Member Reviews
Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for my copy to read and review.
I truly adored this so much! It's kinda like a breath of fresh air compared to the BL I normally read. I loved that story focused more on the emotional side of things. I really enjoyed the romantic buildup of the story. It didnt have any useless drama or misunderstandings. God I hate when those are in the story. The ending was done really well as well. It was beautifully illustrated as well. I dont know if this will have more that one volume to it but if the author does make more I would most definitely read it. I'd love to see more of this story. It was such a joy to read.
I ADORED reading this. I am so happy to finally be seeing boys love stories that aren't overly sexualized and focus on emotional tenderness. This was such a joy to read!
Thank you to NetGalley and Kodansha Comics for a chance to read this manga in exchange for an honest review. It was an adorable story about two cinephiles who bond over their love for movies. The blurb is very accurate, this is a wholesome story perfect for people who enjoyed Given or I Hear the Sunspot. The story is not unheard of but I thought the execution was pleasantly surprising. Their love story unfolds in a very heartwarming and straightforward way and the author avoids the cliche storyline that most BLs have in which the characters have a long series of misunderstandings and are unable to confess to one another. I loved how their bond seemed genuine and the way they communicated with each other. This was a fun read that is perfect for a peaceful summer afternoon much like the ones that they were having, perhaps accompanied by a cup of cold coffee. You shouldn't expect anything extraordinary or unique from the story itself as you probably read titles like this before with similar plots, but I can assure you that the way the storyline unfolds will be less frustrating! I would recommend it to anyone who wants to have a pleasant reading experience with cute and loveable characters who are able to communicate with each other.
The was a pretty solid volume. It was very cute summer read to pass time. It didn't have much conflict or drama which is nice. The only thing is that it isn't something that will stick with you for very long.
Overall I would recommend if you want a sweet mlm friends to lovers manga.
Thank you to Netgalley and Kodansha Comics for an eARC in exchange for my honest review.
This manga was beautifully illustrated and is a very cute romance story about two high school boys who bond over movies and summertime shenanigans. I enjoyed the romantic buildup of the story and thought the ending was well done. It's listed as volume one, but wrapped up like a stand alone volume. I'm interested in seeing what the author does with volume two.
The Summer of You will definitely appeal to fans of shounen-ai like Seven Says. I, however, found it rather generic and clichéd.
As the title itself suggests The Summer of You is very much a light summer romance. The manga follows Chiharu and Wataru, two boys who attend the same high school and find themselves bonding over their shared love for film. When Chiharu confesses that he’s in love with Wataru, and while the latter is surprised and confused he claims that this won’t affect their friendship. During summer break they embark on various day trips to see various filming locations from some of their favourite films. During this time, you guessed it, Wataru starts questioning his feelings for Chiharu…
This is a very mellow shounen-ai that makes for easy reading. While I wasn’t all that taken by the mangaka’s art style (something about the faces didn’t vibe with moi) I’m sure many other readers will fall in love with it. I liked the slow-burn friends-to-lovers dynamic between Wataru and Chiharu; however, I could have done without the ‘past meeting’ storyline. It was obvious and rather contrived.
All in all, The Summer of You was a more than decent read and I’m sure that will appeal to ardent shounen-ai fans.
ARC provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
My rating: 4 stars
Did I like it: Yes
Do I recommend it: yes.
Saeki and Wataru are very close friends who bond over their love of cinema, now one fateful summer Saeki admits that he likes wataru which leads Wataru down a rabbit hole of why the most sought after guy in school would ever like him?
The art style is wonderful, from the perspective of someone who has never read a manga before this, I absolutely loved it! The artist is extremely talented.
Plot wise, it was a bit lackluster. The plot twist at the end was predictable and I was hoping for a more effective conclusion but seeing as there are more volumes after this, I believe I can excuse it.
Character wise, it was wonderful. Wataru is a relatable teen protagonist and the romance/fluff has me swooning. Both Saeki and Wataru are well developed fleshed out characters who absolutely are the heart of this manga.
10/10 will recommend to all manga lovers out there!
A very good story with a ending twist that comes out of left field which hurt the momentum for me a bit. Overall this was a very good read with likable characters and great dialogue. We're looking for to Volume 2.
You know those books that make you grin so much that it hurts? Yeah. This was one of those. It was just so ridiculously cute!
The relationship between the two main leads was probably my favorite. It wasn't rushed or unhealthy, rather a beautiful and supportive friendship. Even before there was a hint of mutual feelings, I was just content to watch their interactions as friends. It felt natural and without any unnecessary drama (there was a bit of drama, mind you, but it didn't feel like it was forced in)
The characters themselves were also enjoyable to read. I liked how Wataru didn't reject or judge Chiharu when he confessed. It set the stage with him as a nice person, something that I felt was reinforced throughout the story. It was also nice to see him come to terms with his own feelings over time.
As for Chiharu, it was easy to sympathize with what he was going through. True, he was a real dummy in some moments, but that's not entirely unheard of in a teenager going through their first love. To his credit, he never did anything irredeemable and it was possible to understand where he was coming from.
Overall, this was a short and simple read. Nothing incredibly new, but still a heartwarming tale that'll put a smile on your face. I look forward to further volumes.
My thanks to Kodansha Comics and Netgalley for providing me with a free copy in exchange for my opinion.
When I read the first couple pages of the manga, I was worried this was going to be similar to so many of the other high school gay romance manga that adapt the same formula - Popular, good-looking, introverted student has a secret crush on the care-free, happy-go-lucky protagonist. And yes, it did follow that. But soon, I didn't care about it anymore. Instead, I was lost in the charm of the story I was following. Somehow, Saeki and Wataru managed to carve their own places in my heart. It was a pleasant surprise to see how refreshingly honest their interactions were. In spite of the misunderstanding that constituted the drama in this volume - which doesn't always work for me, if I'm being honest, but I didn't have any particular problem with it here - they actually talked to each other well. It was easy to see them as friends in the beginning of the story, and similarly easy to see the feelings change into something more. Also, it was quite fun to see them go on a 'Movie Pilgrimage' and seeing how their common interest brought them closer.
Also, I really loved the artwork. It managed to convey all those feelings in the character very clearly.
I'll be eagerly waiting for the next volume to see where the story takes them.
*Thanks to Kodansha Comics and NetGalley for providing me a copy of of this book. All the thoughts and opinions here are my own.*
If you’re looking for an angsty love story between two high school boys look no further! This was such a sweet yet infinitely frustrating friends to lovers manga.
Saeki and Wataru become fast friends after they bump into each other and bond over their love of movies. From there, we follow them as Saeki admits his feelings to Wataru and get to see their relationship progress.
Saeki did frustrate me a lot because of his decisions but ultimately this ended up going well for the two of them. The ending made up for his infuriatingly self-sacrificing choices! I am so excited to read volume two if we get one because I really came to love the two of them as separate characters and together as a couple.
4/5⭐️
This story was everything I hoped it would be. I am obsessed with Wataru and Saeki. Their connection felt natural. I also appreciated that this story did not include excessive drama outside of their relationship. The entire driving force was their connection and learning more about each other while also learning about themselves. The way sexuality was approached was also beautiful. Labels were not a focus. I appreciated this story not putting too much value on that. I think this story would be incredibly valuable to have on the shelves of any school or classroom library. I am deeply looking forward to future editions with these characters.
this was really cute? i picked it up because seven days was a comp title and generally enjoyed it. it's short but seeing wataru slowly come to terms with his feelings was something i liked and the micro expressions in the art were a really nice touch!
I have mixed feelings about saeki's mother making him dress like a girl? i like the message that he should be able to wear dresses but only if he wants to but it was kinda weird in a way i can't explain? also i don't like punching that leaves actual bruises being played for laughs/drama, i know this is a genre thing but its always very iffy with me
Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. This did not affect my opinion in any way.
First I wanted to thank Netgallley for giving me the opportunity to read the advanced reviewers copy of this book in exchange of my honest review.
This manga show us the story of two friends who really likes to watch movies, and they like to hang out with each other, thing is: one of them has one big secret to tell, that it's really going to mix up the feelings of them as how they are, and what do they feel...
This is very exciting, a so fast paced story that it will only take you hours to read, so probably that's one thing of the book that you'd like.
The book has a lot of plot twists, that on the last chapter I was living for every explanation that I was never expecting, and I really love that a book left me speechless, with my mouth wide open, surprised with everything, so that's was also a point for the book.
I really don't have a lot of things to say but it is a perfect reading for the summer and I not only would like to read again but read the next volume.
"sometime he'll stop liking me. I don't want that" Relatable tho.
I don't have any complaints at all, so you just have to assume my rating it's a perfect 5/5 stars, and that I am anticipated for the next volume.
I would totally recommend this. Especially if you like some Yaoi, and like Mangas, with a lot of romance and drama.
This story was soo good. It is a BL (boy love) title based in Summer, mostly around the summer vacation which makes it feel like a fresh and light read. Both our protagonists are movie buffs, and the story of the way Saeki and Wataru goes around visiting places during their break feels adventurous and the way the story progresses is really sweet then there is a heart wrenching feeling and finally it'll melt you.
It is just 4 chapters which will make you wanna fall in love, to like someone and to have someone. And then also it'll make you wanna go to beaches and watch movies.
I would highly recommend it to everyone the way irrespective of whether you like BL or not, it'll definitely make you feel that summery fresh feeling.
I freaking LOVED this manga and I couldn't get enough of it. At first I thought this was the only volume and I was so sad to see it end, but then I learned there's going to be a second volume and that made me the happiest person ever. Saeki and Wataru were just so precious and I loved their relationship so much. I love how Wataru grew to like Saeki and how accepting he was of everything. Also their childhood story was so emotional and I definitely almost cried. This manga is so well written and the artwork was great! One thing I got confused about was the dialogue. At some points there were dialogue bubbles floating and it made me confused about who was saying what, but aside from that this manga is pure perfection. Go read it!
For the most part, I thought this was a very sweet story. There was one scene in particular where Wataru showed a TON of emotion and it was probably my favorite because what happened was well deserved! I would classify this a friends to lovers trope, and their friendship was just so cute. The story took its time to show how important their friendship was. I enjoyed how they truly met and how it came full circle.
“The beach at the end of summer was a little chilly. His hand was hot, like the middle of summer.“
LGBTQIA+ rep: Boys Love (BL) is a genre of manga that focuses on male/male romances
So cute! I loved the communication in shown by our two leads — which is rare for any type of romance. I’m super excited to read more of them and their relationship.
I loved this manga. It was so cute. Do not worry, there are no sex scenes in this manga as this is a shonen ai, hence it is about the characters developing and realising their feelings towards each other.
The characters were adorable. I loved them both. The story is quite fast-paced but it didn’t feel too rushed as it sometimes does with manga like this. I can’t wait to read more of Chiharu and Wataru in the next volume.
I recommend to people looking for a sweet shonen ai.
4.5/5
Thank you to NetGalley, Kodansha Comics, and Nagisa Furuya for the opportunity to read this manga in exchange for an honest review.
This is a fantastic relationship story of how what one may perceive as friendship can evolve into something much more. Chiharu and Wataru both enjoy movies and make sure they go to the cinema two or three times a month. When one of Wataru's female friends asks Wataru to investigate who Chiharu has a crush on (and why he declines every girl with the excuse of liking someone else), Wataru certainly didn't expect the answer, especially as it plays out like one of the movies they watched!
I thought this story was well-developed and thoughtful. The art is absolutely stunning, and the twist from Chiharu's past is quite intriguing. A great recommendation for fans of BL, relationships, and slow-developing romance.