A Serenade for Pretend Lovers is the first manga in a shojo series by Tochika Nekome. It follows the story of Sayo, a young journalist who, after finding out her boyfriend is cheating on her, meets the piano prodigy Kobuchi. He is young, charismatic, and most of all asks Sayo to be her pretend lover. This should all be an act to help Kobuchi find the emotion he needs to compose the next soundtrack of a movie: A Serenade for Romance. It should be, but will it be just an act? When Sayo discovers that their relationship cannot be shallow for her, it starts to become complicated.


Let's say simply that A Serenade for Pretend Lovers was okay. It didn't make my heart flutter, nor did he make me excited. I like the forced proximity in a novel or even a manga, but I like it even better when things evolve slowly, not as quick as during a race. Sometimes, it felt like that between Sayo and Kobuchi. Everything happens too quickly. I struggled a lot with Kobuchi because I couldn't read him easily. It seems like the author wanted him to use him for pushing Sayo's boundaries, and at the same time make us have fellow-feelings for him by giving him an attentive side. I don't know if it worked, to be honest, but I at least frowned a lot at some of his reactions towards her.

Generally, it was a nice read, but I don't think it is super memorable. I think it'd be better for a more mature audience since I can envisage some sex scenes coming in the next installments.

Thanks Netgalley and Kodansha Comics for the opportunity of reviewing this manga!

A Serenade for Pretend Lovers sounds like a cute rom com premise, but it boils down to a fake romance of convenience for a musician who needs inspiration and a woman who is on the rebound. Most of volume 1 centered on our heroine's predicament, which made it hard to get into. Our male lead is supposed to be an attractive musician, but so far has not displayed the kind of charisma that makes you root for a fictional character who's luring another into the land of dubious consent. This is definitely for older teens at the very least, if this is the kind of thing you're into, but for me I think I can pass on reading the rest.

This was a solid manga. I enjoyed the fake dating aspect and the bizarre but endearing relationship between them!

A Serenade for Pretend Lovers volume 1 by Tochika Nekome follows our female main character, Sayo, right after she catches her boyfriend cheating on her. Determined not to let this interfere with her job, she decided to take on a position where she will manage a documentary that will follow a famous musician. When Sayo arrives at the musician’s house, she is surprised when he asks her to be his pretend girlfriend.

Kobuchi is struggling to write his next song. Not being super familiar with love, he can’t find the perfect tune to match the romance film he is working on. When Sayo arrives at his doorstep, he quickly decides that faking a relationship will help him be inspired to compose the piece.

This was a cute, fake dating, contemporary manga. As I have found usually happens in these types of books, the relationship hits the ground running. It starts rolling very quickly, within a few pages the characters go from strangers to deciding to fake date to making out. So it comes off as a little fast but I think it is more of a culture thing because I have seen it happen in several other contemporary mangas.

I think this is a story that will get better as it goes on. One character starts to develop more feelings than the other one which leaves the first character very confused about what is real and what is just pretend. I think this has the potential to be a very cute love story.

Super cute premise! I love the fake lovers trope. I wonder what the rest of the volumes will hold. This is definitely an adult romance manga due to some spicy scenes. I was hoping for more PG-13 content for my nomination to the book list, but I really did enjoy this one throughout.

can i just saw how much i loved this volume??
thank you so much to the author, the publisher, and Netgalley for giving me access to this manga!!

the art was so beautiful to begin with, everything was drawn amazingly!
i loved the fast pace story, and the concept of it overall.
fake dating is such a good trope and i think the manga did it really well!
i think the main characters have a great dynamic and i'm curious to see if the friends will also come into play in the future volumes cause they were great additions!

i can't wait for the next volume!! such a good introduction to the series!

First off let me say thank you to the author and publisher for granting me a copy of this manga! Second let me just say what a super cute romance manga!!

While filming for her job Sayo catches her boyfriend cheating on her, and in the midst of her depression one of her senior coworkers drops his projects on her. A relatively important project where she must create a documentary on famous composer Chizuru. Unbeknownst to Sayo though, Chizuru has different plans for her. Plans that may end up with both of them losing their hearts!!

I absolutely adored this manga, and can’t wait for more. Our FMC, Sayo, is so cute, and while reeling from heartbreak is still determined to do her job, and do her job well. While still caring about the MMC and wanting what is best for her. Chizuru on the other hand is adorably oblivious. He has no real plans for love, he simply has a job that needs to be done and thinks Sayo will be the perfect muse to get his creative juices flowing. By the end of our manga though we start to see a shift in his feelings towards Sayo. I also loved that Chizuru was willing to stand up for Sayo. Their romance was super cute, but still in the really early stages but I can’t wait to see it blossom! I highly recommend this manga for romance lovers!!

This was a solid first volume to this romance manga series. I liked the fake dating aspect, and while I thought some things happened a bit too fast, I did like watching this relationship develop. I thought it was super cute and I am definitely intrigued enough to pick up the next volume!

Thanks Netgalley and publisher for providing volume 1 to me. Tbh the story is meh and cliché, it was just so boring that I felt it was done before. The art is the only thing I compliment on this tho so that’s why it has an extra star, unfortunately not the rest for me I’m afraid..

Firstly, I would like to start with a thank you to the publisher and to Netgalley for allowing me to read and review this book as an eARC.

I think that this manga has beautiful art and I liked the story although some part of it seemed strange and disconcerting, although i think the story overall as a work of fiction was good so i will continue the series going forwards in this series. i felt that some of this seemed unnessisary like him kissing and feeling her without permission and basically railroading her into this decision to be his pretend girlfriend. Although this is an intreasting idea and concept. I did like the main female character although she did embody the ditsy bubbly stereotype female in most mangas but i think overall the story and the way it was done was great but somethings felt off so i am a little axious what other lines this storywill cross but i did thourally enjoy so if you can put these things past you then you may enjoy this manga alot.

such an easy read, i enjoyed this so much & the drawings are so beautiful! looking forward to the next volume for sure.

WOW, I actually really loved this. It reminds me of Sweat and Soap, Maid Sama, and Your Lie In April put together. I would recommend it if you liked those 3 Mangas. It's a cute little romance manga. Sometimes it was cheesy but I like those types of things.

I’m a recent fan of manga and anime. A lot of my favourites I discovered them through this app and this one … I am in loved !!! The romance and the plot were so good to read !!! I especially enjoy the main characters and their relationship !!!
A songwriter with a slump because he has to write the soundtrack for a romantic movie and doesn’t know what love is … and this sunshine, a bit clumsy reporter and journalist that has to pretend to be his lover ….
Wow just wow !!!
They’re both just so cute and there’s some spice in it too !!!
This is the first book in a series and I truly hope I’ll have the chance to read the others !!!

A Serenade for Pretend Lovers (vol.1) is a fake dating manga. Akari Sayo is an interviewer for a Tv Station. She's been assigned to do an interview with Chizuru Kobuchi. At first he declines the interview but soon after asks her to be his fake lover.

This was a cute faking dating manga. I liked the art and the plot was just good and simple. I like both main characters and this seems like a good start to an enjoyable bingeable series. Definitely recommend

The manga has a cute premise of a plot, and I really love the art style (just super cute). It basically feels like your typical plot and the characters aren't really anything too special or unique. However, if you are a fan of rom-com manga, then it's a great book to add to your reads.

This one is clearly an adult rated romance, but not crazy R rated. Can't quite tell if it might be in the future though. I am hoping the characters back off on the risqué bits and have more sweet moments as they discover what love means.

Akari Sayo is having a difficult time. She catches her boyfriend with another, only to find out she was the side piece. Then, the chief director saddles her with the interview of a brilliant and handsome composer. Will Sayo agree to Chizuru’s odd offer? Can she keep herself from actually falling in love with him?
Chizuru Kobuchi is in a bind. He needs inspiration to write the score for an upcoming movie. Sayo seems to be the answer to his needs. Chizuru agrees to the interview, only if she pretends to be his girlfriend/lover. Will Sayo offer Chizuru the proper motivation he needs to finish his composition? Or will she be a distraction?
The story’s premise is what caught my attention first. The entire fake relationship angle – it is often overdone, but I wanted to see how this mangaka handled it. The other thing that captured my notice is that the main characters are adults. There are not many mangas out there revolving around adults.
Some areas in the storyline felt forced and rushed. I would have to read the next installment, and possibly the third, before deciding if I would stick with this series or not.

Out filming for her job at a TV station, Akari spots her boyfriend cheating on her, but then comes to realize that she's actually the one he's cheating on with his WIFE! Then, she gets dumped with filming a composer who had tried to back out of being filmed for a story by the TV station. However, Akari goes anyway and soon finds herself being offered a position as his fake lover so that he can understand the kind of emotions that should be expressed in the soundtrack. And, of course, she accepts.

I always jump for the romance titles that feature adults because we get so few of them, but there's not much other than the spicy scenes in this one. The art is cute and fluffy, and I'd say that the story matches. It definitely has an audience, but I probably won't be tempted to pick up volume 2.

Like all manga this was a quick read for me but I loved every second of it. The faking dating trope is hard to beat and I'm just here for the ride.
I found the characters to be not only plausible but well-matched in their mannerisms.
Cute is just the word that keeps going around and around in my mind.
When an emotionally detached composer seeks to find this idea and feeling of love through a false relationship we all know where this is about to go.
I look forward to the journey ahead for these two characters.
All in all I gave this 4 Stars!

These two! The quick heart beating and cute kisses. That was quite the story! I can’t wait to read the next one.