I was really looking forward to this installment, but (spoilers) my least favorite trope was utilized to create tension. The main girl character falls for the main boy character, however, to help her friend get away from her cheating ex, the main boy agrees to pretend to be her fake boyfriend. However, of course this girl actually likes him.

Now the storyline is going a direction I don't like. Where two best friends like the same guy. I'm hoping in the next volume, it is clear that is not how it's going to continue. It just creates drama that I don't feel most girls go through in school.

I quite like this series and how the events continue to unfold. Classic crushes, miscommunications, and personal growth between the main characters move this series in the direction of becoming a shoujo romance classic in my opinion. Io Sakisaka once again shows her writing and artistic chops in the third volume of this series. I am excited to see how things progress into volume 4!

As Saku comes to terms with her feelings for Haruki, a fake relationship between him and Kotono puts everything in a different perspective.

The characters continue to grow and change in this volume.

Eeeehh...this one isn't BAD per say, it just...felt a little lackluster to me? And the love-shape between the four characters and this other guy who MIGHT become a point on the weird love-shape going on is just...a bit much for me.

The drama was a bit...too much? The jerk ex won't take no for an answer, so the poor girl being basically stalked is fake dating the guy her BFF likes, but she doesn't know her BFF likes him and then the stalked girl seems to end up catching feelings for the guy who is helping her out, but really only has eyes for her BFF...it's just a hot mess. Not really sure what they could have done about the stalker guy, but uhh, maybe get the adults involved?

The one thing I REALLY don't like in a lot of MG and YA books is that the adults are usually INVISIBLE. Where are the parents? The teachers? ANY adult these kids can go to and say, "Hey, I'm being stalked, can you help me?"

Nope, guess they are all on their lunch/smoke breaks?

3, I will give this one more volume but the bloom is coming off of the rose for me on this one, stars.

My thanks to NetGalley and VIZ Media LLC for an eARC of this book to read and review.

I am just in love with this series, by volume 3 I’m absolutely hooked!

When kotonos ex is giving her trouble our lead haruki decided to say they’re dating to get him to leave her alone this has a major knock on effect as saku stats to realise her feelings for him. And if that drama isn’t enough kotono starts to get feelings for haruki too!

With funny moments and no end to drama I am loving this series and can’t wait for more volumes to come out!

I don't know how I get sucked into this classic high school drama, but I absolutely do. I want to know more about Iryu, and I must find out Kotono's secret! Fingers crossed volume 4 is on Netgalley as well.

4.5/5

Volume 3 of Sakura, Saku continues right where we left off. Saku is trying to be a good friend to Kotono, but is also trying to be true to herself. Will her goody two-shoe-ness be rewarded on the end? Or will she forever remain a side character?

Nooooooooooo~ why was it so short :(((((
I hated and loved the plot all at the same time. Like I understand we need drama but pleaseeeee no more drama.

Again, ever since Ap Haru Ride I have been an avid stan of Io Sakisaka. I will devour every book they release from now until the end of time. (Except Strobe edge lol)

In this third volume we add in a love triangle and fake dating element and I’m really enjoying how these familiar tropes are playing out
I can’t wait for volume four!

Every time I read another one of the books in this series I have to go back and skim the others because I can never remember what this series is about. Once I start reading it, it slowly comes back to me, but also in a confusing kind of way. There are so many details that I forget, and even at some points the main point of the first book. Which to be honest, I don't even know if that is a factor in the story anymore. There are a lot of similarities between the 2 main characters in this story and Kou & Futaba from Ao Haru Ride, but there are some differences too. There is even a scene drawn very similarly when they look into each others eyes - which I think is one of the more iconic scenes from Ao Haru Ride. It was like a cute homage to herself. I can remember that story better than this one and I read it years ago, I'm not sure why this story isn't sticking with me like some of her others. We still have some problems with friends and miscommunications - hopefully these start to become less of an issue as the story goes on.

Thank you to #NetGalley for an advance e-copy of #SakuraSakuVol3 by Io Sakisaka to read and review.

This volume was so much more interesting than the previous volumes. I'm excited to see where this love... mess goes, lol.

Thank you Netgalley and publisher for the ARC in exchange for the review!