On paper I should have loved this - gay expats taking a chance on a spark.

But, it was rough.

Landon - first of all, no white British guy is called Landon, come on now... - is an incorrigible douchebag, yet the main character swoons after him for no apparent reason other than a lack of self-respect.

The main character is a drip.

The writing veers inexplicably between past and present tense.

There's no authorial voice here either. It's too shallow to be in the leagues of Greenwell, but not fluffy enough to be viewed as being a romance, really. It falls flat on both sides.

1.5* rounded up to two, as some of the descriptions of Japan were lovely and evocative.

A quietly beautiful introspective

José Daniel Alvior's book Seven Days in Tokyo is a beautifully told story about a traveller and this relationships with the people who come into his life and leave again due to circumstance. Louie is a Philippino living in New York City but the people he considers his friends are from all over the globe. Fellow travellers who crossed paths with him in the city. When he travels to Tokyo for a week on his way to Manila to renew his visa, he reconnects not only with Landon, an English teacher he is developing feelings for, but others who happen to be or live in town that week.

The book is not hurriedly moving you along. As a first-person narrator, Louie is very observant and the insights and impressions of Tokyo shared make reading the novel akin to a travelogue. It is very visual, especially as it is set in present tense during the Sakura. The voice is very tender and Louie's thoughts about the people and places around him are immensely insightful and considerate. One big question the novel discusses is permanence, especially since Louie is, on all accounts, in a transient state (visiting, his visa up for renewal, reconsidering his relationships). He explores a lot of Tokyo, so readers familiar and unfamiliar with the city will enjoy this book immensely. He is also a coffee afficionado, so much revolves around cafés and taste.

I have a few issues with the book. Landon is not very likeable, which Louie occasionally reflects on. But Louie himself never says what he thinks and never shares the deep thoughts and feelings the reader is witness to with Landon or the other people around him. That frustrated me a lot. There were several British references that did not quite make sense in light of Louie's having lived in NYC for ten years and having moved there from the Philippines - but I may have misunderstood that.

There are one or two graphic mentions of male bodies and sex, lots of food and coffee descriptions and a lot of wanderlust!

ARC REVIEW
Seven Days in Tokyo by José Daniel Alvador releases July 01, 2025
⭐️⭐️⭐️.75
The story follows Louie while he spends 7 days in tokyo (hence the title) and we get backstory about him migrating to New York from the Philippines, friends he’s made along the way, places he’s seen, challenges he’s faced and ultimately meeting Landon who is a British man in New York for a short time but works in Tokyo as an English teacher. After the 1 night they spend together Louie goes to Tokyo to see Landon for 7 days. Anyone that has been in a situationship will definitely sympathize with Louie and his emotions of confusion and loneliness. I really enjoyed the attention to describing so many details and really painting a picture for us. The ending was a bit abrupt but to me it made sense. This was a beautiful book, am so thankful to have been able to read it :)

Seven Days in Tokyo by José Daniel Alvior is a beautifully written exploration of identity, connection, and transformation, set against the vibrant and evocative backdrop of Tokyo. The novel effortlessly blends rich cultural details with an intimate, character-driven story, making it both a sensory and emotional experience.

The protagonist’s journey through the city mirrors their internal struggles, and Alvior’s prose captures this duality perfectly. The sights, sounds, and tastes of Tokyo are vividly described, immersing the reader in the setting without overshadowing the plot. The book’s pacing is deliberate, reflecting the protagonist’s reflective mood, and while some moments feel drawn out, they ultimately add to the story’s depth.

Alvior’s strength lies in his ability to create complex characters. The relationships formed during the titular seven days feel genuine, offering insights into both the protagonist’s growth and the lives of those they encounter. Themes of self-discovery, fleeting connections, and the impact of place on identity are woven throughout, resonating long after the final page.

This is a book that will appeal to readers who enjoy atmospheric, introspective novels. While the plot may feel subdued for some, its emotional impact and evocative writing make Seven Days in Tokyo a memorable and moving read.

This is a very clever book with regard to the narrator who may or may not be reliable. I read this and was sure something in the way I was reading/understanding the book was not right. Having read the reviews I realised what this was and began to enjoy the book more.

The descriptions of places in Tokyo that one should visit are slightly unusual and inspiring. This is also true of the places to eat that are described.

This was a beautiful book but it won't be for everyone. It was litfic more than a romance and the story was more about loneliness than a love story. If you've ever been obsessed with a situationship and wanted to take a risk on something more meaningful, Louie's often inexplicable motivations will make more sense.

Unhappy with his long-term relationship and chasing after the fleeting moments of emotional intimacy that he found with a one-night-stand with a British expat teacher in New York, cafe hunter Louie then hunts Landon to Japan for a seven-day vacation while he waits for the status of his work visa.

Thus follows a wrenching tale of heartbreak and loss as Louie begs for the few scraps of emotional vulnerability that Landon's willing to give, before finally accepting that to Landon he was just a booty call but to Louie those fleeting moments of emotional intimacy made him remember that he was alive.

There wasn't much happening in this story, it was a lot of taking a leap for love only to fall in love with a foreign country and realize just how alone you really are. It was a lot of gay yearning and Louie sightseeing. The descriptions of Japan and the culture were lush and beautiful, and I felt like I was there. I also related to the inexplicable pull of loneliness as a former expat who did a gap year teaching English in Japan after college.

As a side note, this book must have been written before covid because I found it odd that Louie was so perplexed by people wearing face masks that he'd remark upon it not only once but again just before he was leaving as one of the more memorable moments of the trip. It would have made more sense if he was unaware of the cultural differences around sanitation but face masks aren't so out of place anymore.

This was a sad story with a sad ending and absolutely beautiful writing, about the considerations of relationships other than happiness and romantic love. There were several beautiful reflections on the contrasts between settledness, loneliness and romantic happiness that I found moving.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the advance review copy. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Seven Days in Tokyo by José Daniel Alvior is a poignant and evocative debut that explores fleeting connections, unrequited love, and the quiet beauty of self-discovery. Through Louie’s week-long journey in Tokyo, the novel paints an intricate portrait of longing and belonging, set against the backdrop of one of the world’s most vibrant cities.

Louie, a Filipino man awaiting his U.S. visa, ventures to Tokyo in hopes of rekindling a spark with Landon, a British expat English teacher he met during a magical night in New York. What follows is not a love story but an intimate reflection on the ephemeral nature of relationships and the yearning to find meaning in fleeting moments.

Alvior’s prose is lyrical and immersive, capturing the bustling streets of Tokyo with vivid precision. From ramen shops to serene cherry blossoms, the city itself becomes a living, breathing character in the story, embodying the theme of impermanence that echoes throughout Louie’s emotional journey. This rich imagery, however, occasionally veers into territory that feels more like a travelogue than a narrative, slowing the pacing at times.

While the setting and introspection shine, the central relationship between Louie and Landon falls short. Landon’s cold demeanor and dismissive treatment of Louie make it challenging to understand the protagonist’s devotion. Yet, this dynamic may resonate with readers who have experienced the complexities of unreciprocated affection. Louie’s growth and eventual closure provide a satisfying arc, even if the romance itself lacks chemistry.

The nonlinear storytelling—punctuated by flashbacks and side anecdotes—adds depth but occasionally disrupts the flow of the narrative. Some readers may find these interludes enriching, while others might feel they detract from the central plot.

Ultimately, Seven Days in Tokyo is a reflective and beautifully written exploration of love, identity, and the spaces in between. Despite its imperfections, Alvior’s debut showcases a remarkable talent for capturing human emotions and the transient beauty of life. It’s a book that lingers, leaving readers with both questions and quiet revelations.

Thank you to NetGalley and Unbound for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review. I look forward to seeing what Alvior crafts next

Beautiful descriptions of Tokyo, but I felt there could have been more chemistry and connections between the two MCs.

I expected a little more from this one to be completely honest. The blurb read as something quite exploratory, both in character and concept, but it often felt like it was rattling over points in the story and focusing on a surface level romance plot instead.

Glad to have read it but just not my personal favourite kind of read!

Somewhat mixed feelings on this one.

On one hand, the prose is lovely and quite readable. I enjoyed the descriptions of places and people, and Alvior seems to have a way to draw emotion out of the reader through most mundane of observations. On the other hand, the romance fell flat for me. It held a lot of promise and yet, though all the flashbacks and locations, I failed to feel the chemistry between the two characters.

The atmosphere throughout the book is painted beautifully, tying back to my previous comments on the strong prose and descriptions, and I think Alvior does a good job of creating a sense of temporality.

Ultimately, it felt like everything in the book was filled with emotion aside from the relationship which might work for some but left me a tad disappointed. This perhaps also comes down to my expectations of the book. Maybe if I came in with a different set of expectations, I would have had a different reading experience. Either way, I will be on the lookout for whatever Alvior writes next!

I was truly blown away by this book. The complicated characters were extremely intriguing and I loved the complexity of their relationship. The vivid descriptions of Tokyo were an added bonus. Excellent read!

i honestly struggled a bit with this one. alvior’s view of japan is sweet but also somewhat orientalistic, and i don’t think it was anything other than a mere backdrop for the main characters’ somewhat dull relationship. i don’t know, it just failed to grab my attention altogether.

We follow Louie as he visits Tokyo while waiting for the approval on his US visa. Living alone in Tokyo is Landon, an English teacher whom Louie shared a dreamlike perfect night with in NYC a couple of months prior.
While painting a vivid picture of the people, scenery and cityscape of Tokyo, the author tells an intimate and fleeting story of desire, belonging, and attempting to recreate the magic of something that had once been.

The dynamic between our main character Louie and Landon did confuse me throughout the entirety of this book. I found Landon to be rather unlikeable and extremely blunt and rude toward Louie, which made me question why Louie persisted during his time in Tokyo to try and have something which to me didn't seem worth it. I felt at times I just wanted to jump into the story and slap some sense into him! But this was probably the author's intent, and if so I guess he succeeded 😅

The premise of this book had me really intrigued as it could've produced a little gem. However, where I think this fell flat for me was the approach to the storytelling. The flashbacks provided context which to me felt unnecessary for the overall plot and interrupted the flow of the story being told in the present; the relationship between our main characters could've been fleshed out a lot more; and while the author did a wonderful job translating the imagery of Tokyo, it felt at times I was reading a travel guide or a "how to" of getting around the city, which isn't something I was here for.

Overall, it's a nice read and I was able to attach myself to the main character at times, however, the execution lacked for me.

Thank you NetGalley and Unbound for the eARC.

I have to start by saying that I love the beautiful way that this book is written. The detail of emotions, people and places really captured my heart.

The characters are all so interesting and most of them are so easy to fall in love with. For me, though I think there's a little too many of them.

I also wasn't a huge fan of the way non-linear time line. I feel like it'd really benefit from chapter titles to say when or where that chapter takes place. As it is now, I found it a little confusing trying to fit the pieces together of what happened and when.

I feel like José Daniel Alvior created a beautiful but melancholy atmosphere throughout this book. The sense of how things are temporary and that even when you find someone you love deeply, life is still complicated and busy and far from perfect.

Overall, I'd say this is great if you're looking for a short read and maybe a little cry.

2.5
I think the writing is beautiful and really immersive I felt like I was really there and I feel like the book had a lot of potential but me personally I had no interest in the characters or if their relationship developed or not. I was expecting a lot more emotions and most of felt to drag for me. I feel like Louie was trying so hard and I just feel for him. I think this is just a different style book than what I typically would read so maybe that’s why I didn’t care for it as much. Again though, the actual writing I feel like is very beautiful and atmospheric

I had high hopes because of the setting but I could not relate to the characters or underdeveloped writing style

Oh wow!!! "Seven Days in Tokyo" by Jose Daniel Alvior is such a richly captivating story that explores personal challenges and self-discovery against the backdrop of Tokyo. I could envisage every detail. Love it.

For a short read, this sure dragged on. There's nothing particularly wrong with the writing or the premise itself, It reminded me of Love in the Big City by Sang Young Park, and even in translation, that book provides oodles of texture around queer men living and loving in a big city in Asia. In this one, you have TWO central characters, from TWO major big cities, and yet, the dream like quality the prose clearly tried to evoke didn't quite hit the mark emotionally. With wandering slice of life and time narratives like this with a hyper focus on two characters, I could not care less about them and my favorite parts were the glimpses of the cities they inhabited. That said, points for effort and intersectionality.

7 days I Tokyo. What first drew me to this story was the location! There are some many places I want to visit and this is one of them. What I liked about this book: the setting, the heavy focus on coffee (as an avid coffee drinker I was obsessed with this) I also really connected with the immigrant plot line- as a daca recipient there are many time I’ve felt that feeling of being afraid of my application being rejected, my paperwork being question etc. I felt like that was really relatable.

Cons: unlikeable characters. I didn’t think Louie was making any choices to root for him. Landon was awful- aside from being “hot” I can’t imagine what would move Louie to lower himself to that point? And be willing traveling thousands of miles? Very confusing. While I understand that when dating we dont always the best choices there is something to be said about finding your way through it- this book didn’t do that, I’m not sure our MC came out the other side knowing better .

Huge points for minority representation and lgtbq character driven story. Unfortunately a little under developed for me and found the wandering and train stations very repetitive- like I was reading the same thing over and over again,

Seven Days in Tokyo is a novel about Louie, a Filipino man who travels to Japan for seven days to reconnect with Landon, the British expat English teacher, who he met in New York for one night several months prior.

The novel is not linear, featuring several flashbacks to earlier times in Louie’s life, as well as somewhat disjointed or seemingly unrelated stories that have led him to becoming who he is. At times these felt like side quests that didn’t really add to the story but were almost short stories themselves.

Hearing Louie go through the mental battles about his feelings, fears and desires is so… reassuring in some ways. We get an intimate look into his stream of consciousness (at times it almost feels wrong to know his inner most thoughts), but it’s almost comforting to know that we are not alone in our challenges in understanding others and their motivations.

That being said, I struggled to understand the relationship between him and Landon, and I struggled to grasp what the allure of him was. He seemed to spend so much time treating Louie like an afterthought and I found him quite unlikable. Not to mention, if the characters learned how to use their words, I feel like Louie wouldn’t have ended up in this situation.

The prose was so beautiful and I enjoyed the way the author captured parts of Tokyo, and it made me nostalgic. This was the main strength of the novel and it helped to balance the weaker story elements.

All in all, it was an interesting and enjoyable read, but it probably left me with more questions than answers.

Thank you to Jose Daniel Alvior, Unbound and NetGalley for providing me with an early copy of this book to review!