Love on the Horizon by Machi Yamashita is a slice of life university BL series that follows Nagi Kitagawa and his senpai Yuu Yamasaki ("and they were neighbors"). Nagi and Yuu are in the same music club, but Nagi fears his feelings will be forever unrequited....

This is a very sweet story, perfect for fans of pining and "taking care of each other" tropes. There is some spice, but it's not over the top; as a one-shot, I would call it a slow burn, but as the first volume of a series, it may be a bit faster-paced. Honestly, this is so self-contained, it could do perfectly well as a one-shot, but I'm curious what will happen next. This is a very "feels-heavy" story, almost in between shounen-ai and yaoi in terms of genre; the sleek minimalist art style mimics that poignant balance. Personally, I love the art style all on its own, but it also really fits the tone of the story. In addition, Yamashita throws in a bit of humor with the "experienced by naïve Yuu" and the shy but stalwart Nagi. I do also wonder if there is a new shift in BL stories, in which there is no longer a need for a "gay crisis": Yuu simply requests open-mindedness when discussing his feelings for Nagi and a specific label is not needed, nor a particular discussion about the gender of his love interest--it just doesn't seem to matter. I hope this indicates a general societal shift as well, but that may remain to be seen.

Readers who enjoy this series may also like: 2gether (2020), Restart After Come Back Home by Cocomi, Sasaki and Miyano by Shō Harusono, To the Stars and Back by Peglo, My Ultramarine Sky by Furuya Nagisa, Given by Natsuki Kizu, Twilight Out of Focus by Jyanome, and Semantic Error by Angy and J. Soori, among others.

This was so cute! I enjoyed the pacing between the two main characters, and the whole mix up between dream/not dream was cute!

Thank you, NetGalley for an advanced ARC of this manga

This was a cute read about a love forming between to male friends, I found it wasn't too fast or too slow and was nicely paced

I would be interested in continuing with this series as it gets released

It was really cute ! Everything happened a bit fastly and nothing really happens apart from them drinking, sleeping, avoiding and repeat the pattern, but it was just so soft and I really liked it.
I loved how they came to the point where they knew they loved each other but they just couldn't bring themselves to tell the others. Can't wait to read what's next !

DNF. I couldn't connect with the characters or with the story, and I'm inclined to think it was because of the script and how it started. I thought it would be a good option for me, but the way it was worked didn't feel right for me.

thank you to netgalley and the publishers for the digital review copy!

before i talk about the story, i feel the need to mention that the art in this is stunning! i loved the half-tones and the style of everything, it definitely kept my attention.

while very very sweet and definitely enjoyable, this manga fell a little flat for me. i would have loved more time spent on the development of feelings between the two characters, but it all happens very quickly. there is very little conflict or time to sit with our characters, we are placed directly in the middle of the story with little background. i would have loved to slow down a little.

other than this, if you want a simple, sweet story to read and put a smile on your face, i would definitely pick it up! but i wouldn’t expect anything deeper than that.

This MM college romance is an absolute gem for a quick and heartwarming read. The artwork is beautifully drawn, capturing the delightful, wholesome charm that manga fans adore. With its sweet, closed-door moments and an overall enjoyable storyline, it's a perfect pick-me-up for anyone seeking a feel-good escape. Highly recommended for those who love lighthearted, feel-good romance!

I typically don't read manga, but I saw good reviews for this and was intrigued. I thought it was very sweet, charming, and the artwork was great. This is good if you like friends to lovers and queer awakenings.

I didn't think anything too deep was happening, but it was sweet and a light read.

A cute mutual pining (with some mildly concerning clingy overtones on the part of Nagi) that is resolved about half way through, with the rest of the book them navigating cute coupledom. Not really much of a plot to this but if you want to see university students being oblivious and obvious its a fine enough read.

Tone/Vibes: emotional, hopeful, lighthearted, relaxing, and fast-paced
Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? N/A
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

Rating: 4.25/5.0

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for this eARC! :)

This was a very cute BL college romance! 🥰 I loved the art and the cute little romance tropes, but it was also realistic. I look forward to reading more of the series! I would love to see how Yu & Nagi navigate their new relationship! I wished some parts were explained more so we could see more of the characters personalities bloom. But it was definitely an enjoyable read! :)

A cute romance to read if you are looking for a wholesome pick-me-up that is light and fluffy. I found myself grinning while reading and can't wait for Volume 2!

Super cute and wholesome romance between two cute college students. It reminded me of all the old school romance coming of age movies. I really enjoyed it !

This was actually out of my element because I don't really go after lighthearted stories but I thought it was good to try. After all, sometimes all that's needed is to read a cute BL manga with a simple story to pass the time. That was exactly my experience with this one, and I enjoyed it overall because it felt comforting and it was an easy reading.

The <b>story</b> is about Nagi, a first year college student that has recently started his studies. He lives next door to another guy -Saki- that goes to the same college but is older, and Nagi is usually tasked to get him to his home after reunions because Saki gets too drunk. Nagi gets used to it, and with time he starts falling asleep in the same bed as Saki, without him knowing. Nagi hides his feelings because he can't believe a popular guy like Saki could ever like him back, but he doesn't expect to be so wrong.

This was a <b>fluffy manga with low/zero angst</b> about two guys that fall for each other the more time they spend time together, but it takes time for both to realize this. On one hand, Saki discovers what he feels isn't just out of friendship, meanwhile Nagi stays quiet about his because he believes Saki is very popular and he might be only interested in girls so he won't ever have a chance.

Some of that could sound angsty, but in reality this <b>situation is solved very easily</b> and faster than I thought, <b>allowing the reader to see their dynamic progress even after they realize they're into esch other</b>. I <b>found this refreshing smd comforting</b> because of how careful they acted towards the other. It's also a surprise to see the daily life of a couple depicted even after the big confession event since it doesn't always happen. This one goes down the slice of life route about a healthy relationship and the art worked really well with that concept because of how simple and neat it is.

The <u>few thing that I wasn't a big fan of</u> are the rushed/<b>not really shown development of Nagi's feelings</b>, because we know from the beginning he likes Saki but we don't see how he fell for him. There's also the fact that <b>this had little to no conflict</b> and honestly that isn't my type of story. I feel like this premise could've worked really well with some angst to make it have more flavour, especially considering that during some time Nagi's feelings were unrequited. But I guess that wasn't the author's intentions, and if so then I respect that.

Ultimately, this was a slice of life BL manga with comforting vibes, a healthy couple dynamic that sgo from friends to lovers, with the love interest being a popular guy and a not-so-umrequited love.

**Thank you, NetGalley, for sending an ARC of this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own

What to expect:
📍College romance
📍Neighbors
📍Friends to lovers
📍Gay awakening
📍Slow burn
📍Heartwarming
📍Cozy vibes

This manga charmed me from the very first page! The artwork is absolutely gorgeous—expressive characters and a soft, inviting style that perfectly complements the story’s warm tone. Shoutout to the translation too, for making the dialogue feel natural and effortless to read.

The story hooked me immediately with its heartwarming take on the friends-to-lovers trope. The slow-burn chemistry between the two leads feels genuine, avoiding rushed or forced moments. Both characters are incredibly likable and brimming with personality. That said, I’m hoping Volume 2 dives deeper into their backstories and motivations to add even more emotional weight.

If you’re craving a romance free of unnecessary drama or angst, this is it! Their relationship unfolds with adorable, low-stakes moments that left me grinning. It’s the perfect pick-me-up for anyone seeking a light, fluffy romance.

I devoured this volume in one sitting and can’t wait to see where the story goes next! Bring on Volume 2!

the quality of this manga is beautiful 😭😭😭😭😭 i’m obsessed and i can’t wait for vol 2 !!! this story is really catchy and i’m excited to see what happens in the future

Thank you Kodansha Comics and NetGalley for the e-ARC of this book

This was really fantastic! It's a fast-paced romance between two boys who until this point didn't realize that they were gay. I fully love this. Them taking care of each other really warms my heart. Also we love to see the sleepy one has captured the awake one and is forced to sleep in the same bed

5 stars

This was such a cute little story about two boys figuring out they like each other! Nagi falls for Yu first, in all their late night drinking sessions, and as Nagi gets Yu home every night when he's too drunk to get himself there. But Nagi doesn't think Yu could ever feel the same way. Until, he starts to wonder if it might just be possible. Nagi is a sweetie, quiet and shy, and Yu is a big, sunshine personality. I loved these two and how they got together <3 (This is another mostly closed door romance!)

This was lovely. It’s a College romance!!! Ahh i was so excited as i read this. I adored the one-sided pining, the art was adorable, the characters were so cute. Thank God no toxicity. I was pleasantly surprised.

A wonderful start into a new manga series.
The warmhearted characters really managed to catch me, the art is really good and the story seems to be cute.
I will now be eagerly waiting for volume 2

I really liked this one. Very calming read. I love the budding romance between Yu and Nagi. I really like the characters. They're very well developed. The story is a nice read, good pacing. I really appreciate the end section where it explained somethings that people not native to Japan could learn and understand the culture. Definitely looking forward to more from this mangaka!