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lastblossom 's review for:
A Serenade for Pretend Lovers, Volume 1
by Tochika Nekome
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Thanks to NetGalley and Kodansha for providing an advance copy in exchange for an honest review!
tl;dr
A fake lovers tale with pleasant artwork and lots of page space dedicated to sexy moments. A great easy read, although a little light on plot.
About
Akari Sayo is having a bad day. She's caught her boyfriend cheating on her, and even worse, it turns out SHE'S the the one he's keeping on the side, and the other woman is the one he's serious about. On top of that, she's just had a difficult new job dropped on her - filming a documentary of a composer who keeps refusing her company's requests. But when the composer learns her name, he suddenly asks her to pretend to be his lover! Maybe a fake relationship is just what this broken heart needs.
What I Liked
Shoujo manga has such a wide range of emotion, from tearjerkers that dig through deepest corners of the heart, to light and ephemeral candy-coated tales to excite. A Serenade for Pretend Lovers sits pretty firmly in the second category, at least for now. This is a great read for anyone looking for a breezy and sensual jaunt, with just enough plot to tie sexy moments together. Characters and plot points are painted quickly with a wide brush, leaving most of the space in the story for kisses, physical intimacy, and a scene that gets very near to sex before it's interrupted. Of all the cast, the main character's best friend Izumi is probably my favorite. She seems pretty smart, and I like her style. Artwork is pretty straightforward shoujo fare in the best way - delicate lines, copious use of tones, and easy-to-follow paneling. The design for the love interest Chizuru in particular is pleasantly unique for shoujo, and I love how he looks. Localization is also straightforward, with nothing too clunky to read.
What Wasn't For Me
My favorite part of the fake lovers trope is when the characters have to act out their relationship in public. This volume didn't have any of that (although the preview indicates we'll might see some in the next volume), so the readers haven't yet gotten the full juicy drama notes of the heroine running into her ex while she's on a fake date. The plot is interesting enough that I'm actually kind of disappointed we didn't get more of it.
tl;dr
A fake lovers tale with pleasant artwork and lots of page space dedicated to sexy moments. A great easy read, although a little light on plot.
About
Akari Sayo is having a bad day. She's caught her boyfriend cheating on her, and even worse, it turns out SHE'S the the one he's keeping on the side, and the other woman is the one he's serious about. On top of that, she's just had a difficult new job dropped on her - filming a documentary of a composer who keeps refusing her company's requests. But when the composer learns her name, he suddenly asks her to pretend to be his lover! Maybe a fake relationship is just what this broken heart needs.
What I Liked
Shoujo manga has such a wide range of emotion, from tearjerkers that dig through deepest corners of the heart, to light and ephemeral candy-coated tales to excite. A Serenade for Pretend Lovers sits pretty firmly in the second category, at least for now. This is a great read for anyone looking for a breezy and sensual jaunt, with just enough plot to tie sexy moments together. Characters and plot points are painted quickly with a wide brush, leaving most of the space in the story for kisses, physical intimacy, and a scene that gets very near to sex before it's interrupted. Of all the cast, the main character's best friend Izumi is probably my favorite. She seems pretty smart, and I like her style. Artwork is pretty straightforward shoujo fare in the best way - delicate lines, copious use of tones, and easy-to-follow paneling. The design for the love interest Chizuru in particular is pleasantly unique for shoujo, and I love how he looks. Localization is also straightforward, with nothing too clunky to read.
What Wasn't For Me
My favorite part of the fake lovers trope is when the characters have to act out their relationship in public. This volume didn't have any of that (although the preview indicates we'll might see some in the next volume), so the readers haven't yet gotten the full juicy drama notes of the heroine running into her ex while she's on a fake date. The plot is interesting enough that I'm actually kind of disappointed we didn't get more of it.
Content Warnings
Minor: Sexual content