Hello, beautiful people! Welcome to my November Wrap Up and thanks for being here today ❤ All in all, November was pretty good for me, being my first month where I felt in control of my life since I started the new job and since I lost my beautiful darling Lady. The month flew off the window and I can’t believe we have just 23 days now until Christmas ❤ I CAN’T WAIT TO SEE MY FAMILY AGAIN! ❤ ❤
Soo, November was a so-so month for my standards. I’ve read 10 books, 22 volumes of manga and a comic book. I should have known I wouldn’t be able to beat my records of September (book-wise, haha!) and October (pages-wise, haha!). Maybe my reading slumped a little exactly because of all the intensity of the other months… #mystery
Good night, again! Can you tell that I’m full of energy on this Spring break? Haha!
Also, I’d like to start this review apologizing myself. I was trying to be a restrained reader (a.k.a. finishes a book, review, start the other). Trying being the imperative word. I went crazy over these few last days and read three manga titles and three books. Yup. I own you six reviews and I’m not counting the one that I’m trying to beginning to write. Hopefully I’ll get them all done until the end of the Easter holiday, haha!
What would you do if you found the love of your life…
… In your first night as a married man to someone else?
That’s Japanese mob clan heir Ranmaru’s dilemma. To satisfy his father’s political wishes, he agreed to marry a girl from another clan, to forge an alliance. The problem is that they barely can stand each other and start to fight as soon as they board their honeymoon cruise to Italy.
And, on the very same night, Ranmaru leaves his spouse to literally fall in the arms of the man that would steal his heart: Italian captain Al Valentino, the embodiment of fun and sex.
An unlikely romance blossoms between them and even destiny seems to be working 24/7 to make sure that Ranmaru and All will remain together.
The big question is: will reality bless this love as well?
The Analysis
Just remembering that those were my impressions and opinion as a reader 🙂
If you have been here for a while, you are very sure of three things: a) I love Ava March; b) I love gay romance; c) I love manga. You may also know that I’m a giveaway rat, but never mind that. After reading Finder, also from Yamane-sensei, I knew I’d love anything that she publishes, so I started looking for more titles. A Foreign Love Affair left me besotted and wanting more, as it had the perfect bit of everything: romance, drama, comedy, hot scenes, hot males, unpredictable plot and flawless art. It would be an offense to Yamane-sensei to give this title anything less than five stars and a free-hug coupon. I also love coupons.
The narrative had a steady pace and lots of action scenes, both sheet and real action ones, haha! We follow the story mainly from Ranmaru’s point of view, but there are also glimpses on Al’s part and other minor characters, giving the reader full control of everything that was happening on the story. As a good control freak, I was very pleased with this, haha!
As mentioned, the plot was completely unpredictable. I never knew what was coming next and I was biting my nails non-stop until the end, as Yamane-sensei usually has a strong drama side on her stories. I won’t say a thing more, but be prepared for a surprise. Not good, nor bad. Just a big surprise, haha!
The characters, along the art, are the best part in this title. Ranmaru was such an stereotype of the yakuza [a.k.a. mob] in Japan that I’d always laugh with him. He had that cluelessness and cuteness about him, I don’t know… All I know is that I can totally understand why Al was so interested in him, haha!
Oh, yes. Al…
Al Valentino in all his glory*
I love Italian boys. Miss Fergie says they do it better and I guess she’s right, haha! Just look at this man. I fell so hard for him that it was hard to share him with Ranmaru. Oh well. Lucky him that I can share ;D Al was the typical perfect Italian prince: rich, handsome, funny, caring and just a hint of stalker. He takes the “so beautiful it hurts” deal to a whole new level, if you catch my drift lol
And then there is the art of Yamane-sensei.
from left to right: Ranmaru and Al*
Seriously, I stare at the pictures on her works.
Overall, if you like hot and involving romances, hot males, perfect art and quick reads, you have to add A Foreign Love Affair to your TBR!
That’s it, thank you for reading another fangirling review 😀
*ps: I do not own the illustrations, they were found on Google, belong to Ayano Yamane-sensei and were used with illustrative purposes only 🙂
Hello, again! Brace yourself for one more manga review! 😀
I set a goal for myself: no more manga reading until all my reviews are up to date, so you’ll understand me when I say that every day of the next week shall have a manga review, right? 🙂 I can’t live without reading manga, haha!
Mikami is a top class busy businessman, with a tight schedule and little time to trivial things of life – much less to spend with insistent and annoying salesman Fujiya, who insists on trying to sell his companies products to Mikami’s on the worst places ever.
Fujiya knows Mikami’s reputation, but he has a secret reason to insist so hard with the businessman. They have already met a long time ago under very different circumstances…
As Fujiya fights to get both Mikami’s respect and attention, Mikami realizes how little he has been really living – starting by his gastronomic indulgences. Despite having a real sweet tooth, Mikami simple has not the time to go to his favorite bakery on a weekly basis and grab the perfect desert only served there.
Maybe the way to his heart is simpler and sweeter than Fujiya expects.
The Analysis
Just remembering that those were my impressions and opinion as a reader 🙂
If you are around the blog for a while, you may already know how I love Yamane-sensei’s works. I’ve read my fair share of them, but not even close to enough. She simple doesn’t know how to make a poor job: the plot is always well executed, the art is exquisite and the characters, more than human. Truly people next door. Baked Sweet Glasses is a really short story (unfortunately), but slays every element needed in a good manga. Five stars without any doubt 🙂
The narrative follows mostly Mikami’s point of view, but we have small glimpses of Fujiya’s as well. The story pace is fast, as it is a short story, but not rushed. Yamane-sensei just don’t get to deep in descriptions or reflections herself, leaving this role to her reader. Honestly, I loved it. After reading Baked Sweet Glasses, I started to think about all the small things that we won’t do every day because we take them for granted. Like playing with our pets, eating good food or simply taking a walk on a cool place. It took me something like ten minutes to read this, but I stood staring my bedroom’s wall for almost an hour, lost in thoughts and reflections.
Anyway, sorry for going with the wind here, haha! The plot was simple, but full of twists. As it is so real, we don’t know how the story is going to end. Will Mikami and Fujiya get together? Will Mikami change his ways? Will Fujiya focus and grow up? It’s a big mystery until the last pages, haha! It worked very well for me. As long as the plot is well executed, the length of the title matters not. And if you didn’t take the hint, Yamane-sensei did a hell of a job here, haha!
As in almost all manga titles of this genre (gotcha ya, I bet you thought I was going to spill the beans!), the couple are the main characters and we barely know anyone else in the plot. Funny thing is that deeply bothers me in books and makes me give a shit on mangas. I’m weird, haha! Mikami was the typical strong and decided top, all dominance and impatience and beauty. I really connected to him because he was so well succeeded and yet too lonely. He had everything… yet he didn’t. Although deep serious guys don’t suit me in any way, I love appreciating them from afar, haha!
Fujiya could be classified as Mikami’s opposite, but they have things in common. Just like Mikami, Fujiya works hard to get what he wants and stands for what he thinks it is the right thing to do, no matter the consequences. Both also love good book, specially sweets. And that’s it, haha! End of similarities. Fujiya is the typical common bottom that catches the eye of his top by chance, always smiling, being positive and gentle no matter what. I like the balance between their looks as well: as Mikami is insanely beautiful, Fujiya’s regular beauty balances the reader’s eyes. I have serious concentrating problems when both parties on the relationship are divinely beautiful, oops!
But my babbling is worthless without some illustrative images*:
from left to right: Mikami and Fujiya ❤look how well they look together ❤ I took the liberty of erasing the text due to spoilers 🙂honestly, this man.
Now you see what I mean? Yamane-sensei simply doesn’t miss a single item on the list of “what to do to release a five stars manga title”. Her draws are delicate, firm and male, even when she does soft bottoms. I like the cleanness and maleness of it all. Darn, I think I’m drooling.
Ahem.
Bonus point: the sex scenes. Yes, there are sex scenes among all this cuteness and Yamano-sensei kicks ass on them! They are usually filled with fantasies, but the desire of the couple is so real and palpable that the reader doesn’t get bothered. The best delivered fan service in the field, I assure you as I have quite some experience with this genre.
Overall, I think this is a good option if you want a quick, fun and cute read with some steamy hot scenes 🙂
That’s it, thanks for reading! On the next week, the blog shall have one manga review per day, so I can put myself on the tracks. Please, bear with me, haha!
Oh, and the correct answer was… Yes, that’s right, yaoi! A.K.A. gay mangas and all 🙂
*ps: I do not own the illustrations, they were found on Google, belong to Ayano Yamane-sensei and were used with illustrative purposes only 🙂
Hi, there! Hope you’re having a fantastic week just like me! If you are not, I’m sorry to hear that, but hang in there because Friday is coming 😀
Today is manga author’s day at Authors from my Heart ❤ The chosen one is a woman that has my heart since page one of my first read title: Ayano Yamane!
I just would like to say that I had no idea she was so beautiful before making this post, haha! *o*
Anyway, we have met in the internet a few years back, as Yamane-sensei likes to write yaoi manga (aka gay mangas) and I like to read them ;D My first title from her was a short story called The Guide of Love, but I only really started to love her after reading the Finder series. Hold that thought, as I will explain myself better, haha!
One of my literary goals for 2016 is to read all her manga series, haha! I don’t know if I will be able to fullfill this, but I shall try my best ❤
Now, let’s talk about what I have read from her! We have a series, a one shot and two short stories 🙂
Takaoka has always been smooth with the ladies, but has yet to find someone he truly cares for. While sent to a marriage counselor by his mother, he comes upon Yoshizawa, who works as a matchmaker. A cute twist of fate brings the two lovelorn men together.
This story is cuteness all over! I remember that I really liked it since the first time that I first read it, a few years ago. Re-reading it in 2015, I was sure that it was one of the best short stories ever! Really, this manga is a shoujo with two boys (shoujo = sweet romance).
During a routine journalism assignment, Akihito Takara is captured by the mysterious Asami, a powerful leader in Japan’s underworld society. Asami forces his captive to undergo a night of pleasure and pain never before imagined, but before long, the son of a powerful Chinese mafia boss also sets his sights upon Akihito, demanding the critical evidence he’s uncovered-or is it something else about him he seeks?
This is one of my all time favorite manga series ever and here my love affair with Yamane-sensei began. One of the main characters is a journalist, so I hit it off with him instantly. And his lover just happens to be a really dangerous member of Japan’s underground society. Plus, their love is born out of hate, one of my favorite elements ever. I won’t lie, this is a very heavy series and sometimes it can be overhealming, but I am already too involved with it all to let it go.
Japanese yakuza clan heir Ranmaru just got married on a lavish cruise ship, but things aren’t as they seem. The marriage is just for the appearances, and heends up getting drunk and spending the night… not with his bride, but with thesexy ship captain! When the two men meet again in Italy, it is the start of aspectacular love story.
This is my second favorite title from Yamane-sensei. It follows Finder’s style and its end made me cry for hours, so it’s a wonder how I love this so much, haha! I usually have a low tollerance for drama as a genre, but this one shot it so beautifully writen and drawn that I couldn’t resist. And I loved the couple, so I’m simply a goner, oops!
The grandson of a commissioner absconds and force a police officer to take him in.
This is another short story and didn’t really got to my tastes as the other titles from Yamane-sensei. I have never been a fan of the cat/dog sexual fantasy in either genres, so this title wasn’t really for me, haha!
Aside from what I have already read, Ayano also has another long series, a couple of oneshots and several short stories, so I still have much fun ahead of me, haha! Thank God ❤
That’s it, thanks for reading! Were you familiar with Ayano’s work??
The Book Adventures of Annelise Lestrange 