*This book was given to me in exchange for an honest review and is suggested for mature readers.
Yuuichi Tachibaba has adopted his nephew, Ayumu, after his parents and sister died a year ago. When they move to a new town, Yuuichi becomes friends with Ryou Kurebayashi, the owner of a store in the small town. As they grow closer, it’s clear they have deeper feelings than friendship and may be the key to them both healing from their pasts.
The two main leads are great characters, and their journey is touching, but the traditional third-act breakup felt way too forced. There could have been so many other less contrived reasons for this event. This leans more into emotional drama, so it’s relatively light on the smut. It’s not detailed, but you know what’s happening. And you know what? I’m totally fine with that. The story about them healing from their pain is beautiful. It’s one of those rare instances where I think hardcore smut would take away from the emotional impact. Not to mention the art is lovely. 4 out of 5.
