Thank you Kodansha for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

3/5 ⭐️

I Can't Say No to the Lonely Girl is a short trope-y but cute high school slice-of-life yuri series. The main character, Ayaka Sakurai, is at the top of her class but struggles when taking tests, making her very relatable. As a result of her poor test performance, she has to enroll in her backup school. Her teacher Egawa-sensei bribes Sakurai with a referral if she can get the local truant to show up to school, which actually turns out to be another girl named Sora Honda that attended the same middle school as Sakurai (even though they never spoke to each other much). Honda is persuaded to attend school but finds out about Sakurai’s deal. She’ll keep the secret only if Sakurai grants her a request every day… like a kiss!

If you like very trope-y and adorable slice-of-life stories, this series would definitely be a good fit. The art is very cute, and I love both the main characters and the cast of friends. For the most part, it’s very fluffy, funny, and wholesome.

However like the summary says, Sakurai ends up “entangled in a web of blackmail” which leads to some dubious moments. Sakurai does seem to be falling for Honda, and Honda’s requests are often mundane things, but it just felt a little icky that her first request is an unexpected kiss. Plus the teacher bribing Sakurai and hiding in the bushes is just a little odd no matter how you look at it.

Overall, I enjoyed how fast paced it was and how easily the story flowed. I was intrigued, but not immediately wowed. However, I’m still interested to see where future volumes go and how relationships will blossom, especially as volume 1 introduced a tiny taste of Honda’s backstory. I’ll be looking to Volume 2 when it releases in May.

There's barely any story beyond the romance. I don't know if it's a pro or a con. I wish to know more about the characters. What university Sakurai is enrolling in? What's Honda's deal? How come she lives alone? Is it even legal?

Sakurai and Honda are so cute together. Especially the part where Sakurai is like "we are just really good friends that kiss sometimes." 🙂 And them she gifts her a plush bear who looks just like her (it is). 🙂

I want to continue with the series.

Thank you Kodansha Comics and Netgalley for providing me with free review copy.

thank you so much, netgalley! you always come through with the cutest romance manga!

"i can't say no to the lonely girl" had me giggling and kicking my feet omg! <3 everything about it is so adorable! if you're trying to avoid spicy reads, this volume is good for that.

i need volume 2!!!

content warning: sora's parents abandoned her, and she's living alone as a teenager.

Cute characters with a dubious premise. This manga was a short and sweet read with likeable characters and a super cute art style. While the plot hook is a little questionable, the manga manages to stay lighthearted.

First off, the art style is very cute. The character designs are not particularly unique, but the style is appealing and easily readable which I believe makes up for it.

The plot itself is, again, a little bit questionable. Our main character gets kissed against her will more than once and outwardly expresses her discomfort. While the manga is lighthearted and our main character eventually warms up to the idea- seeing our main character be so resistant could definitely make some readers uncomfortable.

Overall I found this to be an enjoyable read. It was fast paced, there were plenty of cute scenes, and the humor worked well. The characters were all likeable and I definitely found myself wanting more by the end.

This wasn't really bad, but it also didn't really stand out. It seems like a pretty standard Shojo / girl's love manga. None of the characters were really well rounded, but it was still decent fluff.

3.75 stars
I’m happy to have received this copy. Although the story around one person requesting things out of another in order to play along with the person’s goal isn’t anything new, I still had fun with this. I like how Honda isn’t mean in her requests and that Sakurai isn’t some stuck up popular girl. I’m looking forward to where this manga goes.

I would really like for these types of mangas to have some normal plots, not “jokingly” treat some important issues as “feeling complied to do something” as if it was funny and quirky. It’s not. Younger me would have liked this very much because the characters, if given a better less problematic plot, they are so cute together. However nowadays, I could not say the same. I will no be continuing the manga, but if you don’t mind the plot this could work for y’all!!

I really liked this! I am a sucker for Yuri manga just in general but ones with opposites attract are even better. These girls were absolutely adorable and couldn't get enough of them! They have great chemistry and Kashikaze has the best art style. The art is so cute! This was absolutely perfect and I can't wait for the next volume!

Oh great, another manga that treats lesbians as if they're all predators. Why the hell is this sexually aggressive lesbian trope so damn common? -_-

Thank you netgalley for an advanced ARC of this manga

This was an adorable read and one I want to continue, the story of two females who u see though the book is kinda of mis understood but they find each other and become so close that the connection they find is lovely to see.

I Can't Say No to the Lonely Girl is a fast-paced, low-stakes manga about two high school students who form a relationship after one blackmails the other. I'll warn upfront that there is a bit of dubcon, but nothing too dark. I enjoyed the character designs in this manga - there are only a few side characters to keep track of, and I could easily tell them apart. There is also a character sheet in the back of the book. I enjoyed the art throughout, especially the colored version at the beginning and the extra art at the end. While the primary plot does revolve around blackmail/dubcon, I don't think that's a fair point to condemn the manga over - as it is disclaimed in the first line of the description. I got through this manga in one sitting - it is relatively short, the pace is well set, and the chapter setup was engaging. I wish some scenes were longer/ more fleshed out (the haunted house, the sleepover, etc.), and I was expecting the relationship to develop more than it did. The plot came together a bit too conveniently for some readers, but that is what I was looking for in a low-stress read like this. Overall, this was a fun, quick read, and I look forward to seeing how their relationship progresses over the next few volumes.

Rating: 2.83 leaves out of 5
-Characters: 1/5
-Cover (+art): 5/5
-Story: 1/5
-Writing: 5/5
Genre: Romance, Yuri
-Romance: 0/5
-Yuri: 5/5
Type: Manga
Worth?: Eh

Want to thank Netgalley and publishers for giving me the chance to read this book.

It is a struggle between older me and younger me right now. Younger me would have thought it was cute and funny. Me now though? Main girl was basically sexually assaulted by being kissed and then black mailed in a way so that the girl can basically do whatever to the main one. It just doesn't sit right with me.

4⭐️ for this cutesy Yuri manga. The art is really well done. The characters each have unique looks and personalities (aka I wasn’t getting confused about who was who). The main character, Sakurai, was absolutely adorable in her mannerisms. I liked that we got to see some depth with Honda, even though she is slower to open up. My main complaint is that there is some dubcon; however, I somewhat expect it from this trope. Even with that element, it is clear Honda cares for Sakurai, and she shows this in many ways not related to their deal. Overall, if you like this sort of storyline, this manga is cute and fun.

P.S. The teacher may be my favorite character. She is just too funny. I found myself giggling every time she showed up.

#ICantSayNototheLonelyGirl #NetGalley

Thank you NetGalley and Kodansha Comics for the advance copy of this manga. The art style is on point. I was looking forward to every frame.

The storyline was awesome and the concept was unique. We're following a girl who has failed to get into her dream school due to some personal issues. She was asked by her teacher to do one secret mission in exchange for her teacher's referral letter to any school of her choice. Then the adventure and coming-of-age story started from there. I am so looking forward to reading the next volume of this manga.

I would recommend this to manga readers who love LGBTQ romances and cute female art styles.

3.5 ⭐️

Literally this was SO CUTE. Such an easy read and I felt so much chemistry between them. I for sure need to read the next one.

this was a very cute sapphic manga. some of the stuff leading up to the way the two heroines relationship develops was a little iffy and it was too short, but otherwise, i definitely recommend this and im mad only the first volume is translated to english so far.

This manga follows a high school girl who meets another girl because she found herself trapped in a bribery scheme to get a referral from a teacher to any school she wants. However, the encounter with a truant student lead to her being blackmailed. Then, their relationship progresses into romance as they begin to spend more time with each other.

I think it was rather fast paced and there could be more depth to the characters and plot. I couldn't understand the appeal of the blackmail that much in this story or the nonconsensual actions of the other girl, so I think there could have been potential if it was approached more differently.

However, if anyone is looking for a quick read, this is one to consider!

i’m honestly so offended at another fetishistic manga that paints lesbians as sexual predators. The premise is honestly so gross and offensive and missed an opportunity to showcase the adolescent gay girl experience with all of the struggles and joy in favor of generic no depth characters that are literally predatory. There is no plot line aside from sexual coercion and it’s extremely triggering to those sensitive to those things. Very disappointing first netgalley read.
I do not recommend and wish I could rate lower.

This is SO CUTE. The art style, the characters, the story, all of it. It takes some suspension of belief re: the teacher bribing a student, but the teacher is so bizarre and funny that the plot gimmick works in this fun nonsensical way and I want to see more of her story.

The way the loneliness is portrayed is genuinely moving, and the blossoming friendship(s) among the girls is just as good as the kissing parts. I want to read the rest asap and see where the story goes.

This was a cute beginning to a series that I will definitely be getting more of! Quick read that you didn't want to end. My only critique is that there wasn't a whole lot of progression with the characters, but that's to be expected in manga sometimes.