I liked the idea of how child prodigies often fall into shadow when they get older as if their talent is no longer impressive since they are grown-ups. A story about revenge and ultimately, love. The graphic novel although a bit cliche is fast-paced, and I couldn't put it down until I finished the story. It is actually based on a Harlequin romance novel which was never really popular or very good rated, so I don't really understand why it was chosen to be adapted into manga, but still, it was a fun read for me.

I simply adore these Harlequin Manga comics. It doesn't even matter what the story is, I tend to love them all. The beautiful illustrations bring the stories to life for me and while they are short and an abbreviated version of the story, I find them satisfying nonetheless because I love seeing the illustrated depictions of the scenes and the characters. This one is another winner. And I apologise in advance that a few of my reviews are similar but really, I just love them all.

A very short reading (it took me maybe half an hour to read it!) but a light one.
The art was beautiful (which is the main reason for me to read Manga) but the story, as always happens in those Harlequin Mangas, is a little too rush. The story was quite intriging and I think I'm going to read Maisey Yates' full book.

Book Review
Title: Girl on a Diamond Pedestal
Author: Riho Sachimi
Genre: Manga
Rating: ****
Review: In Girl on a Diamond Pedestal we are introduced to Noelle Birch who was a child prodigy at playing the piano until she grew up and lost her novelty, so her mother ran away with all of her earnings. As she is preparing to sell the home she grew up in she meets Ethan Grey (for some reason it makes me think of fifty shades, but these are on the same level), who offers her a chance to get back at her mother, but he also has an ulterior motive as his father abandoned their family for his mistress who was Noelle’s mother although Noelle doesn’t know this. In order to get back at the people who hurt them they decide on a sham engagement in order to shame her mother and ruin his father.
However, soon after they get engaged Noelle finds herself more and more drawn to Ethan and the similar lonely childhoods they had, and she might even be developing feelings for him, but she has to pull her emotions in, telling herself that they are partners in crime nothing more, but this might change now that Ethan’s father is aware of his plan and makes his own plan to prevent his son from inheriting what he feels should be his.
As we cross into the second half of the story, Ethan’s father enters the picture once again and tries to destroy everything Ethan and Noelle have built together, and he succeeds while It is only temporary. Noelle leaves Ethan to discover herself but not a fortnight later he has found her but this time he appears in her life he is penniless and wants them to learn and grow together and, in the end,, they have everything they have ever wanted together.

This was a revenge story. While not a trope I typically read, it is one I end up watching frequently in Korean dramas. I feel that it was decently executed here. 

Like all manga, this story went by much too quickly. I am confident I read this is less than a half hour. If only manga could be produced more efficiently as to provide for illustrations for a tale like this one. 

Overall this book had beautiful manga, but only a decent plot. I was not overly enthused with the plot, but kept going for the illustrations.

Thank you Netgalley for the preview of this graphic novel.

This story follows two people who fall for each other in the process of taking revenge on the female protagonist's mother. The style of the art will definitely appeal to the older manga readers.

Cute romance surrounded around revenge. Ethan and Noelle plot against her mother, while Ethan also seeks his own revenge. In the process they fall in love for one another. The manga was cute with its artwork. I enjoyed the gist of the story and may even read the actual novel someday.

I received this book from Netgalley in exchange of an honest review.

So, I normally am not the kind of girl who read Harlequin books, but I just couldn't resist this one (and another one) when I spotted them on Netgalley. The art looked absolutely gorgeous, and the story sounded actually decent.

Meet Noelle, a girl who, when she was young, was a famous pianist. However now she is in debt and her fame has lessened as she grew up. She meets Ethan, who proposes a plan to get back with her mother (but Ethan also has a payback to pay to his dad/Noelle's mom). They plan to get engaged. Insert more drama, and some romance. Oh my, oh my. That plot. I mean, wow.

Noelle was a bit boring, sorry girl, but while it seemed the book is also about her, I felt she wasn't that big of a presence. She was cute, and I was impressed with her skills on the piano, but that is all. And I had such a big laugh at the one part where she ate an ice cream but didn't know how to eat it. Girl, what? How sheltered are you? :P Plus, I did think it was hilarious that she didn't even get that maybe Ethan had an ulterior motive.

Ethan? Well. Eh. I didn't even think he was that hot, to be honest. Nor did he, like Noelle, feel like he had a lot of personality.

Why he wanted to take revenge? Gee, as soon as he said the word mistress I just knew. Then it took quite a few pages before the writer finally shows it herself.

And oh my, the romance. Yep. While these two are meant to just be partners in crime, I soon saw that there was something more coming. I could see Noelle falling fast, and Ethan, who at that moment was trying with all his might to keep his revenge goals in his eyes, fall as well. But, this is a Harlequin book, so one can imagine how it all will go. I have to say that I had a hard time not laughing, though I noticed I was also tearing up. Poor Noelle. She really believed in Ethan.

The art was pretty gorgeous at times, but why did everyone look so so tired? Especially Noelle looked like she hadn't had a good sleep in years. And at times the characters looked way older than they were.

The ending was just so adorable, so sweet, and I am happy for our characters. Both of them have been played by their parents and finally deserve to be free.

All in all, even with the predictable plot, the characters without personality, I just couldn't stop reading this one. I just wanted more.

Of all the romance mangas I've read lately, I likely this one the least. The story moved a little too fast and the characters didn't seem to have much, if little, depth. The protagonist is a world-famous, child prodigy pianist who was taken advantage of by her mother, who ran off with all her money. Penniless, she decides to sell her mansion, but when a mysterious man asks her if she'd like to get revenge on her mother, she half-heartedly agrees. The protagonist just seems lost and not all together present throughout the story. The male antagonist, then protagonist, seems confused and a little crazy throughout the story. I guess the fact that they are both more than 'a bit' crazy is what makes them perfect for each other.

These Harlequin Romances aren't going to break any storytelling ground but they are an enjoyable if brief diversion. In this case, Girl on a Diamond Pedestal deals with the usual after-effects of bad parenting and how both leads paid for those indiscretions. There is a bit of redemption at the end that makes this a bit more interesting than the genre usually exhibits, though. The art is very 1970-1980s Shoujo - a lot of over the top embellishments, big twinkling eyes, pearls in the hair...you get the idea. Think Rose of Versailles by Riyoko Ikeda. So although it doesn't have the more modern illustrative style, it is still a decent, if old fashioned feeling, read.

Story: Ethan has one driving goal: to get revenge on the woman who stole his father away from his mother and bankrupted them. To do so, he seeks out her daughter, Noelle - a former piano prodigy who once enchanted the world but now stays hidden from the spotlight. But when Ethan comes to know Noelle, he quickly realizes that the daughter was not responsible for the mother's actions; and that Noelle is just as much a victim.

The manga style, as noted, is very dated. That isn't a bad thing since those who have read a lot of old manga will appreciate this bit of nostalgia. But that 'flowery' art can also sometimes be very intrusive and unrealistic; in many ways, this is drawn more like a fairytale than a contemporary romance. Some will enjoy that aspect of Girl On A Diamond Pedestal and others will want something more grounded.

The story itself is decent with characters who find a more redemptive arc than one tends to encounter in Harlequins. Noelle is, however, fairly wishy-washy - perhaps better fitting her image as a crushed former prodigy who has lived alone and not been out in the world much. Again, some will enjoy 'missish' ultra feminine characters and others want a heroine with a bit more spark.

But as with all the Harlequin line, it is a light and easy ready with a nice happy ever After ending. The author sets a nice mood for the piece that gives it a bit more depth. Reviewed from an advance reader copy provided by the publisher.

This book transcends Harlequin romances. Not only does it have OPEN communication, HONEST declarations, SWEET moments and SINCERE apologies...it built it's characters up as individuals.

I may have to read the original to see how this compares. Throughout we see glimpses of how Ethan and Noelle were as children - mostly their expressions as we saw what the other was living like during their past explorations.

I had honest to goodness tears at the end as the two realized their dreams free of the shackles of their parents' sins.

In general this was a more thoughtful Harlequin Manga then usual - focusing more on how the two wanted to grow as people then the romance.

Loved it. Recommended.

So far, this is the best Harlequin manga that I've read. Perhaps the original novel that was written in 2012 by Maisey Yates was also great because this manga adaptation done by Riho Sachimi is awesome.

The story is about a 21-year old Noelle Birch, who was once a child pianist prodigy, and Ethan Grey who came from an affluent family with a scar left by his father when he left them when he was still young. Noelle's fame started to dwindle slowly as she started to grow and she lives alone in the manor after her mother, Celine, left her alone. Celine has taken all her music royalties and earnings, leaving Noelle with some debt and no choice but to sell the mansion.

As for Ethan, his father left him and his mother for its mistress. He was left to mature at a very young age and to manage their family's organization, the Grey Group Business. Ethan plans to make use of Noelle as his partner in crime to get their revenge on their parents by getting married.

Despite that I have found the plot a bit common for the romance genre, I still have a great time checking the story because of how it was narrated through the illustrations. I might recommend this manga adaptation through my fellow graphic novel enthusiasts and those who are fond of this kind of stories.

A story based on wanting to take revenge on Noelle mother - they started a relationship in order to do that.
Is that manageable?
I liked character creations and the way they interacted with each other.

I do not like so much the love stories where they met as a kid and then they meet again, so this one was not so much to my liking but it was still an enjoyable reading.

Non mi piacciono molto le storie d'amore dove i due personaggi si incontrano da bambini e poi di nuovo da adulti, in qualche modo mi sembra poco romantico, comunque mi sono divertita lo stesso.

THANKS NETGALLEY FOR THE PREVIEW!

I really enjoyed the art and the story for this manga. Now I might need to go and read the actual story and compare the two.

Once a baby piano star, Noelle is abandoned by her mother once her lover, a married business man, leaves her. Noelle is destitute because her mother has signed the copyrights of her music in her own name and fled abroad. Ethan turns up one day seemingly not knowing her and after hearing her story he proposes a fake engagement of convenience to get her revenge on her mother. However, Ethan has an ulterior motive of his own: his father was the lover of Noelle's mother and he had his own revenge to exact.

But as the two get to spend some time with each other and get to know each other better, and they slowly fall in love. Will Ethan's initial deception ruin their chance at turning their fake engagement into something real?

This story was sweet, even if the heroine was too much of a cinnamon roll for my tastes, and the art was good. It's a pleasant read I definitely recommend.

I don't read much male/female romance but I do enjoy manga and other graphic novels, so when I saw these Harlequin manga romances on Netgalley I thought I would try them out.

I didn't regret it because these manga versions of published Harlequin romance stories are highly enjoyble. All you need is coffee, biscuits and quiet, and these lovely manga romances will make your day. I think there is something so satisfying about seeing the romance portrayed in manga artwork and if you have already read and enjoyed the story in prose it must be a delightful experience to see the story brought to life in manga.

As a child Noelle was a famous pianist and adored by the public, but as she grew older her popularity waned and her career was brought to a sudden end when her mother ran away with Noelle's money and the rights to her music. Noelle ekes out an existence in a huge house which was the only thing her selfish mother left for her. She decides to sell the house because she needs money to live on.

Noelle is surprised when one of the people who have come to view her property comes up with a proposition for her to consider, but this is not a business proposition it is a proposition for revenge.

Hotel tycoon Ethan Grey has always had a burning desire for revenge against his father. His father abandoned him as a child and ran off with another woman. He wants revenge against his father and one way he can do that is by getting married. If he gets married then his grandfather will transfer all the shares in the business to him and in that way he will render his father penniless. He shares his plan with Noelle and explains that she will get revenge against her mother because her mother will see that she has made a wealthy and successful marriage.

This sounds plausible to Noelle. She is not too bothered about revenge, but she agrees to get engaged because it is a chance for her to rebuild her life and show her mother that she can survive on her own. Noelle wants to do this for herself.

What Ethan doesn't say is that Noelle's mother is the woman his father had the affair with and so he will achieve revenge against his father and against the woman who contributed to the break up of his family.

When the two of them get engaged Noelle begins to live again and to socialise, and she finds herself becoming closer to Grey, but just as their relationship begins to turn into something real Grey's enraged and vindictive father appears on the scene, keen to seize the family businesses and what he sees as rightfully his, and he will step on Noelle to get it.

This is a lovely story with great artwork. I really enjoyed it. It is easy to read and has a cinderella feel to it that makes the reader smile. Obviously there is a happy and hopeful ending and love flourishes in the end just like it should do in a romance novel.

This will definitely be a must for fans of the original story and for people like me who like a bit of manga with their romance.

Copy provided by Harlequin/SB Creative via Netgalley in exchange for an unbiased review.