Cover Image: BETWEEN DUTY AND DESIRE:Harlequin Manga

BETWEEN DUTY AND DESIRE:Harlequin Manga

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I absolutely love everything that Harlequin Manga has put out recently especially since most of these mangas are retelling old romance stories that people my age wouldn't even consider reading but the artwork is divine and the stories are really sweet.

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Another beautiful love story where two suffering and mourning souls try to move on despite all the darkness that haunts their lives.

Callie has always been a cheerful, light and friendly girl, after she lost her husband in the war only works and takes care of her house. Nothing else excites her.

Brock is an outcast boy and he's looking for Callie for having promised her best friend to take care of his wife if he died.

When they get to know each other they gradually connect, becoming fond of each other and the anguish increases precisely because they realize that they are falling in love with each other.

The graphics are beautiful, simple and passionate, they overflow sweetness and the pain of the characters through the pages.

4/5 stars

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Once again, I want to say what a delight it is to lose myself in the beautiful illustrations of these romance manga comics. I love how the illustrations bring the characters to life and tells me a story. And I love that sometimes these stories leave me wanting more and I looking for the original book to read. That has happened quite a few times to me.

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I was actually very pleased with this book. Note, I haven't actually read the actual book, if there even is one. But the manga verison of this is delightful. I am not much of a Manga reader, but when I saw that Harleguin was now doing Manga, I had to check it out. The story was about a woman who lost her husband during a war and his friend, who's life he saved, comes back to "save" her.

Now where this might sound like a cheesy and unrealistic plot, even in the manga verison it worked. The characters were great and well portrayed. The story moved along very smoothly and the art was amazing. Would have liked a little more story, maybe made it longer, but that was the only thing I really found wrong with this.

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I adore this one! For once there's no overbearing, cold Hero, but a gentle and patient one. It's really refreshing. The story's a bit sad for my taste but somehow it touched my heart. The plot is solid, and the happily ever after is definitely my favorite.
Can't wait to read more from this author and illustrator!!

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Cute romance between Brock and Callie that was thanks to Rob. Rob died and asked his best friend Brock to care for his wife Callie. However, Callie and Brock got more out of meeting each other. They helped one another get through the pain of losing Brock and also love. Enjoyed this manga.

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I loved this! It has a great romance and deals with losing someone and learning to move on and find love again. I really like this and would definitely recommend!

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Very lightly stroked, the pictures look almost ethereal. The theme itself is sad and idyllic. A young woman lives an isolated life since she became a widow. A surprise visit from a former colleague of her husband's slowly coaxes her out of her self-imposed shell and brings an unexpected light into her battered heart.

It's sweet how he thinks of ways to engage her into outdoor activities and share more of her in order to wake her up from her pain. He also suffers from guilt and physical repercussions that link him to her late husband. I liked the bittersweet serenity of their relationship and the slowly developing chemistry. It's a soft homage to second chances after tragedy strikes.

I liked the use of flowers to represent gentle feelings and love, another thing I liked is the inner dialogue that appeared elegantly illustrated. What I disliked is the repetitive use of the word whoosh splashed across the pages to signal wind. Tiresome and disruptive.

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Cute story.
Callie just lost her husband Rob and Rob best friend, Brock, is there to console Callie. He tries day after day to refocus her attention and get her out of the shell that she has encased herself in. But there's a problem... Brock is attracted to Callie... his best friend's wife.
This is a cute little back-and-forth story. I say back and forth because it comes across as a dance between the two main characters as they go back and forth between liking each other but pretending not to like each other.
The artwork is very well-drawn however there are some things in the action bubbles that I felt were unnecessary such as the "Drip, drip" of tears when a character is obviously crying or the "Reach" of a hand as they pet one another. In my opinion it is it necessary to put these kinds of actions into words when the illustration so clearly describes it.
I have to tell you a funny story, when I first started reading this graphic novel it made absolutely no sense to me until I found out that it was actually a mirror image and instead of reading from top to bottom left to right it was actually reading from top to bottom right to left. I had to laugh at myself for being so silly and not figuring that out sooner 😂
I really enjoyed the story and the artwork. I think it's great in black and white but I think it would be better in color. I think it would really bring out things like a candle flickering or a tear falling if it were to be colored.
I would definitely recommend this graphic novel to anyone who likes them or to anyone who likes a good love story.

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

I was so excited about this one, that blurb sounds amazingly sweet. About a woman who lost her husband and how his best friend, Brock, is now trying to have her get over the loss, help her go out again, help her find love and happiness again.

I was already tearing up and I just started! 13 pages in and I already cry. OMG. I loved that Brock went to Callie, to give her that picture, to talk to her, to see her. Given the state of the room.. she definitely needed it. Haha, he is a smartass. Staying at the ocean for his leg, sure, sure, and of course you need help from Callie. Sure. It was sweet of him though and did bring Callie out of her shell for a bit.

Aww, Brock is feeling guilty because of what happened to Rob. :( Now I am hoping for both Callie and Brock to find each other and be able to get close.

*snorts* When Callie opens the door in the morning, her hair is all over the place. I just love that though, so many girls would take time and effort to look good before opening their doors, but I guess Callie doesn't care (I wonder if it is due to what happened to her husband or that she is naturally like this).

Um, that is weird. That she almost ate a strawberry while she is allergic to them? I know that I generally avoid stuff that makes me break out in hives or other not so fun symptoms.

"I'm here to fulfil Rob's last request, to heal her wounded heart. I'm only passing through..." Sure, keep saying that, we the readers can see that you are falling head over heels with this girl, and that she is also kind of feeling something for you. On the one hand I am delighted with this, on the other hand, I wonder how long it has been since her husband died. If it was a short while... maybe not start a romance. But eh, different people, different mourning periods.

*cries some more*They finally had the conversation. About Rob, about why Brock is here, and about both of their feelings that they are missing their friend, their lover.

Lol, a drunk night happens (oh no, nothing happens), and Brock mentions this that had me in stitches: "Somehow please, grant me the patience of an ascetic monk." Poor guy, he is clearly in love with Callie, and Callie did some things while she was drunk that made his head spin. :P

Ohhhh, she takes the first step. I approve! I love it when a girl does that. Go girl!
Though it did bring up some questions from both characters. Would they allow this to continue? Is this wise? Isn't Brock just passing by? Oh my!
"Just a moment. We were each other's lover just for a moment..." *continues crying* This story is working really well on my tear-ducts they are getting all the work-out here.

OMG, that ending. Yup. Full-blown crying here. Oh my. "I love you Callie. I don't want to be your lover for just a moment. I want to be your partner forever." That was beautiful. I was so hoping for these two to get together, and yes, I could have known, it is a Harlequin Manga after all, but still, you never know, maybe they will throw something in there. But no! Yay!

The art was just absolutely gorgeous, I just LOVED the style, the characters were beautifully drawn and everything was glittery and sparkly.

Highly recommended!

Review first posted at https://twirlingbookprincess.com/

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A beautiful drawn interpretation of a much beloved novel, this manga is a must add to any collection. Even if you haven’t read the novel prior to the manga, this books does a good job at staying true to the feel of the original. Not to mention the artwork is beautiful.

Beyond that, it is a lovely emotional story of second chances. While their chemistry doesn’t fly off the page, the leads’ romance is both sweet and makes sense. In the end, it is a heartwarming tale of a woman learning to live, not just love, again and the man selfless enough to want to help her. Even without the beautiful artwork to accompany it, it is a beautiful story.

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Between Duty and Desire tells the story of Callie and Brock. Callie lost her husband and Brock lost his best friend, Brock is taking care of Callie and they slowly fall for each other.

I really liked the story, it’s so beautiful and I cannot wait to read the original book by Leanne Barks. I think that this manga is beautifully drawn and I really fell in love with the characters!

I cannot wait to read some more Harlequin manga!

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This manga is very emotional. Callie and Brock both have suffered through emotional trauma and a promise brings them together. There is budding romance which contrasts with the 'duty' Brock has and the plot, while a cliche, was very refreshing as it was shown.

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Callie has become very depressed and shut herself away after losing her husband who was a marine. Brock has survivor's guilt. His friend who had a wife died while he lived on. His friend with his last breath asks him to take care of Callie. He goes to her and brings her out of her shell but when he does that he starts to fall for her. I loved the illustrations and the story.

ARC generously provided via Netgalley, in exchange for the above honest review.

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📚I received an Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) from NetGalley and Harlequin/SB Creative as the publisher in exchange for an honest review📚

Book title : Between Duty and Desire: a Harlequin Manga

Author : Leanne Banks;  Illustrator : Rin Tanaka

Release Date : 20 March 2018

Callie lost Rob, her husband who was also a part of US Marine. Since his death, she started to shut herself from the world surround her until her husband's pal Brock's visit. Brock has promised Rob that she would take care of Callie in his place. Brock then tried his best to get Callie out of her shell. Little that Brock knew, the fragile side of Callie captured his heart and he fell for her charms. He tried hard to resist this feeling. On the other side, Callie is the same. She is challenged with her new feelings for Brock. 

A sweet romance about loss and renewal of love takes two people to be gutsy in embracing themselves in a new love. This manga-style romance is hard to miss tho. It evokes the readers' emotion as it is filled with tenderness and sweetness. 

Review: https://literatureisliving.wordpress.com/2018/12/31/between-duty-and-desire-a-harlequin-manga-by-leanne-banks/

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A promise to a dying man turns into a challenge that he might want to lose... After losing his best friend in action, Brok goes to meet his widow who has shut herself away from the rest of the world, mourning a husband she had known since childhood. Callie is a shell of her former self but Brok patiently manages to make her eat properly and go outside again. Little by little the two become closer, dangerously so if they do not acknowledge that Rob is not between them anymore and they might have a once in a lifetime chance to heal from more than just body wounds...

Excellent sweet romance on a vet and his fellow marine's widow finding new life and love together. Very plausible lines and plot and beautyful art.

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This is a lovely manga romance story about finding love after loss and bereavement. Callie's husband was a marine and he died in battle but before he died he asked his close friend Brock to look after Callie.

When Brock visits Callie he finds a woman who is a shadow of her former self, lost in grief and merely existing and so he starts to find ways of bringing joy back into her life and it works.

But not only does Brock bring joy, he also brings love and the challenge for Callie is whether or not she can find it in her heart to love again. The challenge for Brock is whether he can love her or whether he will feel guilty about the loss of his best friend.

This is a lovely manga romance, full of emotion as Callie and Brock take courage to step into new love. As with all the manga romances the artwork is beautiful drawn which enables the emotion of the story to flow from the page. This is a gentle story but overflowing with love and tenderness and it is also fully enjoyable just like all the other manga romances.

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

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