There Are Things I Can’t Tell You, by Edako Mofumofu, tells the story of two young men struggling to come to terms with their feelings for each other. The first thing that drew me in was the striking cover. The art throughout the book is lovely, if a little hard to follow at times.

Unfortunately, the writing does not live up to the art. The dialogue is stilted and unrealistic, and the characters are two dimensional. I appreciate the simplicity of the story, as well as the narrowness of the scope of the book, but ultimately the motivations for both main characters lack much interest. I found myself far more interested in the (admittedly very minor) side characters.

Thank you to NetGalley and Diamond Book Distributors for the ARC.

4.5 stars

this is a super cute manga and very wholesome about 2 boys who have been childhood best friends but won't admit to each other that they love each other which leads to a lot of angst!! this manga really emphases the importance of good communication and how important it is to tell others how you feel and find out what they feel, rather than just doing what you think is best for them!! both the main characters are so sweet and really compliment each other and their romance was adorable!

also this is my fault for not reading the description properly but this manga is STEAMY - i was NOT expecting the penises lol

#ThereAreThingsICantTellYou #NetGalley
Love the story and art style. I like how it talks about how hard it is to express one's emotions. How miscommunication and one's worth can affect our relationship with others.

**I was provided an ARC by Diamond Book distributors/Tokyopop via Netgalley**

I thought this manga was pretty cute, the story was a little confusing at times just because of the back and forth but it was pretty easy to get used to it. I thought that some characters (especially at the office) were only added to cause drama and not really well fleshed out but I will say that the two main characters had their own personalities and style. I was not wowed by the story but it was definitely interesting enough for me to finish it. One thing the manga had going on for it was the art, it was simple but beautiful!

Overall, pretty flawed story, characters but the results wasn’t bad at all!

I enjoyed reading this, it was good. I definitely recommend this manga for everyone who loves reading bl/yaoi mangas.

Trigger Warnings: Homophobia, internalized homophobia, and infidelity (not between the main characters)

This was an okay single volume manga, but one that is surprisingly full of angst and pain. The art is very good, beautiful even. I especially loved the way Kyousuke was drawn - his hair and earrings and fashion style and facial expressions. The personalities of both main characters is obviously well-thought out, and I found them both interesting and likeable.

What didn't quite win me over were... a few things. For starters, sometimes what was the past and what was the present was confusing. There were frequent flashbacks, and nothing to tell you whether it was a flashback besides your own intuition from context and slightly younger looking characters. But the fact that it would jump around in recent past, far past, and present made it difficult to decipher just what time period you were looking at.
There were also *very* abrupt scene changes from time to time that threw me for a loop. I had to race to catch up, and it was a little disappointing I wasn't able to see the interim scenes.
Lastly, and this last one's a tiny bit of a spoiler, so be aware: Kasumi and Kyousuke fall into bed and anal sex immediately. Everything is very, very new for them; they've also never been with other guys, and yet???? Literally immediately they're not only having sex but having penetrative sex. That just seemed like a huge rush and a bit unbelievable to me. It's like, without even talking, they're having sex, and I was just... "Where's the communication? Where's the wonder? Where's the gentle exploration? Where's the fluff?"
This really is a manga without fluff, or at least very nearly without. It's a painful story, which would have been fine if I had felt the reward worth it, but it just...wasn't.

Overall, There Are Things I Can't Tell You, unfortunately, was a story I wanted to like but that didn't win me over. Read it if you're up for a heavy dose of angst.

**I received this book courtesy of NetGalley/Diamond Book Distributors in exchange for an honest review which did not affect my opinion

TW: homophobia, internalized homophobia, adultery

I was scrolling through NetGalley tonight and decided to download this on a whim, and I'm so glad I did! I've been in the mood for relationships that are intense and make me emotional, and when I read the description of There Are Things I Can't Tell You it was just what I was looking for.

There Are Things I Can't Tell You follows Kasumi and Kyousuke, two best friends who have been in love with each other since they were in middle school. Now that they're adults, their feelings for one another is becoming something that they can't hide or ignore anymore, despite their best efforts.

I really liked this story, Kasumi and Kyousuke were likable but flawed, and I loved the way they revolved around each other. Edako Mofumofu did a really nice job adding in little details to connect both characters together to both each other and their past selves. The way internalized homophobia was a part of the story felt natural as well, rather than something used as a plot device to keep the love interests apart, which I appreciated. There was one scene that I felt like cut to another one a little abruptly, but it was such a minor thing I doubt anyone else would even notice it.

This was an emotional and heartfelt story, so if you're into that sort of thing, definitely try to pick this up!

Thank you NetGalley for allowing me to review this.

I usually don’t write reviews about manga because they tend to have many volumes, but this one seemed to be a stand-alone volume which is refreshing to read every once in a while.

Overall, this is a cute story. Two boys that became best friends and find they are in love, but their childhoods prevent them from being together for most of their high school/college life: one grew up thinking it was wrong and the other too broken to give himself the opportunity. The only thing I would say it that I would have liked to know a little more about Kasumi’s profession, we get a lot of that for Kyousuke.

Note: There are a couple sex scenes, no penetration is presented, but you can see some genitalia & action going on.

Rate: 3.5 rounded up to 4

** I WAS GIVEN THIS BOOK FOR MY READING PLEASURE **
Copy received through Netgalley

~

There Are Things I Can't Tell You, by Edako Mofumofu
★★★★★
272 Pages
Content Warning: homophobia, abandonment, family issues


There Are Things I Can't Tell You is a super cute story of unrequited love and self-acceptance. The main characters, Kasumi and Kyousuke, met as kids, but both have their own personal issues, at home and with accepting themselves, flaws and all. After a confession of love led to them spending 5 years apart, they're reunited and it's getting harder to ignore the feelings brewing between them.

The story deals with some interesting issues, in a really sensitive, sweet way that lets you bond to the characters through their trials and problems. We see a lot of Kyousuke at work, because one of his biggest problems is self-worth, thanks to his over-achieving father. In contrast, we see Kasumi's disastrous love life, because his biggest problem is his parents loveless marriage, which they took out on him, because he was clumsy and felt unwanted. Together, they fill the gaps in each other's lives, but the things they've left unspoken could end in heartbreak if they don't start talking.

The plot was intriguing, clever, and had a few nice twists that I didn't see coming. The romance was super cute, slow burn and unrequited love at the same time, with a side story of Kasumi settling for being “the other man” to a married woman, because she filled the gap Kyousuke had left behind.

With both characters in the closet, the bulk of their former friendship is told in flashbacks, which are easy to distinguish by their ages. The adult story is charming and gets hot in places, while the childhood story is super cute and lovely.

Overall, a brilliant story told in one volume. I'll be buying the paperback soon.

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Favourite Panel

<img src="https://i.pinimg.com/564x/dc/a3/df/dca3dfd3238258a5623f5a4c58d9c4cc.jpg" width="300" height="420" alt="description"/>

I saw this on Netgalley and I had to get it. The emotion coming off the page along with the beautiful illustrations took my breath away.

It was a beautiful story about the friendship of two boys and how their opinions of each other changed and shaped their own lives as they got older.

Kyousuke Shiina is a hard working outgoing graphic designer so he pulls alot of all nighters to get things done. His team has faith in him though they worry about his health when he takes on a big project.

Kasumi Amemiya is the opposite. He is shy, clumsy and just wants to be loved and love someone.

Their love story is beautiful and filled with so much angst and uncertainty. Friends since grade school, their childhoods shaped them into the adults they become and unresolved feelings they do not know what to do with.

I really wanted this to be a series but it is only a one shot. I hope maybe one day there will be more.

It’s been ages since I read a Manga - and somehow this manga, a M/M romance caught my eye on Netgalley, and I couldn’t resist.

First, can I just say how absolutely beautiful the illustrations are - the color palette as well as the characters are so freaking pretty; that I couldn’t help but be drawn to the book (if you don’t believe me, check out the cover of the book!)

Coming to the story itself - two best friends; with unrequited love for each other - as well as dealing with taught homophobia that the MCs find hard to go against - it was an angst-y romance that will have you euphoric when you reach the end of the book.

Unlike most mangas; this is a stand-alone read - with some very smexy times between the MCs but what I adored the most is the character growth that both the MCs show throughout the book.
It’s their need for each other and the need to find happiness together that will have you totally and fully submerged in the book!

Loved it! And looking forward to reading more stand-alone mangas; which I must say is a very good option for readers who aren’t able to commit to a lengthy series!

What an emotional roller-coaster. This yaoi manga was a nice quick read but that still packed a punch in the feels. Best friends since childhood who are still friends as adults try everything that they can to avoid admitting they are in love with each other even to themselves.

I only wish there was a bit more to the characters, but with this being a single volume one shot it does a pretty good job of getting a lot of information in to a very limited space.

I was very satisfied with the ending, and the sexy bits were very tastefully drawn. I highly recommend this one to my fellow yaoi/boys love fan out there.

**Digital ARC provided by Netgalley and Tokyo Pop in exchange for an honest review**

There Are Things I Can't Tell you is full of miscommunication, and angst. The storyline goes from present to flashbacks to time skips but didn't feel like we were going all over the place. The story to me however felt like a 3/5. I did not hate the story but nor did I love it. I just did not feel a bond of attachment to our main protagonist.

This is one of those rare yaoi titles where the characters actually get framed by the real world restraints of "Wait, isn't homosexuality not accepted by my father/society?" From the start it is clear that the story's gay agenda is: They just want to be happy. I enjoyed reading this one-shot title.

This manga was quite cute: two men struggle with their ability to communicate their feelings for each other. I enjoyed the parallel timelines as we watched their love grow and get messy both in the past and present day, though it was occasionally confusing trying to decipher which timeline we were in and from who's perspective. Many stories like this would try to pull in outside forces to comment on the love story situation, and this one does it subtly, which is refreshing. There is quite a lot of internalized homophobia, perhaps more than a reader from a liberal place would understand or like to see, but it is still the reality for many around the world. The art was nice and I enjoyed the little background jokes, though sometimes the tails on the speech bubbles were so small it was hard to tell if a character was speaking or thinking something. All in all a solid, an enjoyable little story with some depth, but not one that will stick with me.

This story is highly recommended for BL (boys love) fans! It has the right level of fluff and conflict.

What I like about this story was how it can make you re-think your life decisions when pursuing things for better causes. It will make you ask questions such as,

"What's the path that's really laid out for me?"
"How will I know if I really made the right decision?"
"Am I really happy with my decision?"

Although throughout the story, the aforementioned contexts were within the perspective of building a romantic relationship and accepting internal struggles pertaining to their sexuality, I still like how the characters' (Kasumi and Kyousuke) thoughts and struggles were relatable enough. It's the good kind of "roller coaster of emotions" that readers must try to delve into.

Moreover, the story will make you realize how important communication is towards couples (or even in general). Hiding one's true feelings towards the other party won't help each other's cause/s and will just lead to further misunderstandings.

Overall, this is a heartfelt read! It has the right level of conflict (and just the right level of angst and tear-jerking moments), before feeling lighthearted and fluffy about them. The flow of the story has good pacing, with easy-to-love (and handsome-looking, haha) characters. Not to mention, the art style was beautiful too!

Edako Mofumofu-sensei's "There Are Things I Can't Tell You" is a gem! ❤

P.S. Thank you NetGalley for the e-arc! 😊

"There Are Things I Can't Tell You" is a m/m one-shot manga that follows the love story of two long time friends. This is a beautifully illustrated manga that tells its story succinctly and effectively, with topics of internalized homophobia and mental health at the forefront. One of my least favorite tropes is miscommunication, but I think this manga handles miscommunication in a meaningful way (aka: not as a plot device.). The few moments of humor help alleviate the heavier themes of the manga, but pining and angst help to position this manga as a more serious read. I appreciated that the characters were adults (27yrs old), too! And just FYI: this manga does have explicit scenes.

The only con I have is that the timeline gets a little confusing at times, but it didn't hinder my overall reading experience. The bonus at the end was sweet, too.

This has a 4 star rating from me. The art of this manga is absolutely incredible, and the story of both protagonists are really moving. It also deals with some heavy topics such as acceptance of yourself, miscommunications in relationships, and living up to parent ideals.

It does get slightly confusing with the time jumps though, maybe it would read better in color.

I really cannot wait for the next volume to come out and too see where these characters will go.

Loved the art in this LGBTQ-themed coming of age love story. The scenes set at the protagonist's work and the flashback scenes were especially well executed and made the plot more interesting than just a simple love story; extended things into really being about self-discovery and understanding in general. The themes of misplaced self sacrifice and coming to understand what love is and who you are were sweet. The explicit sex scenes were unexpected but mostly tastefully done.

This is a beautifully illustrated story full of angst, bad communication, mutual pining and internalised homophobia. I liked it although there were some points that felt a bit slow. I personally didn't feel overly invested in the relationship, I think that is tied to the pacing and being told they loved eachother more than shown it in the early chapters. The flashbacks helped with this and I really enjoyed them. I would note that it has some explicit scenes so it is definitely aimed at a mature audience.
Content warnings for homophobia, affairs and suicidal thoughts.