sometimes i really love one volume manga because they're able to tell a wistful story and still include characters that deliver. i think this one especially feels more inclined to me because im sorta at the age the characters are and you end up sometimes thinking about regrets a lot... the art style is gorgeous too, that never hurts. i think aki is so handsome... i also really enjoyed sarara's appearances. there were also so many bonuses!! thank u for the meal.

thank you to netgalley and kodansha for the eARC!

I, unfortunately, DNF'ed this book. Almost halfway into the book I still had no clue what was going on. I didn't know who was who, what the talk about the jobs were all about, I just couldn't follow the story at all and I've never had that issue with a manga before. I decided to rate it a two star because that is what it felt like when I DNF'ed. I will not be posting my review on my socials because I did not finish the book, and it feels unfair to the author.

Thank you NetGalley and Kodansha Comics for this arc!

4/5 stars

This was a sweet and spicy manga! Aki and Minagi have cute chemistry, I'm glad they worked it out and got together in the end! Their friend Sarara is so supportive too 💜 i did find it quite difficult to figure out who is speaking what more than a few times, however, which was annoying but didn't take too much away from the story.

Like always, I really enjoyed this BL manga, whilst not the most overly emotional or deep romance, it was still angsty, heartwarming and definitely spicy throughout!

The manga follows Aki and Minagi, best friends (and unrequited lovers) who are forced to live together due to circumstances out of their control. From there, their shaky past is brought to the present, and obviously their feelings finally come to light.

Aki and Minagi's romance was smutty but slow burn. They messed around but took a while to realise that they're feelings aren't as shallow as originally thought. I really enjoyed the golden retriever and doberman energy they had, and I liked that they both balanced each other out perfectly. The miscommunication provided a lot of angst, I'm not usually a fan of the trope but this time around the reasons were valid, and it actually made sense- due to an accident back in their high school days, Aki was forced to give up on his dream of becoming a soccer player, feeling guilty for being the 'reason' he got injured, Minagi also sacrifices his dream of becoming a doctor in order to somehow stay close and make it up to Aki.

The art in this manga was beautiful, sometimes I did get confused as to who was talking during long conversations since the speech bubbles weren't obvious, but I could work it out pretty easily after learning the characters personalities and their dynamics.

I really loved that whilst this was a romance, it also showed the affects of judgement, loneliness, guilt and grief. The ending wraps up happily- with some spicy spice, as usual- it's still sweet and joyful. I liked that it didn't suddenly have the impossible becoming possible, and how the manga showed that roads not travelled don't always lead to dead ends, sometimes they open up new routes with more possibilities!

4/5 🌟

Saucy! Light of My Life follows the story of Aki and Minagi, high school friends who were inseparable. Mingi dreamt of becoming a medical expert and Aki a professional football player. However, due to an incident at school, Aki’s dreams would never happen. Their friendship was never the same after this. Years later, Aki takes over his grandfather’s hair salon and Mingi works at a host club. One day, Mingi shows up at Aki’s apartment asking to stay with him until he finds his own housing. This forces them to confront the past to move forward with their future.

Fun quick read! I found the story a little hard to follow sometimes. I wasn’t sure who was talking and had to re-read certain sections to understand which character was saying what. I enjoyed how the high school flashbacks were sprinkled throughout the manga to reveal more to the story. The bonus stories at the end were fun! The spicy scenes were great and did not take over too much.

Thank you, NetGalley and Kodansha Comics, for the ARC.

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

~

Light of My Life, by Takiba, Fuuko Minami
★★★★★


This was absolutely brilliant. I loved both main characters and their history together.

Minagi and Aki were childhood friends, both with so much promise; Minagi was going to be a doctor, dedicating his life to helping people, while Aki had a future as a pro soccer player ahead. Unfortunately, one incident in their final years of high school changes their trajectory entirely.
Ten years later, they're still friends but on distinctly different paths. Aki is taking over his grandfather's hair salon, while Minagi now works as a host in a club. It's not the future either of them envisioned for each other, which creates some tension between them.

I fell madly in love with both of these guys. They held onto so much love and affection for each other, but there was something holding them back from admitting it. I really enjoyed the multiple flashbacks of their past high school years and how it helped fill in those gaps about how and why they ended up where they did. The pacing and placement of those flashbacks was perfect.

There's a touch of forced proximity, when they end up living together for a while; friends with benefits, rich boy/poor boy, unrequited love, first love and first time. They're all my favourite tropes, and seeing them so masterfully put together in one book was fantastic.

This is a bittersweet love story about time lost, unspoken desire, lost dreams and past regrets. I loved that the misunderstandings were natural and not forced just for the plot's sake. I also liked that the friends-with-benefits aspect initially felt too convenient only for that to end up being an important part of the final revelation. It genuinely had a purpose, which I appreciated.

This is easily one of my favourite reads of the year.

~

Favourite Quotes:

“It's okay to want more, Aki.”

This was a pleasant slice of life story about two friends whose lives didn’t take the paths they’d intended. Instead of being a soccer star, Aki is a hair dresser. Instead of being a doctor, Minagi works at a host club. And what do you know, Minagi needs a place to stay for … reasons, and Aki happens to be obliging enough to accept him as a roommate. Shenanigans ensue, with several uncensored sex scenes, and then feelings get involved.

The art is nice, and it’s a quick, easy read if you’re in the mood for a bit of romance with a dose of spice and engaging characters. Thank you to Net Galley and the publisher for the ARC.

Their relationship felt a bit flat for me. I didn't really feel much of a spark or yearning between them. I also felt like the reason for one of the main characters dropping his dream was kinda dumb... he could have just tried talking to the other dude. It felt very forced for the obligatory conflict.

I did enjoy the character of Sarara very much. Very funny, very chill dude and also I enjoyed a lot the nonchalance he had while talking about the relationship of the main characters. A true bro lol.

Aki & Minagi are school mates. Minage was super promising, but how he ended up being a host. It infuriates Aki, when he sees how much potential is being wasted. You come to find out how and why, but you also get to see how the two of them resolve those conflicts and how they finally come together. Of course the spicy scenes are very spicy.

Thank you NetGalley & Kodansha Comics for the ARC