This was one of the most compelling and darker M/M books I have read in a long time. I really appreciated that it contains a romance featuring a Japanese and Korean man. The interplay between the Japanese and Korean cultures was fantastic, the author is wonderfully rich in her descriptions of food, festivals and daily life in Kyoto.
This book is dark with its violence and its heart is beating with a steady pace of the underworld. Sticky, clotted and death is around every corner. Reading it, I was always aware that all wasn't right and there was this dark undercurrent.Saehyun and Noa were interesting, Nao more compelling as an MC but their lies and tall tales kept me interested to see where they would end. She makes both characters not unlikable but hard to love. Amy Takada does not go into details of their sex lives but it is often referred to just in case you are into "steamy' scenes.
The final twist and later chapter, toke me by surprise. Its very clear that these two warring worlds ( Romeo and Juliet-esque) were not going to end well. It still surprised me all the same. I'm not sure in the back of my mind how long this darkness with Nao can carry.
This book is not for the faint of heart but for fans of M/M with a darker edge this book is the start of something. 4*.

I received a free copy of this from NetGalley in return for an honest review.