Sumire's manga / #Romance(984)

I like the fact that the girl is not a pushover - she's rather astute at picking up the guy's mood and motives - let's hope she stays that way and it doesn't devolve into her changing herself for him, but the guy becoming more human.

This manga breaks the fourth wall, and then stampedes over it - straight to your funny-bone. The characters are well-aware they're in a Yaoi manga and haul out the tropes about semes to laugh at. - That's my review regarding the "April Fool's" version. Otherwise you can see the set up for this one a mile away - cute uke type who 'hates homos' is tired of getting pervy come ons or almost raped - is befriended by tall seme to be 'pretend boyfriends' to protect him. Of course the emotions will turn real. So sit back, get some popcorn and watch this plot spool out in the path you know it will take. Wear it like your comfy slippers.

Complex characters and conflicted emotions abound - I would have loved to see more of these people, actually.

Plot is fast-paced (perhaps a bit too much so) but the action between Jamal and Leonard is hot - despite the 'fall in love with my rapist' yaoi trope being hauled out here once again. I would have liked more fleshing out of the ancillary characters, and perhaps a bit more fleshing out of the plot, but all in all, an enjoyable read.