To the Stars and Back, Volume One

To the Stars and Back #1

by Peglo

Opposites attract in this sweet neighbors-to-lovers romance based on a WEBTOON favorite—now with an exclusive new bonus story! Perfect for fans of Heartstopper looking for their next sweet slow-burn queer romance.

Introverted university student Kang Dae spends most of his time alone, and he prefers it this way. So he’s initially unhappy when bubbly new student Bo Seon moves into his apartment complex and sets out to befriend him. But before Kang Dae realizes it, his life has changed irrevocably.

As the two become closer, they slowly realize they have romantic feelings for each other; but neither has been in a real relationship before and both have trauma in their pasts. Will they be able to embrace the possibilities of what could be, or will they find that a new romance is a bridge too far?

A top ten slice-of-life WEBTOON with over one million subscribers, this beloved webcomic is now available in a beautiful new format, where you can see episodes 1-101 of Kang Dae and Bo Seon's relationship unfold— in all its beautiful, awkward, and heartwarming glory—with this can't-miss collectible edition.

Genres: Graphic Novels, Romance, LGBT, Contemporary, Young Adult, Queer, Comics

416 pages, Hardcover

First published September 30, 2025

Reviews

[The_Ugly_Squid · Rating 5 out of 5]

AHAJSJAJAJHAHA ITS COMING IN PHYSICAL RAHAHAHAH

[David · Rating 5 out of 5]

I need book 2 immediately! (due May '26). Very cute slow build on the relationship.

Kang Dae is highly introverted and thinks he wants to be alone. His new apartment neighbor Bo Seon is chatty and always positive. 'Shortie' (Bo) is the kind of up-beat friend we all need. He naturally chisels away at Kang Dae's tough shell. They both attend the nearby Uni together, where they meet a couple other friends to add to this story.

Finally, at 95% through this volume 1, we hear Kang Dae thinking to himself:
Do you even have any idea, just how loved you made me feel?

And this is purely out of friendship expressed with a hug at this point.

Did I mention I NEED BOOK 2 NOW!

Great color illustrations. Easy to read this in one Sunday afternoon sitting.

Solid 4.75*

[Nothing · Rating 4 out of 5]

adorable

[Caspian · Rating 4 out of 5]

An amiable story with cute art and characters.
Not liking this is hard, but it doesn’t leave a great impact to be a 5 star.

[Emrys Kogane · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have the honor of reading to the stars and back when before it was an original, the before and the after. And I've re read it 10 times, it was honestly my favorite webtoon, always looked forward to it updating, now that it's over it's sad. The ending was beautiful.
If your thinking about reading this webcomic and your looking in the reviews I'm telling you to read it, it's so good and it handles issues of trauma so well and communication when it comes up. Thank you Peglo for creating something so beautiful. If I ever lose my memories I'd love to read this for the first time again.

[mishalovesbooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

THIS WAS SO CUTEEEE

[synzz · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 ⭐️

🥹

[Lychee · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was….fine. It was cute and all but nothing really stuck out to me.

Thank you NetGalley and Little, Brown Books for Young Readers for this e-book ARC.

[Brittany Kilinsky · Rating 4 out of 5]

SO CUTE!!

[Cassandra · Rating 4 out of 5]

*An ARC was provided by NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review*

I have a confession to make. Forgive me, Father, for I am an utter mushball for all things fluff and this- this was the tooth-rotting fluff I yearn for. Blissfully cute. All starry eyed doofuses with no braincells or common sense. God. This is the stuff.

Unfortunately, I had some issues with the pdf I received from the publisher so I ended up just reading the series on Webtoon. I have the feeling that the serialized format is better suited for Webtoon than the graphic novel, but I can see why someone would want to own a physical copy that they can naw on when the sugar cravings hit.

10/10. Cutesy, pure, wholesome- all those adjectives. The same dope hit of a 2am fanfic binge.

[The Page Ladies Book Club · Rating 4 out of 5]

To the Stars and Back by Peglo follows Kang Dae the quiet guy next door, and Bo Seon is the bubbly neighbor who’s determined to be his friend and maybe more.

Peglo’s art is super cute and perfectly captures all those shy smiles, awkward moments, and tender glances. It’s like watching a rom-com unfold in cozy comic form! It’s all about healing, friendship, and that slow, delicious build-up to love plus a sprinkle of side characters that make you smile.

⚡️Thank you Webtoon, Little, Brown Ink, Peglo, Miyuli, SH00, Violet Matter, Rouusuu and Drawniels for sharing these books with me!

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a super cute slow burn romance graphic novel! Kang Dae and Bo Seon were super adorable and I loved watching them fall for each other. The ghost subplot kind of came out of nowhere but I really enjoyed this graphic novel.
I received an advanced copy of this graphic novel which has not affected my review.

[Rummanah (Books in the Spotlight) · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a cute read, but I wanted a little more character development and backstory evenly distributed throughout the first volume of the book. The reveal of the mystery person should have hit harder. I’m curious enough to pick up volume 2 at some point.

[Ky Ky ✨ · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was such a cute story and the illustrations were stunning! Bo Seon and Kang Dae have built a beautiful friendship that's turning into a blossoming relationship. I can't wait to see how their relationship progresses in the next volume!

Thank you, Goodreads, for this giveaway!

[nilab · Rating 5 out of 5]

SCRUMPTIOUS

[Poulomi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ah so cute

[Jay Guillory · Rating 4 out of 5]

This graphic novel was an absolute delight & most definitely gave me a Heartstopper feel! I was completely drawn in and found myself wishing for more as I turned the pages. I was rooting for the characters to be together by the end, and I can’t believe it left me hanging like that! Yet, the suspense only made the journey more thrilling. The artwork was simply adorable, bursting with charm, and the characters were beyond cute! It was such a fun ride; I’m already craving more! Thank you Little Brown Ink and Toppling Stacks Tours for this ARC!

[Ethan Bartlett · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you loved Heartstopper this is your next read! This is such a heartwarming story. I read it as a webtoon, and I was so excited when it released as a physical book! This edition was edited nicely to fit the format, and the author took care during the release.

[Jeannine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very cute start of a series. Some interesting subplots, but a little more clarity for the high school flashback storyline might have helped. Nice trans rep and we have a character having their queer awakening.


Reviews are for readers. I received an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

[thelibraryoftheredgirl · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ho letto questa storia su Webtoon e posso solo dire che è MERAVIGLIOSA, una dolcezza unica e la crescita dei personaggi capitolo per capitolo è qualcosa di eccezionale 😭
Ti fa ridere, piangere, battere il cuore, insomma un capolavoro.
Avvertenze: parecchio slow burn (come piace a noi) ✨️

This story is wonderful, I can not wait to retrieve the printed copy 😍

[Rach' B · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reseña:

Kang Dae ha disfrutado de una vida tranquila y sin demasiado por lo cual preocuparse, considerando que es lo mejor para su vida, no está realmente interesando en que esto cambie, pero con la llegada de su nuevo vecino, Bo Seon, todo empieza a cambiar. La vida tranquila que disfrutaba poco a poco comienza a tornarse más caótica.

Sin embargo, el caos del que Kang Dae se quejaba, con el paso de los días se convertirá en una rutina que disfrutara, sobre todo por la compañía de Bo Seon.

Una historia con dos protagonistas que jamás han experimentado una relación, pero sus vidas están llenas de traumas y heridas que deberán enfrentar para poder conseguir paz en su vida, por suerte, nunca más estarán solos al tener la compañía del otro.

Opinión personal:

Realmente no esperaba terminarme un webtoon de 208 capítulos en un día, pero fue una historia que no pude soltar desde que empecé. De lo principal fue el diseño de personajes, creo que es de los primeros webtoons que leo en donde todos (o la mayoría) de personajes son de tez morena, y como persona morena me ha encantado.

La historia es bastante sencilla de leer, lo consideraría más un slice of life que una historia lineal, sin embargo, conforme pasan los capítulos "casuales" te dejan ver un poco de la historia personal de los protagonistas, me hubiera encantado que profundizaran un poco más en la historia de Bo Seon, especialmente porque considero que el tema de "abuso familiar" es algo importante de contar, y más cuando te hacen ver que la víctima en ningún momento tuvo la culpa, pero tampoco es algo que pueda dejar ir tan fácil.

Sin bien creo que esta historia es enfocada en la relación de Bo Seon y Kang Dae. También consideraría que la historia nos cuenta mucho sobre lo que significa una familia encontrada, los amigos de Bo Seon son un amor de personas y me encanto el hogar y amistad que pudieron construir juntos.

También cabe mencionar que el webtoon cuenta con una gran representación en sus personajes, no solo de la comunidad LGBTQ, si no también de diferentes aspectos.

[bookcookery]

To the Stars and Back follows an introvert whose social anxiety has led him to push others away, only to find himself unexpectedly drawn to his relentlessly sunshiny new neighbor. This warmth and connection slowly begins to chip away at his self-imposed isolation, a change echoed in the soft, sunrise hues of the story’s palette. The narrative touches on themes of mental health, self-esteem, bullying, body dysmorphia, personal growth, and first love, making comparisons to Heartstopper unsurprising.

Peglo’s slice-of-life storytelling shines brightest in the quiet, intimate moments between Bo Seon and Kang Dae. The latter’s journey, from apologizing for past rudeness to seeking therapy and ultimately learning to open up emotionally, is depicted with tenderness. His developing attraction to Bo Seon unfolds subtly yet profoundly; for example, when Bo Seon’s hand brushes Kang Dae’s chest, Kang Dae’s stoic reaction evokes the iconic hand flex from the 2005 Pride and Prejudice. By the end of the first volume, it’s gratifying to see Kang Dae stepping into his own identity, embracing a new sense of style, and showing trust and protectiveness toward Bo Seon’s brightness.

While the main story is compelling, some arcs feel less cohesive. A brief paranormal subplot, although offering opportunities for side characters like Kyo and Cindee to shine and adding some playful banter between Kyo and Kang Dae, feels somewhat out of place. Similarly, the coincidental shared history between Bo Seon and Kang Dae strains plausibility, though it ultimately helps bring their story full circle. Kang Dae’s gradual recovery of lost memories reveals a deeper layer of past trauma, adding complexity to the overall narrative.

I’m invested in seeing these characters reach their happy ending and will be reading the next installment.

Thanks to Little, Brown Ink and NetGalley for providing an advance reading copy.

[Rhiley Jade · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and Little, Brown Ink for the E-ARC! This E-ARC was sent to me in exchange for an honest review.

A sweet, funny, romantic story with just enough angst to flutter your stomach-This book was a delight. I had so much fun!

The first twenty pages were iffy, I didn't think I was connecting with the story very much. But after those twenty pages I was locked in! It was everything I wanted it to be when I had requested it. The characters, side characters included, all had personalities and humor. The two main love interests had real, raw tension and affection towards each other. And the art was a perfect fit to the story.

There's also an element of the paranormal? There's a ghost that lives inside the university they attend and they actually go ghost hunting in one of the chapters which ended up being my favorite part of the book-I laughed out loud through the entire sequence. The author did such a good job at adding good tension while breaking bad tension all in one perfectly formulated comedic ghost hunting scene.

If there's a second volume (Pretty please!) I will be purchasing immediately! (I say as the first volume isn't even officially released yet.)

[Sesana · Rating 5 out of 5]

Slow burn, slice of life webtoon romance. If "the grumpy one loves the sunshiney one" is your trope, this is for you. The romance is moving slowly, in a way that feels like a realistic, friends to lovers progression. I didn't feel like there were any contrived obstacles thrown in to drag it all out. I also liked that there's more than just the slow burn romance here. There's plenty of gentle slice of life scenes for those who like soothing comics.

The art is much better than average for a webcomic. It was pretty easy to tell the characters apart, and there's plenty of little touches to bring the world to life. I'm especially fond of the aesthetic of the dream sequences, and the running gag of the college sign.

This is a complete webtoon, which I also find kind of exciting. I don't like romance comics that go on and on forever. I'm very fond of these characters, so I'm excited to read more. So far, I just wish that we got to know Bo Seon, our sunshiney one, a bit more intimately. We're so entirely inside our grumpy one's head that I feel like Bo Seon is more of a mystery than maybe he's intended to be.

[Brady · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you Little Brown Books for Young Readers and Netgalley for this eARC, these opinions are my own. This was so cute!! Kang Dae doesn’t really like people, he prefers to be on his own. Especially given what things were like for him growing up. Then he runs into his neighbor Bo Seon, who just moved in. Bo Seon is annoyingly chipper and no matter how rude Kang Dae is nothing seems to bother his neighbor. As the two keep running into each other, literally in Bo Seon’s case. A friendship will begin to grow. But Kang Dar will quickly realize this isn’t like any other friendship, everything about Bo Seon sets him on fire. Could he possibly have romantic feelings towards him? He’s never felt that way about a boy before. And if he does is it even possible that Bo Seon likes him back? A slow burn, grumpy/sunshine, neighbors to friends to maybe something more that I quickly consumed! Peglo does an excellent job with this queer graphic novel that is funny, sweet, charming, and heartwarming! Plus I adored the artwork! Excited to see what’s next for Kang Dae and Bo Seon in volume two!

[Isaiah · Rating 4 out of 5]

I got an ARC of this book.

I really enjoyed this. It had the manhwa feeling over a manga feeling. It was a really slow burn romance between two men. It was very much grumpy sunshine, but only the grumpy side was shown. So watching him slowly come to terms for falling for a man, a man that used to annoy him so much, was so heart warming.

The story was fun. There was a weird ghost interlude. It didn't make any sense, but it was a cute distraction from the main angst. Gave a bit of distance so it wasn't too much about the men just not understanding they have feelings for each other. Instead it built their characters and gave some levity to the story.

This is only volume one and again, this is a slow burn. There is no resolution. There is a set up for a bit more angst and hopefully a happily ever after.

Overall, I liked it and I would glady read volume 2. I just sort of wish there was a bit more developed for the side characters or for the relationship.

[Tabby Kay · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kang Dae is a little bit of a black cloud hanging over a blue sky. He feels like things always go wrong for him, so he pushes everything good away to try and avoid the disappointment. Enter Bo Seon, a friendly new neighbor who’s a little too bubbly for Kang Dae to handle. But each encounter between them brings Kang Dae a little closer to accepting that sometimes he can have nice things.

This is an adorable slow burn neighbors to lovers romance. And I do mean slow burn, but it is only Volume #1. I love a good grumpy x sunshine pairing, and these two definitely fit the bill. It’s so heartwarming, and a little bit inspiring, seeing Kang Dae gradually open up to new people and experiences. I’d definitely recommend it to readers who love Heartstopper. It has a good vibe with a cozy art style and just a little bit of angsty backstory.

4⭐️s out of 5.

Thanks the NetGalley, the author, and Little, Brown Books for Young Readers for the eARC.

[Zephorah Dove · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m so stoked that this WEBTOON got published! I binged it weekly during the updates but had to request the DRC when I saw that a bonus chapter was being included. Rereading it is a joy and I’m experiencing all the same feels again, even though I know what happens next.

Bo Seon and Kang Dae are beyond adorable individuals and it was beautiful getting to see them become close. Kang Dae is so grumpy but is all heart eyes for Bo Seon. Watching them navigate dating for the first time had many humorous and also some very sad moments since they both have some baggage to unpack.

I’d definitely recommend if you’re into stories where people meet as strangers and become close, awakened first dating attempts, college life, lots of character development.

I cannot wait for the January 28th when it’ll officially be released.

Thanks so much to the publisher for the DRC!

[Randi (Rampant Reading Reviews) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved the flow of To the Stars and Back. The story was easy to get wrapped up in while reading, and it felt like an on-page version of how the days blend together into weeks and months. I was concerned that the story would feel disjointed, given that it was originally published in short segments on WebToon, but that was not the case.

I enjoyed the rich color that Peglo chose to fill the pages of To the Stars and Back. Their illustration style was dynamic and served the tone of the story. I especially enjoyed the amount of variety their characters had in their wardrobe- it made the story feel more like time was passing!

My Recommendation:
If you love queer slice-of-life stories in graphic novel form, you need to grab a copy of To the Stars and Back. I would especially recommend this book to fans of Heartstopper and Laura Dean Keeps Breaking Up With Me.

[Rebecca · Rating 4 out of 5]

Grumpy, misanthropic university student Kang Dae has few friends and prefers it that way. That's until he gets a new neighbor, ray of sunshine Bo Seon. Over a long friendship, they start getting to know each other, and learn what burdens each carries from their past. And they start to wonder, is this more than friendship?

I read this on Webtoons, and it was the slowest of slow-burn romances; often more a slice-of-life webtoon. It was so sweet, though, to watch their romance develop and unfurl. Though I'll admit reading it one episode a week (or so) did make it hard to remember who the other people in the Webtoon were; I assume that won't be an issue with a graphic novel. I didn't love the art style, which was a little loose and spiky for me, but I loved the story so happily stuck with it. I'd recommend it for grades 8+.