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Descent from An Altitude of 10,000 Meters
–“Soaring in the sky 10,000 meters high, I am with you, so don’t be afraid.”
It’s about planes landing on the ground, and also about love descending into the heart.
Gentle yet domineering star pilot x a bit stubborn and principle-driven air traffic controller
Chen Jiayu x Fang Hao
—
Three years ago, Chen Jiayu piloted Flight 416 during a severe engine incident, maneuvering an Airbus A330 full of passengers to a safe landing on the longest runway at Hong Kong International Airport with harrowing speed.
Known as the most successful crash landing in civil aviation history in a decade, his achievement made him a household name, but it also became a nightmare that haunted him for years. He thought that he had used up all his good luck in Hong Kong three years ago. Then, he met Fang Hao.
Fang Hao, who likes to be in control and holds the record for directing the most flights in a single hour at Daxing Airport, handling countless special and risky situations without batting an eye. However, upon encountering Chen Jiayu, he found himself losing control.
It’s about planes landing on the ground, and also about love descending into the heart.
Gentle yet domineering star pilot x a bit stubborn and principle-driven air traffic controller
Chen Jiayu x Fang Hao
—
Three years ago, Chen Jiayu piloted Flight 416 during a severe engine incident, maneuvering an Airbus A330 full of passengers to a safe landing on the longest runway at Hong Kong International Airport with harrowing speed.
Known as the most successful crash landing in civil aviation history in a decade, his achievement made him a household name, but it also became a nightmare that haunted him for years. He thought that he had used up all his good luck in Hong Kong three years ago. Then, he met Fang Hao.
Fang Hao, who likes to be in control and holds the record for directing the most flights in a single hour at Daxing Airport, handling countless special and risky situations without batting an eye. However, upon encountering Chen Jiayu, he found himself losing control.
1228 pages, ebook
First published January 1, 2022
19 people are currently reading
112 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews
August 19, 2025
This was SO GOOD!! easily up there with one of the best modern danmei’s I have read.
Chen Jiayu is an accomplished commercial pilot with some notoriety following an incident 3 years earlier where he successfully landed an Airbus A330 that had experienced twin engine failures. Chen Jiayu perhaps gets a little too complacent with getting some special treatment and ends up butting heads with the highly competent and no-nonsense Air Traffic Controller Fang Hao, who, while managing an in air incident, refuses to give Chen Jiayu preferential treatment in jumping the queue to land, leading to tension between the two.
This was a really lovely slice-of-life romance that felt very true to the challenges of real life. The reader follows alongside Chen Jiayu and Fang Hao becoming friends, and then becoming something more intimate. I enjoyed that although their physical chemistry was off the charts, the story doesn’t take short cuts on the difficult slow build of emotional trust between the two of them. Chen Jiayu and Fang Hao are both complex and interesting characters in their 30’s, who felt flawed and realistic in a way that sometimes felt frustrating, but also felt honest and relatable.
This is easily one of the spiciest Danmei I have read. I was so surprised when the first spicy scene popped up cause Chen Jiayu and Fang Hao get WILD with it (this is a medium boil relationship). If you read a lot of Danmei you know that often things are alluded to….HOWEVER NOT HERE…. Chen Jiayu very enthusiastically bangs the breaks off Fang Hao in pretty explicit detail whenever the chance presents itself lol. So I guess take that as you will and adjust your expectations as necessary hahaha.
I feel like it should be noted as a content warning that throughout this book Chen Jiayu is supporting his mother through late stage cancer and this story does tackle themes of loss and grief and that readers should check in with themselves if they are in the right place for this. There is also pretty extensive discussion about Chen Jaiyu’s PTSD following his emergency landing and various industry related stressors of both of their careers in aviation, so people with anxiety around flying may struggle with this.
I did find that I times the conflict fuelled by the lack of communication was frustrating because IF THEY JUST TALKED ABOUT IT WOULD BE FINE, but I also understood the barriers of pride and insecurity and the motivations and behaviours were very understandable.
I rated this 4.5 stars ✨ (I did find the lack of communication dragged for me a teeny tiny bit) however, I am going to rate up for the enjoyment this has given me while I have been in bed sick AND also because ALL 300Kish WORDS OF THIS is currently still available on Chrysanthemum Garden and the fan translation was of a pretty exceptional quality. However given that it has recently been licensed I wouldn’t expect it to stay up indefinitely…
Chen Jiayu is an accomplished commercial pilot with some notoriety following an incident 3 years earlier where he successfully landed an Airbus A330 that had experienced twin engine failures. Chen Jiayu perhaps gets a little too complacent with getting some special treatment and ends up butting heads with the highly competent and no-nonsense Air Traffic Controller Fang Hao, who, while managing an in air incident, refuses to give Chen Jiayu preferential treatment in jumping the queue to land, leading to tension between the two.
This was a really lovely slice-of-life romance that felt very true to the challenges of real life. The reader follows alongside Chen Jiayu and Fang Hao becoming friends, and then becoming something more intimate. I enjoyed that although their physical chemistry was off the charts, the story doesn’t take short cuts on the difficult slow build of emotional trust between the two of them. Chen Jiayu and Fang Hao are both complex and interesting characters in their 30’s, who felt flawed and realistic in a way that sometimes felt frustrating, but also felt honest and relatable.
This is easily one of the spiciest Danmei I have read. I was so surprised when the first spicy scene popped up cause Chen Jiayu and Fang Hao get WILD with it (this is a medium boil relationship). If you read a lot of Danmei you know that often things are alluded to….HOWEVER NOT HERE…. Chen Jiayu very enthusiastically bangs the breaks off Fang Hao in pretty explicit detail whenever the chance presents itself lol. So I guess take that as you will and adjust your expectations as necessary hahaha.
I feel like it should be noted as a content warning that throughout this book Chen Jiayu is supporting his mother through late stage cancer and this story does tackle themes of loss and grief and that readers should check in with themselves if they are in the right place for this. There is also pretty extensive discussion about Chen Jaiyu’s PTSD following his emergency landing and various industry related stressors of both of their careers in aviation, so people with anxiety around flying may struggle with this.
I did find that I times the conflict fuelled by the lack of communication was frustrating because IF THEY JUST TALKED ABOUT IT WOULD BE FINE, but I also understood the barriers of pride and insecurity and the motivations and behaviours were very understandable.
I rated this 4.5 stars ✨ (I did find the lack of communication dragged for me a teeny tiny bit) however, I am going to rate up for the enjoyment this has given me while I have been in bed sick AND also because ALL 300Kish WORDS OF THIS is currently still available on Chrysanthemum Garden and the fan translation was of a pretty exceptional quality. However given that it has recently been licensed I wouldn’t expect it to stay up indefinitely…
August 11, 2025
The Approach by La Rive Gauche will be published by Hai Tang (4 volumes). It’s 82 chapters with 4 extras and a FTL is currently still available on Chrysanthemum Garden. This novel was so refreshing and perfect if you are looking for the following:
✈️Characters that are lovable but realistic and flawed
✈️Mature romance with a lot of really well done 🌶️
✈️Flying! Pilot x ATC. So many details but it’s not boring at all. You will learn a lot about this field/profession and the pressure and stresses that come along with it.
✈️Dual POV
✈️Cast of characters in their 30s and career focused
✈️Slice of life, slower paced, focused on relationships and communication but some intense moments as expected with aviation
Very good translation, excellent writing!
I need more books like this 🥰
*If anyone has any recs for mature modern realistic novels please send them my way!
✈️Characters that are lovable but realistic and flawed
✈️Mature romance with a lot of really well done 🌶️
✈️Flying! Pilot x ATC. So many details but it’s not boring at all. You will learn a lot about this field/profession and the pressure and stresses that come along with it.
✈️Dual POV
✈️Cast of characters in their 30s and career focused
✈️Slice of life, slower paced, focused on relationships and communication but some intense moments as expected with aviation
Very good translation, excellent writing!
I need more books like this 🥰
*If anyone has any recs for mature modern realistic novels please send them my way!
January 6, 2026
after they got together idk i kinda felt this was not really going anywhere and started losing interest. it should be 40 chaps shorter ngl.
ive also noticed its a free gongzicp novel and so is tailhook. knowing chinese legit saves u monies and time.
ive also noticed its a free gongzicp novel and so is tailhook. knowing chinese legit saves u monies and time.
September 19, 2025
3.5⭐️
This one has a slow start, with aviation technicalities and a writing style that needs getting used to. I do think the professions—pilot & air traffic controllers—are fascinating, but it could get overwhelming sometimes. I’m also not a fan of the slice-of-life genre, and in this book everything is written in such a non-exciting way that I almost dnf-ed this a couple of times.
What I like is how the relationship progresses between these 2 mature men. They have to pass different hurdles, but they solve it by (finally) communicating properly. It’s also great to see how they both pour a lot of effort and care into this relationship to make it work.
Tldr; I recommend it for those who like slice-of-life, mature relationships, and aren’t afraid to read a lot of details about their professions.
This one has a slow start, with aviation technicalities and a writing style that needs getting used to. I do think the professions—pilot & air traffic controllers—are fascinating, but it could get overwhelming sometimes. I’m also not a fan of the slice-of-life genre, and in this book everything is written in such a non-exciting way that I almost dnf-ed this a couple of times.
What I like is how the relationship progresses between these 2 mature men. They have to pass different hurdles, but they solve it by (finally) communicating properly. It’s also great to see how they both pour a lot of effort and care into this relationship to make it work.
Tldr; I recommend it for those who like slice-of-life, mature relationships, and aren’t afraid to read a lot of details about their professions.
January 12, 2026
── 4.5✦
I started this at 1am, deciding to read maybe one or two chapters before going to bed. At 5am, I finally rested my tired eyes, woke up at noon and then proceeded to do nothing but read this story. Oh, this had me in a chokehold.
A modern danmei that follows Chen Jiayu, a pilot who became popular after landing a plane with double engine failure and Fang Hao, an air traffic controller known for his strictness when directing planes. A burst tire, delayed landings and tense confrontation over radio bring these two together. What started as antagonistic, slowly grew into a friendship and slid perfectly into a romance that had me kicking my feet.
It’s not often that I am impressed with how mature characters are when reading a romance book but Chen Jiayu and Fang Hao are so well-written. They actually act like the adults they are and even though I hate miscommunication, their inability to communicate properly was so well done because it made sense with all the traumatic events that had happened in their lives. Not once was I annoyed at either of them because I completely understood why they were acting the way they were. Bravo author.
I read this over at Chrysanthemum Garden but I know Hai Tang Books has picked it up for english licensing and I will definitely be getting myself a copy.
"You're a pilot. I am an air traffic controller. We each have our job. If you believe you can do it—go do it. Chen Jiayu, I don't care what anyone else says—as long as I'm working Approach, if you fall, I'll catch you. You fall a hundred times? I'll catch you a hundred times. As long as I'm here, you're not going down."
I started this at 1am, deciding to read maybe one or two chapters before going to bed. At 5am, I finally rested my tired eyes, woke up at noon and then proceeded to do nothing but read this story. Oh, this had me in a chokehold.
A modern danmei that follows Chen Jiayu, a pilot who became popular after landing a plane with double engine failure and Fang Hao, an air traffic controller known for his strictness when directing planes. A burst tire, delayed landings and tense confrontation over radio bring these two together. What started as antagonistic, slowly grew into a friendship and slid perfectly into a romance that had me kicking my feet.
It’s not often that I am impressed with how mature characters are when reading a romance book but Chen Jiayu and Fang Hao are so well-written. They actually act like the adults they are and even though I hate miscommunication, their inability to communicate properly was so well done because it made sense with all the traumatic events that had happened in their lives. Not once was I annoyed at either of them because I completely understood why they were acting the way they were. Bravo author.
I read this over at Chrysanthemum Garden but I know Hai Tang Books has picked it up for english licensing and I will definitely be getting myself a copy.
June 11, 2025
Why I Dropped The Approach at 41% ( Chapter 38 )
Maybe it’s a me problem — not the book’s fault. But here’s why I’m stepping away:
• It’s not slow burn; it’s sunlight-on-an-egg slow burn. (Yes, I’m the egg.)
• The pacing is 95% realistic — which I understand is intentional for deep character development — but I found myself zoning out. A few times.
• It’s well-written, just… not what I expected. And that might be on me for setting high expectations.
• I’m still mentally stuck in enemies-to-lovers territory after finishing True Color, so maybe my timing was off too. I yawned more than I wanted to.
That said, don’t let my review sway you — if you’re into a naturalistic romance, this might hit the spot for you. It just wasn’t what I needed right now.
Maybe it’s a me problem — not the book’s fault. But here’s why I’m stepping away:
• It’s not slow burn; it’s sunlight-on-an-egg slow burn. (Yes, I’m the egg.)
• The pacing is 95% realistic — which I understand is intentional for deep character development — but I found myself zoning out. A few times.
• It’s well-written, just… not what I expected. And that might be on me for setting high expectations.
• I’m still mentally stuck in enemies-to-lovers territory after finishing True Color, so maybe my timing was off too. I yawned more than I wanted to.
That said, don’t let my review sway you — if you’re into a naturalistic romance, this might hit the spot for you. It just wasn’t what I needed right now.
August 25, 2025
I went into this book with no expectations and was thoroughly blown away. First off, the story is incredibly well-researched: it's detailed enough to be believable without getting hung up on minute technicalities. In addition, the author does an amazing job with the characters and the romance. I was especially impressed by how their backstories are woven into the narrative without resorting to flashbacks. Both leads are nuanced and their struggles feel human. On top of that, they have crazy good chemistry. As a result, I was super invested in their relationship and found their character arcs really satisfying. Cannot recommend this enough. I can't believe this is the author's first foray into danmei. Will definitely keep an eye out for whatever they decide to do in the future.
June 11, 2025
I'm usually not one to read slice of life stories, but larivegauche's The Approach (its official English title) is just incredible. It has it all: mature romance, interesting setting, realistic and flawed characters, amazing smut, and of course piloting - obviously a great deal of research went into writing this one, I was absolutely fascinated. Don't let the "slice of life" fool you into thinking it might be boring, as it kept me on edge at all times.
Highly recommend both The Approach and its spinoff Tailhook , which is just as good.
Highly recommend both The Approach and its spinoff Tailhook , which is just as good.
February 22, 2025
"[...] La distancia desde cero hasta el infinito es igual de larga que la distancia desde uno hasta el infinito, ambas son infinitas. Te amaré toda la vida, eso es para siempre, ya sea en Hong Kong o en Beijing, en el cielo o en la tierra, en los momentos altos o bajos, estaré contigo."
Los amo, de verdad los amo demasiado. No hay reseña que describa lo que me hizo sentir esta novela. Me reí, me enamoré, me puse triste, me fustré y a veces, incluso te golpeaba lo tan "real" que podían llegar a ser los personajes a través de sus alegrias, miedos y ese "¿me atrevo o no me atrevo?" "¿Sufriré o seré feliz?" 🥺
Fang Hao y Chen Jiayu, son dos hombres con el corazón roto, además de eso, viven con un miedo arraigado en su corazón y su única compañía es la soledad acompañada de la rutina. Ambos trabajan con aviones, pero uno es piloto y el otro en la torre de control. Su primer encuentro, fue un completo choque, con opiniones y forma de abordar muuuy diferentes. Y al pasar los capítulos su relación se vuelve ambigua, y finalmente surge algo más. Sin embargo, su camino es turbulento, tal como un viaje en avión a larga distancia, deberán enfrentar turbulencias en el proceso de pilotaje, mal clima con miedos de relaciones pasadas, interferencias radiales de personas de su pasado e intentos de vislumbrar un futuro desconocido para ambos y DEMUESTRA, RETRATA lo importante que es la comunicación en este tipo de abordaje.
A pesar de todo, ellos desean aterrizar ese avión, confiando en el otro, tomando la mano del otro, sintiendo la presencia del otro y encontrando lo que perdieron a través del otro.
Los amo, de verdad los amo demasiado. No hay reseña que describa lo que me hizo sentir esta novela. Me reí, me enamoré, me puse triste, me fustré y a veces, incluso te golpeaba lo tan "real" que podían llegar a ser los personajes a través de sus alegrias, miedos y ese "¿me atrevo o no me atrevo?" "¿Sufriré o seré feliz?" 🥺
Fang Hao y Chen Jiayu, son dos hombres con el corazón roto, además de eso, viven con un miedo arraigado en su corazón y su única compañía es la soledad acompañada de la rutina. Ambos trabajan con aviones, pero uno es piloto y el otro en la torre de control. Su primer encuentro, fue un completo choque, con opiniones y forma de abordar muuuy diferentes. Y al pasar los capítulos su relación se vuelve ambigua, y finalmente surge algo más. Sin embargo, su camino es turbulento, tal como un viaje en avión a larga distancia, deberán enfrentar turbulencias en el proceso de pilotaje, mal clima con miedos de relaciones pasadas, interferencias radiales de personas de su pasado e intentos de vislumbrar un futuro desconocido para ambos y DEMUESTRA, RETRATA lo importante que es la comunicación en este tipo de abordaje.
A pesar de todo, ellos desean aterrizar ese avión, confiando en el otro, tomando la mano del otro, sintiendo la presencia del otro y encontrando lo que perdieron a través del otro.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 22, 2025
Am?? EXCUSE ME?? ES LA MEJOR PIEZA DE LITERATURA CONTEMPORANEA Q HE LEÍDO DIOSMIOOOO REVIVIERON EL AMOR!
Chen Jiayu, Fang Hao, ellos representan una parte del amor de la que casi no se habla. Nos muestran un camino escabroso y difícil, nos muestran dos vidas que distan de ser perfectas y nos muestran dos personas envueltas en cicatrices que deciden seguir adelante, aceptando cada zurco y herida del otro con el simple objetivo de estar juntos. Deciden estar juntos cada día.
Leerlos fue ver un amor de vida, cotidiano y a la vez tan infinito que solo puedes quedarte a observar.
Su camino no fue fácil, sus tropiezos tampoco, pero así se crean las historias.
Quisiera tener una mejor traducción para darles significado a tan bellas frases que tiene. Tocará conformarse con saber que les estoy chillando a la 1AM
So, it may be biased, pero 5 estrellas porque los amo.
Personajes:
Algo que me atrapó desde el inicio fue la construcción de los personajes, sean los principales o los secundarios, fueron tan lindos de leer, tan humanos, me sentí vista en cada uno de ellos, su forma de ver el mundo, su forma de interactuar con los demás. Lx autorx hizo un gran trabajo creando a mis amados.
Relación:
10/10 esto es un danmei, lo mínimo que espero es envidiarles el amor q la vida no me da, pero en este caso, me dejaron llorando brillitos de lo lindo que es su dinámica cotidiana. Todo lo que atraviesan, tanto externo como interno, es digno de admirar, tuvieron valor para caer el uno por el otro y aferrarse durante la caída. Se ganaron una vida de felicidad, estabilidad y paz mental.
Plot:
En general el plot es su vida, las consecuencias de sus trabajos y de sus reputaciones, pero lo maneja muy bien la autora, los conflictos los crean ellos por pendejos, pero ahí bien que los solucionan, 10/10 por esas tácticas.
Construcción:
La autora hizo un gran trabajo con el tema de la aviación, creo que ya puedo pasar un examen de conducción de aviones. Me encantó el esfuerzo que le puso a los detalles y la investigación, se nota que amó lo que escribió y honestamente, queen, merece 1000 besitos en la frente.
Y bueno, esa es mi reseña, háganse un favor y léanla.
Creo que ya aprendí a amar y al mismo tiempo jamás he tenido más miedo al compromiso, dejarle tu corazón a alguien más... si no es Chen Jiayu o Fang Hao, lo veo risky.
Tengo que terminar otras novelas, pero volveré por la segunda novela.
Chen Jiayu, Fang Hao, ellos representan una parte del amor de la que casi no se habla. Nos muestran un camino escabroso y difícil, nos muestran dos vidas que distan de ser perfectas y nos muestran dos personas envueltas en cicatrices que deciden seguir adelante, aceptando cada zurco y herida del otro con el simple objetivo de estar juntos. Deciden estar juntos cada día.
Leerlos fue ver un amor de vida, cotidiano y a la vez tan infinito que solo puedes quedarte a observar.
Su camino no fue fácil, sus tropiezos tampoco, pero así se crean las historias.
Quisiera tener una mejor traducción para darles significado a tan bellas frases que tiene. Tocará conformarse con saber que les estoy chillando a la 1AM
So, it may be biased, pero 5 estrellas porque los amo.
Personajes:
Algo que me atrapó desde el inicio fue la construcción de los personajes, sean los principales o los secundarios, fueron tan lindos de leer, tan humanos, me sentí vista en cada uno de ellos, su forma de ver el mundo, su forma de interactuar con los demás. Lx autorx hizo un gran trabajo creando a mis amados.
Relación:
10/10 esto es un danmei, lo mínimo que espero es envidiarles el amor q la vida no me da, pero en este caso, me dejaron llorando brillitos de lo lindo que es su dinámica cotidiana. Todo lo que atraviesan, tanto externo como interno, es digno de admirar, tuvieron valor para caer el uno por el otro y aferrarse durante la caída. Se ganaron una vida de felicidad, estabilidad y paz mental.
Plot:
En general el plot es su vida, las consecuencias de sus trabajos y de sus reputaciones, pero lo maneja muy bien la autora, los conflictos los crean ellos por pendejos, pero ahí bien que los solucionan, 10/10 por esas tácticas.
Construcción:
La autora hizo un gran trabajo con el tema de la aviación, creo que ya puedo pasar un examen de conducción de aviones. Me encantó el esfuerzo que le puso a los detalles y la investigación, se nota que amó lo que escribió y honestamente, queen, merece 1000 besitos en la frente.
Y bueno, esa es mi reseña, háganse un favor y léanla.
Creo que ya aprendí a amar y al mismo tiempo jamás he tenido más miedo al compromiso, dejarle tu corazón a alguien más... si no es Chen Jiayu o Fang Hao, lo veo risky.
Tengo que terminar otras novelas, pero volveré por la segunda novela.
October 4, 2025
это одна из лучших китайских новелл, что я читала в плане описания выстраивания отношений и подробностей жизни героев, которые с отношениями не связаны
webnovels
December 14, 2025What is this book?!! It completely blew me over! I love this book so so much!
I have never ever knew anything about pilots or planes/ Aviation actually 😅 but the amount of research that the author put into is just amazing! I loved how everything was explained without feeling like an info dump but rather made feel really included!!! Hell yess! And I definitely checked out more about it!! So💫
I loved how mental health and trauma was handled in this which is a rarity in most of the danmeis. Ughh! The way I literally got gobsmacked because WOW! Literal butterflies in me (hehe😉😚)
I absolutely adored the communication they had how realistic and mature it was it was like a breath of fresh air honestly!
I love to dynamics between them it first so much amazingness, I loved how they are characters for not just tropes but rather had solid emotions, short comings and problems that they worked out together! I loved the relationship they had with their colleagues, friends and family, it gave their character the much needed depth and made them really seem like adult men , and I loved how they had past relationships and how it all worked!
Everything development slowly and they had developed strong emotional connection before they got together!
And also Chen Jiayu is bisexual and this has reversible couple trope!!! One of my fav things!! It had me foaming aghh!!🤤
This is a hidden gem and one the most underrated danmei !!!
I just totally adore this novel, I'll definitely be re reading this because it is my top danmei everrr!!!
I have never ever knew anything about pilots or planes/ Aviation actually 😅 but the amount of research that the author put into is just amazing! I loved how everything was explained without feeling like an info dump but rather made feel really included!!! Hell yess! And I definitely checked out more about it!! So💫
I loved how mental health and trauma was handled in this which is a rarity in most of the danmeis. Ughh! The way I literally got gobsmacked because WOW! Literal butterflies in me (hehe😉😚)
I absolutely adored the communication they had how realistic and mature it was it was like a breath of fresh air honestly!
I love to dynamics between them it first so much amazingness, I loved how they are characters for not just tropes but rather had solid emotions, short comings and problems that they worked out together! I loved the relationship they had with their colleagues, friends and family, it gave their character the much needed depth and made them really seem like adult men , and I loved how they had past relationships and how it all worked!
Everything development slowly and they had developed strong emotional connection before they got together!
And also Chen Jiayu is bisexual and this has reversible couple trope!!! One of my fav things!! It had me foaming aghh!!🤤
This is a hidden gem and one the most underrated danmei !!!
I just totally adore this novel, I'll definitely be re reading this because it is my top danmei everrr!!!
December 24, 2025
4.25 Stars ⭐✈️
November 1, 2025
4.5 🌟 (read on chrysanthemum garden)
this was such a good book. i was in the mood to read a slice-of-life and after finding out this was exactly that but mature and with a vers couple, i immediately dived in. ngl, the beginning was a bit confusing cuz the technical jargon is pretty heavy but you get used to it once you keep reading. i loved the dynamic between the two and there was slight miscommunication at some points but it wasn’t too bad. the only thing that disappointed me was that they only switch one time 😭 i was fully prepared to read about a vers couple but was left hanging lmao. not a huge dealbreaker tho cuz the entire storyline makes up for it. the side couple also gets introduced and i’m so excited to read about them next. i also found out that this is the author’s debut novel and i am shocked. it was sooooo good and the smut was amazing.
this was such a good book. i was in the mood to read a slice-of-life and after finding out this was exactly that but mature and with a vers couple, i immediately dived in. ngl, the beginning was a bit confusing cuz the technical jargon is pretty heavy but you get used to it once you keep reading. i loved the dynamic between the two and there was slight miscommunication at some points but it wasn’t too bad. the only thing that disappointed me was that they only switch one time 😭 i was fully prepared to read about a vers couple but was left hanging lmao. not a huge dealbreaker tho cuz the entire storyline makes up for it. the side couple also gets introduced and i’m so excited to read about them next. i also found out that this is the author’s debut novel and i am shocked. it was sooooo good and the smut was amazing.
November 2, 2025
Excellent, mature and nuanced in the way it tackles emotional beats - I tried to savor it but could’t help but breeze through it. It avoids so many typical pitfalls and is so consistent internally, I’m amazed this is the author’s first novel.
December 6, 2025
This is probably the most unique book I’ve read.
📌 Air Traffic Controller x Pilot
This book opened up another perspective. I honestly didn’t know the scene behind flying. So after reading this I somehow feel comforted that when I am worrying during turbulence or just flying in general there are more people who are more worried and are doing their best to make every flights successful.
I honestly didn’t know that ATCs are working as hard as Pilots. They are the unsung heroes of the skies. It pains me that every successful flights they are not being acknowledged but just a one mistake and they are painted villains and all blame are on them.
📌 Air Traffic Controller x Pilot
This book opened up another perspective. I honestly didn’t know the scene behind flying. So after reading this I somehow feel comforted that when I am worrying during turbulence or just flying in general there are more people who are more worried and are doing their best to make every flights successful.
I honestly didn’t know that ATCs are working as hard as Pilots. They are the unsung heroes of the skies. It pains me that every successful flights they are not being acknowledged but just a one mistake and they are painted villains and all blame are on them.
October 1, 2025
Plot and character development with interesting niche spin first of these BL novels to come close to being a book I actually liked.
August 1, 2025
Cannot express how much I loved this one. Slice of life is always my favorite genre, and The Approach does it so well. It's really character driven, and I love the dual POVs. Chen Jiayu and Fang Hao understand each other so well and complement each other perfectly. They have such a steady relationship, and you can feel it even when they go through their rough patches. The plot isn't anything too crazy, and it's pretty technical! You can tell the author did a lot of research. I found it pretty interesting, and it folds into the plot very nicely. 10/10 obsessed
July 18, 2025
I’ve been reading danmei for some years now and this novel has shot up straight to the top with my favorites. For us, enjoyers of mature modern stories, this is a must read. I’m really happy I got to witness this glimpse of the wonderful life they’re just starting to build together ❤️
(also, I've read very few danmei with so many cars 👀🚗💨 iykyk)
(also, I've read very few danmei with so many cars 👀🚗💨 iykyk)
July 16, 2025
Uwahhh, the fan translation is finally done on C. Garden and I can review it. Note that there is a companion story to this one which is Tailhook which can also be read as a standalone.
I really enjoyed this one but I admit I do like Tailhook just a tad more. I think it comes down to me reading when the translation was not done and thus, some of the magic of the excitement of reading calmed down as it took another 7 more months for the translation to finally be done.
This novel is a mature novel with a slice of life featuring a pilot and an air traffic controller. As the book focuses on aviation, the author added a lot of elements to it and the translator did an amazing job explaining the terms and the incidents associated. The research that went into world building was telling.
This is also a very highly character driven novel, so let’s break down the characters. This story is told in the POV of Fang Hao, an air traffic controller (MC) and Chen Jiayu, the pilot (ML). Because of their highly controlling and assertive personalities, both butt heads when they met as Chen Jiayu attempted to push for a closer landing spot while Fang Hao denied his request (for good reason!). So, they initially disliked each other from the start. However, little by little they got to know each other and slowly developed a more amicable relationship and eventually acted on their attraction to one another. The story also focuses on their past traumas on-goings with Fang Hao struggling with trust issues because his ex cheated on him and Chen Jiayu going through some family issues with his ailing mother and later, an intense airline investigation due to a negligence and vengeful fellow pilot.
There were some intense slow burns in the start as the story slowly builds where they fall in love with each other, peaks at the point where neither could get over their traumas and struggles within the relationship leading to some angsty moments and eventually, ending on a beautiful note where I could seriously weep tears of joy when they finally resolved their issues and begin to open up to one another leading to a development of their relationship. This book focuses on two characters with different ways of communicating leading to miscommunication at times but done so well that it works beautifully for the plot. Given that both characters are highly compatible, they enjoy a high sexual relationship which means a substantial amount of smut scenes.
All in all, this is an amazing read featuring a realistic portrayal of a mature relationship as two people who could not be more different slowly let down their walls and let each other in. THIS IS A MUST READ for sure!
PS: A very big shout out to the translator who did an amazing work translating especially with all those aviation terms thrown in there.
I really enjoyed this one but I admit I do like Tailhook just a tad more. I think it comes down to me reading when the translation was not done and thus, some of the magic of the excitement of reading calmed down as it took another 7 more months for the translation to finally be done.
This novel is a mature novel with a slice of life featuring a pilot and an air traffic controller. As the book focuses on aviation, the author added a lot of elements to it and the translator did an amazing job explaining the terms and the incidents associated. The research that went into world building was telling.
This is also a very highly character driven novel, so let’s break down the characters. This story is told in the POV of Fang Hao, an air traffic controller (MC) and Chen Jiayu, the pilot (ML). Because of their highly controlling and assertive personalities, both butt heads when they met as Chen Jiayu attempted to push for a closer landing spot while Fang Hao denied his request (for good reason!). So, they initially disliked each other from the start. However, little by little they got to know each other and slowly developed a more amicable relationship and eventually acted on their attraction to one another. The story also focuses on their past traumas on-goings with Fang Hao struggling with trust issues because his ex cheated on him and Chen Jiayu going through some family issues with his ailing mother and later, an intense airline investigation due to a negligence and vengeful fellow pilot.
There were some intense slow burns in the start as the story slowly builds where they fall in love with each other, peaks at the point where neither could get over their traumas and struggles within the relationship leading to some angsty moments and eventually, ending on a beautiful note where I could seriously weep tears of joy when they finally resolved their issues and begin to open up to one another leading to a development of their relationship. This book focuses on two characters with different ways of communicating leading to miscommunication at times but done so well that it works beautifully for the plot. Given that both characters are highly compatible, they enjoy a high sexual relationship which means a substantial amount of smut scenes.
All in all, this is an amazing read featuring a realistic portrayal of a mature relationship as two people who could not be more different slowly let down their walls and let each other in. THIS IS A MUST READ for sure!
PS: A very big shout out to the translator who did an amazing work translating especially with all those aviation terms thrown in there.
January 2, 2026
I've read plenty of contemporary, slice-of-life m/m novels written in English, but never one written in Chinese. This is my first danmei read of this genre, and I really enjoyed it!
The basic trope is enemies-to-lovers/workplace lovers. Chen Jiayu is a celebrity pilot, famous for having made an incredible landing in Hong Kong after something goes wrong with his aircraft. Despite his fame, this incident still haunts him years later. Fang Hao is an airplane controller. He's formidable at his job, and that means taking no nonsense from any of the pilots under his control, not even (or least of all) celebrity pilots like Chen Jiayu.
The civilian aviation setting is one I haven't encountered before, and it was fascinating to get a glimpse of this world. After reading this book, I have a lot more respect for the pilots and controllers and will be slightly less impatient when there are delays!
The heart of this book is the growing relationship between Fang Hao and Chen Jiayu, and how this relationship demands that each not only dismantles his prejudices, but also confront the demons from the past. Tying self-confrontation with the formation of a relationship is pretty common in m/m stories, but I thought it was done very well here. The specific conflict that most bedeviled Fang Hao and Chen Jiayu felt insightful and realistic, given their personalities and histories.
I was fascinated by the world depicted here in terms of social etiquettes and norms. Though I've Chinese heritage, I've never lived or worked in China. It was interesting to see how guanxi and face were depicted here and how they play a big role in social interactions. Neither concept is exclusive to Chinese society, obviously, but the characters do seem more cognizant of them, and the upshot is that the people here seem more sensitive and thoughtful than in English m/m novels. There's almost an Austen-ian flare to the ebb and flow of interactions.
Our main characters are supported by a nicely fleshed-out cast of supporting characters. I dislike it when supporting characters seem to exist solely to be a sounding board for the MCs, and that definitely wasn't the case here. There's plenty of spice, once Fang Hao and Chen Jiayu get together. I breezed through these scenes, not because I'm against them in principle, but because they tend to slow the narrative. The mores in the bedroom are also interesting, which I won't get into here. All in all, a mature, sensitive, and heartwarming contemporary danmei romance that I enjoyed very much.
The basic trope is enemies-to-lovers/workplace lovers. Chen Jiayu is a celebrity pilot, famous for having made an incredible landing in Hong Kong after something goes wrong with his aircraft. Despite his fame, this incident still haunts him years later. Fang Hao is an airplane controller. He's formidable at his job, and that means taking no nonsense from any of the pilots under his control, not even (or least of all) celebrity pilots like Chen Jiayu.
The civilian aviation setting is one I haven't encountered before, and it was fascinating to get a glimpse of this world. After reading this book, I have a lot more respect for the pilots and controllers and will be slightly less impatient when there are delays!
The heart of this book is the growing relationship between Fang Hao and Chen Jiayu, and how this relationship demands that each not only dismantles his prejudices, but also confront the demons from the past. Tying self-confrontation with the formation of a relationship is pretty common in m/m stories, but I thought it was done very well here. The specific conflict that most bedeviled Fang Hao and Chen Jiayu felt insightful and realistic, given their personalities and histories.
I was fascinated by the world depicted here in terms of social etiquettes and norms. Though I've Chinese heritage, I've never lived or worked in China. It was interesting to see how guanxi and face were depicted here and how they play a big role in social interactions. Neither concept is exclusive to Chinese society, obviously, but the characters do seem more cognizant of them, and the upshot is that the people here seem more sensitive and thoughtful than in English m/m novels. There's almost an Austen-ian flare to the ebb and flow of interactions.
Our main characters are supported by a nicely fleshed-out cast of supporting characters. I dislike it when supporting characters seem to exist solely to be a sounding board for the MCs, and that definitely wasn't the case here. There's plenty of spice, once Fang Hao and Chen Jiayu get together. I breezed through these scenes, not because I'm against them in principle, but because they tend to slow the narrative. The mores in the bedroom are also interesting, which I won't get into here. All in all, a mature, sensitive, and heartwarming contemporary danmei romance that I enjoyed very much.
October 17, 2025
IT'S SO GOOD. I have a newfound respect for pilots and air traffic controllers. I usually just enjoy booking travels, but never realized how much work is involved in getting a plane to depart and land. I was Googling while reading this, because some of the incidents are based on real life plane crashes. As for the situations, this is a very mature, realistic novel, with characters experiencing relatable adult problems (e.g. getting a crappy evaluation after doing such a great job at work, couple's domestic fights about not doing your share of the chores, etc.). I want to pick up the author's other novel, Tailhook, which is in the same universe, but I'm not sure when Rosmei will release it.
August 23, 2025
The author has really done some in-depth research into the field of aeronautics, it was extremely interesting to read. The romance was realistic, sometimes bitter because of past traumas, but also extremely sweet and full of passion. I'm going to miss Fang Hao and Chen Jiayu a lot, I really enjoyed their characters and their development, my heart is light and full of warmth after such an enjoyable read.
October 11, 2025
Hombres maduros en sus 30’s
Mientras más juntos están, más se enamoran
Conflictos reales, pero con comunicación (aunque al principio les cueste, no dejan que se hagan muy grandes, saben que tienen problemas y que deben hablarlos)
Se apoyan en mutuamente, ambos dan y ambos reciben
Me encantó esta novela, es una lectura corta y sencilla, pero vale totalmente la pena
Plus aprendes varias cosas de aviación
Mientras más juntos están, más se enamoran
Conflictos reales, pero con comunicación (aunque al principio les cueste, no dejan que se hagan muy grandes, saben que tienen problemas y que deben hablarlos)
Se apoyan en mutuamente, ambos dan y ambos reciben
Me encantó esta novela, es una lectura corta y sencilla, pero vale totalmente la pena
Plus aprendes varias cosas de aviación
November 27, 2025
o livro em si não é focado em romance e sim tem o romance misturado junto a história e isso tornou o livro muito bom. o casal foi perfeito, eles crescem juntos e a velocidade de tudo deixa tão real eles. a autora foi perfeita por procurar de verdade sobre aviação antes de escrever e botar os termos certos e com a leitura do livro eu mesmo sem saber nada fui entendendo um pouco sobre aviação. no geral um livro muito bom, casal perfeito e história incrível.
February 6, 2026
I have always loved aviation and I watched Air Crash Investigation documentary since I was a child. The premise of this novel caught my attention and instantly got me hooked. It was my first time reading a danmei, I'm not quite sure if it will be the last, but I certainly enjoyed this.
February 4, 2025
INI TERLALU BAGUSSSS, AKU GAMON PARAH😭😭😭😭
CHEN JIAYUUUU🫶🏻🫶🏻🫶🏻🫶🏻FANG HAO♥️♥️♥️♥️
CHEN JIAYUUUU🫶🏻🫶🏻🫶🏻🫶🏻FANG HAO♥️♥️♥️♥️
November 17, 2025
This is a sloooooow burn. The pacing felt a bit off; I almost thought the book would never end.
January 28, 2026
3.5⭐️
Their Relationship was so exhausing even as an outsider. Sometimes MC's behavior was extremely unreasonable. It was average for me not bad, not good.
Their Relationship was so exhausing even as an outsider. Sometimes MC's behavior was extremely unreasonable. It was average for me not bad, not good.
January 28, 2026
This novel is a true page-turner. The characters are well developed, and their professions are portrayed in an engaging and detailed manner. This was my first time reading a novel that focuses extensively on pilots and air traffic controllers, and despite my lack of prior knowledge about these fields, the story never felt dull. On the contrary, the professional setting enhanced the narrative. I particularly appreciated how their shared work environment brought the characters closer together, while simultaneously becoming a source of conflict. It is safe to say that their encounters and much of the tension in the story were driven by their professions.
Chen Jiayu suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder as a result of a workplace incident. His trauma continues to haunt him throughout the novel, even as he actively attempts to heal. Meanwhile, Fang Hao carries emotional trauma caused by his toxic ex-boyfriend. What stands out most is the maturity of their relationship. Both characters make genuine efforts to communicate and resolve their issues, whether these stem from personal struggles that affect their relationship or from conflicts within the relationship itself. I was especially drawn to how attentive the Fang Hao was; he is portrayed as a caring and emotionally mature individual who truly deserves to be loved in the way the Chen Jiayu loves him.
The chemistry and emotional tension between the two protagonists are exceptional, which made it easy to root for their relationship. Whenever they argued, I found myself hoping for a timely resolution, and the author delivered this through well-written and believable reconciliations.
The storyline involving the Fanghao’s ex-boyfriend, as well as the presence of the so-called “second male leads” who pursue the Fanghao, played an important role in the Fanghao's character and in strengthening the bond with Chen Jiayu. At no point did the story feel stagnant or unengaging. The writing flows smoothly and is very easy to read. I highly recommend this novel to anyone looking for a satisfying slice of life romance.
Chen Jiayu suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder as a result of a workplace incident. His trauma continues to haunt him throughout the novel, even as he actively attempts to heal. Meanwhile, Fang Hao carries emotional trauma caused by his toxic ex-boyfriend. What stands out most is the maturity of their relationship. Both characters make genuine efforts to communicate and resolve their issues, whether these stem from personal struggles that affect their relationship or from conflicts within the relationship itself. I was especially drawn to how attentive the Fang Hao was; he is portrayed as a caring and emotionally mature individual who truly deserves to be loved in the way the Chen Jiayu loves him.
The chemistry and emotional tension between the two protagonists are exceptional, which made it easy to root for their relationship. Whenever they argued, I found myself hoping for a timely resolution, and the author delivered this through well-written and believable reconciliations.
The storyline involving the Fanghao’s ex-boyfriend, as well as the presence of the so-called “second male leads” who pursue the Fanghao, played an important role in the Fanghao's character and in strengthening the bond with Chen Jiayu. At no point did the story feel stagnant or unengaging. The writing flows smoothly and is very easy to read. I highly recommend this novel to anyone looking for a satisfying slice of life romance.
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