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Would You Like to Be a Family?
Families come in many shapes and sizes, and these three are no different!
Takemura is a loner with little interest in socializing with others. Bullied in high school for being gay, he prefers to spend time by himself so he won't get hurt again. When he runs into his bright, friendly coworker Natsui in the supermarket, he's surprised to find out that he's a single father... and even more surprised to be invited to dinner, with no room to decline!
Kuma is a good guy, but due to his constant scowl and rough appearance is often dismissed as a deadbeat. When he oversees his friend's older brother break up with his boyfriend, Yagi, Kuma becomes intrigued with this attractive stranger and slowly, his curiosity begins to blossom into a crush.
Kodama is a reserved psychology major who is approached by the loud, outgoing Harada when he falls ill on his way home. It turns out the two of them study at the same university, and Harada insists the two become friends. But as they spend more time with one another, Kodama begins to question how he truly feels.
Follow three very different relationships in this intimate collection of short Boys Love stories.
Takemura is a loner with little interest in socializing with others. Bullied in high school for being gay, he prefers to spend time by himself so he won't get hurt again. When he runs into his bright, friendly coworker Natsui in the supermarket, he's surprised to find out that he's a single father... and even more surprised to be invited to dinner, with no room to decline!
Kuma is a good guy, but due to his constant scowl and rough appearance is often dismissed as a deadbeat. When he oversees his friend's older brother break up with his boyfriend, Yagi, Kuma becomes intrigued with this attractive stranger and slowly, his curiosity begins to blossom into a crush.
Kodama is a reserved psychology major who is approached by the loud, outgoing Harada when he falls ill on his way home. It turns out the two of them study at the same university, and Harada insists the two become friends. But as they spend more time with one another, Kodama begins to question how he truly feels.
Follow three very different relationships in this intimate collection of short Boys Love stories.
176 pages, Paperback
Published September 21, 2021
36 people are currently reading
587 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 193 reviews
February 28, 2023
Fun and sweet, fluffy if lacking a bit in depth, but showing a development in the genre that I appreciate
It’s charts.
It’s just pictures.
That’s what I do for a living.
Hmmm.
When I was in my teens I watched and read a lot in this genre, most significantly Junjou Romantica. Time has progressed and in this bundling of three stories we not only have a gay family with an adoptive child (a bit light on the whole problems of single parenting, but really different from high schoolers which form the normal focus of the genre nonetheless), but also a story wherein the tropes concerning relationships (a.k.a. The taller, older, experienced person being on top and in the lead) is switched around.
I’d enjoyed seeing how Takemura and Natsui their relation, from the first story, turned out, and I feel that something like that would have added a bit more depth to the other two stories as well.
The last story stands out least, with me quite constantly thinking: what kind of classes do a third year psychology student and a business school major have together? Managerial psychology?
Finally it’s nice to see there is almost no backlash from society to the respective relationships in this bundle, given a vibe of some kind of progress.
Enjoyable and a 3.5 stars rounded down from me.
It’s charts.
It’s just pictures.
That’s what I do for a living.
Hmmm.
When I was in my teens I watched and read a lot in this genre, most significantly Junjou Romantica. Time has progressed and in this bundling of three stories we not only have a gay family with an adoptive child (a bit light on the whole problems of single parenting, but really different from high schoolers which form the normal focus of the genre nonetheless), but also a story wherein the tropes concerning relationships (a.k.a. The taller, older, experienced person being on top and in the lead) is switched around.
I’d enjoyed seeing how Takemura and Natsui their relation, from the first story, turned out, and I feel that something like that would have added a bit more depth to the other two stories as well.
The last story stands out least, with me quite constantly thinking: what kind of classes do a third year psychology student and a business school major have together? Managerial psychology?
Finally it’s nice to see there is almost no backlash from society to the respective relationships in this bundle, given a vibe of some kind of progress.
Enjoyable and a 3.5 stars rounded down from me.
September 7, 2021
This manga is awesome!
There are two stories following different characters.
The one at the beginning is an adult romance and the other that follows a young adult.
The genre is yaoi. However, it's beginner friendly.
I love their stories. The characters are realistic.
The artstyle is clean and the art sequence a treat to the eyes. It's easy to follow and well done.
Happy endings and lots of good feelings.
Thank you author/artist and the publisher for the advance reading copy.
There are two stories following different characters.
The one at the beginning is an adult romance and the other that follows a young adult.
The genre is yaoi. However, it's beginner friendly.
I love their stories. The characters are realistic.
The artstyle is clean and the art sequence a treat to the eyes. It's easy to follow and well done.
Happy endings and lots of good feelings.
Thank you author/artist and the publisher for the advance reading copy.
August 17, 2021
Sweet, bl manga is my newest obsession!
The three stories, plus the additional bonus content, introduced the reader to a lovable collection of characters and the concept that families and love can come in any shape, size, or package.
The first story was by far my favourite and I'm glad the bonus content at the end provided the reader with an insight to what came next for the trio it featured, from a new perspective. I wish more insights had been provided in other areas too, to give this book more depth overall. It still remained very sweet throughout, however.
The three stories, plus the additional bonus content, introduced the reader to a lovable collection of characters and the concept that families and love can come in any shape, size, or package.
The first story was by far my favourite and I'm glad the bonus content at the end provided the reader with an insight to what came next for the trio it featured, from a new perspective. I wish more insights had been provided in other areas too, to give this book more depth overall. It still remained very sweet throughout, however.
August 27, 2021
It'd be a clear 5 star read for a teen me, but not anymore. I found the story a bit more simplistic for the subject matter. That's fine, It's a mini manga and angst is not required Everytime, but three story with a very similar base story
1. i like you but Don't know how to act about it,
2.oh shit little misunderstanding,
3. gosh you love me too...
4.HEA
It seemed repetitive.
First story, Would you like to be a family is my personal fav from this lot. It's about a wallflower (Again not explored properly) and his boss from work and his son forming a relationship that blurs the line of friendship and love. I love the art style as well.
Kuma's Feeling is the second story which follows a confused guy seeking for love in a senior. My problem is showing Kuma naive and inexperience author tried to make readers sympathized for him, now he did stalk a guy, forced Himself on him, after not receiving a reciprocation his reaction was pretty manipulative . I found his character downright creepy. So when his love interest finally submitted, I could not care less. It's sorta unhealthy.
First Love Psychology the last one is another similar toned story With a psychology student and a freshmen in the center. Fluff is there, swoon is there but It's too simple for my liking.
All in all, It's a very weird assembly of stories. I wish last two were more like the titular one. 3 star rounded up. Thanks Netgalley & Tokyopop for sending me an arc copy
1. i like you but Don't know how to act about it,
2.oh shit little misunderstanding,
3. gosh you love me too...
4.HEA
It seemed repetitive.
First story, Would you like to be a family is my personal fav from this lot. It's about a wallflower (Again not explored properly) and his boss from work and his son forming a relationship that blurs the line of friendship and love. I love the art style as well.
Kuma's Feeling is the second story which follows a confused guy seeking for love in a senior. My problem is showing Kuma naive and inexperience author tried to make readers sympathized for him, now he did stalk a guy, forced Himself on him, after not receiving a reciprocation his reaction was pretty manipulative . I found his character downright creepy. So when his love interest finally submitted, I could not care less. It's sorta unhealthy.
First Love Psychology the last one is another similar toned story With a psychology student and a freshmen in the center. Fluff is there, swoon is there but It's too simple for my liking.
All in all, It's a very weird assembly of stories. I wish last two were more like the titular one. 3 star rounded up. Thanks Netgalley & Tokyopop for sending me an arc copy
August 13, 2021
3.5 rounded up because every story has its heart in the right place even if they aren't all perfectly written.
October 28, 2021
Este BL (tomo único) me ha gustado mucho, aunque se me ha hecho muy corto.
ㅤ
Cuenta la historia de Takemura, un hombre serio y adicto al trabajo al que le cuesta hacer amistades por un suceso del pasado. Hasta que Natsui se le empieza a acercar y poco a poco lo incluye en su vida y la de su hijo adoptivo.
ㅤ
Este manga tiene una historia llena de momentos dulces y cómicos, donde te enseñan que puedes encontrar una familia donde menos te lo esperas.
ㅤ
--------------------------
ㅤ
I really liked this BL (single volume), although it was very short.
ㅤ
It tells the story of Takemura, a serious and workaholic man who finds it difficult to make friends because of a past event. Until Natsui begins to approach him and little by little includes him in her life and that of her adopted son.
ㅤ
This manga has a story full of sweet and comic moments, where they teach you that you can find a family where you least expect it.
ㅤ
Cuenta la historia de Takemura, un hombre serio y adicto al trabajo al que le cuesta hacer amistades por un suceso del pasado. Hasta que Natsui se le empieza a acercar y poco a poco lo incluye en su vida y la de su hijo adoptivo.
ㅤ
Este manga tiene una historia llena de momentos dulces y cómicos, donde te enseñan que puedes encontrar una familia donde menos te lo esperas.
ㅤ
--------------------------
ㅤ
I really liked this BL (single volume), although it was very short.
ㅤ
It tells the story of Takemura, a serious and workaholic man who finds it difficult to make friends because of a past event. Until Natsui begins to approach him and little by little includes him in her life and that of her adopted son.
ㅤ
This manga has a story full of sweet and comic moments, where they teach you that you can find a family where you least expect it.
July 15, 2022
I loveeeeeeeed the first story! I could have read an entire book just about their happy little family. I really hope this becomes a series.
Reread July 15th, 2022:
Take, Natsui, and Mori’s story was the title one and my favorite of the 3 couples. It gave all the vibes of found family mixed with first love and just an overall happy enjoyable story. I really wish I got an entire book just about them. I know this is not going to be a series, but I really wish it was, because I could definitely get used to ready each volume about multiple couples a la Junjou Romantica.
Reread July 15th, 2022:
Take, Natsui, and Mori’s story was the title one and my favorite of the 3 couples. It gave all the vibes of found family mixed with first love and just an overall happy enjoyable story. I really wish I got an entire book just about them. I know this is not going to be a series, but I really wish it was, because I could definitely get used to ready each volume about multiple couples a la Junjou Romantica.
October 1, 2021
ARC provided by the publisher via NetGalley.
This manga brings us three different pairings in a sweet collection of stories about love, family, self-discovery and acceptance.
This was on the shorter side so it was harder to form deep connections, but I was pleasantly surprised by how refreshing and stigma free the relationships were - which is a joyful, rare thing in most Yaoi.
I would love to see more of these characters in the future!
This manga brings us three different pairings in a sweet collection of stories about love, family, self-discovery and acceptance.
This was on the shorter side so it was harder to form deep connections, but I was pleasantly surprised by how refreshing and stigma free the relationships were - which is a joyful, rare thing in most Yaoi.
I would love to see more of these characters in the future!
June 4, 2023
2.50 ★ — Need the second story to disappear FOREVER.
September 1, 2021
I was sent this book as an advance copy by the publisher via NetGalley for reviewing purposes, but all opinions are my own.
These were three cute short mangas about three different couples with different dynamics. By all means my favorite was the first one in which a single dad and his grumpy coworker get together. The other two stories were more conventional college romances that didn't leave a too big impression on me, but fortunately at the end there was also some bonus scenes with the family from the first story so i was happy about seeing them again.
Overall it was an enjoyable read, but because of how one trope is much more distinct than the other two (and a personal favorite of mine) and because the stories are in order from the most interesting to the most conventional the book felt a little non homogeneous. It felt like eating your favorite dish first and then immediately eating some mildly flavored crackers. But if you're someone who feels similarly about all the tropes used and are okay with the romances being short and sweet, i recommend checking this manga out (and if you're like me you could just read the first story last)
These were three cute short mangas about three different couples with different dynamics. By all means my favorite was the first one in which a single dad and his grumpy coworker get together. The other two stories were more conventional college romances that didn't leave a too big impression on me, but fortunately at the end there was also some bonus scenes with the family from the first story so i was happy about seeing them again.
Overall it was an enjoyable read, but because of how one trope is much more distinct than the other two (and a personal favorite of mine) and because the stories are in order from the most interesting to the most conventional the book felt a little non homogeneous. It felt like eating your favorite dish first and then immediately eating some mildly flavored crackers. But if you're someone who feels similarly about all the tropes used and are okay with the romances being short and sweet, i recommend checking this manga out (and if you're like me you could just read the first story last)
February 2, 2022
2.5
It was cute, but the first story was way better than the other two, those were a little bland (also I was way too ace for the make out/sex scenes that came out of nowhere, like those weren't even earned a little but whatever, I'm very biased on the issue, especially in any sort of graphic storytelling)
It was cute, but the first story was way better than the other two, those were a little bland (also I was way too ace for the make out/sex scenes that came out of nowhere, like those weren't even earned a little but whatever, I'm very biased on the issue, especially in any sort of graphic storytelling)
June 28, 2023
Great art. Pretty good for a selection of short stories!
March 4, 2025
ngl i read this fast and was confused for half of it but it was cute
Want to read
August 29, 2021First of all shout out to my main girl, TOKYOPOP. WELCOME BACK FROM THE DEAD. You’ve been missed! Also, thanks for the arc.
Would you like to be a family? Is a collection of three one-shot stories. The titular first story is about two gay office workers who connect and start having dinners together. Take is a rather antisocial guy who has been hurt in the past by his first crush and homophobic friends/classmates. As a result he is rather distrustful of people and avoid social interactions as best as he can so he doesn’t get hurt again. Natsui is a ball of sunshine who seems to have noticed him at work and tries his best to get Take to hang out with him. Natsui also has a son whom he adopted and really cherishes him. As the two adults bond and fall for each other the three of them become a small family.
I thought that the characters were really nice and the story was adorable. I loved that both men were working adults on equal footing. I liked how domestic Natsui was and how much he cared for his son. I felt for him when he talked about how and why he ended up adopting Mori and when he admitted that he was a bit lonely. Take made me laugh with how oblivious he was of Natsui’s feelings for him. But it made sense given how much he was afraid of getting his hopes up and being hurt again. The bonus story was so sweet, ahh!
The other two stories were a bit shorter and due to this felt a bit rushed at times. In the second story we meet Kuma, a short-tempered guy that others often mistake for a delinquent but who is otherwise harmless. I liked the part that he kept feeding stray cats with his friends and ended up loving milk as a result. He met and fell for a friend’s acquaintance who is an older guy in college. I wasn’t a fan of the age difference and the communication felt off between the two but at least the story was aware of these issues. It was an okay read.
The last story is about two college kids who have a meet cute at a train station. Realizing they go to the same school they start talking, but it turns out Harada already had his eyes on Kodama before so he tells him he likes him and asks him to be friends. Kodama agrees to it and as the psych major he is, ends up over analyzing every one of their interactions. I found this premise really funny. Is this how psych majors really are? The story uses his school research papers to prove him wrong about how he thinks about love and people and I really loved that twist. Probably this story was my favorite from the book in terms of the romantic resolution. The running joke of Harada mistaking psychics with psychologists and the fact that he had the audacity to show up with a Freud book was really funny.
I liked this volume, it was entertaining. If you just want to read some light boy’s love one-shots with nice art I would definitely recommend this book.
Things that could have been improved on were the dialogues. I felt the stories would have been smoother if more focus was put on communication between the couples. There were a lot of internal monologues and self-doubt that could have been avoided this way. For the first story the build up was better as they had more time to get to know each other but especially for the short stories, things felt a bit too insta-lovey. While the attractions were mutual the kisses often felt sudden with little build up to it. And there were also some bed scenes that really caught me off guard.
Would you like to be a family? Is a collection of three one-shot stories. The titular first story is about two gay office workers who connect and start having dinners together. Take is a rather antisocial guy who has been hurt in the past by his first crush and homophobic friends/classmates. As a result he is rather distrustful of people and avoid social interactions as best as he can so he doesn’t get hurt again. Natsui is a ball of sunshine who seems to have noticed him at work and tries his best to get Take to hang out with him. Natsui also has a son whom he adopted and really cherishes him. As the two adults bond and fall for each other the three of them become a small family.
I thought that the characters were really nice and the story was adorable. I loved that both men were working adults on equal footing. I liked how domestic Natsui was and how much he cared for his son. I felt for him when he talked about how and why he ended up adopting Mori and when he admitted that he was a bit lonely. Take made me laugh with how oblivious he was of Natsui’s feelings for him. But it made sense given how much he was afraid of getting his hopes up and being hurt again. The bonus story was so sweet, ahh!
The other two stories were a bit shorter and due to this felt a bit rushed at times. In the second story we meet Kuma, a short-tempered guy that others often mistake for a delinquent but who is otherwise harmless. I liked the part that he kept feeding stray cats with his friends and ended up loving milk as a result. He met and fell for a friend’s acquaintance who is an older guy in college. I wasn’t a fan of the age difference and the communication felt off between the two but at least the story was aware of these issues. It was an okay read.
The last story is about two college kids who have a meet cute at a train station. Realizing they go to the same school they start talking, but it turns out Harada already had his eyes on Kodama before so he tells him he likes him and asks him to be friends. Kodama agrees to it and as the psych major he is, ends up over analyzing every one of their interactions. I found this premise really funny. Is this how psych majors really are? The story uses his school research papers to prove him wrong about how he thinks about love and people and I really loved that twist. Probably this story was my favorite from the book in terms of the romantic resolution. The running joke of Harada mistaking psychics with psychologists and the fact that he had the audacity to show up with a Freud book was really funny.
I liked this volume, it was entertaining. If you just want to read some light boy’s love one-shots with nice art I would definitely recommend this book.
Things that could have been improved on were the dialogues. I felt the stories would have been smoother if more focus was put on communication between the couples. There were a lot of internal monologues and self-doubt that could have been avoided this way. For the first story the build up was better as they had more time to get to know each other but especially for the short stories, things felt a bit too insta-lovey. While the attractions were mutual the kisses often felt sudden with little build up to it. And there were also some bed scenes that really caught me off guard.
September 17, 2021
I received this manga from the publisher/Netgalley in exchange of an honest review.
When I saw this cover I just had to request it over at Netgalley, it looked too cute to pass by. But I guess I should have read that blurb as well. XD
In this book we apparently not just get this couple, which was very confusing. I didn’t even realise it until I suddenly got different characters and I found myself scrolling back to see if I missed something. XD I thought at first that maybe we went back in time… but then the characters had different names. Haha, that is what I get for just going by the cover and the title. In the end while it was confusing at first (and also the second time) I did have fun reading the other two stories. Loved reading about Kuma and Kodama, see them find the guy they like, come out, figure out their feelings. Yes, there is plenty of drama and at times I found myself rolling my eyes because come on just talk for crying out loud.
On the first story, that was just the cutest. Two colleagues, one a loner and the other more sociable. One afraid of being hurt again, the other a single father with a sad past. One day these two meet up in the grocery store and then things get very cute very fast and I found myself rooting for these two. For it to work because they sure have chemistry. I loved seeing Take get closer to not just the man he likes but also to his son (though it took a while for them to really go well because for most the little guy treated Take as a rival to his father’s affections and I had a big laugh seeing Take brag about things as well). I loved how they slowly became more and more a family and I loved it even more seeing Take come out of his shell. See him loosen up at work as well. There was a bit of drama, which had me rolling my eyes, I am so not a fan of that kind of stuff in romance books.
I am glad that in the end we also got a bonus story about them, this time our little boy is going to Junior High and our family is moving to a bigger house.
This was a sweet manga and I quite enjoyed it!
I really liked the art! It fitted with the cute stories.
So can we please get a manga fully with the characters from the first story? Please? I just want more!
All in all, I am happy I had the chance to read this Boys Love manga and I hope that more get translated in English.
Review first posted at https://twirlingbookprincess.com/
When I saw this cover I just had to request it over at Netgalley, it looked too cute to pass by. But I guess I should have read that blurb as well. XD
In this book we apparently not just get this couple, which was very confusing. I didn’t even realise it until I suddenly got different characters and I found myself scrolling back to see if I missed something. XD I thought at first that maybe we went back in time… but then the characters had different names. Haha, that is what I get for just going by the cover and the title. In the end while it was confusing at first (and also the second time) I did have fun reading the other two stories. Loved reading about Kuma and Kodama, see them find the guy they like, come out, figure out their feelings. Yes, there is plenty of drama and at times I found myself rolling my eyes because come on just talk for crying out loud.
On the first story, that was just the cutest. Two colleagues, one a loner and the other more sociable. One afraid of being hurt again, the other a single father with a sad past. One day these two meet up in the grocery store and then things get very cute very fast and I found myself rooting for these two. For it to work because they sure have chemistry. I loved seeing Take get closer to not just the man he likes but also to his son (though it took a while for them to really go well because for most the little guy treated Take as a rival to his father’s affections and I had a big laugh seeing Take brag about things as well). I loved how they slowly became more and more a family and I loved it even more seeing Take come out of his shell. See him loosen up at work as well. There was a bit of drama, which had me rolling my eyes, I am so not a fan of that kind of stuff in romance books.
I am glad that in the end we also got a bonus story about them, this time our little boy is going to Junior High and our family is moving to a bigger house.
This was a sweet manga and I quite enjoyed it!
I really liked the art! It fitted with the cute stories.
So can we please get a manga fully with the characters from the first story? Please? I just want more!
All in all, I am happy I had the chance to read this Boys Love manga and I hope that more get translated in English.
Review first posted at https://twirlingbookprincess.com/
June 17, 2022
So there are 3 different stories in this book.
Would You Like to be a Family?-- 3.5/4 stars. Takemura and Masaki and both great, and so is the child Mori. I love how it's about a romance where one of the parties is a single parent, and I wish that the whole volume was just for this story because there's lots to explore here. This story carries the whole volume, and the fun bits at the end were great.
Kuma's Feelings-- 1.5 stars. It is so fast paced, I had no grasp of the MC Kuma, and though technically there's nothing wrong with it I don't love the age gap. Don't ship the characters. So I didn't like it, BUT it gets a half star because I looooooove the character design for Yagi 🥰 He's my favorite part of the story. Characters with glasses, amirite?
The First Love Psychology-- 1 star. I don't even remember what happens in it. I thought it was pretty boring....
Would You Like to be a Family?-- 3.5/4 stars. Takemura and Masaki and both great, and so is the child Mori. I love how it's about a romance where one of the parties is a single parent, and I wish that the whole volume was just for this story because there's lots to explore here. This story carries the whole volume, and the fun bits at the end were great.
Kuma's Feelings-- 1.5 stars. It is so fast paced, I had no grasp of the MC Kuma, and though technically there's nothing wrong with it I don't love the age gap. Don't ship the characters. So I didn't like it, BUT it gets a half star because I looooooove the character design for Yagi 🥰 He's my favorite part of the story. Characters with glasses, amirite?
The First Love Psychology-- 1 star. I don't even remember what happens in it. I thought it was pretty boring....
August 27, 2021
*Thanks to NetGalley for this arc in exchange for an honest review*
This was a sweet, albeit disjointed and forgettable, BL anthology. The manga primarily follows Takemura, a grumpy workaholic who is used to keeping others at a distance as he falls for his coworker Masaki, who also struggles with loneliness while taking care of his adoptive son Mori on his own. I wish this solely anthology could have just focused on the first story with Take & Masaki to allow further relationship development, but since each story was so short I really couldn’t get myself to connect to any one particular story or character. I did think the jealous/competitive dynamic between Takemura and was super cute and a fun though.
This was a sweet, albeit disjointed and forgettable, BL anthology. The manga primarily follows Takemura, a grumpy workaholic who is used to keeping others at a distance as he falls for his coworker Masaki, who also struggles with loneliness while taking care of his adoptive son Mori on his own. I wish this solely anthology could have just focused on the first story with Take & Masaki to allow further relationship development, but since each story was so short I really couldn’t get myself to connect to any one particular story or character. I did think the jealous/competitive dynamic between Takemura and was super cute and a fun though.
October 21, 2021
ARC provided by Netgalley.
This manga contains three short bl love stories.
Since they were on the shorter side, i found it hard to form a connection to the characters.
I liked the first story better, about two co-workers and a little boy. I feel like more context was given and it made be able to actually enjoy the characters and the story.
In terms of the two remaining,however, we were given almost no context so i found it hard to find them enjoyable.
Also, a major characteristic of these stories was the « insta-love » trope which i personally do not like.
Apart from that, it was nice and refreshing to have three stigma free and wholesome stories, which is honestly quite rare in the bl world.
This manga contains three short bl love stories.
Since they were on the shorter side, i found it hard to form a connection to the characters.
I liked the first story better, about two co-workers and a little boy. I feel like more context was given and it made be able to actually enjoy the characters and the story.
In terms of the two remaining,however, we were given almost no context so i found it hard to find them enjoyable.
Also, a major characteristic of these stories was the « insta-love » trope which i personally do not like.
Apart from that, it was nice and refreshing to have three stigma free and wholesome stories, which is honestly quite rare in the bl world.
September 13, 2021
This book is full of sweet stories of finding love. The Family story is only about half the book. It's sweet and charming, and I'm a bit sad that we don't get to spend more time with Takemura, Natsui, and Mori because the epilogue is one of the sweetest things ever. The rest of the stories are also good, with a charming thread of positive guy meets quiet introvert that makes for delightfully satisfying stories.
The art is pretty run-of-the-mill for boy's love. It fits the stories and the characters are easy to tell apart, that's all that I ask for when the stories are good enough to carry themselves.
Happy thanks to NetGalley and TOKYOPOP, LOVE x LOVE for the early read!
The art is pretty run-of-the-mill for boy's love. It fits the stories and the characters are easy to tell apart, that's all that I ask for when the stories are good enough to carry themselves.
Happy thanks to NetGalley and TOKYOPOP, LOVE x LOVE for the early read!
December 9, 2021
Sweet and wholesome
September 20, 2021
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An e-copy of the book has been provided by the publisher, Tokyo Pop, in exchange for an honest review.
A collection of three adorable short stories, Would You Life To Be A Family? is such a beautiful reminder of why I love reading BL manga.
What makes this manga bundle special is the first story. It tackles so much issue; from being a single parent, having the fear of rejection and being ostracized for being gay, and having a gay family. Although these topics are in a lighter tone, it still is fascinating to have the experience of seeing the possibilities and effects of actions.
The other stories are more of a simpler plot line. One is about a high schooler who fell for a college guy. And, the other, is about a story of two college student who happens to be in the same class (at least some of it). The weird thing about the latter is that the two students are actually of two different specialties. It is kind of confusing as to how the scheduling for their classes work for a business and psychology student to really be colliding. As much as I am aware of the possibility of collision between the two, it still feels a little weird.
Overall, I really enjoyed this book and I find myself really loving the characters. For someone who is looking for a good starting yaoi manga that isn’t heavy, I highly recommend this one.
An e-copy of the book has been provided by the publisher, Tokyo Pop, in exchange for an honest review.
A collection of three adorable short stories, Would You Life To Be A Family? is such a beautiful reminder of why I love reading BL manga.
What makes this manga bundle special is the first story. It tackles so much issue; from being a single parent, having the fear of rejection and being ostracized for being gay, and having a gay family. Although these topics are in a lighter tone, it still is fascinating to have the experience of seeing the possibilities and effects of actions.
The other stories are more of a simpler plot line. One is about a high schooler who fell for a college guy. And, the other, is about a story of two college student who happens to be in the same class (at least some of it). The weird thing about the latter is that the two students are actually of two different specialties. It is kind of confusing as to how the scheduling for their classes work for a business and psychology student to really be colliding. As much as I am aware of the possibility of collision between the two, it still feels a little weird.
Overall, I really enjoyed this book and I find myself really loving the characters. For someone who is looking for a good starting yaoi manga that isn’t heavy, I highly recommend this one.
October 4, 2021
Would you like to be a family by is a collection of three adorable short stories.
Takemura is a loner with little interest in socializing with others. Bullied in high school for being gay, he prefers to spend time by himself so he won't get hurt again. When he runs into his bright, friendly coworker Natsui in the supermarket, he's surprised to find out that he's a single father... and even more surprised to be invited to dinner, with no room to decline!
Kuma is a good guy, but due to his constant scowl and rough appearance is often dismissed as a deadbeat. When he oversees his friend's older brother break up with his boyfriend, Yagi, Kuma becomes intrigued with this attractive stranger and slowly, his curiosity begins to blossom into a crush.
Kodama is a reserved psychology major who is approached by the loud, outgoing Harada when he falls ill on his way home. It turns out the two of them study at the same university, and Harada insists the two become friends. But as they spend more time with one another, Kodama begins to question how he truly feels.
The stories were cute but if only one story was focused it would have been better. It got a bit confusing to understand where the other story started suddenly.
The stories are very fluffy and warm.
The illustrations are very well done.
I definitely liked the first story the most but the other two were also quite good.
Overall, a soft and warm book to read.
Takemura is a loner with little interest in socializing with others. Bullied in high school for being gay, he prefers to spend time by himself so he won't get hurt again. When he runs into his bright, friendly coworker Natsui in the supermarket, he's surprised to find out that he's a single father... and even more surprised to be invited to dinner, with no room to decline!
Kuma is a good guy, but due to his constant scowl and rough appearance is often dismissed as a deadbeat. When he oversees his friend's older brother break up with his boyfriend, Yagi, Kuma becomes intrigued with this attractive stranger and slowly, his curiosity begins to blossom into a crush.
Kodama is a reserved psychology major who is approached by the loud, outgoing Harada when he falls ill on his way home. It turns out the two of them study at the same university, and Harada insists the two become friends. But as they spend more time with one another, Kodama begins to question how he truly feels.
The stories were cute but if only one story was focused it would have been better. It got a bit confusing to understand where the other story started suddenly.
The stories are very fluffy and warm.
The illustrations are very well done.
I definitely liked the first story the most but the other two were also quite good.
Overall, a soft and warm book to read.
October 4, 2021
Fun and sweet
Key words: yaoi, shonen-ai, romance, short stories, contemporary fiction
This manga is a collection of three stories. I would qualify the first and the third one as shonen-ai as they do not have any mature scenes but the second one has a little bit of it so it is more on the yaoi side.
All three stories are about falling in love so we follow the characters in their journey to the realisation they love someone of the same sex and once they declare their love, the story stops. As the stories are quite short, there is not much depth but it is really fun and sweet. I liked the first one the best because I felt like it was the most development one (also the bonus is about this story).
I recommend to people looking for a short yaoi/shonen-ai. It is also good to start this genre.
3/5
Thank you Netgalley for this eArc in exchange of my honest opinion
Key words: yaoi, shonen-ai, romance, short stories, contemporary fiction
This manga is a collection of three stories. I would qualify the first and the third one as shonen-ai as they do not have any mature scenes but the second one has a little bit of it so it is more on the yaoi side.
All three stories are about falling in love so we follow the characters in their journey to the realisation they love someone of the same sex and once they declare their love, the story stops. As the stories are quite short, there is not much depth but it is really fun and sweet. I liked the first one the best because I felt like it was the most development one (also the bonus is about this story).
I recommend to people looking for a short yaoi/shonen-ai. It is also good to start this genre.
3/5
Thank you Netgalley for this eArc in exchange of my honest opinion
September 17, 2021
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. I have received an ARC of this book by NetGalley, and Tokyopop and I am voluntarily leaving an honest review. The Pub date of the book is September 21, 2021. This review will be posted on my Goodreads, Facebook page and Instagram.
I found this whole volume very adorable. The individual stories make us want them to be more developed and with more happenings. Bigger. My favorite was the first one and although I think a whole volume would be good for each story to be better developed, I really enjoyed reading and entertaining with the characters in every story. Each story had its peculiarity and amount of cuteness.
I liked and recommended if you like cute stories and adorable characters.
I found this whole volume very adorable. The individual stories make us want them to be more developed and with more happenings. Bigger. My favorite was the first one and although I think a whole volume would be good for each story to be better developed, I really enjoyed reading and entertaining with the characters in every story. Each story had its peculiarity and amount of cuteness.
I liked and recommended if you like cute stories and adorable characters.
September 30, 2021
A wholesome collection of short stories! Would You Like to Be A Family by Koyama is a light and adorable BL manga about found family. It also tackled issues such as stereotyping and rejection. The minor issue that I had was since it was short, it lacked depth and could have been expanded more. The second story was about a high schooler who looked like a delinquent who started questioning his sexual identity after meeting a gay college student. Lastly, the third story was about a psychology student who was studying what "loved" truly is. Although the first story was definitely my favorite, all three were enjoyable as well.
3.5/5 stars!
I would like to thank Tokpopop and Netgalley for the review copy. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
3.5/5 stars!
I would like to thank Tokpopop and Netgalley for the review copy. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
September 2, 2021
2/09/2021
3 ⭐️
Very cute but lacking depth overall! I really enjoyed the first story but felt really unattached to the other two, so I really liked that we got a sort of epilogue for the first story!
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StoryGraph
3 ⭐️
Very cute but lacking depth overall! I really enjoyed the first story but felt really unattached to the other two, so I really liked that we got a sort of epilogue for the first story!
Blog | Letterboxd | Instagram | Tumblr | Twitter
StoryGraph
November 22, 2021
3.5 ⭐️
A collection of three one-shot stories with cute tropes and a very much appreciated adorable extra, allowing you to get to know these adorable characters and their unique family dynamic even better!
story 1: would you like to be a family?
Grumpy/sunshine trope. The first story is about 2 office workers, antisocial Takemura and the adorable Natsui who is honestly just a ball of sunshine (his smile – so adorable-). Takemura has been hurt in the past and therefore keeps his distance from people, however when he bumps into Natsui… and his son?!… doing groceries things change! I thought this story was adorable! First off, I loved the art-style! That’s definitely something that has a huge impact on my reading experience! But I loved this one! Then about the story itself! I loved the contrast between the sunny personality of Natsui and the “moody/standoffish (while actually being scared of getting hurt again – yes I won’t spoil anything but I very much appreciated the backstory we get)” vibe of Take. What also added so much fun and more dynamic to the story was Natsui’s son Mori! He had such a cutely aggressive and possessive personality– and seeing him and Take interact had me smiling and grinning all the time! Natsui and Mori are an adorable family and I just love how they dragged Takemura into their midst and he slowly becomes part of that too!
story 2: kuma’s feelings
Age difference trope. The second story is about Kuma and Yagi. Kuma is a high schooler, often mistaken for a bully/delinquent thanks to his school’s reputation, but he is actually harmless. When he goes home with his friend Usami he meets college student Yagi. Their first meeting left an impression on Kuma and throughout the story you see him trying to win over Yagi. I just did not feel this one… I personally love the “age difference trope” but this combo was a miss for me. I felt like Yagi was truly reluctant at certain points to accept Kuma’s advantages (and while it could have been funny it made me cringe and feel kinda awkward). Kuma is coming on very strong (he sure is aware and trying to hold back lol but oh well “highschool and all that”) and Yagi is just so soft and not outspoken enough. Also, I felt like his friend was just insensitive and kinda weird hahaha. I just couldn’t connect with these characters and felt sorry for Yagi… It just did not work for me… but the art is still very pretty and it might work for other people!
story 3: the first love psychology
Insta love – meet cute – standoffish/”emotionless” handsome guy + cute yet dumb guy trope. The third story is about Harada and Kodama, two college students who first meet at the train station. Kodama is a psychology student and Harada a first-year business major. And then they meet again! Once Harada and Kodama realise, they go to the same school Harada tells Kodama he likes him and asks him to be friends. While I feel like this story was a bit short it really enjoyed it! I personally enjoyed it even more because I am currently following a psychology minor and they actually got the facts right in this story! I liked the added facts/theories used by the Kodama, and how he (often analytically relying too much on his psychology knowledge haha) tries to discover what love is! OH! And Harada’s personality was just hilarious and adorable! I liked how they kept the story – romance wise – light and fluffy! Time/development wise it was 100% the right choice! The ending was well thought off too, I just wished the story was a bit longer! In my opinion another extra could have been added for this couple haha!
extra: what happened after
YAYYY! So it took me a while to understand that this was a collection of stories WHICH HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH EACH OTHER haha so at the time I was so happy to finally read the name of a character I knew haha! With this extra/short-story we go back to the original/first story “would you like to be a family?” I was so happy to see them again! This time mori is grown a bit and we get to read about what happened in beween – aaaa I don’t even need to say anything else. Just some very much appreciated feel good pages!
All in all, I really enjoyed reading this manga. I was a bit confused by the 3 stories + extra structure. The first story is the longest and I also felt like this allowed me to get to know the character’s best! The 2 stories which followed were shorter and I felt like this caused them to be a bit “cliché?” or maybe rushed is a better word (it didn’t leave a lot of room for story development). I personally just couldn’t really connect with the second story. The third story however was really nice! While it was indeed shorter I was not bothered by it that much (until it ended haha, I didn’t want it to be over yet) thanks to the fact that it covered an “insta love” trope! That was definitely smart thinking. I think the way they used the psychology theories throughout the story was really funny and smart too! I just wished it was a bit longer!
Still, I would very much recommend this adorable collection, with a heads up that it consists of multiple (not connected) stories! While it does include some intimate scenes it is definitely a light boy’s love collection, perfect for one who wants to start reading manga of this genre (or for someone who is in very much need of a break after reading too many angsty BL haha). Thank you so much Netgalley, Independent Publishers Group & Tokyopop for approving my NetGalley request and providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review!
A collection of three one-shot stories with cute tropes and a very much appreciated adorable extra, allowing you to get to know these adorable characters and their unique family dynamic even better!
story 1: would you like to be a family?
Grumpy/sunshine trope. The first story is about 2 office workers, antisocial Takemura and the adorable Natsui who is honestly just a ball of sunshine (his smile – so adorable-). Takemura has been hurt in the past and therefore keeps his distance from people, however when he bumps into Natsui… and his son?!… doing groceries things change! I thought this story was adorable! First off, I loved the art-style! That’s definitely something that has a huge impact on my reading experience! But I loved this one! Then about the story itself! I loved the contrast between the sunny personality of Natsui and the “moody/standoffish (while actually being scared of getting hurt again – yes I won’t spoil anything but I very much appreciated the backstory we get)” vibe of Take. What also added so much fun and more dynamic to the story was Natsui’s son Mori! He had such a cutely aggressive and possessive personality– and seeing him and Take interact had me smiling and grinning all the time! Natsui and Mori are an adorable family and I just love how they dragged Takemura into their midst and he slowly becomes part of that too!
story 2: kuma’s feelings
Age difference trope. The second story is about Kuma and Yagi. Kuma is a high schooler, often mistaken for a bully/delinquent thanks to his school’s reputation, but he is actually harmless. When he goes home with his friend Usami he meets college student Yagi. Their first meeting left an impression on Kuma and throughout the story you see him trying to win over Yagi. I just did not feel this one… I personally love the “age difference trope” but this combo was a miss for me. I felt like Yagi was truly reluctant at certain points to accept Kuma’s advantages (and while it could have been funny it made me cringe and feel kinda awkward). Kuma is coming on very strong (he sure is aware and trying to hold back lol but oh well “highschool and all that”) and Yagi is just so soft and not outspoken enough. Also, I felt like his friend was just insensitive and kinda weird hahaha. I just couldn’t connect with these characters and felt sorry for Yagi… It just did not work for me… but the art is still very pretty and it might work for other people!
story 3: the first love psychology
Insta love – meet cute – standoffish/”emotionless” handsome guy + cute yet dumb guy trope. The third story is about Harada and Kodama, two college students who first meet at the train station. Kodama is a psychology student and Harada a first-year business major. And then they meet again! Once Harada and Kodama realise, they go to the same school Harada tells Kodama he likes him and asks him to be friends. While I feel like this story was a bit short it really enjoyed it! I personally enjoyed it even more because I am currently following a psychology minor and they actually got the facts right in this story! I liked the added facts/theories used by the Kodama, and how he (often analytically relying too much on his psychology knowledge haha) tries to discover what love is! OH! And Harada’s personality was just hilarious and adorable! I liked how they kept the story – romance wise – light and fluffy! Time/development wise it was 100% the right choice! The ending was well thought off too, I just wished the story was a bit longer! In my opinion another extra could have been added for this couple haha!
extra: what happened after
YAYYY! So it took me a while to understand that this was a collection of stories WHICH HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH EACH OTHER haha so at the time I was so happy to finally read the name of a character I knew haha! With this extra/short-story we go back to the original/first story “would you like to be a family?” I was so happy to see them again! This time mori is grown a bit and we get to read about what happened in beween – aaaa I don’t even need to say anything else. Just some very much appreciated feel good pages!
All in all, I really enjoyed reading this manga. I was a bit confused by the 3 stories + extra structure. The first story is the longest and I also felt like this allowed me to get to know the character’s best! The 2 stories which followed were shorter and I felt like this caused them to be a bit “cliché?” or maybe rushed is a better word (it didn’t leave a lot of room for story development). I personally just couldn’t really connect with the second story. The third story however was really nice! While it was indeed shorter I was not bothered by it that much (until it ended haha, I didn’t want it to be over yet) thanks to the fact that it covered an “insta love” trope! That was definitely smart thinking. I think the way they used the psychology theories throughout the story was really funny and smart too! I just wished it was a bit longer!
Still, I would very much recommend this adorable collection, with a heads up that it consists of multiple (not connected) stories! While it does include some intimate scenes it is definitely a light boy’s love collection, perfect for one who wants to start reading manga of this genre (or for someone who is in very much need of a break after reading too many angsty BL haha). Thank you so much Netgalley, Independent Publishers Group & Tokyopop for approving my NetGalley request and providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review!
February 7, 2023
3☆ Review:
Three separate one-shot stories that were fast-paced and wholesome.
Would you like to be a family?:
My favorite of the three and I was so happy we got an extra of them at the end.
Kuma’s Feelings:
The story was nice, but high-schooler x college student isn’t a trope I particularly enjoy. I’d prefer if they were both in high school or both in college.
The First Love Psychology:
Probably my least favorite. It felt very forced since it began with a confession. It went 0-100 very quickly.
Three separate one-shot stories that were fast-paced and wholesome.
Would you like to be a family?:
My favorite of the three and I was so happy we got an extra of them at the end.
Kuma’s Feelings:
The story was nice, but high-schooler x college student isn’t a trope I particularly enjoy. I’d prefer if they were both in high school or both in college.
The First Love Psychology:
Probably my least favorite. It felt very forced since it began with a confession. It went 0-100 very quickly.
August 31, 2024
A collection of three different cute and fluffy relationships!
As most one shot anthology manga goes, the focus is on the main character’s relationship instead of the plot, growth and side characters. Each story revolves around a black haired anti-social character who somehow chances upon an outgoing, vibrant character. As they spend time with each other, the feelings develop and become mutual. Although each story has the same character types their stories are different, including their age, setting and circumstances.
The first story is an adult romance between two coworkers. This is the cover image and probably the most well done and likable of the three, for me. There is a genuine plot and build up to the events that lead to their relationship. I liked how the emotions were conveyed clearly in the story. After the third story, there is also some bonus content about their lives as a family and it’s absolutely adorable. I loved the family dynamics it depicts and every scene with Mori is adorable!
The second and third story, I would classify as young adult. They both center around misunderstandings in communication and aren’t fully developed. The second story seems almost manipulative whereas the third story lacks romantic interactions between the main characters.
The artwork in this story is very simple, clean and concise. It gives enough to let readers know the setting while focusing on the character’s expressions and words. That said, the backgrounds are predominantly iconography expressing the emotions. Also, the characters do start looking similar between each story with a few notable differences. Personally, I preferred this art style because of its simplicity. This manga has some explicit yet censored sexual content but is overall beginner friendly if you’re looking to ease into this genre.
Overall, I enjoyed reading this short story collection but it’s not something I’d likely put on top of my re-read list. Aside from the first story, the remaining two need to be developed more to my liking. Nonetheless this is a good addition to the BL genre focusing on acceptance, growth and emotions.
Read more reviews @ Mystic's Review Shelf
As most one shot anthology manga goes, the focus is on the main character’s relationship instead of the plot, growth and side characters. Each story revolves around a black haired anti-social character who somehow chances upon an outgoing, vibrant character. As they spend time with each other, the feelings develop and become mutual. Although each story has the same character types their stories are different, including their age, setting and circumstances.
The first story is an adult romance between two coworkers. This is the cover image and probably the most well done and likable of the three, for me. There is a genuine plot and build up to the events that lead to their relationship. I liked how the emotions were conveyed clearly in the story. After the third story, there is also some bonus content about their lives as a family and it’s absolutely adorable. I loved the family dynamics it depicts and every scene with Mori is adorable!
The second and third story, I would classify as young adult. They both center around misunderstandings in communication and aren’t fully developed. The second story seems almost manipulative whereas the third story lacks romantic interactions between the main characters.
The artwork in this story is very simple, clean and concise. It gives enough to let readers know the setting while focusing on the character’s expressions and words. That said, the backgrounds are predominantly iconography expressing the emotions. Also, the characters do start looking similar between each story with a few notable differences. Personally, I preferred this art style because of its simplicity. This manga has some explicit yet censored sexual content but is overall beginner friendly if you’re looking to ease into this genre.
Overall, I enjoyed reading this short story collection but it’s not something I’d likely put on top of my re-read list. Aside from the first story, the remaining two need to be developed more to my liking. Nonetheless this is a good addition to the BL genre focusing on acceptance, growth and emotions.
Read more reviews @ Mystic's Review Shelf
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