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痴漢されそうになっているＳ級美少女を助けたら隣の席の幼馴染だった #1
The Girl I Saved on the Train Turned Out to Be My Childhood Friend (Light Novel), Vol. 1
While on his way to school one morning high school second year Ryo Takamori saves his childhood friend Hina Fushimi from a sexual harasser on a crowded train. Although the two are practically opposites in appearance and popularity, not to mention the fact they haven't spoken since middle school, Hina finds herself smitten with the oblivious Ryo. A frustratingly sweet, zero stress romantic comedy!
216 pages, Paperback
First published February 14, 2020
30 people are currently reading
148 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
January 15, 2022
The back copy doesn't lie - this absolutely is "a frustratingly sweet, zero-stress romantic comedy." It's self-aware enough not to be precious, comfortable enough with the genre and tropes not to be too tongue-in-cheek, and the characters all feel like people rather than amalgamations of all the stereotypes that have come before. It definitely reaffirms my earlier half-thought that Kennoji is a much better and more versatile author than he gets credit for.
Plus it's illustrated by fly. I'd frame a molasses label if she illustrated one.
Plus it's illustrated by fly. I'd frame a molasses label if she illustrated one.
December 10, 2021
Ryou is a loner, but one day on the train he interjects to save a fellow classmate from a groper. This turns out to be his childhood friend, Hina, who he grew apart from in middle school. And while that typically means one thing, it turns out that absence just might have made a couple of hearts, well, you know….
Standard romance that is a cut above in terms of its writing and execution and, yes, maybe sneakily tweaking the genre’s expectations just by virtue of playing around with things in a ‘have your cake and eat it’ way. I don’t mind cliche if it doesn’t become trite and this is not a trite book.
Ryou, as noted, is a loner, and it’s not the easiest to see why he’s especially attractive to Hina, until it becomes clear that he is quiet and straightforward, but he is very straightforward to the point of being essentially without artifice.
Yes, he’s dumber than a sack of hammers about his popularity, but they almost get away with it because of how low his self-esteem is. I mean, he’s still as hopelessly obtuse as many protagonists, but they try to at least give a reason why it could be plausible (even though this is 100% the least believable part of the story).
Paired with the delightfully written Hina, these two have a very breezy chemistry that just sort of flows between the chapters as they reconnect. While the why may be questionable, there’s no denying that these two work well as a couple.
Hina’s a great take on the popular girl in school as she chafes at the expectations on her and the need to be a proper young lady constantly. You can see it in the way that she struggles to form real friendships and also the way she can be herself around Ryou - he won’t treat her differently and that means a lot to her.
Actually, large swathes of the female cast are great. Torigoe, the shy girl, has a somewhat expected arc, but one that I enjoy seeing in this type of story and the ending is well done. Ryou’s mom is a little underused but does spice things up quite a bit.
I especially loved Ryou’s gyaru sister Mana, who threatens to steal this book away with her hyper-competence and genius planning abilities that make her helpful and a brat in equal measure. It’s very neat seeing a gyaru who looks the part and acts… not at all the part.
The book’s structure is good too. This is very short but has over 30 chapters that all function as these little story slices that move along with a nice, quick pace and add up to a very full loaf rather quickly. The little format break that closes out the book on one eyebrow-raising cliffhanger is also appreciated.
This goes without saying, but the art here is beyond reproach, except I wish there was more of it. Make no mistake, I would read a treatise on the toileting habits of goatherds on the Upper Mongolian steppes if Fly was drawing it.
4.5 stars - probably deserves a 4, but I really needed the warm fuzzies of this book right now. Sometimes you especially love something when it gives you what you need right when you need it and that’s definitely the case here.
Standard romance that is a cut above in terms of its writing and execution and, yes, maybe sneakily tweaking the genre’s expectations just by virtue of playing around with things in a ‘have your cake and eat it’ way. I don’t mind cliche if it doesn’t become trite and this is not a trite book.
Ryou, as noted, is a loner, and it’s not the easiest to see why he’s especially attractive to Hina, until it becomes clear that he is quiet and straightforward, but he is very straightforward to the point of being essentially without artifice.
Yes, he’s dumber than a sack of hammers about his popularity, but they almost get away with it because of how low his self-esteem is. I mean, he’s still as hopelessly obtuse as many protagonists, but they try to at least give a reason why it could be plausible (even though this is 100% the least believable part of the story).
Paired with the delightfully written Hina, these two have a very breezy chemistry that just sort of flows between the chapters as they reconnect. While the why may be questionable, there’s no denying that these two work well as a couple.
Hina’s a great take on the popular girl in school as she chafes at the expectations on her and the need to be a proper young lady constantly. You can see it in the way that she struggles to form real friendships and also the way she can be herself around Ryou - he won’t treat her differently and that means a lot to her.
Actually, large swathes of the female cast are great. Torigoe, the shy girl, has a somewhat expected arc, but one that I enjoy seeing in this type of story and the ending is well done. Ryou’s mom is a little underused but does spice things up quite a bit.
I especially loved Ryou’s gyaru sister Mana, who threatens to steal this book away with her hyper-competence and genius planning abilities that make her helpful and a brat in equal measure. It’s very neat seeing a gyaru who looks the part and acts… not at all the part.
The book’s structure is good too. This is very short but has over 30 chapters that all function as these little story slices that move along with a nice, quick pace and add up to a very full loaf rather quickly. The little format break that closes out the book on one eyebrow-raising cliffhanger is also appreciated.
This goes without saying, but the art here is beyond reproach, except I wish there was more of it. Make no mistake, I would read a treatise on the toileting habits of goatherds on the Upper Mongolian steppes if Fly was drawing it.
4.5 stars - probably deserves a 4, but I really needed the warm fuzzies of this book right now. Sometimes you especially love something when it gives you what you need right when you need it and that’s definitely the case here.
June 9, 2025
Ryo Takamori intervened on the subway train to save a girl from a sexual harrasser. The girl turned out to be a Hina Fushima, a current classmate and a former childhood friend. After this, Hina seems determined to keep close to him which is driving him a bit crazy. It does not help that another girl has started pursuing him as well. So who will win? The new girl or the childhood friend? And then there is the little twist on the last page to peak the reader's interest into continuing reading the next volume!
January 15, 2022
Ryou is a loner, but one day on the train he interjects to save a fellow classmate from a groper. This turns out to be his childhood friend, Hina, who he grew apart from in middle school. And while that typically means one thing, it turns out that absence just might have made a couple of hearts, well, you know….
Standard romance that is a cut above in terms of its writing and execution and, yes, maybe sneakily tweaking the genre’s expectations just by virtue of playing around with things in a ‘have your cake and eat it’ way. I don’t mind cliche if it doesn’t become trite and this is not a trite book.
Ryou, as noted, is a loner, and it’s not the easiest to see why he’s especially attractive to Hina, until it becomes clear that he is quiet and straightforward, but he is very straightforward to the point of being essentially without artifice.
Yes, he’s dumber than a sack of hammers about his popularity, but they almost get away with it because of how low his self-esteem is. I mean, he’s still as hopelessly obtuse as many protagonists, but they try to at least give a reason why it could be plausible (even though this is 100% the least believable part of the story).
Paired with the delightfully written Hina, these two have a very breezy chemistry that just sort of flows between the chapters as they reconnect. While the why may be questionable, there’s no denying that these two work well as a couple.
Hina’s a great take on the popular girl in school as she chafes at the expectations on her and the need to be a proper young lady constantly. You can see it in the way that she struggles to form real friendships and also the way she can be herself around Ryou - he won’t treat her differently and that means a lot to her.
Actually, large swathes of the female cast are great. Torigoe, the shy girl, has a somewhat expected arc, but one that I enjoy seeing in this type of story and the ending is well done. Ryou’s mom is a little underused but does spice things up quite a bit.
I especially loved Ryou’s gyaru sister Mana, who threatens to steal this book away with her hyper-competence and genius planning abilities that make her helpful and a brat in equal measure. It’s very neat seeing a gyaru who looks the part and acts… not at all the part.
The book’s structure is good too. This is very short but has over 30 chapters that all function as these little story slices that move along with a nice, quick pace and add up to a very full loaf rather quickly. The little format break that closes out the book on one eyebrow-raising cliffhanger is also appreciated.
This goes without saying, but the art here is beyond reproach, except I wish there was more of it. Make no mistake, I would read a treatise on the toileting habits of goatherds on the Upper Mongolian steppes if Fly was drawing it.
4.5 stars - probably deserves a 4, but I really needed the warm fuzzies of this book right now. Sometimes you especially love something when it gives you what you need right when you need it and that’s definitely the case here.
Standard romance that is a cut above in terms of its writing and execution and, yes, maybe sneakily tweaking the genre’s expectations just by virtue of playing around with things in a ‘have your cake and eat it’ way. I don’t mind cliche if it doesn’t become trite and this is not a trite book.
Ryou, as noted, is a loner, and it’s not the easiest to see why he’s especially attractive to Hina, until it becomes clear that he is quiet and straightforward, but he is very straightforward to the point of being essentially without artifice.
Yes, he’s dumber than a sack of hammers about his popularity, but they almost get away with it because of how low his self-esteem is. I mean, he’s still as hopelessly obtuse as many protagonists, but they try to at least give a reason why it could be plausible (even though this is 100% the least believable part of the story).
Paired with the delightfully written Hina, these two have a very breezy chemistry that just sort of flows between the chapters as they reconnect. While the why may be questionable, there’s no denying that these two work well as a couple.
Hina’s a great take on the popular girl in school as she chafes at the expectations on her and the need to be a proper young lady constantly. You can see it in the way that she struggles to form real friendships and also the way she can be herself around Ryou - he won’t treat her differently and that means a lot to her.
Actually, large swathes of the female cast are great. Torigoe, the shy girl, has a somewhat expected arc, but one that I enjoy seeing in this type of story and the ending is well done. Ryou’s mom is a little underused but does spice things up quite a bit.
I especially loved Ryou’s gyaru sister Mana, who threatens to steal this book away with her hyper-competence and genius planning abilities that make her helpful and a brat in equal measure. It’s very neat seeing a gyaru who looks the part and acts… not at all the part.
The book’s structure is good too. This is very short but has over 30 chapters that all function as these little story slices that move along with a nice, quick pace and add up to a very full loaf rather quickly. The little format break that closes out the book on one eyebrow-raising cliffhanger is also appreciated.
This goes without saying, but the art here is beyond reproach, except I wish there was more of it. Make no mistake, I would read a treatise on the toileting habits of goatherds on the Upper Mongolian steppes if Fly was drawing it.
4.5 stars - probably deserves a 4, but I really needed the warm fuzzies of this book right now. Sometimes you especially love something when it gives you what you need right when you need it and that’s definitely the case here.
December 3, 2021
This is a pretty by the numbers romance story. We have the couple, the obtuse guy, the friend that is more than a friend, the people trying to help the boy figure things out that anyone with a brain would have picked up on long ago. The last third is the best part because the author starts to shift perspectives and moves around to different characters. This gives the reader a look into the the thoughts and feelings of other characters. It was a very welcome change of pace. The pacing is brisk and focused which causes this book to be a very, very quick read. If you enjoy rom-com stuff this fits the bill. I'm a sucker for these types of stories and I could have found worse things to spend three days of my life with.
February 7, 2022
I've read one or two other Japanese "light novels" before, but the others were fan-translated copies of books not available in the U.S. So this was technically my first experience of a light novel that I bought from a U.S. bookstore.
The long-winded title caught my attention, and the plot synopsis reminded me of one of my all-time favorite movies, a Japanese movie called "Train Man" (or "Densha Otoko"). In that movie, a young man who is what one might call a loner nerd ends up rescuing a beautiful woman from a drunk who's harassing her on the train one night. She sends him a thank-you gift, and he asks his chat room pals for advice on getting to know her. It's a cute movie that someone like myself can relate to, given the protagonist's sometimes-extreme nerdiness.
TGISOTTTOTBMCF (wow, even the acronym is long!) has some of that same sweetness, but whether it's more the translation or the original writing (I'm guessing the latter), much of it feels a bit . . . amateurish. Yes, I realize the light novel genre is supposed to be aimed at middle schoolers or young adults, but still.
There were also several suggestive parts that made me roll my eyes (like, some of this feels like it was WRITTEN by a junior high boy, not just written FOR them -- but again, I realize that's probably just the author appealing to the audience that normally reads this genre of book).
At the very least, I'll probably try another light novel or two before deciding my overall feelings about the genre -- some of the others I've seen do look intriguing, and the last thing I'd want to do is assume they're all the same!
The long-winded title caught my attention, and the plot synopsis reminded me of one of my all-time favorite movies, a Japanese movie called "Train Man" (or "Densha Otoko"). In that movie, a young man who is what one might call a loner nerd ends up rescuing a beautiful woman from a drunk who's harassing her on the train one night. She sends him a thank-you gift, and he asks his chat room pals for advice on getting to know her. It's a cute movie that someone like myself can relate to, given the protagonist's sometimes-extreme nerdiness.
TGISOTTTOTBMCF (wow, even the acronym is long!) has some of that same sweetness, but whether it's more the translation or the original writing (I'm guessing the latter), much of it feels a bit . . . amateurish. Yes, I realize the light novel genre is supposed to be aimed at middle schoolers or young adults, but still.
There were also several suggestive parts that made me roll my eyes (like, some of this feels like it was WRITTEN by a junior high boy, not just written FOR them -- but again, I realize that's probably just the author appealing to the audience that normally reads this genre of book).
At the very least, I'll probably try another light novel or two before deciding my overall feelings about the genre -- some of the others I've seen do look intriguing, and the last thing I'd want to do is assume they're all the same!
September 28, 2022
Kennoji's The Girl I Saved on the Train Turned Out to be My Childhood Friend is a slice-of-life romantic comedy and, as evident by the title, begins with the male lead saving the female lead from a groper on a train ride to school. The girl he saved was his childhood friend, and their relationship rekindled after drifting apart since middle school. Apart from this, the story is relatively standard for a slice-of-life rom-com. However, it leans towards the slice of life and romantic elements rather than the comedic bits, typically saved for interactions with the side characters.
The male lead, Ryou Takamori, is the typical loner and is rather dense. Whereas the female lead, Hina Fushimi, is popular, pretty, and regarded as the "princess" of the school. There is a level of self-awareness in the story, and any dramatic situations are quickly resolved. So, the "sweetness" and "zero-stress" are reminiscent of The Angel Next Door Spoils Me Rotten. While not as good as The Angel Next Door, it is still an enjoyable read filled with fun and, for the most part, realistic characters, and the plot appears to be moving. Also, Fly is the illustrator, which is a plus.
While childhood friends, Ryou and Hina became distant from one another in junior high and throughout high school despite being in the same classroom. However, following the incident on the train, the two again find themselves in the same classroom and, this time, next to each other for the new semester. After thanking Ryou, Hina begins talking with Ryou once again and finding ways to spend time with him, thus rekindling their relationship. Despite this, Ryou tends to be reluctant to spend time with Hina and is rather oblivious to her advances. Although he is not a total blockhead, how he believes others perceive him does play a part in this.
An important point of the story is the "promises" the two made to one another when they were younger. However, while Hina remembers the promises, Ryou does not. These promises are also important to Hina, which causes her to be somewhat upset with Ryou for forgetting them. The characters' statuses also play a meaningful part in the story. Hina's conflict is how others treat and perceive her and how she does not act herself while at school. In comparison, Ryou's conflicts are similar to how others perceive him, and him gaining popularity throughout the story.
As for the characters, as mentioned, Ryou Takamori is the typical loner who does not have much of a presence, does not pretend to be someone he is not and is rather dense. However, others notice him more as he spends more time with Hina. Despite his denseness, it is not so over the top that it is necessarily aggravating.
The school's princess, Hina Fushimi, is popular and regarded as the most beautiful. Hina consistently has others surrounding her and is being offered to join clubs and hang out after school. Despite her status, her "true" personality appears around Ryou, as she is rather laidback, and they both enjoy many of the same things. While not identical, Hina shares some similarities with Miharu from The Angel Next Door, specifically in that while being popular, she does not really have any other friends. Also, similar to how Miharu is considered the "angel" of the school, Hina is the "princess." She also does not really initiate conversations with anyone but Ryou and tries to avoid conflict.
Apart from the leads, Ryou's younger sister, Mana Takamori, is the most prominent of the side characters. She, along with their mom, tends to be the one that brings out the comedic moments of the story. Mana, as a character, dresses and looks like a gyaru but is actually the most responsible of the family compared to Ryou.
There is not much to say about Ryou's classmate, Shizuka Torigoe, other than she is the quiet and shy girl in the class. But her character does get fleshed out a bit towards the end of the volume.
Overall, while not anything remarkable, I was surprised at how enjoyable the first volume was. The story being more of a slice-of-life romance than a slice-of-life rom-com is a strength, as it helped make the characters come across as realistic, other than for Ryou being a bit overly dense.
The male lead, Ryou Takamori, is the typical loner and is rather dense. Whereas the female lead, Hina Fushimi, is popular, pretty, and regarded as the "princess" of the school. There is a level of self-awareness in the story, and any dramatic situations are quickly resolved. So, the "sweetness" and "zero-stress" are reminiscent of The Angel Next Door Spoils Me Rotten. While not as good as The Angel Next Door, it is still an enjoyable read filled with fun and, for the most part, realistic characters, and the plot appears to be moving. Also, Fly is the illustrator, which is a plus.
While childhood friends, Ryou and Hina became distant from one another in junior high and throughout high school despite being in the same classroom. However, following the incident on the train, the two again find themselves in the same classroom and, this time, next to each other for the new semester. After thanking Ryou, Hina begins talking with Ryou once again and finding ways to spend time with him, thus rekindling their relationship. Despite this, Ryou tends to be reluctant to spend time with Hina and is rather oblivious to her advances. Although he is not a total blockhead, how he believes others perceive him does play a part in this.
An important point of the story is the "promises" the two made to one another when they were younger. However, while Hina remembers the promises, Ryou does not. These promises are also important to Hina, which causes her to be somewhat upset with Ryou for forgetting them. The characters' statuses also play a meaningful part in the story. Hina's conflict is how others treat and perceive her and how she does not act herself while at school. In comparison, Ryou's conflicts are similar to how others perceive him, and him gaining popularity throughout the story.
As for the characters, as mentioned, Ryou Takamori is the typical loner who does not have much of a presence, does not pretend to be someone he is not and is rather dense. However, others notice him more as he spends more time with Hina. Despite his denseness, it is not so over the top that it is necessarily aggravating.
The school's princess, Hina Fushimi, is popular and regarded as the most beautiful. Hina consistently has others surrounding her and is being offered to join clubs and hang out after school. Despite her status, her "true" personality appears around Ryou, as she is rather laidback, and they both enjoy many of the same things. While not identical, Hina shares some similarities with Miharu from The Angel Next Door, specifically in that while being popular, she does not really have any other friends. Also, similar to how Miharu is considered the "angel" of the school, Hina is the "princess." She also does not really initiate conversations with anyone but Ryou and tries to avoid conflict.
Apart from the leads, Ryou's younger sister, Mana Takamori, is the most prominent of the side characters. She, along with their mom, tends to be the one that brings out the comedic moments of the story. Mana, as a character, dresses and looks like a gyaru but is actually the most responsible of the family compared to Ryou.
There is not much to say about Ryou's classmate, Shizuka Torigoe, other than she is the quiet and shy girl in the class. But her character does get fleshed out a bit towards the end of the volume.
Overall, while not anything remarkable, I was surprised at how enjoyable the first volume was. The story being more of a slice-of-life romance than a slice-of-life rom-com is a strength, as it helped make the characters come across as realistic, other than for Ryou being a bit overly dense.
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March 20, 2023Simple and nice story.
An overall good book, with a simple and nice story. Nothing new but still good to read. It lost some point as the dialogue doesn't flow naturally and sometimes they're hard to follow. The MC is too dense, so much that it looks dumb. The author doesn't developed the characters as well, so is hard to like them as there are no obvious reason for them to like the protagonist. Easy to read and good to kill some time, but hard to recommend or be excited for the next volume.
An overall good book, with a simple and nice story. Nothing new but still good to read. It lost some point as the dialogue doesn't flow naturally and sometimes they're hard to follow. The MC is too dense, so much that it looks dumb. The author doesn't developed the characters as well, so is hard to like them as there are no obvious reason for them to like the protagonist. Easy to read and good to kill some time, but hard to recommend or be excited for the next volume.
July 18, 2023
The first volume of the story was very wholesome and gave off some of the angel next door that spoils me with rotten vibes. I don't have a single complaint about this book and look forward to reading future volumes in the series. I like how the characters mesh together and how the protagonist isn't super dense.
July 14, 2024
It was relatively average tbh. Protagonist is SUPER dense which I get is a trope in these sorts of novels but at one point common sense must come into play right? Not a bad read but really nothing special.
January 19, 2022
Light hearted and funny romantic comedy that just makes you think "idiot" constantly lol
March 2, 2022
First few chapters were rather boring but I really started getting invested in the book at the halfway point will definitely be picking up volume 2 when it comes out
May 11, 2022
Ah yes, because molestation is so bloody hilarious. (read this with sarcasm thankssss)
May 31, 2022
The first book is fine the 2nd book is bad. He female lead’s attitude is horrible.
November 1, 2022
Apparently our ML is still shocked that gyarus can cook and clean as if dressing up fashionably makes those qualities non-existent (-_-;)
October 10, 2024
Well, it was $3 at Barnes and Noble. 1.5 stars
June 20, 2025
Again read for… and research… but the interaction in this is awkward and strained
September 16, 2025
3.5. I liked the story just fine but the main character may be the dumbest man alive which leads to a .5 drop alone.
December 20, 2021
I came for a comfy, low-drama romcom illustrated by Fly, and that's exactly what I got.
Don't expect big twists; everything is telegraphed well in advance. Likewise, Kennoji wasn't interested in the usual oblivious-lovers-situation; one party's feelings are clear for the world to see right from the beginning, the other merely struggles to reconcile them with his own perspective of himself. And unlike most other male romcom protagonists, here we have somebody actually capable of decisive action when it comes down to it.
Instead of dragging the will-they-won't-they nonsense out for a dozen volumes, leaving the couple-to-be in eternal limbo, The Girl I Saved on the Train pays more attention to the process of dating than the fretting that precedes it - even if you could argue about what constitutes an "official date"; in my opinion, the distinction is an irrelevant one in this instance.
The comedy, meanwhile, isn't really over the top or disproportionately emphasized, either. It's more situational than set up, payoffs come quickly, and as a result, they add to the comfort level rather than detract from it. Some moments genuinely had me laughing out loud for a moment before I could continue reading, while the bulk of the rest had me smile easy.
Of course, despite some more refreshing directions, there's still a decent amount of the usual romcom tropes represented. However, I felt like they underlined the more unconventional aspects more than they let them down. While parallels could be drawn to any number of other works in the genre, I found comparisons to be difficult enough to make that it came across as more self-aware than more of the same.
This is all aided by the very brief chapter length, which results in a quick but steady pace of the narrative - and as a result the progress between the two protagonists. Instead of spending 20 pages dwelling on a dilemma, the book pushes through and beyond easily. Funnily enough, this makes The Girl I Saved on the Train prime material for train ride reading. Not only are the chapters quick to complete, but they also don't tend to leave the reader hanging overmuch.
So in conclusion, I appreciated the mix of refreshing and familiar takes on the genre, sprinkled with a good dose of humor and sugar. The potential for vanilla salt exists for upcoming volumes, of course, but if you're in for a fluffy feel-good romcom that doesn't let problems pile up skyhigh for multiple volumes before resolving a misunderstanding, I'd recommend this first volume wholeheartedly. I am certainly looking forward to the second volume's arrival.
Don't expect big twists; everything is telegraphed well in advance. Likewise, Kennoji wasn't interested in the usual oblivious-lovers-situation; one party's feelings are clear for the world to see right from the beginning, the other merely struggles to reconcile them with his own perspective of himself. And unlike most other male romcom protagonists, here we have somebody actually capable of decisive action when it comes down to it.
Instead of dragging the will-they-won't-they nonsense out for a dozen volumes, leaving the couple-to-be in eternal limbo, The Girl I Saved on the Train pays more attention to the process of dating than the fretting that precedes it - even if you could argue about what constitutes an "official date"; in my opinion, the distinction is an irrelevant one in this instance.
The comedy, meanwhile, isn't really over the top or disproportionately emphasized, either. It's more situational than set up, payoffs come quickly, and as a result, they add to the comfort level rather than detract from it. Some moments genuinely had me laughing out loud for a moment before I could continue reading, while the bulk of the rest had me smile easy.
Of course, despite some more refreshing directions, there's still a decent amount of the usual romcom tropes represented. However, I felt like they underlined the more unconventional aspects more than they let them down. While parallels could be drawn to any number of other works in the genre, I found comparisons to be difficult enough to make that it came across as more self-aware than more of the same.
This is all aided by the very brief chapter length, which results in a quick but steady pace of the narrative - and as a result the progress between the two protagonists. Instead of spending 20 pages dwelling on a dilemma, the book pushes through and beyond easily. Funnily enough, this makes The Girl I Saved on the Train prime material for train ride reading. Not only are the chapters quick to complete, but they also don't tend to leave the reader hanging overmuch.
So in conclusion, I appreciated the mix of refreshing and familiar takes on the genre, sprinkled with a good dose of humor and sugar. The potential for vanilla salt exists for upcoming volumes, of course, but if you're in for a fluffy feel-good romcom that doesn't let problems pile up skyhigh for multiple volumes before resolving a misunderstanding, I'd recommend this first volume wholeheartedly. I am certainly looking forward to the second volume's arrival.
January 13, 2022
Fantastic book ! You can tell where the story is going but it doesn’t make it any less interesting tbh, I enjoy how it breaks up all the chapters to give you some time to pause and enjoy everything , can’t wait for volume two & see how everything pans out
July 27, 2022
some parts dragged or were confusing but such a cute read for the most part
cute trope
cute trope
Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews