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Love in Action #1
Ren's Song
Would you risk everything for the perfect man?
Ren has landed a role that could launch his career into the heavens.
He just never expected to fall for his stunning, talented costar.
Song is everything he's wanted but never let himself dream about.
The longer they are filming this Chinese "bromance," the closer they are becoming.
Ren can't hold out for much longer. He needs to possess Song, to claim him. To a make Song his forever.
But will the cost be too high?
Ren has landed a role that could launch his career into the heavens.
He just never expected to fall for his stunning, talented costar.
Song is everything he's wanted but never let himself dream about.
The longer they are filming this Chinese "bromance," the closer they are becoming.
Ren can't hold out for much longer. He needs to possess Song, to claim him. To a make Song his forever.
But will the cost be too high?
469 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 7, 2022
39 people are currently reading
164 people want to read
About the author
G. Koi
3 books6 followersG. Koi is the pen name for an established American author looking to write something a little different. Loves include danmei, BL, angst, drama, swords, magic, and boys kissing.
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
October 11, 2022
I am very familiar with live action series from danmei novels. There are loads of fanfiction out there written about "what happened after the series done".
Ren and Song reminds me of Gong Jun and Zhang Zhe Han from Word of Honor ( Go watch the series on Netflix, they're awesome! ).
So many couples from C-drama having chemistry like Ren and Song, GJ and ZZH are one of them, not to mention the legendary Wang Yibo and Xiao Zhan from The Untamed.
If it's difficult being gay in the the world, in China, it's another level.
G. Koi actually writes the fact of their daily life and the consequences being who they are.
Ren's Song is nice story about the actors from C-drama behind the scene.
I'm glad they're finally got their happy ending.
As for the cover, I knew where the idea from.
I wonder if the second book cover would be... Bunny? :))
If you love danmei, and C-drama BL, read this book, it felt like meeting and old friend!
Recommended!
Ren and Song reminds me of Gong Jun and Zhang Zhe Han from Word of Honor ( Go watch the series on Netflix, they're awesome! ).
So many couples from C-drama having chemistry like Ren and Song, GJ and ZZH are one of them, not to mention the legendary Wang Yibo and Xiao Zhan from The Untamed.
If it's difficult being gay in the the world, in China, it's another level.
G. Koi actually writes the fact of their daily life and the consequences being who they are.
Ren's Song is nice story about the actors from C-drama behind the scene.
I'm glad they're finally got their happy ending.
As for the cover, I knew where the idea from.
I wonder if the second book cover would be... Bunny? :))
If you love danmei, and C-drama BL, read this book, it felt like meeting and old friend!
Recommended!
Read
November 29, 2022DNF @ 13% - it is good but sooo slow. How am I only at 13%? I recommend anyone interested in Chinese BL wuxia shows to try it out. Maybe the pacing won’t bother someone else.
dnf
October 11, 2022DNF @15%
Just not feeling it right now. Might get back into it someday, but it's too slow for me right now. It's taken me too long to get to just 15%.
Just not feeling it right now. Might get back into it someday, but it's too slow for me right now. It's taken me too long to get to just 15%.
October 9, 2022
Wonderful writing, beautiful story. Amazing debut with an old-world BL feel. Love, love, love Ren and Song. Can’t wait for the next one!
April 3, 2024
BL Chinese Drama Setting. (Love in Action Series)
🌟🌟🌟3.75 Star Rating
Song and Ren are two Chinese actors who have met for the first time when all the cast come together to make a BL (Boys Love) Drama for TV. Song immediately is attracted to Ren who is tall, well built and beautiful.
The whole premise of this book is that China is not a comfortable place for BL Drama actors and shows could be stopped by the Censors if they attract too much attention for intimate scenes, or being too close.
Once Actors who are main characters in BL dramas, finish the production and publicity after its release, they are not allowed to become friends or meet up in private. Careers would be ruined, they could be imprisoned, and never get work again.
SO this is the whole setting/background to this book, ‘REN’s Song’. Both men become involved romantically, trying to hide as much as possible. But others around them are nosey and suspicious.
Song has had more experience as a gay man, Ren still has his V-Card, only been with a girl once in college and it was a disaster.
It turns out that they have support from others in the industry who are in the same secret situations. But when someone took an innocent photo and doctored it up to create a scandal, their situation get dangerous. However, it is the innocent V Ren, who gets to work to save their backs.
I grabbed book as soon as I read the blurb as I love Asian/KDramas, (Korean Dramas in particular, all with subtitles) this highlighted the behind the scenes in making such dramas. There was plenty of romantic/and hot scenes when Ren and Song managed to get privacy.
I was rooting for both Song and Ren from the start, after months working on their drama, they don’t know when they’ll be able to meet again, as Song lives in Shanghai and Ren lives In Beijing, miles away from each other. 😭😭
I guess the book could have been a bit shorter as both guys’ attitude towards the risks to their careers and family tended to fluctuate from one chapter to another, a bit repetitive. Each chapter was a POV.
The author, G. Koi has added an extra follow up at the end which can be downloaded separately from Prolific Works. There is another book in the series ‘Falling Like Snow’ which features Song and REN’s friends from book 1 who are also in the same situation as gay actors.
🌟🌟🌟3.75 Star Rating
Song and Ren are two Chinese actors who have met for the first time when all the cast come together to make a BL (Boys Love) Drama for TV. Song immediately is attracted to Ren who is tall, well built and beautiful.
The whole premise of this book is that China is not a comfortable place for BL Drama actors and shows could be stopped by the Censors if they attract too much attention for intimate scenes, or being too close.
Once Actors who are main characters in BL dramas, finish the production and publicity after its release, they are not allowed to become friends or meet up in private. Careers would be ruined, they could be imprisoned, and never get work again.
SO this is the whole setting/background to this book, ‘REN’s Song’. Both men become involved romantically, trying to hide as much as possible. But others around them are nosey and suspicious.
Song has had more experience as a gay man, Ren still has his V-Card, only been with a girl once in college and it was a disaster.
It turns out that they have support from others in the industry who are in the same secret situations. But when someone took an innocent photo and doctored it up to create a scandal, their situation get dangerous. However, it is the innocent V Ren, who gets to work to save their backs.
I grabbed book as soon as I read the blurb as I love Asian/KDramas, (Korean Dramas in particular, all with subtitles) this highlighted the behind the scenes in making such dramas. There was plenty of romantic/and hot scenes when Ren and Song managed to get privacy.
I was rooting for both Song and Ren from the start, after months working on their drama, they don’t know when they’ll be able to meet again, as Song lives in Shanghai and Ren lives In Beijing, miles away from each other. 😭😭
I guess the book could have been a bit shorter as both guys’ attitude towards the risks to their careers and family tended to fluctuate from one chapter to another, a bit repetitive. Each chapter was a POV.
The author, G. Koi has added an extra follow up at the end which can be downloaded separately from Prolific Works. There is another book in the series ‘Falling Like Snow’ which features Song and REN’s friends from book 1 who are also in the same situation as gay actors.
October 10, 2022
Beautiful Story
This really is a wonderful story. I am so glad I got the opportunity to read it.
I received an ARC and this is my unbiased opinion
This really is a wonderful story. I am so glad I got the opportunity to read it.
I received an ARC and this is my unbiased opinion
October 14, 2022
If you're a fan of historical chinese BL dramas, THIS IS THE BOOK TO READ!
Already within the first 3%, we have one of the MCs, Ren, read through his schedule for training to get into his role in a wuxia drama based on a very popular danmei novel. If that's not familiar enough, his character's "weapon of choice was fucking fan" and "[t]his guy was supposed to be a badass psycho killer." Fans of the chinese BL "Word of Honor" will draw a slight parallel to one of the MCs named Wen Kexing.
Then we see him draw up short in seeing flute lessons on his schedule. "Badass psycho" that also uses a flute? Uhmmmm Wei Wuxian from "The Untamed" anyone?
I was so excited to read the rest and to see how Ren and Song develop. Ahhhhhhh my BL fangirl heart.
Also, amazingggggggggg cover. Beautiful! That play on the two main characters' names, Ren and Song, to form the title, wow, love it!
I received an ARC of this book and this is my honest review. All opinions are my own and not influenced by the author.
Already within the first 3%, we have one of the MCs, Ren, read through his schedule for training to get into his role in a wuxia drama based on a very popular danmei novel. If that's not familiar enough, his character's "weapon of choice was fucking fan" and "[t]his guy was supposed to be a badass psycho killer." Fans of the chinese BL "Word of Honor" will draw a slight parallel to one of the MCs named Wen Kexing.
Then we see him draw up short in seeing flute lessons on his schedule. "Badass psycho" that also uses a flute? Uhmmmm Wei Wuxian from "The Untamed" anyone?
I was so excited to read the rest and to see how Ren and Song develop. Ahhhhhhh my BL fangirl heart.
Also, amazingggggggggg cover. Beautiful! That play on the two main characters' names, Ren and Song, to form the title, wow, love it!
I received an ARC of this book and this is my honest review. All opinions are my own and not influenced by the author.
February 11, 2025
I did not expect to like this story That much
Alright. Confession time. I Love Chinese costume dramas. Like obsessed over them. One of the first ones I watched when I finally caved and subscribed to an Asian streaming service was a show called “Word of Honor” I knew literally nothing about it. Before that I watched mainland shows dubbed in Vietnamese at my in-law’ house. I thought they were fantastic. The wire work, fighting, etiquette, everything was fun and on my gosh the costumes. Well Word of Honor was a Wild show especially if you don’t know what you are watching (there is a point I promise) because I know fan speak because I actually studied it in high school as part of martial arts training, and knew what a cut sleeve was because I also read a lot of weird history. And the stuff our main guy was saying with his fan Couldn’t be true. It’s a Chinese drama after all. So I go searching the interweb and go holy smokes. It’s a Denmai drama that was able to get past censors and drop Lots of strong hints. The behind the scenes videos “leaked”, the promotions, everything was gloriously funny. Until it wasn’t and I saw what rumors can do to an actor that even hints at being LGTBQ (regardless of if it’s true or not)
Enter this fun story written under a pen name about a similar BL series featuring a flute wielding fan waving man in white and his costar the sword fighting grump in darker hanfu. There is a fair amount of heat once the characters admit their feelings for each other, but the glorious part and the heart breaking part is how they have to sneak around and figure out how to appease the audience without tanking their careers. It’s fun. It’s pretty accurate as far as acting in layers of costumes, wire work, and how sometimes an actor has trouble pulling themselves out of a character scheme that is particularly emotional. Anyway. Discovered this story and read it in one sitting. This is going up there as a favorite new author. Just wish they used their real name.
Alright. Confession time. I Love Chinese costume dramas. Like obsessed over them. One of the first ones I watched when I finally caved and subscribed to an Asian streaming service was a show called “Word of Honor” I knew literally nothing about it. Before that I watched mainland shows dubbed in Vietnamese at my in-law’ house. I thought they were fantastic. The wire work, fighting, etiquette, everything was fun and on my gosh the costumes. Well Word of Honor was a Wild show especially if you don’t know what you are watching (there is a point I promise) because I know fan speak because I actually studied it in high school as part of martial arts training, and knew what a cut sleeve was because I also read a lot of weird history. And the stuff our main guy was saying with his fan Couldn’t be true. It’s a Chinese drama after all. So I go searching the interweb and go holy smokes. It’s a Denmai drama that was able to get past censors and drop Lots of strong hints. The behind the scenes videos “leaked”, the promotions, everything was gloriously funny. Until it wasn’t and I saw what rumors can do to an actor that even hints at being LGTBQ (regardless of if it’s true or not)
Enter this fun story written under a pen name about a similar BL series featuring a flute wielding fan waving man in white and his costar the sword fighting grump in darker hanfu. There is a fair amount of heat once the characters admit their feelings for each other, but the glorious part and the heart breaking part is how they have to sneak around and figure out how to appease the audience without tanking their careers. It’s fun. It’s pretty accurate as far as acting in layers of costumes, wire work, and how sometimes an actor has trouble pulling themselves out of a character scheme that is particularly emotional. Anyway. Discovered this story and read it in one sitting. This is going up there as a favorite new author. Just wish they used their real name.
January 10, 2023
It was long and slow, but somehow also enjoyable throughout. I’m entirely green when it comes to BL dramas and anything Chinese, but I found it interesting to learn more. I’d never have guessed the author for this, even if I knew before going into it. It’s very different from her usual. Not bad, just different.
I only have the Japanese equivalents to compare it to, but I was still horrified by the whole business scene. The homophobia, the censorship, homosexuality being illegal, and how the show they filmed was deliberately washed free of anything even remotely gay aside from the looks they gave each other. That the production still somehow encouraged that angle but couldn’t do it officially. It was so… hypocritical, even disturbing at times, and absolutely heartbreaking. To think that this is likely based on real life conditions makes it all the worse. It’s so hard to read about.
The part I struggled the most with was how Ren and Song weren’t allowed to be publicly seen with each other ever again after the show ended. How incredibly fucked up is that? They can’t even let actors be friends?? I was so upset. I still am. So yeah, I struggled with the darkness in this book.
I’m glad they got a fairly happy ending though, considering what they were up against. Part of me still wanted them to say fuck it though and emigrate to another country or something. Get away from the toxic. But this was more realistic, I suppose.
I only have the Japanese equivalents to compare it to, but I was still horrified by the whole business scene. The homophobia, the censorship, homosexuality being illegal, and how the show they filmed was deliberately washed free of anything even remotely gay aside from the looks they gave each other. That the production still somehow encouraged that angle but couldn’t do it officially. It was so… hypocritical, even disturbing at times, and absolutely heartbreaking. To think that this is likely based on real life conditions makes it all the worse. It’s so hard to read about.
The part I struggled the most with was how Ren and Song weren’t allowed to be publicly seen with each other ever again after the show ended. How incredibly fucked up is that? They can’t even let actors be friends?? I was so upset. I still am. So yeah, I struggled with the darkness in this book.
I’m glad they got a fairly happy ending though, considering what they were up against. Part of me still wanted them to say fuck it though and emigrate to another country or something. Get away from the toxic. But this was more realistic, I suppose.
January 1, 2024
First in series (Love in Action). POC representation. Coworkers/close proximity. Slow burn. Dual POV. Ren and Song are cast as the leads in an anticipated big hit BL (Boys Love) historical drama, even though everything regarding male romance in China is extremely censored and any kind of real life hints of homosexuality for actors is forbidden. However, Ren and Song find their attraction blossoming beyond their characters, and the deep feelings they begin to feel cannot be denied. This book was a sweet romance, with plenty of nods to Asian BL stories, with two likable characters that are so thoroughly committed, willing to risk everything even if they have to live apart in public. Fans of BL shows will immediately see similarities to popular shows and appreciate this fictional look behind the scenes of a possible romance between two lead actors. I especially appreciated the super supportive secondary characters. Every moment spent with Ren and Song, all their doubts, support, caring, protectiveness, really lent strength to their loving relationship and rooting for their HEA. 4.5 rounded up
January 25, 2024
Time of death: 55%
I tried, oh boy did I try to finish this book. I'm a big Drake fan, I have read and re read her books, bought the audiobooks to a whole series, signed paperbacks in my bookcase. I AM A FAN. This book though truly tested and obviously bested me. Are the characters great, premise, writing style? Absolutely but the slow burn aspect was more than I could take, it borders Mariana Zapata's Wall of Winnipeg type of slow. I found it sweet yet at the same time, I really disliked the concept of the characters having to be in the closet and I mean DEEEEEEP in the closet for fear of their lives and even that of their families. It just really rubbed me the wrong way. The characters were cute and sweet with each other and all that but the book was so close to getting boring for me, there just wasn't enough happening? It's hard to explain, yeah lots of things were going on but they were all overshadowed by the hiding & the fear, so that became the main focus as opposed to their relationship for me. I just can't bring myself to finishing this book. Sorry, just not for me at all.
I tried, oh boy did I try to finish this book. I'm a big Drake fan, I have read and re read her books, bought the audiobooks to a whole series, signed paperbacks in my bookcase. I AM A FAN. This book though truly tested and obviously bested me. Are the characters great, premise, writing style? Absolutely but the slow burn aspect was more than I could take, it borders Mariana Zapata's Wall of Winnipeg type of slow. I found it sweet yet at the same time, I really disliked the concept of the characters having to be in the closet and I mean DEEEEEEP in the closet for fear of their lives and even that of their families. It just really rubbed me the wrong way. The characters were cute and sweet with each other and all that but the book was so close to getting boring for me, there just wasn't enough happening? It's hard to explain, yeah lots of things were going on but they were all overshadowed by the hiding & the fear, so that became the main focus as opposed to their relationship for me. I just can't bring myself to finishing this book. Sorry, just not for me at all.
April 10, 2023
REN’s Song
This is the first book of G. Koi’s that I have read and it certainly won’t be my last. I loved the main characters Song and Ren, who had so much to navigate through with their love for one another but also their own careers. Add in a crazy bunch of friends they meet along the way, it made this story such an enjoyable read. With the LGBTQ+ laws in China it gives the reader a better understanding of what gay men have to deal with. I must admit, I did find some of the initialed things a bit tricky to understand and people’s names left me wondering where they belonged in the story. But by the end of the book I had a much better understanding. I’m looking forward to reading the next story. 🥰📚💝
This is the first book of G. Koi’s that I have read and it certainly won’t be my last. I loved the main characters Song and Ren, who had so much to navigate through with their love for one another but also their own careers. Add in a crazy bunch of friends they meet along the way, it made this story such an enjoyable read. With the LGBTQ+ laws in China it gives the reader a better understanding of what gay men have to deal with. I must admit, I did find some of the initialed things a bit tricky to understand and people’s names left me wondering where they belonged in the story. But by the end of the book I had a much better understanding. I’m looking forward to reading the next story. 🥰📚💝
October 13, 2022
There’s a lot to enjoy about this book– the premise is interesting and Ren and Song are likable characters with a compelling connection. Watching their dynamic develop over the course of the story makes for an immersive reading experience, and overall I found the story and characters easy to care about and to get caught up in. I hadn’t read anything by this author before, but I’ll be on the lookout for more books from them in the future.
*I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book.
*I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book.
October 15, 2022
I'm not familiar with the Chinese dramas this book refers to, which is one reason I wanted to read it. I was hoping to be taken into another culture and find two characters whose romance I could get lost in. This book did that for me. Ren and Song were great characters, the description of their world and the backstage/real life aspects of their lives outside of their roles drew me in. This makes me want to check out some of these stories on Netflix and other online platforms and I'll definitely be looking for more from this author in the future.
October 16, 2022
This is the story of Ren and Song. It is the first book in the Love in Action series. G Kou is a new author for me and after reading this book, was immediately placed on my automatic buy list. This story is unique and original. It is written wonderfully with beautiful amazing characters. There is a realness to the story and the descriptive writing draws you in before you even know you're hooked. This book opened a whole new world to me. Absolutely adore it. Definitely recommended.
I received this book as an Arc and I am happily reviewing it voluntarily.
I received this book as an Arc and I am happily reviewing it voluntarily.
June 26, 2025
It took me way too long to finish this... not one of my favourites to be honest because it made me sad..for some reason, I feel like this kinda happened in real life. Imagine not being able to love openly...that sucks big time. That being said, yeah this was quite long with way too much drama within a drama...I kinda loved and hated this book at the same time, can't really explain it..buhhh yeah...not my favourite book from one of my favourite Authors
October 20, 2022
This story had some good characters. It was a good read but it took awhile for it to really catch my interest. I'm glad I decided to finish reading it. This is my first book by this author. I received an ARC of this book for my honest review.
February 12, 2024
This book was very blah to me, and I'm pretty sure it was just repurposed fanfic of Word of Honor. Cute story idea, but poorly executed and simply boring.
In no world is this slowburn.
In no world is this slowburn.
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews