BL Library - Publisher: SuBLime

Manga Review | Love Nest by Yuu Minaduki

Title: Love Nest

Author(s): Yuu Minaduki

Artist(s): Yuu Minaduki

This is the third series in a shared world created by Yuu Minaduki. It is recommended that you read the first and second entries before reading this one, as they share backgrounds and characters.

Masato treasures his days off, often working late hours during busy seasons at work. Unfortunately, the little peace he has at home is disrupted by his upstairs neighbors, who constantly stomp around and make noise. He escapes his home to drown his sorrows at his favorite bar, where he complains to one of his best friends, Naruse. Naruse pokes fun and comforts Masato at the same time but ultimately ends up making him an offer he can't refuse: to move into one of his houses. Masato is all about it and immediately cancels his lease.

Just as he expected, the house is phenomenal. It has the latest entertainment system, which tickles Masato's fancy. It's impeccably clean. But more important, there are no annoying neighbors. Masato is ready to enjoy his new digs when he's suddenly face-to-face with an unexpected person: Asahi. Asahi is an older man. He's dirty, inconsiderate, and constantly steals Masato's food. What Masato thought was heaven is suddenly hell. He has gone from shitty neighbors to a shitty roommate, and Masato can't wait to find another place so he can escape Asahi.

But as he compromises and grows to learn who Asahi truly is, he finds himself softening up to the older man. But Masato has been betrayed by a straight man before. Though his heart might want Asahi, Masato isn't so willing to let it guide him that way.

Title: Change World

Author(s): Yuu Minaduki

Artist(s): Yuu Minaduki

The sequel to Sayonara Game.

Ito and Arimura are in love and happy together. Their work often keeps them apart, but they find even the briefest moments to meet up and enjoy each other's company. Arimura wants more time with Ito and wants to move in together, but Ito isn't ready. Secretly, Ito takes cooking classes, tries to get over his hatred for peppers, and just generally tries to better himself so he can be confident in his ability to be a good partner for Arimura before they move in together. Everything is going well for the most part except for one thing: Ito's coworker.

Hozumi is way more touchy-feely than Ito would prefer, and he seems to have an intense fixation on him. Thankfully, Ito can ignore him for the most part until he and Arimura run into him outside of work. As it turns out, Hozumi knew Arimura in college, and after seeing Arimura and Ito interacting (and specifically seeing how Ito lends his precious engraved pen to Arimura), Hozumi puts two and two together. He knows Ito and Arimura are an item. When he's alone with Ito next, he lets Ito know that he is gay, too, and though he's sure Arimura and Ito are happy right now, he has no doubt that Arimura will leave Ito for a woman sooner or later. So, he feels that Ito should be with him instead.

Ito is sure Arimura wouldn't do that to him, but when Hozumi tells Arimura what he told Ito, Arimura begins to spiral. Arimura is terrified that Ito will believe Hozumi, and he feels he might be unable to prove his love to Ito. This insecurity builds and builds to the point that their once peaceful relationship threatens to crumble. Meanwhile, Ito is presented with an opportunity to work in the United States for a few years. So, even if they survive this tumultuous time, could their relationship survive the long distance?

Title: Therapy Game

Author(s): Meguru Hinohara

Artist(s): Meguru Hinohara

This is the sequel series for Secret XXX, and it's highly recommended that you read that title first before coming to this one.

Minato is out for revenge. While out at a gay drag bar, Minato was comforted by a drunken and heartbroken Shizuma. Shizuma, though in tears after being cheated on and dumped, felt compelled to comfort Minato, who was sad that his brother was finding love and moving on in life without him. Charmed by the sweet young man, Minato decided to take care of him, leading to them having a steamy night in bed. The next morning, Shizuma calls out for his ex, only to have Minato respond. The sweet and loving Shizuma is suddenly standoffish and embarrassed, admitting he remembers nothing about their night together.

Feeling bamboozled, Minato is furious and embarrassed. He had been vulnerable with Shizuma, only to be forgotten entirely. His initial goal is to scare Shizuma off. But Shizuma wants to take responsibility for anything he did to Minato, which presents a much more satisfying opportunity for revenge. Minato fully intends to take Shizuma up on his offer of taking responsibility, and over time, he wants to drown him in love and affection, wrap him around his little finger, only to break his heart.

What Minato doesn't anticipate is Shizuma stealing his heart in the process.

Title: Secret XXX

Author(s): Meguru Hinohara

Artist(s): Meguru Hinohara

Shohei loves rabbits. He adores them. Growing up in a family of exotic vets and zookeepers, he's been surrounded by a variety of interesting animals, but none can beat rabbits in his heart. Unfortunately, when he finally got the chance to get a pet rabbit in his childhood, he discovered he was deathly allergic to them. Heartbroken, he grew up longing for them all the same. Once he finally reached college, he happened upon a rabbit shop, Trois Lapin. For days, he spent his time after class watching all of the bunnies from the outside window until he was approached by an employee named Mito, who asked if he'd like to come in and see them up close.

Shohei was more than happy to take him up on that offer, even though he went home feeling sick afterward. After being invited inside once, Shohei can't help volunteering as often as he can to be near all of the sweet little bunnies. However, as he spends more time in the shop, working alongside Mito, he finds that there is more than just the rabbits that he loves within the shop. If it ever got out that he was allergic to rabbits, he knows that Mito and his grandmother, the owner, would never allow him to continue working there. So, Shohei keeps his allergy a secret at the risk of his health.

But can he grow closer to Mito when he can't get close to his rabbits?

Title: Midnight Stranger

Author(s): Bohra Naono

Artist(s): Bohra Naono

Roi is a goat spirit born from the wants and desires of humans. While the purpose of his existence is to protect and heal humanity, his looks scare all of the people around him. Unwilling to trust in this being, the humans end up sacrificing Roi in a fire to the gods, hoping they will gain favor for their offering. Instead, they end up calling upon the god of fire, Xiu. Xiu is far from impressed by the human's offering, scaring them off with his power. Now that Roi has been sacrificed to Xiu, Xiu has no intentions of letting the goat spirit go, instead rebuilding his form into something cute for Xiu to enjoy.

Centuries pass, and the importance of gods in the modern world has faded. Xiu and Roi are still hanging out in the human realm, with Xiu becoming an idol to pay for their lifestyle among the humans. On the other hand, Roi continues to work for his master, Xiu, whom he cares for much more than a servant should. But as much as he loves Xiu and follows his every command, Roi can't help but still be drawn to the humans who betrayed him so long ago against Xiu's advice. So, during the night, in the cute goat form, Xiu made for him, Roi goes out to rid humans of illness and spirits.

While this is Roi's purpose for living, would he be able to live if Xiu found out he was still protecting humanity?

Title: My Dearest Cop (Renta!) | My Dearest Patrolman (SuBLime)

Author(s): Niyama

Artist(s): Niyama

Seiji is living his best life, relaxing and lazing about with his pet cat while watching over his family's shop. As a former police officer, this is a much easier life than he had before, and he has no problem living it to the best of his ability. A nice reminder of his more active life comes around occasionally in the form of a current officer, Shin. As it turns out, Shin is a former rough-and-tumble teen from Seiji's old beat. They had many encounters, with Seiji lightheartedly trying to coax Shin back on the right path, acting more as a friend than an authority figure.

Shin appreciated the company, having had a rough relationship with his father at home and very few friends otherwise. This odd relationship came to a head, though, when during an encounter on the street, Shin was going to be bludgeoned with a glass bottle until Seiji got in the way, taking the hit instead and, in turn, scaring off the assailants. At that moment, Shin decided to become a cop so he could pay back Seiji and protect him. More importantly, this is where Shin officially falls in love with Seiji, a love he carries even into adulthood.

Shin resigns himself to this unrequited love. That is until Seiji makes an offhand comment that he should try dating men, bemoaning his current bachelor lifestyle. With his impossible love now a possibility, Shin makes it his mission to make Seiji fall in love with him. Can Shin woo the laissez-faire Seiji, or will Seiji brush him off as a kidding young man?

Title:

Author(s): Tsuta Suzuki

Artist(s): Tsuta Suzuki

Aki's family is cursed, specifically on his mother's side. Unfortunately, the curse isn't limited to his mother's side. His father, who married in, suffered from the same affliction and ended up with the same fate as Aki's mother and many other family members over the years: death. The only one left is Aki's grandfather, who is frail and sick, just like all of his family members who passed before him. In his final moments, Aki's grandfather tells Aki about someone who can help him survive the curse but doesn't provide much more information before he passes.

On his own, Aki is doing his best to get through life but grows frail as he is struck with an incurable disease he attributes to the curse. After passing out and being unable to return to work, Aki is desperate to keep himself alive and beat the curse. As he is on the cusp of succumbing to the curse, he follows his grandfather's advice and finds a bone hidden away. Disheartened by the useless discovery, Aki is ready to accept his fate when he gets blood on the bone, causing it to grow and expand with more bones, flesh, muscles, and skin until it takes the form of a half-man, half-god.

As it turns out, Aki's family acquired a guardian deity. The reason Aki's grandfather was able to live to old age is that this guardian deity helped consume the curse, prolonging his life. Aki can hardly believe it until the deity reaches into his body and pulls out a part of the curse, providing instant relief. Unfortunately, the best way for this deity to find the curse is to be intimate with the person. Now that Aki has completed the contract by giving the deity a name, Setsu, he has to suffer through the uncomfortable touch to keep himself alive. Even as he continues to claim he dislikes it all, he finds himself looking forward to the pleasure he can receive from Setsu. Once Setsu isn't needed anymore, he'll turn back into bone. Once the curse is cured, can Aki return to a life without Setsu?

Title: Love Stage!!

Author(s): Eiki Eiki

Artist(s): Taishi Zaou

Izumi doesn't fit in with his family. His mother was a model and is now a famous actress; his father was a stage actor and founded the SenaPro talent agency, and his older brother is the frontman for a famous band. It would be an understatement to say he has talent running through his veins. However, no matter how much innate talent he may have in the entertainment industry, Izumi has no interest in pursuing a career in that field. Instead, Izumi has dreams of becoming a mangaka, just like the creator of his favorite series, Lala Lulu. There's just one problem: he's terrible and has no idea.

That's the least of his worries, though, as he is now faced with a new issue. His mother wants nothing more than to act alongside one of the hottest actors of the time: Ryoma Ichijo. Fortunately, the opportunity arose as she asked to reprise her role in a wedding commercial she, Izumi's father, and Ryoma starred in a decade ago. Unfortunately for Izumi, he'll only take the role if the original cast returns. He hopes that he'll get to meet the little girl he worked alongside in the commercial, as he's been in love with her since they met all those years ago. Unbeknownst to Ryoma, that little girl was none other than a cross-dressing Izumi.

After some convincing and bribery with Lala Lulu merch, Izumi agrees to take the job. How will he handle Ryoma's advances? More importantly, though, how will Ryoma handle finding out the woman he's held a torch for all these years is actually a man?

Title: Golden Sparkle

Author(s): Suzumaru Minta

Artist(s): Suzumaru Minta

Himari Uehara has a fear of women. It all started when he was a child, just before starting school. He has a mother and a sister. His father left to work overseas, so he assumed all women were exactly like his mother and sister, with no one to tell him otherwise. When he starts school, he finds that women can be pretty terrifying and bullies, and as such, he fears all women outside his family. To keep himself safe, he makes himself less enticing, bleaching his hair to look like a delinquent and being unapproachable in general. So when he gets the chance to attend an all-boys school, he jumps at the opportunity, able to finally relax.

Unfortunately, due to his avoidance of women and his father being out of the country, Himari has never really had the “talk,” nor has he had any interest in sex. This all comes to a head when he begins to have wet dreams but has no clue what they are or what they mean. While in class, his classmates discuss porn, sex, and the like, all of which fly over his head. While alone with his closest friend, Gaku Asada, Himari takes the opportunity to figure out what all of that stuff means. Shocked and intrigued by his naivety, Gaku invites Himari to his dorm room. There, Gaku takes the time to teach him exactly what sex means, and while they enjoy the lesson and continue enjoying each other's company, this only complicates their relationship.

Can two friends do things like that with each other and still be friends?

Title: Bad Boys, Happy Home

Author(s): SHOOWA

Artist(s): Hiromasa Okujima

Akamatsu is a bit of a wild child. Chocking it all up to puberty, he finds himself pent-up with rage and frustrations over life. One day, he passes by the park and sees another young delinquent hanging out there. The guy looks tough, and Akamatsu, brimming with energy, feels compelled to fight the stranger. So, he calls the guy out and starts a brawl, which leads to Akamatsu being knocked out. Satisfied with this new outlet, Akamatsu returns day after day to fight this mysterious man, and he is only happy to oblige.

Akamatsu is pretty happy with this setup until the day his sparring partner is forced to leave the park because his sleeping place, some large pipes, has been taken away. Faced with the reality that he won't be able to let out all of his pent-up energy on the man anymore, Akamatsu does the only thing he knows to do: offer the man to stay with him. The man ends up agreeing, and finally, after all this time, he introduces himself as Seven. So begins Seven and Akamatsu's awkward life together. As Seven and Akamatsu grow closer, their pasts start to haunt them, but even so, it only seems to bring them closer and closer together. Can these young men overcome their complicated pasts and forge a new future together?

Publisher: SuBLime

Manga Review | Love Nest by Yuu Minaduki

Manga Review | Change World by Yuu Minaduki

Manga Review | Therapy Game by Meguru Hinohara

Manga Review | Secret XXX by Meguru Hinohara

Manga Review | My Dearest Cop by Niyama

Manga Review | A Strange & Mystifying Story by Tsuta Suzuki

Manga Review | Love Stage!! by Eiki Eiki

Manga Review | Golden Sparkle by Suzumaru Minta

Manga Review | Bad Boys, Happy Home by SHOOWA

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