A Promise of Romance by Kyoko Akitsu

[reviews_and_ramblings]

Satsuki is a young Japanese guy who searches to gain his life in London. He always wanted to be an actor, but when he is refused by the most important actor school in Japan, he decided to try his fortune in London; there is maybe a bit of misplaced proud in it, since probably Satsuki doesn't want to face the fact that him, the one who always had the main character role in the high school plays, was rejected and instead his best friend, the one who always looked upon to Satsuki was accepted.

In London Satsuki is not doing very well; he is lonely and has very little money, and he is too proud to ask help to his family. So when a young nobleman, Edward, asks him to cross-dress and to play the role of his fiancee, Satsuki accepts. It's not only the money, it's also the fascination with the high society in which Edward lives. Edward needs to marry in order to not losing his inheritance, and marrying Satsuki, he is sure that he will have no problem to invoid the marriage.

Edward is not a bad guy, maybe a little spoiled, but all in all he is only lonenly, as lonely as Satsuki. In Satsuki maybe Edward finds more a friend than other. And when it's time to express his feelings, he is too open, and this clashes with Satsuki's culture.

First of all the plot... it's not very convincing. How can Edward and Satsuki marry without problem? Doesn't Satsuki need a birth certificate, where obviously it's stated that he is a man? True, in England same sex union are legal, I believe, but this is not what Edward's parents' will states.

Second the relationship between Edward and Satsuki: it could be a very good example of Pretty Woman's tale, there is also the scene where Edward takes Satsuki out to shopping in the best fashion boutique... but how the relationship evolves between the two it's without a strong basis, it's all too obvious and the author doesn't give us much reason to believe in it... the only sex scene is almost a rape! Actually if not for the rape scene, this book would be a good example of young adult novel, and with an young adult target too.

Amazon Kindle: A Promise of Romance

Amazon: A Promise Of Romance (Yaoi Novel)

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