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MANGA: Koh-Boku
Koh-Boku – Michiru Sonoo
From good morning to good night, working like a horse, aiming for the betterment of Japan’s tomorrow… that is the duty of a civil servant (Koh-Boku), a public official of Kasumigaseki. One such Koh-Boku, Kyuu-san, has Kashiwagi by his side, a super-elite who is a dozen years his junior. Even though he thinks that he really should push his junior to stand on his own, he couldn’t bear to be parted from the pleasure of working passionately every day with Kashiwagi… but one day, their cozy relationship changed…?!
Civil Servant turned one of the most boring jobs into a setup for the most ridiculously endearing romance ever!
Imamiya works at the Ministry of Economics, Trade, and Industry, supported by his fiercely devoted second-in-command, Kashiwagi. Kashiwagi’s loyalty is legendary, he prepares Imamiya’s lunch, fixes broken fingernails, offers his lap for naps, and bombards him with reminders to take care of his fragile health.
Colleagues affectionately compare Kashiwagi to a loyal dog, and looks upon the two men’s relationship fondly. They would even go so far as to warn those interested in Kashiwagi not to bother because he has eyes only for Imamiya
That is to say, Kashiwagi and Imamiya were boyfriends even before they started dating. They just don’t know it yet.
The opening chapters may feel dry with policy talk, but I found them irresistibly charming. Amid the paperwork, Kashiwagi dotes on Imamiya with seamless care, heating meals, brewing tea, anticipating every need, spoiling his mentor so thoroughly that even Imamiya marvels at it.
The surly but reliable Kashiwagi is shaken to the core when Imamiya has a heart failure. His co-workers were so shocked when the normally unflappable Kashiwagi burst into tears. The second-in-command also clashed with Imamiya’s adopted son, adding another layer of tension.
When Imamiya returns to work and is temporarily transferred, Kashiwagi upped his already formidable devotion game even more. The transition from co-workers to lovers was a heartmelting scene of a very grouchy Kashiwagi with Imamiya coaxing him into hug because he knows the younger man badly misses him.
The koh-boku are hardcore workaholics, often in the office until 2 AM, quietly crafting policies for Japan’s future. Kashiwagi and Imamiya’s personal lives intertwine with their work, not effortlessly, but with dedication and fulfillment. Their romance mirrors that same commitment: low-key yet passionate, understated yet deeply impactful, and purely a desire to make each other happy.
I’m sorry, but this old men yaoi completely has me in a chokehold.
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REVIEW: Washed Up Former Child Star Ryan Lee by Lisa Henry & J.A. Rock
Washed Up Former Child Star Ryan Lee – Lisa Henry & J.A. Rock
Ryan Lee is a hot mess.
In another lifetime, Ryan had it all. He was a child star in one of the biggest sitcoms on the planet. Now he’s an adult, unemployed, and a poster child for bad decisions. Okay, so he hasn’t robbed a convenience store yet, but only because he’s always either too high or too hungover. When the opportunity to film a reunion show comes up, Ryan jumps at the chance. He needs the money, but more than that, it might be what he needs to drag his career—and himself—out of the gutter.
Except seeing his former onscreen family again means seeing Chase Ellis–the guy who destroyed Ryan’s career by leaving the show, and the first boy Ryan ever kissed. Back when Ryan believed in fairytales, he thought he was in love with Chase, and the reunion brings all those old feelings racing back. But it drags up old secrets too. Ryan’s about to learn that, when it comes to Hollywood, the only happy endings are the ones that take place on screen.
Then again, maybe it isn’t a happy ending Ryan needs. Maybe it’s a new beginning.
Washed Up Former Child Star Ryan Lee is a standalone contemporary m/m second chance romance.
If anyone deserves a happy ending, it’s Washed-Up Former Child Star Ryan Lee. Lisa Henry and J.A. Rock’s contemporary romance is a raw, difficult read, confronting addiction, abusive relationships, and sexual assault. Yet it’s also a compelling story of second chances and recovery.
Ryan Lee, once the star of a hit family sitcom, fell spectacularly from grace. In and out of rehab, he spiraled into rock bottom, relying on his drug-dealing pimp of a boyfriend and trading sex for a fix.
A decade later, Ryan still clings to the hope of a comeback when he’s invited to his former co-star Marissa’s wedding and a reunion show. Bracing himself to face his old sitcom family, he’s blindsided by the reappearance of Chase Ellis, his first love and the man who ruined his life when Chase abruptly left the show. Cue the ugly cry.
This is best consumed in audiobook form. It’s narrated by Gary Furlong who captures Ryan’s despair, biting humor, and spunk with perfect balance. Told in Ryan’s first-person POV, the narrative is laced with his imagined ticker-tape headlines on moments of his life: “WASHED-UP FORMER CHILD STAR RYAN LEE SEEN ENTERING TREATMENT FACILITY.”
The book might be triggering for some. It doesn’t shy away from the bleakness of addiction. A huge chunk covers Ryan’s s depressing situation as an addict, along with his best friend, roommate, and fellow addict, Kristen. Those parts were tough to go through; the desperation and the hopelessness were gut-wrenching.
Ryan’s self-awareness and sardonic humor keep the story from being completely grim. He’s a self-confessed asshole, but he slowly won me over. What I admire most is his refusal to surrender. There’s always fight in him, no matter how low he sinks. And he may have hit rock bottom, but he’s no pushover, he’ll punch someone in the groin if they try to break him.
That miniscule bud of hope blooms when Ryan reunites with Chase. Their romance, though secondary, is tender, wholesome, and full of laughter. Ryan’s lightness when he’s with Chase is palpable, he likes himself best in Chase’s presence, and that joy is contagious. It’s a pure balm to the soul!
Equally poignant is Ryan’s relationship with his estranged agent, Derek. More father than his own parents ever were, Derek distanced himself to avoid enabling Ryan’s addiction. Their reconciliation delivers the most heartwarming headline of all: “WASHED-UP FORMER CHILD STAR RYAN LEE IS HOME.”
Overall, Washed Up Former Child Star Ryan Lee will put you through the wringer, but it is ultimately rewarding. It ends not with a fairy-tale resolution, but with a happy-for-now, hearts full of resilience, hope and joy.
Rating:
4.5 Stars – perfection is only half a step awaySoundtrack: Everyone Blooms
Artist: The Front Bottoms
Album: In Sickness & In Flames
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WASHED UP FOR FORMER CHILD STAR RYAN LEE: Amazon UK | Audiobook
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SOUNDTRACK: Everyone Blooms by The Front Bottoms
Soundtrack to Washed Up Former Child Star Ryan Lee by Lisa Henry & J.A. Rock
Everybody Blooms by The Front Bottoms for a book about a washed-up star grabbing the chance to bloom again.
Everyone blooms in their own time
Some far ahead, some far behind
So wherever you are, don’t worry
You’re gonna be fine, fine, fine
‘Cause everyone blooms in their own timeSometimes we talk about what it might take
Skills to wrap the gift and my hands cut the cake
Sometimes we talk about what it might take
Skills to pay the bills and my mouth get a taste -
Everyone blooms in their own time
Some far ahead, some far behind
So wherever you are, don’t worry
You’re gonna be fine, fine, fine
‘Cause everyone blooms in their own timeSometimes we talk about what it might take
Skills to wrap the gift and my hands cut the cake
Sometimes we talk about what it might take
Skills to pay the bills and my mouth get a tasteI have to concentrate, keep it warm
Taking up space and blocking doors
Sometimes we talk, it’s a total mistake
Just a picture of us looks so good it feels fake
Just a picture of us looks so good it feels fakeEveryone blooms in their own time
Some far ahead, some far behind
So wherever you are, don’t worry
You’re gonna be fine, fine, fine
‘Cause everyone blooms in their own time
Oh, in their own timeWell, I heard that you want all of me
And I heard that you’d do anything
You can take what’s left of me
Fill a garbage bag before you leaveI have to meditate, staying strong
Smoke’s filling up space, no fire alarm
Sometimes we talk, it’s a total mistake
Just the memories of us feel so real, must be fake
Good memories of us feel so real, must be fakeEveryone blooms in their own time
Some far ahead, some far behind
So wherever you are, don’t worry
You’re gonna be fine, fine, fine
Everyone blooms in their own time
Their own time
Their own timeBoth of us could give up
Give up and float backwards
Attitude and outlook
Realize that it matters
And I know that no news
No news is good news
But that always felt backwards
And I still haven’t heard from youAttitude and outlook
Realize that it matters
Both of us could give up
Give up and float backwards
Yeah I know that no news
No news is good news
But that always felt backwards
And I still haven’t heard from youMy attitude, my outlook
I realize now it matters
My attitude, my outlook
I realize now it matters
Yeah, I know that no news
No news is good news
I realize now it matters
And I still haven’t heard from youEveryone blooms in their own time
Some far ahead, some far behind
So wherever you are, don’t worry
You’re gonna be fine, fine, fine
Gonna be fine, fine, fine
Gonna be fine, fine, fine
‘Cause everyone blooms in their own time -
MOVIE FEATURE: Leviticus
