A very good love triangle

This is the most teenage girl series I have read as of late. Had I read this series when I was a teenager, I would have been obsessed. This is a great recommendation for any tween/teen straight girl who yearns for being the star of her own CW TV show.

Nanami is a genuinely sweet girl who is busting her ass daily to take care of her family, especially her little brother. When she’s caught working a part time job, which goes against her school rules, the Principal makes her a deal; if she can convince three classmates who are rich to come back to school, he will let her do both and not mention it to anyone else. First of all, I hate this real life thing in which women who are performing well and are behaved are forced to be partners with kids who hate school. It only ever happens to young women and all it leads to is more stress and punishment for the women rather than adequately punishing student’s who do not perform. That aside, what is with this weird ass Principal getting far too involved in his students lives. Weirdo.

That aside, because this is a fictional world, Nanami gets along with the three students pretty well and they become acquaintances. In volumes 2 and 3, we are finally introduced to the crux of this story; the love triangle. Nanami has a crush on Rei, the cool-headed and slightly standoffish boy in her class. His best friend, Chihiro, has a thing for Nanami as well and Rei himself. The other member of the boy trio is Eire, who is the hardest one to get through to. Eire is close wit Rei especially and struggles with feeling left behind and forgotten. He’s worried Nanami having a crush on Rei will lead to the two dating, and then Eire will be left in the dust. Eire tells Nanami that they’re back in school now and no longer need her, so she should do her own thing and leave them alone. Of course he’s trying to push her away all while the other two are trying to get closer to her.

This is a really sweet series that is very easy to read. As I read it, I was transported back to my teenage days and could immediately recognize the feelings Nanami was going through. This is a really well done love triangle story as you learn to really love all the characters involved and want the best for them.

Title: Those Not-So-Sweet Boys
Author: Yoko Nogiri
Format: Paperback
Pages: 160 // 160
ISBN: 9781646511976 //  9781646511983

Three Descriptors: Sweet, Wholesome, Cheesy