Tamon's B-Side, Volume 1

December 1, 2023

Gr 8 Up-Utage's obsession with her favorite boy band F/ace may be to an unhealthy level, but her part-time job as a housekeeper ensures she has the income to support expensive albums and meet-and-greets. However, her latest client happens to be the object of her obsession: sexy bad-boy front man, Tamon! At home though, Tamon is depressive, antisocial, and anxious. Utage finds her job is not only to clean his house and get him on a much healthier diet, but also to help him realize his dream that he professed on his audition tape two years ago: "to make people all over the world smile." This story is overall sweet with some wonderful messaging about taking care of yourself as well as being inspiring for others, although hopefully the series evolves away from Utage propping up Tamon's mental health. A few moments of sexual innuendo and hormone-charged attraction aims this at teen readers. VERDICT Overall, this is a fun rom-com perfectly suited for fans of other manga series such as "My Special One," or "Phantom of the Idol."-Sara Smith

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