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Café Latte Rhapsody
A bookstore employee, Serizawa -- a short, comical, and adorable young man -- spots Keito -- a immensely tall and intense-eyed man -- in the store. It was a love at first sight for Serizawa! However, Serizawa realizes that Keito is extremely shy and meek. What's holding him back? Can Keito overcome his shyness and show his true feelings?
184 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2007
About the author
Touko Kawai
19 books55 followersName (in native language): 川唯東子
Associated Names :
川唯东子
KAWAI Töko
KAWAI Toko
Does not wish for her illustrations to be uploaded anywhere on the net without her permission.
Likes: Alcohol.
Dislikes: Tiring things and sweat.
Associated Names :
川唯东子
KAWAI Töko
KAWAI Toko
Does not wish for her illustrations to be uploaded anywhere on the net without her permission.
Likes: Alcohol.
Dislikes: Tiring things and sweat.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 36 reviews
March 21, 2017
3 Básicamente porque es mega dulce.
No es el estilo de BL que más me gusta, pero son muy monos y me sabría mal dar 2.
No es el estilo de BL que más me gusta, pero son muy monos y me sabría mal dar 2.
February 27, 2024
this was one of my first mangas. the first ome i bought and opened the door to the beginning of a collection of toko kawai sensei's works.
toko kawai's characters have a softness to them i have always loved, which drove me to gravitate towards them when i was younger and searching for pure and gentle stories. this one is an example.
and i actually learned a thing about the galaxy/universe with it !
toko kawai's characters have a softness to them i have always loved, which drove me to gravitate towards them when i was younger and searching for pure and gentle stories. this one is an example.
and i actually learned a thing about the galaxy/universe with it !
August 28, 2011
This is extremely sweet and cute - so much so that I can understand people not liking it. I, however, loved it - I read it mostly because of the bookstore setting, but I loved the sheer sweetness of it. It's very cute, and I think a great pick-me-up story.
December 20, 2014
Warming and sugary sweet, just like a lovely latte. This adorable manga is one of my favourites; recomended and loaned out a fair few times!
March 6, 2023
This was one of my favorites back in high school and when it came across my desk at the library, I just had to reread it. Still as sweet as ever!
April 28, 2020
This is one of my favorite reads of the year. Oh my, this was adorable!
It's kind of a beauty and the beast esc. story, about two young men Keito and Serizawa who meet at a bookstore and start an adorable relationship. Keito is tall and intimidating in appearance, but in reality he is a shy cinnamon roll. Whereas Keito is very extroverted, despite having his own mental health issues. I could relate to him a lot.
I really liked how their relationship developed, it was adorable. This book does have sex, but it's drawn in a very classy way (I can't think of the word). It's not explicit, this is a 16+ romance BL story. I would highly recommend it, if you can find it! Sadly, it is out of print from June'. Definitely keep your eye out for it at a used book store!
It's kind of a beauty and the beast esc. story, about two young men Keito and Serizawa who meet at a bookstore and start an adorable relationship. Keito is tall and intimidating in appearance, but in reality he is a shy cinnamon roll. Whereas Keito is very extroverted, despite having his own mental health issues. I could relate to him a lot.
I really liked how their relationship developed, it was adorable. This book does have sex, but it's drawn in a very classy way (I can't think of the word). It's not explicit, this is a 16+ romance BL story. I would highly recommend it, if you can find it! Sadly, it is out of print from June'. Definitely keep your eye out for it at a used book store!
May 30, 2020
4.5 csillag
Ez nagyon édes volt. Két bizonytalan férfi, ahogy lassan egymásba szeretnek, mindez Toko Kawai szépséges rajzaival.
Ez nagyon édes volt. Két bizonytalan férfi, ahogy lassan egymásba szeretnek, mindez Toko Kawai szépséges rajzaival.
August 18, 2018
4 stars
May 14, 2023
Rating: ⭐(1.2)
Sinopsis:
Estaba destinada a convertirse en una relación de pareja inusual, cuando el empleado de librería Serizawa choca contra el gigante (pero aparentemente tímido y manso), Keito. Enamorarse fue fácil, pero ¿Cómo Keito superará su timidez para mostrarle a Serizawa sus verdaderos sentimientos? Y, por otro lado, ¿Cómo Serizawa vencerá sus propias inseguridades sobre las relaciones y aceptará los sentimientos que Keito tiene hacia él?
Lo bueno:
✅ La trama es simple y sencilla, adecuada para entretenerse.
Lo malo:
⛔ Los personajes parecen demasiado infantiles e inmaduros para su edad, lo que puede resultar molesto e inverosímil para algunos lectores.
⛔️ El protagonista parece obsesionado con el final de su relación con Keita desde el principio, lo que resulta desconcertante y poco realista.
⛔️ La narrativa se siente un poco sosa y tediosa debido a la falta de acontecimientos importantes que ocurran en la historia.
Sinopsis:
Estaba destinada a convertirse en una relación de pareja inusual, cuando el empleado de librería Serizawa choca contra el gigante (pero aparentemente tímido y manso), Keito. Enamorarse fue fácil, pero ¿Cómo Keito superará su timidez para mostrarle a Serizawa sus verdaderos sentimientos? Y, por otro lado, ¿Cómo Serizawa vencerá sus propias inseguridades sobre las relaciones y aceptará los sentimientos que Keito tiene hacia él?
Lo bueno:
✅ La trama es simple y sencilla, adecuada para entretenerse.
Lo malo:
⛔ Los personajes parecen demasiado infantiles e inmaduros para su edad, lo que puede resultar molesto e inverosímil para algunos lectores.
⛔️ El protagonista parece obsesionado con el final de su relación con Keita desde el principio, lo que resulta desconcertante y poco realista.
⛔️ La narrativa se siente un poco sosa y tediosa debido a la falta de acontecimientos importantes que ocurran en la historia.
June 16, 2018
I don’t know if I’m just in a sentimental mood or what, but I *loved* this manga. It’s super sweet and I laughed so many times! (It’s also that rare breed: a non-explicit yaoi manga. There are implied sex scenes but you never see anything worthy of an R rating.) The basic premise — a seemingly outgoing young man who is terribly insecure about his looks and his ability to hold onto a long-term boyfriend meets cute in a bookstore with an intimidatingly tall but cripplingly shy college student — is kind of refreshingly free of weird gimmicks, and I thought it was really well executed. Kawai-sensei’s art isn’t as realistic as the recent trend but it’s lovely and expressive, especially Keito and Seri-san’s faces. If you liked Awkward Silence, especially the first books, I think this would be a welcome addition to your shelves.
August 25, 2017
This is a funny one cause everytime I see the cover I think 'oh yeah this is the one I didn't like' then I start to read it and I remember that I DO like it!
March 23, 2019
Bonita historia para pasar el rato.
Aunque no me agradó mucho el dibujo 😅.
Aunque no me agradó mucho el dibujo 😅.
June 29, 2020
Bastante suave, muy tierno, diseño más clásico, con una historia agradable de leer
January 1, 2021
Great gay manga romance
March 16, 2021
It was cute! Very fluffy.
July 25, 2022
Un personnage trop grand, qui effraie malgré-lui les gens mais qui fera la rencontre d’un libraire solaire qui, a travers sa carrure impressionnante, verra le grand cœur qui se cache derrière cette apparence atypique.
Un joli manga, de la volonté de la mangaka, très feel-good. Une histoire positive sans surprise avec pour thème la différence et les préjugés. Ce n’est clairement pas mon préféré de son auteure mais se laisse lire. C’est cliché mais mignon.
Un joli manga, de la volonté de la mangaka, très feel-good. Une histoire positive sans surprise avec pour thème la différence et les préjugés. Ce n’est clairement pas mon préféré de son auteure mais se laisse lire. C’est cliché mais mignon.
April 15, 2011
I picked this up during my last visit to Borders. I've been kind of burnt out on yaoi & BL for a while, but since the price was right (70% going out of business sale) I figured hey, why not?
This was just an incredibly cute & sweet manga. While the story doesn't really swerve that much from the typical manga fare, there's enough here to make it stand out. I loved the interactions between our leading men & the way the artwork brought out their emotions. It was also nice to see that the main characters were attractive without being the over the top bishoujo pretty boys that I so often find in these types of stories. It's really refreshing to see guys who actually look a little masculine.
The only drawback is that at times the story just seemed to drag a little between chapters & I couldn't help but feel that this might have been better if it was just a smidgen shorter. It's a good story but I'll admit that if this hadn't been on sale I probably wouldn't have bought it. I'd have read it & liked it well enough, but this wouldn't have been something I'd re-read often enough to make it worth it.
If you're wondering whether or not there's a lot of sex in this story, then you might be disappointed by how little sex there was. Most of it takes place towards the end & while it's a little on the graphic side, it's nowhere near as explicit as some of the other books out there. If you're a person who puts story above sex then you're in luck.
This was just an incredibly cute & sweet manga. While the story doesn't really swerve that much from the typical manga fare, there's enough here to make it stand out. I loved the interactions between our leading men & the way the artwork brought out their emotions. It was also nice to see that the main characters were attractive without being the over the top bishoujo pretty boys that I so often find in these types of stories. It's really refreshing to see guys who actually look a little masculine.
The only drawback is that at times the story just seemed to drag a little between chapters & I couldn't help but feel that this might have been better if it was just a smidgen shorter. It's a good story but I'll admit that if this hadn't been on sale I probably wouldn't have bought it. I'd have read it & liked it well enough, but this wouldn't have been something I'd re-read often enough to make it worth it.
If you're wondering whether or not there's a lot of sex in this story, then you might be disappointed by how little sex there was. Most of it takes place towards the end & while it's a little on the graphic side, it's nowhere near as explicit as some of the other books out there. If you're a person who puts story above sex then you're in luck.
July 28, 2011
J'ai failli passer à côté !! Au début le résumé de la quatrième de couverture et les dessins ne m'inspiraient pas du tout. Mais au final, quelle bonne surprise !!
L'histoire est simple, mignonne et rafraichissante, sans être neuneu ! Au contraire ce manga nous parle d'amour et de possessivité de manière intelligente, sans pourtant tomber dans le dramatique. Les personnages sortent des clichés habituels du yaoi, et sont très attachants. Quant aux dessins, ils sont plutôt pas mal au final, pas transcendants, mais pas laids non plus. Et puis c'est un one shot qui pour une fois ne laisse pas une impression de "trop peu" (quoique d'autre petite histoire avec ces personnages ne m'aurait pas dérangée ! ^^)
Bref, Caffe Latte Rhapsody c'est un petit moment de lecture agréable et qui peut être bon pour le moral quand on a un coup de blues.
En tout cas on ne peut que saluer les éditions Taifu et Asuka pour nous sortir enfin des yaoi et des shônen ai de qualité et pas forcement très connus du public français.
L'histoire est simple, mignonne et rafraichissante, sans être neuneu ! Au contraire ce manga nous parle d'amour et de possessivité de manière intelligente, sans pourtant tomber dans le dramatique. Les personnages sortent des clichés habituels du yaoi, et sont très attachants. Quant aux dessins, ils sont plutôt pas mal au final, pas transcendants, mais pas laids non plus. Et puis c'est un one shot qui pour une fois ne laisse pas une impression de "trop peu" (quoique d'autre petite histoire avec ces personnages ne m'aurait pas dérangée ! ^^)
Bref, Caffe Latte Rhapsody c'est un petit moment de lecture agréable et qui peut être bon pour le moral quand on a un coup de blues.
En tout cas on ne peut que saluer les éditions Taifu et Asuka pour nous sortir enfin des yaoi et des shônen ai de qualité et pas forcement très connus du public français.
July 17, 2014
BL manga. The first time Serizawa sees Keito in the bookstore where he works, he's alarmed by his height and sharp glare. But it only takes moments for him to begin to realise that Keito's sharpness is an accident, entirely at odds with his shy and awkward personality.
Ugh, this one is so goddamned appealing and sweet, Keito with his awkward bashfulness and Serizawa with his insecurities and kind-yet-dishonest ready smile. Also: freckles! I am so weak for freckles. Also also: a scene involving kittens found abandoned in an alley.
Ugh, this one is so goddamned appealing and sweet, Keito with his awkward bashfulness and Serizawa with his insecurities and kind-yet-dishonest ready smile. Also: freckles! I am so weak for freckles. Also also: a scene involving kittens found abandoned in an alley.
December 17, 2023
Café Latte Rhapsody by Kawai Tôko is one of the easiest works to mention with a fluffy story about bookseller Hajime and shy mixed race college student Keito falling in love. Kawai in the afterword is unsure of her art being up par, (not quite nailing the Riki Takeuchi reference) but she does achieve cute visuals.
(Note depending on edition a brief instance of genitalia during a sex scene may be censored to nonexistent. Content notes also include xenophobia.)
Also Find More Bedside Books Across Social Media
(Note depending on edition a brief instance of genitalia during a sex scene may be censored to nonexistent. Content notes also include xenophobia.)
Also Find More Bedside Books Across Social Media
July 10, 2012
This manga is extremely cute without passing into over fluffiness. There are some suprising hidden depths in each character including the side characters at some points when they do something a little unexpected. I don't think I dislike any character in this manga. Even the gold digging ex-boyfriend isn't completely unlikeable. The theme of appearance not matching personality works very well on both main characters and fits nicely with the story.
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April 24, 2011I'm trying to get into yaoi again since it's adorable, and this story did seem to try its hardest to be adorable incarnate, but it was a try-hard thing. It was far too cliche and unbelievable for me, and there wasn't much of a conflict really. This is good for fangirls though, romance and gooey stuff make up approximately 90% of this story.
October 15, 2012
Saccharine story about an unbelievably shy guy who runs away crying after hooking up with a bookstore clerk. Clearly not enough plot. At any rate, since it was the first yaoi I read, I bump it up a star!...Please don't stone me...
May 23, 2014
Sweet love story. Not really any deep plots, just a sweet pick-me-up navigating the relationship between a guy who's short with a harsh opinion of himself, and another who is tall with low self-esteem.
March 31, 2016
A very heartwarming story. This story is fluffy as sweet latte and I love it. This brings me to tears. So much love and cuddliness in this manga it makes me think how looks can be deceiving for a guy who is tall and manly who could be soft as a pillow. Amazing art and story. Recommend
May 6, 2016
I´ve read this one so many times it´s probably not healthy anymore. The whole thing is just so cute. From Hajimes freckles, to all the blushing and misunderstandings.
And the ART - I just LOVE Touko Kawais style. I will never get enough of her manga.
And the ART - I just LOVE Touko Kawais style. I will never get enough of her manga.
Shelved as 'read-seq-art'
June 26, 2011Adorable fluff.
June 21, 2011
i like this author . The story and the drawing are soo beautiful.
March 14, 2015
This is one of the sweetest things I have ever read. It's sweet enough to make your teeth ache, almost, but I declare this to be the perfect pick-me-up. Adorable, really.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 36 reviews