Hotaru’s in a pickle! She’s forced to square off against the perfect woman for her romance, and before her battle’s even begun, all seems to be lost. That perfect woman’s name: Yuuka. Our himono heroine is on the ropes after Yuuka makes it clear she can’t win in a contest of feminine wiles…and then the perfect woman delivers the killing blow: she proclaims her love for Makoto! Are we going to have to start calling this series Yuuka’s Way?!
I came very close to giving this a 2 because Hotaru herself was so self-sabotaging and annoying for the first half of the book. Points were saved when Hiura shifted gears to make a statement about how we all look "perfect" to someone who only sees us on the outside.
There’s a lot of good content here with explorations about dating and romance, but I really just like the quiet scenes where Hotaru and her boss connect. There’s something very soothing about seeing them converse and enjoy each other’s company in their shared abode.