Read was fun and easy to do in one sitting. Great characters. Plot was interesting. Romance was adorable.

I absolutely adore everything put out by Harlequin Manga and I will definitely continue to request and read these manga in the future.

Harlequin romance manga comics are like my romance catnip. Gorgeous illustrations. Romantic stories. Just all around beautiful. And quite often, the comics make me want to go back and read the books too. I think for me, the comics serve a purpose of illustrating a beautiful story and bringing it to life with wonderful illustrations. It's also a teaser and taste of the story it often makes me want to take in the original story for more depth and detail. Between the book and the manga comic, they are a winning combination. And yes, I know, my review of the manga comics are often the same but it's mostly the case because they often get the same reaction from me. Thank you for this wonderful medium in delivering romance to a dedicated reader.

I received this manga from Netgalley in exchange of an honest review.

Oh my, I just adored this cover! The guy who looks quite troubled, and I can see why. That girl is definitely having some kick-ass vibes. I am a bit worried about the blurb, as it seems he only fell in love with her due to her new looks. I so hope that this turns out a bit differently, and that he falls in love with the full package (in and out).

It all starts with her birthday and how her boss forgot all about it, oopsie. I did think those friends of her were nice to celebrate + give a make-over, though at times I did think it was a bit harsh. Yes, she looks quite plain, yes, she would rather flatter a guy with her wits and soul, but to laugh at her? No. But holy hell, that make-over. I cannot even recognise her any more. Man. That is one make-over. Magics.

Urggggggh, his reaction was at first funny, but when he held her longer than normal, and even kissed her. Eww. Yes, she changed. From the outside. No need to immediately turn into a horny guy. I so dislike guys who just judge people based on their looks. I so so hope that the story will evolve in him also liking her for who she actually is.

Her friends of course don't listen to her and set her up with a date with her boss. Well, at least the dinner and the dance at home wasn't a disaster, and they found out a bit more about each other. Like that Cindy travelled around quite a bit due to her parents. We also learn why Cindy may be a bit against the whole pretty on the outside stuff, namely her mom. I am curious if there is more story to it. We still got 60-ish pages to go, so who knows. At first I was a bit pissed at Kyle's reaction, but I am glad he corrected himself. Now the question remains, is it true what he said, or is he just trying to get Cindy in bed?

Ah, and now we are trying to make Kyle jealous. *grins* And he is falling for it hook, line, sinker.

So? I am kind of confused. So he always had an interest in Cindy, but because of something happening in the past he never went for it? But why now? Because now she is extra pretty? It just doesn't make sense that now he is suddenly interested. :| And yes, on the one hand I am happy that he is confessing, and yay they can be in love, but it still feels so superficial. :(
Ah, I am going to be correcting myself, a few pages we get more talk, and he didn't go for her just because she was extra pretty. He was jealous. Worried that the love of his life would find another guy. OK, OK, that is pretty sweet. I am happy with that. Now I will definitely root for these two.

There we go, more truth about Cindy's mom. Apparently mommy dearest was a prostitute... I can imagine our girl having a big aversion to beauty and all that with a mom that thrived on that and dragged her kid around like an accessory. But we find out some more, and yes, I was crying. OK, I can't help it. These Harlequin Manga are terrible for my tearducts. I cry so often while reading these manga.

The ending was a bit abrupt, so eh. I wished to have a few more pages.

The art was fabulous though. A bit wonky at times, but in general it was done very gorgeously.

All in all, this was a good story about love, about looks, about family. And I was happy for our couple.

Review first posted at https://twirlingbookprincess.com/

This one was really good - the plot was following smoothly, and the characters were good especially Cindy, was good with her deeper aversion for men that care for women's beauty. But why Cindy feels like that? And her boss is he what she thinks he is?
Read this nice story to find it out!

📚I received an Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) from NetGalley and Harlequin/SB Creative as the publisher in exchange for an honest review📚

Book title : The Beauty and the Boss: a Harlequin Manga

Author : Donna Clayton; Illustrator : Earithen

Release Date : 20 January 2019

Meet our hero and heroine

Kyle Prentice: talented director of research and development, tall, muscular, and a workaholic good-looking guy.

Cindy: on her thirties, a plain-Jane and Kyle’s secretary

Cindy was in love with her Kyle. Sadly, Kyle only saw Cindy as a trustworthy coworker. He did not bother about Cindy and he even forgot her birthday. Cindy was hurted even though she kept saying that she was okay. During Cindy’s birthday lunch, she admitted her feeling towards Kyle to her trusted friends. Rachel, one of the friends came out with the idea of Cindy’s transformation to seduce Kyle. She was the one who later took Cindy to the beauty parlor. Kyle was surprise seeing Cindy’s transformation. He was speechless and started to feel jealous when he saw other men trying to get close to Cindy. The conflict started when Rachel suggested Kyle to teach Cindy how to date. The fake dating turned out to be a serious one. Little that Kyle knew, Cindy also had her own reason why she dressed in plain outfit.

I am not going to spoil the rest of the story here. It is a surprise that one should read and find out. What I can say is that the attraction between our hero and heroine was so strongly portrayed.And I personally love the conflict as the artist is able to captured it and portrayed it into the manga-style. It is just a perfect reading to sweeten one’s life.

Review: https://literatureisliving.wordpress.com/2019/01/08/the-boss-and-the-beauty-a-harlequin-manga-by-donna-clayton/

This is definitely a four star story because it is unique and quite distictive from all the other Harlequin mangas.

Cindy, the main character, is a detetmined young woman who wants to be known for her beauty on the inside, not just the outside. She has a crush on her boss Kyle who is a workaholic.

Cindy's friends don't really agree with her and they send her off for a makeover on her birthday. The result turns heads and also turns Kyle's head.

With a bit of nudging and plotting from friends, Kyle and Cindy become close but they still have to work through personal perceptions and issues from the past. They also have to see whether they can work together as a romantic partnership. Who are they outside work and the office?

This was really enjoyable because of the humour. It has serious aspects which are told in a light hearted way. The artwork was good, although slightly different in style to previous manga romances.

I really like the stories that are edgier than the usuual and I like stories that don't follow the established tropes because who wants to read the same story over and over?

This story was great and certainly met my personal criteria for a great manga romance!

Copy provided by Harlequin in exchange for an unbiased review.

The art of Earithen is known to me through the adaptation of Lords of the Underworld books by Gena Showalter. The Boss and the Beauty held a good plot with comedy and an 'extreme make-over' story which felt well made and had its own HEA.

This is not the typical boss-secretary romance you would expect from the title. Nor an ugly duckling story you would think when the secretary's friends take her to a spa to doll her up to attract her boss's attention. There is a reason why the young woman is disappointed when she does get her boss's attention after her make over, and it has to do with a troubled past and a mother that only relied on her looks and ability in bed to get men financially support her, if you get what I mean. Nor did her boss keep his distance because he found her unattractive...
Two people who have worked side by side for six years and never really got to know each other finally see through their mask. A very enjoyable romance with much needed depth.