Volume 2 introduces the last part of the quadrangle (Inui) and now sets up the scene for the rest of the series. You have step brother and sister, sister's best friend, and then another male friend. Step brother loves sister, sister loves 0ther best friend, sister's best friend loves the step sister, and we'll find out where old friend fits soon enough, I imagine. But of course, the melodrama plays out with Sakisaka's gentle storytelling and doe-eyed artwork.

Story: Akari is still very upset with how her mother is treating her new stepson; even 5 minutes alone with her stepbrother Rio draws suspicious eyes that the teens are up to hanky panky. It's causing resentment and frustration that is starting to stress the new family. Meanwhile, Yuna wants to confess to Rio but it's hard when Rio is constantly talking about how much he feels about Akari. Enter old friend Inui who is giving introspective Akari very mixed signals.

Most of the volume is about Yuna trying to get the courage to confess, Rio admitting how strongly he feels about his new step sister, and then Akari feeling like everything is out of control in her life. Inui just adds to the confusion, as does the older brother of an old schoolmate who was once an object of a crush by Akari.

So, while not a lot happens, you don't read a Sakisaka manga for action. You read it for the heartfelt moments and quiet conversations that say more than words. The artwork is at top form - clean and easy to follow. You won't have any problem divining the underlying emotions in every panel. Reviewed from an advance reader copy provided by the publisher.

I was so excited when I saw that Volume 2 was available for request on NetGalley, because I had requested and received the first volume from the publisher last time and I was really looking forward to seeing what will happen next in this series!

I really liked reading this volume. It had been a while since I read the first volume so it did take me a while to remember what happened in the last one, but once I remembered I really started to enjoy this book. I read this manga in two sittings and the second sitting was a lot easier and faster once I had remembered the important parts.

What I really enjoy about this manga series is that the focus is not the romance, not that there is a focus on a couple getting together. It deals with love, but many aspects of love, from unrequited, to family love. Especially with the different takes on love Yuna and Akari have. I was sad about the direction Yuna's love took but it is understandable that it would go that way. I just really enjoyed how realistic the love is and that it doesn't always work out, and you could also still be hung up on a person that you had a crush on from when you was a child.

I would recommend this series if you like mangas that have a more realistic take on love, enjoy seeing friendships develop into being best friends, and a great depiction of seeing friends become a part of your family.

The ending of the first volume was intense! I was so eager to find out what would happen next and I am so glad I was able to get an early copy of this!

From the shocking ending of the last, we get more background story. I liked that it was address at the beginning and of course, there is more drama to be hand in this volume.

I am still enjoying the characters. Yuna and Akari are great friends and draw their strength from one another. Rio and Yuna are cute together and even though love isn't in their future just yet, I really hope that it happens! Kazuomi is awesome and I like that he is becoming friends with Rio. Their group has many dynamics to it but they all manage to help one another and everyone needs friends like that.

Overall, I am still enjoying this series. I can't wait to see what happens to them!

The more I read this more I like the direction this is going. It's less Domestic Girlfriend/Hot Gimmick and more "the real weirdos are the ones who think this situation is hot". I also like that Imui is a potentially ace character (the authors note says that he isn't interested in anyone and that he doesn't realize his actions may be considered romantic which is very on brand for the ace peeps in my life). I've now read more from this author, so I'm starting to pick up more of their commonly used themes and have a good idea where this is going to go, but I'm still interested enough to want to read on.

I was super excited to get my hands on this volume. I had so many questions after reading volume one, and I’m glad to say that they were answered here! We got a bit more backstory on some characters which is good. Along with more scenes that make you want to ship certain couples! I’m curious to see how the next volume will be.

This is a very promising romance manga series! Nothing groundbreaking but it's all very well done. Lovely art.