Thank you to NetGalley, Kodansha Comics, and Yoko Nogiri for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

I am always looking for a new shojo manga that feels different than the norm. The art in this manga is fantastic and the story has so much promise! Midori goes to a school where she isn't supposed to have a part-time job. When the chairman finds out, he manipulates her into watching three high-ranking, school-skipping boys to avoid getting in trouble with the school herself. Getting the boys to study and attend school seems like a challenge, but at least Midori gained a school-approved job afterward. She just needs to make sure the boys make it to graduation. A surprising friendship blossoms, and the possibility of romance, though any feelings she may have may be seen as an intrusion to their tight-knit group.

I absolutely adored this manga. I haven't read this author before, but I looked into some of Nogiri's other works and am very interested in checking those out as well. This is a series I would certainly like to keep up with.

The art is surprisingly basic for a shojo, with clean lines and minimal background and details in most panels. However, it does work to keep you focused on the story as it slowly unfolds and reveals details about the title's not-so-sweet-boys.
Midori is the classic positive-minded, go-getter scholarship student that somehow ends up having to deal with the reclusive rich boys in her class. It's a story that's been told a million times, but it's told well and with enough charm that I'm perfectly willing to let this first volume turn into at least a second volume read to see where the story goes from here. It definitely has potential.

Many happy thanks to NetGalley and Kodansha for the early read!

As the saying goes, if it ain't broke, don't fix it, and Yoko Nogiri (<i>That Wolf Boy is Mine</i>, <i>Love in Focus</i>) certainly doesn't need to fix anything about her approach to the standard shoujo romance. <i>Those Not-S0-Sweet Boys</i> is fairly basic in terms of the genre - take one ordinary girl, add three hot boys with backstories of varying tragedy, mix well, and bake at 350 for an hour et voila - instant shoujo. But none of that is to say that this isn't an engaging, endearing story despite the way it sticks to the standards; in fact, it's the standards that add the very element of comfort reading that this book gives off.

Of course, Nogiri does play around within the confines of the genre, which also helps to make this fun. Nanami Mindori, our heroine, is no wilting wallflower, but neither is she too badass to be believed. Instead she's simply doing what she has to in order to keep her family together - her father left the family with a ton of debt, and now she, her younger brother, and her mother all do what they can to function. Nanami's determination really makes her as a character, and she steadfastly refuses to be bullied by the eponymous boys (who don't appreciate her new "job" making sure they come to school) or by the school chairman, who is definitely verging on using her situation to his own advantage. (Not in a creepy way, don't worry.) The girl's got chutzpah, and that makes her interesting to us as readers and naturally to two of the three boys. It's boy number three that we have to worry about in volume two...

Although the book hits on many of the tropes of the high school shoujo romance it does them well enough that it doesn't feel overdone. It's shoujo comfort food, and sometimes that's what you need.

This manga was SO heartwarming. It just goes to show that you shouldn't judge a book by it's cover.
I read this in one sitting. I just needed to know what happened next!
I can't wait to see what happens in the following volumes.
I hope that Midori manages to get close to the boys. I'm keeping my fingers crossed for her!

So this is a pretty average manga to me. I felt like there wasn’t anything exciting going on throughout the story. It is just volume one so of course the story will progress more, it’s just this one felt like not the best first volume to continue a series on.

Anyway we follow Midori who is a student struggling to stay in school due to being in debt from her father. In order to not get suspended she has to make sure 3 boys who have rumors going on about them attend school and make it all the way to graduation. The boys typically have a reputation because they missed school and are rich but of course they’re nice and have a heat of gold. I don’t know if anything really stuck out to me in this one but it just might not be my cup of tea.

There is a cute moment during the scavenger hunt I won’t spoil because I did find it to be a nice moment.

This was a solid vol 1! I really loved getting to know Midori and watch her help the boys expand their circle a little bit..

The art inside was gorgeous and I really want to see how the story develops in future volumes between them all!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for giving me the chance to send me the free first volume of this manga.I will give my honest thoughts about it so here we go!

I really thought the art style was clean just as much as it was on “The Wolf Boy is Mine”. In the story, we get three pretty schoolboys who were suspended due to them smoking on the school grounds and the female lead has to ensure they stay in school atw otherwise her scholarship will be badly impacted due to her working while still in school (apparently shes not allowed to work and study at the same time). The story isn’t really that interesting and it’s probably the fact I’m not really much of a harem reader. I mean its good for readers who are into the harem genre but I just couldn’t engage with the story enough. It’s not terrible but it’s reasonable like it is from the author of “The Wolf Boy is Mine” so it is somewhat of a unique treat!

Overall it’s not to my taste but it’s worth it for shoujo and harem readers!

The last few months have very much become a manga / comic reading phase. After having not read anything in this format for a few years it has been a lot of fun to dive back in to see how stories have changes, and reassuringly not changed.

Those Not-So-Sweet Boys has a well-tested formula of a sweet and kind protagonist (Midori) who gets roped into looking after the aloof trio of beautiful and rich outsiders. I’ve seen a few comparisons to Fruits Basket and based on the first volume I can certainly see where that comes from.

The artwork is nice and while the storyline isn’t unique, I thought all the characters were interesting and likeable. The first volume has enough information so you can make an informed choice about deciding to continue with the series, which for my part I would like to.

Unfortunately, this manga strained me more than it caught my attention. It's been a long time since I've had this kind of irritation.

Nanami's father abandoned his family after falling into debt. Nanami is still a high school student, but has to go to work to help her mother and little brother while attending a scholarship school.
One day, the principal accidentally sees her in her school uniform leaving work and ... literally threatens to stop her from school because his students were forbidden to work while they were studying. She can save her school life only if she fulfills the principal's task - to bring three rich boys back to school because they have seceded for reasons.
The story, to put it even more succinctly, is one of the bad scripts for romantic series. The heroine is of the irritating type of shoujo girls - they are not bad at heart and soul, they are sweet and fragile, they are sweet in appearance ... However, they are hopelessly indifferent. Nanami had only one strong scene - when he drowned the boys on a topic concerning money.
Of course, she manages with hard work, perseverance and infinite kindness, as befits a traditional heroine in the genre, to bring the boys back to school. It became clear that the principal required her to continue supervising them until their last day at school. The boys, of course, begin to look at her with different eyes, she has won their respect with her shoujo values.

There are many unrealistic things in the world of manga, this is clear to every manga reader. But this manga falls into that column with titles that just remain unrealistic and can't become charming to you. The art is good, but not enough. Honestly, I'm not so impressed that I don't even want to guess what kind of person the title might be recommended to.

This review is originally in Bulgarian. I apologize for the translation errors. The link is below.

4,5 Stars

I’ve previously read both That Wolf-Boy is Mine and Love in Focus by Yoko Nogiri and I found both series alright, nothing special but nothing terribly bad either. But when I’ve seen that Kodansha was publishing another series of hers this year, I was really excited and wanted to read it so badly!

We are following Midori Nanami, a high schooler who manages to lose her wallet on the first day of high school but luckily, Rei Ichijo found it. They both meet each other once again when they end up being in the same class. But it’s been a week, and no one saw Ichijo or his friends, Chihio Goshima and Yukinojo Ieiri, at school. So of course, rumors such as they were caught smoking or they beat up people, start circulating around the school. One day, Midori is caught leaving her part-time job by someone from the school’s administration whereas students are not allowed to have a job, therefore Midori could be suspended and lose her scholarship which she terribly needs. In exchange for his silence about her job, the school’s chairman asks her to convince the boys to go back to school. As she tries to persuade the guys, she will realize that they are not as bad as everyone seems to think.

Even though none of her previous works blew me away, I’m always attracted to her manga because I’m in love with her art style. And Those Not-So-Sweet Boys is no exception! Therefore, I knew my enjoyment of the manga would play a lot on the plot.

I’m actually surprised by how much I enjoyed the plot and the characters. A group of guys starting a friendship with a lonesome girl dynamic made me think about Waiting for Spring (minus the basketball aspect)! But while the guys were trying to integrate the girl into their friends’ group in Waiting for Spring, in this manga, Midori is the one trying to stop the rumors going on around the school about them and make their classmates realized that they are actually nice people. It was nice that for once, the roles were switched.

We are introduced to the main character, Midori, a shy girl whose dad left her family with a huge debt to pay. She is working hard to help them and I liked that the mangaka chooses to portray the relationship she has with her little brother Kon. It’s really cute and I don’t think I’ve read a lot of manga with a big sister/little brother relationship or at least a normal one. Regarding the guys, so far, I really like Rei. He’s not your typical rich kid from what we have seen so far, I’m curious to discover more about him. The only character that we don’t know much about is Yuki since Midori didn’t really talk to him, but I feel like it’s done on purpose and that we will discover more about him in the next volume (which I can’t wait to read by the way!)

Just reading the first Volume left my heart aching for more. A beautiful and heartwarming start to the series!

I loved this manga and thought it was so sweet and heartwarming. I thought the way Midori first gets involved with the boys was a tad bit random since the chairman gets involved, but after that I was totally rooting for her and loved the story. Her interactions with the boys was just so precious and I loved her creative attempts to get them to go to school. Also there's an adorable doggo so it's hard not to love this manga. I'm so excited for Volume 2! The format was also very easy to understand and the artwork was so cute!

TW for attempted sexual assault.
4.5/5 Stars

When you have a debt to pay and gotta ‘babysit’ three (hot) not-so-sweet guys, things can be tricky. However, when the right girl is on the job, chances are those guys’ life could turn upside down.

If Midori’s determination and perseverance is something those guys couldn’t anticipate, their kindness is what she would have never expected. Which brings up the question: are they really bad guys? Soon enough, the deal she made with the chairman of the school turns into a personal mission to stop the false rumours about them and, in the process, help them being more social. Although someone may not want that kind of attention . . . But the readers’ is kept constantly alive thanks to their different charm and Midori’s clumsiness and pure heart. So cute! Just like the most adorable corgi in here that you’ll find impossible not to want to spoil—when can I get one, too?

Interesting, sweet, and with a lovely art. A well delivered first volume that opens the door to a shōjo series that makes your heart skip a bit . . . Right, Midori?

I was approved to review a digital review copy of this book on NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This review will be cross-posted on my book blog, Bookmarked, and Goodreads after the publication date.

I picked this up with low expectations, and I've never been more satisfied. Thank you Kodansha Comics for this digital ARC!

What I Liked

I picked it up expecting an absolutely tried-and-tested, cliché romance, but I was very wrong. Although Nogiri uses well-established tropes, the overall feeling of this first volume is fresh. Since setting and story are common staples of the shōjo genre, this is probably due to its engaging cast of characters.

Midori is a joy to read: she may seem shy, but truly possesses a well of inner strength and determination that really gives her character three-dimensionality. Part of her character was also drawn out while interacting with her family, rather than just in reaction to her meetings with the boys. What may seem like hopeless (if not somewhat annoying) positivity is instead the fruit of a much darker family and economical struggle she is trying to overcome. Overall, she's a very relatable character and I look forward to seeing he grow and develop over the course of this series.

The initial reason for the three boys' rebellion was surprising, original and immediately established the strong friendship among them. I like how their group dynamic unfolded, and hope to see more of it in the future. Each one has their own distinct personality (albeit they are common personalities within the genre) and background, and I am excited to know more about them. There seems to be some darker things at play, and I'd love to see who they are beyond the rebelliousness and academic excellence! I'm curious as to whether the story will focus uniquely on Rei and Midori's relationship, or open up to other romances.

What I Liked a Little Less

These are more nitpicks than things I didn't like. I'd generally like to see more of the other boys come to the forefront (that cliffhanger ending was promising!), more family dynamics on Midori's side, and I personally really hope that Midori's friends are not forgotten and get to play a bigger part in the future to give her relationship web a bit more variety. Essentially, I'd like to see more of all their lives beyond the romance, to paint fuller pictures of them.

Although—I do think that the Principal's personal investment in the lives of these three boys is a bit exaggerated, and would, under normal circumstances, lead to some impartiality and professional integrity issues.




Overall, I am extremely excited about this new series and look forward to its publication! If you are a lover of shōjo manga, I would definitely recommend this new, promising series.

This manga got my attention right away with its pleasing art and soft hearted story. It’s only the first volume but I’m already hooked in the shojo and can’t wait to read more in the near future. Thank you so much NetGalley for letting me read something so sweet!

Sometimes I’m just in the mood for an adorable shojo manga.

And this fits it perfectly. It’s got all the usual tropes; handsome boys, a sweet main character, potential love rivalry, sparkly bubbles — sometimes you just want a familiar story, and I just loved this so much. It gave me Ao Haru Ride vibes, even the art style was reminiscent of it. The boys were handsome, and had a cool dynamic and friendship going on that had me invested, although I did think it was weird that the principal tried so hard to get them back to school. I think that’s going to explored later on, because I don’t know many schools that would try so hard. Maybe it’s a cultural difference, but I think it might have character or plot relevance later on.

I found myself more invested in the second half, after we established the setup, because that’s when the drama started to spice up. With the last few pages adding a new twist to the tale, I’m really intrigued. I think this manga has a lot of potential. It’s a perfect shojo manga to satisfy your romance tastes, and I’m eager to see where it may go.

Wow did I enjoy this so much more than I planned! I'm not much of a shoujo fan, but something about the art and description of this one intrigued me and I am so glad I read it. the main girl, for once, is not frustratingly naive or painful to read. There is not much to say on the boys so far as this is the first volume but they are really promising and I anticipate lots of amazing character development with them. The tropes in this volume, although overused and very frequent in shoujo mangas, still had a fun and fresh feel to them. Overall, I have high hopes for this series and will be reading the next instalments asap!!

5/5 stars

I received an ARC of this manga in exchange for an honest review.

On the first day of high school, Midori drops her wallet and some thugs attempt to take off with it. A boy named Ichijo steps in and saves it for her, but he leaves before she can thank him. He and his two friends suddenly stop attending school, and the rumors about them are wild! But Midori is caught working a part-time job (against the school's rules) and the chairman offers her a deal--he won't punish her if she can bring the boys back to school. Having no choice but to accept and wishing to thank Ichijo, Midori agrees. However, the boys are more stubborn than she expected!

This was so adorable! It was everything I had hoped it would be and more! I've read That Wolf-Boy is mine (which is by this mangaka) and I was excited to read this new series. It doesn't disappoint! As usual, her art is beautiful and the characters are so cute. The storyline is sweet! When I read shojo, this is exactly what I'm looking for! This manga put a smile on my face and left me wanting more! I can't wait for volume 2!

Manga readers who love shojo, especially cute and contemporary shojo, should read this! I highly recommend it!

Rating: 3.5

This manga was an enjoyable read, I really like the main female character. She reminds me of Thoru from Fruits Basket, she is cheerful and determined. I also love her little brother. My only critique is the first chapter seemed a bit to fast passed so it didnt feel like the story was being fully developed, this does improve in later chapters. If you like romance manga I would recommend it and I am looking forward to the second volume.

Many thanks to Netgalley for my review copy!

I received an e-galley of Those Not-So-Sweet Boys Volume 1 by Yoko Nogiri from Kodansha in exchange for an honest review.

Those Not-So-Sweet Boys is about a young teenage girl, Midori Nanami, who has just entered high school and already on the first day, she's run into trouble with losing her wallet. A young boy comes to her rescue and before she is able to thank him, he's walked off with his two friends. And thus starts Midori Nanami's interesting relationship with the trio of boys - Rei Ichijo, Chihiro Goshima, and Yukinojo Ieiri.

I was absolutely charmed by another manga series that I had read written by Yoko Nogiri - Love in Focus - and the style and storytelling that came from that story is present in this new manga series. I already adore Midori Nanami who is just the right amount of pure, clumsy and kind that you'd want from a heroine. And the three boys? Definitely each has their own charm and I can see readers choosing their favourites already. I'm not quite ready to choose a favourite amongst the boys myself - and I cannot wait to see how this story continues for these characters. Those-Not-So-Sweet Boys is sure to become a new manga favourite for readers, including myself.