Have you ever wondered what would happen if the Travel Channel decided to create a gay rom-com/dramedy series about travel? Because I'm pretty sure this would be it. Asahi and Mitsuki are a couple of Japanese guys who've decided to travel the world together, with the thought that if they're still a couple when the trip is finished, they'll get married (note: same sex marriage isn't illegal in Japan any longer, but it's not recognized by the government yet). We follow their travels in this series, in this volume visiting Germany, France, and Italy. I'm really enjoying the combination of seeing Asahi & Mitsuki's relationship grow and learning more about each of them, and learning about the places they visit, including little things like how the residents view their home countries, cities, and regions, how smells and sounds vary in different places, etc. There's lots of cute, awkward lovey-dovey-ness going on, though that's somewhat restrained by fear of "getting caught," which brings up the heartbreaking reminder that the world still hasn't reached a point where everyone is free to love whomever they want. Neither man has come out to their family yet, and they both fear doing so, and this underlying current definitely brings the hurt. Thus far, the couple hasn't encountered homophobic behavior, but this is mainly because Asahi is so reserved about showing affection in public rather than the world outside of Japan being cool with same sex couples, and the fear of encountering hate coming from Asahi is very palpable. After meeting and talking to Mitsuki's great-aunt in this volume, I'm hoping Asahi will loosen up a bit and allow himself to be more open.
Looking forward to more travels with this sweet couple in the future!

#OurNotSoLonelyPlanetTravelGuideVolume2 #NetGalley

Warning don’t read this book while hungry, the food looks delicious. “Our Not-So-Lonely Planet Travel Guide” is a great maga and volume two didn’t disappoint from volume one at all. The locations are complimented by the art style of the manga. I was laughing so much at the scenes and interactions between characters. I would recommend this manga to teens and adults who love travel, food and a hint of romance.

Thanks to NetGalley, TOKYOPOP and the author Mone Sorai. This was well written and enjoyable Manga. I want to read the first one as well as all up and coming. Thanks for the read,

This manga has become one of my favorites EVER and I love it so much.
I haven't been able to travel as much as before because of the coronavirus and reading about Asahi and Mitsuki traveling makes my heart warm. With every new country they visit, they also face new challenges and meet numerous different and pleasant people. All in all, this is an amazing manga! The story is incredible, the art style is just chef's kiss and you’ll fall in love with the characters 100%. Would recommend!

Definition of traveling with you favorite person vibe
Mitsuki and Asahi relationship is so cute and really did a great job in presenting bickering and reconcile between a relationship!
THE FOOD looks absolutely delicious and I am drooling all over it. The art in this book is absolutely beautiful as well.
Travelling Europe has been a dream of mine and seeing these two travel, makes me so jealous HAHAHAHA

— thank you NetGalley, TokyoPOP, Mone Sorai for the arc in exchange of an honest review—

ahhhh i cant believe i'm saying this, but I AM SO JEALOUS OF THEM BOTH.

traveling! with your most precious person! :")

Mitsuki and Asahi are so cute together. they bicker alot but their love for each other is even felt through this. their personalities also balanced out each other very well.

this was a really enjoyable read, and i actually learn/found new amazing places in the world. but what's really impressive is the drawing in here. the effort to draw every little details and make it look so beautiful, is just wow.

but spoiler....... i'm scared of what might happen after this trip ends, bc we get bits of angsty pieces here and there..

These two are so freakin' cute! And I'm once again left drooling at how good the food is!
The guys continue their trip around the world meeting great people and eating up a storm of delicious dishes that are now added to my dream list. I'm impressed at how organically their interactions develop and the varied obstacles placed in their way because it makes for such a different read from chapter to chapter. They're not just breezing through one gorgeous locale after another, they're meeting people that are helping them figure themselves and their relationship out. It's straight-up delightful.
The art gets somewhat wonky at times, but it fits the story's personality. Sorai also excels at expressions, everything from extreme happiness to worry to anger, and everything in between is perfectly expressed in one single brilliantly-executed panel after another.
I can't wait to follow along with the next volumes of this travel guide.

Very happy thanks to NetGalley, TOKYOPOP, and LOVE x LOVE for the lovely early read!

Review to come to blog/goodreads on March 4th.

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

The boys are back and you cannot believe how FREAKING HYPED I am!! Omg, I just love this series, the first volume was just *chef kiss*. I was excited to see where the boys would go this time and if we would get some more romantic times. Oh yes!

In this book we travel to Finaland (chapter 7), Germany (chapters 8-10), France (chapter 11), and Italy (chapters 12-14). I love that they are visiting Europe because I live there. Haha, if only they had visited The Netherlands, now that would have been so cool! Would have loved to see them in one of the cities (though then again most tourists just go boring to Amsterdam).

OMG, that second panel btw, it was so suggestive, I was just momentarily stunned and then I read on to find out they were in a sauna. But just look at this! Wouldn't you think something else? Tell me I am not the only one with the mind in the gutter here? XD


Back to the story. The first chapter is all about Finland! Yummy food and the Northern Lights. Oh man, those are also high up on my list, hopefully one day when things are normal I can visit the  countries that have it! I just adored this chapter especially when we meet another same sex couple who was very enthusiastic and cute! 

The next three chapters are, as I said, about Germany. It was quite a chapter that started so ominously! Mitsuki gets sick which worried the heck out of me! Thankfully the boys get help and that made me smile. Seeing that someone who doesn't know them helps them out and it helps that he can speak Japanese because his wife is from Japan. I loved seeing our duo and the man and wife who helped have a fun time! With of course plenty of food and sightseeing~ I was SO jealous when they visited a Christmas market. OMG, I want to go to! I loved the sparkle and the amazement in the eyes of the boys as they browsed~ 

And then we are going to France (again, why not just pop by The Netherlands and Belgium, come on!) and of course visit the Eiffel Tower. Haha, I don't blame them. As soon as I get to visit Paris I will do the same. XD I had a laugh at the Mona Lisa, yep, I haven't seen it but I heard the tales on how tiny it is. And I loved that they didn't just visit Paris, but also went to visit other parts! I hope that they learn from this experience though, always check if something is open so you are not disappointed. I learned from the time I went to London and found at the Big Ben was wrapped up. With some difficult searching I found some articles, so it wasn't my fault per se. 

Next up is Italy! Yas! And I had a laugh at Mitsuki. Knows almost zero English... but is fluent in Italian. Which I didn't expect and Asahi didn't either. Haha. Loved that it was his plan all along. Oh Mitsuki, never change! I had fun seeing them travel through Italy and visit all sorts of gorgeous places. Including VENICE!! Sorry, I am just so hyped because I love the city and I love seeing it through their eyes, making me wish I could go again! Though I wouldn't recommend the gondolas, haha, I just love how in each book that is featured, but really.. the prices are MESSED UP. And we were disappointed that we couldn't go. :| 

Next to travel there is plenty of romance, beautiful scenes with the two of them together, but they also meet many people along their way. We see conversations about LGBT romance, about love, about the places they visit, about food (of course), and much more. We see also how our couple gets together more and more with each country, they talk, they discuss, they worry, they really are growing. I really enjoyed those conversations  they just gave the travelling experience something extra and I am all in for it! 

The art was gorgeous. Yes, sometimes the faces are a bit weird, but in overall I am enjoying the art! Especially when they zoom in on details or when there are backgrounds, holy wow! 

All in all, I could talk on and on about this wonderful, sweet, romantic book, but I will just keep it at this. Say that everyone should read this one!

The second volume of Our Not-So Lonely Planet Travel Guide picks up in the midst of our two protagonists' travels. Asahi and Mitsuki make their away across Europe, meeting new faces who not only aid their travels but also help them learn about themselves. I found vol. 1 a bit rough around the edges but this was an absolute charmer. Learning about both Asahi and Mitsuki's lives back homes was great and Mone Sorai deftly deals with some of the societal struggles they are facing. I also love the bits of travel advice that can be found punched into each volume. This series occupies such a charming little niche in manga.

I loved this so much, their relationship is so pure and we learn so much with them with every new stop they make and every new person who teaches a lesson. This is awesome and I can't wait to read how this will end.

One of the best manga series I have ever read.

In this manga, we follow Asahi Suzumura and Mitsuki Sayama as they continue their travels around the world. This is the second volume of the manga. In this instalment, Mituki and Asahi visits

Asahi and Mitsuki might seem like an odd couple. They are totally polar opposites. Where Asahi is super serious, Mistuki is laid-back and easy going .But they have made a deal; they'll vacation around the world and when they get back to Japan, they'll get married.

Our Not so Loneley Planet Travels is an interesting manga to read. Through the eyes of these characters we get to explore different cities in the world and learn about various cultures and traditions. We also see them meeting new people from various origins and tasting duff kinds of delicious cuisines. I would suggest you to not read this manga when you're hungry. Because food is definitely a big part of Asahi and Mistsuki's travels.

I appreciated the author's realistic approach to the romance. Being in a same sex relationship in the Asian countries is not easy. So I liked the fact that the romance wasn't rushed or presented as chessy. Asahi and Mitsuki's relation was very realistic. Asahi's parents are homophobic. It was easy to understand why he wasn't ready to come out. I loved that Mistsuki respected his decision and was extremely supportive. I also loved how much they cared for each other and willing to fight for their love - together.

I am pretty surprised at how the author managed to capture so many important things in such a short volume. The manga felt like a literal travel guide, but a fun one. And the characters development is amazing too. I can't wait to read more books from this series. Mitsuki and Asahi has become my ultimate favourite. Eagerly waiting for the next volume to come out.

So I remember I had some mixed feelings about this manga in Vol. 1, but I’m glad I kept reading this series because this volume was so much better. Characters were more established and Mitsuki and Asahi’s relationship was more solid and loveable. They still have their moments worrying about each other and trying to protect the other from their personal pain, but they are just so much more loveable in this volume. The adventures they go on were so fun to read about and there’s lots of places I want to visit now. All the food they eat in each country looks amazing so you won’t want to read this if you’re hungry. The pasta in Italy looked 😍 I like how they all met people along the way who teach them new things or get them to realize certain things about their own relationship. I was getting teary-eyed at the end of this volume because it was so sweet. If you started this series and weren’t really feeling it, I highly recommend you stick with it because it gets so much better.

I just love this series. The art makes you feel like you're there with the boys, traveling through these various countries and makes your mouth water with envy at the food! Asahi and Mitsuki continue to get closer and there are several adorable moments shared between them in this volume. I don't have much to say other than it gave me such warm feelings and I think everyone should read this series!

Volume 2 was just as good as the first one, so it was really pleasant to read more of Mitsuki and Asahi's trip around the world. This volume includes Germany, France and Italy, and the art is still just as beautiful (enough to make me try all the new dishes introduced in each place they visit lol)

There's a bit more about their past (before the trip started) and a bit more about each of their families, as well as some development of their relationship. I'm very glad they keep meeting nice people that give them their full support instead of creating unecessary drama. It's refreshing to read something like this, with so much depth and care put into, and I'll probably continue to read it, and whatever else Mone Sorai publishes.

I truly enjoy the simplicity of this series. Not only do you get a great connection between the main characters but you also get to explore cities in the world that you may never get to see or may have never heard of before and that's beautiful and exciting. The ending of this volume made me very happy and I can't wait to see how the story ends with these two (hopefully with some sort of ceremony)!

Really lovely continuation to the first volume. I fell more in love with this series with this volume. Their relationship and how they work and talk about it is really enjoyable to read. It makes me want to travel and try all the food shown. I especially liked how it showed us a deeper look into their relationship and their past together and how they have evolved.

This is a great graphic novel about a young gay couple travelling trhough Europ: the Norther lights in Finland, berlin, the Cristmas Market in Hamburg, Paris with the Eifel tower. and the Louvre, Rome with the Capitol and the Trevi fountains and Venice. Beautifully drawn. A treat for the eye. If you lice a better manga about two boys, without 18+ materials or you like to travel to Europe this is a must-read.

This series is now one of my faves! It deftly combines the joys and trials of travel with Asahi and Mitsuki's relationship ups and downs. During these past couple years when travel - especially international travel - has been put on hold, reading Asahi and Mitsuki's travel adventures brought me so much joy and made me think fondly of past trips and dream of new places to visit. In each country they visit, the couple faces new challenges (finding their way around, avoiding scammers, health issues, communication, etc) but they also find kindness and true friendships with strangers. Each new connection they make also provides more conversations about their relationship. As Asahi struggles with being open about his sexuality and relationship with Mitsuki, these strangers - many of whom are also queer - encourage him and offer him advice. Mitsuki, the embodiment of sunshine, is a good buffer to Asahi's pessimism and constant worrying. He's deeply in love with Asahi does his best to respect Asahi's boundaries about not being out, though he's hopeful that their journey together will make Asahi feel more comfortable and proud of who he is.

The art is gorgeous, the characters are so real and relatable, and the glimpses into the culture, food, and history of the various countries has me eager to dust off my passport! Highly recommend!

I absolutely loved everything about this book. We get to know our couple better and see the world through their travels. I loved learning of new places and the foods. I enjoyed discovering new people through them from different places and cultures. Most ofI all though I love following their relationship. We are shown the ups and downs for them personally as a couple as well as the issues in todays world as a gay couple. I love being brought along on their journey. I cant wait to read more!
5 stars!

In the second volume of this series we continue to follow Asahi and Mitsuki as they continue their travels around the world.

I really love the main characters relationship, it's very realistic and I think it's done really well. I'm not a huge fan of established relationships because often their relationships boring after they get together. This definitely isn't the case with these two and I enjoyed seeing them learn more about each other.

The characters are fun and interesting to read about. I love both of the MCs and we get to see many different side characters as well. Most of them are also lgbt and usually provide one of the main characters some advice or lesson. This does feel a little unrealistic but I didn't mind.

The art is wonderful and really matches the story in a way. It's a pretty unique style and resonated with me when I read the first volume.

Overall, this is honestly such a sweet read with wonderful art and realistic lgbt+ representation that I definitely recommend! I'm impatiently waiting for the next volume.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.