Such a lighthearted romance and gives just the perfect squeeze around the heart. I loved everything about it. If you’re looking for a light-hearted romance with a slice of life, this is the book to read!!

This was a sweet, BL romance between the seasoned, dependable office worker who has given up on finding a partner, and the new guy in the office. It was a nice change of pace from manga with high school dramatics.

A gentle love story with a tranquil atmosphere, brimming with heartfelt moments. Jason, 35 and solitary, grapples with the regret of rejecting a friend's affection years ago, unable to find companionship in the present. Frank, a timid colleague, becomes his unexpected housemate due to Jason's inherent kindness. As they settle into their shared space, Jason confronts his past and contemplates his future, particularly when Frank yearns for deeper connection. The artwork is simple yet fitting, echoing the serene mood of the narrative without standing out.

Confessions of a 35 Year Old is a sweet story about allowing yourself to be who you are and accepting the love of others.

I always appreciate when I find manga with characters around my age. Sometimes it seems like most manga these days are about young people, and while I really like them anyway, it's nice to see a manga about adults. This manga was a fairly simple, but lovely story of a man who is growing older and all the expectations he has placed upon himself and those placed on him by others. I really loved both of the characters and they felt super relatable to me.

The conversations about nontraditional relationships were very well done in my opinion. Did it go into a tone of detail and nuance? Nah, but sometimes just a simple acknowledgement is enough to make you feel seen, to make something more normal. Both characters were very sweet and treated each other with a lot of respect, which I also was very excited about.

My one gripe is that I wish this was a bit longer and that we could have seen more of them together as a couple. The art was good, the story was good, and I will be recommending this to people who need a sweet, quick story about finding love and acceptance even when you think it's too late.

Thank you so much for letting me read this manga. This was so adorable. It's a quiet lovely story about the realisation of the different kind of loves.

A very cute manga concerning the love story of an awkward 35 year old man with no dating experience, perfect for fans of wholesome, cozy and soft love stories that are more focused on character development than anything else.

When Jason was in college he was confessed to by a younger student, but he brushed it off because the student was also a man. Now 35, he regrets his decision as he's lonely while still being terrified of the idea of being in a relationship with a man.

He meets a new staff member at work Frank, who becomes his roommate and slowly they build a friendship that teeters into something more. But will Jason be able to take the chance at something new and scary or continue to avoid risk?

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

The story just scratches the surface of the main relationship. The characters don't really grow or change much, so it's hard to buy into the idea that they fall for each other. Their interactions are pretty shallow, and you're left wondering, "Why are these two even into each other?"

Also, the book doesn't really get into Jason's backstory. He's 35 and never been in a relationship, but we don't get to find out why. It feels like a big chunk of his story is just missing, which makes it tough to understand his issue with dating.

That said, it is beautifully drawn.

A Taiwanese BL by Media Do and Yuzu Comics, Confessions of a 35-Year-Old, centers around a 35-year-old virgin. A confession by an acquaintance years ago had him questioning his sexuality. His rejection stemmed from the desire for normalcy, a choice that seems to haunt him still.
The unexpected proximity and comfort with a new work junior have disrupted his peace, laying fresh the old doubts. From co-workers to flatmates, are they headed to be lovers? Should he cling to the normal or should he choose his feelings this time? Will he regret rejecting another chance at love?

A clean BL romance with a coming-of-age vibe but a mature character. The wholesome romance has live-in vibes, the beauty of slowly learning to live with another person.
A dreamy artwork explores the themes of coming to terms with one’s sexuality, different forms of love, the regret of a life not lived, the pent-up release of regret, and the perception of normalcy.
While the nuanced take on self-awareness, corporate culture, the kindness of a superior, workplace bullying, the pressure of family to settle down, and the definition of normal was commendable, the representation of the dating app reality accentuated the realistic mood.

I loved it but would have appreciated more time spent on details, more effort in establishing the intimacy of sharing space would have exponentially improved the overall effect. However, the hasty pace and sparse details often gave a sense of bare minimum effort.

Thank you so much, NetGalley, Media Do, and Yuzu Comics, for the temporary e-ARC copy of this comic. I had a fun time reading it!

The story took me by surprise because of the themes it touches on: from virginity to hookup culture, from social pressure and expectations to identity insecurities. It's not simply a comic story or a romance, but an exploration of the society we currently live in, which sometimes is not the best for some people. People like Jason, who are also looking beyond a physical connection or one-night stands.

TEI's style is very polished, well crafted, with a professional finish above all things. Both the script and the art impressed me with the level of quality. It was easy to get into the story, to feel part of the cast, while Jason and Frank learned to live together, discovering themselves.

I'm feel that the last pages weren't as solid as the others, however, so I was a little dissatisfied. There was something in the pace of the reading, in the development, or in the plot twist that did not convince me. It's still enjoyable, and it's not that strong, but the effect is still there regardless.

In general, it's a reading easy to enjoy that breaks with the genre patterns, exploring unusual themes in a natural, simple way, without decorations or exaggerations. Highly recommended for those who want a different reading, that ventures to take risks, but also to present a reality that we rarely see.

This was a refreshing way to end my night! after a disastrous m/m manga I got to this one and oh boy I love it! although short I see the development of the characters and their needs. The MC is afraid to be alone due to his mother's pressure to compare it to another more successful son. The MC is so nice to all and the connection starts very intense, the backstories are great and the relationship is so real and slow and truthful. the scene in the bridge oh i love it! The stigma of a same couple within the MC is so interesting and how he continues to relieve that first confession of love a long time a go!
I loved it and i recommend so much!

Confessions of a 35 Year Old by TEI is a one-shot BL office romance, with a "They were roommates!" twist. Jason (Junren) Liu is the 35 year-old protagonist who is cajoled by a coworker into renting out the spare room in his apartment to his junior at work, Frank (Qianfan, age 28). Both men, initially strangers, are hesitant about the arrangement but try it anyway, and find that they are able to bond, despite--or because of--their personal baggage.

This is a solid story focused on emotions and relationships. While parts of it are tropey, and the brevity of the book limits very in-depth development, TEI still manages to include deeper reflection and consideration of the complexities of LGBTQIAP+ romance, especially for someone coming to terms with non-hetero sexualities without much social support. In the author's note, TEI mentions that the story and characters are very important to the creator, and that the story was inspired not just from TEI's own experiences, but also those of loved ones. I appreciated the bisexual representation (increasing, but still somewhat rare in the BL genre) and the protagonist's journey of self-reflection regarding internalized homophobia and guilt of inadvertently hurting others in the past. I hope to see more of TEI's work in the future, hopefully with a longer series!

Note: I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This story is so sweet and simple and quiet, and as a newly minted 30-year-old struggling with dating apps, it hit so close to home... The regret of losing out on love is universal, but the regret you carry with you for what could have been is a special kind of torture. Seeing Jason carry that and eventually let it go was all the catharsis I needed to love this story. While I'm sad the ending is ambiguous, that emotional growth—towards acceptance and confidence in who you are—was beautiful. In my mind, it ends quite happily. I would absolutely recommend to anyone looking for a short and sweet standalone lgbtqia+ manga.

4.50 out of 5 stars, ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Sparse art, boring, slow story. I don't care about any of these characters or what happens to them, and sometimes I have trouble telling them apart. I couldn't even finish the story. The whole thing is bland.

Received as a e-arc. An interesting story that focuses on starting a romantic journey between two older men.

Pros
-I really like that the story focuses on two men who are in their 30s. This is not typical in most BL manga/manhua and I really appreciated it.
-I like that it focused on one character's exploration of their sexuality and that the story is not focused solely on sexual connections but other forms of intimacy.
-One of the characters is acknowledged to be bisexual which is also not common in most BL manga/manhua.

Cons
-The story felt a bit stilted like some of the plot points are not connecting seamlessly.
-There are multiple themes (i.e. workplace bullying, falling in love later in life, physical vs emotional relationships) that aren't fully explored. I think that the story should have been longer to fully develop them.

Overall, a nice story about finding lover later in life in the workplace.

Heat Factor: Really none to speak of. Maybe exceptionally good hugs?

Character Chemistry: I’m not sure I totally connected with it, but there were lots of little brushes and moments

Plot: Jason is a single, 35yo virgin who doesn’t want to be alone but also doesn’t really like his relationship prospects, and he’s haunted by his reaction to that one time when a guy wanted to be with him

Overall: Romance adjacent, but generally liked the vibe? I think?

The blurb for this book (and the cover art) presents it as (at least probably) a romance, but it’s really a journey of self-discovery for Jason, and even at the end, Jason doesn’t really have all the answers. He’s 35, he’s angsting about being single and still a virgin as he’s about to turn 36, and his life revolves around work.

As the story opens, Jason is recalling with regret how he reacted when another man had expressed romantic feelings for him years ago. He’s just learned that that man is in a relationship with a woman, and the whole situation has him in an emotional turmoil. There’s an author’s note at the end of the story that this book was a deeply personal exploration of relationships and sexuality, so it tracks that Jason doesn’t have all the answers at the end, because that exploration can be a lifelong journey. His understanding of himself at the beginning of the book is pretty deeply rooted in internalized homophobia, about which more soon.

Jason is a project manager at his office, and he soon meets new hire Frank, who had left his old job because he wasn’t being treated well there. Because their office is full of busybodies, Frank is basically offered a room in Jason’s apartment so he won’t have to commute so far, and Jason is a really nice guy (like he genuinely is, he’s not like Nice Guy™) so he rearranges his life to include Frank in it. In the course of their playing house, Jason finds that his favorite thing is having someone there to talk to, to care for him, and to care for himself. But his heteronormative life is telling him that he couldn’t possibly find his HEA with a man.

The thing is, when he goes on a date with a woman, that doesn’t work for him either.

It’s unclear if Jason is on the asexual spectrum, if he’s just struggling in the dating scene and maybe he’s bi or pan or would be interested in a woman if he found one he actually clicked with (he just never has), or if he is gay but super in denial about it. Or maybe a combination of those things. All we know by the end of the story is that Frank is the most important relationship in his life, and the one he wants to make an effort for, but we don’t even know what that relationship will ultimately look like, because the ending is a bit abrupt (but optimistic).

I would have much saltier feelings about this book if Frank were not completely clear about (and comfortable with) being bisexual, and if he did not explain to Jason that that guy from his past might also be bisexual and not just somehow mentally traumatized by Jason’s rejection. It makes Jason’s inability to understand the nuances and possibilities of human sexuality personal instead of simply bi-erasure or homophobia (though he’s definitely got some internalized homophobia, for sure). Ergo, I’m feeling net positive about this book, even though I didn’t love that it ended with such a lack of closure for our characters.

A note on the illustration: Generally I felt like this book completely tracks with the style and presentation one expects of manga. Some transitions maybe were abrupt, and the challenge of creating emotional depth that I often feel with graphic novels was still present, but the book is very readable and doesn’t extend into alternative storyline tendrils that detract from the central narrative. That said, the illustration of shock/surprise/angst/panic always looked like anger to me. I read it as anger or shouting, and then when I saw the next cue about what emotion the character was supposed to be expressing, I had to go back and look at the panel with that new insight in order to recenter my thoughts and proceed with the story. So. Forewarned is forearmed.

I’m not sure I’d recommend this for our romance readers, but it was fun to read something different and sweet.

I voluntarily read and reviewed a complimentary copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. We disclose this in accordance with 16 CFR §255.

This review is also available at The Smut Report

For a manga, especially a BL manga this did not stand out for me. I read quite a lot of manga specially in the BL section and I love all the different concepts ago along with this, but unfortunately this did not pull my attention. It did not keep my mind occupied, and I thoroughly remember after reading a couple of books since.

This was short but it honestly was pretty good. It did an excellent job of trying to come to terms with that you might not be straight, and the pressures of being in your 30s and not having had typical romantic experiences. I found Jason to be an extremely realistic character, and I could empathize with him strongly. Reading Frank trying to struggle to handle his past regrets and fear about the future was so painfully real. Unfortunately, because this is a one-shot, the story rushes a bit to get to the final conclusion. The novel ends on, what I feel like, a cliffhanger. I guess some of the point is for us not to know and to assume, but come on man. I did really enjoy the art style! I liked it so much, I will be seeking out other works this author has done. Also, this is an extremely minor thing, but this is a Chinese story right? Why do all the characters have English nicknames? Is...is that a thing in China? Is this just a translation choice made by the localization team? I am so confused as to why they are called Frank and Jason when their actual names are Qianfan and Junren. This is nothing against the story, I'm just extremely confused.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review!

This was a very sweet manga of learning more of yourself and what you want from life and those around you. It was refreshing to see a story that focused more on the MC coming to terms with himself and his sexuality. We don't always figure ourselves out in our teens or early twenties so to see an MC in his thirties tackling prior prejudices and opening his heart up to another was really nice. I wish it had been a little longer to flesh out their relationship after the "coming to terms" but overall it was enjoyable.

A very clean, gentle story about a man learning to understand his sexuality later in life.

Jason (the characters in this story pick English nicknames to use) is a genuinely nice person, friendly and respected in his workplace. But he is also single and lonely, still dwelling on a romance that never was from years ago. He feels pressure from his family to find a wife and to be successful.

In walks Frank, a new IT hire coming from an unhappy work situation. Through the help of a coworker the two of them end up as roommates and their relationship strengthens, potentially growing into more.

If this book were a first volume setup, I would find it much more successful. However - it is a standalone volume. The depth the author aims for in character backstory and emotion isn't quite there.

The internalized homophobia and biphobia that lingers for most of the book is a little difficult to get through. The main character reads as asexual which I love! I only wish that could have been more fleshed out - unfortunately too much to expect of a story and characters that treat the mere existence of homosexuality and bisexuality as a revelation.