Nagi had a bad encounter with a pushy guy that has her unable to touch men. She’s a huge fan of the beautiful female model Aran, however. But when Aran turns out to be an androgynous dude with a lust for life, amongst other things, this might be a more touching story than Nagi suspects!

This starts off firmly in the guilty pleasure camp, offering a real opportunity for fans of ‘hot androgyny’ to see a stunning beauty woo a somewhat masculine presenting female and all the lasciviousness that implies.

Fortunately, there’s a little more going on underneath its admittedly attractive hood and that smidgen of depth makes this an easier recommend than if it was just pretty and thirsty, although it is plenty of both.

One way this gets things right is by having two leads who are both fun and very hot for one another. Nagi’s inexperience is one of those tropes that does drive me a little nuts, but she’s soon making up for lost time, more or less.

Aran is just pure eye candy, but the story makes him a pretty amusing foil who is definitely pushy (especially with the goofy turn things take later on) without being as problematic as is typical. He backs off when he’s told no and also clearly likes Nagi just fine as she is.

Even better, they give us more perspective on his, well, perspective towards the end and we see that his outward coolness isn’t entirely unflappable in the face of a girl he’s suddenly very attracted to. There’s never a question of whether he sees something in Nagi, but showing that it means more than his usual flings is a great idea.

The art makes all this better than it would be too - you can see why Aran is as beloved as he is and Nagi’s clearly hiding a stunning look of her own that gets brought out via a little jolt of confidence. This is an especially gorgeously drawn book where it needs it.

Does it move real fast? Oh yeah, it does. But, in a way, that almost makes sense. Nagi has been suppressing her desires AND sweet on Aran (since she thought he was a woman) for ages. Aran’s very, very freewheeling with his affections as well.

Even the mild slut-shaming is gender swapped so it doesn’t come across quite as mean as it could. It also doesn’t hurt that Aran couldn’t care less about such things. And he happily tosses his hedonism aside for Nagi anyway.

Adult romances that tend towards the goofy side can be a little bit of a hard sell, but this one gets the right balance between Nagi’s overreactions and the increasing steaminess of the encounters.

Plus, watching Aran work wonders on Nagi’s self-confidence is one of the best parts of the story. He’s all about believing in yourself and Nagi gets a couple of glow-ups that are both well-realized (the fashion in this one is real fun) and believable.

Thus we have two people who are good for one another getting real close, yet not quite sealing the deal. A typical manga story, but this version of it tells it quite well and gets the details right. Definitely more than it appears.

3.5 stars - yes, this is a very ‘heavy petting friendly’ wish fulfillment story, but it’s a great example of the type and I expected it to be not much fun and full of problems and it was basically the opposite of that.

im not going to lie i first downloaded this book because i thought it'd be a fun dumb read about something that didn't take itself too seriously, which it didn't, (i was very grateful for that) but it quickly grew boring for me, aran seems like a creep more than an actual love interest and the mc is devoid of personality.
the story is absurd, going far beyond my ability to suspend my disbelief i just didn't enjoy it 👎

Thank you, NetGalley for an advanced ARC of this manga

I did enjoy reading this with a woman who feels uncomfortable around a lot of people but she finally finds comfort in the arms of a star... seeing her trying to figure out herself was interesting but I do feel at times she was slightly pushed by the star but looks like they are both having effects on each other.

Pretty good! I like Nagi who is a more of a tomboy but can't stand being touched by guys because of a past incident. She is infatuated with a model named Aran who she thought was a female but finds out is actually a male. They meet and for a temporary relationship that feels all too real. Their times together are a little spicy and I hope more spice to come. Definitely want to read more.

I LOVED this! Super cute read, with a strong female lead and interesting dynamic between the couple. What a cliffhanger at the end too! .

This was an absolute joy to read! The book is about a girl named Nagi who struggles to see the beauty in herself and to overcome the instinctive fear in her body whenever she is touched by a man. Here comes Aran, her idol and someone who slowly is becoming so much more to her. I loved reading about the progress Nagi is making and I found myself completely relating to her. Aran was such a breath of fresh air and someone I felt that Nagi really needed in her life and I can’t wait to see how the relationship between them continues to develop in the next volume!

Thanks to Netgalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

This was a quick and easy read, as most mangas are. Loved the art style but the story is definitely forgettable. It was very rushed and repetitive.

This manga is one of those that you read and that you could quickly forget when they say 'what were you reading?'. It's entertaining, some things could be interesting, but it focuses a lot on the strange and rushed bond of the protagonists.

I think the idea is good (although some things seem a little childish for the age of the protagonists) but it doesn't focus on what I really expected, which is the world of modeling, and androgynous people.

Anyway... we'll see if I keep reading it.

Thank you Kodansha Comics for the ARC I read on NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This was definitely not for me, and I'm not sure I would recommend others. While I would not recommend it, I do see the appeal that some readers would have to this manga. I will say the art style was amazing, so that's a plus.
3/5

**Thank you to NetGalley and Publisher for the ARC of That Beauty Is a Tramp vol.1 in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.**
☆Review is live on Goodreads as of 7/27/2024.☆

4.25⭐️

This is a good start to a new adult manga series-- it's hard to find some good ones! The art is really pretty and the story has potential! Looking forward to the next volume!

Nagi la protagonista di questo manga ha problemi a toccare gli uomini, dopo un incontro inappropriato che l'ha segnata psicologicamente.
Aran è un modello androgino che le chiede di partecipare ad un photoshoot insieme a lui. Stranamente la sua patologia non si presenta quando Nagi tocca Aran. La protagonista quindi chiede che in cambio lui sia temporaneamente il suo ragazzo per riuscire a superare il suo problema.
Non sapevo cosa aspettarmi da questo manga, e sono rimasta abbastanza sorpresa dal velocissimo svolgersi degli eventi...in effetti le cose diventano abbastanza HOT molto in fretta!!!
Sebbene il loro coinvolgimento dovrebbe essere una finta, a quanto pare entrambi sembrano molto più coinvolti di quanto dovrebbero.
Lei ha troppi pregiudizi sulla promiscuità di Aran, e lui diventa alquanto geloso e irritabile non appena lei prova a parlare con qualcun altro.
Ho una leggera paura di red flag in vista, ma aspetto di leggere un seguito per evitare fraintendimenti da cliffhanger finale.
Speriamo Aran si calmi e capisca cosa sia meglio fare.
Anche Nagi comunque mi pare troppo rigida. Inoltre non ho ancora capito che lavoro faccia e quanti anni abbia. E' impossibile che una tipa maggiorenne non abbia alcuna esperienza, non dico sessuale, ma almeno romantica. Insomma dai...
Comunque questo manga mi interessa e voglio assolutamente continuare a leggerlo. I disegni poi sono molto curati e delicati. Mi piacciono assai!

Grazie Netgalley per avermi fatto conoscere questo manga!

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Nagi, the protagonist of this manga, has problems touching men, after an inappropriate encounter that has marked her psychologically.
Aran is an androgynous model who asks her to participate in a photoshoot with him. Strangely enough, her pathology does not appear when she touches Aran. The protagonist then asks that in exchange for him to be her temporary boyfriend to be able to overcome her problem.

I did not know what to expect from this manga, and I was quite surprised by the very fast unfolding of events... in fact, things become quite HOT very quickly!!!
Although their involvement should be fake, apparently both of them seem much more involved than they should.
BUT...She has too many prejudices about Aran's promiscuity, and he becomes quite jealous and irritable as soon as she tries to talk to someone else.
I have a slight fear of a red flag in sight, but I'm waiting to read a second volume to avoid misunderstandings from the final cliffhanger.
Let's hope Aran calms down and understands what is best to do.
Nagi also seems too rigid to me. I also haven't figured out what job she does and how old she is. It's impossible for an adult girl to have no experience, not sexual, but at least romantic. Come on...
However, this manga interests me, and I absolutely want to continue reading it. The drawings are very neat and delicate. I like them a lot!

Thanks Netgalley for introducing me to this manga!

…. I thought it was gonna be cuter than it was based on the cover. It was really sporadic in dialogue and character development; the plot is standard for the romance genre but it really didn’t do much right… the art style is very pretty though

5 stars for Nagi-san and Aran-kun!!

Thank you to Netgalley and Kodansha Comics for giving me the opportunity to read an ARC of That Beauty is a Tramp, Vol. 1 by Hal Osaka.

This manga was so good! One of the best that I've read in a while!

Nagi-san is a tomboyish girl and all she wants is a boyfriend! One day at work she finds out that her idol, Aran-chan, will be modeling for a photo shoot! Nagi-san is so excited to meet Aran-chan until she finds out her idol is actually a man!

Aran-kun is a beautiful male androgynous model and has found what he has been looking for in Nagi-san! Aran-kun requests of Nagi-san to do a photo shoot for a magazine and in return he'll do her a favor. With some convincing Aran-kun finally gets Nagi-san to agree to help him! And in return he will be her practice boyfriend to help her get used to men.

This was a great start to their story and I cannot wait to read more and see these two fall in love!! I loved how forward Aran-kun was with Nagi-san! He is also so beautifully drawn!!! I devoured this manga in one sitting and I need volume 2 ASAP!!!

Loved the premise, Nagi can't touch men but wants to be in a relationship. Then she meets her favourite model Aran only to realise Aran is androgynous AND she can get close to him without freaking out. I wanted it to be a bit more drawn out, Aran moves too fast too soon and I didn't know him enough to trust him for Nagi. Based on the ending I'm not sure I will pick up volume two - again, too much too soon!

Thank you to Kodansha Comics for an eARC via NetGalley. Opinions are my own.

This is an adorable story about two people who are walking their dogs. It not only gives a glimpse of what the characters are thinking, but also what their dogs are thinking too. It really gives the story a really cute vibe, and I am cheering for all the characters involved and can't wait for the next book. The art really brings the story to life!

Ever since that one time her friend harassed her, Nagi has been afraid to date men. They all seem to repulse her, even handshakes. Nagi herself is quite tomboyish. She greatly admires the model Aran, and has lots of magazines featuring Aran. Nagi thinks that Aran is a girl until one day she meets Aran in the flesh and discovers that he is actually a man, an androgynous model. Captivated by his looks, Nagi realizes that he is the first man she has met since the incident where she does not feel repulsed. Similarly, Aran is also drawn to Nagi and has a proposition for her. He asks her to join him in an upcoming photo shoot, and in return he will be her practice boyfriend for a month. During this time, Nagi hopes to get over her repulsion of men once and for all, but maybe her attraction to Aran will only grow.

I quickly devoured this manga in one sitting. I was very entertained and I really wish the other volumes were translated so that I could read it. I really want to know what will happen between Nagi and Aran. Their love story has a lot of promise. I really liked the uniqueness of the characters. Normally, in manga, the female lead is portrayed as helpless and a little oblivious. Nagi does have a bit of obliviousness, but she is strong willed and unafraid to chase down purse thieves. Meanwhile Aran is refreshing because of the blend between his feminine looks and masculine attitude.

The art style was really well done. There was a lot of attention to detail, particularly to the characters' fashion choices.

I will be on the lookout for the next volume once it is released!

A story about gender fluidity and at the same time yet another reinterpretation of the ugly duckling. Fun as a beginning, let's see how it continues though.

Una storia sulla fluiditá di genere ed allo stesso tempo l'ennesima rilettura del brutto anatroccolo. Divertente come inizio, vediamo come prosegue peró.

I received from the Publisher a complimentary digital advanced review copy in exchange fo a honest review.

it wasn't anything i was obsessed with but i would like to continue with the next volume.
this felt more of an introduction to the entire plot.
so 3🌟

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC! This was an interesting manga. I’d never read romance based manga and I this is a strange story of a model obsessed girl who finds out her favorite model is man when she’s previously believed him to be female because he’s so pretty. They meet and a curious relationship begins. By the end I wasn’t sure if I was liking the male MC as much. I recommend for those who like romance manga!

I'm of two minds on this - I love the setup, of a tomboyish female lead who still loves femme fashion, and a male model who wears whatever clothes he likes, and the openness to queer takes that it all enables.

On the other hand, while I love having adult protagonists and getting to dip a little into the career side of things, the insta-jump from "oh, you don't recoil at my touch" to "let's see how far we can get" pushiness was a little jarring for me. Both Aran and Nagi are very cute as they start to fall for each other, but I think I'd like to see Nagi taking more of the initiative, rather than simply thinking that Aran's pushiness doesn't trigger revulsion and thus is okay.

It definitely falls on the enjoyable side though, so I'll be on the lookout for the next volumes