Love a la Carte

It's been far too long since I had a good Be Beautiful manga to review, so I was awfully glad when Love a la Carte came along, packed full of Haruka Minami's cute boys with their cute round heads, cute fluffy hair and cute little butts. Oh, pardon me, backsides, as BeBeautiful translates it. "Backside," "back there" and other awkward translations threaten the adorable hotness of this manga, but Minami-sensei's playful artwork wins out in the end, smoothing over clunky wording and transitions. Like a gourmet dessert confection, Love a la Carte looks too sweet to eat, but just one taste proves how rich and decadent it really is.

Summer vacation means playing in the pool and shooting off fireworks, and for Izumi, being a model and photo subject for the all-male, all-adorable Photo Club from his school. The club is spending their summer break at the vacation home of cool and quiet Shino'oka, but seem to spend most of their time taking pictures of Izumi in his swimsuit or in the shower. Pervy club member Taishi decides he'd like a little more than a picture of Izumi, and who's there to save the day but Shino'oka, who claims that "something more" for himself. Sure, Izumi struggles a little at first, but Shino'oka's determined passion teaches Izumi how to let go and enjoy himself. And enjoy themselves they do, spending the rest of the book finding new and exciting ways to have sex, hot and dirty and absolutely squeal-worthy adorable. Shino'oka loves to purr dirty talk to Izumi, and BeBeautiful translates every single sound effect, so the plethora of X-rated pages are packed with naughty sounds, pretty blushes and sexy hips.

A chapter or two veers away from Izumi and Shino'oka's playful sex romps to explore even more sex romps between perverted Taishi and his bedroom playmate, fellow club member Kei. Despite Taishi's pursuit of Izumi, he and Kei have clearly been fooling around longer and have a much longer history together. They even explore a bit of kink when Taishi insists Kei dress up in a corset and collar for his birthday. Who else but Haruka Minami could make bondage gear look so cute, or make you just want to squeeze bespectacled Kei as he enthusiastically goes down on Taishi? The delightful juxtaposition of cute faces and steamy sex scenes is enough to make anyone pleasantly dizzy.

Don't pick up Love a la Carte looking for manly men or a thought-provoking plot. Love a la Carte is all about fun, enjoyment and pleasure - a book as sure to make you hot under the collar as it is to make you say "Awww."