A galaxy next door vol 1 by gido amagakure

Struggling manga artist Ichiro could really use an assistant or some sleep. Or both. When his publisher sends over a strange, attractive young lady with no experience to assist, Ichiro is about to drop from exhaustion and takes her on despite her lack of experience. Shiori turns out to be fantastic at shading, landscapes, backgrounds, you name it! He can hardly make pages fast enough for her! But this otherworldly beauty is actually from another world, and her strange customs get Ichiro in trouble when he accidentally becomes her mate! While she looks for a way out of her ancestral traditions, they decide to try taking it slow with dating and being co-workers.

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This is a nice romance story with some interesting elements through in because of Shiori's background. She's sheltered, she's alien, and she loves Ichiro's manga. Ichiro is a solidly nice guy who isn't trying to take advantage of anyone, and he wants to help Shiori experience the world as she set out to do. Shiori definitely could have done worse with coming to Earth and finding someone to lead her through her self-discovery journey. This is a decent start to a series that might get more interesting or nuanced later on.

Kodansha rates this for 13+, and there's nothing so far in the first volume that would be unfit for middle school readers. 

Sara's Rating: 7/10
Suitability Level: Grades 7-12

Publisher: Kodansha
Publication Date: April 26, 2022
ISBN: 9781646514632 (Paperback)
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​Tags: Rating: 7/10, Suitability: Middle School, Suitability: High School, Manga, Romance, Science Fiction, ​Kodansha