Love me, Love me Not, Vol 2 by Io Sakisaka

In the second volume, Yuna struggles with whether she should tell Rio about her feelings.  This decision is even more difficult after Yuna finds out he has been in love with Akari since before their parents got married and forced them to become siblings. She ends up telling him in the hopes that his rejection will help her get over her feelings, knowing full well he won't be able to fall in love with her.  The second half of the novel focuses more on Akari and the lessons she's learning from Yuna's bravery.  However, this is out of character for Akari, and she ends up making unsafe decisions ​that cause everyone else to worry about her.  The volume ends with Akari thinking she might be over her childhood crush, just in time to have a crush on someone else.

---

This novel, for me, didn't have the same appeal as the first volume.  While I felt that Yuna and Akari were two very different heroines in the first book, the second one has them almost becoming the same person.  They even sound the same, but their individual voices may be getting lost in translation.  This story will most likely continue to captivate romance fans, but I'm still a bit more impressed with Sakisaka's other series, Ao Haru Ride.  

VIZ's self-identified "Teen" audience is fitting for this title, as the way in which relationships are discussed is more in line with high school or college aged readership.

Sara's Rating: 6/10
Suitability Level: Grades 9-12

This review was made possible with an advanced reader copy from the publisher through Edelweiss.

Publisher: VIZ Media
Publication Date: May 5, 2020
ISBN: 9781974713103 (Paperback)

Tags: Rating: 6/10, Suitability: High School, Manga, Realistic Fiction, Romance, School Life, VIZ Media