Reviews
3.5 ⭐️
this was cute, fluffy, and made me want to visit japan really badly! i loved all the relationships and rep, but found the mc a little frustrating at times — but that’s the nature of her growth. overall, would recommend if you’re looking for a light read :)
As suspected. Too cute for its own good
3.5 stars I started this for the romance but halfway through it, I became more invested in Kimi and her family. Tears were shed whenever we find out more about her mom and grandparents’ relationship.
A pleasant slice of life read filled with the exploration of relationships, culture and moments to warm the heart.
Kimi's future has been decided. She is going to art school, become a painter, and be the next Asian American artist just like what her mother is dreaming of. Until one day she realizes that it's not what she really wants to be. She dropped out of art class and had an argument with her mother after she finds out about it. Kimi decides to accept her estranged grandparents' invitation to visit them in Kyoto, Japan and use the opportunity to find out what she really wants to do with her life. Kimi's whole journey was enjoyable to read. She is really talented and Akira, the love interest, is so precious. They're adorable and so good together but their romance isn't the main focus in the story which was great. The writing is so good that I could smell the cherry blossoms and taste the mochi. I liked how the author incorporated the different places and attractions in Kyoto into the story. It's quite obvious from the beginning what Kimi wants to be and what her passion is but she doesn't want to disappoint her mother and somehow this became her top priority instead of being true to herself. I loved how Kimi's relationship with her grandparents developed throughout the story. We don't see this kind of bond a lot so it's refreshing. I have never been to Japan and I really want to (someday when the pandemic is over) but reading this book has brought so many fun memories. Read this if you're looking for a light and heart-warming read. Fair warning though. Make sure to have some food with you while reading.
OH MY GOSH! This ended up being my absolute FAVORITE book in May! I got all the home vibes in this one. Meaning it made me wish that I was back in Japan where my family came from; made me wish that I could be surrounded by my culture and just explore all of Kyoto and be immersed in all things that I love and appreciate. I may not be a fashionista and designer like Kimi, but I definitely can appreciate her clothing and her eye for design. I love how she was able to be inspired by the world around her, and how her time in Japan made her realize that her love for designing and making clothes wasn’t just a hobby, but her true passion and something that she could do for an actual living. Sometimes we forget that we don’t have to have a traditional corporate job, or some sort of typical “doctor or lawyer” job in order to be validated. That’s what Kimi ended up learning, and I’m so proud of her for it.
De-freakin-lightful. I smiled the whole way through this. The love of food, the cutesy first kiss moments, the adorable love story. Even the sadder moments had a nostalgic sort of joy to them. It's always nice when there's a writer who just knows how to make me happy page after page.
Such a cute story! I love the relationship that Kimmi had with all of the characters. It all felt real. And it did a great job exploring the search for a dream, the self-discovery and also the sacrifice of a dream that a person can make for others and the pressure or guilt it all brings. Plus the grandfather is one of my favorite characters ever now! And the fact that we got to discover Japan alongside Kimmi was also pretty cool. It is a solid 3 stars!
