Publisher: Via Lactea Ltd.

Novel Review | Limerence by Jiang Zi Bei

Novel Review | Limerence by Jiang Zi Bei

Published by Eve Healy on August 25, 2023

Title: Limerence
Author: Jiang Zi Bei

Pei Ran and Luo Qingshan have been together since high school, three years and counting. Luo Qingshan is extroverted and overly affectionate, while Pei Ran is the opposite, more shy and reserved, and has mysophobia, making him averse to most of Luo Qingshan’s affections. This often leads to them disagreeing or Luo Qingshan pleading and begging Pei Ran to relent, but they are otherwise comfortable. However, Pei Ran will give in as much as possible when Luo Qingshan’s birthday comes around.

As much as he hates it, he goes out to a karaoke place with Luo Qingshan, along with a group of his friends. Everyone is drinking and smoking, two things Pei Ran has trouble being around. Another person who happens to be there is Su Nian, Luo Qingshan’s close friend, who is more forward and affectionate with Luo Qingshan than Pei Ran would like. After a lot of drinking, Luo Qingshan heads to the bathroom. After a while, Pei Ran checks on him, only to find him and Su Nian kissing outside the bathroom.

Stunned, Pei Ran isn’t sure what to do until Luo Qingshan’s roommate Yan Zhun comes by and gets Pei Ran out of there. Comforted by Yan Zhun, Pei Ran spares no time to gather all of Luo Qingshan’s things and break up with him the next time they meet. Luo Qingshan isn’t ready to give up just yet, going out of his way to get close to Pei Ran and beg for his forgiveness. Pei Ran holds firm, thanks in part to the friendship he’s found in Yan Zhun, but it isn’t long before Yan Zhun makes it clear: he likes Pei Ran more than a friend.

Fresh out of a painful breakup, with an ex still hot on his heels and a love rival in Su Nian who bad-mouthes him any chance he gets, can Pei Ran find it in himself to fall for someone else? Or has the well of love been poisoned for good?

Novel Review | Soul Vibration by Dr. Solo

Novel Review | Soul Vibration by Dr. Solo

Published by Eve Healy on February 1, 2023

Title: Soul Vibration
Author: Dr. Solo

Chi Nan has always dreamed of working in the music industry as a singer-songwriter. He got his first taste of that world when he went on a singing gameshow where he was praised by Salinger, his idol and the bassist for one of the top bands in the world, Lotus. Not long after his run on the show, Chi Nan gets the opportunity to put out an album. However, in the middle of his budding career, he is diagnosed with an incurable ear problem, slowly but surely deteriorating his hearing ability. Unable to reliably continue his career, his agent drops him, and Chi Nan is at a loss.

Desperate to at least stay in the industry, Chi Nan ends up finding a gig as an assistant for a musician. It just so happens that the musician is the one and only Salinger. Chi Nan jumps at the opportunity to assist his idol and quickly learns what it’s like for a prodigy in the music industry as Salinger is bashed, harassed, and even harmed by the media and public. Chi Nan doesn’t care what anyone else says about Salinger. Chi Nan loves him exactly as he is. The question is, how does Salinger feel about Chi Nan?

Novel Review | Lip and Sword by Jin Shisi Chai

Novel Review | Lip and Sword by Jin Shisi Chai

Published by Eve Healy on June 24, 2022

Title: Lip and Sword
Author: Jin Shisi Chai

Xing Ming is the host of Pearl Line, a news analysis show for the station Pearl TV Station News Center. He’s attractive, talented, and truly cares about the news he puts out. As a result, during the end-of-the-year banquet for the station, Xing Ming is awarded the Top Ten News Centers of the Year award. However, not everyone feels he is deserving of it. Director Chen Linan, who actually recruited Xing Ming initially and put him in the position of hosting Pearl Line, now no longer feels he is worthy of his accolades or role on the show. This is all because Zhuang Lei, rumored to be Chen Linan’s niece or lover, was the host of Pearl Line before she went on maternity leave, which allowed Xing Ming to be her replacement. Even though she has recovered and is ready to return, Xing Ming refuses to give up his spot.

Due to his frustration and drunkness, Chen Linan confronts Xing Ming at the party. At first, Xing Ming isn’t worried over the drunken Chen Linan’s pestering… until Chen Linan brings up Xing Ming’s dead father, a convicted rapist. In a blind rage, Xing Ming beats Chen Linan over the head with a wine bottle in front of everyone at the party. In a panic, knowing his job is on the line, Xing Ming reaches out to the station chairman, Yu Zhongye, and offers himself up in exchange for leniency regarding his punishment. While Yu Zhongye does take him up on his offer, and they spend a night together, the director and chairman are set to fire him the following day. Once more, in a fit of rage, Xing Ming fights off the security guards and poses an offer to the chairman: let me create my own show with my own team from scratch. If he doesn’t get decent ratings during a six-month period, he will leave on his own.

Yu Zhongye agrees, but as Xing Ming faces setback after setback, he constantly has to return to Yu Zhongye for favors. As he gives himself over to the chairman repeatedly, Xing Ming begins to question if this is all worth it and what his sexuality is. However, more than anything, Xing Ming wonders if what he feels for Yu Zhongye is truly admiration or if it is something deeper? And is Yu Zhongye capable of loving anyone for more than their body?

Novel Review | Salad Days by Jing Shuibian

Novel Review | Salad Days by Jing Shuibian

Published by Eve Healy on June 10, 2022

Title: Salad Days
Author: Jing Shuibian

Jiang Shen is a poor boy in a rural village. He spends his days playing with friends out in the rice paddy fields, helping his father work the fields, chasing wild chickens, and fishing. The most time he ever spends in the city is when his mother takes the vegetable harvest to sell. While his mother is busy in the city, Jiang Shen usually spends his time exploring the Children’s Center, where he stumbles upon a ballet class. The teacher catches him looking and invites him in, where she discovers he may have an innate talent for ballet. It isn’t long before Jiang Shen’s focus goes from his idyllic village days to something much larger and grander.

On the other end of the spectrum is Bai Jinyi. He comes from a filthy rich family and wants for nothing. He spends his days training at the Children’s Center in boxing, with his goal being to go international and win the gold belt. However, while attending training one day, an unusual sight catches his eye: a little boy among a gaggle of girls in a ballet class. Inexplicably, Bai Jinyi becomes drawn to this little boy, and for once in his life, Jiang Shen is the one thing he wants, even more than boxing.

They say the rich never box and the poor never dance. Yet, Jiang Shen and Bai Jinyi are set to defy those odds. As the two grow and change and their dreams grow more and more focused, the one thing that keeps them tethered together is their growing feelings for each other. So, can these happy days continue for two boys whose paths would never have crossed otherwise? And can they grasp their dreams while holding onto each other?

Novel Review | The Missing Piece by Kun Yi Wei Lou

Novel Review | The Missing Piece by Kun Yi Wei Lou

Published by Eve Healy on May 2, 2022

Title: The Missing Piece
Author: Kun Yi Wei Lou

Shen Mo is an art school graduate. Unfortunately, by the time he graduated and earned a job in his field, he was abducted, and as a result of the trauma from that incident, he was unable to use his right hand to paint. However, he thankfully escaped the incident with his life thanks to Ji Mingxuan. To pay back Mingxuan’s help, Shen Mo is in a contracted relationship with him. All so that Mingxuan’s younger sister can marry Zhou Yang, her childhood friend and Shen Mo’s ex, without worrying about Shen Mo and Zhou Yang getting back together. Three years passed as Shen Mo and Ji An’an, Mingxuan’s sister, left to study abroad together.

Though it is a fake relationship, the lines between fantasy and reality begin to blur, especially when Zhou Yang and Mingxuan’s sister come back from studying abroad together. Now with Shen Mo right in front of him, Zhou Yang doesn’t try to hide the fact that he is still attracted to Shen Mo, even as his engagement with An’an is publicly announced. While Shen Mo is still attracted to Zhou Yang, even if only due to the memories before his traumatic experience, he grows closer to An’an and Mingxuan’s affections become more and more real. Who and what Shen Mo wants for himself becomes more and more unclear. Will Shen Mo forsake Mingxuan and An’an to return to the familiar love he had with Zhou Yang, or will Shen Mo take the plunge and trade in his contractual relationship with Mingxuan for something real?

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Tag: Publisher: Via Lactea Ltd.

Novel Review | Limerence by Jiang Zi Bei