Tags: Comedy, Romance, Slice of Life, School Life

Sub-Tags: Misunderstandings, Gyaru, Introverts, Cute, Heartwarming

Dares, Dating and Marriage Proposals!?

Starting the first of three pre-pubs finishing this Friday, my latest review is on a series that is sure to get your sugar levels up!

J-Novel Club’s latest rom-com, Hookup Hiccups, tells the trials and tribulations of the relationship between Nanami and Yoshin. A confession with a difference kicks off proceedings as not only is it originally a dare but Yoshin already knows about it. What follows is their happy couple life filled with homemade lunches, meet-ups and dates. With everything going so well perhaps the confession can no longer be considered a dare!

This series is absolute fluff, cuteness and sugar to the max as volume one follows the first week of Nanami and Yoshin’s budding romance. Gone is any semblance of drama transplanted with a cavalcade of their sweet moments together, from their awkward first times sharing lunch to their struggles at making things romantic at their movie theatre date.

To give you a clearer picture of just how sweet and sugary this series is, for most of the volume, I had to pause every couple of pages just to stop myself squee-ing with delight with every sugary section.

What this series lacks in drama, it makes up in subverting the audience’s expectations. Several rom-com tropes are turned on their head during the volume. The romantic rivals challenge – beaten through cheats and Nanami’s ultimate judgement. Even the ‘meet the parents’ moment ends in a sudo-marriage proposal.

Looking at the two main characters, Yoshin might be an introvert but he’s kind and protective. Whilst he may lack confidence at first, his online buddies are always on hand to help, thus giving him the confidence to move their relationship forward. It’s often fun to read the remarks between him and Baron as he’s in constant shock at how quickly they’re progressing.

Nanami is the more interesting of the two. Wearing Gyaru clothing as more of a defence due to her fear of boys, the volume gives plenty of parts from her perspective. They’re often enlightening, showing how close the two are getting as well as how comfortable she is around him as she slowly gets over her fear.

Hookup Hiccups is another great series adding to the ever-growing list of J-Novel Club’s rom-com roster. Fantastically fluffy, it manages to retain a good sense of pace and a host of lovable characters. I would wholly recommend this series to any rom-com lover.