In Plain Sight

Soy Sauce Face by Sedonia Guillone

Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher in exchange for a review. 

Summary: Sometimes the best kept secret is the one you keep from yourself…

“I’m an ordinary man with an ordinary life in every way. Except for Jun. That’s what I think to myself every night when I watch Jun getting ready for his work as a bar host in Kabukicho. He’s everything I’m not. He’s the beautiful, graceful, sociable and ambitious counterpart to me—a hulking, reclusive, completely unambitious guy who’d rather fix car and motorcycle engines all day than interact with people… I’d be happy if Jun just stayed here with me the rest of our lives, in this little apartment we’d once shared with Dad. But Jun has other plans.”

Or so Jun thinks. One night he gets ready and goes to work. But a tragic occurrence derails his career and all his plans for the future.

Through the eyes of his best friend, Tomo, the man who loves him above all others, Jun will be forced to confront himself, his deepest fears, hates, desires. And his deepest love.

Review: A cute, sweet, and very angsty story about two people finally getting together.

I had never heard of the term soy sauce face before so I imagine that term is known in Asian culture. But I can gather from Tomo’s description of Jun that a soy sauce face is a pretty boy. Soy Sauce Face is short, but packs a lot within its pages. There is plenty of angst, drama, past trauma, unrequited love, lust, and desire. Tomo and Jun seem like two very different people, but they really do need each other although I feel they need each other much more than is healthy.

Tomo is a very solitary guy and I understand that he wants to be home when Jun gets home, but that means that he doesn’t go out nor does he seem to have any friends besides Jun. Jun has kept his feeling hidden from Tomo for so long that they barely interact. It takes a life threatening experience for Tomo to come out of his shell. I am happy that they get together, but I feel that Jun and possibly Tomo will need a good deal of counseling before they can work through their own problems before they can be a healthy couple.

Rating:

Recommendation: I would recommend this book to those that enjoy angsty m-m romance.