Thank you to Kodansha for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley.

In a brilliantly accomplished debut author Machi Yamashita introduces us to college Students Yu Yamasaki and Nagi kitagawa and their friends. Yo Yamasaki and Nagi kitagawa attend the same college and are neighbours living in the same apartment block. They become friends almost by accident as sober Nagi is left to look after and take home the heavy drinking Yamasaki on numerous occasions. Nagi is instantly attracted to the handsome, popular Yamasaki. The story follows the two friends as they address their feelings for each other, providing a beautiful, heartwarming experience of first love, and of finding your true self.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for this advanced reader's copy and the opportunity to this early. Review has been posted on Waterstones and Goodreads.

This is a gentle love story without too much drama. Nagi Kitagawa is a university student who falls in love with another student called Yu Yamasaki, who also happens to be his next door neighbour.

Nagi looks up to Yu and keeps his growing feelings to himself, meanwhile he gets to know Yu better, rescues him from drinking binges and sometimes stays the night sleeping beside the drunken Yu. What Nagi doesn’t realise is that Yu has the same feelings towards him and gradually as their friendship develops so does their love for each other.

Sometimes you need a story where two people gently and gradually fall in love and this is it.

Copy provided via Netgalley in exchange for an unbiased review.

i've learned recently that i tend to enjoy reading the romance genre more if it's a manga. "love on the horizon" is no exception—it's a short, cute, feel-good story about two college students falling each other and being absolute fools about it. it's got some tasty yearning, which i always appreciate, and keeps up a fun cast of background characters that give more life to the main couple. the art style was quite pleasing. it's lively without being overwhelming for the eyes.

my one big gripe with this story is the pacing. i'd be more forgiving of how fast things move if this were a one-shot. however, knowing there's a volumte 2 to look forward to, i expected the build-up to the relationship to take its time. it felt like nagi and yuu got together a bit too fast, and some more fleshing out for their bond between friendship and love would've been nice.

nevertheless, this is a perfectly pleasant read, and i am looking forward to volume 2.

This was absolutely puddle-inducing in the best way.

It’s short—honestly over too fast—but that’s also what I was craving when I picked it up: something sweet, swoony, and low-commitment. Still, it was so lovely I found myself wishing it lingered a little longer.

Even in such a short span, it hits all the right emotional notes—those fluttery moments of anticipation, a tiny tear I will definitely blame on allergies if anyone asks, and that wholesome kind of joy that feels like a warm blanket on a rough day.

It’s a great pick if you’re in the mood for a quick MM college romance with the kind of gentle, giggly charm that manga often does so well. 🥰

There are some spicy moments, but nothing too explicit—it’s framed thoughtfully and would still feel safe for younger readers.

Thank you NetGalley and Kodansha Comics for this arc!

5/5 stars

This was a really sweet and light manga! I really love how Nagi and Yuu progress from being friends to more, and how respectful they are towards each other. We stan healthy relationships 💜

Love on the Horizon by Machi Yamashita is a slice of life university BL series that follows Nagi Kitagawa and his senpai Yuu Yamasaki ("and they were neighbors"). Nagi and Yuu are in the same music club, but Nagi fears his feelings will be forever unrequited....

This is a very sweet story, perfect for fans of pining and "taking care of each other" tropes. There is some spice, but it's not over the top; as a one-shot, I would call it a slow burn, but as the first volume of a series, it may be a bit faster-paced. Honestly, this is so self-contained, it could do perfectly well as a one-shot, but I'm curious what will happen next. This is a very "feels-heavy" story, almost in between shounen-ai and yaoi in terms of genre; the sleek minimalist art style mimics that poignant balance. Personally, I love the art style all on its own, but it also really fits the tone of the story. In addition, Yamashita throws in a bit of humor with the "experienced by naïve Yuu" and the shy but stalwart Nagi. I do also wonder if there is a new shift in BL stories, in which there is no longer a need for a "gay crisis": Yuu simply requests open-mindedness when discussing his feelings for Nagi and a specific label is not needed, nor a particular discussion about the gender of his love interest--it just doesn't seem to matter. I hope this indicates a general societal shift as well, but that may remain to be seen.

Readers who enjoy this series may also like: 2gether (2020), Restart After Come Back Home by Cocomi, Sasaki and Miyano by Shō Harusono, To the Stars and Back by Peglo, My Ultramarine Sky by Furuya Nagisa, Given by Natsuki Kizu, Twilight Out of Focus by Jyanome, and Semantic Error by Angy and J. Soori, among others.

This was so cute! I enjoyed the pacing between the two main characters, and the whole mix up between dream/not dream was cute!

Thank you, NetGalley for an advanced ARC of this manga

This was a cute read about a love forming between to male friends, I found it wasn't too fast or too slow and was nicely paced

I would be interested in continuing with this series as it gets released

It was really cute ! Everything happened a bit fastly and nothing really happens apart from them drinking, sleeping, avoiding and repeat the pattern, but it was just so soft and I really liked it.
I loved how they came to the point where they knew they loved each other but they just couldn't bring themselves to tell the others. Can't wait to read what's next !

DNF. I couldn't connect with the characters or with the story, and I'm inclined to think it was because of the script and how it started. I thought it would be a good option for me, but the way it was worked didn't feel right for me.

thank you to netgalley and the publishers for the digital review copy!

before i talk about the story, i feel the need to mention that the art in this is stunning! i loved the half-tones and the style of everything, it definitely kept my attention.

while very very sweet and definitely enjoyable, this manga fell a little flat for me. i would have loved more time spent on the development of feelings between the two characters, but it all happens very quickly. there is very little conflict or time to sit with our characters, we are placed directly in the middle of the story with little background. i would have loved to slow down a little.

other than this, if you want a simple, sweet story to read and put a smile on your face, i would definitely pick it up! but i wouldn’t expect anything deeper than that.

This MM college romance is an absolute gem for a quick and heartwarming read. The artwork is beautifully drawn, capturing the delightful, wholesome charm that manga fans adore. With its sweet, closed-door moments and an overall enjoyable storyline, it's a perfect pick-me-up for anyone seeking a feel-good escape. Highly recommended for those who love lighthearted, feel-good romance!

I typically don't read manga, but I saw good reviews for this and was intrigued. I thought it was very sweet, charming, and the artwork was great. This is good if you like friends to lovers and queer awakenings.

I didn't think anything too deep was happening, but it was sweet and a light read.

A cute mutual pining (with some mildly concerning clingy overtones on the part of Nagi) that is resolved about half way through, with the rest of the book them navigating cute coupledom. Not really much of a plot to this but if you want to see university students being oblivious and obvious its a fine enough read.

Tone/Vibes: emotional, hopeful, lighthearted, relaxing, and fast-paced
Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? N/A
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

Rating: 4.25/5.0

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for this eARC! :)

This was a very cute BL college romance! 🥰 I loved the art and the cute little romance tropes, but it was also realistic. I look forward to reading more of the series! I would love to see how Yu & Nagi navigate their new relationship! I wished some parts were explained more so we could see more of the characters personalities bloom. But it was definitely an enjoyable read! :)

A cute romance to read if you are looking for a wholesome pick-me-up that is light and fluffy. I found myself grinning while reading and can't wait for Volume 2!

Super cute and wholesome romance between two cute college students. It reminded me of all the old school romance coming of age movies. I really enjoyed it !

This was actually out of my element because I don't really go after lighthearted stories but I thought it was good to try. After all, sometimes all that's needed is to read a cute BL manga with a simple story to pass the time. That was exactly my experience with this one, and I enjoyed it overall because it felt comforting and it was an easy reading.

The <b>story</b> is about Nagi, a first year college student that has recently started his studies. He lives next door to another guy -Saki- that goes to the same college but is older, and Nagi is usually tasked to get him to his home after reunions because Saki gets too drunk. Nagi gets used to it, and with time he starts falling asleep in the same bed as Saki, without him knowing. Nagi hides his feelings because he can't believe a popular guy like Saki could ever like him back, but he doesn't expect to be so wrong.

This was a <b>fluffy manga with low/zero angst</b> about two guys that fall for each other the more time they spend time together, but it takes time for both to realize this. On one hand, Saki discovers what he feels isn't just out of friendship, meanwhile Nagi stays quiet about his because he believes Saki is very popular and he might be only interested in girls so he won't ever have a chance.

Some of that could sound angsty, but in reality this <b>situation is solved very easily</b> and faster than I thought, <b>allowing the reader to see their dynamic progress even after they realize they're into esch other</b>. I <b>found this refreshing smd comforting</b> because of how careful they acted towards the other. It's also a surprise to see the daily life of a couple depicted even after the big confession event since it doesn't always happen. This one goes down the slice of life route about a healthy relationship and the art worked really well with that concept because of how simple and neat it is.

The <u>few thing that I wasn't a big fan of</u> are the rushed/<b>not really shown development of Nagi's feelings</b>, because we know from the beginning he likes Saki but we don't see how he fell for him. There's also the fact that <b>this had little to no conflict</b> and honestly that isn't my type of story. I feel like this premise could've worked really well with some angst to make it have more flavour, especially considering that during some time Nagi's feelings were unrequited. But I guess that wasn't the author's intentions, and if so then I respect that.

Ultimately, this was a slice of life BL manga with comforting vibes, a healthy couple dynamic that sgo from friends to lovers, with the love interest being a popular guy and a not-so-umrequited love.

**Thank you, NetGalley, for sending an ARC of this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own

What to expect:
📍College romance
📍Neighbors
📍Friends to lovers
📍Gay awakening
📍Slow burn
📍Heartwarming
📍Cozy vibes

This manga charmed me from the very first page! The artwork is absolutely gorgeous—expressive characters and a soft, inviting style that perfectly complements the story’s warm tone. Shoutout to the translation too, for making the dialogue feel natural and effortless to read.

The story hooked me immediately with its heartwarming take on the friends-to-lovers trope. The slow-burn chemistry between the two leads feels genuine, avoiding rushed or forced moments. Both characters are incredibly likable and brimming with personality. That said, I’m hoping Volume 2 dives deeper into their backstories and motivations to add even more emotional weight.

If you’re craving a romance free of unnecessary drama or angst, this is it! Their relationship unfolds with adorable, low-stakes moments that left me grinning. It’s the perfect pick-me-up for anyone seeking a light, fluffy romance.

I devoured this volume in one sitting and can’t wait to see where the story goes next! Bring on Volume 2!