Thanks to NetGalley and Kodansha Comics for lending me an ARC of this manga. This has not affected my review at all, which are my own thoughts.

Chiba, a driving instructor, is famous among the women studying with him because he uses his charms to make sure he gets good reviews: pretty face, kind manners, a disarming smile...but he's firm about always rejecting their advances and keeping it professional. Until he gets assigned a new student: mysterious Yaotome, the "sharp-suited prince" as he always comes dressed like that to the lessons, as well as keeping some secrets that may or may not be related to Chiba himself. Secrets that risk being put under the light when the men start spending time together outside the driving lessons. Turns out that Yaotome is a manga artist! But what else is he hiding from Chiba?

I loved this one! Super cute, with mature characters that know how to communicate, an interested background for them... This manga is described, in the official blurb, as "a fun and moving one-shot BL romance that’ll have you hugging the turns", and I couldn't agree more with that statement. I laughed through most of it with Chiba and Yaotome's interactions, but also with how the side characters played into it all and contributed to the calm atmosphere and the funny side.

It is also remarkable how this two characters manage to find love when they couldn't have been more different at the start, when they meet. What I loved most was Yaotome's growth, gaining confidence and, also, being a man in his 30's getting his driving license, because (and the manga gives an overview of how things are in Japan with driving licenses, so we can learn and compare), where I do live, while not mandatory, is quite socially ingrained that people should want and must get their license the moment they turn 18 (legal adult age). And, lets face it, not all of us can or want to do that, so...thanks for characters like Yaotome, really, that aren't shamed for getting their license later in life.

On the other hand, I also appreciated how Chiba was shown to have a very human reaction to learning some things about Yaotome and being upset and having to ponder over it and wanting his time while also being open to listen to Yaotome's side of the story and how things could actually being after making his (Chiba's) assumptions. Meaning, that these two learn many things from the other in both their driving lessons and the after-hours moments that they spent together, and one of those things is to communicate. An aspect that I think a lot of couples lack in romances, and most of the time is not even excuse or used properly. So, it is always pleasant to find healthy couples like the one in this manga. A story can have drama, and conflict and angst and all those elements that will come between the characters and slow down their romances and getting together, but, in my opinion, they need to be treated with care and done correctly, otherwise, I loose interest.

All this is lace with an amazing art style that had me admiring the pages for more time then necessary, probably😂 Anyway, Deme Kingyobachi is definitely a mangaka I'll keep my eyes on, should they write more wholesome stories like this one

Overall, I do recommend this one. A wholesome romance with enough conflict to carry the story to a sweet end that will move even a heart of rock. Chiba and Yaotome deserve the world and I'll carry their story with me for a while; I wished more romances in manga were like this one... Anyway, go read this one when it comes out in August and enjoy it as much as I did! (or not, that's valid too; but if y'all a fun of cute romances, I can assure y'all will like it)

Review to come end of August to my blog/other places.

I received this book from the publisher in exchange of an honest review.

I just COULDN'T resist this one when I spotted it up on Netgalley. That cover was just gorgeous and fun! Plus, I could use some more BL in my life~

😍 I love that this one takes, for quite a bit, place at a driving school. So fun and creative! With Chiba being an instructor. Yaotome the newest person to have to learn how to drive. It was just so much fun to read, especially since the whole driving stuff was so different from how it is here. There you have a whole terrain to practice on, there are classes, and more. It sounds like such a fun way to learn driving and I think if we had something similar here I would have tried for my license (I wonder how expensive it is in Japan to get your license, here it is way too much, which is another reason why I don't have a license). I loved seeing Yaotome get better, yes, he was panicking at times, but he did make big improvements.
😍 I loved seeing Chiba and Yaotome getting closer and even meeting up outside of the school. At the start coincidental, afterwards more on purpose. They have chemistry so I was rooting for them hard to figure things out and start dating. I knew they would make a perfect couple.
😍 I also liked that things weren't so easy, while I would have loved that as well, I liked that we had something to get over. A hurdle. Namely Chiba's ex who hurt him. We see that Chiba is willing to try a new relationship but that he worries it will all end up the same way. I was rooting for him to figure things out and defeat that hurdle.
😍 I loved that Yaotome was a manga artist! I would definitely love to read his manga, it sounds like something I would definitely enjoy~
😍 I loved that we learned that Yaotome has known (and been in love with) Chiba for a while now. Haha, what a mask, glasses, and a dead inside look can achieve. The patience this guy has to just keep on pining!
😍 The cover! While I love the OG cover, I just like the new one a bit more. But I am also glad to let you know that you can find the older cover inside the volume as well! So you can enjoy both~
😍 When they finally kissed (and haha, did more though we didn't see that), I was just squeeing in delight. It was such a romantic moment and it was perfect. While with some of these kind of manga I want things fast, the slow burn in this one was just better fitting and I loved seeing them get closer to that moment.
😍 The art was just so much fun! I always love it when one character is blonde and the other has black hair, I am not sure how to explain, haha, but I just like it.

😒I did think it was a bit iffy/creepy that Yaotome created a character for his manga based on someone he likes. That is just a red flag for me. At first I thought that it was just accidental, given things, but then the truth comes out. Yeah no. But eventually I got over it and decided it was OK. As long as Chiba was happpy.
😒I wasn't such a fan when Yaotome, near the end of the story, assumed things and just ignored/got very meh about Chiba. I mean seriously, just talk to him. Yes, you saw him with another who is his ex, maybe he has a reason? Maybe his ex was annoying? But no, he immediately went for drama. *rolls* I am so tired of this bullshit. Can we just fucking communicate with each other? Please?

In overall though, I really had a lot of fun with this one and I flew right through it. These two had chemistry and I was there to ship them! I would recommend it~

My Instructor Won't Yield is a cute, quick read with a unique concept for a meet-cute. The opening panels set the stage for the intimacy of driving classes and how easy it is to fall for your driving instructor which felt ridiculous at first - I initially was hesitant to read this because it didn't feel like this driving school conceit would work but it actually did.

This manga follows Chiba, a driving instructor, and Yaotome, a manga-ka working to obtain his driver's license, as they form an initial friendship and later relationship throughout the lengthy process of Yaotome getting his license. Knowing in advance about the time and money needed to obtain a license in Japan, I could fill in the blanks about how long Chiba and Yaotome had been interacting with one another which helped sell me on their relationship progression. Kingyobachi's art style is very cute and consistent throughout the manga and helped to really convey each character's emotions throughout the story. It's refreshing to see protagonists of a lighthearted BL novel who aren't teenagers or early 20s and the characters were endearing. The final chapter had me a bit tired from the classic last act conflict that didn't really end up being a conflict to where the story wrapped up a bit too fast. A quick epilogue set after the events of the main story might have been nice to read since this was a one-shot volume but this was still enjoyable as-is.

3.5 stars rounded up to 4 on Netgalley. Thanks to Netgalley and Kodansha Comics for the opportunity to read this ARC, all thoughts and opinions are my own.

thank you netgalley for an eARC of this book. this was such a cute and fast BL manga. I do think the ending was a bit rushed but overall I enjoyed it

A delightful and romantic LGBTQ manga featuring two main characters who are both in their 30s. Chiba is a diligent and friendly driving instructor who has no interest in romance due to a previous relationship. Yaotome, on the other hand, is a new student at the driving school. He is kind-hearted and nervous.

This manga is amazing, cozy and downright funny, but also gets more steamy as it goes on. The portrayal of Yaotome’s nervousness and anxiety about learning to drive is realistic and well-handled. Additionally, the pacing of the story is engaging and well-executed.

** I WAS GIVEN THIS BOOK FOR MY READING PLEASURE **
Copy received through Netgalley

~

My Instructor Won't Yield, by Deme Kingyobachi
★★★★★
196 Pages


This was a seriously cute one-shot BL romance! I absolutely loved it. There was so much storyline for less than 200 pages. It honestly felt more complete and well rounded than some novels I've read.

Yaotome is a manga illustrator and is just starting to learn to drive at the age of thirty. Chiba is his instructor and a hot commodity in the office. Two years ago, Chiba got dumped by his boyfriend when the cheating scum announced he was getting married to a woman. That was, coincidentally, the day that Yaotome – watching from afar – realised he was falling in love with Chiba.

The art was lovely, the font was really easy to read, and the story itself was a sweet, charming one-shot that wrapped up the story nicely. It makes a great solo read with plenty of heart and loveable characters. I fell for both the main characters equally.

What a super cute story. I had a really good time reading this, it was funny and sweet. An amazing one volume story!

Thank you to NetGalley and Kodansha for letting me read this early!

My Instructor Won't Yield is a BL one-shot manga about a driving instructor and his student. Yaotome is 30 years old and learning to drive for the first time, and is harboring a big secret involving his driving instructor Chiba. I related so hard to his panic as someone who also didn't start driving until well into my adult years. The romance was really cute and well paced. A lot of one shots feel incomplete to me but this was a sweet short story with a satisfying ending.

Thank you to NetGalley and Kodansha Comics for the eARC!

3.5 stars!

Thank you so much to Netgalley and Kodansha Comics for providing me with an advanced readers copy!

Not gonna lie this was low-key a bit unmemorable now that I'm writing this the night after I finished this. I don't think it's forgettable per se but I don't think it's gonna stick with me? Either way, this was a really nice BL with fairly good chemistry between the two mmc's, really good artwork, a decent plot to follow and also mentions of a cat (I swear we get to see like two shots of the mmc's cat but I love that fucking cat that cat is so cute and I think him wanting to get driving lessons for his cat was EVEN CUTER LIKE HELL YEAH GET A FUCKING CAR AND LICENSE BECAUSE YOU LOVE YOUR CUTE ASS CAT SO MUCH). I would say that my favorite thing about this manga is that the love interests are actually respectful and kind to each other, which we love to see in a world full of enemies to lovers and disrespectful mmc's, and which is partly why I've bumped it a half star. I also really liked the general dynamic between the two characters of one being really friendly, empathetic, and outgoing, and the other being fairly shy, and nervous, and easily flustered. WE LOVE SHY MEEEEENNNNN.

But yeah! Since this was a manga it was obviously a quick read, I enjoyed the dynamic, and the romance was simple and cute, but not necessarily swoon worthy for me. I'm not sure if I'll be checking out the second volume cause I don't really think I have the motivation to, since I don't feel too attached to the plot to continue this story? But if you really love BL and you love finding new BL to read then I'd definitely recommend this one. I just wouldn't recommend it in a general sense and moreso in a "if this is your thing" sense. But either way I'm still glad that I checked this one out and if you're looking for a short BL to read with no spice and a nice dynamic then this is one is for you!

Thank you NetGalley and Kodansha Comics for the ARC!

This was such a short and sweet book to read! I love that we got a little info on how to drive properly. It's not a big detail, but it's the smaller and accurate details that make the manga that much more interesting. The chemistry between Chiba and Yaotome have is so wholesome and cute. A really great pallet cleanser with funny moments and good relationship dynamics. Overall a great read and I wish it were just a bit longer!

3.5
This was a short but sweet rom-com about a driving student falling in love with their driving instructor. Except, they're both men in their 30s. The story was very cute, but it doesn't have too much substance to it. It was interesting enough to read the entire thing in one sitting, but that wasn't exactly hard with how short the volume was. The art style was very nice!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review!

I love to see a character that's almost as terrified of driving as I am! And his motivation to learn was adorable too
It was also nice to have main characters that aren't teenagers / in their 20s
Their relationship was sweet for the most part, although some bits of it struck me as a bit parasocial
And the art was nice!

A very pretty art style with two compelling leads! Very minimal angst with lots of fluff. It’s a one-shot that does what it sets out to do pretty well, which is tell a contemporary love story set, primarily, at a driving instructing school (incidentally, we don’t spend a ton of time there lol).

Overall, a quick and enjoyable one shot!

Thank you NetGalley for the e-arc in exchange for my honest review!

Yaotome is such a shy cutie 💓
Their dynamic is wholesome, the setting is unique, the plot was plotting...
The fact that Yaotome learned to ride for his pettt.

I don't really know what to complain about!

A nice and quick read with good art. Cute and wholesome romance. A fun concept that felt like it was done well. I am always on the lookout for stories where the leads are not in their early 20s/late teens. I will always appreciate translation notes at the end to better understand the material in the translated work.

⚠️ 🚗🚧🛣️🚦

Ahhhh this was so cute and fluffy!!! The driving school romance was cute, and a refreshing change of scenery from the typical BL office romance 🫣 I love that Yaotome’s reason for getting his license (other than to get closer to Chiba) was so he could drive his cat to the vet 😩😩 Be still my heart! If you’re looking for a quick, lighthearted BL manga, be sure to check this out when it releases in August!!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC!!! 🫶🏼

A nice, quick platter cleanser of a read, but it didn’t tick all my boxes, plus there were one or two moments that I didn’t find romantic or made me like the characters, but I found a little creepy.

Overall, was a tad “meh” read for me.

This was a very cute BL manga, evoking a little bit of shoujo stylization with a sweet story of a longtime crush and getting over a past love that didn't work out. I also appreciated how thorough the appendix was on the ins and outs of Japanese driving school (along with some cultural bits), which I knew a little bit about but not to the extent of detail such notes provided.

Good if you want a read that's more sweet, no spice.

-Wholesome, sweet one-shot BL
-quick paced
- There is a hint that they has a spicy moment, but there are no spicy scenes.
-Loved the art work, you can get a good sense of how the characters are feeling
- The one thing that really bothered me was that there were spaces in the middle of some words, it was slightly distracting for me since it was like that throughout the volume.

I liked seeing that the characters were older and it revolved a lot around Yaotome learning to drive and Chiba being his teacher. When they first met Yaotome called him Maki which was a character from a shojo series and we find out why he looks so much like him. Their relationship goes moves from student-teacher to sorta a friendship you could say to lovers. There is some miscommunication/understanding, but it is resolved fairly quick. As a one-shot the plot has to move at a quicker pace to show the progress of their relationship and Yaotome getting his license, but I wish there was a couple bonus panels showing them together after where the story ended.

I love Yaotome's difference in personality from when he is around people to his true self that he only shows to Chiba- prince like to an otaku. His reactions with learning to drive is super relatable for many of us and made me laugh at points. Chiba is bad as showing his feeling he eventually takes the advice his ex gives him. Even though he didn't cross any lines with students in the past, keeping the relationships strictly student-teacher, he acts differently with Yaomote.

I really enjoyed this short, cute and straightforward BL manga! The art style was pretty, the story was simple yet still had some drama and misunderstandings, and the romance- though light and not overly deep- was sweet. I loved the focus being about learning to drive/ set at a driving school, it's fairly unique and an out of the box 'meet cute'. Both characters were likable, and they complimented each other perfectly, I do wish we got to see more of their relationship past the point of getting together, but the happy ending still felt like enough to wrap up the story.

4/5 🌟