At the age of 21, Nicoletta travels to Rome to find her mother, Olga, who abandoned her long ago. Nicoletta finds her at Casetta dell'Orso, a charming little restaurant owned by Olga's husband. The staff of bespectacled gentlemen welcomes Nicoletta warmly, but Olga's reception is not so pleasant. Olga has never told her husband that she ever had children--and he must never know. In exchange for Nicoletta's playing "the daughter of an old friend," Olga offers Nicoletta a place to live and an apprenticeship at the restaurant. Nicoletta fits in well among the unique personalities at Casetta dell'Orso. She gets along particularly well with the kindly headwaiter, Claudio, a divorced man who, after years, has still never taken off his wedding ring. As Nicoletta's feelings for Claudio become complicated, she finds a sympathetic ear in Olga, leading the estranged pair to form a friendship neither expected. But as they grow closer, the pressure exerted by the secret they share becomes too much to bear. (Source: VIZ Media)
Do-Hui is too busy girl-bossing her way up the corporate ladder to care about love. Her ability to randomly time loop makes her professionally successful but also renders all relationships meaningless. What's the point when she'll have to restart everything at some point? That all changes when Jun-Won, her annoying new boss, reveals that he can time loop too. Though she cringes at the mere sight of him, he's also the only person who understands her. Will they learn how to find solace in each other, or will their professional friction mess up their one chance at love? (Source: Tappytoon, edited)
Rena Rubel is a beautiful woman who has faced her share of hardships, as she was offered as a sacrifice by her own father, Marquis Rubel. She manages to survive and one day encounters a man named Lin, who belatedly discovers she is a powerful warrior who can hold her own. Rena gifts him with the elusive altar stone, and he promises to pay her back. They agree to meet again, and she continues to travel with her maid Yuni, seeking her father for his sins of the past. Can he be forgiven? (Source: WEBTOON)
Once upon a time in a faraway land, a beautiful witch lived atop a tall tower with no intention of descending. Instead, she awaited the brave knight who would overcome many perils to meet her. Should someone triumph over her many traps, she would grant them any one wish. One day, such a courageous prince did arrive, and he asked her to rid him of the curse preventing him from siring an heir. But the curse of another witch cannot be so easily lifted, and the only way to save his bloodline... is to become his bride?! (Source: Yen Press)
**A tender Boys’ Love story about childhood best friends and the unspoken feelings that bind them.** Yusei insists he hates his best friend—or at least, that’s what he tells himself. Itsuki, his gifted, charming, and impossibly talented friend, seems to be wasting his potential. After all, Itsuki could easily get into any prestigious university or join any sports team, yet he chooses to spend his time with Yusei. Struggling with feelings he can’t quite understand, Yusei pretends to despise Itsuki, hoping it will help him overcome his emotions or, at the very least, distance himself from the one person who means so much. But is pretending enough to change Yusei’s heart? And what about Itsuki’s feelings? *Source: Seven Seas Entertainment, Vol. 1*
Unrivaled looks, extraordinary skills, a clear path to the throne—Sienna Argent has it all. And now she’s even seeing visions of her future! Everything is set for her as the Silver King and soon-to-be emperor... So why has she suddenly grown wary of those around her? The mother she’s always seen as her ally, the half-royal half-brother she’s constantly shunned, and a man shrouded in mystery, all seem to play a hand in the course of her future. Is Sienna destined for a less than happy ending? (Source: Tapas) *Note: Chapter count includes a prologue.*
Lili is just like any other girl except she can foretell the future! This 'Zodiac PI' relies on horoscopes and astrology to help her solve crimes and track down criminals. When there's trouble a'brewing, she transforms herself into the magic Detective Spica and looks to the stars to guide her way. Before long, she is joined by her childhood friend, Hiromi, who dreams of becoming a detective as skilled as Lili. Soon, no astral investigation is too arduous for this dynamic duo! (Source: TOKYOPOP) *Note: Includes four extras chapters.*
Taking inspiration from the Russian classic Crime and Punishment and then placing the behemoth of a book into a modern metropolis, Ochiai Naoyuki retells Dostoevsky's drama from the eyes of a struggling Japanese writer. In the 2006 remake Crime and Punishment ~A Falsified Romance~ Ochiai's lead is an incredible talent with award winning abilities. Tachi recently placed as the Best New Writer in a major literary competition, but the stress of living up to his family's goals of him becoming a powerful man has broken him on the cusp of greatness. He dropped out of college. However after moving to Tokyo he struggles with his identity and the duality of life in this surreal megalopolis. Despite being recognized for his tremendous potential, success does not come quite as easy, and life is a constant struggle. For Tachi Miroku life is nothing but a battle, with his past and his moral fiber. He hasn't been to work in four months and his dreams are a total mess filled with abuse, taunting, and the strong smell of blood. Tachi is alone and without direction in life right now. You could say he is a hikkikomori but that is only where his troubles start. (Source: Otaku Magazine)
When Kazusa enters high school, she joins the Literature Club, where she leaps from reading innocent fiction to diving into the literary classics. But these novels are a bit more…adult than she was prepared for. Between euphemisms like fresh dewy grass and pork stew, crushing on the boy next door, and knowing you want to do that one thing before you die–discovering your budding sexuality is no easy feat! As if puberty wasn’t awkward enough, the club consists of a brooding writer, the prettiest girl in school, an agreeable comrade, and an outspoken prude. Fumbling over their own discomforts, these five teens get thrown into chaos over three little letters: S…E…X…! *Note: Includes four extra chapters.*
Yorito Morimiya loves taking pictures of the sky so much that one day, he wakes up at 4 am to take pictures of the sunrise overlooking the bay. However, he is deterred when he meets a strange girl trying to force a vending machine that stole her money. Yorito helps her with forcing the machine but when the machine finally vends, the girl has mysteriouslly vanished. (Source: Anime News Network)
At the age of 16, Ichika Sendawara learned that she only had two years left to live. Now a sophomore college student, she lives a busy, upbeat life, despite never knowing when the end will come. Everything changes when Ichika meets Professor Yurugi—for the first time, she feels she has something to live for. But then Yurugi quietly leaves the university, and Ichika is left wondering why, and what could have been... A gentle love story that grapples with the deepest existential questions we face in life. As the Shuji Terayama poem quoted in the text says, "If life is nothing but goodbyes, who needs life?" (Source: Kodansha USA) *Note: Includes two extra chapters.*
Stranded in the space between human and demon, Miyu was born a vampire and charged with the responsibility of returning evil demons called Shinma to the dark. Being eternally 15, she yearns to return to the dark herself but not until she has banished the Shinma from Earth. And since her awakening, she remains cut off by the facts of who and what she is. (Source: Anime News Network)

