A steamy adult romance about a second chance with a high-school crush.

It had just been a high school crush… right?

As a quiet, studious high school girl, Riko had always crushed on cool, stoic, and collected Baba. Ten years later, she’s looking forward to catching a glimpse of him at their high school reunion when Baba comes right up to her and greets her with a kiss — and then demands that she takes him home. What’s even more shocking to Riko is that she might want to take him up on it!

A steamy romance about second chances and growing into love.

I can’t imagine attending a 10-year high school reunion event to search for my old crush…

…Only for him to reconnect with me, kiss me passionately, and start a romantic pursuit, as if the passage of time never mattered.

I think this is really romantic, but I would never want it to happen to me because the boys I crushed on in high school turned out to be assholes (even back then), and I didn’t have the self-esteem to realize I was worth so much more. I do now, though, and I would cringe if this happened to me.

But it happens to Riko, and thus starts a whirlwind rekindling of old feelings. Baba pursues her relentlessly and with little shame (it is pointed out that he spent some of his school years in America, where apparently we’re all taught to be blunt and straightforward with our feelings).

Wow, Baba. You’re coming on strong!

Very quickly Baba initiates a sexual relationship with Riko, and Riko learns something about herself: how much she really likes it. The two are incredibly compatible in bed, and Riko dreams of something more, but fears she may be coming on to strong, lol. It’s a good thing she and Baba are on the same page, right?

…Right?

There was a part of this manga that almost completely turned me off from reading it, and it’s something I see a lot in male/female romances: the moment where the female character doubts whether or not her partner actually likes her. Nevermind that he has clearly made overtures that express his passion for her, his care for her, and that he does indeed like her.

Riko says, “Even if I acknowledge my feelings for Baba…my crush will be unrequited.” So she comes right out and asks him through text if Baba likes her, and he says, “YEAH. GOOD JOB.”

After a night of passionate sex with Baba, Riko asks herself, “We both like each other, right? But…he actually hasn’t said that he likes me.” WTF what was that text conversation where he confirms his feelings? Why would Baba pursue her so bluntly (saying they should move in together, in addition to having sex with each other) if he couldn’t stand her or wasn’t interested in her?

Baba asks Riko, “Why do you have no self-esteem?” and this has got to be the reason why Riko has such cluelessness around Baba. Like I said, this made me almost DNF. But I kept reading anyway because there is a degree of charm to this manga that allowed me to forgive Riko for some of this cringy behavior. I think when it comes down to it, Riko might not believe she is worthy of love, and that makes for something interesting. There are hints of this even in the high school flashback scenes where she is viewed as someone on the outside, and even teased to a degree.

So, as long as the trope of “needlessly doubting your lover’s feelings” doesn’t bother you, I think that’s the only hiccup you may experience reading First Love Reunion. Again, if this is explored in a deeper way in volume 2–WAIT A MINUTE, IS THIS A STANDALONE? I HOPE NOT — I’ll feel really satisfied that I picked this manga to review.

Overall, even though Baba comes on far too strongly, Riko and Baba are a good match to watch. There is some miscommunication later in the book (which I also kind of disliked because it came about through avoidance) that could have been easily solved (thank goodness it eventually is), but otherwise I am very curious to see how far this couple goes. Their coming together almost seems like magic in a way, and I want to know how this relationship is going to be tested in the future, and whether or not Riko will grow into herself and stop being filled with so much doubt about the feelings of a man who is clearly infatuated with her.

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First Love Reunion will release February 10, 2026. It will be available in print and digital. You can preorder now, or buy directly from the publisher on release to show your support, or purchase online from major booksellers everywhere.