Kazuko Fujita

Originally posted at http://mycutebookshelf.blogspot.com/2011/07/manga-mondays-2-sale-or-return-bride... summary includes spoilers, as I explain most of the volume.*When I found out about Harlequin manga a couple of years ago, I knew I had to try it. The original English series was known as Harlequin Ginger Blossom and was short lived. I remember reading books like Bachelor Prince and Idol Dreams back then. They weren’t the best manga series, but I enjoyed them. So when I found out that Harlequin would release more two years ago, I started reading them again. This time around the manga books are digital releases. You can find them on major e-retailers like Amazon & Sony. You can also find them available to read on your browser at E-manga. Most of the Harlequin manga I’ve seen are from the Harlequin Presents imprint with the rare Historical story here and there.Sale or Return Bride is the story of Alesia Philipos & Sebastien Fiorukis. Alesia’s grandfather asks her to marry Sebastien as part of his revenge plot against the Fioruki’s family. When Alesia was a kid, there was an explosion in the boat where she was travelling with her family. Her father died in that accident and her grandfather has blamed the Fiorukis family ever since. Alesia is actually estranged from her wealthy family because her grandfather doesn’t want anything to do with her. He doesn’t care for her and just wants her to be a part of his revenge. Of course Alesia doesn’t want to do it, but her grandfather tells her that he will give her the money her mother needs to be operated, as she is ill. Alesia agrees to marry Sebastien. What is the revenge, you might ask? Well, Alesia cannot bear children and the whole purpose of Sebastien agreeing to marry her is to be able to have an heir. Their romance blossoms and Alesia feels extremely guilty. One day Sebastien asks her what her purpose is—he found out Alesia was estranged from her family until recently. Alesia tells him the truth and then leaves. A few weeks later, Sebastien appears at the hospital where Alesia is visiting her sick mother. They talk and Alesia finds out that Sebastien was the one who saved her when she fell of the boat (where her father died) years ago. They confront her grandfather and learn the truth behind the accident.While Sale or Return Bride is not the most original story ever, it is quite entertaining. It’s one of those Harlequin Presents stories that I enjoy because even though they use a typical element, which is revenge in this case—it’s not overused. The revenge plot is not too prominent throughout the story, as it was only used by Alesia’s grandfather. Sebastien was a really nice male character, which is not always the case when I’m reading these stories. I liked how his relationship with Alesia blossomed. It was not too over the top and felt very natural. While this was a Harlequin Presents story, it was not too overdramatic. Yeah, it had drama but it wasn't too much. The art was pretty good too. I found it to be a bit like old-fashion shoujo, but I enjoyed it. I’ve definitely seen worse art in other manga series. The only thing that I didn’t like was that this story was extremely short, even for manga. It’s really a quick read, but it’s not bad for the $4 price tag. Although, I would have liked more, I guess. The story is really fast-paced too. Another thing that I would have liked is that the epilogue could have been longer. The surprise at the end was only shown in one panel and one sentence. That could have been done better, in my opinion.Overall, this was an entertaining story. It wasn’t surprising or anything, but I liked it. If you enjoy Harlequin Presents, you might want to give this manga a try.… (meer)