JIN, the arrogant son of a powerful Tycoon finally meets his match in SAKURA, a mysterious girl who happens to be the secret heir to the Shintani Yakuza — Japan’s most notorious crime family.KENJIN KIYOHARA, the arrogant son of Asia’s most influential Tycoon thinks he’s figured everyone out. He is also convinced that no one is good enough for him. Until he meets SAKURA SHINTANI, whose … disinterest in him was refreshing, and whose murderous glares were alluring. But when he discovers she’s the secret heir to a notorious crime dynasty, he must defeat the odds and earn the right to stand by her side – even if it means losing his own life.
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There is something unique about V.C. Buckley’s writing style that I haven’t experienced before. Not only did I not see the ending coming, but reading Hanami was like reading an anime. Really! I could “see” the characters playing out each scene in my head. If you love anime, I’m pretty darn sure you’ll love this book. I sure do, and I’m looking forward to the next in the series.
—3.5 Stars—
This book was an interesting, intriguing, and suspenseful romantic read!
I found the main characters, Sakura and Jin interesting, however, I didn’t find them relatable or easy to connect with. Usually, the books I read, I identify with a character or I find a character that reminds me of a close friend or family member. Neither was the case with this book.
I liked that Sakura was strong, fierce, intelligent, sassy, and confident. However, she was also very cold, rude, distant, and stuck up. She presented herself in a manner that she was better than and more important than those around here. This came off extremely harsh and frigid. She preferred to be alone and kept herself isolated. Later down the road we learn that this is all a shell; that she is protecting herself from being vulnerable and getting hurt.
I must admit, the best part of the book was her character’s journey of self-discovery. Sakura is finding herself in this book and her transformation, learnings, and understandings were exponential! I really enjoyed watching her grow – especially since I was so turned off by her at the beginning of the book! But, watching her story unfold, her finally start to open up to possibilities and actually letting people in and get close to her – it showed strong character development!
I wasn’t fond of Jin either at the beginning as he was such a player and his ego barely fit through the door! I liked that he knew and understood all these girls fawning over him were just after him for his money and status. And I liked that he wanted a girl that wanted him for him and that she would be someone with virtue, character, and intellect. Sakura was just that! Sakura challenged Jin! However, Jin was pleased to have found someone who wasn’t groveling at his feet – he didn’t understand why she wasn’t and he seemed to be getting annoyed that she wasn’t falling for all his lines and tricks. Sorry, but that part was really dumb!!! Jin finally finds what he’s been looking for and he has to complain that Sakura is making him work for it – which is what he wanted??!! LOL!!! Typical guys!!!
Anywho, after so many pages of that, he also does some growing up throughout the book and has some redeeming moments. I really liked how supportive he was for Sakura and how he was there for her during some difficult scenes.
I really liked the story line concept and found it intriguing! The author has fascinating ideas about the Yakuza’s, Japanese crime dynasties, and the elite heirs and their lifestyle!
The story line worked and there were definitely quite a few plot points to keep the story going – especially since it’s on the longer end of 328 pages. However, this book felt a bit over-complicated and confusing at times as there was just so much going on in the story. There were several passages I had to re-read to figure out what was happening and get back into the story.
I love the in-depth amount of research the author did while constructing this book. It was clear she was very familiar and well-versed on Japanese culture, customs, and traditions. The author provided so much detail and such vivid descriptions it made the scenes easy to picture.
There are some predictable scenes. However, there are also some unexpected twists and turns and misdirection’s that you won’t see coming!
This book is book one in the Hanami Book Series. This book can be read as a standalone.
Unfortunately, I felt the ending was a bit unfinished as there were still a few unanswered questions that I’m hoping book two will tie up some loose ends!
Also, please note there are some very detailed, graphic, violent scenes that may not be appropriate for all readers.
All in all, there were just a few hang-ups for me, but overall, I still enjoyed reading this book and would still recommend it. There is an intriguing story line and great characters that do make this book an interesting romance, new adult, romantic suspense, and contemporary read! So, add it to your TBR List and get to reading – you won’t be disappointed!
**Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy of this book and have voluntarily provided an honest, and unbiased review in accordance with FTC regulations.**
High school with the rich, famous, and dangerous. Sakura was such a strong, smart, and independent young woman. Her past and family made her a bit on the cold side though she did help others. Jin was arrogant and self absorbed, but his attraction to Sakura had him learning about himself. Danger surrounded both of them, and they survived quite a lot together. This was an interesting read.
I received a copy of this story through Goddess Fish Promotions, and this is my unsolicited review.
3.75 stars
“Hanami” by V.C. Buckley is a young to new adult contemporary romance set in Japan. The story focuses on the heir to the feared Shintani clan, Sakura, and her attempts to fulfill the roles expected of her, including honoring a family contract and attending a prestigious school open only to the elite of society. Her self-imposed vow to never become as vulnerable as her parents were is tested as she learns to interact with her peers and deal with the challenges presented by those who wish to either curry favor or destroy her.
This story provides fascinating glimpses of the harsh society ruled by the formidable Yakuza while detailing the coming-of-age of the person who is struggling with her own identity. I liked many aspects of the story, including the elements of Japanese culture that are sprinkled in and the arc of Sakura’s journey, as well as the mysteries that are gradually unraveled, but I felt that other elements are not well fleshed-out, including the hierarchy of the school and the students, how Sakura became involved in the punitive aspects of her position, the role of the scholars and the scope of their duties as interns, the major competitive events, etc. Those who have triggers should be advised that there are some elements of graphic violence as well as potential assault situations.
This is listed as a new adult romance, and that is accurate with respect to the ages of the main characters, but the evolution of the relationship(s) is very tame, reflecting Sakura’s isolation from her peers up to this point. The writing is stilted in places, with odd word choices, and the action is jerky at times, but the imagery evoked is vivid and the storyline is intriguing. I enjoyed watching the blossoming of emotions and seeing Sakura’s competence but felt some things were a bit inconsistent about her situational awareness and vulnerability. The mystical element was a bit over the top for me but it did serve a dual purpose, although I was surprised that one character was mature enough to make a pivotal decision that seemed uncharacteristic. This is the first book in the series of the same name, so I expect that many of the dangling threads that irked me will be addressed in subsequent tales and I look forward to learning more about this unique and intriguing character and those around her.
A copy of this title was provided for review
This was an interesting read but I must admit I had trouble getting into the story at first. Part of the reason for my feeling may be because I was uncomfortable about the character Sakura. It seemed she was so cold, so distant from others, as if she felt she was a step above others or at least that’s how she came across to me. Then we have Jin who thinks every girl should be falling at his feet. These are both characters that in real life I detest so I didn’t know how I felt about the story. Except for what almost seems like a bit of fantasy, this romance struck me as if it were of Victorian times when fathers and royal families wanted only specific and fitting mates for their children. While, of course, Sakura’s parents were gone, it still seemed she was of this breeding. The idea of making matches is not unusual in any culture. I think as I said, I just got started off on the wrong foot because of the characters. I might add that any type of writing that can cause you to feel aversion or any other strong emotion can also be described as strong writing. I did enjoy the Japanese setting woven into what was really a love story. It made it have a different flavor and made for good reading.