This is what I wanted from "Confessions of a Shy Baker", but while that series was an utterly cringey flop, "She Loves to Cook" is warm, wholesome, and just plain sweet. I kinda adore the super-specific match between Nomoto's love of cooking and Kasuga's love of good food; it's niche and cheesy, yet the way the characters passions and dialogue are written come off as very earnest. It's also really enjoyable to see a relationship that's got chemistry, but also depicts both women really bonding with and getting to know one another in a variety of ways, subtle and otherwise. ( )

Super charming!! A simple and cute premise that I enjoyed seeing play out. I was not expecting to be so impressed by the subtlety of the writing and storytelling, particularly how the author demonstrates the very gendered and socially-codified structures and "rules" of cooking and eating without bringing them up super explicitly or having it be what the story is "about" in its entirety. I look forward to the next volume! ( )

The title tells the story. And for this volume at least, that's the full story. I think there may be some romance down the road, but for now these neighbors in an apartment building in Japan are just building a friendship based on a love for preparing and eating food.

It's mild but nice, with enough potential to bring me back for future volumes. ( )