My Secret Husband | R-18

I am feed up with this shit I had read every chapter you posted except 3 yesterday so quit screwing around and Post enough to make it worth while.  I rate you one star.

There's a TL;DR at the end if you need it.  

I had the misfortune of stumbling upon these oneshots today, only to realize that I'd already read them years ago and rated the collection a 3. After revisiting a couple, I've come to believe that my previous rating was far too generous.  

My rating has now plummeted to a 1, making this the first manga in my list to receive such a score. Since I'm here, I figured I might as well leave a review.  

Chances are, this will be one of those reviews where I attempt (and likely fail) to remain objective about my strong dislike.  

Netsu-Ai Shisen, also the title of one of the stories, is a compilation of short smutty oneshots. These oneshots share a recurring theme: men trying to win over the heroine through sexual coercion. And I don't mean the "let's have passionate sex and fall in love" kind—I mean the "I'll force myself on you, terrify you, and make you cry until you magically realize you're in love with me" variety.  

Yes, we're talking about explicit, undeniable rape—not the ambiguous non-con scenarios often found in smut, nor even the hentai type where the female character seemingly enjoys it so much that some argue it doesn't qualify as rape.  

But this isn't hentai. This is supposed to be smutty romance. Crying and trembling in fear aren't exactly signs of enjoyment or budding affection, as far as I'm concerned.  

What makes it even more repugnant is that even without the rape element, this would still be an abysmal collection of oneshots and a poor excuse for romance.  

The characters are excruciatingly dull. The heroines all possess the same vacuous, meek personalities, while the male leads are nothing short of creeps, jerks, and rapists. Whether they were always meek or became so due to being terrorized by their pursuers is unclear, but there's no development to suggest otherwise. All we get is meekness and vacuity.  

Story-wise, shallow doesn't begin to cover it. The premise seems to be that the heroines eventually fall in love with their tormentors after being subjected to repeated acts of violence. That's it. Supposedly, the power of rape is enough to foster love. The only variation between the stories lies in their basic premise or setting—and perhaps how explicitly violent the acts are. Forget any semblance of character growth or mutual understanding.  

The men justify their actions by claiming they love the women and want them at any cost. Obsessive and controlling should definitely be added to the list of traits describing these "heroes." This isn't my idea of either a good romance or decent smut.  

Needless to say, I'd rate the enjoyment, characters, and story a 0 if possible.  

The sole redeeming feature of this collection is the art, which is passable. It carries a slightly dated shoujo smut aesthetic but can occasionally appear appealing to some. Personally, I find it average and forgettable. Additionally, the characters tend to look indistinguishable across different stories.  

The smut itself is unremarkable (aside from its disturbing themes). If you're looking for enticing smut, you'd be better off elsewhere unless forced, non-consensual encounters between dominant males and helpless females appeal to you.  

That certainly isn't my cup of tea.  

Combined with all its other flaws, Netsu-Ai Shisen earns a 1 ("Appalling") from me.  

* TL;DR: Stereotypical, vapid characters for the women and creepy, controlling ones for the men. Art is average and may appeal to some visually. No plot, lackluster smut, and the underlying message seems to be: "Rape is an effective way to make a woman fall in love with you."  

** NOTE: My reevaluation, new rating, and this review primarily focus on Sensei wa Boku no Mono, Netsu-Ai Shisen, and parts of Amai Fukushuu. It's possible the remaining two stories in the collection don't involve non-consensual acts, but I neither recall nor wish to revisit them. Reassessing three out of five stories was already more than sufficient.

I will forever be team Andrei! Can't change my mind! He is the kind of sexy yoy need in your life.

Wow, wow, wow, what do we have here? Talented author's amazing book. Well, the first chapter itself was enough to intrigue me. Well-written plot and characters. Grandpa is serious trouble. I wonder how Ayla and Claude's relationship will develop. Best of luck author!

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And persevere you won't regret it