Today's read is one I'm not sure about. I mean the cover is cute, and I have a feeling from the title that it's going to be silly and sweet. It's also the first in a series with promises of tons to come. What makes me a little uncertain is the age group. Some places, it's sold as a Teen/Young Adult read, while others (such as on the publisher's page) have it marked as an Adult RomCom. I'm going to give it a chance since I don't have too many romances on here, usually. Plus, I enjoy working in graphic novels for teens, too. If this is completely suitable for teens and works for them...well, then you'll see it below. (Which it, obviously, did!)
So, let's dive into this one with both fingers crossed that it works for teens!
ACT LIKE YOU LOVE ME!
Volume 1
by Xuann
WEBToon Unscrolled
YA Romance / Graphic Novel
288 pages
COMING NOVEMBER 3rd!!!
For fans of captivating art and contemporary romances like Chasing Red and A Business Proposal, this debut South Korean graphic novel is perfect for fans of workplace romance and boss romance dynamics.
After Ji-eon finds a doll that can control her celebrity boss Doyun, power dynamics shift—now it’s her turn to be in charge.
After a mix-up at a broadcasting studio she finds herself spending the day as the personal assistant for the famous actor Doyun Nam—and quickly lands herself into even more trouble at work.
Yet another miserable day of taking orders from others only to face ruthless criticism, and Ji-eon is left frustrated by her own passivity. But most of all, she blames Doyun, the stuck-up celebrity who she spent the day waiting on hand and foot.
With a dwindling bank account and loss of dignity to match, she lets out her stress on a plush toy. It isn’t long before she realizes its magical ability: the doll can control Doyun.
With the power now in her hands for the very first time, Ji-eon gets a taste of what it’s like to finally be the boss. But with power comes responsibility—and consequences.
And with a slow-burn romance developing with Doyun, Ji-eon must decide what she truly wants for her future.
This volume collects episodes 1 to 10 of the captivating WEBTOON series Act Like You Love Me!, which has more than 130 million views on the platform.
After Ji-eon finds a doll that can control her celebrity boss Doyun, power dynamics shift—now it’s her turn to be in charge.
After a mix-up at a broadcasting studio she finds herself spending the day as the personal assistant for the famous actor Doyun Nam—and quickly lands herself into even more trouble at work.
Yet another miserable day of taking orders from others only to face ruthless criticism, and Ji-eon is left frustrated by her own passivity. But most of all, she blames Doyun, the stuck-up celebrity who she spent the day waiting on hand and foot.
With a dwindling bank account and loss of dignity to match, she lets out her stress on a plush toy. It isn’t long before she realizes its magical ability: the doll can control Doyun.
With the power now in her hands for the very first time, Ji-eon gets a taste of what it’s like to finally be the boss. But with power comes responsibility—and consequences.
And with a slow-burn romance developing with Doyun, Ji-eon must decide what she truly wants for her future.
This volume collects episodes 1 to 10 of the captivating WEBTOON series Act Like You Love Me!, which has more than 130 million views on the platform.
MY TIDBITS
A dash of fantasy adds to unpredictable situations to create an adorable, slow-burn romance.
Ji-eon is working every job she can just to get by. Three to be exact, and she's already collapsed from exhaustion a couple times. Still, bills need to be paid. Even her small apartment is a disaster since the 4-5 hours she's there mean sleep. When an old man pays for his beer with a stuffed animal and toy handcuffs from a claw machine, she's sure she'll be fired the next day. But things get worse when her temp job, the next morning, takes her to a studio and they demand a refundable fee for her to even work there. After all, other temps only go there to see the celebrities and don't do their jobs. She's there to work, so it shouldn't be a problem until a huge misunderstanding with a famous actor about her position leaves her kicked out and unpaid. Back at home, she mourns her situation with the stuffed animal from the old man in hand only to have the famous actor appear at her door, profusely apologizing...and trying to lick her toes! While the actor can't remember or control his actions and begins to wonder if he's losing his mind, Ji-eon figures out that the stuffed animal controls him...a bit like a voodoo doll. She has no intention of using this and plans to leave the man alone, but fate has different plans.
This is a very slow burn romance with tons of heart, silly situations, and giggles galore. At the same time, it sinks deep into the problem of trying to work hard to make ends meet. Too hard. And Ji-eon isn't the only character facing this issue. While this is tagged for adults, it works fine for teens as well and not only because it's very clean and sweet. Ji-eon's problems at each of her workplaces are ones many teens will recognize and sympathize with, since these are the types of side jobs high schoolers also do. Ji-eon is hardworking, not happy about her situation but trying her best, and kind through-and-through. This makes her easy to root for, especially when things seem to grow more difficult as the tale goes on.
The situation humor is bittersweet, and the famous actor is by no means on her radar. Nor she on his. There are hints at a future love-triangle, but as said, all of this is extremely slow burn, so anything can happen. It's more about beginning friendships or, at least, not disliking an individual completely. So, there's a lot to come in the rest of the series.
The graphics flow well and carry energy while letting the weight of Ji-eon's situation (and that of the actor) also come through. The fantasy angle is there but doesn't steer the plot completely, allowing the run of daily life to shine through. The text is short and sweet, driving the story forward as needed and letting the graphics do the rest. There are a couple pink pages between each section to add a nice break each time, which adds to the enjoyable flow. It's a fun balance for an enjoyable, quick read.
This first volume by no means rounds things off by the end but lays the solid foundation of Ji-eon's personality, issues, and hopes. The other characters are building slowly, letting readers get to know them right along with Ji-eon...although some of the tale is told from other points of view. It will be fun to see where all of this goes because Ji-eon's adventure has just begun.
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