It was by complete accident that I decided to read this. I was buying some manga online and I came across the first volume of Midnight Secretary. I didn't even read this one first. I read the first two volumes of Happy Marriage first.
But after I read the first volume I was figuratively dying for more. I didn't have any more money left to purchase the next volumes so I sought out the next chapters online. I went through eleven chapters that way.
Today I bought the last six volumes and I've just finished the last four.
I'm not sure why I got so invested in the story. But let me see if I can break it down.
1. It has vampires.
My interest in a subpar story will raise by 30% (Completely false number btw. There's no conclusive data on this subject) and I'll be more likely to stick the story out. The vampires in this story aren't revolutionary or anything. And in fact with the tablet substitutes and the surprise in the last chapter it actually reminded me of Twilight. That's not a diss but yeah. The vampires are completely standard. But it is interesting that there's no chance of half vampires between a human and vamp. No it's either one or the other.
2. It has romance.
Now you guys know I love a good romance. Hell I love in any form I can get. (Except romcoms for some odd reason.) I wrote on FB that this manga reminds me of the boss/secretary romance trope that you see in Western romance novels. In fact the first chapter reminded me of Happy Marriage what with the office setting. But of course with the boss being a vampire revealed in the first chapter it kind of subverts the traditional trope. I really loved what the mangaka did with this. I loved Kaya's dedication to her work. I mean she is really seriously about her work. Get it girl!
3. Brooding hero
I'll be honest and tell you I have a thing for broody heroes. It seriously started officially with Mr. Rochester though I think I may be hard wired to like the asshole. He was an asshole. And he was standoffish. I liked that Kaya realized that. But in so many situations she couldn't help but love him because of his faults.
4. Complicated relationships
The way Kaya thought about her relationship with him. I clearly remember her thinking: Am I doing this as his secretary? Or as his lover? Oh my good I hate and love relationships like that. I've been in a relationship like that when you don't know exactly what you are to the other person. And I hated it. But I feel it is so realistic to portray in fiction and especially in this day and age.
So I think this is why I fell in love with this series. Seriously. I haven't really read a lot of josei but my expectations are high with this series as a complete introduction. I've ordered the mangaka's next available series in English. I can't wait to tear into it.
