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Be My Love, My Lord
This is a world where humans keep beasts and beasts obey humans.
When Reiji, the neglected second-born son of a wealthy family, is gifted a beastman caretaker, he never imagines that the serious and loyal Tsubaki would become his closest friend and confidant. Knowing that his growing desires for his companion is forbidden, Reiji resolves to never give voice to his secret yearning... until the day he comes across Tsubaki suffering and overwhelmed from his heat and the two of them spend a night together that changes everything.
What does Tsubaki mean when he says that he and Reiji are now mated...? And can Reiji really claim to love someone so beholden to him, and can the two of them find their way in a society that rejects their relationship?
This book contains sexual content and is intended for an audience aged 18 years and up.
When Reiji, the neglected second-born son of a wealthy family, is gifted a beastman caretaker, he never imagines that the serious and loyal Tsubaki would become his closest friend and confidant. Knowing that his growing desires for his companion is forbidden, Reiji resolves to never give voice to his secret yearning... until the day he comes across Tsubaki suffering and overwhelmed from his heat and the two of them spend a night together that changes everything.
What does Tsubaki mean when he says that he and Reiji are now mated...? And can Reiji really claim to love someone so beholden to him, and can the two of them find their way in a society that rejects their relationship?
This book contains sexual content and is intended for an audience aged 18 years and up.
210 pages, Paperback
First published March 15, 2021
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 61 reviews
March 21, 2023
This is one of my favorite reads of the year. The spice was great, I love the relationship, and it exceeded my expectations. Highly recommended.
September 1, 2025
this was so close to being a 4 star, but it was so rushed. one minute they’re making out, and the next, they’re claiming to be in love and are defying societal norms (humans and beasts can’t be together romantically). cute storyline, but i wanted more backstory between the two. there was also a different couple thrown in towards the end, which imo wasn’t really needed. tbh, those extra pages should’ve been used to develop the main story a bit more, but i digress..
August 17, 2023
I wanted to like this far more than I did. I loved the cuteness of how Reiji worries about overstepping the bounds of the power dynamic he holds as Tsubaki's "master" and the sweetness of how they were childhood friends who fell for one another. I thought the smutty bits were quite good. And I even adored the way the main (frankly, nearly only) characters interacted for most of the manga. But I just couldn't like it as much as I wanted to, because there are so many things working against it - or, at least, working against my personal tastes.
For the obvious one, which wasn't obvious to me since I chose this impulsively based solely on the cover: there's a whole discrimination and slavery angle that I thought was completely unnecessary for the "rich person and lower-class servant" dynamic. That easily could have been accomplished with just a 'the butler's son has grown up and become the butler for the homeowner's now-grown son' sort of thing; based on what I know from television, they could even have kept the whole "Master Reiji" aspect since that seems to be how live-in employees of rich folk address them. There just isn't enough worldbuilding to explain or properly cover that kind of heavy topic. The manga tries, but it just doesn't succeed.
Other than that, there are moments where the characters look like their child-selves (seen in flashbacks) during the present-day scenes due to the way the artist draws chibis. I found that super confusing, especially when chibis show up in a smutty scene. Eek!
But most egregiously: there's an awful "miscommunication" wherein one of them says awful things to and about the other then tries to make what they've done seem like some kind of martyr situation. Sure, there's a reason: . I just happen to think it's an awful and unacceptable and cowardly reason. There's no true atonement for that, just angst and a rushed resolution. The ship sank to a watery grave for me at that point due to the cruelty and lack of necessary groveling to make up for it, but in the actual story it plowed through to an unearned HEA which gave me emotional whiplash.
It's a shame, because there's so much potential in the friends-to-lovers trope being combined with an employer/employee sort of dynamic and I liked the chemistry between these guys (both spicy and tame). I just didn't end up liking it that much.
Not really sure why there's a random chapter at the end of two completely unrelated characters in a seemingly unrelated scenario doing the naughty, either. But it's there, nestled between the ending of the volume and a 'bonus digital exclusive' chapter which once again features Reiji, Tsubaki, and a whole bunch of stuff that you wouldn't want to bring anywhere near the workplace.
For the obvious one, which wasn't obvious to me since I chose this impulsively based solely on the cover: there's a whole discrimination and slavery angle that I thought was completely unnecessary for the "rich person and lower-class servant" dynamic. That easily could have been accomplished with just a 'the butler's son has grown up and become the butler for the homeowner's now-grown son' sort of thing; based on what I know from television, they could even have kept the whole "Master Reiji" aspect since that seems to be how live-in employees of rich folk address them. There just isn't enough worldbuilding to explain or properly cover that kind of heavy topic. The manga tries, but it just doesn't succeed.
Other than that, there are moments where the characters look like their child-selves (seen in flashbacks) during the present-day scenes due to the way the artist draws chibis. I found that super confusing, especially when chibis show up in a smutty scene. Eek!
But most egregiously: there's an awful "miscommunication" wherein one of them says awful things to and about the other then tries to make what they've done seem like some kind of martyr situation. Sure, there's a reason: . I just happen to think it's an awful and unacceptable and cowardly reason. There's no true atonement for that, just angst and a rushed resolution. The ship sank to a watery grave for me at that point due to the cruelty and lack of necessary groveling to make up for it, but in the actual story it plowed through to an unearned HEA which gave me emotional whiplash.
It's a shame, because there's so much potential in the friends-to-lovers trope being combined with an employer/employee sort of dynamic and I liked the chemistry between these guys (both spicy and tame). I just didn't end up liking it that much.
Not really sure why there's a random chapter at the end of two completely unrelated characters in a seemingly unrelated scenario doing the naughty, either. But it's there, nestled between the ending of the volume and a 'bonus digital exclusive' chapter which once again features Reiji, Tsubaki, and a whole bunch of stuff that you wouldn't want to bring anywhere near the workplace.
January 13, 2024
2/5stars
this could have been so interesting but there were SO MANY plot holes and so many times that i was just like "what the heck is happening how did we get here"
i liked the short story in the back more than the actual story lol
this could have been so interesting but there were SO MANY plot holes and so many times that i was just like "what the heck is happening how did we get here"
i liked the short story in the back more than the actual story lol
April 13, 2026
"Master Reiji. I love you. I was only ever tagging along behind you... but still you would always reach back out for me."
I apologize in advance for my acid tongue, it's past my bedtime. >.< Time for one of my cranky, ripping-it-apart reviews...
You know it's bad when I write an almost full page of notes in my notebook for the review, lol. I loooove interspecies romance manga, but this one just did not hit in any conceivable way for me.
I think my biggest issue is that this manga actually brings up a lot of interesting ethical and moral dilemmas when it comes to power imbalances in relationships, but shucks those actually-interesting-questions to the side in favor of walking commonly-tread ground. I'll try my best to explain.
Reiji is in love with Tsubaki, who is his beastman caretaker & servant. Beastmen have no human rights and are looked down upon in society as basically being pets, despite being more human than not. It makes sense that Reiji is in love with him -- he's the second son in a wealthy family, so his father sort of treats him like chopped liver. I can totally see and understand him falling for someone who obeys his every whim and treats him as the center of their universe. For him, that's Tsubaki.
But Tsubaki literally has no concept of human love and also has never really spent close time with anyone else other than Reiji. Yes, Reiji treated him well and also took care of him in return his whole life, but the power dynamic is so obvious. Reiji is his master, and his *job* has always been to care for Reiji. I would have loved to see some more actual, complex exploration of how difficult that power dynamic would be to overcome in their relationship, if it's even possible.
If I were Reiji, I'd feel morally horrified and would never act on my feelings for Tsubaki, because he's already primed to say yes to Reiji no matter Reiji says. Can consent really exist in a relationship like that? If I were Reiji I would also be asking myself if I really like Tsubaki or if I only like him because he obeys me and agrees with everything I say. But these points, the points I wanted to be addressed, were barely touched on at all. Reiji actually does try to say verbatim, "I basically brainwashed you!", but they never break that down fully for the sake of their relationship!! It's such a waste of interesting conflict!
I also think that this book was full of unnecessary cruelty towards Tsubaki that lowkey made me feel like Reiji is no better from the people who treat Tsubaki like a pet. Reiji kind of treats Tsubaki like he's stupid just because he has no concept of human love, only animal "mating". Just because Tsubaki doesn't know words like "affection" and "love" doesn't mean that Tsubaki doesn't love him. Reiji's insecurities kind of pissed me off, and I didn't like the way he spoke down to Tsubaki's concept of mating as if a human's concept of love is superior, when in reality both of them were just raised in different cultures. Also, despite teaching Tsubaki his whole life about all sorts of things, all of a sudden Reiji expects him to just know and understand and treat him like a lover? For someone who grew up right alongside him, sometimes he really acts like he doesn't know or understand Tsubaki (and his upbringing, way of life, and beastman culture) at all.
It was really odd and uncharitable towards Tsubaki, and really made me dislike Reiji as a protagonist. All in all, I just felt like Tsubaki was at a disadvantage this entire book and was never actually given a solid chance to get on even ground with Reiji.
Instead of really digging in deep with these conflicts, the story goes the boring, common "forbidden love" routes of "They just don't understand us so screw everyone else, let's be together" and "Society may not understand us but we're happy". Which is good for them, and can be super compelling when written well, but I really don't like it when a simple one-shot like this tries to tackle big societal issues because it's almost always written in a rushed, you-bit-off-more-than-you-could-chew-with-this-issue way. The theme this story wanted to tell was way too broad for a book that was surely not much more than just an excuse to draw kemonomimi sex. If it had been a bit more shameless about it and hadn't tried to shoehorn in poorly-written melodrama and undercooked societal commentary, maybe I would have found more to enjoy. As it stands now, this book's themes are about as strong as wet paper.
I'm sad this was such a miss for me. It's too bad that I liked the brief one-shot in the back way more than the actual content of the book itself...!
May 17, 2023
Cute, short little story about childhood friends becoming lovers.
October 14, 2024
4,5⭐️ this was so stinking cute
March 13, 2023
3.80 Give it to me, honey! stars
I didn't expect this to be so adorable, to be honest. Yes, of course there's delicious smut, sometimes the panels were a bit confusing as the art is uneven at traits, and there's the whole in-heat and mate-for-life trope (which I still greatly enjoy when well done), plus these two together are just too cute and sweet. And hot, that too. Very.
For such a short story, there's a bit of social commentary, a society where Beastmen are a commodity and have no rights seems pretty awful to me, and it's pretty applicable to our actual society with little effort. Issues with dependency and power dynamics are briefly but clearly mentioned (if one of them is in servitude, can there really be love?), super relatable insecurities of the human character and then just warm, big and small, love gestures that put such a smile on my face. Misunderstandings were clearly solved, thank god, I hate when those drag on forever for no reason, and their future is bright, realistic.
Sometimes one really needs the fluff. And explicit sex scenes, yep.
Not sure what the unrelated one-shot at the end was meant to add, but extra smut for who wants it
I didn't expect this to be so adorable, to be honest. Yes, of course there's delicious smut, sometimes the panels were a bit confusing as the art is uneven at traits, and there's the whole in-heat and mate-for-life trope (which I still greatly enjoy when well done), plus these two together are just too cute and sweet. And hot, that too. Very.
For such a short story, there's a bit of social commentary, a society where Beastmen are a commodity and have no rights seems pretty awful to me, and it's pretty applicable to our actual society with little effort. Issues with dependency and power dynamics are briefly but clearly mentioned (if one of them is in servitude, can there really be love?), super relatable insecurities of the human character and then just warm, big and small, love gestures that put such a smile on my face. Misunderstandings were clearly solved, thank god, I hate when those drag on forever for no reason, and their future is bright, realistic.
Sometimes one really needs the fluff. And explicit sex scenes, yep.
Not sure what the unrelated one-shot at the end was meant to add, but extra smut for who wants it
October 17, 2022
Entretenido, adorable, y arriesgado. Es una historia un tanto diferente con elementos clásicos, fáciles de aceptar. No ahonda mucho en el tema de los beast o el tipo de sociedad en la que se ubica esta historia, pero como una lectura autoconclusiva está bastante bien y sirve para mantenerte pegado leyendo por mucho tiempo.
Entertaining, adorable, and risky. It is a somewhat different story with classic elements, easy to accept. It doesn't delve much into the theme of beasts or the kind of society this story is set in, but as a stand-alone read it's pretty good and serves to keep you glued on for a long time.
Entertaining, adorable, and risky. It is a somewhat different story with classic elements, easy to accept. It doesn't delve much into the theme of beasts or the kind of society this story is set in, but as a stand-alone read it's pretty good and serves to keep you glued on for a long time.
March 4, 2023
3 1/2 stars
The main story is cute fluff with minimal plot, but sweet in a way I like. The oneshot at the end felt kinda pointless.
The main story is cute fluff with minimal plot, but sweet in a way I like. The oneshot at the end felt kinda pointless.
April 2, 2023
Could have done with a bit more thought about the world, but cute enough despite it.
May 8, 2026
hmmm I think I just kind of feel bad for Tsubaki. The chapter from his POV was pretty heartbreaking when he is trying to deal with social situations that he was never truly taught how to deal or navigate. Reiji should have had more empathy for him... Tsubaki was never treated as an equal and when he was honest that he wasn't on the same page because he didn't understand the difference, Reiji rejects him essentially.
I would also argue that this is dubcon at because of the social/class elements.
It was just okay to me I think cause we got this from Reiji's POV mostly and he was the least interesting character.
3/6 stars
I would also argue that this is dubcon at because of the social/class elements.
It was just okay to me I think cause we got this from Reiji's POV mostly and he was the least interesting character.
3/6 stars
February 8, 2023
Cute story, explicit.
April 25, 2023
Where to Read: INKR and available in digital and physical print from Tokyopop
In this world beast people are kept as pets/servants for the rich. Reiji is the second son of a wealthy family and was given Tsubaki as his servant/caretaker. Overtime though Reiji's feelings for Tsubaki quickly turned to love and one day Reiji playfully kisses Tsubaki, which immediately causes a beastly heat. This makes Reiji realize how different the two are and makes him doubt that their love can even be possible.
This was a lot cuter than I was expecting. Idk something about the cover was giving me problematic, forceful vibes, but it was actually pretty wholesome and a little silly. The description might be giving age gap, but I'm pretty sure they're only 2-4 years apart? And Tsubaki is the younger one even though he's the caretaker so Reiji is both older and his technical boss so it could be viewed as an unhealthy power dynamic, but for me it didn't really give off that. Reiji's a lonely kid and he's always cared for Tsubaki. He also gave him opportunities to thrive on his own because he didn't want to trap him. Then Tsubaki only knew the servant/master role so when love came into play he wasn't sure what that meant. It was overall sweet story and a very quick read. I enjoyed it.
In this world beast people are kept as pets/servants for the rich. Reiji is the second son of a wealthy family and was given Tsubaki as his servant/caretaker. Overtime though Reiji's feelings for Tsubaki quickly turned to love and one day Reiji playfully kisses Tsubaki, which immediately causes a beastly heat. This makes Reiji realize how different the two are and makes him doubt that their love can even be possible.
This was a lot cuter than I was expecting. Idk something about the cover was giving me problematic, forceful vibes, but it was actually pretty wholesome and a little silly. The description might be giving age gap, but I'm pretty sure they're only 2-4 years apart? And Tsubaki is the younger one even though he's the caretaker so Reiji is both older and his technical boss so it could be viewed as an unhealthy power dynamic, but for me it didn't really give off that. Reiji's a lonely kid and he's always cared for Tsubaki. He also gave him opportunities to thrive on his own because he didn't want to trap him. Then Tsubaki only knew the servant/master role so when love came into play he wasn't sure what that meant. It was overall sweet story and a very quick read. I enjoyed it.
April 16, 2026
perfection. a masterpiece. I LOVE THEM SO MUCH !!!
January 18, 2024
This is a Japanese Manga. They have a genre with humanoid beasts that they use. I don't really get the reason behind it. So, in this story, we see a wealthy young man in his manor. In this world, there are beasts that are human like and they don't have rights. It's the fad for the wealthy to buy these beasts like pets.
I think this story would have been better if it were more realistic and not used the human-beast thing. It's simply so odd and weird to me, but I know this is meant for a different audience. Still, it was entertaining.
The relationship is between the young man and the beast-cat. The whole story is interesting in how it deals with society and their relationship. It's a Yaoi for certain.
This trope is certainly different and interesting. Just more to learn about the Japanese people and what they enjoy. This is a fantasy romance.
I think this story would have been better if it were more realistic and not used the human-beast thing. It's simply so odd and weird to me, but I know this is meant for a different audience. Still, it was entertaining.
The relationship is between the young man and the beast-cat. The whole story is interesting in how it deals with society and their relationship. It's a Yaoi for certain.
This trope is certainly different and interesting. Just more to learn about the Japanese people and what they enjoy. This is a fantasy romance.
July 2, 2026
3.5⭐
It’s been a hot minute since I’ve read a PWP. I don’t know that this fully qualifies, but it’s pretty darn close.
The setup is interesting, with beastmen subservient to humans and owning one treated as a status symbol, but the story doesn’t do much with it. Conflicts resolve fairly quickly in service of the sexy times. Still, it was sweet, and they were each other’s first time, which I always enjoy.
The one-shot after the main story was a little weird. I know what the seme said his reasons for holding back on sex were, but… Huh?? Everyone likes this guy for his face, and it pisses him off. You, his boyfriend, also like him for his face, but in a different way, and somehow he would figure that out if you boned? I feel like something was lost in translation there.
The e-book I borrowed from Hoopla also included a bonus digital-only comic following the main couple. I remember that it was cute, but not what happened in it, so it clearly didn’t make a huge lasting impression.
⚖️Shelf Verdict 😐💚😐 Low Priority: Maybe a re-read someday, but not shelf-worthy.
It’s been a hot minute since I’ve read a PWP. I don’t know that this fully qualifies, but it’s pretty darn close.
The setup is interesting, with beastmen subservient to humans and owning one treated as a status symbol, but the story doesn’t do much with it. Conflicts resolve fairly quickly in service of the sexy times. Still, it was sweet, and they were each other’s first time, which I always enjoy.
The one-shot after the main story was a little weird. I know what the seme said his reasons for holding back on sex were, but… Huh?? Everyone likes this guy for his face, and it pisses him off. You, his boyfriend, also like him for his face, but in a different way, and somehow he would figure that out if you boned? I feel like something was lost in translation there.
The e-book I borrowed from Hoopla also included a bonus digital-only comic following the main couple. I remember that it was cute, but not what happened in it, so it clearly didn’t make a huge lasting impression.
⚖️Shelf Verdict 😐💚😐 Low Priority: Maybe a re-read someday, but not shelf-worthy.
April 3, 2024
1.5
Reiji knows the dynamic is wrong but doesn’t do much about it, except degrade Tsubaki and completely pushes him away. And the beast just cannot live without his owner. Taubaki’s only personality trait is Reiji.
In a society that discriminates at least they’re pushing back.
The art is good, the story needs more work and development.
Reiji knows the dynamic is wrong but doesn’t do much about it, except degrade Tsubaki and completely pushes him away. And the beast just cannot live without his owner. Taubaki’s only personality trait is Reiji.
In a society that discriminates at least they’re pushing back.
The art is good, the story needs more work and development.
July 14, 2024
This was a pretty mid read 🤷🏻♀️
I didn’t think this was particularly bad, but I also didn’t think it was outstanding. Mostly, this was just too rushed for me to fully love it. I liked the concept fine enough, but it needed a bit more time to be developed.
Still, the smut was well drawn 👌🏼 At the end of the day, I did enjoy the relationship between the two.
I didn’t think this was particularly bad, but I also didn’t think it was outstanding. Mostly, this was just too rushed for me to fully love it. I liked the concept fine enough, but it needed a bit more time to be developed.
Still, the smut was well drawn 👌🏼 At the end of the day, I did enjoy the relationship between the two.
June 7, 2026
Wow, human and beast-man - omg the story and especially their s** wow 🤩 😜😊❤️. In this story, the human keeps the beast and the beast must obey the human. The spice are great and 🥵. Tsubaki is loyal and caretaker for Master Reiji who is wealthy families. I just love and glad they both end up together. I love the story and the scenes of s** ❤️❤️❤️ I rate this a 4 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
March 7, 2023
Before I bought this, I downloaded the sample which has the first 15ish pages. As I scrolled through the sample, I kept questioning myself about why the beast man looked weird…. He doesn’t have human ears!
August 14, 2023
More of a 3.5 star rating because I’m a sucker for childhood friends to lovers.
Seeing that this story wasn’t entirely romance and smut but, also had some prejudice moments towards the beastman, since it fight into the story well and didn’t make the story feel incomplete.
Seeing that this story wasn’t entirely romance and smut but, also had some prejudice moments towards the beastman, since it fight into the story well and didn’t make the story feel incomplete.
August 24, 2023
I was really pleasantly surprised by the story. I wish the story had been in chronological order, but I guess it only makes more sense when it isn’t that being said, it’s still bugging me a little bit. The art was beautiful and the characters were interesting.
September 26, 2023
I read this while stuck in a border crossing trying to get into Bellingham. It was SO CHEESY but also it would absolutey be my hyperfixation if I was 13 and back in my Black Butler era 😂
Good way to waste an hour but like…its gay manga what do you expect?
Good way to waste an hour but like…its gay manga what do you expect?
March 21, 2023
Loved it
I absolutely loved this. I was worried they'd be separated, but they weren't and the day was saved and they live together happily.
I absolutely loved this. I was worried they'd be separated, but they weren't and the day was saved and they live together happily.
March 27, 2023
I really enjoyed this! Friends/servant to lovers and very sweet. I’d totally read more with them!
April 1, 2023
3*5+
A little pining, lots of sex, and a dog boy... I didn't hate it. Just fluff. Nice art. The unrelated short included in the book was also SUPER adorable.
A little pining, lots of sex, and a dog boy... I didn't hate it. Just fluff. Nice art. The unrelated short included in the book was also SUPER adorable.
May 25, 2023
Messy power dynamics my favorite
May 26, 2023
Ngl I was pretty "meh" in the beginning, but man, they really got me in that last chapter. 😭 😭 😭
June 8, 2023
Humanos y Bestias conviven en el mismo Universo, la historia me gustó, pero creo que faltó algo para que me encantará.
Aún así es un buen manga para leer en una tarde.
Aún así es un buen manga para leer en una tarde.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 61 reviews