With a picturesque town by the ocean as backdrop, this romantic comedy delivered a breezy watch with its tried and true story. I appreciate aesthetics as much as story in dramas and the cinematography perfectly captures life by the ocean and elevates the look and feel of the show.

As a fan of cold male, bubbly female trope, I found the pairing of Misaki (Kiritani Mirei) and Kanata (perfectly sun-kissed Yamazaki Kento) captivating. From the get-go, they have crackling chemistry and their bickering banter was one of my favorite parts of the show.

I have read criticism of Kanata's personality but I did not find it off putting. As an established chef at his family restaurant, he is focused, hard-working, and holds a no nonsense attitude. And into this world comes an outsider whom at first glance appears shallow, so I couldn't fault him for not being as welcoming as his brothers towards Misaki.

After the initial misunderstanding between them, he unexpectedly becames a friend and confidant to Misaki, albeit grudgingly. As they work together in the kitchen, spending days and nights creating dishes aiming to complement each other, it quickly becomes clear that he is the sort of man who shows affection with actions rather than words; the kind of person that is honest and would be there for you when you needed them the most. I loved watching his gradual shift from annoyance to growing attraction to thoughtful consideration of Misaki, all the while, never changing who he is. I was completely enthralled by those silent, smoldering looks he gives her!

Some may find Misaki's character unflattering and I'll admit I felt the same way at first. She is naive and her conduct is embarrassing. But you've got to understand that she is also a struggling pastry chef wishing for universal things in life, like a thriving career and love life. I merely felt her execution needed some work. We see she has what it takes soon after her arrival at the restaurant though, as she shows her strength by standing up to Kanata. Her determination to create the perfect pastry and the tenacity to not give up until she has accomplished that goal makes Kanata see her in a new light. He realizes her work isn't perfunctory, but rather, she loves her profession and is devoted to it. I found her enthusiasm for new things and love of cakes (me too!) endearing. I get a good laugh every time she adorably exclaims in excitement about something, only to be met with a silent stare from Kanata. Her character really shines at the juncture where Kanata faces an existential crisis as the family as he knows it appears to no longer exist. It is Misaki who patiently waits and draws Kanata out, to serve as the connector to bring the brothers back together.

Viewers may have been frustrated with the last arc of the story, and although I didn't agree with Kanata's approach, I understood nonetheless. We see earlier how he deals with the unexpected dilemma of his biological mother. Disregarding his feelings, he helps her without asking for anything in return. That shows character and maturity. I believe he thought the same way about looking out for Misaki's future. That said, I did want to knock some sense into him so I was relieved when he finally acts on his feelings this time to chase after Misaki.

As you can probably tell from my review, I have a lot of love for this drama and think it deserves a better rating than it currently has. Conventional it may be, but also refreshing; a true hidden gem with misunderstood characters. And the idyllic setting had me feeling nostalgic for summer. So don't mind the negative reviews and see for yourself!