It's Just Another Manga Monday: Stepping on Roses by Rinko Ueda

Sure, every girl wants to marry a prince or a wealthy man, but I would think it would also be for love. Two people who are complete strangers can fall in love when thrown together or can they?

Series Description:
Reads R to L (Japanese Style), for audiences T+.
Poor Sumi Kitamura… Her irresponsible older brother Eisuke keeps bringing home orphans for her to take care of even though they can barely afford their own basic needs! Just when Sumi's financial problems become dire, wealthy Soichiro Ashida enters her life with a bizarre proposition: he'll provide her with the money she so desperately needs if she agrees to marry him. But can Sumi fool high society into thinking she's a proper lady? Moreover, is it worth giving up everything for this sham of a marriage?

Publication Date: March 6, 2012 | Series: Stepping on Roses (Book 7)
Soichiro’s reputation becomes tainted when Sumi’s true background is exposed, and even his position as president of his company is threatened! Sumi feels terrible for the trouble she’s caused Soichiro, so she decides to leave him. Will Soichiro choose to let her go, or will he forsake everything for her instead?


My Review:
Sumi is an impoverished girl who is taking care of a few orphen children her older brother, Eisuke, keeps brining home. He goes out chasing after one get rich quick scheme after another, or con, or bet, leaving her to take care of their ramshackle home and the children. They are both orphens as well.

Soichiro is a hard nose business man. Everything is calculated. He needs a wife in order to inherit the family fortune. He sees Sumi struggling and offers to pay her to marry him. The catch? No one can know where she comes from and she can never see her family again.

He makes it very clear from the beginning that this is a business proposition and she is never to fall in love with him. Matters are compolicated further when an associate of Soichiro's, Nozomu, falls in love with her. At first, Sumi seems to return his feelings. He is a kind hearted man who seems to care for her and Soichiro is so cold, but little by little, she starts to see the vulnerable man behind the hard exterior and slowly begins to develop feelings for him. Her feelings for Nozomu nothing more than a fleeting crush.

Nozomu cannot accept that Sumi does not care for him and obssesses over her, destroying his own marraige in the process. When every other tactic fails, he manipulates events that cause Soichiro to step down as president of the the Ashida Corporation taking control of the company.

Soichiro vows to keep Sumi, who he realizes he has fallen in love with, and to take back his company from Nozomu. If he succeeds, he'll have everything, but if he fails, he will be destitute. Will Sumi's love be strong enough to support him and see him through? Will he win in the end?

Volume 8 is due out October 2.