A review by nicetsukki
The Third Love by Hiromi Kawakami

hopeful reflective medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.5

Enjoyed this much more than Strange Weather in Tokyo, but Hiromi Kawakami I see your fixation pairing young girls/women with older men...
Overall an interesting exploration of the different presentations of romantic and sexual attraction, and how society shapes these concepts depending on your gender, status, and/or class. Doing this through the MC inhibiting different personas in her dreams was also a great way to look at the inner vs outer self. 
I didn't like Naruya from the beginning and I found him pretty irredeemable throughout the whole book, but I'm not sure he was ever supposed to be.