Winter in Tokyo

Without any doubt, this is my favourite Ilana Tan book so far. Just like what the title says, it takes place in Tokyo, which makes me love it even more.

Ishida Keiko is a half-Indonesian girl who lives alone in Tokyo. She works at a local library in Shinjuku, and has a broad imagination thanks to her love for books. For the last 13 years, Keiko is still obsessed with her first love Kitano Akira — even though she barely remembered his face.

Nishimura Kazuto has just moved to Tokyo. He left New York to refresh his mind... and to forget someone he loved. His new neighbour in Tokyo, Ishida Keiko, brings happiness whenever they're together. And before he knew it, he falls in love with her. Deep in his heart he's waiting for Keiko to forget her first love and start looking his way.

From the beginning of Winter until Christmas, Keiko and Kazuto has been spending their time together. But before the love between them has the chance to grow any further, Kazuto has an accident that causes him to lose his memories. He couldn't remember anything that has happened since he came to Tokyo. Including his days together with Keiko.

Even if he lost his memories, his heart is still longing for her. Without knowing why, Kazuto feels that something is missing in his life...

In Winter in Tokyo, the characters are strongly built and developed. Both protagonists have strong personalities, and the sub-characters are not flat. Kazuto is my favourite character in this book. He's gentle, sweet, funny and also realistic. What I like from him is that he's actually thinking of doing something to win Keiko's heart. :)

The story is simple and nice, with some little twists that make things more interesting. It's like watching a Japanese drama, and I couldn't stop reading because I really wanted to know what would happen next. Highly recommended for people who enjoy a sweet, first love story.