Snow White with the Red Hair is my favorite hidden gem.
- main character is a strong, independent, brilliant woman. She isn’t abrasive or obnoxious, just confident in who she is. Her success in the story is entirely from her own efforts.
- love interest is a well rounded character, not an Everyman stand in. His own strengths and weaknesses are plot relevant and he grows independently of the mc.
- the romance progresses at a steady pace and isn’t a will they/won’t they for two seasons.
- romance is one of many plot lines, not the only one. It’s also slice of life and medieval politics.
- and of course, everyone’s adults. Everyone has normal body proportions and healthy personalities.
Romantic killer was a lot of fun, but isn’t that about high school?