Light Novel Review: Culinary Chronicles of the Court Flower Vol. 1

Culinary Chronicles of the Court Flower Vol. 1 - Story by Miri Mikawa Art by Kasumi Nagi Translated by afm

Setsu Rimi enters the imperial harem as a tribute to the emperor. She is a carefree girl with cooking as her sole passion. She meets the cuisinologist/loveless scholar Su Shusei, the emperor's bodyguard Shin Jotetsu; the beautiful eunuch Sai Hakurei, and the magnificent and sadist-like emperor Ryo Shohi. Disclaimer: A review copy was provided by the publisher.

The reason it got into my reverse harem radar is thanks to the last bit of "China-inspired fantasy story about a princess and her love for food surrounded by gorgeous men." She's surrounded alright by gorgeous men. Let me arrange them on their level of interest to her. The main guy is Shusei. Period. Hakurei comes second who has taken interest in her but for different confusing reasons. The emperor is bent on getting her beheaded but she is his concubine so there's plenty of room for possible romance in the future. Maybe? Jotetsu comes last as he has not shown interest in her but he got me just for that photo above alone. At first, I thought he was the emperor. That arrogant stance should be considered a crime! This falls under three flowers as we have yet to see the bishonen go all out in taking a romantic interest in her. (See Levels of Reverse Harem) There are no other key characters except for the other concubine. The other major characters were just mentioned and have not yet appeared in the story.

I've just finished Stages of Reverse Harem which featured concubines, consorts, and eunuchs which is along the same lines as Culinary Chronicles. But this light novel offers a hot new take on everything I've been consuming lately. It's a new delicacy that is making me want for more. It's not downright hilarious but it's the little things that make it funny. The interesting tidbits are sprinkled all throughout and everything is addressed later on without making you feel impatient. At the final half, I just can't be bothered with recapping, I have to finish it for my own enjoyment.

This is not the first cooking reverse harem story but I find the cooking itself too technical. Maybe because there are no visuals and also partly to the fact that I can't cook to save my life if I get stranded on an island. It is such a big loss for me that I can't fully appreciate the recipes and the cooking. But still, it will be interesting to read and learn even for the culinarily challenged. It's ridiculous of me to expect a Cooking Master Boy type of ending but I liked how it ended naturally and not over the top.

My most favorite ingredient is the main couple with their geekiness over food. Rumi with her carefree, funny way of thinking. Her incorrect and sometimes inappropriate usage of language is bound to cost her head. Shusei's zero knowledge in the romance department would also provide a source of chuckles.

The character designs are chef's kiss. I want colored art of the other three men! Culinary Chronicles has similarities with Saiunkoku Monogatari in terms of being part of imperial harem and setting. But totally different vibe. And on the other end of the spectrum is, Ooku. Ever since Ooku, I felt claustrophobic of imperial harem settings. Of not being able to go outside. Then the pandemic happened now we all know how it feels inside an imperial harem. For cooking-themed reverse harem, some notable titles are Yumeiro Patisserie anime, Flower Boy Ramyun Shop kdrama, and Lunch no Ooju jdrama.

Some reverse harem doesn't happen from the start and I would like to stick around to see if it does become a full blown four flowers reverse harem. And looking forward to meeting her sister. Just a feeling that we'll see her someday. Let me know your thoughts on the novel in the comments. Did you enjoy it as well?

Purchase titles/ related to the titles mentioned: (as an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases):

Culinary Chronicles of Court Flower Vol. 1 (LN) https://amzn.to/3q3X1rY

Culinary Chronicles of Court Flower Vol. 2 (LN) https://amzn.to/35B5B8h

The Story of Saiunkoku (Issues) (9 Book Series) https://amzn.to/3iPpYX3

The Story of Saiunkoku, Vol. 1 (anime) https://amzn.to/3gJ55Kl

Ôoku: The Inner Chambers, Vol. 1 https://amzn.to/3gNFTmi

Yumeiro Patissiere [Blu-ray] https://amzn.to/3cQrOTG

Love Reverse Harem Garden? Follow on: Youtube | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

If you enjoyed this post please consider buying Kofi. Shares and whitelisting the site are also appreciated. :)

Comments

👑 18 Treasures: Favorite Reverse Harem Reads from 2020-2025 (Manga, Manhwa, Webtoons & Novels)

Hello, Wallflowers! This is Ayreesa. I recently shared my 18 Gems : reverse harem reads from 2007–2019 that shaped me. Now it’s time for my personal favorite* reverse harem reads from 2020 to present , listed in the order I read them. Personal favorite = Some are problematic. 😅Sorry! Who knows, this might turn into one of your treasured favorites, too! Winning a copy of Mia and the Forbidden Medicine Report back in 2020 gave me the push to request review copies and start covering licensed titles + licensing news . I’d love to cover even more stories, but both time and budget keep me from reading everything on my list. To make the most of my schedule, I share quick impressions and mini-reviews on Patreon. If you’d like to help me keep exploring new titles, you can support me through Patreon or Ko-fi . E very bit means so much! This is Part 2 of 4 of Reverse Harem Garden 18th birthday series . In the Philippines, a debut ball includes dancing with...

All-Time Top Ten Reverse Harem Anime

Hello Wallflowers! I am not going to do a decade in review since I did that already a couple of years ago. but I am loooong overdue for my top 10 anime. I actually made one coincidentally a decade ago but it's a consolidated top 10 of everything from anime, manga and dramas as the titles are fewer back in 2010. I should have done it sooner but it's the nagging feeling that I should finish everything before I can post this. What if there's a hidden gem in my backlog that piled up beginning 2015 (due to pregnancy)? Fast forward to last year and major life events later, I have finished nine anime in eight months. It felt like forever. And after that, I found out I could actually start the list even without watching the backlog. LOL But the good thing is I was able to finish it and that has put off a lot of guilt feelings from me. I mean who blogs about reverse harem and never watches past the first episode??? Sadly, I don't remember most of the story of the anime...

🌸 Spring Reverse Harem 2025 🌸 (anime, dramas, manga, manhwa, webtoons and light novels)

Hey there, wallflowers! 🌸 Spring is here, and if you're new to Reverse Harem Garden, I also include kinda and unconfirmed reverse harem titles. And I have actually created five different levels of reverse harem and to know more about it, I highly recommend checking out Levels of Reverse Harem after this. This list will be updated continuously, so stay tuned. Let me know if I missed anything. Happy watching and reading! And a few disclaimers: There's a separate spring list on Patreon so make sure to check it out. Follow Reverse Harem Garden's socials. ( Youtube | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Tiktok ) Titles that haven’t been reviewed yet are considered unconfirmed reverse harem. Dates may change, and videos might not be available in all regions. As an Amazon Associate, I may earn from qualifying purchases. Ko-fi – If you enjoyed this post, you can support me wi...

Novel Review: Villains are Destined to Die Vol. 1 ~ Dark Villainess Reverse Harem

Villains are Destined to Die novel Vol. 1 by Gwon Gyeoeul The heroine wakes up inside Daughter of the Duke’s Super Love Projec t as the infamous villainess, Penelope Eckhart . But she doesn’t get the easy route; she’s thrown into hard mode , where all the love interests’ affection meters start at 0%, and one even begins in the negatives! Now, Penelope must carefully raise affection points to escape the villainess’s destined death. A review copy was provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. The popular webtoon adaptation of Villains Are Destined to Die has been on my radar for a while, so when I got the chance to read the original light novel , I grabbed it instantly. Time be damned. It’s been over a decade since the villainess isekai-otome game-reincarnation template exploded, but this story still feels fresh. The pacing and tension pull you in, and it’s so satisfying to see Penelope survive through quick thinking and calculated moves. The setting is...

Anime Review: Doctor Elise: The Royal Lady with the Lamp

Doctor Elise: The Royal Lady with the Lamp anime - 12 episodes based on webnovel Elise is a spoiled princess who is executed and reincarnated in modern Earth. She turns into a new leaf and becomes a surgeon. Then she goes back in her time before the events that will lead her to her demise. This is a mix of my first impression here on the blog, mini-impressions, and mini-review from Patreon. And with some new insights. The premise of Elise has two layers of twists to the reincarnation and time loop tropes. For the first episode alone among the three anime, ( 7th Loop and Demon Prince of Momochi House ) goes to Elise. In a short period, we felt like we knew her already and felt her sincerity to help. She's relatable in her reincarnated era. It took me a while to reconcile that they are the same person. But of course, gradually, the Princess Elise version won me over. But being a prodigy does not cut it for me. It's highly suspicious that she can perform surgery al...

Light Novel Review: I'd Rather Have a Cat than a Harem! Reincarnated into the World of an Otome Game as a Cat-loving Villainess Vol.1

I'd Rather Have a Cat than a Harem! Reincarnated into the World of an Otome Game as a Cat-loving Villainess Vol.1 by Kozusu Kobato Art by: Hinano Chano Translation by Jenny Murphy | Under Winter Reverse Harem 2022 Amy is the 10-year old daughter of Earl of Northland. She suddenly remembers her past life as a highschool student in Japan. And it's not just her...her whole family gets reincarnated! But instead of becoming a villainess and having a harem, she would rather just have a pet cat. Her mom hatches a plan of having her gain weight to ward off an engagement. Disclaimer: A review copy was provided by the publisher. It should be obvious by the title that it is going to be more of cats than harem. It's a heaven for anyone who loves cats so much. There will be a cat mountain, cat cosplay, and a whole lot more cat cuteness. If you are not obsessed with cats or animals, by the end of the book you will be one. Of course, we're still going to talk about the harem members...

7 Types of Reverse Harem Endings / Happy 14th anniversary

This post is in celebration of the blog's 14th anniversary (last September 26). Big thank you to all of you! This was something brewing in my head for 2-3 months now which my patrons can attest. (Thank you K and Yoli!) If you need a sign if you will sign up, this is it. hahaha It started with four endings and it became 5 and now it's at 7. I hope to update this again in the future. And since these are endings there's gonna be spoilers. You can also support by following any or all of the blog's socials: Facebook , Twitter , and Instagram and also to make sure you don't miss out on in-between content that is on the socials only. P.S. And if you're feeling extra today, please leave some love in the comments on the video itself on Youtube ! And don't forget to subscribe! Thank you.

💎18 Gems: Reverse Harem Reads That Shaped Me from 2007-2019 (Manhwa, Manga & Novels)

Hello wallflowers! This is Ayreesa. These 18 titles span 2007–2019 , my ultimate scanlation era . I didn't include series that already have anime adaptations and focused on stories I’ve finished or followed through many volumes. They are arranged in the order I read them. If you are new to reverse harem, treat these as hidden gems of reverse harem, but be warned that some tropes may feel dated or problematic today. This is Part 1 of 4 of Reverse Harem Garden 18th birthday series . In the Philippines, a debut ball includes dancing with 18 boys who each offer a rose—known as the 18 Roses—and receiving 18 candles and messages from girls. Some even add their own twist with 18 gifts, 18 bills, or even 18 shoes… you get the idea. Some are kinda reverse harem. See Levels of Reverse Harem. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases 1. Hot Gimmick manga by Miki Aihara Manga Review Hot Gimmick, Vol. 1 https://amzn.to/42fIZIa Hot Gimmick S https...

English Otome Mobile Apps

English otome apps are now available in smartphones! The art and the bishies are eye candy and the premises are engaging. These are all paid apps but they all come with free prologues to tempt your wallets. Finally, English games that are accessible! I wish I can just pay it in my local currency rather than credit card. "Pirates in Love" is the first title of Voltage Romance Sims. It's available both in itunes and play. You'll have to pay for each characters and epilogues. I really want to play Eduardo! "My Forged Wedding" is also from Voltage and are also available in itunes and play . The prologue doesn't give away the details as to why exactly they need to fake the wedding but check out the video above to have an idea why. I'm gravitating to Saeki (the ladies man) and Yamato (the rude guy). Also, the "uncle" seems to be play-able character in the future. Interesting. ...

Reverse Harem Dramas 2025, 2026 & TBA

@reverseharemgarden The Reverse Harem Dramas 2025, 2026 & TBA video is here! You won’t find this lineup anywhere else. Patrons under Leaf Tier get early access and pdf zine version. Don't miss reverse harem videos. Please follow! IF YOU ENJOYED THIS VIDEO YOU CAN SUPPORT THROUGH: ko-fi.com/ reverseharemgarden patreon.com/reverseharemgarden reverseharem.blogspot.com/ Music by Noblana - Migrant Walk via @hellothematic #reverseharemdramas #menoftheharem #theremarriedempress #reverseharem ♬ original sound - ayreesa The Reverse Harem Dramas 2025, 2026 & TBA video is here! You won’t find this lineup anywhere else. Patrons under Leaf Tier get early access and pdf zine version. Don't miss reverse harem videos on Youtube or Tiktok . Please subscribe/follow! Ko-fi – If you enjoyed this post, you can support me with a Ko-fi! Every cup helps keep the garden blooming. ☕ Purchase titles/ related to the titles mentioned: (as an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifyin...

Reverse Harem Garden

Search This Blog