If you're expecting Confessions of a Shy Baker to be a baking BL romance, you might be disappointed. The main character of the story is a gay man, and he does bake, but that's really just the window dressing on this piece, which is more interested in exploring the way that protagonist Yamamura relates to the world. While he has zero problems going out with his boyfriend Gonta, he also doesn't want to advertise that he's gay, and that leads to some workplace conflicts.

In some respects, creator Masaomi Ito's handling of Kamamura's outside life is one of the highlights of the book, although I hesitate to use that word because the truth is that his employee at the real estate office is incredibly annoying and/or irritating. Kozue is a straight woman who opens the book by squealing about how the two men looking at a sign outside might be gay; she immediately begins pushing for Kamamura to label their office as “LGBT Friendly.” Right there we can see a deft touch with the sort of ignorant allyship that some of us are familiar with: her giddiness over “sighting” a potential gay couple, and her use of the less inclusive “LGBT” when it is more common to at least see “LGBTQ+.” Yamamura is instantly uncomfortable with her suggestion, because he's all too aware that it could be read as false acceptance. Why just queer-friendly and not openly advertising that they cater to all marginalized groups or people who have trouble finding housing, such as those with pets or instruments?

Although Kozue isn't necessarily the main focus of the volume (which is more slice-of-life than anything else), she is the most memorable, if only because manga, BL or otherwise, doesn't always tackle the subject. After Yamamura tells Gonta about her wishing she had a gay friend (or a drag queen friend) and claiming that she can “tell” if someone is gay, he calls Kozue a “classic presumptuous straight ally, the type that gets off thinking they're soooo understanding.” Gonta's right on the money there, and sadly Yamamura's attempt to send her to a sensitivity training workshop only sort of works. While her character is handled well and is important, I could also see her being a major turn-off for readers who might be more invested in Gonta and Yamamura's home life.

And make no mistake, they are a solid, sweet couple worth rooting for. Not that we need to worry about them; when the book opens they've already been together for four years and are very much well-established. Even the introduction of Gonta's college friend isn't an attempt to throw in a romantic rival. They're best compared to the leads of Fumi Yoshinaga's What Did You Eat Yesterday? in terms of their level of commitment and interactions with each other, and that extends to Yamamura's baking. He goes out of his way to learn workarounds to make sure that Gonta, who loves sweets, can have pastry and dessert without contributing to his struggles with weight. While this sounds suspicious on paper, it's not a statement about Yamamura dictating Gonta's body size or food intake – it's mentioned that Gonta's workplace pays attention to his weight. (He's a professional caregiver at a nursing home.) Yamamura is trying to find a solution that makes Gonta happy, something his boyfriend is perfectly onboard with. Baking is also his way of showing care, so finding substitute ingredients also allows him to continue to express his love through baked goods.

The plot of the volume is divided between Yamamura's home and work lives and the conflicts he feels between them. It's not entirely clear if he doesn't tell people he's gay because he's afraid of encountering homophobia or because he simply feels that it's nobody's business, and both feel like valid reasons. Kozue's constant objectifying and idolizing of gay men might scare anyone away from opening up to her, and Gonta says as much when Yamamura reports that Kozue thinks she's never met any queer people. She's the embodiment of unthinking privilege, while Yamamura is very aware of how well his life is going. Ito shows this well, and if it isn't subtle, neither is Kozue, and Yamamura's conflicted feelings come across clearly. The art is a little rough, but it still works, even if it isn't particularly beautiful to look at, and Ito does draw dogs that are recognizably the breeds they're labeled as, which is nothing to sneeze at.

Confessions of a Shy Baker is neither a cooking manga (although it does have baking tips) nor a BL romance, although it does star a gay couple. It's a slice-of-life exploration of how one man navigates the world with his partner by his side. If you don't need a heavy or extensive plot and aren't driven away by Kozue, this is a good book and worth your time.