Stepping on Roses, Vol. 2

A rags-to-riches romance from the creator of Tail of the Moon!

Poor Sumi Kitamura… Her irresponsible older brother Eisuke keeps bringing home orphans for her to take care of even though they can barely afford their own basic needs! Just when Sumi's financial problems become dire, wealthy Soichiro Ashida enters her life with a bizarre proposition: he'll provide her with the money she so desperately needs if she agrees to marry him. But can Sumi fool high society into thinking she's a proper lady? Moreover, is it worth giving up everything for this sham of a marriage?

Sumi becomes torn when Soichiro's childhood friend Nozomu expresses romantic interest in her. While she is drawn to Nozomu, she is also committed to Soichiro as his wife. As Sumi fights off her feelings for Nozomu, how far will Nozomu go to win Sumi's love?

Rinko Ueda is from Nara Prefecture. She enjoys listening to the radio, drama CDs, and Rakugo comedy performances. Her works include Ryo, a series based on the legend of Gojo Bridge; Home, a story about love crossing national boundaries; and Tail of the Moon (Tsuki no Shippo), a romantic ninja comedy.