When a series is as important to you as Bloom Into You is to me, then reading any new material about it can be a bit anxiety inducing. I had waited for three years to get more of this story and was admittedly a bit afraid that my expectations of what it would be like could be too high. Or maybe the show had changed more than I thought and I wouldn't like thne books as much. However, I can happily say that volume five has given me everything I was hoping for.
Now, the adaptation did make one important change. It added a sequence at the end of its last episode which does not appear in the book. In a way it works to give the show a somewhat better ending but maybe doesn't quite make sense with how the manga continues. Luckily however, volume 5 does open with that exact same storyline, so the difference becomes clear imediately. Still, I really like that sequence and do miss it, even if its absence makes sence.
Volume 5 moves the story forward a good amount while also serving as a bit of a break between the bigger arcs that come before and after. We get some focus on side characters which is always appreciated and get to sit with what had just come before. The series does become more and more emotionally taxing to me (though maybe I'm just too invested) and getting some breathing room before what will no doubt be another heavy hitter in the next volume is good. This volume notably also has a little epiloge at the end which is give some more cute details to how our main characters are developing and I almost cried.
All in all, Volume 5 continues to be as good as the show and I'm in love all over again. Highly recommended :)