Nokoru and Natsu are next-door neighbors working from home in the middle of the Covid-19 pandemic. In a time of masks, social distancing and limited human interaction - will they become friends? Or perhaps something more?

We follow Nokoru who is a logical, specific man working a demanding IT Job. He’s very anti-social with a very dry humour and thrives on routine. We watch him slowly fall in love with Natsu, the next door neighbor who is a bubbly and quirky archeology student.
Nokoru narrates the story, but due to his structured personality, I didn’t find it super engaging. I wish we got alternating chapters between him and Natsu, as I loved her quirky and fun personality, and think it would have been a great addition to the storytelling.

Both characters are very neurodivergent coded (this isn’t specified in the story at all, just a personal observation / opinion) and are ultimately an interesting match! This is a quick read, and it’s very interesting to see how lockdown affected different people - especially in other countries from my own.

Disclaimer: this book was read as an ARC for Netgalley. That does not mean this review isn't honest. I would never lie about the books I do or do not like.


I did like the storyline but the format was utterly confusing. I kept being uncertain if I should read from left to right or from right to left.

The storyline is worth a 3 or so stars. But the format wasn't my thing. If you like this format I do suggest it!

Although I didn't manage to get to this one before the publish date, I ended up really enjoying it. I loved the art and the sweet wholesome relatable story

I was 5 pages in when I had to stop reading and ask my local comic shop to order me a copy. I haven't read Sweat and Soap, but my husband really enjoyed it, so I was excited to read this. It is so sweet. I was instantly hooked and rooting for them.

5 stars

This is the type of romance that just gives me exactly what it says it’s gonna give you and nothing more. There’s literally nothing wrong with that, and I actually did enjoy this manga. It’s a simple cozy romance with likeable MCs. I would recommend if you want a quick read and just need a slice of life romance to bring you back to life. Thank you to netgalley for the ARC.

This was super cute, I really liked it! The chemistry between the leads made it a fun read, and I have to admit I do love the workplace romance trope. I always find it tricky to rate standalone manga since they're so short, but this one was definitely enjoyable!

During a pandemic lock-down Nokoru is advised to work from home. He eventually meets his neighbour Natsu out on their adjacent balconies and they strike up a limited friendship (to begin with).

A light-hearted, wholesome, cutesy romance that will leave you with happy vibes.

I loved it. I mean, we've all read those cute office romances but it's rare to find something about home office! I absolutely loved it. It had everything I want to have in my after work reading – it's wholesome, drama-free and it has romance.

This manga was so adorable! I love an adult romance, especially one shots! I love how they start as like strangers and it's a slow progression. I love all the little things that he falls in love about the FMC! This was a super easy read and finished quite quickly since I wanted to see them end up together! I really loved how the MMC transformed his balcony and had goals to travel around the world. The FMC was funny and had a quirky personality too! I will be looking out for other works by this author since I really loved this book!

This manga feels like a hug. It's gentle, heartwarming, and reassuring. I really Nokoru and Natsu's chemistry and how they can relax around each other. I enjoyed their encounters, their early conversations, and getting to know them more as characters. Nothing's forced at all. I like the realism of their relationship and day to day life, too. This manga is just the perfect length for me, and I'm glad it's a single volume story. The ending is sweet, and I wish there was more to it, but at the same time I'm also satisfied.

This was such a cute and cozy read, I found it fun and adorable. The time period of the height of covid really made the story more relatable and realistic but it was honestly just a cute book that I will recommend

Yamada is a comfort mangaka at this point--I loved Sweat and Soap so I was really excited about this one!

It follows our MMC transitioning into working from home in the midst of the pandemic, and along the way he meets his neighbour which launches a newfound companionship. His narrative was realistic and relatable, and the story line was cute! It was slice-of-life-ish, so it was a fun read with low stakes, but the best reward at the end.

I loved it!

This was a cute story about two people who are next door neighbors meeting during the pandemic and falling in love.

I liked that the pandemic was the back drop to the story and not in your face. Might not of read it if it was. Lived through that and didn't want to have to be reminded of it all the time.

I really enjoyed the story. Loved the setting and how the two main characters decorated and made their living space into a place they could not only work but find a relaxing space as well. My introverted self loved the balcony and their love of books.

I am sure this story will resonate with many during a trying time in our lives for many years to come.

Home Office Romance is absolutely brilliant!

The chemistry between Nokoru and Natsu is natural and incredibly sweet. Nokoru is a cool, seemingly emotionless guy whose true emotions only come out when he's around Natsu or when he's frustrated with his coworkers while working remotely. (And I mean, who can't relate?) Natsu is seemingly outgoing and assertive, but when she's around Nokoru, she can relax and truly be herself. It isn't long before sparks start flying and both start finding excuses to see one another.

Although the timeline of this one-shot manga is set around the global pandemic, it's not at all the focal point of this manga. It's merely a catalyst to throw our main characters together and provide an opportunity for them to meet and spend time together. This story's focal point is the development of this seemingly unlikely romance between neighbors.

The way this one-shot unfolds is completely satisfying, but you still leave the series wanting to see more of these characters because you become so invested in them. The character development pulls you in from the beginning. I hope there's a spin-off in the works!

#HomeOfficeRomance #NetGalley

I liked this story a lot. It was the type of story that tells you what going to happen, in this case how he married his wife. Even though you knew that, the journey was still really enjoyable. I have never read any other works by this mangaka, but I have wanted to read Sweat & Soap - after reading this I think I'm more inclined to do so because I like the storytelling in this one. There was even a little cameo of one of the character reading Sweat & Soap in this story which was really cute. The story just plays out 2 people meeting, getting to know each other and falling in love. Cute, wholesome, sweet, all the cozy happy vibes from reading this.

I probably wouldn't suggest this book to teens, only because the characters are adults dealing with adults things and I don't know how relatable that is.

Thank you to #NetGalley for an e-copy of #HomeOfficeRomance to read and review.

Remember the lockdown during Covid-19? Well, this is a pandemic love story and it began something like How I Met Your Mother. We follow an engineer who was too busy to even make his apartment a home until he was told to work from home. His neighbour turned out to be a grad student studying archaeology who was also perky and seductive (for a nerd, I suppose).

I thought it was short and sweet. Although, admittedly, in the beginning it was quite boring, too many monologues by the main protagonist and he wasn’t exactly an exciting character. But it did get better and funnier. As for the translation, I’m not a big fan. Personally, I thought it could have been smoother. But not too bad.

Would I recommend it? Sure, if you’re looking for something short and sweet.

Esto fue demasiado lindo. Es un romance entre unos vecinos con vidas bastante diferentes.
Me encantó ver como su relación iba cambiando y se iban interesando cada vez más el uno del otro. El manga está hecho de hermosamente, el estilo de dibujo combina a la perfección con la historia que se cuenta.
Es una historia con poco drama que se siente bastante realista y cercana. Son simplemente dos personas que por cosas de la vida llegaron a la vida del otro. Una historia perfecta para pasar el rato.

This manga is perfect if you're looking for something light-hearted, quick to read with a happy ending!

I personally loved this, I really enjoyed both of the main characters, Natsu being my favourite - I loved her personality.

This takes place during the COVID-19 Pandemic - Nokoru is working from home while Natsu studies from home (she's an archaeology student). They are neighbours and throughout the manga, they slowly fall in love with each other.

I would definitely recommend this!

Very cute, set in Japan in the times of Covid, I found it a nice way to describe a love story in the times of the pandemic, and since I've been obsessing over manga and anime lately, I hope they make it into an anime, even if it's short, because it's really very original. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for giving me this manga in exchange for my honest opinion.

ARC 3.25 ⭐️

Home Office Romance by Kintetsu Yamada is a closed-door, slices-of-life, opposites-attract, romance manga.

Just like the front cover, the artwork and drawing style was really good. If you like the style of Sweat and Soap, you'll like this too.

I think this is a great book and I'd recommend it to anyone who loves a sweet, slice-of-life, standalone romance.

Thank you, NetGalley, Kodansha Comics, and Kintetsu Yamada, for sending this book for review. All opinions are my own.