Please see my full review in Booklist for a full analysis of this work. Thank you! I appreciate the opportunity to review this manga professionally.

I was a bit hesitant starting Home office romance as it’s a manga that takes place during the beginning of covid, but seeing as it’s by Kintestu Yamada (creator of Sweat and Soap which I really like) I decided to give it a try. It took a few pages to get into, but I was pleasantly surprised. It turned out to be a cute manga with a sweet romance, that evolves between two neighbors that connect with each other on their balconies as they work from home. It’s a comforting and calm read with no major drama, which was exactly what I felt like reading. A fun tidbit was also the discrete inclusion of Sweat and Soap, which the main character reads at home. All in all, it was a nice read!


I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

Loved this story, this was such a cute story about finding love when you weren’t really thinking about finding it.

Thank you to Netgalley and Kodansha Comics for the opportunity to read and review this I read this with my friendand this is written differently than the creator's previous series Sweat and Soap but in a good way along with the character dynamics is interesting too. Personally though I wished that there was more plot orientated direction other than a slice of life episodic direction. Otherwise I enjoyed it very much. Because of these points, I have to give this a 4 out of 5 stars

Amazon & Barnes & Noble reviews submitted
Blog link goes live January 7th
Imgur link goes to Instagram graphic scheduled for January 4th
Will be covered in upcoming Youtube wrapup


**TL;DR**: What a fantastic single volume romance - I loved this.
**Source**: Netgalley - Thanks so much to the publisher!

**Plot**: Two neighbors meet during the covid lockdowns and slowly fall in love.
**Characters**: The characters felt very grounded, and considering the length I knew and cared about them a lot.
**Setting**: Most of the story stays within the two apartments and they’re a very important part to the story, but we also get shots and scenes outside the two areas.
**Romance**: I really believed this and especially loved how forward Natsu was, it was a refreshing change of what I have been reading.

**Thoughts**:

Sweat and Soap is one of my favorite completed romance manga so when I spotted a one volume story from the same author and artist I jumped at it! Home Office Romance is the story of two neighbors during the Covid lockdowns who cross paths on their adjoining balcony and strike a friendship then a romance.

This struck an almost perfect balance for me. The story was well and deeply told for a manga, and I loved the pacing and how we it managed to fit the relationship so well into the small amount of time and pages it had. The pandemic wasn’t the ‘main focus’ it was there, but it didn’t detract from the story of these two meeting and becoming friends.

I’ll be buying a physical copy of this - I can see myself rereading this and enjoying it in the future. It’s one of my favorite one shot romance manga I’ve read in recent memory if not ever and I can’t wait to see more from this creator.

5 out 5 stars

I got this book as an advanced copy from NetGalley. The book is a single-volume standalone romance manga.

The premise of the book is a romance that blooms due to the work-from-home situation brought on by Covid. This was the first time I read a book set during lockdowns and the Covid era.

The story is told from the perspective of the male protagonist. We see his daily life working from home and how the romance slowly unfolds.

Overall, it's a really enjoyable read. The artwork is great, and the author pays close attention to small details. The way they connect over shared experiences is presented well.

The downsides are the lack of character development and the one-sided storytelling. We don't see much detail about the romantic interest's life or thoughts.

Even though the way they connect is represented well, this disconnect leads to a feeling of lacking chemistry.

Also, nearing the end, the book picks up pace significantly. This might make some readers feel like it ended too fast.

In conclusion, if you're looking for an easy but fun romance read, this manga is worth checking out.

Really sweet book about work life balance, romance, and adventure. The message of trying to spruce up your home work life is beautiful. Highly recommend!

This was such a sweet story!!! It had just the right lenght, the characters were cute and the small apartments it was set in had the right claustrophobia/cozy vibes. I loved that it was realistically set in the pandemic, it was a weird time to meet people and date in general and I think it managed that perfectly. I'm definitely keeping an eye on this author.

This book was incredibly cute. Great characters in a slice of life romance through the pandemic.
I absolutely loved it. The scenes really came to life for me and I had a great time!
I'd definitely recommend it.

I LOOOOOOOOVED THIS! Mm mm MMMM I ate this up y'all!

Home Office Romance is a very cute and wholesome single volume manga! The plot is well paced, the romance has a great build up, the art and character design is SO GOOD! And a big YES from my preferences is that it has no fan service or explicit content to distract from the plot! I also love the realistic aspects and that the characters are relatable. As far as formatting went, the panel coordination is smooth and easily readable.

4.5 Stars

I found this one-shot romance to be so sweet. It was a simple story but filled with cute and relatable moments. Nokoru and Natsu are neighbors during the COVID lockdown and bond over manga and food. The story had me laughing out loud and smiling at the adorably awkward interactions and genuine bond between the two characters. If you are looking for a fluffy romance, I would highly recommend this manga.

Não sou muito de ler mangás, mas foi bom descobrir esse volume único que, à seu modo, contou uma história bem bacana, com personagens carismáticos em meio ao período tenso da pandemia, mas com uma amenizada em meio ao romance surgindo entre o casal de vizinhos. Foi uma leitura leve, com um final fofo que até me surpreendeu, e no geral, indico sim!

This manga is a rom-com that happens during the pandemic when people were working from home.
This was a very cute and easy read. I actually read it in a few hours. It's a good book to get out of a reading slump.
The first thing about this manga that got my attention was that it's a standalone, and when I started reading the art just left me amazed!
Overall I had a lot of fun reading it, and in most parts it was very accurate because we went through the pandemic in 2020.

Also, I wanted to mention that I really enjoyed the part where Natsu and Nokoru talk and trade their hobbies and how that simple thing makes them fall in love with each other, it was very sweet.

Thank you, NetGalley, for this ARC!
Home Office Romance is a standalone manga that portrays a sweet romance at a pleasant pace. The reader follows the point of view of Nokoru, who tells his story retrospectively. So, we already know the “ending” at the beginning of the story. It’s entertaining to discover how Nokoru’s world is turned upside down by remote work and his meeting with his neighbor, Natsu.
I really enjoyed the cozy atmosphere and the realistic development of the relationship between the two main characters (their insecurities, emotions, etc.). I also appreciated how the story focuses on the characters' personal growth and dreams, not just their love story. The manga touches on the challenges of pursuing a dream job and how a poor work-life balance can significantly affect one’s health. These struggles are not just fictional; we all face similar issues in real life. The improvement in work conditions, especially the rise of remote work during the pandemic, is another relevant theme. It allowed for a shift in how we approach work-life balance and disconnected us from a more traditional, routine-driven lifestyle.
The title is perfect, as it encapsulates the dynamic of an office romance but set in the home environment, with digital communication and neighborhood connections playing a central role.
This was my first time reading a book by this author, so I’m curious to try Sweat and Soap, another office romance, but this time set in a traditional workplace.

Very cute, easy to read romance manga! I read it in one sitting. If you’re looking for a quick, standalone romance manga with funny & quirky characters, I'd recommend this! Thank you to NetGalley and Kodansha Comics for the copy!

Absolutely loved it! Loved both characters, loved everything about the plot. It was t complex or fancy or trying to do too much. It did exactly 1 story and it did it well. I was squee-ing and kicking my feet. Both of our main characters have my heart 🥹 It worked SO WELL for me. 5 stars.

Where do I even begin? I was scrolling on Netgalley looking for something that WASN’T romance since I was reading a lot of Christmas-themed romance novellas this month but this sounded so sweet I just had to pick it up… and read immediately. If you’re looking for a sweet wholesome romance you need to check this out! What I found surprising was that this book is from the male’s POV which is not something you see very often in the genre but it was such a welcome change! It follows Nokoru, a hardworking professional who’s been stuck in a grueling routine of endless overtime. When the pandemic forces him to work from home, he finally has the chance to slow down, revisit old passions, and explore new hobbies—like transforming his balcony into a lush garden. Through this, he gets to know his neighbor, Natsu, a graduate archaeology student.

I absolutely loved the artstyle and how devoid of life the male MC looks like most of the time haha his job is sucking the life out of him poor guy. It was so entertaining seeing him navigate through this newfound friendship and attraction - literally the greenest flag ever and Natsu compliments his character so well! This is a standalone comic but I wouldn’t mind seeing more from this couple in the future! So happy I picked this up : )

Spice scale for those wondering: Mentions of sexual acts but no explicit content.

I really liked this. It was cute, without focusing only on the romance side. I felt like it covered many aspects related to love in the times of the pandemic and discovering yourself. The artwork was also lovely, it fit the storyline. While not necessarily the most realistic, it's a wholesome manga - definitely recommended.

A few quotes I liked (note: these are from an ARC, so they may differ in the final edition of the book):

"As I said, letting your thoughts run away with you is pointless. It undermines your control... and fosters foolish conceits... which evaporate, leaving nothing behind."

"- I wish I could spend my life doing things I enjoyed, like you.
[...]
- Even if it meant never finding the right answer?"

"Weird, isn't it...? Being around too many people left me drained and exhausted... but in the end, the cure came from yet another person."

4.5 stars (rounded to 5)

A wonderful manga exploring finding yourself through changing external circumstances (in this case, a pandemic) and the evolving relationship between two neighbours. I tend to avoid anything pandemic-related, but I enjoyed this so much! The personality of each character was so unique and I loved watching them interact. The art style is easy on the eye and beautifully portrays both light-hearted humour and the more meaningful moments. Natsu was the best sunshine to Nokoru's grumpy, and watching them find their passions again, as well as finding each other, was so heartwarming!

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

This manga was just a cozy little gem. The chapters were short, making it easy to read, and the vibes were super comforting. As I got further into it, things started to get more interesting, and I couldn’t help but smile at the funny moments. The characters’ banter was on point, and there was a great balance between cute interactions and an engaging plot. It was nothing too serious—just a feel-good romance that was fun to read from start to finish.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.