Kintetsu Yamada has never let me down at all! She is one of the best contemporary romance manga writers out there. I love her art work, her characters are so realistic, likeable and relatable and I just get the BUTTERFLIES when I read her books. I would highly recommend anything she has written.

This cute manga follows the lives of two neighbours as they work from home during the lockdown. Nokoru works a demanding job while Natsu is a grad student in archeology. I loved seeing these two transition from balcony conversations to bumping into each other at the store to exchanging reading materials / snacks -- all while slowly developing a connection. I was worried the c0vid aspect would be overdone but the main focus was on each character’s personalities and growing affection. Overall, this is a sweet, light read!

Thanks NetGalley and Kodansha Manga for the arc!

Home Office Romance was a cute standalone rom com manga about a romance during the height of lockdown. The story follows Nokoru who recently went to working from home during the lockdown. As he begins to enjoy a remote job he begins to set-up his place to function and explore his interests.

He begins to chat with his next door neighbor, Natsu, who is a graduate student. As they become closer, they begin to develop a romantic relationship and try to maneuver around how a relationship looks during lockdown.

This story was full of some adorable moments as Natsu and Nokoru begin to develop feelings for each other. Nokoru is quiet but begins to come out of his shell with Natsu. Natsu always seems to be full of joy and is confident. She doesn't mind taking the first step to initiate their relationship. I loved that she was such a sweet but confident female character. The story was perfect for a nice cozy romance read.

Thanks to NetGalley and Kodansha comic publishing for this arc💗

Omg this was so cute!

This is a standalone romcom manga that follows two neighbors who unexpectedly finds love during the Covid lockdown.

Nokoru (our mmc) has to start working from home due to the pandemic which leads him to have more free time. He falls back into his old favorite hobby-reading.

“I had a great fondness for fantasy manga. Mystical powers and supernatural battles had their appeal of course…but I was more fascinated by the cultures and histories unique to those imagined lands.”

While Nokoru is out on his balcony his neighbor introduces herself and the story unfolds from there.

“Ridiculous as it may seem…This was how my wife and i first met”

i have to say it again OMG THIS WAS SO CUTE!!
I absolutely adore both their personalities and how well they go together🥹
Natsu is so straightforward with Nokoru that he tries to gaslight himself into thinking she meant nothing by the things she says, AND I ATE IT UP!
I have to read more from this mangaka like right now…


“The rest of this book is an account of my struggles to comprehend the woman who’d introduced herself as Natsu Izumi”

(Sex is talked about but not shown on page)

This book is a super sweet romance between two adults during the Covid-19 pandemic. The characters were lovable and relatable, especially as someone who has been in an online-only long distance relationship before. It wasn't quite what I expected, as I expected more of an online-only love story with them meeting after the pandemic slowed down, but I enjoyed the story nonetheless. I loved the dynamic between the two characters, the more serious and stoic Nokoru softened by the confident and fiery Natsu. Kintetsu Yamada continues to make wonderful love stories, and I can't wait to read what's next!

What a fun one shot manga and sweet story! The illustrations were beautifully detailed and i loved the characters. I laughed aloud a lot, and read it all in one night. I will definitely recommend this for purchase at our library, I think it will have a lot of appeal for our readers. Thank you very much for the review copy!

I really liked this, it's cute and I liked the communication between the characters. the art was sooo pretty and just seeing the rooms made me feel so cozy. the narration at the start confused me for a bit but then it all fell into place. I had fun reading it and I would recommend it.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the chance to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

I was a fan of Sweat and Soap, so when I noticed the blurb mentioned this had the same author, I picked it up and was happy to see it had the same sort of adult sweetness I enjoy and S&S.

One touch I liked was that, until the ending climax and grand gesture of love, a lot of the dates these two go on are pretty low key. Shopping at the supermarket together, making dinner together, playing video games together... As a bit of a homebody, the dates being so casual was relatable.

These two were really quite a cute couple overall, and Kintetsu Yamada does a good job showing how two people balance each other out and grow forward together.

Overall, it's a very chill and relaxing sort of read with well defined characters.

Rating: 5/5 stars

Firstly, I’d like to thank NetGalley and Kodansha Publishing for the ARC of Home Office Romance by Kintetsu Yamada. As the first manga I’ve read digitally, this was a delightful experience that surpassed my expectations.

This manga is highly relatable from the outset, capturing the everyday struggles of adulthood, work-from-home life, and quarantine in a way that feels both humorous and heartwarming. The narrative voice is sharp, and the characters’ awkwardness is utterly endearing. I especially loved the interplay between Nokoru’s clueless, introverted demeanor and Natsu’s intentional and bubbly personality. Their contrasting traits complement each other perfectly, creating a dynamic that keeps the story engaging.

Yamada’s sense of humor shines throughout the manga, with moments like the thank-you gift exchange and the “Excel sheet” scene being comedic highlights. The awkward, fumbling nature of their relationship is what makes it so relatable and enjoyable, especially in chapter 11 and the hilarious online ordering mishap in chapter 17.

Beyond the humor, this manga also captures the fear, uncertainty, and loneliness of the pandemic era beautifully. The depiction of how quarantine reshaped daily life feels authentic, making the blossoming romance even more rewarding to watch unfold. The author does a great job showing how love, even in unexpected circumstances, can inspire personal growth and change.

The romantic grand gesture of Nokoru going to Peru for Natsu was an unexpected but heartwarming twist that sealed their connection. It was the perfect payoff for the emotional journey.

With its intentional humor, charming characters, and relatable pandemic-era storytelling, Home Office Romance is a must-read for manga fans. Highly recommended for anyone looking for a light, funny, and sweet love story!

Rating: 4-4.5⭐

Review:
✨Generally, this manga is an easy read although I rarely read romances. It also helps that this manga is a standalone, hence I know the ending fast.
✨I like the drawing style of this manga, thinking it suits the story.
✨In terms of storyline, the progress is believable in their situation but not too detailed. However, it is understandable because it is only one volume.
✨I did see some parts of myself in Nokoru and I do understand his way of thinking (I have some tech background too).
✨Meanwhile, I envied Natsu a little bit because being an archeologist is one of my childhood ambitions.
✨Because this is an adult romance, there are some indications of sexy times between them.
✨In my opinion, this manga is suitable for crushing reading slump due to its storyline and readers getting to know the ending of the story in the same volume.
✨I would say this is a cozy, sweet romance. I’m not familiar with the romance genre but these are vibes I’m getting from the story.
✨Thank you to Kodansha Comics and NetGalley for this ARC! This review was voluntarily written by me.

This was a wonderful one-shot adult romance with the time period of the pandemic. I'm familiar with Yamada's series Sweat & Soap and Yamada did not disappoint. The story is very accurate with working from home. The romance was so sweet. This was such a well rounded story. There were multiple scenes that made me smile. I can definitely see myself reading this manga again. Loved the art style.

This is a very sweet one-shot by the author of the manga series Sweat & Soap. There's even a panel of our male protagonist reading it on the train on his phone which I thought was super cute. It's a tiny bit slow in the beginning but once our two characters formally get together, which isn't a surprise as your told they will right at the start, the story really hits its stride.
I liked the premise behind it-to write a COVID-19 inspired tale & I loved the happy ending & how it was achieved. I very much enjoy seeing smaller projects from people whose series I read as it gives them a chance to showcase their talents away from a long term project.
If you're reading Sweat & Soap check this one out as I'm sure you'll enjoy it too!

Thanks to netgalley & Kodansha Comics for the review copy

Very cute story with interesting art and lovely characters! I loved the focus on food/books in the art and how detailed all of the small items were. It really added a lot to the story to have all of the little things be equally important. The characters interactions were really sweet (tense in some areas) and I found myself rooting for them very easily as the story progressed.

The style flipping from really cute to realistic was also really nice and I loved the similarities and differences highlighted between the characters.

This one just wasn't a good fit for me. I didn't feel connected to either character and still feel like we don't really know much about them to like them. The pandemic working from home aspect was realistic but I didn't feel that their romance was, or at least they didn't seem to have much chemistry. But these are just my own opinions so if you are interested in this one after reading the description, you should still check it out as I'm sure others will find much to like.

Thank you Kodansha Comics for the DRC via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own. I will not be reviewing this on other sites as it is below 3 stars for me.

This was such a good read!

I love reading a good manga in between my other reads, especially a cute and funny one.
The characters were fun. Usually, the female main character is shy, but in this one, she is extremely outgoing, which I loved.
I enjoyed this so much that I will be trying out Sweat and Soap next.

Every now and then, I like to pick up a manga to unwind, and Home Office Romance turned out to be the perfect choice for the occasion. This manga stands out for its lightness and its ability to keep readers engaged without feeling heavy or overwhelming.

One of its most commendable features is the art style: the simple and understated drawings seamlessly blend with the narrative. This stylistic choice allows readers to fully immerse themselves in the story without visual distractions, creating a harmonious and well-balanced experience.

Home Office Romance is worth considering if you’re looking for an enjoyable read to relax with, perhaps by the fireplace on a quiet evening. It’s perfect for anyone who appreciates a light yet captivating story.

This manga was so cute, The pacing was really good and the art style had a great balance to go between emphasising the characters to detailing their environment. I was excepting a cute rom com but it went to much more beyond that, showcasing the intricacies of building a bond and how it deepens. I can't say more without spoiling anything, I recommend this if you like a one shot rom comes and slice of life stories.

Unfortunately this couldn't convince me. The story itself seems realistic, especially to those who had been working at home during the pandemic and who can relate. However, somehow there was no spark and so I had no real interest in finishing this book. Therefore I broke off and didn't finish it. As to the drawings I partly like it, except his eyes. Hers are nicely drawn but his are a bit looking like he's a lunatic. So this is unfortunately no manga for me.

Absolutely assured this sweet one shot! Their dynamic was new and very nice to read about. I wish there was more!

*4.5 stars rounded up

This was exactly the type of shorter, lighter read I needed. And a standalone! Home Office Romance follows the love story between Nokoru (a software engineer) and Natsu (an archeology grad student), next-door neighbours who grow closer during lockdown restrictions.
*I do wanna note that although lockdown is a significant setting, it/pandemic is not discussed in detail

This was such a wholesome, grinning-like-a-moron manga; with an attractive art style and lovely conclusion. There were a few parts that maybe could have benefitted from a longer volume, or as a duology, but that's mostly because I loved the characters and wanted more time with them lol.

Definitely recommend to anyone who enjoys:
🌸 wholesome slice-of-life
🌸 introverted MMC x bubbly FMC
🌸 rom-com storytelling from the MMC's POV
🌸 cute dates and a hint of closed-door spice
🌸 no third act break-ups
🌸 standalones