— Thanks to Netgalley and Kodansha for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

4.5★
Finally managed to read this and I loved it sooo much!!!

It was really fun to see a mature but simple romance blossom, how they slowly learned more about each other and their personal ways of showing their affection for one another. And the art is gorgeous too!!

And when I say simple I mean that they both understand what they want and there's no drama, etc. Of course, there's the natural insecurities and worries that come with loving someone, but they only helped make this feel more sweet, to me.

One thing I particularly loved was seeing the main character's eye bags gradually disappear the more his work-life balance improved and also after the female lead entered his life. I'm really happy with the outcome by the end too. It's never too late to change your surroundings and find places that make you feel happier, even if that might be a luxury to most people.

I'm a little sad this is a standalone volume as I would've loved to see more of the characters, both on their own and as a couple, but it still works perfectly as a single volume. I'm definitely buying this later in paperback!!

Home Office Romance 
-Release November 12 
- oneshot volume
-slice of life, romance, josei, romcom
*Opportunity to read this ARC thanks to @netgalley
and @kodanshamanga

Did you enjoy reading Sweat and Soap? Looking for a one volume rom-com? Well if so, the creator has this new manga. 

The art style is similar to Sweat and Soap and you can tell right from the start- there are no 18+ scenes you have to worry about. It does move along in the story quickly, but you don’t feel like you are missing anything really. I thought the pace was good for this series and still saw some character development of Nokoru.

Unlike Sweat and Soap, Home Office Romance, the female lead was the character who came on stronger versus the male lead. I liked seeing the swap in the gender personalities between the two series. The creators did add a Sweat and Soap easter egg, which was fun to see. There was also mention of another manga series as well (I won't spoil and see if you notice it).

The world is set in the time of a pandemic and we can all connect with that to some extent with covid- especially the lockdown. Office worker Nokoru starts to telework due to a pandemic, which allows him some freedom/more “free time” and the chance to meet his neighbor Natsu. We follow Nokoru on how he met his wife, it all starts with greetings and leads to exchanging of manga/snacks. This exchange starts to change Nokoru’s life and they grow closer to one another.

This was such a cute and romantic read! I finished this in less than a day, and I was kicking my feet and giggling throughout it.

It was refreshing to see a romance manga from the perspective of the MMC, and to see how he reacted to all the FMC hints and comments about her crush on him was funny, adorable and well done all at once!

The art style did a great job of reflecting the characters feelings throughout the story, and even though as a reader we are told that the FMC is the "one", it was still amazing to see how their relationship blossomed in a more calm way since they started off as neighbours, with little to no chemistry, to then falling in love over time.

Thank you NetGalley and Kodansha Comics for the e-arc in exchange for a free, honest review.

Nice easy read. I pretty much finished it in one sitting during lunch. I hope this is one of the many COVID romances coming out soon(I guess it's been almost 4 years since COVID).

The most important thing to me in a manga is the artwork. The simple lines perfectly complement this slice of life. This translation also captures the MMC's deadpan attitude, which is not easy to do.

As most romances are from the FMC's point of view, it is refreshing to see things from the MMC's point of view. I thought only girls go home and think and rethink their interactions with their crush. Apparently, guys do it too. The fact that you know early on that this woman is "the one" does not detract from the story as we concentrate on the two's interactions.

Posted on Goodreads and Amazon

Thank you to Netgalley and Kodansha for providing me with an ARC for review.

Chef's Kiss. 4.5. The perfect little standalone romance.
Home Office Romance was the most wholesome and cozy pandemic romance. Neighbors Nokoru (software engineer) and Natsu (anthro/archeology grad student) gradually fall in love while being a bit in each others bubble during the lockdowns of the covid=19 pandemic.
Their relationship grows, blossoms and continues as restrictions lift and they get to know each other better and ultimately fall in love. There's even a culmination with a Big Romantic Gesture.
Honestly, this was the slice-of-life palate cleanser that I needed. The art was wonderful and I enjoyed that it was a manga with relatively little drama, just smooth sailing and some panicked introspection from Nokuro.

Publishing date: 12.11.2024
Thank you to NetGalley and Kodansha Comics for the ARC. My opinions are my own.

Features:
Covid setting
Both are crushing but neither knows about it
Slight adult themes
Both are geeks and nerds
Literal next door neighbors

This was so sweet. That is really all I want to say about it. Nice artstyle, nice story, a little banter between the two. Not really chemistry, but more so "fitting together" in a calm and belonging kind of sense.

The covid setting might catch a few people off guard. So a little warning for those of you who have a sensitive spot for that. It doesn't really take a front seat part in the story, but it has some relevance.

Final ranking and star rating?
4 stars, A tier. This is just a sweet little manga that works perfectly as a palette cleanser. Just the right amount of longing, the right amount of sickly sweet, and a little hint of spicy.
I think this could be a good introduction too for romance mangas.

Will recommend :--)

Home Office Romance is an adorable story of how two awkward people--an archeology grad student and a software engineer forced to work from home due to Covid--gradually go from friendly neighbors to husband and wife. From borrowing books to staying over for Christmas, I found myself so endeared to both Izumi and Nokoru and their budding romance.

When an overseas dig takes Izumi away for over a month, we truly see how deeply the bond between Izumi and Nokoru truly is. I don't want to spoil the ending, but the final chapter was my favorite. 😊

This was such a cute manga!! I loved the art style, and the story was simple but sweet in a way that I just adored.

This was so adorable! This little romance manga put the biggest smile on my face. It’s two sweet nerds who are career oriented, massive readers, and who hold infinite curiosity for the world around them coming together and falling in love. It’s both the sweet awkwardness of a first meeting and the tender ease of a relationship simply falling into place the way it was meant to. It’s the quirks of two people with different passions who are open to learning about each other and exploring those passions together.

This manga is what a healthy loving relationship looks like. Start to end. I loved this so much. When you want a cosy little romance manga to enjoy, pick up ‘Home Office Romance’. It’ll warm your heart and make you feel giddy inside.

I really enjoyed this story. It's cute, funny, and pretty relatable. It would probably be a five-star read if the length had been a bit longer.

This manga follows our main character as he is working from home during the pandemic. He meets his next door neighbour and a romance ensues. This was so cute and a fun time. I enjoyed it and would recommend for something light, fun and quick to read.

This is a very quick read. As someone who read the other work of Kintetsu Yamada, this genre is really not new for me. It always made me giggle a lot when reading the manga. This manga is very charming and reminds me of the lockdown days due to the pandemic. This is very relatable as well specially on the part that I need to invest good quality of office stuffs and equipment to start working from home.

The manga is all about the protagonist, Nokoru, finds himself teleworking from home, which allows him to rediscover old passions and hobbies. His newfound time leads him to create a lush garden on his apartment balcony, where he meets Natsu, a graduate student in archaeology.

I enjoyed the story as it also captures the essence of building a relationship despite of the pandemic and social distancing. And it will always be relatable to readers with the same circumstance during those days. This manga is also easy to follow and is a delightful read that keeps you turning pages into the late night.

So, if you enjoy heartfelt, slice of life romances with a touch of reality, then this is definitely worth checking out! <3

Excited for the physical copy soon!

Summary:

Nokoru has gotten used to living a hectic life thanks to his demanding job. So it’s a bit jarring when he suddenly has to start working from home, courtesy of the lockdown. The time saved from his commute is…more than anticipated.

So, he finally puts time and energy into his apartment. In doing so, he gets to know his neighbor, Natsu. They bond over their time together, enjoying their patio space and extra time.

Review:

Home Office Romance is a relatable and sweet story; I can’t recommend it enough. This romance is pretty much the epitome of pandemic romances, and despite the lighter content, it’ll hit hard for a lot of readers.

The story follows two characters with very different lives. They have only two things in common - living next door and dealing with pandemic lockdowns. However, it’s a timely meet-cute concept that I can’t get over.

I loved the down-to-earn nature of Home Office Romance; it felt wholesome and so real at the same time, providing the perfect break from reality. While this volume contains the full story, I would continue reading if given the chance.

Highlights:
Slice-of-Life
Manga
Romance
Working from Home
Sweet & Endearing

This was such a sweet read. I loved that our main characters, Nokoru and Natsu were so down-to-earth. Even though the story takes place during Covid, it doesn't feel like the main plot, which is amazing.

There is no conflict or crazy drama going on throughout the story, it is just a sweet and romantic story of how the two fall in love.

I highly recommend this if you are looking for a cute standalone manga with a happily ever after!

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

I honestly can’t remember the last time I picked up a manga, but when I saw this on the “Read Now” section on NetGalley, I decided to give it a shot. I’ve been feeling super overwhelmed lately, and the idea of something light and fun to read really appealed to me. (Plus, I’ve been avoiding requests because deadlines = anxiety for me right now.) This manga turned out to be exactly what I needed—a total breath of fresh air.

It’s funny, but it also digs a little deeper into pandemic life, working from home, and living alone. I related so much to Nokuro—his anxious personality and constant overthinking really hit home for me. Watching the romance slowly evolve was honestly so heartwarming. It wasn’t over-the-top or too fast; it just felt real and comforting.

Huge thanks to Kodansha Comics, Kintetsu Yamada, and NetGalley for this gem. It gave me a much-needed escape and reminded me why I should pick up manga more often! (less)

Home office romance was a cute story. I felt at times it was kind of choppy in the flow from one chapter to another but I liked the personality the artist was able to give the characters. The ending felt cut short and I expected the story to be more conclusive. I felt the art was very well done and I found myself laughing out loud at the MMC’s humor and formality.

Home Office Romance was exactly the kind of sweet and lighthearted manga I look for. I liked how Yamada took the COVID pandemic lockdown and showed ways that the extended time at home had some positive side effects, like helping Nokoru discover old and new passions. The romance between Nokoru and Natsu is delightfully sweet and awkward. I especially liked the way it was their shared existing interests that made them spend more time together. This was a delightful, quick read that I'd highly recommend for a quick mood-booster.

This manga made me laugh a few times. I like that it touches on the topic of the pandemic, what we experienced when we were isolated and also the bond that is formed between two completely different people.

A fun, romantic story worth reading.

Thank you Kodansha Comics for the ARC I read on NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read this e-book.

This book was exactly what I needed. It was a very cozy and adorable experience!

The manga takes place during the Covid-19 lockdown, but doesn't focus on it at all. We are thrown into Nokoru and Natsu's world, witnessing their little interactions starting as neighbors.

The book is very relatable and is told in a slice of life fashion.
The interactions are realistic and cute. Nokoru is nervous and awkward, making him quite endearing, while Natsu is more forward and sunshine-like. It was nice being in Nokoru's head when he was overthinking the simplest things hahaha

I appreciate it being a standalone, but I definitely finished it wanting to read more about the two!

3⭐️

Very cute close proximity manga inspired by the pandemic! The two characters get to know each other as they are neighbors and both of their lives get derailed by having to stay home more, but after getting to know one another, they spark a romance.

It was an easy and quick read and I related to the FMC alot because pandemic or not, my idea of a date is staying in, reading and playing video games 😂 I loved how relatable it was, even down to when the MMC was dressed formal above the waist and only pjs below when he was in his zoom meeting 😂

Thanks Netgalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion!