Full review and links to social will be posted as soon as possible.

I'd like to thank the publisher and Netgalley for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.

This was a lovely, quick read. An easy 5 stars for me, thanks to the good art and realistic, down to earth plot.

I loved how human the plot was and the way the main characters didn't have to become someone different to be together. They complemented each other and grew together, supported each other and shared their happiness.

It was a stress-free read and really refreshing.

This was so cute and what I hope for from a fluffy josei. It is adult but still very light-hearted and that it is kind of told by the now husband as a flashback to the beginnings of their relationship just makes it very wholesome. I also very much enjoy the artstyle.

Highly recommend! 4.5/5

Who knew remote work could spark an office romance next door? A Home Office Romance is my first dive into manga, and it did not disappoint! Set during the pandemic, this charming story of neighbors finding love while WFH is just what the doctor ordered. The pacing is spot-on, and the chemistry between these two is filled with just the right mix of sparks and shyness. From side-glances through Zoom meetings to coffee runs that feel like first dates, these characters bring all the pandemic-era romance vibes with humor and a touch of sweetness.
Their awkward yet adorable connection is so relatable—especially for anyone who’s tried to flirt from behind a screen! It’s a feel-good read that keeps you rooting for them all the way through, and it makes you wonder if love really does find a way, even in the weirdest of times. A fun, breezy story that’s perfect for unwinding after a day of WFH!

You can find the detailed review on the blog: https://kohleyedme.com/2024/11/11/home-office-romance-by-kintetsu-yamada-bookreview/

I really loved sweat and soap! Yamada has a talent for very sweet and endearing romance and it was so amazing to see this again. I really appreciate pandemic fiction because it's a thing that happened and it's cathartic to read about other experiences and fiction within that ephemeral time. Highly recommend!

Divertido, leve e que trás uma sensação de pertencimento. Os personagens são pessoas comuns, que passando por momentos de solidão e incertezas em meio a pandemia (assim como nós) encontraram novos propósitos, auto descobertas e um amor bem fofo. Gostei muito da leitura, 4/5.

EN: Fun, light, and brings a sense of belonging. The characters are ordinary people who, while going through moments of loneliness and uncertainty during the pandemic (just like us), found new purposes, self-discoveries, and a really cute love story. I really enjoyed the reading, 4/5.

This was so cute! Lighthearted, fast paced and funny. I really liked the art style and the short chapters kept the pace flowing well.

Actual rating: 4.5

Fans of Kintetsu Yamada’s Sweat & Soap series will love this new manga. It’s only a single volume, but it packs in much of the same unexpected heart and sweetness that Sweat & Soap did.

Home Office Romance takes place at the height of the pandemic lockdown in Japan as two young professionals start interacting from their balcony. Nokoru is your classic overworked company man, but he has his own quiet personality too that encourages him to make his living space his own little safe haven by making a garden on the balcony. This is when his neighbour, an archaeologist, Natsu begins to speak with him and from here we get a slowly blossoming and honestly super wholesome relationship.

The story is told from Nokoru’s point of view and I love the growth we see from him. I did miss having Natsu’s POV though and would have appreciated her side of the story, however, I can see why the choice was made given that this is a standalone.

Overall, I think fans of Yamada will absolutely devour this soft, sweet story. And perhaps it will guide new fans to Sweat & Soap also!

*I received an eARC from Kodansha Comics & NetGalley. All opinions are my own*

I enjoyed a lot this drama-free romantic manga. The story is cute and comfy. Reading a smooth and easy flowing love story was a good change of style for me. The art-style is so beautiful.

Home Office Romance by Kintetsu Yamada is an absolute gem for anyone in need of a sweet, heartwarming story. This stand-alone manga is the perfect blend of romance and slice-of-life, with zero drama—a true breath of fresh air. The relationship between the two leads is both tender and refreshingly genuine, offering a glimpse into the simple, comforting joy of companionship. It’s an ideal choice for a cozy evening read, and the warm, easygoing pace makes every page feel like a treat. By the end, my heart was melting! Highly recommend this to anyone looking for a feel-good romance.

This is my first book from Netgalley and it is such a great book to begin with. I've been reading a lot of mangas this year. As we all know, the story building for most mangas takes multiple volumes before we get hooked. But, this one is one of the best one shot stories that I've read in years.

What I like:
- Both MC are authentic and have their own personality
- Great art style
- Easy to follow dialogues
- Can read in one sitting
- Very good for beginners in manga

What I hope will improve/suggestions: (Please note that I am a Kindle reader and I own a Kindle Paperwhite 4.)
- Some panels are grainy or faded in my Kindle
- Another one shot from this couple please!

Overall, I will highly recommend it to someone new to manga. If I ever come across a physical copy of this books, I will buy it.

Congrats, author!

A very cute story about love during an incredibly difficult couple years for the world. The little romance story was so cute and sweet, definitely a 5/5 stars!

"Home Office Romance" was a nice reading experience. In terms of pace, it was pretty fast as it usually happens to me in regard to mangas. I wish it was more of a slow burn romance, but that's just a preference of mine. Considering that the whole story takes place in one volume, the action was well paced. It did not feel necessarily rushed. Overall, it was a wholesome love story. Thank you for the advanced reader copy!

This was a really cute and fun little read. Set during the pandemic when life went from working in the office to working at home. This is about two neighbours who find unexpected love in the middle of lockdown, who knew office romances could full bloom when working from home.

I was very excited to pick this book up, I have read other works from this author. And I was not disappointed though it is just one book it has the cute and cozy feel. If you need a palate cleanser and something to curl up with this is for you. I enjoyed seeing the MMC perspective on working from home and changing his lifestyle for the better. Reminded me a lot of how we can get so wrapped up around a job and let everything else get out of hand. Finding a balance while also being open to friendship and companionship. Very sweet and I plan on rereading this.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher I received a ARC for an honest review !

Home Office Romance is a Manga that explores a forming relationship between two neighbors during the Covid pandemic.

While the developing relationship was real, there were a few things that lowered the star rating for me. The first is the lack of social distancing within the book. Considering that this is in the pandemic, I was expecting challenges to arise around the social distancing rules. However, the characters were very close from the beginning. I found this to be unrealistic.

The second is the difference in personality between the two characters. While Natsu is always seen as bubbly and happy, Nokoru is always (and I mean always) drawn to look grumpy and sullen. Even when they are falling in love, I did not see his expressions change at all. This made for a less believable romance between them. If he is supposed to be a grumpy character, a short explanation would have been nice.

In saying that, the art was fantastic. I could see everything clearly and nothing was blurry. Proportions of the characters and their surroundings were also done really well.

I would recommend this book to any fans of Manga and romance. It was lovely, sweet, and very quick to read. I have given this a 3.5 star rating, rounded up to 4 stars.

Thank you to Netgalley and Kodansha Comics for the Advanced Readers Copy (ARC) of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Sweat & Soap is one of my favorite manga romances. Across its volumes, it plays out a remarkably healthy love story that takes all of the various factors of two people making a life together and examines them in a shocking adult fashion – meaning that the characters are adults who act like grown-ups, not high schoolers. That made me very excited to pick up Home Office Romance, a single-volume story from the same creator, and while I didn't love it quite as much, it certainly still makes for good reading.

Set during the pandemic (which, I realize, may make some readers avoid the book altogether), the claustrophobic feel of the story makes a lot of sense. With only two real characters, the narrative focuses on the way that the onset of the pandemic and remote work affected social interaction, as well as the way that we relate to the world in general. For Nokoru, being told to work from home made him realize how unhealthy his work/life balance was. Having a seventy-five-minute commute felt fine when he took the job, but the pandemic forced him to see that it just wasn't sustainable and that he was much healthier (physically and mentally) working on his own time, from his own space. Speaking as someone who discovered much the same thing, there's an understated realness about Nokoru's revelation – it's not an epiphany, but a quiet “aha” moment. When he finally has time to unpack his apartment, he's reminded of all the things he used to enjoy doing, which helps him reclaim his sense of self. Again, it's not a loud realization, just a quiet reclamation, which is both in line with his character and very familiar.

It also, of course, allows him to meet Natsu, his next-door neighbor. Natsu didn't even realize she had a neighbor, which again tells us a lot about Nokoru's life, and her gregarious nature at first makes Nokoru uncomfortable. But when she quickly recognizes that his balcony garden is modeled after Angkor Wat, the two hit it off. Before too long they're negotiating a budding romance amid social distancing, although it's worth mentioning that we don't see a lot of it. Since my state completely shut down during the pandemic, it was surprising to me to see them go out to eat or that they could fly somewhere towards the end of the book, but the small cast does the job of conveying “pandemic romance” just fine. It's a more condensed story than Sweat & Soap, but that's to be expected, and my only real complaint is that I never felt like I got to know Natsu. It's still worth reading, though – this is one manga creator who knows how to write a grounded love story.

"Ridiculous as it might seem, this was how my wife and I first met." —p 11

Home Office Romance - Kintetsu Yamada
★★★★★

Thank you Netgalley and Kodansha Comics for the copy in exchange for an honest review!

My first though about this manga is that the ML looks exactly like Levi from AOT even 'deadlier' than he did. I love how it portrays so many topics in a single volume of manga: serious pandemic (as we all experienced in Covid-19 outbreaks), working from home situation, burn out from working and thesis, and ofc the adult romance in the perspective of introvert with a precise and well-done execution.

Personally i love the idea of neighboring situation between Nokoru and Izumi! Especially with that small space customized to their personal preference and it shows how their character is like just looking from their room arrangement and all. It's so tiny and packed like a personal nook, if i took Nokoru words.

The pacing was great, the characters' connection is awesome, the little sparks and awkwardness. I just love everything about it! It's a shame that it has finished, i'll definitely going for a reread in no time!

Super sweet, super fun, and such a swoony romance! A delight for romance manga lovers everywhere. Well paced and full of emotion.

Home Office Romance is a feel good on volume romance. It was nice to read something that while highly informed and contained around the pandemic.I enjoyed the awkward aspects of both characters, making them human and relatable. The story gave me a warm feeling as these two learn about each other, their likes, and all the little gifts they share with each other.