Thank you to NetGalley and Kodansha Comics for letting me read this ARC!

Kintetsu Yamada is back with another manga, this one being Home Office Romance! This short love story is about two neighbors named Nokoru and Natsu. Nokoru is an overworked office employee that starts working from home due to the pandemic lockdown and Natsu is an aspiring archeologist in graduate school.

Nokoru is a very lovely character and we get to see his growth as he spends more time at home and with Natsu. Being home gives him a chance to decorate his patio with plants and statues and this gives him the opportunity to meet his neighbor, Natsu. The two grow closer over time and they have a lot of cute moments together. I really love how they interact with each other. Nokoru seems to be antisocial but he warms up to Natsu quite fast and it's very heartwarming to see. I also really enjoy seeing how hardworking Natsu is. She has a great school/life balance and she's really joyful. She finds joy in everything that does whether that's school or reading.

I know this was intended to be a single volume, but I really wish there was more. I loved their relationship and I craved more once I finished it. Kintetsu Yamada created another great story once again and I really look forward to more of their future works.

If you are a fan of office romances like Sweat and Soap, Vol. 1 , My Tiny Senpai , and The Ice Guy & The Cool Girl T01 then I highly recommend you check this out!

This manga was cute but I had trouble staying interested in it.
Not always a huge fan of when the story reveals the end in the beginning? Example in this the MMC says this story is how he came to know his wife. While we the audience may guess they will end up together there is something about that spoiler that feels like the mystery of will they won’t they out of it?
And I don’t think this is a case of how I met your mother and there’s another fmc?
Idk otherwise cute and read quickly. The art style is simple but effective.

Oh my heart, this was such a good read! This feels like a real strangers-to-lovers story and the setting of the pandemic added to the story! I KNOW there is someone reading this out there who found love and companionship during the pandemic, and as someone who got married during the pandemic, I can relate to some of the situations. I appreciate that misunderstandings didn't last long and that we didn't have to wait for the story and relationship to progress; their love grew in a brave yet enticing way, and I was rooting for them the whole time! I see my husband in some of Nokoru-san's mannerisms (and myself in Natsu) and I am left feeling warm and loved through this story.

Thank you Kintetsu Yamada, Kodansha Comics, and NetGalley for this ARC. I look forward to more!

I loved this book! Thank you so much for the ARC! I thought the characters were compelling and I really rooted for them.

This story is a good reflection of the times in lockdown, where people became more aware of personal DIY projects and of the people that live close to them. It is funny how lifestyle in pre Covid times was so fast paced and neglectful of home life balance.

This is a simple heartwarming romance of how a two people discover each other due to lock down. The characters are both awkward and adorable in their own way. You can’t help but root for both. There are many funny moments and the story of their love leaves you with a smile.

thank you netgalley for make it available to read! I like this kind of light reading and you guys should too....

My first ever Manga, I fell in love with Home Office Romance's simplicity of the plot. It features a romance build up between neighbors working and studying from home amidst the pandemic. I enjoyed how character development and I wish it had been longer so as to have a more detailed conversations and character arcs. Thank you for this lovely copy!

This is such a sweet little manga. It’s a one volume story but still captured my attention and held it through the ups and downs. It’s a beautiful love story and I enjoyed it. 💜

Me sentí transportada a la época de pandemia😅 pero me re gustó! El romance se cocina a fuego lento y él es el típico cascarrabias, lo ame 💕

Such a cute oneshot manga! Given the length of only a single volume, the author did an excellent job of conveying the passage of time without rushing the story. A great, quiet portrayal of life during covid - working from home, masking everywhere in public, the niggling fear in the back of your mind when you haven’t heard from someone in a while. I also loved the simple but mature representation of sex and protection (not mature as in explicit, but mature as in the way it was handled). Overall, a great little manga!

I like this story mainly because of how the characters interact with each slowly falling in love with each other going through different challenges and overcoming them together.

Kintetsu Yamada simply does not miss! I was a big fan of Sweat and Soap and was so excited to see another release from them and this did not disappoint! I love a cute, awkward romance. So so good!

I’ve always loved slice-of-life manga's, and this one was easy to get lost in. The story follows neighbors Nokoru and Natsu as they juggle their WFH setups during the pandemic lockdown while their budding romance slowly unfolds.

The characters felt so down-to-earth and relatable, which is exactly what I look for in stories like this. Their interactions were adorable, and the whole vibe was just so cozy and uplifting. I liked how the story evolved over time, showing the gradual easing of lockdown restrictions alongside the natural development of their relationship.

Thank you NetGalley, Kintetsu Yamada, and Kodansha Comics for this Arc in return for honest feedback

"Keep that thing in a holding pattern!"

Those who know know. That was so hilarious it caught me off guard ! I enjoyed this and read it in a day. I love Nokoru and Natsu- san. Nokoru - san is introverted and yet he knows how to express his feelings. He surprised me when he traveled all that way just to see her and be with her. He's so sweet.

when it comes to anime and manga, i adore slice of life—it fills me with so much happiness! there’s something especially wholesome about watching someone go through the simple motions of everyday life, with such mundane routine moments offering familiar, warming comforts. it’s almost akin to revisiting a moment of nostalgia. there’s no forlorn scenes, or tragic situations. it’s pure and soothing. home office romance was like that—simple comforts—with two next door neighbours finding love during a terrible time when face to face interactions were restricted and exchanges were limited. natsu and nokoru made some of the smallest exchanges feel like extraordinary moments. with carefree chatter and trading hobbies, watching natsu and nokoru fall in love was sweet to witness.

I LOVED this cute manga so much. In the days of the pandemic and how hard it is coming face-to-face, two neighbors become acquainted and then fall in love. This story is about how they came to be, especially during a time when masks are being worn and remote work is the new norm.

I really enjoyed this slice of life comic that showcased more heartwarming moments in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic. The story was heartfelt and I really found myself rooting for the main couple. It was quick and sweet feel-good story that can be read in one sitting.

I thought the little moments during Covid such as the online shopping, only getting half dressed for a zoom call, etc were all funny moments that most people can relate to after experiencing the pandemic.

Overall it was an enjoyable story about finding love in unexpected circumstances that I thoroughly enjoyed!

Thank you to Netgalley and Kodansha Comics for a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Home Office Romance by Kintetsu Yamada is a heartwarming manga built on the isolating reality of the Covid19 pandemic in early 2020-2021, focusing on two characters who slowly develop a friendship in the midst of social distancing, work from home, and somewhat-forced proximity. It follows Nokoru, an office worker who moves to tele-work, where he finds the time to pick up new hobbies and befriend his neighbor, who before he had never spoken to.

What I liked most about this manga as a reader is how real these two characters feel both on their own as individuals, as well as in their interactions. The way their relationship developed felt equally real. Once they began dating, I as a reader couldn't stop covering my eyes and giggling. They were cute! I also appreciated, as a fan of Kintetsu Yamada's other work Sweat and Soap, how he's able to tell a story about normal every day people in every day situations in such a succinct, one volume story. I appreciated that Nokoru was greying. Finally, relatable, realistic characters!

For some reason, the style he drew this in felt nostalgic.

Thank you Netgalley, Kintetsu Yamada, and Kodansha Comics for the early read!

Oh my gosh. I love this sweet romance. I could not put this book down. I love how the characters are like opposites.
There is also grumpy sunshine. I laughed my way through this book. could not picture anything better. I was so sad when the book was over because I wanted more. I truly enjoyed this book and could not get enough. Thank you to NetGalley and Kodansha Comics for this amazing read.

4★ // This standalone, single-volume manga follows the lives of neighbours Nokoru and Natsu as they navigate both their WFH situation (brought upon by the pandemic lockdown) as well as their budding romance with each other.

I found the characters quite approachable and realistic, traits that - if not done well - could be the make-or-break point for standalones. Their interactions were also very cute - this was just an overall feel-good story.

It was interesting to read something that was set during the pandemic, because it was a common experience for the entire world and something that will be talked about for ages to come. Maybe this story won't age well in the future, maybe future generations of readers won't be able to relate, but it is a snapshot into what life was like during these momentous, transitional years.