This was a sweet neighbours to lovers manga, but that ultimately ended up taking too long to get going. It was refreshing to see a female character with an aspiration for a job that males usually prefer. The anticipation of the story was lost however, when we find out that they end up getting married. This means that a lot of the story was technically wasted. There could've been other outcomes that the readers may have thought, but this was taken away.

It was a nice read!I like the cover as well.

It's great if you enjoy slice of life and office romance.

Thank you to NetGalley and Kodansha Comics for this arc copy!

This was such a cute and wholesome read! Home Office Romance brings a lighthearted, slow burn sweetness to the workplace romance trope, but with the cosy twist of working from home. The characters are easy to root for, and the everyday moments really shine with charm.

While it didn’t blow me away plot wise, it had a gentle warmth that made it super comforting to read. Perfect if you’re looking for something soft, sweet, and low-stress to unwind with.

I would definitely carry on with this as I’d love to see how their relationship progresses!

"Home Office Romance" by Kintetsu Yamada is a sweet and simple manga set during the COVID-19 lockdown. It follows Nokoru, a tired computer programmer who starts working from home and unexpectedly finds time to enjoy life again. He picks up gardening on his apartment balcony, which leads to friendly chats with his next-door neighbour, Natsu—a cheerful archaeology student. Their daily balcony interactions soon became the highlight of his day.

What makes this story special is how it shows two people getting close during a time when meeting face-to-face wasn’t easy. At first, Nokoru and Natsu only talk from their balconies, exchanging snacks and books. But slowly, their friendship grows into something more. The contrast between Nokoru’s quiet, awkward personality and Natsu’s lively, outgoing nature adds a fun and realistic charm to their relationship.

Instead of focusing on drama, the manga celebrates everyday moments. There are no big twists—just two people learning about each other through simple acts of kindness. The story is warm and calm, with soft illustrations that match its gentle mood. It reminds us that even in difficult times, small joys and new beginnings are possible.

Fans of cozy, character-focused romances will enjoy this heartfelt story. The manga skips the usual “will they, won’t they” guessing and makes it clear from the start that this is how Nokoru meets his future wife. That lets the story focus on their bond and personal growth. Natsu is more than just a quirky character—she’s thoughtful and has her own goals. Overall, "Home Office Romance" is a feel-good read about connection, hope, and finding love in unexpected ways.

Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC.

I was so excited to read this because I am a fan of the mangaka’s other work Sweat and Soap. This was so good and very cute!!

I expected this to be a really sweet, cozy story but it was kind of a letdown. I felt the beginning was super slow with not much really happening for a while. I did want to like this one especially with the amount of positive reviews it had already but it just wasn't happening.
That being said, the art is very cute and the fact it's a standalone is appealing.
Overall, I wouldn't say it was a bad story, just not quite to my taste.



Thank you NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for the ARC.

that was fun! I enjoyed it more than I initially expected. love how it focuses on the characters and their relationship from being neighbors to friends to lovers, how it also tackles the effects of the pandemic especially to working adults, and how realistic the portrayal was of how it was like to be an adult working from home. the dynamics of the characters were fun to witness. guy was nerdy and introverted while girl is also nerdy but kinda more on the extroverted side. the end was better than expected too. overall, a quick entertaining fun read.

This was just the cutest thing every ans u lovw both of main character. The author is really good at writing.

What a fun and quick read it was! I absolutely loved each bit of it as the characters were interesting and penned very beautifully. Plus the plotline was nicely packed with an amazing storyline which kept me hooked till the end of the book. Also, the illustrations are so gorgeous, I adore it.

When I heard the writer of Sweat and Soap had a new manga coming out I had to jump in it!

This was cute and cozy, and not the same level of spice as S&S.

Would recommend for so newbies to the romance genre!

A charming and lightly romantic story about two people finding each other during pandemic.

Nokoru has been working in his home, alone during lockdown and has a set routine. Maybe he’s lonely, he doesn’t think he is. That is until his neighbor, Natsu enters the picture. And now he can’t stop thinking about her.
She’s friendly and kind and yeah of course she wants to get to know the cute, quiet boy. It’s a slow romance, set during a time when it was hard to have physical contact with anyone, but especially strangers!
I loved the art. It was perfect, moving the story along thoughtfully. You really get a sense of Nokoru’s life before Natsu. And how much, through facial expressions alone!, Natsu livens up Nokoru’s world. I also love it that it’s during pandemic, but it’s not a HUGE part of the story. Sure, it plays into why the characters are mostly separated, but it’s not a pandemic story. It’s light and focuses on two similar souls looking for something during a strange time in history. Just happens to be the pandemic.
It’s also a standalone, which I appreciate. A cute, contained romance, perfect for someone to read on their commute or on vacation. I don’t normally read anime, so this was a great introduction.

Thank you so much for granting me early access.
I requested this book because all I wanted was a light hearted read and that is exactly what I got. I really enjoyed the simple plot following the daily life of two characters who happen to fall in love. A realistic story including all of life’s day to day boring routines and the struggles that normal people face each day.
This was such a refreshing read and I will definitely be looking to pick up more from this author!

Oh my stars this manga was so wholesome and fun, it was a perfect palette cleanser to read between books. Home Office Romance is a one volume manga about a reserved IT guy who meets and forms a flirtatious friendship with his more outgoing next door neighbor. It’s a she pursues him type of story and seeing the main male lead, Nokoru, spiral and become flustered over his neighbor Natsu’s passes had me giggling and kicking my feet.

The COVID-19 pandemic has forced Nokoru to start working from home and the story does a good job of illustrating some of the unexpected benefits that came from this shift in work-life balance. After cutting out his commute, Nokoru finds himself getting better rest and having the opportunity to sleep in and take his time eating breakfast. He now has the time to put his home together and to enjoy long forgotten hobbies. With virtual meetings he can remain in comfortable clothes and mute his mic to avoid conflict. All of these little advantages were unexpected boons during the pandemic, as I could personally relate to this as an office worker that transitioned to remote work for a while during the pandemic.

This has definitely been one of my favorite COVID-19 stories and adult romance manga, I didn’t want to stop reading, sacrificing sleep to race to the end. An easy recommendation for folks that enjoy sweet slice of life romances.

A lovely story. The connection between the characters and small snippets of real life were nice to read and the artwork was delighful!

I already read work of this author and was exited to read more from them.they wrote sweet and soap which I read long time ago and need to read more as the last time I check it still ongoing series. Unlike sweet and soup, this manga is One volume and it fits. Its cute as hell and this is manga for people who doesn't love by series but love cute adult romance manga.

Home Office Romance is set during the pandemic in Japan and follows the developing love story between Nokoru, a shy, overthinking systems engineer, and Natsu, a bold, confident graduate student. The story is told primarily from Nokoru’s point of view, capturing his uncertainty about Natsu’s feelings and his eventual realisation of her affection.

It was lovely to witness Nokoru’s character growth as he gradually comes out of his shell, adding warmth and depth to the story. I also laughed out loud when he placed his 'order' and realised it had been delayed - such a relatable and funny moment. The contrast between their personalities creates a charming dynamic, highlighting how opposites attract. I liked the graphic illustrations too - they’re simple and clear, never distracting from the story but rather enhancing it. This is a quick, feel-good read that’s sure to leave you smiling.

Note: Arc provided by NetGalley & Kodansha Comics in exchange for my honest review. Thank you!

I received a free copy from the publisher through Netgalley and voluntarily reviewed it.

One of my reading goals from last year was to read more graphic novels, so I requested a bunch on Netgalley and this was one of them. I only got around to reading it this year, but I am so glad I got this one as it was really good. Home Office Romance is set during the Covid pandemic with the main characters working from home and they meet each other as they are neighbors.

I thought this was a wonderful slice of life romance story. It was super sweet with some hints to steamy stuff happening. I really liked reading about these characters and they felt realistic and real. They each had their own lives and I liked seeing them connecting with each other and talking about mutual interests. I liked seeing how their romance progressed as they grow closer. I also appreciated how there is very little drama or conflict. When a miscommunication of confusion occurs they actually resolve it quickly and nothing got drawn out, I really liked this. The ending was romantic and sweet and gives a glimpse of their future.

The art was very well done, at first I didn't like how Nokoru was drawn, but eventually I came to appreciate the subtle differences in his expression and liked how he was drawn more. Natsu is drawn so vibrant and alive and I really liked how obvious her emotions and expressions were drawn. The romance has a bit of a grumpy-sunshine vibe and is all told from the guys points of view.

I appreciated how this is a complete story in one volume and the ending wraps things up well. Most graphic novels have multiple installments, but this book has the whole story in one volume, which was nice.

To summarize: I really liked this graphic novel. It follows Nokoru's point of view as he falls in love with his neighbor when he starts working from home during the pandemic. This book was romantic, cute and sweet and I really liked it. the characters felt real and realistic. Any miscommunications or confusion got resolved quickly and there was hardly any drama or conflict. I liked the art-style, I had to get used to Nokoru's expressions, but then I appreciate the subtle differences in his expressions. Natsu is very vibrant and her expressions are very obvious and clear. I had a great time reading this one and am glad I read it.

This was such a great story of people finding love during the pandemic. And not just love, but realizing that feeling of just going for it (in life and love). I loved this story because the author did such a great job conveying the emotions of the MMC. I honestly felt those feelings as well dueing my read through. It was nice to see his POV and the internal dialogue when he was coming to terms with his feelings for the FMC were great. It's a sweet story, with a great ending. So if you're looking for a feel-good read, this is for you.

This is such a lovely manga romance story with great artwork and a beautiful romance. I really enjoyed reading this.

Nokoru, who is a rather nerdy man, has a really demanding job. He neglects his home, his personal life and doesn’t seem to do anything else apart from work. When the Covid pandemic lock down arrives he has to adapt, (like many of us did) to working from home. This gives him an opportunity to create a beautiful physical living space for himself. It also provides opportunities for small talk with his next door neighbour Natsu who is a graduate student in archeology.

Overtime and through passing conversations they slowly and gently become friends, then lovers. The beauty of this story is the ordinariness of their relationship and how it slowly moves to something deep and meaningful. This is such a lovely manga and one of my favourite reads so far this year.

Copy provided via Netgalley in exchange for an unbiased review.

Another incredible manga from Kintetsu Yamada, Home Office Romance is equal parts beautiful and awkward love story, as he is so good at writing, and time capsule of the pandemic at its height. A pair of lovable and awkward professionals act as the protagonists to this incredible story for any fan of Sweat and Soap, and of romance in general