This was so cute! I loved the dynamic between the characters. The translation was easy to follow for anyone interested in manga. It was humorous and fun. Will definitely be picking up the volumes that follow. Thank you so much for the ARC!

This manga is about two neighbors falling in love during the COVID lock downs.

IT worker Nokoru finds unexpected relief in the fact that he no longer has to commute to work daily, which leaves him extra time in the mornings to sleep in or read manga. He also takes up gardening as a hobby and builds himself a cozy garden -inspired by his favorite manga - on the balcony. One day, he meets his neighbor, perky archeology student Natsu, who compliments his balcony garden. The two slowly go from awkward neighbors to awkward lovers in this oneshot.

It was nice to see how the relationship progressed and how Natsu's enjoyment of travelling inspired Nokoru to try new things and to improve his life. It would have been nice to read a few volumes of their romance with a more gradual build up, but I did enjoy this oneshot form of the story as well. The art is great and Nokoru has some really relatable moments whether it comes to the awkwardness of meeting new people or to the changes COVID presented us with.

*Thank you to Net Galley and Kodansha Comics for a copy of this*

What a sweet one-shot from the creator of a series I loved so much! Nokoru and Izumi's romance was adorable and had me rooting for them. This story was told in very short chapters (there was 20 in a 198 page manga) which usually bothers me, but instead I could feel the passing of time better.

Something I really liked is the fact that love or a person is not what originally made Nokoru's life better. Nokoru's life was truly changed by lockdown. Before he didn't have furniture and most of his belongings was still packed up. He never got to meet his neighbor, Natsu Izumi, if lockdown hadn't happened.

The dynamic of the couple was really satisfying. By appearance you would assume grumpy/ sunshine, but it's more than that. Nokoru isn't truly grumpy. He's very logic brained and thinks in terms of programing most time. He is also very introverted and bashful at times, but has a desire to see the world that is shared by Izumi's studies in archaeology. Izumi also isn't sunshine incarnate. She is a woman who knows what she wants and isn't bashful or shy about it.

In terms of rating:
-For art and enjoyment a 5. I loved their romance and was excited when the got together.
-For Characters- a 5. I loved their dynamic!
For plot-5 considering this was a one-shot it really delivered. I was impressed that the author got so invested in their love story!

This was really cute! I liked the pacing of this story. My favourite part was the translation notes at the end! Super cool. I had no idea that Christmas in Japan is a romantic holiday!

This was so delightful! Exactly what it says on the tin - a sloe, cozy little romance set in lockdown. I loved the home office touches, and finding what (and who) truly brings you joy.

I loved the art, and the way it protrayed the characters during covid but it was not a read for me, i felt a bit bored and was wondering it says how they both were working from home yet she was never home.

This was such a cute story! I love how they met and got to know each other first as neighbors. It’s been a while since I’ve read a manga, but I’m so glad I was able to read this! Thank you so much, NetGalley!

Nokoru is a software engineer who begins to work from home during the COVID lockdown. He begins by finally personalizing his apartment, including his balcony ... which leads him to meeting his neighbor, cute archaeology grad student Natsu. They get to know each other and eventually fall in love.

I REALLY enjoyed reading a romance that was exclusively from the MMC's POV. Nokoru is socially awkward and constantly second guesse his reactions, planning out conversations with Natsu and panicking when they don't go exactly as envisioned. It's a good thing Natsu eventually makes the first move, because Nokoru probably never would have gotten there on his own!

This is a sweet romance with gentle humor and I honestly am so glad I picked it up. If you want action, sexytimes, angst, etc., this isn't the place to come. Butif you just want to read about neighbors progressing through the stages of a modern relationship (Say hi on the balcony! Lend each other books! Meet at the grocery store! Exchange social media handles! Go on a real date?!?) this is perfection.

This objective review is based on a complimentary copy of the manga.

I love this manga! It was a sweet love story that didn't feel rushed even though it is a one-shot. The artwork is amazing and matches the tone of the story perfectly.

I'll add links to my YouTube video once it is posted.

Heat Factor: The lead up and the aftermath, but not the in-between

Character Chemistry: A little awkward, but mostly because Nokoru overthinks everything

Plot: Neighbors connect over a little pandemic romance

Overall: A really cute slow burn

This manga is set during the height of the pandemic, when non-essential activities were curtailed. Nokoru meets his neighbor Natsu over their balconies, and over the course of their brief interactions develops a crush. The whole story is told in a past tense with this delightful bone tossed in right at the beginning. (Don’t forget, it’s manga, so start on the top right and read left.)
[Screen cap of the cels when Natsu and Nokoru introduce themselves over the balcony and Nokoru says, "This is how my wife and I first met."]

I’ll admit I don’t have a ton of experience, but I feel like it’s a bit of a manga thing to have a slow burn with a meandering journey because we’re processing all of the aspects of storytelling through the sequential art, so there’s some content for setting and character development that’s not directly contributing to the romance narrative. In this case, that makes the oomph of the story slow to start (and there were definitely a few moments I was like, “What even?”), but Nokoru is an adorable dork and Natsu is really the one making this relationship happen because Nokoru is just really uptight.

Once things get moving, it’s just time after time of really cute interactions where Nokoru is like, “Uuuuuuuuuuh,” and Natsu is like, “This guy is cute and I’m going to let him know I like him.” I love her. She’s delightful.
[Screen cap of cels "This might work?!" after their first kiss]

But of course, he completely overthinks everything, so she teases him a little, too. He needs the playful from her.
[Screen cap of cels "I can't decide if I should ravish you or not."]

Anyway, after many adorable interactions (Nokoru sends Natsu an excel spreadsheet to fill out her schedule so he doesn’t impose on her study time when suggesting dates, for example), Natsu ends up going on a dig for an extended period (she’s an archaeology graduate student). Now, at the very beginning of the story, Nokoru finally unpacks all his stuff and makes his apartment nice because he needs it to be set up better to work from home, and while he’s doing that, he finds his fantasy manga series that inspired his balcony jungle garden (that initially piques Natsu’s interest) and made him want to travel the world. But he’s been living in the “real world” being a computer science worker bee, and that dream had faded away. Ultimately Natsu’s work helps him reconnect with that dream (and off they go into the sunset).

I really liked Yamada’s art, and my normal disconnect with romance in sequential art didn’t really come into play because this story was focused on the slow burn elements that keep tension up. “Am I reading this right?” “Does she actually like me?” “Who was that guy she was talking to?” “Am I doing the right thing?” “How do I not ruin this?” It’s like the romantic comedy that ends with a kiss (FINALLY) rather than a marriage proposal.

Anyway, it was cute, and I had a great time reading it.

I voluntarily read and reviewed a complimentary copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. We disclose this in accordance with 16 CFR §255.

This review is also available at The Smut Report.

This was a delightful surprise—something cozy to read and swoon over. It’s a story that perfectly captures the feeling of falling in love in just 200 pages. I’m sad there’s no more to read; I would love to see new chapters in the characters' lives (though I kinda love that it’s a standalone)

I don’t have much to say except that this story made me feel and I love when a story makes me feel all the things. I genuinely enjoyed this one and I’m gonna add it to my list to add to my physical library because this will be one I reread. Very cute and enjoyable.

A Charming Exploration of Love Amidst Lockdown: A Review of "Home Office Romance"

Upon discovering that the acclaimed author of "Sweat and Soap" had penned a standalone comic book, I was eager to dive into "Home Office Romance". This poignant tale follows Nokoru, a reserved tech expert, and Natsu, a graduate student in archaeology, as they navigate the challenges of building a relationship amidst the pandemic.

One of the standout aspects of this narrative is the author's thoughtful character development. Nokoru's dichotomous personality – formal and composed in his professional life, yet endearingly awkward in his personal interactions makes for a compelling read. His struggles to adapt to the uncertainties of dating during lockdown are both relatable and humorous.

The author's thoughtful exploration of the pandemic's impact on daily life adds a layer of authenticity to the story. The narrative seamlessly weaves together the challenges of remote work, social isolation, and the anxiety of navigating a new relationship in unprecedented times.

The writing is effortlessly engaging, making for a simple yet captivating read. The author's use of language is concise and evocative, perfectly capturing the quiet intimacy of Nokoru and Natsu's blossoming romance.

Overall, "Home Office Romance" is a heartwarming and thoughtful exploration of love, resilience, and human connection in the face of adversity.

This was so sweet! Both main characters are well-defined on their own and they have a genuine chemistry as a couple. I just wished there's more on-page steamy scenes since I think they're both wild compared to their usual selves.

This book was so cute and entertaining. They make such a cute duo, and the fact that it's based on their real love story is even better.

Home Office Romance is a very enjoyable oneshot story of a man who begins working from home and, through a series of encounters, meets his neighbor. The plot follows as they grow closer over combining interests and fall in love while broadening each other's ideas and perspectives on life. It was a quick read with an art style I really liked and I loved watching the character's romance slowly build and bloom throughout.

What can I say? This was delightful. I'm a big fan of seinen office romances, and this manages to do everything in one volume, but still feels so satisfying! I wish there was more!

Thank you to NetGalley and Kodansha for providing an ARC copy in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
I loved this story of two working from home adults going from being neighbors to witnessing them falling in love. Kintetsu Yamada once again has written/drawn such an every day thing and made it so comedic and heartwarming. I identified with her introvert character Nokoru and his confusion on how an extrovert like Natsu worked. It was great seeing their love unfold and them travel. I’d love to read more one shot stories of this time from the author

This manga is about two neighbors who meet and cultivate a relationship during the pandemic lock downs a couple years ago. Nokoro was working brutal hours at his job when the pandemic hit, such that even though he’d been living in an apartment for nearly a year, almost nothing was unpacked. Once the pandemic hit, he decided to cultivate his living and working space, rediscovering old passions and picking up new hobbies. As part of that, he decides to start a garden on his balcony to create the ancient civilization returned to nature vibe that he loved in a manga series. It is through this that he meets Natsu, his next door neighbor and an archeology grad student.

The manga follows Nokoro’s pov as their lives kind of slowly start to cross over as they spend more time in their apartments and run into each other more often. I feel like I don’t usually see straight romance depicted from the guy’s perspective, but it was a lot of fun! He is very aware of the fact that he is telling a story, even telling the reader that they are free to laugh at him, but his very serious attitude towards everything created a hilarious contrast to the fairly mundane things that stood out in his mind. Nokoro is the type of person that seeks out answers and tends to overthink, so from the get go, the somewhat enigmatic Natsu is often on his mind after their brief interactions. Nokoro is kind of endearingly awkward and it was a joy to follow development of their relationships from his perspective.

This isn’t a dramatic love story of twists and turns and misunderstandings, but instead a story of two people who naturally fall together and begin to navigate their way through life with each other as a growing priority, expanding their horizons and improving their own lives along the way. I had a lot of fun reading this, so if this seems interesting, I encourage you to check it out!

What a lovely story about two people who are neighbors, slowly but surely falling in love with each other. I relate to this story as my partner is in IT as well. It really was nostalgic for me from when my husband and I first were dating and the magic we both felt when we were together. If you want to relive that kind of magic read this story!