Title: Home Office RomanceAuthor: Kintetsu Yamada
First Published: November 12, 2024
Publisher: Kodansha
Pages: 192
Genre: Comedy Romance, Romance, Seinen, Slice of Life
Format: eARC
Source: NetGalley
Rating:
Synopsis:
Nokoru has been working brutal overtime at a demanding job when the pandemic lockdown finally gives him the chance to telework from home. This new situation (and the time he saves on his commute) lets him rediscover old passions and new hobbies. The lush garden he creates on his apartment balcony provides a chance to get to know his cute neighbor, Natsu, a graduate student in archeology. How do two adults build a relationship amid “social distancing,” when face-to-face interaction is frown upon, even dangerous? It feels like a tall tale to find an office romance at home, but these are strange times…
Get the Book: AmazonReview
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.
Quote
“Was it possible, I wondered… That Izumi-san might like me? I was aware of how little I brought to the table. Well aware. And yet… I found myself with a new question that only she could answer.”
Content Warnings
View Spoiler »About the Author
About Kintetsu Yamada
Kintetsu Yamada is a manga artist whose debut series is Sweat and Soap.
Discover more from Radical Dreamer
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
