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I Think I'm in Love with an Alien
Galaxy Quest
meets
Roswell
in this quirky sci-fi rom-com from
New York Times
and
USA Today
bestselling author Ann Aguirre.
He’s stranded. He’s desperate. He’s not looking for love.
Alien Tamzir Jaarn, a.k.a. Seeker, is paying the price for risking an illicit holiday on an interdicted planet. His ride off-world never showed, and he’s been stranded on Earth for nearly a year. His gear is breaking down, food is becoming a problem, and if his camouflage unit fritzes, he’ll wind up in a government lab.
But he’s met some cool humans online, and they’ve invited him to the biggest space-themed convention around. Why not make memories with them while he figures out how to get home?
Space Con or bust!
She’s nerdy. She’s flirty. She’s ready for romance.
Jennette Hammond is an endearing weirdo, voted most likely to bang an alien in high school. Her house is full of gray man collectibles, adorable tentacle monsters, and yes, in college, she volunteered for a SETI-type program. Not that she’s ever had any close encounters of the sexy, alien kind. Heck, she’s never even been able to convince anyone to attend Space Con.
But that’s about to change. Finally, she has online friends who have agreed to go, and it will be a romp to remember—and she’ll finally put a face to the name of her longtime crush, Seeker.
When alien meets adorkable, they’re destined for an out-of-this-world affair…
He’s stranded. He’s desperate. He’s not looking for love.
Alien Tamzir Jaarn, a.k.a. Seeker, is paying the price for risking an illicit holiday on an interdicted planet. His ride off-world never showed, and he’s been stranded on Earth for nearly a year. His gear is breaking down, food is becoming a problem, and if his camouflage unit fritzes, he’ll wind up in a government lab.
But he’s met some cool humans online, and they’ve invited him to the biggest space-themed convention around. Why not make memories with them while he figures out how to get home?
Space Con or bust!
She’s nerdy. She’s flirty. She’s ready for romance.
Jennette Hammond is an endearing weirdo, voted most likely to bang an alien in high school. Her house is full of gray man collectibles, adorable tentacle monsters, and yes, in college, she volunteered for a SETI-type program. Not that she’s ever had any close encounters of the sexy, alien kind. Heck, she’s never even been able to convince anyone to attend Space Con.
But that’s about to change. Finally, she has online friends who have agreed to go, and it will be a romp to remember—and she’ll finally put a face to the name of her longtime crush, Seeker.
When alien meets adorkable, they’re destined for an out-of-this-world affair…
Audible Audio
First published June 17, 2025
144 people are currently reading
6657 people want to read
About the author
Ann Aguirre
80 books7,039 followersNew York Times and USA Today bestselling author Ann Aguirre has been a clown, a clerk, a savior of stray kittens, and a voice actress, not necessarily in that order. She grew up in a yellow house across from a cornfield, but now she lives in Mexico with her family. She writes all kinds of genre fiction, but she has an eternal soft spot for a happily ever after.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 198 reviews
June 25, 2025
I really enjoyed the cozy vibes and neurodivergent friend group in this book. Jen was bold in some ways, like initially starting the group chat, but also had insecurities about her special interests and her ability to make “real” friends. Seeker was sweet and sad, living with the consequences of being stranded planet side after his last thrill seeking experience. He and Jen were able to lift each other up. I enjoyed the gray ace rep as well. The friend group was precious.
Spice: 2/5
Triggers: gunshots heard with risk of being shot at (brief, no one is hurt), depression, stalking (not by MCs), isolation, toxic family, ableism, discussion of bullying
Spice: 2/5
Triggers: gunshots heard with risk of being shot at (brief, no one is hurt), depression, stalking (not by MCs), isolation, toxic family, ableism, discussion of bullying
March 27, 2025
I Think I’m in Love with an Alien features Jen, human and Tam, alien. Jen and Tam meet online, in a chat room for nerdy people who love aliens. They, along with other online friends, decide to meet up for a SpaceCon.
I loved the premise of this book, with an alien being stranded on Earth and just trying his best to fit in. Tam was a really interesting character. He felt so alone being stranded so far from home and needing to hide who he was. Jen was fine. She was very supportive and was a fast friend to everyone.
I think where this fell apart for me was the love/romance aspect. If felt less like a romance and more like making great friends. I liked the representation of Jen being a gray Ace character, but even without spice, I didn’t get love from either character expect declarations with no feelings.
The wordiness of this book was unmatched. So much telling and not a lot of showing. And, although there was a minor conflict (kind of) nothing seemed high stakes enough for it to be anything other than a cozy slice of life novel with aliens.
Overall, kind of disappointing for such a great blurb/premise.
Thanks to Netgalley for the advance copy.
I loved the premise of this book, with an alien being stranded on Earth and just trying his best to fit in. Tam was a really interesting character. He felt so alone being stranded so far from home and needing to hide who he was. Jen was fine. She was very supportive and was a fast friend to everyone.
I think where this fell apart for me was the love/romance aspect. If felt less like a romance and more like making great friends. I liked the representation of Jen being a gray Ace character, but even without spice, I didn’t get love from either character expect declarations with no feelings.
The wordiness of this book was unmatched. So much telling and not a lot of showing. And, although there was a minor conflict (kind of) nothing seemed high stakes enough for it to be anything other than a cozy slice of life novel with aliens.
Overall, kind of disappointing for such a great blurb/premise.
Thanks to Netgalley for the advance copy.
Read
June 4, 2025
Book Riot's Best New Romance Books Out in June:
Do you need anything to put this on your list besides the title and the author? This isn’t Ann Aguirre’s first foray into alien romance (if you haven’t read Strange Love, you MUST!), but it seems to be even quirkier than the last ones. Seeker is stranded on Earth, and a little hopeless about being able to make his way off again. But he’s made a lot of friends online, and is looking forward to meeting some of them (okay, one in particular) at Space Con. Jennette has been obsessed with aliens since she was a kid, and she’s excited to share that obsession with her online crush, Seeker—who she will finally get to meet at Space Con! —Jessica Pryde
Do you need anything to put this on your list besides the title and the author? This isn’t Ann Aguirre’s first foray into alien romance (if you haven’t read Strange Love, you MUST!), but it seems to be even quirkier than the last ones. Seeker is stranded on Earth, and a little hopeless about being able to make his way off again. But he’s made a lot of friends online, and is looking forward to meeting some of them (okay, one in particular) at Space Con. Jennette has been obsessed with aliens since she was a kid, and she’s excited to share that obsession with her online crush, Seeker—who she will finally get to meet at Space Con! —Jessica Pryde
did-not-finish
June 12, 2025dnf
Oh man, I really did not vibe with this one. I was just so bored and none of the characters really stood out to me. Most of them were two dimensional. I love me a good monster romance but this just didn't hit the way I wanted it to. I was expecting something kind of like Ice Planet Barbarians but with more quirkiness, but I think the setting doesn't really allow for the kind of wonder and novelty that comes with monster romances. You're not really seeing the other world, you are seeing the human world. Unlike monster romances that take place on another planet or a more historical world. I think that's what I find good about them, and that just wasn't present here.
*thank you to netgalley and sourcebooks for the review copy. all opinions are my own.*
Oh man, I really did not vibe with this one. I was just so bored and none of the characters really stood out to me. Most of them were two dimensional. I love me a good monster romance but this just didn't hit the way I wanted it to. I was expecting something kind of like Ice Planet Barbarians but with more quirkiness, but I think the setting doesn't really allow for the kind of wonder and novelty that comes with monster romances. You're not really seeing the other world, you are seeing the human world. Unlike monster romances that take place on another planet or a more historical world. I think that's what I find good about them, and that just wasn't present here.
*thank you to netgalley and sourcebooks for the review copy. all opinions are my own.*
July 24, 2025
I Think I’m in Love with an Alien by Ann Aguirre
Science fiction romance.
Alien Tamsin Jaarn, Seeker, was only supposed to be tourist on Earth for a short time. But his ride didn’t come back and he’s stuck now, pretending to be human. He has technology that can make him appear human but he’s lonely and misses his family. Maybe his new online texting friends can help pass the time until someone comes back to get him.
Jennette Hammond cannot wait for Space Con! It’s going to be a blast this year, especially since her texting friends are all going too! She’ll finally get to meet them all, including Seeker, who she has a little crush on. Cosplay, friend groups, and sci-fi. What more could a girl want? Alien for a boyfriend? Fits right in with her lifestyle.
I enjoyed all the con time and the friendships developed through their stem connections. Loved the dozens of amusing easter eggs and nods to other stories.
The romance…unique. I saw the solution coming and glad it worked out.
Great secondary characters I’d love to get more of.
3.5
Science fiction romance.
Alien Tamsin Jaarn, Seeker, was only supposed to be tourist on Earth for a short time. But his ride didn’t come back and he’s stuck now, pretending to be human. He has technology that can make him appear human but he’s lonely and misses his family. Maybe his new online texting friends can help pass the time until someone comes back to get him.
Jennette Hammond cannot wait for Space Con! It’s going to be a blast this year, especially since her texting friends are all going too! She’ll finally get to meet them all, including Seeker, who she has a little crush on. Cosplay, friend groups, and sci-fi. What more could a girl want? Alien for a boyfriend? Fits right in with her lifestyle.
I enjoyed all the con time and the friendships developed through their stem connections. Loved the dozens of amusing easter eggs and nods to other stories.
The romance…unique. I saw the solution coming and glad it worked out.
Great secondary characters I’d love to get more of.
3.5
July 20, 2025
🛸 Bookish Thoughts
I’m such a sucker for alien romance, so I went into this one really excited. Especially since I’ve read and liked this author’s work before. But sadly… this one didn’t land for me.
I was just bored. I kept waiting for something to happen, but it never really did. It took me almost a week to get through because I kept putting it down.
Also, the male narration? Rough. It felt like he was just reading the lines with no emotion or performance.
🎧 Audio Score: ⭐️⭐️
🎙️ Narration Style: Duet
🔁 Re-listen Worthy: Probably not
I’m such a sucker for alien romance, so I went into this one really excited. Especially since I’ve read and liked this author’s work before. But sadly… this one didn’t land for me.
I was just bored. I kept waiting for something to happen, but it never really did. It took me almost a week to get through because I kept putting it down.
Also, the male narration? Rough. It felt like he was just reading the lines with no emotion or performance.
🎧 Audio Score: ⭐️⭐️
🎙️ Narration Style: Duet
🔁 Re-listen Worthy: Probably not
September 6, 2025
Very fun sort of every comic con fan’s dream of the thing you are utterly fascinated with is real and even falls in love with you. Also loved the friendships between humans and aliens.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Read
July 7, 2025I need to take a moment to drool over the gorgeous cover. I mean c’mon 😍
I picked this one up because I was in the mood for a light, spicy, otherworldly romance, but unfortunately, it fell flat for me.
This book was heavy on the other plot lines and very light on the romance. It was also overly technical IMO, which completely removed me from the story.
I so badly wanted to enjoy this, but it’s a miss for me!
Thank you to Netgalley and Sourcebooks Casablanca for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
I picked this one up because I was in the mood for a light, spicy, otherworldly romance, but unfortunately, it fell flat for me.
This book was heavy on the other plot lines and very light on the romance. It was also overly technical IMO, which completely removed me from the story.
I so badly wanted to enjoy this, but it’s a miss for me!
Thank you to Netgalley and Sourcebooks Casablanca for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
May 15, 2025
I THINK I'M IN LOVE WITH AN ALIEN • Ann Aguirre • Pub Date: June 17, 2025
As a lover of Ice Planet Barbarians, this book seemed right up my alley. Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for an eARC of this book. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.
Abridged Goodreads Synopsis: Tamzir "Tam" Jaarn is paying the price for risking an illicit holiday on an interdicted planet. His ride off-world never showed, and he has been stranded on Earth for nearly a year. But he's met some cool humans online (using the name "Seeker"), and they have invited him to the biggest space-themed convention around. Why not make memories with them while he figures out how to get home? Meanwhile, Jennette Hammond is an endearing weirdo, voted most likely to bang an alien in high school. Not that she's ever had any close encounters of the sexy, alien kind. Heck, she's never even been able to convince anyone to attend Space Con. But that's about to change! Finally, she has online friends who have agreed to go, and it will be a romp to remember—and she'll finally put a face to the name of her longtime crush, Seeker. When alien meets adorkable, they're destined for an out-of-this-world affair...right?
This was such a cute and unique premise! Watching Tam cope with the practicalities of being stranded on Earth (and all that entails for an Alien who can hardly eat typical human cuisine) while trying to find a way back to his home planet made for an interesting plot. I also loved seeing him navigate forming relationships with Jen and the rest of the group chat crew. This led to a story of found family and love, blended with a level of pragmatism and dry wit that I was not expecting (but enjoyed)!
Unfortunately though, this book was a little too weird to deliver the romcom vibes that it advertised. While Tam and the other cast of characters were fun, Jen's character fell flat. This makes the book a bit hard to love, considering Jen's POV comprises half the story. The romance between Tam and Jen never seemed to fully take off either. We are told they have a connection, but readers never get to truly experience that connection on the page. The conflicts that sprung up for the couple (e.g., alien "hunters" and family drama) were also ridiculously contrived and never properly resolved. Do not even get me started on the sexual harassment at the convention sub-plot...
The pacing of this story was also strange, coupled with the fact that the plot (and sub-plots) never seemed to fully build up or really lead anywhere. Maybe a tighter edit would have fixed this or maybe this book simply did not land for me. Either way, I was constantly pulled out of the story and found myself a little bored.
While I would not recommend this book as a romance or romantic comedy, readers looking for a watered-down fantasy with found family may appreciate this book! Sadly though, I think this book did not quite hit the mark. Maybe a stronger follow up with Ravik and Poppy could be in the works though?
As a lover of Ice Planet Barbarians, this book seemed right up my alley. Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for an eARC of this book. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.
Abridged Goodreads Synopsis: Tamzir "Tam" Jaarn is paying the price for risking an illicit holiday on an interdicted planet. His ride off-world never showed, and he has been stranded on Earth for nearly a year. But he's met some cool humans online (using the name "Seeker"), and they have invited him to the biggest space-themed convention around. Why not make memories with them while he figures out how to get home? Meanwhile, Jennette Hammond is an endearing weirdo, voted most likely to bang an alien in high school. Not that she's ever had any close encounters of the sexy, alien kind. Heck, she's never even been able to convince anyone to attend Space Con. But that's about to change! Finally, she has online friends who have agreed to go, and it will be a romp to remember—and she'll finally put a face to the name of her longtime crush, Seeker. When alien meets adorkable, they're destined for an out-of-this-world affair...right?
This was such a cute and unique premise! Watching Tam cope with the practicalities of being stranded on Earth (and all that entails for an Alien who can hardly eat typical human cuisine) while trying to find a way back to his home planet made for an interesting plot. I also loved seeing him navigate forming relationships with Jen and the rest of the group chat crew. This led to a story of found family and love, blended with a level of pragmatism and dry wit that I was not expecting (but enjoyed)!
Unfortunately though, this book was a little too weird to deliver the romcom vibes that it advertised. While Tam and the other cast of characters were fun, Jen's character fell flat. This makes the book a bit hard to love, considering Jen's POV comprises half the story. The romance between Tam and Jen never seemed to fully take off either. We are told they have a connection, but readers never get to truly experience that connection on the page. The conflicts that sprung up for the couple (e.g., alien "hunters" and family drama) were also ridiculously contrived and never properly resolved. Do not even get me started on the sexual harassment at the convention sub-plot...
The pacing of this story was also strange, coupled with the fact that the plot (and sub-plots) never seemed to fully build up or really lead anywhere. Maybe a tighter edit would have fixed this or maybe this book simply did not land for me. Either way, I was constantly pulled out of the story and found myself a little bored.
While I would not recommend this book as a romance or romantic comedy, readers looking for a watered-down fantasy with found family may appreciate this book! Sadly though, I think this book did not quite hit the mark. Maybe a stronger follow up with Ravik and Poppy could be in the works though?
Read
July 14, 2025Mesmerizingly autistic
Also, I like this cover and I refuse to pretend otherwise
Also, I like this cover and I refuse to pretend otherwise
May 23, 2025
A sweet, found family-type romance about finding love where you least expect it. I seem to be of the overall consensus that the ending is a bit messily resolved, but I also really enjoyed several aspects of Jen and Seeker’s dynamic so that won out over the uneven wrap-up.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this edition from the publisher via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this edition from the publisher via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
May 22, 2025
“ I Think I’m in Love with an Alien” is a cute, nerdy, sci-fi friends become lovers. I thought this novel had a lot of potential but, it fell short with there was really no build up to anything monumental. The first part of the book dragged with all the awkward talk between all the characters especially between Jen and Tam. With that said I didn’t feel connected to the characters. Also, the sex scene that finally came but at the 98% mark was lackluster.
I am sorry for complaining so much but this was such a let down.
I want to thank NetGalley for providing me with a copy of the book in exchange for a honest review.
July 24, 2025
I'm all for a scifi alien romance and the premise sounded right up my ally.
Jen is cute and nerdy where Tam is an alien stranded on earth. I found myself enjoying the text/chat convos but that was just about it. The characters didn't really stand out and the pacing felt a bit off. I think with a little more development this could be really fun.
Thank you for the gifted ebook NetGalley
Jen is cute and nerdy where Tam is an alien stranded on earth. I found myself enjoying the text/chat convos but that was just about it. The characters didn't really stand out and the pacing felt a bit off. I think with a little more development this could be really fun.
Thank you for the gifted ebook NetGalley
June 23, 2025
This was an ‘okay’ read, 1.5 ⭐️
I did like the situation reversal. Normally it’s the human that’s stuck on an alien planet so reading something where the alien is the one stranded on Earth was a fun change. I also liked the LGBTQ+ friendliness.
Aside from these two things though, everything else about this book was pretty ‘meh’.
There was a fair amount of literacy errors and spelling mistakes. Not sure how some of them were missed because they were glaringly obvious.
The pace of this book is odd. The first 70% of the book is this slow dragging of monotonous events and then the last 30% speeds up to jump around in time and events, making it feel incredibly rushed even though nothing really happens.
I can’t really say much about the emotion or chemistry of this book because it felt like there was none.
It’s a very unusual thing, to read about emotions but to feel nothing from them. There was no evoking of anything.
This book was missing something crucial and because of this, everything was just words.
I would call this more of a ‘Slice of Life’ read than anything. It felt kind of like watching a filler episode of an anime show.
There is no spice, no intimacy. I’m not even sure you’d call it a romance to be quite honest with you.
It’s not a horrible read… just ‘meh’.
I did like the situation reversal. Normally it’s the human that’s stuck on an alien planet so reading something where the alien is the one stranded on Earth was a fun change. I also liked the LGBTQ+ friendliness.
Aside from these two things though, everything else about this book was pretty ‘meh’.
There was a fair amount of literacy errors and spelling mistakes. Not sure how some of them were missed because they were glaringly obvious.
The pace of this book is odd. The first 70% of the book is this slow dragging of monotonous events and then the last 30% speeds up to jump around in time and events, making it feel incredibly rushed even though nothing really happens.
I can’t really say much about the emotion or chemistry of this book because it felt like there was none.
It’s a very unusual thing, to read about emotions but to feel nothing from them. There was no evoking of anything.
This book was missing something crucial and because of this, everything was just words.
I would call this more of a ‘Slice of Life’ read than anything. It felt kind of like watching a filler episode of an anime show.
There is no spice, no intimacy. I’m not even sure you’d call it a romance to be quite honest with you.
It’s not a horrible read… just ‘meh’.
March 21, 2025
4.5 Stars
Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Casablanca for the ARC.
The first book I ever read by Ann Aguirre was “Strange Love,” and she brings a similar wonder and careful style to this lighter, cozier story. It seems obvious that Aguirre is setting up a trilogy, and “I Think I’m In Love With An Alien” works better when read as a treatment of found family and intimate friendship rather than as a classic romance, although the main characters do fall in love. With the abundance of side characters and a few loose ends, this doesn’t wholly stand alone and I am looking forward to more of the story.
Tam is a fantastic alien protagonist who observes life on Earth, and earthlings, with an appealing blend of pragmatism and unintentional dry wit. Jen is on the ace spectrum and brings an especially thoughtful perspective on relationships and consent to their slow burn romance. Both have found themselves estranged from family and community, and Aguirre deftly writes them as balancing one another. A very enjoyable read.
Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Casablanca for the ARC.
The first book I ever read by Ann Aguirre was “Strange Love,” and she brings a similar wonder and careful style to this lighter, cozier story. It seems obvious that Aguirre is setting up a trilogy, and “I Think I’m In Love With An Alien” works better when read as a treatment of found family and intimate friendship rather than as a classic romance, although the main characters do fall in love. With the abundance of side characters and a few loose ends, this doesn’t wholly stand alone and I am looking forward to more of the story.
Tam is a fantastic alien protagonist who observes life on Earth, and earthlings, with an appealing blend of pragmatism and unintentional dry wit. Jen is on the ace spectrum and brings an especially thoughtful perspective on relationships and consent to their slow burn romance. Both have found themselves estranged from family and community, and Aguirre deftly writes them as balancing one another. A very enjoyable read.
September 11, 2025
Thank you Sourcebooks, Ann Aguirre and Netgalley for providing me with an eARC in exchange for my honest review.
In a world of men, he is an alien. Quite literally. And honestly? It was fun to read about an outer space MMC, and try to conjure up how he might look--I particularly enjoyed that his skin changes color to convey emotions. Very useful. His own struggles were very relatable all things considered. Sure, I'm not really stranded light years away from home without hope of ever returning, but still. Tam feels as though he doesn't fit in because for his family he's never been good enough, failing to reach their expectations time and again. It's a universal struggle (pun intended).
As for our FMC, Jen, she struggles with much of the same. Her family thinks she's a weirdo with no life, and she has no IRL friends to speak of. Her loneliness is also something I can see loads of people relating as relationships drift apart with age, and it becomes harder to make friends. Her only solace being her online friends and how much she looked forward to meeting them was fun to read, and made me feel happy for this character. Connecting with people is hard, but establishing a common interest (in this case being aliens) makes it a lot easier to be one self.
The romance was fun and I loved the little "cultural" shocks and communication issues they both faced even though they clearly cared for one another. It can be very relatable for people who are in a relationship with someone who comes from another country, speaks a different language and is accustomed to a different culture altogether--which is basically like being from a different planet. The way Tam tries to acclimatize to US culture, idioms, etc. would be very similar to how anyone migrating from a non-English speaking country would probably navigate their new reality.
Whilst this is shelved as a romance book, I think its biggest strength lies in the friendship subplot between all these online friends who eventually meet in real life at Space Con. I thought it was very endearing, but also sad in how they don't live near each other so online will always be where it's easiest to meet.
Despite really enjoying so many elements of this book, I wasn't really satisfied when I ultimately finished it. Yes, it's a fast read and hilarious at times, but it can also get very repetitive and there are certain plot points that are never resolved. For one, I wish the FMC's disconnection from her family plotline would have been worked differently. There is no decision at the end regarding what Jen plans on doing--is she going no contact for now or forever? Is she willing to forgive them? I would have liked some answers on that front.
Another big side plot that wasn't resolved is the alien hunters who are on the trail of our MMC. We are led to believe these people are onto them, close to catching him and potentially murdering him but then they vanish from the book? I wish we had gotten more than "they were chased away by a bear and will never come back", since that is weirdly unrealistic.
Each friend had their problems but it also felt like those were never resolved, which contributes to this overall feeling that this book was rushed. It really could have used a lot more editing to get the most out of the story, and seeing its potential, it's quite disappointing that it didn't. Overall, I'd still recommend if you are looking for some alien romance that is lighthearted and includes feline companions, but do not go in with big expectations.
In a world of men, he is an alien. Quite literally. And honestly? It was fun to read about an outer space MMC, and try to conjure up how he might look--I particularly enjoyed that his skin changes color to convey emotions. Very useful. His own struggles were very relatable all things considered. Sure, I'm not really stranded light years away from home without hope of ever returning, but still. Tam feels as though he doesn't fit in because for his family he's never been good enough, failing to reach their expectations time and again. It's a universal struggle (pun intended).
As for our FMC, Jen, she struggles with much of the same. Her family thinks she's a weirdo with no life, and she has no IRL friends to speak of. Her loneliness is also something I can see loads of people relating as relationships drift apart with age, and it becomes harder to make friends. Her only solace being her online friends and how much she looked forward to meeting them was fun to read, and made me feel happy for this character. Connecting with people is hard, but establishing a common interest (in this case being aliens) makes it a lot easier to be one self.
The romance was fun and I loved the little "cultural" shocks and communication issues they both faced even though they clearly cared for one another. It can be very relatable for people who are in a relationship with someone who comes from another country, speaks a different language and is accustomed to a different culture altogether--which is basically like being from a different planet. The way Tam tries to acclimatize to US culture, idioms, etc. would be very similar to how anyone migrating from a non-English speaking country would probably navigate their new reality.
Whilst this is shelved as a romance book, I think its biggest strength lies in the friendship subplot between all these online friends who eventually meet in real life at Space Con. I thought it was very endearing, but also sad in how they don't live near each other so online will always be where it's easiest to meet.
Despite really enjoying so many elements of this book, I wasn't really satisfied when I ultimately finished it. Yes, it's a fast read and hilarious at times, but it can also get very repetitive and there are certain plot points that are never resolved. For one, I wish the FMC's disconnection from her family plotline would have been worked differently. There is no decision at the end regarding what Jen plans on doing--is she going no contact for now or forever? Is she willing to forgive them? I would have liked some answers on that front.
Another big side plot that wasn't resolved is the alien hunters who are on the trail of our MMC. We are led to believe these people are onto them, close to catching him and potentially murdering him but then they vanish from the book? I wish we had gotten more than "they were chased away by a bear and will never come back", since that is weirdly unrealistic.
Each friend had their problems but it also felt like those were never resolved, which contributes to this overall feeling that this book was rushed. It really could have used a lot more editing to get the most out of the story, and seeing its potential, it's quite disappointing that it didn't. Overall, I'd still recommend if you are looking for some alien romance that is lighthearted and includes feline companions, but do not go in with big expectations.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
dnf
July 29, 2025DNF because I just did not like the writing style enough to hang with it for an entire book. Lots of telling rather than showing, which made it difficult to immerse myself.
August 8, 2025
Cute. I struggled a bit with the FMC's insecurities. I get it, but it became annoying after awhile.
July 5, 2025
This book is going to suffer so much because of inaccurate marketing. It's being marketed as a rom-com, and I don't think it's particularly funny or counts as a romance. It's a cozy, slice of life, found family for aliens and humans on earth story that is compelling, but the romance is a side plot at best, and I'm sad for the author.
I think there are a lot of people who would enjoy this book a lot, particularly the growing group of folks who want cozy sci-fi and fantasy, but that's not where the marketing is going at all. And I'm not in that group. I wanted the fantastic alien romance of Strange Love, but something about this taking place entirely on earth didn't hit the spot, irrespective of the romance. The writing is good, so if the story interests you, definitely check it out, just go in with correct expectations.
I think there are a lot of people who would enjoy this book a lot, particularly the growing group of folks who want cozy sci-fi and fantasy, but that's not where the marketing is going at all. And I'm not in that group. I wanted the fantastic alien romance of Strange Love, but something about this taking place entirely on earth didn't hit the spot, irrespective of the romance. The writing is good, so if the story interests you, definitely check it out, just go in with correct expectations.
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January 3, 2025No rating since this book is still quite a ways out from its projected release date and should hopefully get a much needed edit.
Thanks to Edelweiss for the ARC.
This book is kind of mess. I regret to say.
The dialogue was a bit stilted and dated, for example, "they were talking smack!" to refer to actual familial bullying. That would not be the exact phrase I would have used in that situation both in fiction and real life.
The references to pop culture were quite strange as some of it was real i.e. Star Trek TNG, but then the use of Doctor Y (in lieu of Doctor Who). The Space Con in Rellows instead of UFO Con in Roswell (and yet Roswell, the hit teen show, is mentioned?). Just a lot of strange choices here.
Sidenote: I can suspend my disbelief with aliens at an alien convention, I absolutely cannot suspend my disbelief on the way a situation is handled. An actor being quickly booted from a con (after one person says something about his behavior) then two replacements are there the next day? It fully pulled me out of the book. It's a nice idea, if we lived in a perfect world, but this one in the book clearly isn't, just like ours, so it just felt out of place.
The pacing is meandering with the book being front loaded with day by day con activities and then during the middle glossing over weeks and months and then the last part of the book going to back to day by day. Slowing and speeding the pace is fine, but this didn't work out because it was as if telling us these characters had development (or in some cases lack thereof) but not showing it.
Now for the ending, this needs the most work, and I will refrain from spoilers as the book isn't due until June, but it's an absolute mess. Everything is resolved FAR too quickly for all the characters with strange choices. Antagonists (that are kind of just there occasionally throughout the book with little tension) show up and then everything is just quickly resolved (in the absolute strangest way). There is a lot more I could discuss about this ending, but that would put us in spoiler territory.
Overall this review could be shortened to just say: A lot of strange choices are made.
I really wanted to enjoy this book. The cover is cute as hell and the idea is great. Maybe this book just isn't for me and/or I was judging too harshly, but here we are. This book just needs a good editing (that I hope is happening) before it comes out in June.
Thanks to Edelweiss for the ARC.
This book is kind of mess. I regret to say.
The dialogue was a bit stilted and dated, for example, "they were talking smack!" to refer to actual familial bullying. That would not be the exact phrase I would have used in that situation both in fiction and real life.
The references to pop culture were quite strange as some of it was real i.e. Star Trek TNG, but then the use of Doctor Y (in lieu of Doctor Who). The Space Con in Rellows instead of UFO Con in Roswell (and yet Roswell, the hit teen show, is mentioned?). Just a lot of strange choices here.
Sidenote: I can suspend my disbelief with aliens at an alien convention, I absolutely cannot suspend my disbelief on the way a situation is handled. An actor being quickly booted from a con (after one person says something about his behavior) then two replacements are there the next day? It fully pulled me out of the book. It's a nice idea, if we lived in a perfect world, but this one in the book clearly isn't, just like ours, so it just felt out of place.
The pacing is meandering with the book being front loaded with day by day con activities and then during the middle glossing over weeks and months and then the last part of the book going to back to day by day. Slowing and speeding the pace is fine, but this didn't work out because it was as if telling us these characters had development (or in some cases lack thereof) but not showing it.
Now for the ending, this needs the most work, and I will refrain from spoilers as the book isn't due until June, but it's an absolute mess. Everything is resolved FAR too quickly for all the characters with strange choices. Antagonists (that are kind of just there occasionally throughout the book with little tension) show up and then everything is just quickly resolved (in the absolute strangest way). There is a lot more I could discuss about this ending, but that would put us in spoiler territory.
Overall this review could be shortened to just say: A lot of strange choices are made.
I really wanted to enjoy this book. The cover is cute as hell and the idea is great. Maybe this book just isn't for me and/or I was judging too harshly, but here we are. This book just needs a good editing (that I hope is happening) before it comes out in June.
March 27, 2025
I’ve read a lot of books so far in 2025. But I definitely think “I Think I’m in Love with an Alien” will go down as my weirdest read of 2025. I honestly couldn’t tell you if I enjoyed it or if I regret reading it. I think if this book had been pitched as finding yourself/finding your found family I would’ve been more on board. However, this was pitched as a romcom. And yes there is romcom elements in it. However, that’s not the pure focus of the story.
Before I get ahead of myself brief summary synopsis. “I Think I’m in Love with an Alien” follows Jen and Tam. Jen our MF human character is struggling with finding her purpose and people who understand her. Then we have Tam our MM alien character. Tam was only supposed to be visiting Earth for a few days but due to technology failures he found himself stranded on our planet. In order to make the best of the situation and blend in he joins an online Space Chat forum for people who love aliens. Through that forum Jen and Tam meet. The group decides it’s time to take group chat out of the online forum and meet in person at Space Con. And of course like any story chaos ensues from there.
Like I mentioned I loved the pitch premise of this book. However, that’s not the book we were given. Even with that said the story was easy to follow and the characters were all like-able enough to read the story all the way through. I think my favorite character though was Tam. He was definitely the most interesting and I felt for him and his struggles. Jen on the other hand was just fine. She’s a very supportive and loyal person but ultimately I found her at times extremely boring. Some of her chapter’s though I highly considered skimming because I found it that boring and just wanted to get back to Tam.
Like I mentioned the Romcom elements is where this book struggled. Which is why I ultimately gave it a 2 star rating. The romance never felt believable and even though the two make great friends I would never “ship” them together. Instead we were given a lot of telling but not much showing if that makes sense.
Overall, I don’t think I can recommend this book. Especially if you’re looking for a romcom. If you’re looking for a cozy fantasy found family journey then maybe. Ultimately this one just wasn’t for me. Lastly big thank you to NetGalley & Sourcebooks for providing an arc for me to read and review!
Before I get ahead of myself brief summary synopsis. “I Think I’m in Love with an Alien” follows Jen and Tam. Jen our MF human character is struggling with finding her purpose and people who understand her. Then we have Tam our MM alien character. Tam was only supposed to be visiting Earth for a few days but due to technology failures he found himself stranded on our planet. In order to make the best of the situation and blend in he joins an online Space Chat forum for people who love aliens. Through that forum Jen and Tam meet. The group decides it’s time to take group chat out of the online forum and meet in person at Space Con. And of course like any story chaos ensues from there.
Like I mentioned I loved the pitch premise of this book. However, that’s not the book we were given. Even with that said the story was easy to follow and the characters were all like-able enough to read the story all the way through. I think my favorite character though was Tam. He was definitely the most interesting and I felt for him and his struggles. Jen on the other hand was just fine. She’s a very supportive and loyal person but ultimately I found her at times extremely boring. Some of her chapter’s though I highly considered skimming because I found it that boring and just wanted to get back to Tam.
Like I mentioned the Romcom elements is where this book struggled. Which is why I ultimately gave it a 2 star rating. The romance never felt believable and even though the two make great friends I would never “ship” them together. Instead we were given a lot of telling but not much showing if that makes sense.
Overall, I don’t think I can recommend this book. Especially if you’re looking for a romcom. If you’re looking for a cozy fantasy found family journey then maybe. Ultimately this one just wasn’t for me. Lastly big thank you to NetGalley & Sourcebooks for providing an arc for me to read and review!
July 30, 2025
A stranded vacationing alien and a geeky sci-fi lover meet online and do the in person at a sci-fi convention. Ann Aguirre has written some fantastic sci-fi romance in the past and I happily picked up her latest which has romcom and cozy vibes.
I Think I’m in Love With an Alien brings together a lonely and somewhat desperate alien who is running out of supplies and his camo tech is getting glitchy with a human woman who struggles to connect with her own race until she finds her ‘tribe’ in the online group of friends who are alien-mad and one of whom is an actual alien.
Tam, the stranded alien, and Jennette agree along with friends to meet up at the big fan convention, but the pair of them felt a connection even online so they are really interested in an in-person with each other. Among the activities and settings of a sci-fi convention, Tam and Jennette make a connection and then explore a truly out of this world friendship and romance.
I Think I’m in Love With an Alien is a gently-paced piece and spends a great deal of the book on the group friendship and activities at the convention with Tam and Jen alternating points of view. These are a pair of sweeties who simply mesh as friends first. Jen is sexually Ace and with her quirky alien interest, her birth family connections are conflicted so it was good that she had these strong friendships with her online group that met together.
But, there were some mixed feelings had about the longer, sometimes lagging, first two-thirds and the change in pace for the last third. It has a big jump in time in the last third and bursts of excitement from hunters and the new situation after the truth comes out. In fact, I’m hoping there is at least a sequel to account for several loose plot threads to know what came of surrounding characters.
So, I Think I’m in Love with an Alien had some giggle-worthy moments especially with Tam’s wry observations about humans, a sweet slowburn friends to lovers, and the fun of a sci-fi convention for all the cozy sci-fi romance fans out there.
I rec'd an eARC via NetGalley to read in exchange for an honest review.
My full review will post at Books of My Heart on 7.16.25.
I Think I’m in Love With an Alien brings together a lonely and somewhat desperate alien who is running out of supplies and his camo tech is getting glitchy with a human woman who struggles to connect with her own race until she finds her ‘tribe’ in the online group of friends who are alien-mad and one of whom is an actual alien.
Tam, the stranded alien, and Jennette agree along with friends to meet up at the big fan convention, but the pair of them felt a connection even online so they are really interested in an in-person with each other. Among the activities and settings of a sci-fi convention, Tam and Jennette make a connection and then explore a truly out of this world friendship and romance.
I Think I’m in Love With an Alien is a gently-paced piece and spends a great deal of the book on the group friendship and activities at the convention with Tam and Jen alternating points of view. These are a pair of sweeties who simply mesh as friends first. Jen is sexually Ace and with her quirky alien interest, her birth family connections are conflicted so it was good that she had these strong friendships with her online group that met together.
But, there were some mixed feelings had about the longer, sometimes lagging, first two-thirds and the change in pace for the last third. It has a big jump in time in the last third and bursts of excitement from hunters and the new situation after the truth comes out. In fact, I’m hoping there is at least a sequel to account for several loose plot threads to know what came of surrounding characters.
So, I Think I’m in Love with an Alien had some giggle-worthy moments especially with Tam’s wry observations about humans, a sweet slowburn friends to lovers, and the fun of a sci-fi convention for all the cozy sci-fi romance fans out there.
I rec'd an eARC via NetGalley to read in exchange for an honest review.
My full review will post at Books of My Heart on 7.16.25.
April 6, 2025
What better place for an alien to hide in plain sight than at a sci-fi convention? Since going to the convention also means Tam gets to meet the human he feels a connection to, WHAT DOES HE HAVE TO LOSE? Right?
When Tam and Jen meet in real life, the connection they felt online is still there. On one hand, Tam's hiding a pretty big secret and he's endearingly awkward (you know, seeing as he's not native to human mannerisms). On the other hand, Jen has an open mind and she likes the intense focus Tam brings to everything. Heck, she just flat-out likes him. She also likes the others in their little group since she feels like she can actually be herself around them.
That said, it's going to take some serious trust if things are going to progress beyond friendship for these two. And when you throw in some juicy secrets some of the others in their online group are keeping, plus the potential for danger if Tam's alien-hood is ever found out...well, these two have a lot to juggle if they're going to pursue a relationship.
Beyond their relationship, we also get found family that helps people feel a little less alone in this messed up world, a little danger, the realization that being yourself can be enough and finding joy in the things that spark your creativity doesn't have to conform to others' expectations, and that sometimes reaching out can mean the everything to someone.
What can I say? I liked this one. Tam and Jen worked for me!
-Kelly @ Reading the Paranormal
When Tam and Jen meet in real life, the connection they felt online is still there. On one hand, Tam's hiding a pretty big secret and he's endearingly awkward (you know, seeing as he's not native to human mannerisms). On the other hand, Jen has an open mind and she likes the intense focus Tam brings to everything. Heck, she just flat-out likes him. She also likes the others in their little group since she feels like she can actually be herself around them.
That said, it's going to take some serious trust if things are going to progress beyond friendship for these two. And when you throw in some juicy secrets some of the others in their online group are keeping, plus the potential for danger if Tam's alien-hood is ever found out...well, these two have a lot to juggle if they're going to pursue a relationship.
Beyond their relationship, we also get found family that helps people feel a little less alone in this messed up world, a little danger, the realization that being yourself can be enough and finding joy in the things that spark your creativity doesn't have to conform to others' expectations, and that sometimes reaching out can mean the everything to someone.
What can I say? I liked this one. Tam and Jen worked for me!
-Kelly @ Reading the Paranormal
September 9, 2025
3.5 ⭐️
A cute little story about finding love and found family where you least expect it. I’m happy with the overall ending but was hoping for more from Poppy/Ravik, the ultimate sunshine/grump! Honestly, in my head, he will go back, sort out some shit, and then come back to reclaim his princess! 💫
A cute little story about finding love and found family where you least expect it. I’m happy with the overall ending but was hoping for more from Poppy/Ravik, the ultimate sunshine/grump! Honestly, in my head, he will go back, sort out some shit, and then come back to reclaim his princess! 💫
June 18, 2025
I saw this title and this cover, and what I really wanted was Garrus Vakarian in a rom-com with a side order of Roswell, New Mexico. What I got was...sort of that.
This book follows two characters, Jen and Tam, who met in forums about aliens and took their interactions into a group chat with four other members. They've never met in person until now, where they've all decided to attend a Roswell-esque alien-related convention together. (No idea if this is a real one or not, and I didn't care enough to research.) The obvious catch is that Tam is an alien who's gotten stuck on Earth and none of his friends know about it, not even his human crush, Jen.
The first ~50% of the book was decent, if a bit saccharine in its internal effusions of interest between the main pair. Getting to know the friend group was interesting, and I liked the interspersed group chat sections in idea, if not necessarily in practice. I've been in a lot of online chats with a wide variety of geeky people, and they just didn't feel like real people talking. "Stilted" is the best word I've got for it, though that's not quite it. The little peeks of convention culture were fairly surface level, but fun. I enjoyed seeing Tam navigate life on Earth and interactions with humans.
Things started to fall apart for me once the action moved away from the convention. The only things happening were entirely mundane and largely uninteresting. The parts I enjoyed most were insights into alien culture, planets, Tam's travels, that sort of thing. If the book had been more about that and less about the lackluster romance, I could probably have added a star.
But let's talk about the romance. I appreciate the ace rep here and that, while they existed in a fashion, sex scenes weren't the focus of this book. However. I didn't even believe their chemistry as friends, much less as people in love. Every conversation felt like they were tiptoeing around one another, having first date get-to-know you sessions (months into knowing one another), or being infuriatingly sappy and understanding. Like, sign me up for reasonable adults who have adult conversations and work things out rather than have misunderstandings , but it all felt so juvenile, like life problems can be solved every time by a, "They don't deserve you. You're wonderful."
The worst offender, by far, was the dumb storyline
I'm really sad I didn't like this one more, but I'll always be on the lookout for my Garrus fix. Until then, I'll stick with Mass Effect fan fiction.
I received a free review copy through netgalley.
This book follows two characters, Jen and Tam, who met in forums about aliens and took their interactions into a group chat with four other members. They've never met in person until now, where they've all decided to attend a Roswell-esque alien-related convention together. (No idea if this is a real one or not, and I didn't care enough to research.) The obvious catch is that Tam is an alien who's gotten stuck on Earth and none of his friends know about it, not even his human crush, Jen.
The first ~50% of the book was decent, if a bit saccharine in its internal effusions of interest between the main pair. Getting to know the friend group was interesting, and I liked the interspersed group chat sections in idea, if not necessarily in practice. I've been in a lot of online chats with a wide variety of geeky people, and they just didn't feel like real people talking. "Stilted" is the best word I've got for it, though that's not quite it. The little peeks of convention culture were fairly surface level, but fun. I enjoyed seeing Tam navigate life on Earth and interactions with humans.
Things started to fall apart for me once the action moved away from the convention. The only things happening were entirely mundane and largely uninteresting. The parts I enjoyed most were insights into alien culture, planets, Tam's travels, that sort of thing. If the book had been more about that and less about the lackluster romance, I could probably have added a star.
But let's talk about the romance. I appreciate the ace rep here and that, while they existed in a fashion, sex scenes weren't the focus of this book. However. I didn't even believe their chemistry as friends, much less as people in love. Every conversation felt like they were tiptoeing around one another, having first date get-to-know you sessions (months into knowing one another), or being infuriatingly sappy and understanding. Like, sign me up for reasonable adults who have adult conversations and work things out rather than have misunderstandings , but it all felt so juvenile, like life problems can be solved every time by a, "They don't deserve you. You're wonderful."
The worst offender, by far, was the dumb storyline
I'm really sad I didn't like this one more, but I'll always be on the lookout for my Garrus fix. Until then, I'll stick with Mass Effect fan fiction.
I received a free review copy through netgalley.
June 4, 2025
Thank you to the author and the publisher, Sourcebooks Casablanca, for sharing an ARC of this book with me on NetGalley!!
“I’m so scared by how much I like him already”
“I find rare sanctuary in her company, and for a fleeting moment, I’m no longer a seeker - I’m found”
Love it !!! So cozy and sweet and romantic and funny. Alien romance. But without spice (if not a mild one). Jen and Seeker … I loved them so much!!! This book reminded me of what love should feel like even if it is between two different species !!! I loved the way it was written and the fact that it had entire chapters focused on online conversations between a group of people who became friends based on common interests and found their own family within the soul of the others. And the main couple … they were so sweet and so honest and caring for each other, they made me giggle and smile multiple times while reading the book. I honestly think this book is perfect for anyone who wants to experience a simple but oh so good romcom book with the addition of the monster trope in the form of an alien !!! So cute !!!
“And when she wraps her arms around me … a lifetime of inadequacy melts away”
“I’m so scared by how much I like him already”
“I find rare sanctuary in her company, and for a fleeting moment, I’m no longer a seeker - I’m found”
Love it !!! So cozy and sweet and romantic and funny. Alien romance. But without spice (if not a mild one). Jen and Seeker … I loved them so much!!! This book reminded me of what love should feel like even if it is between two different species !!! I loved the way it was written and the fact that it had entire chapters focused on online conversations between a group of people who became friends based on common interests and found their own family within the soul of the others. And the main couple … they were so sweet and so honest and caring for each other, they made me giggle and smile multiple times while reading the book. I honestly think this book is perfect for anyone who wants to experience a simple but oh so good romcom book with the addition of the monster trope in the form of an alien !!! So cute !!!
“And when she wraps her arms around me … a lifetime of inadequacy melts away”
May 25, 2025
I am a true sucker for an alien romance and this one did not disappoint. I some glad I was able to get an early copy from NetGalley!
Two of the standout parts of this story was the writing quality and the depth of the character development from
both our hero and heroine. From the first chapter I was connected to our heroine and rooting for her.
This was honestly such a tender story. I highly recommend. You won’t be disappointed.
Two of the standout parts of this story was the writing quality and the depth of the character development from
both our hero and heroine. From the first chapter I was connected to our heroine and rooting for her.
This was honestly such a tender story. I highly recommend. You won’t be disappointed.
June 15, 2025
DNF at 50%
“I Think I'm in Love with an Alien” is the first alien romance by Ann Aguirre and tells the story of Jannette and Tamzir.
I'm a sucker for a good alien romance like “Ice Planet Barbarians” and Ann piqued my curiosity with her story. She opted for a completely new concept (for me).
In “I Think I'm in Love with an Alien” we accompanied Jannette, who was already an outsider, on her way to an alien convention where she meets her online friends and Tamzir, who is a real alien and stranded on Earth.
What really got me was the cringe dialog. None of the characters seem to communicate with humans very often. I just found most of the situations uncomfortable to read and it just wasn't my cup of tea. I found many scenes super stiff and the writing style here was often a bit “edgy” too.
Unfortunately, most of the story consisted of exactly this kind of dialog, which is why I decided to abandon the book.
Many thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC.
“I Think I'm in Love with an Alien” is the first alien romance by Ann Aguirre and tells the story of Jannette and Tamzir.
I'm a sucker for a good alien romance like “Ice Planet Barbarians” and Ann piqued my curiosity with her story. She opted for a completely new concept (for me).
In “I Think I'm in Love with an Alien” we accompanied Jannette, who was already an outsider, on her way to an alien convention where she meets her online friends and Tamzir, who is a real alien and stranded on Earth.
What really got me was the cringe dialog. None of the characters seem to communicate with humans very often. I just found most of the situations uncomfortable to read and it just wasn't my cup of tea. I found many scenes super stiff and the writing style here was often a bit “edgy” too.
Unfortunately, most of the story consisted of exactly this kind of dialog, which is why I decided to abandon the book.
Many thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC.
May 3, 2025
Im super dissapointed. I was really anticipating this book. Like I was so excited and hyped up and it was just...meh. This started so slow and just kept tge sluggish pace that I almost had to DNF this one. I think it more had to do with the fact that it's not set on a spaceship or really cool planet, it's just so boring and I was so let down with this one. Still love her other books but this one is a pass for me. thanks to Netgalley for an early e-arc copy.
July 16, 2025
I don't want to give this book two stars but unfortunately, I have to. I was relieved when I finished it, proud of myself for not DNFing but also ready for the immersion to be over. The way I felt about the book ending stood in sharp contrast to how I picked it up. I saw it at a bookstore, read the synopsis and was immediately intrigued. I took the gamble and was elated that I was right--it was on Kindle Unlimited where I could download it for free. I started reading it the very same day. And like anything that starts on such a high note only to end on a really low one, I wondered what went wrong?
Because by all other markers, I am at least in the range of the target demographic for this book. I read a lot of alien romance with very little shame and there was a lot about this premise that intrigued me. I liked the idea of an alien being on earth and coming to terms with it as his new home (as it is so often the opposite in this genre for our earth girlies getting abducted). I also love the hilarious misunderstandings that happen with such cultural difference and seeing them have to navigate those waters. Found family as a trope can do no wrong as far as I am concerned and I love some nerdy stuff like cons.
For a while I wondered--was it me or was it the book? Did I not have the right mindset or expectations going in and could I have otherwise enjoyed it another time or with more forethought? Or was this book, for a variety of reasons, never going to be it for me?
Unfortunately, I fear the latter is the case. This book did not do it for me. In fact, I think it made me realize a line that I do have. I've read a lot of alien romance, but this was an ALIEN romance (ish?) with an extra emphasis on the alien. And yeah I glanced at the cover but I think I was not prepared for the full extent of it. The worldbuilding aspect of Tam being so different was really cool, but it made the romance a much harder pill to swallow for me.
The believability of the romance is my first major issue. Briefly put, the romance was super weirdly paced and I just didn't really get the compatibility of the two characters beyond friendship for a lasting relationship.
To put it much less briefly: When Jen and Seeker first meet irl at spacecon, it is giving major awkward vibes of a middle school crush. Which is fine if that is going to be developed. But then through the excerpts from either the group text chain or the private message chat between Jen and Seeker at the beginning of each chapter, you learn that they did have quite a serious emotional connection that they've formed. Throughout the rest of the book, it felt like the two characters were making decisions and acting wildly different as they seesawed between these two points of reference-- deep connection and something new starting out very tenuous where they weren't quite sure how to act--and those never seemed to line up with each other. And there wasn't enough development and compelling interaction to bridge the gap between the two very different mindsets they were acting from.
Then, there is the whole question of the future and what it actually means for them to be together as a couple long term after
You learn in Seeker's first POV that his camouflage technology that lets him pass for a human means that every single person who sees him interprets his physical features differently. This, as you can imagine, serves as intrigue before Jen finds out he is an alien and after the fact, is a major wrench for the idea of them building anything long term, as I will elaborate on in this spoiler filled rant:
To me, it is not giving romance. It's giving the story that your friend tells you about their sibling's friend's on hour 2-3 on a phone call that gets relayed to you across so many degrees of separation because it is both bizarre and worrying. Like oh,
I get that for this alien-on-earth romance to work, there are going to be parts of their relationship that look completely different. This is acknowledged, like in that he can't take a picture. But I think I could have suspended my disbelief a bit more at the end if the story had gotten me to a place where I could see them as a couple. But never being able to have any permanent other relationships or even acquaintanceships with other people who don't know he is an alien because of the cloaking technology feels like a big enough obstacle that I needed it to be resolved for me to get behind the relationship as a lasting thing and it wasn't, so I read the ending with cynicism and disbelief.
The second major thing I struggled with was the writing. It was way overly detailed in very inane places. Like why am I getting the complete rationale of where you are going for the con schedule each day and why if I am then going to read about you doing those activities. And the whole thing of Jen's neighbor watching her cats and why it was better than her mom watching them or boarding them and why it was a reasonable ask because Jen watched the neighbor's dog was explained minimum three times. It was all telling, we were told things we did not need to know, and we were told over and over again. And I think the over-explanation stood out because there was so much more romantic development that I was looking for in between their milestones and instead I felt like some subplots were added in at random or the pages were being filled with them moving from place to place without it feeling like it was really taking the story somewhere.
But to end on a positive note, this book was unique and not like anything I've read before, which I do value. I am ultimately glad I read it, even with the issues that I had that caused me to not enjoy it that much in the moment. As you can tell from this review, it certainly evoked strong feelings and gave me a lot to think about.
Because by all other markers, I am at least in the range of the target demographic for this book. I read a lot of alien romance with very little shame and there was a lot about this premise that intrigued me. I liked the idea of an alien being on earth and coming to terms with it as his new home (as it is so often the opposite in this genre for our earth girlies getting abducted). I also love the hilarious misunderstandings that happen with such cultural difference and seeing them have to navigate those waters. Found family as a trope can do no wrong as far as I am concerned and I love some nerdy stuff like cons.
For a while I wondered--was it me or was it the book? Did I not have the right mindset or expectations going in and could I have otherwise enjoyed it another time or with more forethought? Or was this book, for a variety of reasons, never going to be it for me?
Unfortunately, I fear the latter is the case. This book did not do it for me. In fact, I think it made me realize a line that I do have. I've read a lot of alien romance, but this was an ALIEN romance (ish?) with an extra emphasis on the alien. And yeah I glanced at the cover but I think I was not prepared for the full extent of it. The worldbuilding aspect of Tam being so different was really cool, but it made the romance a much harder pill to swallow for me.
The believability of the romance is my first major issue. Briefly put, the romance was super weirdly paced and I just didn't really get the compatibility of the two characters beyond friendship for a lasting relationship.
To put it much less briefly: When Jen and Seeker first meet irl at spacecon, it is giving major awkward vibes of a middle school crush. Which is fine if that is going to be developed. But then through the excerpts from either the group text chain or the private message chat between Jen and Seeker at the beginning of each chapter, you learn that they did have quite a serious emotional connection that they've formed. Throughout the rest of the book, it felt like the two characters were making decisions and acting wildly different as they seesawed between these two points of reference-- deep connection and something new starting out very tenuous where they weren't quite sure how to act--and those never seemed to line up with each other. And there wasn't enough development and compelling interaction to bridge the gap between the two very different mindsets they were acting from.
Then, there is the whole question of the future and what it actually means for them to be together as a couple long term after
You learn in Seeker's first POV that his camouflage technology that lets him pass for a human means that every single person who sees him interprets his physical features differently. This, as you can imagine, serves as intrigue before Jen finds out he is an alien and after the fact, is a major wrench for the idea of them building anything long term, as I will elaborate on in this spoiler filled rant:
To me, it is not giving romance. It's giving the story that your friend tells you about their sibling's friend's on hour 2-3 on a phone call that gets relayed to you across so many degrees of separation because it is both bizarre and worrying. Like oh,
I get that for this alien-on-earth romance to work, there are going to be parts of their relationship that look completely different. This is acknowledged, like in that he can't take a picture. But I think I could have suspended my disbelief a bit more at the end if the story had gotten me to a place where I could see them as a couple. But never being able to have any permanent other relationships or even acquaintanceships with other people who don't know he is an alien because of the cloaking technology feels like a big enough obstacle that I needed it to be resolved for me to get behind the relationship as a lasting thing and it wasn't, so I read the ending with cynicism and disbelief.
The second major thing I struggled with was the writing. It was way overly detailed in very inane places. Like why am I getting the complete rationale of where you are going for the con schedule each day and why if I am then going to read about you doing those activities. And the whole thing of Jen's neighbor watching her cats and why it was better than her mom watching them or boarding them and why it was a reasonable ask because Jen watched the neighbor's dog was explained minimum three times. It was all telling, we were told things we did not need to know, and we were told over and over again. And I think the over-explanation stood out because there was so much more romantic development that I was looking for in between their milestones and instead I felt like some subplots were added in at random or the pages were being filled with them moving from place to place without it feeling like it was really taking the story somewhere.
But to end on a positive note, this book was unique and not like anything I've read before, which I do value. I am ultimately glad I read it, even with the issues that I had that caused me to not enjoy it that much in the moment. As you can tell from this review, it certainly evoked strong feelings and gave me a lot to think about.
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