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3.3 AVERAGE
3.3 AVERAGE
Well this was a charming contemporary romcom version of an alien romance!
You know how on the internet, nobody knows you're a dog? (Am I dating myself?) Turns out that on the internet, nobody knows you're an alien, either. Jennette and Seeker/Tamzir meet on the Aliens Among Us forum and start flirting through DMs. They meet up with their AAU group chat at Space Con, where Jen is hoping she and her internet crush can maybe move their relationship to RL. But Seeker has two issues: he's, y'know, an alien; and he still wants to get off-planet. That second one doesn't seem like a huge hurdle for a con fling, but Seeker's species mates for life, meaning he literally can't take things to the next level unless he decides to stay on Earth permanently. (Yes, this means Tamzir is a virgin hero. No, I didn't know this before I started the book, but now YOU DO. You're welcome.)
I have read my fair share of alien and monster romances, and TBQH I'm often uncomfortable with how the non-human bodies are eroticized for the reader. (No judgement if you love them, this is just my own personal discomfort!) This book sidesteps that issue a bit: while it's not closed door, there's not a focus on how Tamzir and Jen fit physically. Instead it's about navigating consent (Tamzir is very hesitant to do much, physically, since it could change his body chemistry or whatever), personal attraction, and how they can make it work emotionally and for the long term. I thought Aguirre made this aspect feel authentic: both Jen and Tamzir feel like loners in their own cultures, so finding a mate outside of those structures makes sense. On the physical end, Jen is gray ace, so she's used to feeling attracted to other people for their personalities and less for their bodies, anyway.
Definitely pick this up if you're a contemporary romance reader looking to dip your toe into alien romance. It's also a great choice if - like me! - you're both burned out on a typical contemporary romance while also being a little too chicken for the full alien romance experience.
This objective review is based on a complimentary copy of the novel.
You know how on the internet, nobody knows you're a dog? (Am I dating myself?) Turns out that on the internet, nobody knows you're an alien, either. Jennette and Seeker/Tamzir meet on the Aliens Among Us forum and start flirting through DMs. They meet up with their AAU group chat at Space Con, where Jen is hoping she and her internet crush can maybe move their relationship to RL. But Seeker has two issues: he's, y'know, an alien; and he still wants to get off-planet. That second one doesn't seem like a huge hurdle for a con fling, but Seeker's species mates for life, meaning he literally can't take things to the next level unless he decides to stay on Earth permanently. (Yes, this means Tamzir is a virgin hero. No, I didn't know this before I started the book, but now YOU DO. You're welcome.)
I have read my fair share of alien and monster romances, and TBQH I'm often uncomfortable with how the non-human bodies are eroticized for the reader. (No judgement if you love them, this is just my own personal discomfort!) This book sidesteps that issue a bit: while it's not closed door, there's not a focus on how Tamzir and Jen fit physically. Instead it's about navigating consent (Tamzir is very hesitant to do much, physically, since it could change his body chemistry or whatever), personal attraction, and how they can make it work emotionally and for the long term. I thought Aguirre made this aspect feel authentic: both Jen and Tamzir feel like loners in their own cultures, so finding a mate outside of those structures makes sense. On the physical end, Jen is gray ace, so she's used to feeling attracted to other people for their personalities and less for their bodies, anyway.
Definitely pick this up if you're a contemporary romance reader looking to dip your toe into alien romance. It's also a great choice if - like me! - you're both burned out on a typical contemporary romance while also being a little too chicken for the full alien romance experience.
This objective review is based on a complimentary copy of the novel.
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
LIghthearted fluffy romance on Earth with penpals and found family and no politics to follow.
Line up for
Space Con
questions about potato skins
1 Random cactus
A chicken to steal the show
and references I only half got!
Finding a deep connection with some people online is valid. Meeting them IRL is hard. This entire story is just finding the ones that accept you. I'm glad this was a romance over time it was very sweet.
Line up for
Space Con
questions about potato skins
1 Random cactus
A chicken to steal the show
and references I only half got!
Finding a deep connection with some people online is valid. Meeting them IRL is hard. This entire story is just finding the ones that accept you. I'm glad this was a romance over time it was very sweet.
Thank you Sourcebooks Casablanca & NetGalley for the eARC of this book!
I really wanted to love this one as a lover of non-human romance, hidden identity trope, and queer rep, but unfortunately it fell short of my expectations.
I really wanted to love this one as a lover of non-human romance, hidden identity trope, and queer rep, but unfortunately it fell short of my expectations.
Maybe it’s because we started the book with both characters already having deep feelings for one another, but I had a hard time seeing and connecting with the romance. We see bits and pieces of their relationship forming through flashback group texts, which helps some, but with the robotic way our alien mmc Tam thought & spoke it was a bit harder at times to feel the romance. It did, however, make the genuinely sweet things he said feel even more hard earned.
The pacing also felt off, especially how much time we spent between the two officially professing feelings & intention to be together up to the end resolution seeming to drag on, then have a rushed last minute situation. That being said, I would’ve loved a short epilogue in the end exploring how the conclusion played out in a few years down the line, or even a 6 month check in.
One thing I did enjoy about this book is the bits of world building we got for what alien civilizations are like compared to earth. I loved the comparisons, and one of my favorite things in a human x nonhuman romance is when the nonhuman comments in how weird something that normal humans do every day is to them. I love alien & monster romance make us take a critical eye to what we’ve normalized in our societies, even if the critiques of humankind weren’t particularly deep in most cases.
Found family was also a big part of this book with a big group of self-proclaimed weirdos & space nerds meeting for the first time irl after being online only. I loved seeing the group dynamics and finding those that get you, and I’m curious to see what happens to the restroom of the characters if this continues as a series!
Overall cute concept but I don’t think I’ll be rereading this one!
Spice rating 1/5
(two scenes described briefly & without detailed language )
(
Rep:
- bi/pan ace-spec (gray-ace) human fmc
- Alien mmc with autistic coded traits (according to me, an autistic reviewer)
Tropes
- Alien romance
- Hidden identity
- Friends to lovers
- Found family
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual harassment
Moderate: Sexual content
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
First of all, thank you to Ann Aguire, NetGalley and Sourcebooks Casablanca for the advanced reader copy of I Think I'm in Love with an Alien! I am also interviewing Ann Aguire for 12News, so keep an eye out for the article!
I Think I'm in Love with an Alien follows community college astronomy professor Jennette Hammond: a lover of all things far out there, weird and alien who feels like she will never fit in anywhere. Jennette finds solace in an online forum, Aliens Among Us, and creates a group chat that quickly becomes not only her closest group of friends, but a lifeline. Seeker, a.k.a an alien who is stranded on Earth named Tamzir Jaarn, is drawn to Jennette, and sees his friendship with her as one of the few bright spots in his accidental exile. When the motley crew decides to meet up at Space Con, it's the opportunity of a lifetime for Jennette and Seeker. Will Jennette's virtual crush survive the real world? Could being stuck far from home actually be a good thing for Seeker? Or are both of their hopes too far out of this world?
This is the second alien romance I've read this week, oddly enough! Not planned, just worked out that way, and I am not mad about it by any means.
I love the idea of aliens being able to be among humans in their true form all because a space convention is in town. That is the coolest idea and when I read the synopsis, I was hooked because all I wanted to do see it play out on the page. And I was not disappointed!
Hands down my favorite part though was the emotional intelligence of every character. I know that sounds like a super dorky thing to say, but hear me out. The characters all find themselves in tricky situations that elicit feelings of stress and anxiety: being outsiders in their environments, dealing with relationship insecurity/jealousy, making new friends, inappropriate behavior; just to name a few. It can be hard to capture anxiety on the page, but even harder to capture what happens next. Thinking all of your thoughts through, emotional regulation, taking care of yourself and being honest with your own challenges and strengths, etc. Ann Aguire does this extremely well throughout the book and as a reader, I found it incredibly satisfying.
Overall, this book is cozy. It's a lovely gang of people getting to know one another and sharing in life together. It's wholesome and incredibly sweet and just so happens to feature extraterrestrials. I think that is one of the coolest things: Yes, of course, there are aliens. But the way Ann Aguire writes them is as a simply another character to get to know and love. How cool is that?
If you are looking for a cozy read to curl up with, this is for you. It's romantic, it's got a loveable cast of characters, it has meaningful friendships, and it makes you giggle and kick your feet. No better way to spend a weekend, in my opinion!
I Think I'm in Love with an Alien follows community college astronomy professor Jennette Hammond: a lover of all things far out there, weird and alien who feels like she will never fit in anywhere. Jennette finds solace in an online forum, Aliens Among Us, and creates a group chat that quickly becomes not only her closest group of friends, but a lifeline. Seeker, a.k.a an alien who is stranded on Earth named Tamzir Jaarn, is drawn to Jennette, and sees his friendship with her as one of the few bright spots in his accidental exile. When the motley crew decides to meet up at Space Con, it's the opportunity of a lifetime for Jennette and Seeker. Will Jennette's virtual crush survive the real world? Could being stuck far from home actually be a good thing for Seeker? Or are both of their hopes too far out of this world?
This is the second alien romance I've read this week, oddly enough! Not planned, just worked out that way, and I am not mad about it by any means.
I love the idea of aliens being able to be among humans in their true form all because a space convention is in town. That is the coolest idea and when I read the synopsis, I was hooked because all I wanted to do see it play out on the page. And I was not disappointed!
Hands down my favorite part though was the emotional intelligence of every character. I know that sounds like a super dorky thing to say, but hear me out. The characters all find themselves in tricky situations that elicit feelings of stress and anxiety: being outsiders in their environments, dealing with relationship insecurity/jealousy, making new friends, inappropriate behavior; just to name a few. It can be hard to capture anxiety on the page, but even harder to capture what happens next. Thinking all of your thoughts through, emotional regulation, taking care of yourself and being honest with your own challenges and strengths, etc. Ann Aguire does this extremely well throughout the book and as a reader, I found it incredibly satisfying.
Overall, this book is cozy. It's a lovely gang of people getting to know one another and sharing in life together. It's wholesome and incredibly sweet and just so happens to feature extraterrestrials. I think that is one of the coolest things: Yes, of course, there are aliens. But the way Ann Aguire writes them is as a simply another character to get to know and love. How cool is that?
If you are looking for a cozy read to curl up with, this is for you. It's romantic, it's got a loveable cast of characters, it has meaningful friendships, and it makes you giggle and kick your feet. No better way to spend a weekend, in my opinion!
slow-paced
This was cute!
Admittedly, this was a little too slow for me. Even as a demisexual and seeing a lot of myself in Jen, there was still too much filler in setting up the world.
I understand that this was also setting up the potential for more novels in the same universe (especially with some of the reveals in that same friend group) but I feel like it would've benefitted from a faster pace. Especially with the group text chapters also breaking up the pacing even more. I can understand that it's part of setting the stage for Jen and Tam but, they dragged a little bit too long.
Thank you to Sourcebooks and NetGalley for the eArc in exchange for an honest review!
Admittedly, this was a little too slow for me. Even as a demisexual and seeing a lot of myself in Jen, there was still too much filler in setting up the world.
I understand that this was also setting up the potential for more novels in the same universe (especially with some of the reveals in that same friend group) but I feel like it would've benefitted from a faster pace. Especially with the group text chapters also breaking up the pacing even more. I can understand that it's part of setting the stage for Jen and Tam but, they dragged a little bit too long.
Thank you to Sourcebooks and NetGalley for the eArc in exchange for an honest review!
lighthearted
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This is a very romcomy scifi romance, which was a surprise after the other scifi books I have read by Ann Aguirre. The story is cute though and set at a Space Con. It is dual POV, told from the point of view of both a human and her alien love interest. Jen is our human FMC who is obsessed with meeting an alien, but also lonely in her real life. She meets some like minded people online and then sets up a get together for all of them at Space Con. One of her online friends is Seeker, who unbeknownst to her is an alien! Seeker is stranded on Earth and trying to find a way home. While stranded he has experienced deep loneliness and the group chat Jen creates really helps him. This is a sweet story as they both bumble around each other trying to decide if they can truly trust the other. If you are looking for a unique romcom, this is the one to check out!
lighthearted
medium-paced
emotional
funny
lighthearted
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
A pretty atypical story of finding love on the internet. Cute, although it was clear the romance was the focus, to the point where several other threads seemed under-developed. The sex scenes were for the monster lovers, and the romance itself was a pretty extreme wish fulfillment example—a partner who might literally drop the rest of the universe for you!—but that's just what this book's ideal audience is looking for.
3 stars - I liked it
Tamzir Jaarn, aka Seeker, has been paying the price for risking an illicit holiday on an forbidden planet. His ride off world never showed up and now he has been stranded on Earth for a year. But when he meets some cool humans online and is invited to the biggest space-themed convention, he decides to take the chance and go, especially since Jennette will be there.
This was a bit of a cozy, cute, and nerdy sci-fi romance. We have a group of online friends who are obsessed with aliens finally getting to meet for the first time at a convention. This was very relatable as a cosplayer myself who has met many online friends at conventions. I really enjoyed the friendship between these six friends and how supportive they were, especially after finding out aliens exist.
Tam was an alien who sought adventure to get away from disappointed parents and ended up on Earth. He is struggling but finds solace in the group chat, specifically with Jeneticist, aka Jennette. I really liked Tam. He was sweet, kind, and lonely. He really just wanted to be accepted for enjoying mechanical things, and he found that on Earth. His culture and alien differences were fascinating and I loved the brief glimpses we got of what an alien world looked like.
Jennette is a woman who dreamed of being an astronomer but settled for teaching it instead. She has really been accepted by friends or family until she finds this group of friends. I really liked that she didn’t really panic about finding out about aliens, and quickly jumped in to help Tam survive better. While I liked Jennette, I did think she gave her family way too much leeway in her life but was glad to see that she cut them out after their toxic words.
The romance between these two is very slow building. Its friends to lovers but with Jennette being grayace, it makes it a bit slower. I was glad to see grayace representation that actually focused more on the emotional side of the relationship instead of the physical. I enjoyed their relationship but it did make the story a bit slow, especially with everything else going on in this story.
White I enjoyed this story, the pacing is slow because it spends a lot of time on non-relationship things like getting to know all the friends, the convention, and on the daily life of the main characters. I enjoyed getting to know the other characters, but I could have done with less of the filler scenes that didn’t really add much to the story or romance.
Overall, while the pacing is slow I still enjoyed this. I would be interested in reading more if she writes about their friends.
TW: toxic family; sexual harassment; death of a parent from cancer mentioned; death of friend in car crash mentioned;
*ARC provided by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.*
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual harassment
Minor: Death, Grief, Death of parent
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
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.