Ultimately this one wasn’t for me — I like MMORPGs and I love romance, but I had a hard time attaching the two here. I think the formatting of the chat hurt, but l tried again with the published version to no more success. Conceptually fun, and I appreciated what the author did with some of the early on/offline scenes.

Alexis hall never disappoints with books and this one was amazing too from the plot and relatable characters this was a great read

REVIEW: Looking for Group by Alexis Halle

Looking for Group is a nerdy but cute romance where Drew and Kit meet in an MMORPG game. There is a lot of charm and wit in the writing that Alexis Hall is known for. It is an enjoyable concept to have a relationship built within a fantasy game, followed by trying to make it work in real life. There are many sweet and strong connections between their friends and chosen family in the game and in real life.

Although the story is super cute, Looking for Group had a lot of gamer talk. If you are really into MMORPGs, you will probably like the chat setting; however, I found myself skipping ahead on many of the raid chats and game descriptions. It was almost a barrier to getting to know Drew and Kit as well as their relationship more deeply. Additionally, the ending felt abrupt, which was disappointing after the considerable time spent in the gaming world.

Looking for Group is excellent if you are a big fan of MMORPGs and gaming lingo with romance, but it didn’t delve as deeply as I wanted into the characters and their relationships.

Thank you, NetGalley and Forever SOURCEBOOKS Casablanca | Sourcebooks Casablanca, for providing me with a free advanced copy for my honest review.

A cozy queer romance with great character growth and sweet online-to-offline chemistry. The heavy focus on MMORPG gameplay makes it feel immersive for gamers but potentially inaccessible for others. Charming, but very niche.

Das Buch ist perfekt für queere Nerds! Man schliesst die Charaktere schnell ins Herz und verliert sich in den (imaginären) Welten, als würde man selbst vor dem Bildschirm sitzen.

Yays:
- Love the character development of Drew!! Yes realize what you should prioritize!! Discover yourself during uni!!
- This book just reminded me of the true joy you get when you find people that have similar interests as you. Especially as someone that has also found life long friends through online games and social media
- The in game banter was very accurate and funny
- Loved the chemistry between Drew and Kit
- Very cozy very nerdy vibes (my favourite)

Nays:
- (Not really a con for me but may be for others) There are large portions of the book where it describes what is happening in the MMORPG the main character is playing. Now, I loved this because I grew up playing MMORPGs and understood what was happening during the raids, but for people that may not be familiar with it, they might feel like it was just big blocks of text that they didn't really care about
- Honestly wish this was longer!! The ending and resolution felt a bit rushed and I think it could have been developed a bit more

Thank you to Sourcebooks and Netgalley for the ARC!!

Boy howdy this nerdy romance was extremely heavy on the MMORPG.

I love a love story about two geeks bonding over something, well, geeky. Most of my experience with this has been romances centered around tabletop games like Dungeons & Dragons, but I thought Looking for Group sounded like a cute approach to this concept using video games as the vehicle.

And it was cute! I really enjoyed Drew and Kit's banter as they got to know each other in and out of the game, but soooo much page time is spent explaining their time in the MMO. Like not just their DMing while they're gaming, but like explaining the raids they're playing IN DEPTH and utilizing gamer shorthand RELENTLESSLY. I've never been one for online gaming, so while I'm familiar with the mechanics, this element just really did not land with me. I found myself skimming a lot of the gaming stuff just to get to the relationship development. It just didn't really feel accessible to people who have anything less than first-hand experience playing World of Warcraft. (I don't even know for sure if this is the MMO Alexis Hall is trying to emulate lol)

I did think the drama of the story was well done, but I also felt a bit too old for it in parts. I thought the panic that Drew felt over Kit not being a girl would be a bigger conflict, but I was relieved that it wasn't. Unfortunately, as a result, the other dilemma that develops feels sort of silly in comparison?? It reminded me of being in college in the worst way, but I suppose it was true to the characters and their ages.

Anywho, this was cute but it feels like it's for a very niche audience. I'm sure this is the perfect cross-section of genres for someone, but it wasn't 100% for me. The hunt for my perfect Alexis Hall book continues.

This was a delight to read for the nerdy type, which appeals to a wider range than I realized! It was a cozy romance while also very much delving into the gamer life. It's not my favorite of AH books, but it was a good read nonetheless. I felt like the characters were well developed and it really dove into the gaming aspect.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the chance to read this book. I was really excited to read this book because i was really curious about it but it turned out it was not for me i did not like the way the story line went in any way which is sad because Alexis Hall has many other wonderful books. I am sad to say this book is a no for me.

So I knew it was a book centered around gaming, though I didn’t quite realize that most of the plot in the first half would occur through a game! I’ve played DND once & tons of tabletop games, but don’t play anything online so it took a while to get used to the lingo, but was definitely a fresh way to read a relationship beginning. Definitely give the vocab guide in the beginning a thorough perusal!

The story was full of tension and longing, very much in the “who am I?” style of being 19 and trying to figure out how you fit into the world around you. Drew & Kit totally charmed me, as did their communities both in and out of the gaming world.

Read if you like: Gaming of any kind, coming of age stories, college-aged main characters, Love is Blind

Thanks to Netgalley and Sourcebooks Casablanca for providing me with a digital copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

I originally read this when it came out ages ago—actually one of the first queer books I ever read. When I saw that it was getting republished with a new cover I had to pick it up again and give it another read. It filled me with so much nostalgia and I definitely have a lot of fondness for this book. I’m no more into the world of online games than I was back then, but that connection with the online community and finding solace in people who get you—even on the other side of a screen worlds away—really resonates. Your family is who you make it, Glad to see this book come back, I enjoyed returning to the MCs love story.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was a sweet and nerdy book! What I really liked about it was how Drew’s coming out to himself didn’t overtake the book, but was still a meaningful plot point. This book does take place heavily in a video game and there’s a lot of gamer talk. As a non-gamer, this was a bit jarring at first but the glossary at the start of the book helped orient me pretty well. I also got the hang of the game-esk structure of the dialogue pretty quickly. I did want a bit more details outside of game-play concerning our MCs. My favourite scenes were often those that centred on them as people instead of them discussing games or while they were gaming. But, I did learn a lot about video games in general with this book which was quite fun!

If you’re a seasonal or vibe reader like me, this book would suit you well if you’re in the midst of completing your undergrad. Both MCs are young university students and there are some great discussions about finding yourself while at uni.

This book made my nerd heart so happy! All the video game references and the fact that the video game the book takes place in his World of Warcraft and all the references to that throughout the book was *chefs kiss* I loved every bit of it.

However, while I did enjoy the nerd references, and the fact that this ended with a HEA, there were some not so great parts as well, the pacing was way too fast, it felt like our MC didn’t process his very new attraction to boys like you would expect someone who spent their whole life thinking they were straight would. He also came off a bit dickish about the fact that our love interest played video games so much, when they met in a video game….All
In all it was a very cute read. But felt way too rushed.

I think it helps to know that this incredibly nerdy book was written quite some time ago for an event called GaymerCon, so the original audience were LGBTQ+ gamers. I think the book could still be enjoyable for a wider audience, but be prepared for a large portion of the book to take place in a massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG). I’ve been a gamer since back in the 80s, but I don’t think I’ve ever played an MMORPG, and I would have been lost without the thoughtfully provided but not entirely comprehensive glossary at the start. Also, I was occasionally confused by some of the British slang and other cultural references, but you can generally figure it out from context.

Once I adjusted to the language, I really enjoyed this sweet story of two college students who meet in a game and fall in love. There’s plenty of witty banter, as well as wonderful messages about loving what you love regardless of what other people think and finding a partner who accepts you just as you are (and who you can totally accept as well). The author’s love and respect for all types of games shines through, and I loved the depiction of developing a community and strong friendships online.

This will be most accessible to gamers, but I think other fans of queer romance may also enjoy it. Note that there’s swearing, sexual innuendo, and in-game violence.

I received a free ARC through NetGalley, and I volunteered to provide an honest review.

I tried really hard to read this because I love Alexis Hall, but I just couldn't get into it. I will say- I am not a gamer so most of the jargon went over my head and I really struggled with the format. I think if you are used to the lingo and more interested in unusual writing styles, you may really love this! I just think I wasn't the right audience.

🎮✨ Book Review ✨🎮

Looking for Group by Alexis Hall might be the nerdiest, sweetest, most unexpectedly heartwarming romance I’ve read in ages and I LOVED every second.

Drew thinks he has life figured out: sports, friends, school… and some casual gaming on the side. But when he falls for his in-game healer...clever, funny, brilliant Kit...everything shifts. Kit isn’t who Drew expected outside the game, but love doesn’t care about expectations. Love cares about connection. 🕹️💖

This book is full of:
🎮 MMO gaming vibes (with debates every gamer has had 😂)
💻 Online friends who become found family
💙 Queer romance that’s tender & affirming
🥹 A boy learning that love is about who you love, not what box they fit in

It’s nerdy, funny, and full of heart. Alexis Hall balances the banter and gaming lingo with an honest, emotional romance that made me smile, laugh, and yes even get a little misty-eyed. This isn’t about toxic gaming spaces, it’s about queer gamers carving out safe, loving communities where they can thrive. And that message? Chef’s kiss. 👌

If you loved Boyfriend Material or Heartstopper, but wished for a little more gamer chaos and online-to-real-life love, Looking for Group belongs on your TBR.

#LookingForGroup #AlexisHall #NetGalley #MMRomance #QueerRomance #Bookstagram #OnlineToOfflineLove #FoundFamily #GamerRomance #HeartstopperVibes #RomanceReaders #NerdyAndProud #SourcebooksCasablanca

As a gamer, I loved all the gaming bits in this. I related a lot to Kit throughout the story, as I’ve gone through points where most of my life was online as well. I struggled with Drew not understanding this and trying to change him. Overall this is probably not a book for everyone, but it was a pretty good read.

Wow. I loved this book. I'm not a gamer so it took at while for me to get into the groove of reading all the chats and gamer abbreviations, etc. but once I got used to it, I loved this way to tell this story! The main characters were incredibly sweet and loveable, and I really liked the supporting cast as well, except Sanni - didn't love him. This can definitely be read as a YA or new adult romance, and I kind of loved how innocent the romance was.
I will definitely recommend this to readers of LGBTQIA romance!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC!

This was a good time. I don’t think this author is necessarily for me anymore, but I am really glad I gave this book a shot as I do still really like his characters and it’s overall fun.

Thank you @quicunquevult and @sourcebookscasa for the #gifted book. All opinions expressed are my own.

Looking For Group is a sweet, funny romance about connection in the most unexpected place. Drew has always kept his gaming life separate from everything else, but meeting Kit changes that fast. What starts as a friendship in Heroes of Legend turns into something that makes Drew rethink what really matters and who he wants to spend his time with.

I am not a gamer at all, and it still pulled me in. Once I stopped trying to follow every bit of gaming jargon and just let the story happen, it became this charming look at how real online friendships and relationships can be. Drew and Kit are adorable together, whether they are bantering in game or figuring out how to connect in real life. There is plenty of humor and a lot of heart, with a nice reminder that the people you meet online can mean just as much as those you see every day.

Gamers will probably get the most out of the references, but even if you have never touched a controller, it is still a fun and genuinely warm romance.