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Member Reviews

This was a delightfully fun novel that left me wanting to try to play more video games. Alexis Hall brings Drew and Kit together as they both play a video game they love. In the quiet hours of the game the two build a slow steady connection that leaves them wanting to explore more, only Drew realizes Kit is not a cute girl he was anticipating but rather a cute guy. Drew has to decide if this changes how he feels and how they can move forward.

Drew decides to explore his connection with Kit and we get a beautiful exploration of how we define our friends, chosen family, and how that can look different for different people. I really enjoyed the exploration of friendships, both in person and online in this one.

If you want a cute, fun to read and experience novel that dips its toes into the online gaming world I would highly recommend this book. I loved the fantasy of the video games looped in with the real world experience in this one. Thank you to the publisher for providing an advanced readers copy via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

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Actual review 3.5 stars

Overall I enjoyed this book and its different from any other Alexis Hall book (or even from most other books) with the addition of the in game dialogue but it lacks some of the depth with which I have become accustomed. I was hoping for a bi-awakening but this never really gets off the ground and yeah I am all for not everyone needs a label but I feel like we needed some more on Drew thoughts about this.

I also thought that Drew and Kit's relationship needed more development and the conflict which led to the 3rd act break up was a little silly. That being said, this is still a ridiculously adorable book which I did enjoy and Drew's big gesture at the end to win back Kit was, well adorable. I do wish that there has been some smut as opposed to a close door scene but that's just me.

I would still recommend reading this because its different, though I wish I had a physical copy rather than an ebook because it would have been good to be able to go back and forth with the glossary so I could follow along with all the gaming terms.

Thank you to Netgalley and Sourcebooks Casablanca for the eARC and because its still been a strange week, I am leaving an honest review

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I absolutely loved this! I loved the setting of this book. The way the in game play and messages were depicted. I haven’t read a romance like this before! Drew and Kit were so sweet! Drew was kinda getting on my nerves a bit here and there but he pulled through in the end.

They were just so cute. They were so nervous when they first meet and we get to see them slowly become more comfortable with each other.

This book is about finding somewhere you belong. About enjoying what you love and not letting others tell you it’s wrong. The things we experience and the relationships we build online are just as real and important as the ones we have in person.

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“Falling for someone in a video game? Not his style. Until it is.” That line sums up the heart of Looking for Group—a warm, funny, and deeply honest coming-of-age story that tackles identity, connection, and the blurred lines between virtual and real-life love.

Drew is not your typical "gamer boy" stereotype. He plays football, goes to parties, and lives comfortably in the mainstream, keeping his online hobby, Heroes of Legend, in the background. But when he meets Kit, a clever and charismatic healer in-game, his world starts to tilt. What begins as friendly banter and battle strategy quickly turns into something deeper. When Kit reveals he’s a boy in real life, Drew is forced to confront feelings and assumptions he never thought he’d question.

What makes Looking for Group stand out isn’t just its charming dialogue or immersive digital world (though both are solid). It’s the vulnerability at its core. Drew’s journey from confusion to clarity feels authentic and unforced. His exploration of his sexuality is handled with nuance and care, without ever becoming overly didactic. The emotional beats hit hard, especially the moments where Drew grapples with fear, pride, and the desire to do right by someone he’s come to care for deeply.

Kit, meanwhile, is a standout in his own right. Witty, self-aware, and guarded for good reason, he balances Drew’s uncertainty with his quiet courage. The chemistry between them, built on shared battles and late-night conversations, is equal parts sweet and sincere.

Yes, Looking for Group is about online games—but it’s more about the ways people build real relationships in digital spaces, and how those connections can challenge us to grow in ways we never expect. It’s about friendship, first love, and stepping into a more honest version of yourself—even when it’s scary.

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Thank you to netgalley and publishers for this ARC!

As per Alexis Hall, this novel was sweet, funny, and loveable. It took me 4 chapters to get used to the storytelling format, but once I did, I fell in love! I loved the characters and the insight into who they are as people, and I loved how it explored their feelings. Very, very sweet!

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Thank you Sourcebooks and Netgalley for the ARC!

3.5 stars
To me this was a super quick read, I feel having had a Discord and even gaming phase that I resonated with some of this in terms of the groups and online friendships which I found nice to see put in place in a book.

At times, for me, I did find it overexcessive the use of words - but I still enjoyed it! The online relationship to in-person relationship between Drew and Kit was really sweet, I loved how they had their internet and real life then the challenges between friends.

I think if you don't know much about gaming go in with an open mind as it might be confusing and not for you, but the relationship that develops is very sweet (frustrating at times with their miscommunication) but I loved the little community between them all.

Overall, a nice quick and sweet read!

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I think this is going to be the perfect read for a very specific reader. Unfortunately, I am not that reader. I have no experience with the games this is based around, so even with the lengthy glossary I was just too out of my depth.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc! Opinions are my own.

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