I loved this story! Anyone new to the genre and a lover of all things cozy romance will find this charming. I’m so happy to see more inclusive books in the romance space! Thank you for the opportunity to read this ARC.

This was an adorable love story of found family and loving aliens. I enjoyed every minute and the secondary characters were wonderful.

To be honest, I thought I would enjoy this book. I thought it would be cute/ funny, kind of Book about being in love with an alien. But this book stopped in boringville and never left.
It was very unevenly paced and was very meh. I honestly didn’t care for any of the characters.
And ended the way you expected to. I skipped a lot because it got so repetitive and so predictable.
I feel bad, not liking it, but I would for sure not recommend it.

This was an enjoyable read overall. I was really intrigued by the premise. I thought the overarching plot was interesting and fun. I REALLY appreciated how neurodivergent friendly the whole book felt. More than one character definitely displayed traits of different types of neurodivergence. It felt nice to be seen in that way.

My cons with this book stem more from the constant insecurities of the MFC. It turned the whole book into mainly her internal dialogues. While I understand that this is something that would happen in this scenario, it just felt unhealthy. I get that he was an alien and things were different from a regular relationship, but it did feel to me like there were some red flags with his fast she was willing to leave it all behind for him. But maybe I’d do the same if I fell in love with an alien, idk haha

Thank you NetGalley for the ability to read I think I am in love with an alien

I loved everything about this book and it was perfect for my alien need to be scratched. Was it the most indepth alien or monster romance? No. However it was still a fun read and I would recommend to readers that are new to the genre!

Ah the comfort of chat groups where people can find kindred spirits. This book is about the members of such a chat group. It is made up of alien, sci fi fixated nerds. They grow close in their supportive chat group. Things get more interesting when they decide to meet in person at Space Con where sparks fly.

Heat Factor: This is the least explicit alien sex I’ve ever read

Character Chemistry: Two very lonely people who find the person who truly *gets* them. Species, schmecies!

Plot: Group of online friends meet IRL at an alien con and a love connection is made

Overall: I had trouble taking this book on its own merits

My expectations might have been too high. Strange Love is probably my favorite alien romance of all time and since I Think I’m in Love with an Alien is by the same author, I was hoping to be blown away. I was not, but honestly, I don’t know how you can top a pivotal bleak moment hinging on your talking dog being a good boy and ruining everything. (Cue the waterworks.) But also, I Think I’m in Love with an Alien does not lean into the absolute weirdness of alien romance the same way Strange Love does.

However, as a professional (unpaid) reviewer, I’m going to try and set some of my disappointment aside and talk about this particular book. Just know that this if you’re like me and have a weird obsession with a gentle giant cockroach, this is not a readalike.

Anyways, Jennette and Tamzir are both in a small group chat that spun off of a larger message board. The six group members have spent the last year becoming friends (many of these group chats were reproduced here and involve them all doing things like playing Truth or Dare and I found it kind of cringeworthy because that’s not how you build friendships?), and all agree to meet at an alien convention. Jennette is excited and apprehensive; she feels like these people are real friends (especially Tamzir), but what if think she’s too much when they meet in person? Tamzir is excited and apprehensive, too; he really wants to meet Jennette, but he’s an alien who was stranded on Earth and would kind of like to leave, which *might* put a damper on things.

The plot is kind of meandery: the group spends some time at the con, Tam reveals himself to Jennette, it turns out that actually there are other aliens in their group chat, some secrets are kept and there are some hurt feelings, everything is revealed…and then there’s still more book after the convention ends and Tam moves in with Jennette and they start playing house.

Because of the meandery plot, there are a lot of micro-conflicts in the first half. Things like, “Should I reveal that I’m an alien?” (fair) or “Why is Tam going off and having private conversations with that other chick when he told me he likes me?” (ugh, fine) or “Is it safe to appear as my alien self and pretend to be a really good cosplayer? And what do I do when people get weird about it?” (I honestly would have put my camouflage tech back on much earlier, Tam, but you do you).

The central conflict in the second half of the book boils down to the question of whether Tam would still choose Jennette if he had literally any other option. Now, this is a fair question but the angst that should come with this kind of conflict just didn’t hit for me in this case. Plus I guess there continued to be other situational conflict (eg Jennette’s relationship with her mom and sister) to keep things meandery.

I’ve spent a lot of time highlighting the different conflicts but the vibe of this book is actually very gentle. So if you’re interested in alien romance but are not interested in the weird alien peen used in fun and exciting ways in most of them and would rather focus on just hanging out with the characters as they play house and support each other and play Never Have I Ever, then this might be a good fit.

I voluntarily read and reviewed a complimentary copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. We disclose this in accordance with 16 CFR §255.

This review is also available at The Smut Report.

⤿ 💌 3 stars!

This was overall a good read alien romance read! I loved Seeker's POVs because it was always so much fun to see how he was interpreting human customs and social settings. However, I do think this book was way longer than it needed to be so i would find myself bored during a lot of points. It felt like the story would become really slow as most of it takes place at a space convention over multiple days.

Rather than a strong romance this felt more like a found family sci-fi story! Which isn't bad but I don't believe the romance is actually it's strongest aspect.

Honestly I ran to start this as I am in such a Superman phase at the moment and boy this did not disappoint. I was craving an alien romance and this was exactly that and more, I adored the nerdy nature of this as well as how emotional the friendships in it was. Jen and Tam were made for each other. I especially thought it was fun that this Alien romance actually took place on Earth rather than off planet which was a nice twist. I will definitely pick up another of Aquirre's books.

3.5/5

I inhaled this book! It was fun, cosy, quirky and great representation of neurodivergent people who tend to form online friendships. Reading about Jen and her group of friends, I felt seen.
I liked how the relationship between Jen and Tam felt natural, full of getting to really know each other, awkwardness, being unsure about the feelings of the other one, trust and most importantly of liking the person for who they are, regardless of how they look like or what species they are.
The story was focused mainly on the relationships between the characters, with backdrop of SpaceCon they were attending. There were no huge stakes, action etc., just looming existential crisis of alien stranded on Earth with no way of getting home and fear of being discovered. There was a huge theme of loneliness throughout the book and it was nice to see acknowledged, that you don't need to literally be alien to feel like it - lonely, being the only one different,... but also message, that there are always people like you, for you, and that you can find your own family in friends, who will love you unconditionally.
The only thing I was a bit bummed about was that I expected a bit more romance and spice, but this cosy, cute and fun read was still worth it!

Thank you to the author, Sourcebooks Casablanca and NetGalley for the eARC of this book!

Truly one of the most entertaining Alien romances i have read in a while. I loved these two so much. Like so fucking much.

When Jen forms a group chat with people she met in the Aliens Among Us forums, she doesn't expect to form a crush on Seeker, and she certainly doesn't expect that he might be an actually alien. Despite being stuck on Earth for the past year, Tam (known as Seeker online) has a lot to learn about humans while he continues to try to find a way home. The whole group agrees to meet in person at Space Con, and neither Jen nor Tam could imagine all they'll learn.

I thought this was a very fun idea, with an actual alien pretending to be a cosplayer. I really liked all the side characters and hope I can read more about them in future books. I did feel like there were some bigger questions about the state of aliens living on Earth at the end of the book, but I think that just leaves space for sequels to explore. Overall, it was a cute, fun read.

Jennette has never really fit in, she loves anything to do with space, and especially the chance that aliens exist. She has found herself a small group online that proves to her there are people like her out there, and she has convinced them to attend SpaceCon in Utah with her for a whole week. The one she is most excited to meet is Seeker, someone she has had a crush on for a while, and is pretty sure they have feeling for her as well.

Tamzir goes by Seeker online, he is a being from another plant who got stranded almost a year ago when he was exploring Earth on a holiday and his ride off-world never showed up. He has been trying to get home ever since and figures a detour with some online friends might be fun while he continues to try getting back home.

I honestly had the most fun reading this book. The story was so much fun, and I love a good found family trope. This was also such a fun alien/human romance, that did not take itself too seriously and kept me glued to the page. The exploration of the themes of loneliness, being misunderstood, and learning one's worth was surprisingly well explored.

I wanted more from this book. I’ve read and enjoyed other books by Ann and so maybe my expectations were too high. It was hard for me to see Jen and Tam being so comfortable with each other so fast despite seeing their text communications. I liked the friend group as a whole and didn’t expect three of them to be aliens. The idea of the con was cool. Maybe I just needed more of the romance?

I Think I'm in Love with an Alien is a fun romp through a SF convention with a chat group who met on a Aliens Among Us forum and morphs into a found family with human and secretly alien members. Funny, sweet, and satisfying with great sf con representation.

3.5 stars - This book was so cute and cozy. I really loved the set up and how it was all based around an alien social media group, which ofc only made it better when members of the friend group actually turned out to be aliens. I loved how Tam and Jen fell into things naturally. There was no insta love or immediate attraction, he took the time to tell her about his colors and to listen to what she liked as well. The book did a great job at showcasing all the parts of crushing and newly dating people feel like the awkwardness, the unsureness and even the family drama that can occur. I really enjoyed the quirkiness of this friend group and the group chat really allowed us to connect with the characters and learn their backgrounds. I was super happy with the mild suspense throughout the book as well. This was a really fun low spice, quick read. Nothing better than an alien HEA

Thank you Netgalley for allowing me to read this ARC

This one was just okay. I thought it sounded so cute, and I loved the idea of space fans at a con and the whole alien thing, but I really thought it would be more of a romance than it was. It felt like there was no tension, and honestly, it was so much 'tell rather than show.' I did not get vibes of either of them crushing on each other at all.

I went into this one with pretty low expectations, and ended up being so pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed it! The story follows a quirky, lovable group of humans and aliens (in disguise!) who meet through an online chat group and eventually connect in real life at a sci-fi convention. At the heart of it is Jen, a grey-ace woman who leads with personality and heart, and Seeker/Tam, an alien with a complicated past. Their slow-building connection felt sweet and genuine, and I loved the cozy, slice-of-life feel throughout.

This book had great found family vibes, neurodivergent rep, and lots of fun, light-hearted moments mixed with deeper themes of loneliness, acceptance, and what it means to truly belong. The group texts and games gave it a fun, interactive feeling, and the romance was tender without being overly spicy—more PG than Ruby Dixon, but definitely in the same feel-good, alien-human-connection lane. Overall, a heartfelt, comforting read that left me smiling. Definitely worth picking up if you’re into soft sci-fi and emotionally-driven stories.

First of all, thank you to the wonderful publisher for a chance to read the book.

The cover is what drew me in, it's gorgeous. The premise of the book captured my attention. Unfortunately, I had to stop at the 33% mark because the story lost that attention.

I like the fact that this book is a found family of social misfits. I like that each individual brings something beautiful to the table. I like that an online romance stirs quietly gently (maybe too gently) between two lonely people. And I like that this group developed into a supportive place where friends are safe to share ideas and feelings. It's hard to pinpoint exactly what made me lose interest but I chose to put the book down instead of forcing myself to carry on. I definitely think this story has an audience, it just wasn't the book for me.

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.