This story was a blast to read, the fluff so good, the drama so real (sometimes too real, you could say), the characters felt alive. I'm not good with this kind of thing, so I just going to say, give this story a chance if you're in doubt of doing so. And as a "bonus" coment, Aria trying to keep herself inside the closet and her monologues made oscillate between having a silly grin and giggling to myself in a public space to "I'll throw a f-ing monkey with a wrench onto you so he can smash this clear glass closet that you think is hiding you." Fortunately, Jorge is still safe with by my side.

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This is a story about Aria, a woman still coming to terms with her identity and battling her own anxieties. At a convention, she meets Astra, a charismatic alien, and in a hilarious twist, she unintentionally ends up married to her during what she thinks is a LARP performance. What follows is a quirky and unique premise, with Aria finding herself with a mysterious and attentive house guest.

While the potential for offbeat comedy is strong, the story ultimately delves into Aria's personal journey, focusing on her emotional struggles and growth. The tension and internal conflict she faces as she navigates her feelings create a compelling, if sometimes intense, exploration of self-acceptance.

Astra, the alien who becomes Aria’s unexpected companion, plays a quiet yet supportive role in the story. Though their interactions are limited in the early chapters, Astra remains a caring presence, with her goal of helping Aria embrace their situation, leading to moments of reflection and potential future growth for both characters.

Ultimately, the story is an exploration of Aria’s emotional journey, and while the relationship between her and Astra is still developing, there’s a clear foundation for deeper connection as the narrative progresses. The pace is thoughtful, and though the conversations between the two are still evolving, there’s a sense of anticipation for where their bond could go.

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My review is only through chapter 13, so please keep that in mind.

This is a story about Aria, a closeted lesbian and doormat filled with a tremendous amount of anxiety and self-loathing. She meets a hot alien at a con named Astra and, thinking it's some sort of LARP performance, accidentally marries her and ends up with a doting house guest.

This is a pretty great setup for some offbeat comedy, but unfortunately the story just doesn't go there. Instead, we end up following Aria around as she frantically suppresses her feelings and emotionally abuses Astra. The story is almost completely focused on Aria's internal struggle, to the point where she just seems to walk around in a panicky haze while things happen to her.

Astra, the love interest, doesn't really exist as a character. Except for some brief action scenes, she just sort of takes up space, doting on Aria and mostly accepting various abusive behaviors while the two barely even engage in conversation. Her only real goal at this point seems to be to convince Aria to accept their (obviously fake) marriage as real.

This story has a lot of problems which ultimately convinced me to drop it. While I could complain about the abusive undertones of the relationship, or an action scene which seemed out of place, I think the primary problem here is the characterization and lack of connection between the two leads.

To put it simply, Aria and Astra barely talk. The story dedicates many pages to Aria's internal struggle, but as of chapter 13 I actually can't remember them having more than two substantive conversations, and even those were short and amounted to unresolved arguments.

If I have one suggestion for how to make this story better, it's this: the two leads need to introduce themselves to each other and to you the reader in a way that draws you in, makes you interested in them, and makes it clear why they have a bond that lets them overcome their problems. Aria needs to be more than her anxieties, and Astra needs her own story.

I hope the story was more fun after chapter 13, but I decided to pass.

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