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Are We Friends Yet? How to Deepen Your Relationships and Create the Community You Need
Are you ready to say goodbye to loneliness and hello to a life filled with meaningful friendships?
Making new friends in adulthood can feel awkward, even intimidating. Most of us were never taught how to navigate interpersonal relations or sustain friendships through lifes many changes. Its no wonder so many of us feel isolated, even when were surrounded by people.
But the truth is, you dont need to start over you just need to see the connections already within reach.
In Are We Friends Yet?, speaker and host of the Friendship IRL Podcast Alex Alexander offers a compassionate and practical guide to making new friends, strengthening relationships, and expanding your support system in ways that feel natural, not forced.
Drawing from personal experience and years of helping others build connections, Alexander shares how to adapt your friendships to meet your evolving needs - especially during times of transition. With honesty and heart, she shows how investing in friendships during life changes can be a powerful (and essential) act of self-care.
Explore the link between self-esteem, happiness, and connection. Identify which relationships matter most and how to care for those relationships intentionally. Learn strategies for nurturing your most important communities, even with limited time or energy. Whether youre reconnecting with old friends or starting fresh, Are We Friends Yet is your invitation to build the relationships youve always wanted and the community you deserve.
Making new friends in adulthood can feel awkward, even intimidating. Most of us were never taught how to navigate interpersonal relations or sustain friendships through lifes many changes. Its no wonder so many of us feel isolated, even when were surrounded by people.
But the truth is, you dont need to start over you just need to see the connections already within reach.
In Are We Friends Yet?, speaker and host of the Friendship IRL Podcast Alex Alexander offers a compassionate and practical guide to making new friends, strengthening relationships, and expanding your support system in ways that feel natural, not forced.
Drawing from personal experience and years of helping others build connections, Alexander shares how to adapt your friendships to meet your evolving needs - especially during times of transition. With honesty and heart, she shows how investing in friendships during life changes can be a powerful (and essential) act of self-care.
Explore the link between self-esteem, happiness, and connection. Identify which relationships matter most and how to care for those relationships intentionally. Learn strategies for nurturing your most important communities, even with limited time or energy. Whether youre reconnecting with old friends or starting fresh, Are We Friends Yet is your invitation to build the relationships youve always wanted and the community you deserve.
312 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 16, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews
September 6, 2026
I'm giving this book a provisional 4 stars because I believe that if I had read this with my eyes, giving myself time to pause and reflect on the questions and considerations, that it would be a four-star read. And I do hope at some point to sit down either with a re-read with my eyes or, at least with the bonus material PDF of questions and do that reflection. But, I received and read the audio ARC, which meant that I quickly realized that I was just going to let the book wash over me, rather than actively engage with it in the way it is meant to be engaged with. I will add that the author did a great job of narrating the book.
Regardless, I did find it to be totally worthwhile even if sometimes it felt obvious and got repetitive. It reminded me of the decluttering book I read recently. Kudos to that author for acknowledging up front that the book would feel repetitive because she was applying her theory to a repetitive process. I think readers would benefit from knowing this about Are We Friends Yet? Because it follows a similar pattern. The author introduces her framework (including the terminology she uses for it) and repeats it over and over again with ample examples. It started to feel tedious to hear it because I was not doing the exercises but I believe that if I had been, it would have fine.
I believe this book can leave you with an expansive and deep perspective on the different types of friendships, connections and relationships in our lives and asks valuable questions to reflect upon about our needs, desires, capacity and responsibility in these relationships. And, I think this book would be best experienced reading slowly, with your eyes, and an intention to work through the questions and exercises.
I received an audio Advance Reader Copy from NetGalley and the author in exchange for an honest review.
Regardless, I did find it to be totally worthwhile even if sometimes it felt obvious and got repetitive. It reminded me of the decluttering book I read recently. Kudos to that author for acknowledging up front that the book would feel repetitive because she was applying her theory to a repetitive process. I think readers would benefit from knowing this about Are We Friends Yet? Because it follows a similar pattern. The author introduces her framework (including the terminology she uses for it) and repeats it over and over again with ample examples. It started to feel tedious to hear it because I was not doing the exercises but I believe that if I had been, it would have fine.
I believe this book can leave you with an expansive and deep perspective on the different types of friendships, connections and relationships in our lives and asks valuable questions to reflect upon about our needs, desires, capacity and responsibility in these relationships. And, I think this book would be best experienced reading slowly, with your eyes, and an intention to work through the questions and exercises.
I received an audio Advance Reader Copy from NetGalley and the author in exchange for an honest review.
June 25, 2026
this guide was genuinely helpful and written in a way that was hopeful and not at all condescending. the author narrating this book also gives another level on nuance that may not always be picked up by another narrator may not realize she was trying to imply. i enjoyed this explanation of friendships over time and how the guide is meant to be revisited and goals re-evaluated. i do think it would be helpful to have a physical copy alongside the audio.
August 8, 2026
This review is specifically for the audiobook version of this book. I think this book might be 5 star book for the print/eBook version, and is probably honestly a 3 for this audiobook version, but I'm evening that out to a 4 for this review.
Alexander is an engaging narrator and it's easy to see how she's a person who can maintain close friendships from this book, but a good narrator can't fix a book that probably shouldn't be audio.
I don't think I'm alone in primarily using audiobooks because they allow me to listen while driving or otherwise multitasking. This means that a book that really requires concurrently journaling doesn't work for me as an audiobook. Even if I wasn't in the midst of my morning commute when Alexander asked for me to draw a map of my relationships, it's still unlikely that I'd be able keep pausing and completing activities throughout my listening. If I forgot a prompt or wanted to go back and review what was asked in a previous chapter, this manner of consuming the book just doesn't lend itself to usefulness alongside journaling.
All of these critiques of the audiobook aside, I already have a friend in mind who could really benefit from this approachable and interesting text. I'll just be buying them a print version.
Thanks to NetGalley for this audioARC.
Alexander is an engaging narrator and it's easy to see how she's a person who can maintain close friendships from this book, but a good narrator can't fix a book that probably shouldn't be audio.
I don't think I'm alone in primarily using audiobooks because they allow me to listen while driving or otherwise multitasking. This means that a book that really requires concurrently journaling doesn't work for me as an audiobook. Even if I wasn't in the midst of my morning commute when Alexander asked for me to draw a map of my relationships, it's still unlikely that I'd be able keep pausing and completing activities throughout my listening. If I forgot a prompt or wanted to go back and review what was asked in a previous chapter, this manner of consuming the book just doesn't lend itself to usefulness alongside journaling.
All of these critiques of the audiobook aside, I already have a friend in mind who could really benefit from this approachable and interesting text. I'll just be buying them a print version.
Thanks to NetGalley for this audioARC.
September 4, 2026
I went in expecting the usual friendship advice book and came out with actual language for stuff I already knew but couldn't articulate. Alex Alexander hosts the Friendship IRL podcast and it shows, this reads like someone who talks through these ideas constantly and has refined how to explain them. She built her own support system out of friends starting in her teens and twenties, and that lived experience gives the advice a grounded, this actually worked kind of weight instead of feeling theoretical.
What I appreciated most is the reframe she opens with, that you don't need to start from scratch, you need to see the connections that are already close by. That took a lot of pressure off. So much of the friendship advice space assumes you're building from zero, and this one assumes you might just need to invest differently in what's already there.
The sections on adapting friendships through life transitions were the most useful to me personally. Friendships that worked in your twenties don't automatically survive a move, a new baby, a career change, and she's honest about that instead of pretending consistency is the goal. Treating that adaptation as an active, ongoing act of self care rather than a failure was a genuinely helpful shift in how I think about it.
If I'm nitpicking, some of the self esteem and happiness framing early on felt a little familiar if you've read other books in this space. It picks up once she gets into the practical, how do you actually nurture this with limited time and energy territory.
A warm, practical guide that doesn't guilt you for already being tired, exactly what it should be.
Thanks to NetGalley and Less Lonely Press for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
What I appreciated most is the reframe she opens with, that you don't need to start from scratch, you need to see the connections that are already close by. That took a lot of pressure off. So much of the friendship advice space assumes you're building from zero, and this one assumes you might just need to invest differently in what's already there.
The sections on adapting friendships through life transitions were the most useful to me personally. Friendships that worked in your twenties don't automatically survive a move, a new baby, a career change, and she's honest about that instead of pretending consistency is the goal. Treating that adaptation as an active, ongoing act of self care rather than a failure was a genuinely helpful shift in how I think about it.
If I'm nitpicking, some of the self esteem and happiness framing early on felt a little familiar if you've read other books in this space. It picks up once she gets into the practical, how do you actually nurture this with limited time and energy territory.
A warm, practical guide that doesn't guilt you for already being tired, exactly what it should be.
Thanks to NetGalley and Less Lonely Press for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
June 18, 2026
This book had a strong premise and clearly comes from a place of wanting to help people build and maintain meaningful friendships, but it ultimately didn’t land for me. Rather than offering practical, actionable guidance, the book relies heavily on reflection, motivational language, and broad friendship principles.
Much of the advice (such as being authentic, setting boundaries, not overextending yourself, and recognizing that not all friendships require the same level of investment) reads as common sense or widely known relationship advice. While these are valid points, they’re presented more as repeated affirmations than expanded insights.
At times, the book feels more like a motivational talk about friendship than a practical guide to building it. It emphasizes mindset shifts (“show up as your authentic self,” “meet people where they are,” etc.) but doesn’t always translate those ideas into specific behaviors or decision-making tools, which made it feel repetitive and surface-level.
Overall, while the message is positive and well-intentioned, the execution felt repetitive and lacking in depth. This may resonate more with readers who are just beginning to think intentionally about friendships, but it didn’t offer much new insight for someone already actively prioritizing and maintaining relationships.
Much of the advice (such as being authentic, setting boundaries, not overextending yourself, and recognizing that not all friendships require the same level of investment) reads as common sense or widely known relationship advice. While these are valid points, they’re presented more as repeated affirmations than expanded insights.
At times, the book feels more like a motivational talk about friendship than a practical guide to building it. It emphasizes mindset shifts (“show up as your authentic self,” “meet people where they are,” etc.) but doesn’t always translate those ideas into specific behaviors or decision-making tools, which made it feel repetitive and surface-level.
Overall, while the message is positive and well-intentioned, the execution felt repetitive and lacking in depth. This may resonate more with readers who are just beginning to think intentionally about friendships, but it didn’t offer much new insight for someone already actively prioritizing and maintaining relationships.
June 17, 2026
I won this in a giveaway
June 8, 2026
Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to review this audiobook.
I requested this audiobook because making friends as an adult is something I’ve been thinking about a LOT. I read a ton of books (non-fiction and fiction) about friendship, and I figured this would fit perfectly with that group. It did end up being a little different, since it contains exercises to evaluate many aspects of life, but it achieves some of the same goals.
While I did not take months to work through the book, there are a lot of helpful tips and exercises that would accomplish the goal of helping you evaluate your friendships, the amount of time you’d like to spend on them, and where/how you can establish new ones. That being said, the book is very repetitive, giving the same examples in many chapters, which might become frustrating.
Listening to this as an audiobook is not the right way to consume this material unless you’re reading along with a ebook or physical copy. The author advises writing down page numbers in your notebook so you know where to refer back for individual exercises. It’s a great piece of advice that can’t be completed via audiobook alone.
I requested this audiobook because making friends as an adult is something I’ve been thinking about a LOT. I read a ton of books (non-fiction and fiction) about friendship, and I figured this would fit perfectly with that group. It did end up being a little different, since it contains exercises to evaluate many aspects of life, but it achieves some of the same goals.
While I did not take months to work through the book, there are a lot of helpful tips and exercises that would accomplish the goal of helping you evaluate your friendships, the amount of time you’d like to spend on them, and where/how you can establish new ones. That being said, the book is very repetitive, giving the same examples in many chapters, which might become frustrating.
Listening to this as an audiobook is not the right way to consume this material unless you’re reading along with a ebook or physical copy. The author advises writing down page numbers in your notebook so you know where to refer back for individual exercises. It’s a great piece of advice that can’t be completed via audiobook alone.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Are We Friends Yet? promises practical help for adult loneliness, making new friends, strengthening existing relationships, and building community without forcing connection. The book delivers by focusing on understanding the connections already within reach: who counts as an acquaintance, who is familiar, who is present, who is historic, who belongs to formal community, and who functions as family of choice, rather than starting over from scratch.
The book describes how friendships move between various stages. Consistency, introductions, and choosing the right kind of invitation for each level of closeness are discussed. A familiar person doesn’t need the same kind of invite as a close friend. Group settings, shared activities, or low-pressure meetups often work better than intense one-on-one plans.
Friendships are built on three roots: shared experiences, emotional intimacy, and story. Shared experiences come from work, hobbies, clubs, or recurring activities. Emotional intimacy involves details, memories, boundaries, and knowing someone personally. Story roots are about beliefs, expectations, and evidence. This explains why some friendships only work in certain contexts, why old friendships can still matter even if they don’t fit the present, and why expectations sometimes clash with reality.
The book offers practical ways to make time for friendship: friendship admin, recurring coffee dates, drop-in gatherings, parallel activities, open invites, errand hangouts, reading dates, catch-up calls, walking while talking, doing errands together, and including people into existing plans. Small, repeatable actions matter more than grand gestures.
It also covers support systems, selective sharing, boundaries, and how friendships change. Different people support different parts of life. Friendships shift when someone moves, gets married, has kids, leaves a job, or when the shared experience that held it together disappears. These changes are treated as real losses, but not every shift is a failure or someone’s fault.
The book isn’t marketed as a neurodivergent friendship guide, but its best material functions that way. Concepts like friendship admin, friendship categories, the three roots, appropriate invitations, boundaries, selective sharing, and shifting friendships make the hidden rules of friendship clearer.
Instead of assuming friendship is instinctively understood, the book explains what kind of connection exists, what holds it together, what level of action fits, and what evidence supports the relationship. This is the material often missing from neurodivergent friendship advice.
The book describes how friendships move between various stages. Consistency, introductions, and choosing the right kind of invitation for each level of closeness are discussed. A familiar person doesn’t need the same kind of invite as a close friend. Group settings, shared activities, or low-pressure meetups often work better than intense one-on-one plans.
Friendships are built on three roots: shared experiences, emotional intimacy, and story. Shared experiences come from work, hobbies, clubs, or recurring activities. Emotional intimacy involves details, memories, boundaries, and knowing someone personally. Story roots are about beliefs, expectations, and evidence. This explains why some friendships only work in certain contexts, why old friendships can still matter even if they don’t fit the present, and why expectations sometimes clash with reality.
The book offers practical ways to make time for friendship: friendship admin, recurring coffee dates, drop-in gatherings, parallel activities, open invites, errand hangouts, reading dates, catch-up calls, walking while talking, doing errands together, and including people into existing plans. Small, repeatable actions matter more than grand gestures.
It also covers support systems, selective sharing, boundaries, and how friendships change. Different people support different parts of life. Friendships shift when someone moves, gets married, has kids, leaves a job, or when the shared experience that held it together disappears. These changes are treated as real losses, but not every shift is a failure or someone’s fault.
The book isn’t marketed as a neurodivergent friendship guide, but its best material functions that way. Concepts like friendship admin, friendship categories, the three roots, appropriate invitations, boundaries, selective sharing, and shifting friendships make the hidden rules of friendship clearer.
Instead of assuming friendship is instinctively understood, the book explains what kind of connection exists, what holds it together, what level of action fits, and what evidence supports the relationship. This is the material often missing from neurodivergent friendship advice.
July 25, 2026
From a broad perspective, I really liked the premise of this book and appreciated that it was coming from a place of wanting to help people build the kind of meaningful friendships that seem so difficult to cultivate these days. I also think there is a lot of value in the larger message in the text that friendships require a level intentionality and effort that we might not immediately consider. However, it feels like those sentiments aren't anything new today and can just as easily be found in a TikTok video. Overall, the book ultimately didn't offer enough depth or practical advice to really stand out or make it worth a careful read.
A lot of the advice felt like relatively common relationship advice: be authentic, set boundaries, don’t overextend yourself, recognize that different friendships require different levels of investment, etc., etc. Not that any of those are of these are bad things to be reminded about, but I found myself wishing the book would go a little further or deeper and actually explain how to put these ideas into practice or present them in a new way. There’s a lot of emphasis on mindset and showing up differently in different friendships, but without enough guidance on what that actually looks like in specific situations or how to navigate the more complicated realities like those that I've encountered.
At times, it almost felt more like a motivational talk about friendship than a practical guide to creating deeper relationships. I agreed with a lot of what was being said, but it felt repetitive, like something I've heard a lot before, especially on social media. And the same general points are revisited throughout the book in slightly different ways, which made it feel repetitive by the point I was halfway through.
I do think this book could be really helpful for someone who is just beginning to think more intentionally about their friendships or who hasn’t spent a ton of time reflecting on what they want their relationships and community to look like. But as someone who has already broken down a lot of this both on my own and with a therapist, I didn’t really feel like I came away with many new insights or tools that I could actually apply.
While I appreciated the message and the intention behind the book, it was just too repetitive and surface-level. For the type of person who would seek out this book, I think it ultimately doesn't offer much if you've already put in some thought and reflection on your own.
Review of Netgalley copy I received
A lot of the advice felt like relatively common relationship advice: be authentic, set boundaries, don’t overextend yourself, recognize that different friendships require different levels of investment, etc., etc. Not that any of those are of these are bad things to be reminded about, but I found myself wishing the book would go a little further or deeper and actually explain how to put these ideas into practice or present them in a new way. There’s a lot of emphasis on mindset and showing up differently in different friendships, but without enough guidance on what that actually looks like in specific situations or how to navigate the more complicated realities like those that I've encountered.
At times, it almost felt more like a motivational talk about friendship than a practical guide to creating deeper relationships. I agreed with a lot of what was being said, but it felt repetitive, like something I've heard a lot before, especially on social media. And the same general points are revisited throughout the book in slightly different ways, which made it feel repetitive by the point I was halfway through.
I do think this book could be really helpful for someone who is just beginning to think more intentionally about their friendships or who hasn’t spent a ton of time reflecting on what they want their relationships and community to look like. But as someone who has already broken down a lot of this both on my own and with a therapist, I didn’t really feel like I came away with many new insights or tools that I could actually apply.
While I appreciated the message and the intention behind the book, it was just too repetitive and surface-level. For the type of person who would seek out this book, I think it ultimately doesn't offer much if you've already put in some thought and reflection on your own.
Review of Netgalley copy I received
September 10, 2026
I always love audiobooks narrated by the author, as it adds so much life, nuance and genuine personality to the writing, and Alex’s warm voice made for a wonderful listening experience. I found this book positive, deeply motivating and ideal for helping me evaluate my current friendships while offering practical steps to deepen existing connections or make new friends. It is truly the perfect tool for adults who are interested in strengthening their friendships and community.
As someone with a very limited number of friends, I felt so positive about all the different types of friendships the author refers to. It encouraged me to reflect on and feel much better about my own network, opening my eyes to consider people as friends whom I might not have accounted for before. It was genuinely interesting and gave me so many great ideas and fresh motivation going forward.
The content covers essential topics like setting healthy boundaries, remaining authentic, building actionable plans, and focusing on small, intentional targets to invest your time wisely. While I thoroughly enjoyed the audiobook format, I do think a physical or eBook copy might be even easier to navigate. The book is packed with thoughtful, reflective questions, so having a notebook on hand to write down, revisit and reflect on your answers is key to getting the most out of it.
I did notice quite a bit of repetition throughout the chapters, though there is naturally a limit to how many unique angles you can take when writing extensively about interpersonal connection. Overall, I found it to be an enjoyable, highly useful guide for adult relationships.
As someone with a very limited number of friends, I felt so positive about all the different types of friendships the author refers to. It encouraged me to reflect on and feel much better about my own network, opening my eyes to consider people as friends whom I might not have accounted for before. It was genuinely interesting and gave me so many great ideas and fresh motivation going forward.
The content covers essential topics like setting healthy boundaries, remaining authentic, building actionable plans, and focusing on small, intentional targets to invest your time wisely. While I thoroughly enjoyed the audiobook format, I do think a physical or eBook copy might be even easier to navigate. The book is packed with thoughtful, reflective questions, so having a notebook on hand to write down, revisit and reflect on your answers is key to getting the most out of it.
I did notice quite a bit of repetition throughout the chapters, though there is naturally a limit to how many unique angles you can take when writing extensively about interpersonal connection. Overall, I found it to be an enjoyable, highly useful guide for adult relationships.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Title: Are We Friends Yet?
Author: Alex Alexander
Narrated by the Author
Format: 🎧
Publisher: Less Lonely Press / AlexAlex, LLC | Independent Book
Publishers Association (IBPA), Members' Audiobooks
Genre: Nonfiction
Pub Date: June 16, 2026
My Rating: 3.3 Stars
Pages: 312
About the Author~ When Alex Alexander was a little girl, she had no idea she was going to become an expert in building connection.
Not because she’s special… but because she’s desperate.
She’ll take risks, step outside of societal norms, and do just about anything to build the support system she needs.
Because somewhere deep inside, she knows what many of us forget: we were never meant to do this life alone.
I was drawn to this book as I am a High School Guidance Counselor and my Education which included a Master’s Degree with course work on Conflict Resolution, Group Counseling, Counseling and working with students and their parents who are from many different cultures. However, nothing on how to make friends or how to establish a meaningful relationship. I figure this was worth a read. There were some things that were worth writing down and putting in my Counselor’s Toolkit!
Want to thank NetGalley and Less Lonely Press / AlexAlex, LLC | Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA), Members' Audiobooks for granting me this audiobook.
Publishing Release Date scheduled for June 16, 2026.
Author: Alex Alexander
Narrated by the Author
Format: 🎧
Publisher: Less Lonely Press / AlexAlex, LLC | Independent Book
Publishers Association (IBPA), Members' Audiobooks
Genre: Nonfiction
Pub Date: June 16, 2026
My Rating: 3.3 Stars
Pages: 312
About the Author~ When Alex Alexander was a little girl, she had no idea she was going to become an expert in building connection.
Not because she’s special… but because she’s desperate.
She’ll take risks, step outside of societal norms, and do just about anything to build the support system she needs.
Because somewhere deep inside, she knows what many of us forget: we were never meant to do this life alone.
I was drawn to this book as I am a High School Guidance Counselor and my Education which included a Master’s Degree with course work on Conflict Resolution, Group Counseling, Counseling and working with students and their parents who are from many different cultures. However, nothing on how to make friends or how to establish a meaningful relationship. I figure this was worth a read. There were some things that were worth writing down and putting in my Counselor’s Toolkit!
Want to thank NetGalley and Less Lonely Press / AlexAlex, LLC | Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA), Members' Audiobooks for granting me this audiobook.
Publishing Release Date scheduled for June 16, 2026.
September 9, 2026
Are We Friends Yet? by Alex Alexander is the practical manual to adult friendships. Making friends during any stage of life is difficult, but it’s even more difficult in adulthood when you may not have a structure that is keeping you and your friends together, you may be in a new location, and you have other competing priorities. This book gives you the practical framework and advice needed to address your friendships and relationships. It is full of thoughtful frameworks about the structure and depth of friendships and how to strengthen, maintain, and sometimes end these relationships. Alexander’s strategies for developing and strengthening your friendships are practical, thoughtful, and realistic. She discusses the emotional aspects of friendships and familial relationships and offers practical advice to make your friendships work for you at different stages of your life.
I recommend that any adult who is interested in finding ways to strengthen existing friendships and develop new friendships read this book! It’s an incredible manual on how to allow your friendships to grow with you.
Thank you to Less Lonely Press/ AlexAlex, LLC and NetGalley for this ARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
I recommend that any adult who is interested in finding ways to strengthen existing friendships and develop new friendships read this book! It’s an incredible manual on how to allow your friendships to grow with you.
Thank you to Less Lonely Press/ AlexAlex, LLC and NetGalley for this ARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
June 17, 2026
Not only has this book got lots of practical advice about making time for friends, but it also talks about how important our friendships, our families or our found families are. It also manages to frame friendships into different categories, like historic friends or proximity friends, best friends not all friends are created equal, but we need them all it also talks about how we can move friends from one category to another, depending on whether we want to get closer or keep some distance between us.
One of the strongest suits of the book is how practical it gets in finding ways and time to see our friends which as all adults we know how it difficult it gets with a busy life. Some ideas discussed include recurring coffee dates, drop-in gatherings, parallel activities, open invites, errand hangouts, reading dates, catch-up calls, a standing Sunday drop-in, recurring game night, walking while calling a friend, doing errands together.
Thinking of friendship admin in this way really opens up lots of opportunities for seeing more of our friends, which is something we all probably want.
Thank you Less Lonely Press and Netgalley for this ALC.
One of the strongest suits of the book is how practical it gets in finding ways and time to see our friends which as all adults we know how it difficult it gets with a busy life. Some ideas discussed include recurring coffee dates, drop-in gatherings, parallel activities, open invites, errand hangouts, reading dates, catch-up calls, a standing Sunday drop-in, recurring game night, walking while calling a friend, doing errands together.
Thinking of friendship admin in this way really opens up lots of opportunities for seeing more of our friends, which is something we all probably want.
Thank you Less Lonely Press and Netgalley for this ALC.
August 19, 2026
𝙁𝙖𝙫𝙤𝙧𝙞𝙩𝙚 𝙦𝙪𝙤𝙩𝙚:
"𝘉𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘥𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘴 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘣𝘳𝘪𝘥𝘨𝘦𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘸 𝘱𝘦𝘰𝘱𝘭𝘦 𝘩𝘰𝘸 𝘵𝘰 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘯𝘦𝘤𝘵 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘶𝘴 𝘣𝘦𝘴𝘵."
F̶o̶u̶n̶d̶ ̶f̶a̶m̶i̶l̶y̶ = 𝙘𝙝𝙤𝙨𝙚𝙣 𝙛𝙖𝙢𝙞𝙡𝙮 and that little word change is so lovely and important. Found family sounds like something you just stumbled upon while chosen family is something you're actively choosing to have be a part of your life.
I was recently asked by one of my psychiatrists what things I would notice in my life that would show that I'm getting better and I said it would be connecting with friends, so this felt like a good way for me to think more about what that would look like. One great note that Alex Alexander made was mentioning someone's capability, it was spoken about in the context of being understanding if one of your friends has their own capacity for the friendship alter, but it also reminded me that my own capability for having and building relationships is currently at zero, but I can plan ahead for how I would like to show up in relationships and what sort of things I could do for friends that wouldn't drain me.
"𝘉𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘥𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘴 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘣𝘳𝘪𝘥𝘨𝘦𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘸 𝘱𝘦𝘰𝘱𝘭𝘦 𝘩𝘰𝘸 𝘵𝘰 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘯𝘦𝘤𝘵 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘶𝘴 𝘣𝘦𝘴𝘵."
F̶o̶u̶n̶d̶ ̶f̶a̶m̶i̶l̶y̶ = 𝙘𝙝𝙤𝙨𝙚𝙣 𝙛𝙖𝙢𝙞𝙡𝙮 and that little word change is so lovely and important. Found family sounds like something you just stumbled upon while chosen family is something you're actively choosing to have be a part of your life.
I was recently asked by one of my psychiatrists what things I would notice in my life that would show that I'm getting better and I said it would be connecting with friends, so this felt like a good way for me to think more about what that would look like. One great note that Alex Alexander made was mentioning someone's capability, it was spoken about in the context of being understanding if one of your friends has their own capacity for the friendship alter, but it also reminded me that my own capability for having and building relationships is currently at zero, but I can plan ahead for how I would like to show up in relationships and what sort of things I could do for friends that wouldn't drain me.
August 16, 2026
What an interesting idea for a book! Overall, I found it thought-provoking and reflective, particularly in how it encouraged me to consider all of my friendships. We’re often aware that, like romantic relationships, friendships need to be nurtured and developed, yet we can still fall into the habit of taking them for granted.
In terms of content, the book really opens your mind and eyes to not only how you can grow and strengthen your friendships, but also how your behaviours may be perceived by others. It offers valuable insight into maintaining and improving the quality of your relationships.
I listened to the audiobook version, which was narrated by Alex Alexander herself. I found her narration engaging, clear, and very pleasant to listen to, which added to my overall enjoyment of the book.
My main criticism, however, is that there is a small amount of “homework” at the end of some chapters. The book also suggests flagging sections to revisit at certain times, which didn’t work well for me as I listen to audiobooks while driving.
Overall, I would definitely recommend this book to anyone and everyone. I would also recommend the audio version to those who enjoy listening alongside the written text, as I really enjoyed Alex Alexander’s narration.
Thank you to NetGalley for offering this ARC in exchange for my personal thoughts.
In terms of content, the book really opens your mind and eyes to not only how you can grow and strengthen your friendships, but also how your behaviours may be perceived by others. It offers valuable insight into maintaining and improving the quality of your relationships.
I listened to the audiobook version, which was narrated by Alex Alexander herself. I found her narration engaging, clear, and very pleasant to listen to, which added to my overall enjoyment of the book.
My main criticism, however, is that there is a small amount of “homework” at the end of some chapters. The book also suggests flagging sections to revisit at certain times, which didn’t work well for me as I listen to audiobooks while driving.
Overall, I would definitely recommend this book to anyone and everyone. I would also recommend the audio version to those who enjoy listening alongside the written text, as I really enjoyed Alex Alexander’s narration.
Thank you to NetGalley for offering this ARC in exchange for my personal thoughts.
July 12, 2026
Thank you to the publisher for the advanced listener copy!
I read this book hoping for some good resources and ideas for when we go over friendships in my middle school class. Overall, the book was really good, but I think an abridged version would accomplished just as much as it seemed really repetitive. If there was an abridged student version with scenarios and example specifically for teens I would definitely use this as a classroom resource.
I read this book hoping for some good resources and ideas for when we go over friendships in my middle school class. Overall, the book was really good, but I think an abridged version would accomplished just as much as it seemed really repetitive. If there was an abridged student version with scenarios and example specifically for teens I would definitely use this as a classroom resource.
July 22, 2026
I devoured this book! It's packed with reflection questions, quirky illustrations, and memorable frameworks. I especially liked her concept of the emotional intimacy roots, shared experience roots, and story roots. It's a novel way to evaluate a bond. And I adored the Wheel of Connection, which was also a new way for me to conceptualize my circle of friends. I'd recommend this book to anyone looking to further their understanding of human connection.
June 18, 2026
A refreshing take on community and friendship! This book will get you thinking about your own relationships differently. The author encourages you to examine your current interactions and how you can lean into your strengths to deepen friendships. Highly recommend adding to your summer reading list!
June 20, 2026
Sadly, this is one of those books that should have been an article. The content feels stretched to fill a full-length book, with too much repetition and not enough substance. I gave up in Chapter 5.
I received this book from NetGalley. Thank you to the author and publisher. All opinions are my own.
I received this book from NetGalley. Thank you to the author and publisher. All opinions are my own.
July 9, 2026
4.5 I wasn’t initially enamored of this book but I ended up really appreciating it. It has really prompted a lot of personal reflection and that sometimes doesn’t happen reading so many books so quickly. Using the author’s Wheel of Connection and Roots of Friendship ideas, you can fully assess your human connections and see where you might be able to make some changes - or find a new appreciation that maybe you have more support than you think! The concepts are really good, but what I loved the most were the reflection questions at the end of each chapter. Reflection questions are sometimes just so general - these are deep, thoughtful questions like “What are small intimacies other people might be offering but you aren’t noticing?” And “When was the last time you felt most like yourself in a group?” Also, sometimes you can’t think of a thing when asked a reflection question - lucky you, there’s a list of potential answers or directions to start your thought process. This is an in depth read that will help you assess where you are with your connections and make shifts if needed.
July 24, 2026
4/5 Stars
This is a comprehensive look at adult friendships and what it actually takes to build and maintain meaningful connections. It's definitely not a light, casual "how to make friends" book. Instead, it's very interactive and encourages you to take an honest look at the people you surround yourself with and the role you play in your relationships.
This is a comprehensive look at adult friendships and what it actually takes to build and maintain meaningful connections. It's definitely not a light, casual "how to make friends" book. Instead, it's very interactive and encourages you to take an honest look at the people you surround yourself with and the role you play in your relationships.
August 1, 2026
A lot of times self-help books can be full of theory but without much actionable items. I liked that this book gave clear examples of how to kindle friendship by being intentional with our time, and even scheduling it into our calendars. It may sound weird but I totally agree that if friendship is important, it does deserve time in your calendar.
August 1, 2026
This was a pretty cool book to read and reframe how you think about friendships. The author reflects on different aspects and gives many useful reflection tasks and questions to show you what really matters. She give you the steps to make things stronger when necessary! Thank you to netgalley for the arc!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Provides valuable insights on building, maintaining, and ending friendships. My only critique is that it was repetitive at times. Definitely keep a notebook at the ready if you want to work through the exercises the author suggests!
June 17, 2026
Making friends as an adult is incredibly challenging without the shared schedules of school and other relationships where you meet with people regularly, especially in an age where people just isolate themselves with their phones in public. I liked the graphics in the book.
July 9, 2026
This book completely rewired how I look at my own potential. It takes concepts you think you know and flips them upside down. Prepare for a major paradigm shift.
June 26, 2026
This book felt very resonant for me. The author is so relatable and promotes a sense of hope for anyone feeling like they need changes in their community. I especially appreciated the space the author fought to make around changing friendships and cultural trends for “dropping friendships”.
Parts of this book made me extremely uncomfortable, in a way that creates personal growth. I was only sad that it wasn’t available to be in my 20’s - I think it would have spared me and some old friends of heartbreak and full loss of contact. Friendships do change, and the moments of mini mourning felt so simple and clear and compassionate. I felt invited, not pressured, into a way of being in relationships that is flexible and loving and grounded in reality. Thank you, genuinely, to the author and publisher for prioritizing this as a project. Yall cooked with this one
Parts of this book made me extremely uncomfortable, in a way that creates personal growth. I was only sad that it wasn’t available to be in my 20’s - I think it would have spared me and some old friends of heartbreak and full loss of contact. Friendships do change, and the moments of mini mourning felt so simple and clear and compassionate. I felt invited, not pressured, into a way of being in relationships that is flexible and loving and grounded in reality. Thank you, genuinely, to the author and publisher for prioritizing this as a project. Yall cooked with this one
June 29, 2026
Friendship IRL podcaster, Alex Alexander, provides practical advice and strategies for adult friendships and community building. Helpful breakdowns of the categories of friends you have over the years and tips on building, maintaining, and ending friendships. A worthy read for those who want to build deeper connections and need a push to start. Thanks to the author, NetGalley and Less Lonely Press for advanced copies for a honest review.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
**Listened to the audio book**
I was really disappointed in this book. The cover and the premise really sounded right up my street but the book itself was just pointless words.
It didn't give me any new take on friendship and relationships but just had wishy-washy language and pretty much just common sense. I feel like this book could have been written by anyone.
I didn't enjoy the narrator either, and I'm wondering how much of my thoughts on this book are based on this fact. I would be intrigued to know if I would have rated the book the same if I had read the physical copy.
Overall, pretty naff - nothing new!
I was really disappointed in this book. The cover and the premise really sounded right up my street but the book itself was just pointless words.
It didn't give me any new take on friendship and relationships but just had wishy-washy language and pretty much just common sense. I feel like this book could have been written by anyone.
I didn't enjoy the narrator either, and I'm wondering how much of my thoughts on this book are based on this fact. I would be intrigued to know if I would have rated the book the same if I had read the physical copy.
Overall, pretty naff - nothing new!
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