Out of Character

If you asked seventeen-year-old Cass Williams to describe herself, she’d happily tell you she’s fat, a lesbian, and obsessed with the Tide Wars books. What she won’t tell you—or anyone in her life—is that she’s part of an online Tide Wars roleplay community. Sure, it’s nerdy as hell, but when she’s behind the screen writing scenes as Captain Aresha, she doesn’t have to think about her mother who walked out or how unexpectedly stressful it is dating resident cool girl Taylor Cooper.

But secretly retreating to her online life is starting to catch up with Cass. For one, no one in her real life knows her secret roleplay addiction is the reason her grades have taken a big hit. Also? Cass has started catching feelings for Rowan Davies, her internet bestie . . . and Taylor might be catching on.

As Cass’s lies continue to build, so does her anxiety. Roleplaying used to be the one place she could escape to, but this double life and offline-online love triangle have only made things worse. Cass must decide what to do—be honest and risk losing her safe space or keep it a secret and put everything else on the line.

What happens when your online escape becomes the one thing you can’t escape from?

• An Unforgettable Love Triangle: She’s dating cool-girl Taylor Cooper in real life, but she’s falling for her internet bestie Rowan Davies online. Who does your heart root for?
• Online Friends to Lovers: Cass and Rowan are just online friends and roleplay partners... until late-night writing sessions and secret confessions blur the line between fiction and reality.
• A Love Letter to Fandom: Dive into the world of the Tide Wars fandom, where Cass escapes her real-life drama by becoming the heroic Captain Aresha in a vibrant online roleplay community.
• A Body-Positive Queer Romance: A heartfelt and hilarious coming-of-age story starring a fat, lesbian heroine who is proud of who she is, even when her life is a complete mess.