This is a contemporary literary novel about friendship, creativity, and video games, spanning roughly 30 years in the lives of its main characters.
The story follows Sam Masur and Sadie Green, who first meet as children in a hospital gaming room and later reconnect in college. Together, they build a successful video game company and become famous developers. Alongside their creative success, they navigate ambition, collaboration, love, rivalry, and personal trauma.
Rather than being a traditional romance, the novel focuses on a deep, complicated bond between two people who are “often in love, but never lovers,” exploring how relationships can be shaped by art, work, and shared obsession