Add friends and send messages

Following someone is one-way. Now you can actually connect.

Friend requests

Every reader profile has an Add Friend action. Send a request, and once it's accepted you're friends — with a dedicated Friends page to manage incoming and outgoing requests and see your circle at a glance.

Private messages

Friends (and anyone you allow) can start a direct conversation from the Message button on a profile. It's a quiet, one-to-one way to swap recommendations or talk about a book without doing it in public comments.

Your boundaries, your call

New privacy controls in settings let you decide who can message you and who can send friend requests — anyone signed in, friends only, or no one. Opt out of follows entirely if you'd rather keep to yourself.