@SerieLis I was once in an online relationship. It started off really messy with me still being with someone else and us getting interested and a lot of back and forth. In the end I broke up with the other girl to be with her, cause even though I tried, I didn't feel happy (ever since she had been aborad for a year) and didn't want to stay between these two. But after a short time I realized, that this wouldn't work out either. We had never met (on purpose as to not mess up my relationship), but when we were together, she still didn't want to see me, cause she said, she didn't want to have to leave again, due to the long distance. But I needed her to be there, to prove to me it was the right decision and to make this real and not just virtual. Well in the end I have been single since.
But I would say, it can definitely work out, if you put the effort into it. For me it didn't though, partly because of my mistakes, partly because of not being honest and saying how I feel, but rather thinking, I should be the strong one, until I couldn't anymore and partly because of other personal problems. I alsways think: Give it a try, be brave and you will never think, what if. You will always regret the one that got away more than the one that didn't work out.