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4.02 AVERAGE
4.02 AVERAGE
funny
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Based on the title, I knew this book was somewhat D&D-related, but I assumed it would be like other books where the campaign is mentioned in passing. A plot device to move the main story along but focuses more on the player interaction above table with each other than anything. This book is not that.
Instead, you get two fully developed, alternating storylines. One is a contemporary romance about Sadie, a woman spending the summer with her best friend while figuring out her next steps after losing her job and dealing with severe burnout. The other is a cozy fantasy romance about a priestess of luck, Jaylie, who joins a group of strangers on a quest that goes nothing like she expected.
I went in thinking the contemporary plot would lean toward a best friend’s to lovers arc. With Sadie’s best friend wooing her after convincing her to stay for the summer. Instead, Sadie ends up falling for another player in their game, with their flirtation unfolding both in the fantasy campaign and in real life.
Both storylines are balanced well, but I found the fantasy plot more gripping. The campaign and that storyline wrap up by the end of the book, but the hints of what could happen next with the adventuring party left me desperate for a sequel. Which is a tragedy as I know this book only came out about a month ago. So a possible book two wont be anytime soon.
That said, the contemporary romance was still enjoyable. Even without the fantasy storyline, I would have happily read and finished the book. This side of the story is a lighthearted romance paired with a journey of self-rediscovery for Sadie, as she comes to realize that it’s okay if something that once felt like a perfect fit no longer works for her life today, even if it did yesterday.
Instead, you get two fully developed, alternating storylines. One is a contemporary romance about Sadie, a woman spending the summer with her best friend while figuring out her next steps after losing her job and dealing with severe burnout. The other is a cozy fantasy romance about a priestess of luck, Jaylie, who joins a group of strangers on a quest that goes nothing like she expected.
I went in thinking the contemporary plot would lean toward a best friend’s to lovers arc. With Sadie’s best friend wooing her after convincing her to stay for the summer. Instead, Sadie ends up falling for another player in their game, with their flirtation unfolding both in the fantasy campaign and in real life.
Both storylines are balanced well, but I found the fantasy plot more gripping. The campaign and that storyline wrap up by the end of the book, but the hints of what could happen next with the adventuring party left me desperate for a sequel. Which is a tragedy as I know this book only came out about a month ago. So a possible book two wont be anytime soon.
That said, the contemporary romance was still enjoyable. Even without the fantasy storyline, I would have happily read and finished the book. This side of the story is a lighthearted romance paired with a journey of self-rediscovery for Sadie, as she comes to realize that it’s okay if something that once felt like a perfect fit no longer works for her life today, even if it did yesterday.
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
I went back and forth between three and four stars but ultimately settled on three. I think I'm leaning towards three because while this is not a bad book by any means, it also didn't particularly stand out in ways other four-star books have.Overall, I really enjoyed this book. Bouncing between the characters and their DnD campaign was so much fun, and it kept the story moving along nicely. I am never too harsh on romance books, since all I am really looking for is a good time, and this one ultimately worked for me. I did feel that some of the references felt dated and borderline cringey, but not in a way that was detrimental to the overall experience.
The characters were all very sweet, though I wish we got more time with characters besides Sadie and Noah. We got a few scenes with the others, but they felt more surface-level and less memorable. I think that is the trade-off for having dual storylines, so I understand why that was the case, but it left me wanting more. The romance was adorable, and I'm a sucker for kind, soft men in books, so I fully supported the relationship (which is not always the case for me). The pacing was a little slow at first, but it picked up as the story went along. It was a bit jarring going into the first DnD section of the book, as it was a lot more detailed imagery than the real-life sections, but I came to appreciate it once I knew the storyline in the game.
For fans of DnD and light-hearted romance novels, I would definitely recommend this for a quick read.
The characters were all very sweet, though I wish we got more time with characters besides Sadie and Noah. We got a few scenes with the others, but they felt more surface-level and less memorable. I think that is the trade-off for having dual storylines, so I understand why that was the case, but it left me wanting more. The romance was adorable, and I'm a sucker for kind, soft men in books, so I fully supported the relationship (which is not always the case for me). The pacing was a little slow at first, but it picked up as the story went along. It was a bit jarring going into the first DnD section of the book, as it was a lot more detailed imagery than the real-life sections, but I came to appreciate it once I knew the storyline in the game.
For fans of DnD and light-hearted romance novels, I would definitely recommend this for a quick read.
adventurous
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Loveable characters:
Yes
3.5 stars. This was a cozy romance read with some fun d&d. The romance was OK but I felt like it was missing something to really make it good. I enjoyed the friendships the fmc makes in the new town a little more than the romance.
emotional
funny
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
emotional
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
🌟🌟🌟💫 (3.5 stars)
Okay, confession time: I’ve never played Dungeons & Dragons before... 🎲🐉 But after reading Roll for Romance by Lenora Woods, I kind of want to grab some dice, build a character, and jump headfirst into a campaign! 😄 This book totally surprised me—in the best way.
The story follows Sadie, who’s down on her luck, between jobs, and unsure what comes next. I love how she used the opportunity to rediscover her love of art, something I also love to do! After heading to Texas to visit her best friend, she ends up joining his new D&D game... and that’s where things get interesting. Enter Noah 💁♂️—real-life cutie and in-game Bard 🎶. Their connection grows both in the campaign world and in the real world, and it was super sweet to watch it all unfold. 💕
One thing I loved: the book runs two storylines at once—Sadie’s real life, and the fantasy world of their D&D game. And honestly? I found myself super invested in their campaign quests! ⚔️🧝♀️ The author did a great job weaving in D&D terms and gameplay without making it overwhelming for newbies. It was just the right amount of nerdy magic. ✨
That said, while I enjoyed it, the story didn’t grab me as hard as I’d hoped. It was cute and clever, but a little soft around the edges when it came to big emotional punches or memorable moments. Still, it’s a feel-good, creative read that blends romance and tabletop fun in a really unique way.
If you love quirky romances, nerdy vibes, and adventure—this one’s for you! 🧡🎮📚
Big thanks to the author, Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, Dell, and NetGalley for the eARC!
Okay, confession time: I’ve never played Dungeons & Dragons before... 🎲🐉 But after reading Roll for Romance by Lenora Woods, I kind of want to grab some dice, build a character, and jump headfirst into a campaign! 😄 This book totally surprised me—in the best way.
The story follows Sadie, who’s down on her luck, between jobs, and unsure what comes next. I love how she used the opportunity to rediscover her love of art, something I also love to do! After heading to Texas to visit her best friend, she ends up joining his new D&D game... and that’s where things get interesting. Enter Noah 💁♂️—real-life cutie and in-game Bard 🎶. Their connection grows both in the campaign world and in the real world, and it was super sweet to watch it all unfold. 💕
One thing I loved: the book runs two storylines at once—Sadie’s real life, and the fantasy world of their D&D game. And honestly? I found myself super invested in their campaign quests! ⚔️🧝♀️ The author did a great job weaving in D&D terms and gameplay without making it overwhelming for newbies. It was just the right amount of nerdy magic. ✨
That said, while I enjoyed it, the story didn’t grab me as hard as I’d hoped. It was cute and clever, but a little soft around the edges when it came to big emotional punches or memorable moments. Still, it’s a feel-good, creative read that blends romance and tabletop fun in a really unique way.
If you love quirky romances, nerdy vibes, and adventure—this one’s for you! 🧡🎮📚
Big thanks to the author, Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, Dell, and NetGalley for the eARC!
adventurous
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
adventurous
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
This is a good book for a very specific audience. I don't think you need to know how to play D&D to understand what's going on in the game. I liked the D&D aspect, even though I don't play. It was like a book within a book, which was fun.
That said, I didn't feel like it was a complete story. The D&D element of it was probably a third of the book and the other two thirds were real life, where the D&D aspect really took away from the relationship development between Sadie and Noah. I didn't really feel their chemistry both in and out of the game, so I needed more from both aspects to really believe their romance.
As an aside, I tend to struggle with books like this, because there are more characters than I can easily keep track of, so I have to write down a list of characters. It gets especially more difficult when multiple characters' names start with the same letter or sound similar, such as Morgana and Marlana.
🌶️🌶️ - Mildly-descriptive scenes that rarely happen; Moderate tension.
Thank you Lenora Woods, Random House, and NetGalley for the ARC.
That said, I didn't feel like it was a complete story. The D&D element of it was probably a third of the book and the other two thirds were real life, where the D&D aspect really took away from the relationship development between Sadie and Noah. I didn't really feel their chemistry both in and out of the game, so I needed more from both aspects to really believe their romance.
As an aside, I tend to struggle with books like this, because there are more characters than I can easily keep track of, so I have to write down a list of characters. It gets especially more difficult when multiple characters' names start with the same letter or sound similar, such as Morgana and Marlana.
🌶️🌶️ - Mildly-descriptive scenes that rarely happen; Moderate tension.
Thank you Lenora Woods, Random House, and NetGalley for the ARC.