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4.02 AVERAGE
4.02 AVERAGE
3.75 Stars!
I saw a review that said, "This one's for the nerds" and I honestly couldn't agree more. Lenora Woods did such a great job with the D&D aspect of this book. I've always had an interest in D&D but I've never played it. A lot of the sayings I've heard have now been explained and I understand them much more.
I enjoyed the romance between Sadie and Noah. I wish we'd gotten a little less D&D storyline and a little more present romance story line.
The D&D storyline was fun, but I don't feel like it added a whole lot to their actual love story. Usually when we see flashbacks or something like this, its adding to the story. For the first several, I rolled my eyes each time because it really wasn't adding anything for me. We could have done without them and the story wouldn't have been missing anything. They actually pulled me out of the story most of the time, I had to keep convincing myself, "Just get to 40%, it'll probably get better"
When Sadie and Noah were roleplaying online, that took me back to my youth right there. I intrinsically remember typing stuff like that while playing WoW or Ragnarok. Loved it, true nerdy girl moment right there.
Overall, the story was fun, but I wish we'd gotten a little more real life in this one.
I received an e-ARC of this from Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
I saw a review that said, "This one's for the nerds" and I honestly couldn't agree more. Lenora Woods did such a great job with the D&D aspect of this book. I've always had an interest in D&D but I've never played it. A lot of the sayings I've heard have now been explained and I understand them much more.
I enjoyed the romance between Sadie and Noah. I wish we'd gotten a little less D&D storyline and a little more present romance story line.
The D&D storyline was fun, but I don't feel like it added a whole lot to their actual love story. Usually when we see flashbacks or something like this, its adding to the story. For the first several, I rolled my eyes each time because it really wasn't adding anything for me. We could have done without them and the story wouldn't have been missing anything. They actually pulled me out of the story most of the time, I had to keep convincing myself, "Just get to 40%, it'll probably get better"
When Sadie and Noah were roleplaying online, that took me back to my youth right there. I intrinsically remember typing stuff like that while playing WoW or Ragnarok. Loved it, true nerdy girl moment right there.
Overall, the story was fun, but I wish we'd gotten a little more real life in this one.
I received an e-ARC of this from Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
adventurous
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
relaxing
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
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
Thank you so much to Dell for the EArc!
Sometimes you find books that you absolutely love. 5 stars, great vibes, fantastic characters, a great plot. And sometimes, you find a book that feels like it was written just for you. A book that inspires you and shows you both how much you are like a character, and how much more you can be because of them. This is one of those books for me. Sadie goes through a very similar experience to what my life has been lately, and watching her navigate those decisions was inspirational to me. And doing it with a backdrop of the game that has brought out so much confidence in myself and is now such a daily part of my life was the cherry on top.
But enough of the sappy stuff. Besides being so meaningful to me on a personal level this was also just such a fun read! Sadie is spending the summer in a small Texas town with her cousin and best friend while she navigates losing her job and deciding what to do next. Her cousin Liam convinces her to finally play DnD with him, and through that game she is able to meet new friends, gain new confidence in herself, and meet a special someone.
I absolutely loved the characters in this book. Sadie and Noah are so fun to follow, but the other characters (Liam, Jules, and Morgan) are all equally fun and I loved whenever they were around. Constantly teasing about the obvious chemistry between the pair, they also proved to be just the friends Sadie needed to figure out what comes next. And their DnD personas were hilarious to watch play out.
One of my favourite aspects of this book is that instead of being about people who are also in a DnD campaign, it was about both. We didn’t just watch them play the game. There was a whole separate story we get to be immersed in along with the main story. Sadie and Noah are able to explore a relationship both irl and in game as Jaylie and Loren, and using those characters they learn more about each other and themselves. I loved being immersed in both stories, and I think it was balanced so well. Sometimes I’ll get too immersed in one story or timeline and lose interest in the other, but this is one of those circumstances where I was equally loving both.
Because all the characters are also new to DnD, that part of the story is also very easy to understand and follow. For the most part things are explained well in a way the reader can follow along with, and I think it’s both a really fun example and introduction of what the game can be. Especially the dynamics between players. It reminded me so much of the relationships I’ve developed with my own party, and how we have friendships that now transcend the game, but we also know and understand each other in a way that other people never could. This book does such a fantastic job of showcasing how the game can be used to explore and learn so much about yourself, while also just being such a cute and fun story. I absolutely recommend checking it out, whether you’re a DnD player yourself, curious about how it works, or are simply looking for a cute and meaningful story that will have you giggling, gasping, and overall having an amazing time.
Sometimes you find books that you absolutely love. 5 stars, great vibes, fantastic characters, a great plot. And sometimes, you find a book that feels like it was written just for you. A book that inspires you and shows you both how much you are like a character, and how much more you can be because of them. This is one of those books for me. Sadie goes through a very similar experience to what my life has been lately, and watching her navigate those decisions was inspirational to me. And doing it with a backdrop of the game that has brought out so much confidence in myself and is now such a daily part of my life was the cherry on top.
But enough of the sappy stuff. Besides being so meaningful to me on a personal level this was also just such a fun read! Sadie is spending the summer in a small Texas town with her cousin and best friend while she navigates losing her job and deciding what to do next. Her cousin Liam convinces her to finally play DnD with him, and through that game she is able to meet new friends, gain new confidence in herself, and meet a special someone.
I absolutely loved the characters in this book. Sadie and Noah are so fun to follow, but the other characters (Liam, Jules, and Morgan) are all equally fun and I loved whenever they were around. Constantly teasing about the obvious chemistry between the pair, they also proved to be just the friends Sadie needed to figure out what comes next. And their DnD personas were hilarious to watch play out.
One of my favourite aspects of this book is that instead of being about people who are also in a DnD campaign, it was about both. We didn’t just watch them play the game. There was a whole separate story we get to be immersed in along with the main story. Sadie and Noah are able to explore a relationship both irl and in game as Jaylie and Loren, and using those characters they learn more about each other and themselves. I loved being immersed in both stories, and I think it was balanced so well. Sometimes I’ll get too immersed in one story or timeline and lose interest in the other, but this is one of those circumstances where I was equally loving both.
Because all the characters are also new to DnD, that part of the story is also very easy to understand and follow. For the most part things are explained well in a way the reader can follow along with, and I think it’s both a really fun example and introduction of what the game can be. Especially the dynamics between players. It reminded me so much of the relationships I’ve developed with my own party, and how we have friendships that now transcend the game, but we also know and understand each other in a way that other people never could. This book does such a fantastic job of showcasing how the game can be used to explore and learn so much about yourself, while also just being such a cute and fun story. I absolutely recommend checking it out, whether you’re a DnD player yourself, curious about how it works, or are simply looking for a cute and meaningful story that will have you giggling, gasping, and overall having an amazing time.
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:
Yes
adventurous
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Cozy love story blended with Dungeons and Dragons role play. I really enjoyed the D&D element because I knew nothing about it and so I quickly learned so many things I was very ignorant about. It’s such an interesting, addicting and creative game.
The author was able to switch perspectives between real life and D&D gameplay perfectly. There were a couple of very spicy scenes but I prefer closed door romances.
Thank you NetGalley Lenora Woods and Dell Romance for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
3 stars!!! ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Content Warnings
Moderate: Cursing, Death, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual content, Grief, Alcohol
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:
N/A
What a sweet, nerdy read! There is so much to adore about this book.
Sadie, the FMC, finds herself in Texas after some abrupt changes with her corporate NY job. She's at her best friend Liam's house, who ends up suggesting and getting her involved in a Dungeons and Dragons campaign with a bunch of other new players, including Noah. Adventures ensue.
Lenora manages to include descriptions of how the game is played so anyone can pick up what's going on throughout the book. I was impressed by how she wove both in-game adventure stories with what was happening in the characters' day-to-day lives.
This was such a sweet, easy read. If you're looking for a heartwarming romance with some nerdy flair, you should absolutely pick this up!
Thanks to NetGalley, Lenora Woods, and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for this eARC in exchange for my honest review!
Sadie, the FMC, finds herself in Texas after some abrupt changes with her corporate NY job. She's at her best friend Liam's house, who ends up suggesting and getting her involved in a Dungeons and Dragons campaign with a bunch of other new players, including Noah. Adventures ensue.
Lenora manages to include descriptions of how the game is played so anyone can pick up what's going on throughout the book. I was impressed by how she wove both in-game adventure stories with what was happening in the characters' day-to-day lives.
This was such a sweet, easy read. If you're looking for a heartwarming romance with some nerdy flair, you should absolutely pick this up!
Thanks to NetGalley, Lenora Woods, and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for this eARC in exchange for my honest review!
5 stars
A sweet romance where two people looking for a home amidst upheaval find love together both in and out of game. I really connected with Sadie's burnout plotline and her constant fight to keep a career or a city that you aren't even sure you ACTUALLY want. I also completely understand her instant attraction to burly man with a red beard and a man bun, that would be my ultimate weakness too girl. I loved how soft Noah was despite his size and appearance and of course his complete nerdiness. Sadie and Noah also communicated REALLY well which I greatly appreciated yet there was still a 3rd act conflict, one that made sne to the story and the characters. Getting to see the characters' characters fall in love within the D&D campaign was a delightful addition as well. Not to mention, I really enjoyed that story too especially the cliff hanger. I really hope we get another book in this world (maybe the DM and the new player?) so we can see where the campaign in Hell takes that story. I also hope anytime there is an integral side character who is married means we might get a marriage on the rocks story in the future because those are under rated.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this eARC, I had a great time!
A sweet romance where two people looking for a home amidst upheaval find love together both in and out of game. I really connected with Sadie's burnout plotline and her constant fight to keep a career or a city that you aren't even sure you ACTUALLY want. I also completely understand her instant attraction to burly man with a red beard and a man bun, that would be my ultimate weakness too girl. I loved how soft Noah was despite his size and appearance and of course his complete nerdiness. Sadie and Noah also communicated REALLY well which I greatly appreciated yet there was still a 3rd act conflict, one that made sne to the story and the characters. Getting to see the characters' characters fall in love within the D&D campaign was a delightful addition as well. Not to mention, I really enjoyed that story too especially the cliff hanger. I really hope we get another book in this world (maybe the DM and the new player?) so we can see where the campaign in Hell takes that story. I also hope anytime there is an integral side character who is married means we might get a marriage on the rocks story in the future because those are under rated.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this eARC, I had a great time!
Sadi and Noah were cute, but too slow to get to the real romance in my opinion.
The first 60% felt more like a D&D/self-discovery book than a romance with a side of life change. Sadie and Noah felt younger than they were, and I was missing the maturity and honesty one has when they get older.
I did love the D&D aspect of the book, which, as someone who has only heard about it and never played it, says something about Lenora's writing.
Overall, I didn't dislike the book; it was just not for me.
Also, had to mention the incredible cover art, because as a visual girly, that's the first thing that drew me in!
The first 60% felt more like a D&D/self-discovery book than a romance with a side of life change. Sadie and Noah felt younger than they were, and I was missing the maturity and honesty one has when they get older.
I did love the D&D aspect of the book, which, as someone who has only heard about it and never played it, says something about Lenora's writing.
Overall, I didn't dislike the book; it was just not for me.
Also, had to mention the incredible cover art, because as a visual girly, that's the first thing that drew me in!
inspiring
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
I thought this was a very cute story, and I loved the addition of scenes from the actual D&D campaign, instead of just being a story *about* people who play D&D. The writing was well done, wasn't clunky in any spots, and the pacing flowed well. It was also clear; I was never confused about how much time had passed, although I also was surprised to realize that the entire summer had flown by throughout the book's pages. Well done on that balance! A personal preference would've been to see more of the other players and their blossoming friendship with the main character, but I know it would be hard to rectify that additional page count needed with the dual storyline. The romance between Sadie and Noah is believable and adorable, not quite a slow burn but also not insta love thankfully. As a bonus, there is NO third act breakup, and the couple talks through things together (communication, imagine!). So it hit all the right notes for me there.
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
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
The cover and the concept had me very excited for this book. However, in execution I enjoyed everything but the romance book. This is Lenora Woods' debut book and she does have a good voice, and I'm looking forward to her book in the future.
Summary: Sadie has moved from NYC to a small town in Texas temporary for the summer while she's lost her job. She stayed with her high school best friend, Liam. He's a high school teach and off the summer so he's started a D&D group for newbie. He encourages Sadie to join and she meets Noah, and their connection grows in real life and in the story.
In the beginning I liked Sadie + Noah connection. As it went on, it felt very juvenile. They would do a lot of “talking“ through their characters via text rather than saying how they felt. I like a golden retriever MMC , but Noah was just too much at times. We didn’t get to see his full rounded character until about like 85% through the book.
Also, they’re just like one too many comments about how big/strong/towering Noah is compared to Sadie. A personal description I don't enjoy reading over and over again.
Despite those negative comment, I really liked everything else. Sadie‘s arc of her figuring out if she wants to return to New York and her corporate job or stay in Texas and pursue her art was well done. Woods did a good job depicting the downfall of a perfectionist ideals and going through the motions because it’s what you’ve been told is success.
I also enjoyed her friendships and the D&D session were fantastic. There were many plot twists in the sessions that I didn’t see coming. I think it’s also a good intro for somebody that doesn’t know D&D. Woods explained what the characters are and they don’t work through a lot of of the clunky mechanics. Woods tells the session as a narration so you can so like a new person could see the potential of a D&D session.
I think this book would’ve benefited from aging down a lot of the characters. I am biased with like a chronic disorder, but I just couldn’t get past a lot of Noah and Sadie‘s discussions and being like OK but like what about health insurance so if they were highschoolers/college like I think it would’ve benefited from more of that tone.
As I mentioned at the beginning, Lenora Woods does have a good voice for a debut. I’m excited to see what she comes out with next.
Thank you Random House for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
Summary: Sadie has moved from NYC to a small town in Texas temporary for the summer while she's lost her job. She stayed with her high school best friend, Liam. He's a high school teach and off the summer so he's started a D&D group for newbie. He encourages Sadie to join and she meets Noah, and their connection grows in real life and in the story.
In the beginning I liked Sadie + Noah connection. As it went on, it felt very juvenile. They would do a lot of “talking“ through their characters via text rather than saying how they felt. I like a golden retriever MMC , but Noah was just too much at times. We didn’t get to see his full rounded character until about like 85% through the book.
Also, they’re just like one too many comments about how big/strong/towering Noah is compared to Sadie. A personal description I don't enjoy reading over and over again.
Despite those negative comment, I really liked everything else. Sadie‘s arc of her figuring out if she wants to return to New York and her corporate job or stay in Texas and pursue her art was well done. Woods did a good job depicting the downfall of a perfectionist ideals and going through the motions because it’s what you’ve been told is success.
I also enjoyed her friendships and the D&D session were fantastic. There were many plot twists in the sessions that I didn’t see coming. I think it’s also a good intro for somebody that doesn’t know D&D. Woods explained what the characters are and they don’t work through a lot of of the clunky mechanics. Woods tells the session as a narration so you can so like a new person could see the potential of a D&D session.
I think this book would’ve benefited from aging down a lot of the characters. I am biased with like a chronic disorder, but I just couldn’t get past a lot of Noah and Sadie‘s discussions and being like OK but like what about health insurance so if they were highschoolers/college like I think it would’ve benefited from more of that tone.
As I mentioned at the beginning, Lenora Woods does have a good voice for a debut. I’m excited to see what she comes out with next.
Thank you Random House for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.