Reviews

Roll For Romance by Lenora Woods

alissamargaret's review against another edition

adventurous hopeful lighthearted

3.5

sarahbeereads's review

adventurous funny lighthearted medium-paced

5.0

this was such a cute book. and nerdy is another plus! i loved how the d&d scenes were written as if we were actually in the world instead of focusing on the people playing as the characters. that was really cool. i also loved the status check comments as she did day to day things. 

thanks to netgalley for the advance copy! 

theb00kcryptid's review

lighthearted relaxing medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

I landed on a 3 star because I really enjoyed the chapters with the gameplay and it was a really pleasant surprise. If the author ever wanted to write a full fantasy I’d be all for it. 

But I think y’all know by now the romance aspect of the story wasn’t for me. I found the FMC pretty immature and annoying honestly, she was a lot of the reason it took me almost a full month to read this, I could not stand to be in her head.

I see why this was a hit for the romance readers I just really am not a romance girlie, or rather I’m not a hetero romance girlie 🤷🏻‍♀️

Thanks to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

tashx's review

5.0

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review. 

I cannot believe this is a debut novel. I loved the story and characters so much. I don't play D&D but have friends who do, and I had no trouble keeping up. 

ggless's review

5.0

Thank you Random House Publishing Group for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

Wow where to start with this book? I guess with the obvious from the 5 star rating, I freaking loved it! This is actually my second D&D romance, the first being Dungeons and Drama which is YA. One thing unique to Roll for Romance was the storytelling within the game. Having the creativity to create an entirely separate world and characters to build on the primary storyline was incredible and thoroughly enjoyable for anyone who has dabbled in the D&D world before. However I truly believe it is not at all necessary to know any thing about Dungeons and Dragons to enjoy this book, it is just a nice perk. I really love the way that Woods utilizes her prose, everything was described to the point where I could easily visualize the landscapes and layout without being so wordy that my eyes cross halfway through. I would read this book again, hands down. I think I was as disappointed to reach the end as the characters were to finish their campaign.

henren's review against another edition

funny lighthearted medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Roll for Romance is a fun, geeky romance with a creative "story within a story" twist. The D&D sessions were seamlessly woven in, making the fantasy elements just as engaging as the real-world romance. The side characters truly shine, bringing humor, heart, and a strong sense of camaraderie that made both worlds of the book feel more real. 

While I struggled to fully connect with the main character at times, I appreciated the moments that explored her mental health—though I wish that aspect had been developed further. Still, this is a charming, heartfelt read that celebrates friendship, storytelling, and the magic of rolling the dice.

kayelmc's review against another edition

adventurous lighthearted medium-paced

3.0

I’ll start with the disclaimer that I don’t really know anything about D&D - or at least I didn’t before reading this book. 
Even after getting a grasp of the bare basics, the immersive D&D sections jarred me out of the story every. single. time. I felt like I was reading two different books. 
That aside, I liked the book alright, it reads a bit like a Hallmark story - woman leaves big city for a small town and is charmed by the life and people - but who doesn’t love a Hallmark story?!
Thank you Ballantine and NetGalley for the ARC!

kathleenandherbooks's review

adventurous emotional funny 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

5.0

As someone who is absolutely obsessed with D&D and romance books.... this book is the most perfect mash-up of them both.

Our main character Sadie is playing D&D for the first time while she stays with her college roommate Liam for the summer, and he recruits some other first time players.. including a handsome, charming Bard named Noah. Sadie’s character Jaylie and Noah’s character Loren begin to spark an in game romance on their adventures, while they also start to spend more time together outside the game.

This book has the most incredible back and forth between the storytelling of real life Sadie and Noah in Heller, Texas; and the fantasy storytelling of the D&D campaign. I felt like I was truly reading two stories at once and going back and forth between both was just so much fun.

This book is not only perfect for people who play and love D&D, it’s also perfect for people who have never played before. It’s a fantastic introduction into the D&D world, and you will learn the lore and how to play alongside Sadie and Noah.

This book was funny, tender, romantic, and the spicy scenes were SO GOOD. 

The ending also had me tearing up because I just loved the characters and the world so much, I truly didn't want it to end. 

Thank you so much NetGalley, Penguin Random House, Dell , and Lenora Woods for the chance to read this arc, I can't wait to get my own copy on release day!

emilysmoser's review

3.75

this was cute!!! a little cheesy at times but I loved the dynamic of seeing them as their dnd characters and then out of the game while having their romance develop in both areas 

jinnyshollow's review

emotional funny hopeful medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5

*Thank you to Netgalley for providing an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.*

Vibe/Mood: 1
Characters: 1
Plot: .5
Scratched my ADHD brain: 1
Hyperfixation Potential: 1

4.5/5 🌟

First and foremost: this is not your average contemporay romance and that’s what makes this more appealing. I really enjoyed being able to immerse into the world of D&D while also seeing the growth of Sadie as she worked through her burnout and learned more about herself and her path forward, as well as how Noah played a part in this and thus having their relationship grow both in-game and IRL. 

I don’t think that you ahve to have knowledge of D&D to still enjoy this story, but having that knowledge did make this a significantly more enjoyable story for me. 

This felt like a strong debut to me and I really look forward to whatever Lenora does next.