Take a photo of a barcode or cover
4.23 AVERAGE
4.23 AVERAGE
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
đ¶đ¶đ¶đ¶
Absolutely adorable! A fantastic nerdy Sapphic story about role-playing games!
Fresh from a breakup, June moves back to her hometown and hopes to reconnect with her old friends. One of which is Nova, who is less than thrilled to have June back since she trashed Nova's novel on her stream. When June joins the D&D campaign, Nova vows to end June's character. But then they're spending more time together and maybe Nova was really hiding from their feelings instead.
I loved the friend group so much! This is such a fun story where even the cruddy ex makes progress. Nova is incredible, and they are so sweet with June. As a former D&D player, I absolutely loved it.
Thanks so much to the author for the opportunity to read and review!
Absolutely adorable! A fantastic nerdy Sapphic story about role-playing games!
Fresh from a breakup, June moves back to her hometown and hopes to reconnect with her old friends. One of which is Nova, who is less than thrilled to have June back since she trashed Nova's novel on her stream. When June joins the D&D campaign, Nova vows to end June's character. But then they're spending more time together and maybe Nova was really hiding from their feelings instead.
I loved the friend group so much! This is such a fun story where even the cruddy ex makes progress. Nova is incredible, and they are so sweet with June. As a former D&D player, I absolutely loved it.
Thanks so much to the author for the opportunity to read and review!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
relaxing
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
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
âYouâre not behind, and youâre just as valid if you figured it out at sixteen, twenty-six, or eighty-six. If youâre with someone you care about, youâll both have fun no matter what.â
-Lyssa
How do I even begin to describe how much I loved this book?! The characters, the emotions, the spice, all of it was fantastic! The story was so fun to follow and I really loved reading how the characters developed throughout the book. I also really loved learning more about Dungeons and Dragons. I never played, but I was always curious about the game, as I love all things fantasy. This book just made my nerdy/geeky heart so happy!
This story is told through the two perspectives of our main characters: June and Nova, former BFFs. Both of them play D&D and have somewhat successful careers surrounding the game. When the two reunite to play the game together for Juneâs online presence as a D&D influencer, they wind up having some big moments that leak into the ârealâ world and drive our characters forward. Novaâs D&D character, Hunt, is determined to earn the trust of, and get closer to Juneâs D&D character, Awe, by shamelessly flirting with her. However, outside of the game Nova wants nothing to do with June, until things get a bit more complicated. June winds up experiencing new feelings toward Nova and Nova starts to slowly let her guard down and let June in. By the end of the story, I was left with happy tears, as the characters both got their happily ever afters.
One of the main reasons I really loved this story so much was how I was able to relate to both characters throughout the book, mainly June though. As someone who came out as bisexual later in life and who had a controlling ex, I could really connect with what June was experiencing in the story. I was also able to live vicariously through her (as I was already happily married to my husband when I discovered my bisexuality). I also really related to Nova and her neurodivergent mind. It was so neat to see her perspective on things in a way that I could connect to and understand.
Overall, this story was such a sweet (with some spicy mixed in) contemporary sapphic romance that immersed the reader in both the D&D game building and the ârealâ world surrounding the characters. If you love fantasy worlds, relatable and lovable characters, and all the geeky/nerdy things, then Di-Curious is for you!
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:
Complicated
This was a really cute lighthearted palate cleanser! I love all the characters and their quirks and things that made them unique! Not a perfect book but I had a lot of fun reading it!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Homophobia, Toxic relationship, Transphobia, Religious bigotry
adventurous
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
A big thank you to the author for giving me an ARC for this book.
I love a good queer Dungeons and Dragons book. I love that this book is about a person whose personal expression of identity and professional life is deeply connected to her D&D character and cosplaying that character. June is a well-fleshed-out person with insecurities and people-pleasing tendencies despite being a massive influencer due to her display and TTRPG games.
Nova (she/they) is a non-binary person with the opposite problem. They love doing behind-the-scenes work for fantasy worlds, such as writing books about D&D characters, and working on her craft by applying for an MFA program after their first book flopped due in large part to a certain influencer's review. Now, Nova wants to get revenge and what better way to work out her frustration with her former best friend, sometime crush and killer of her career than to play a character who will take down June's popular Bard character?
Things get flirty and steamy and life gets in the way, but this is a really good book about empowering your person to be their most authentic self, open themselves up to new experiences, and make choices that work for them rather than pleasing others.
If I had to nitpick, one thing that did not land properly with me was that the characters don't feel nearly thirty. If it had no reference to age, I would but them in their late teens or early twenties because they don't really deal with conflict like adults. Instead, they are cold to people without asking if they did something, assume something is malicious when they could simply ask the person, but simply do not. This kind of approach to friendships and interacting with people doesn't really sound like people who are nearly thirty to me but otherwise, this is a really fun book.
I love a good queer Dungeons and Dragons book. I love that this book is about a person whose personal expression of identity and professional life is deeply connected to her D&D character and cosplaying that character. June is a well-fleshed-out person with insecurities and people-pleasing tendencies despite being a massive influencer due to her display and TTRPG games.
Nova (she/they) is a non-binary person with the opposite problem. They love doing behind-the-scenes work for fantasy worlds, such as writing books about D&D characters, and working on her craft by applying for an MFA program after their first book flopped due in large part to a certain influencer's review. Now, Nova wants to get revenge and what better way to work out her frustration with her former best friend, sometime crush and killer of her career than to play a character who will take down June's popular Bard character?
Things get flirty and steamy and life gets in the way, but this is a really good book about empowering your person to be their most authentic self, open themselves up to new experiences, and make choices that work for them rather than pleasing others.
If I had to nitpick, one thing that did not land properly with me was that the characters don't feel nearly thirty. If it had no reference to age, I would but them in their late teens or early twenties because they don't really deal with conflict like adults. Instead, they are cold to people without asking if they did something, assume something is malicious when they could simply ask the person, but simply do not. This kind of approach to friendships and interacting with people doesn't really sound like people who are nearly thirty to me but otherwise, this is a really fun book.
adventurous
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
This cozy, sapphic fantasy / romance was everything!!! I could not put it down until I finished and I absolutely love June and Nova! I have to add that one character is non-binary and the flawless execution of switching between she/ they pronouns made me so happy.
emotional
funny
hopeful
mysterious
fast-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:
No
It was wonderful! I got to read and ARC of this and I can't recommend it enough, reading things by and about non-binary folk different than myself is always a treat. The party characters have such friendship and I would love to read more about this group
Content Warnings
Moderate: Homophobia
Minor: Transphobia
I saw the author promote this book on Facebook and have been so excited to read it. I mean, that cover!! đ Amirite? Sapphic FNb D&D romance with autism rep? Yes. Please. Imagine my excitement when I was gifted an ARC!
Ladies, gentlemen, and gentlethems, this book met and exceeded my expectations. The romance between June and Nova (and their characters, Awe and Hunt) was so adorable. Their banter was funny and sweet and I couldnât help but love them. They would fit right into my friend group and honestly Iâm a little sad theyâre fictional. The side characters were also a lot of fun, and if there is ever a sequel, I hope to learn more about them.
Going into this book I wasnât sure what the spice level would be but I was pleasantly surprised! There were several really well done spicy scenes. I love when characters joke around in bed, it makes it so much more realistic and trust me, the scenes were still plenty hot. And the ending!! đ„° I wonât give anything away but it was wonderful. The whole book was wonderful. I wouldnât change a single thing and I canât wait to read future works by Erin Branch.
Ladies, gentlemen, and gentlethems, this book met and exceeded my expectations. The romance between June and Nova (and their characters, Awe and Hunt) was so adorable. Their banter was funny and sweet and I couldnât help but love them. They would fit right into my friend group and honestly Iâm a little sad theyâre fictional. The side characters were also a lot of fun, and if there is ever a sequel, I hope to learn more about them.
Going into this book I wasnât sure what the spice level would be but I was pleasantly surprised! There were several really well done spicy scenes. I love when characters joke around in bed, it makes it so much more realistic and trust me, the scenes were still plenty hot. And the ending!! đ„° I wonât give anything away but it was wonderful. The whole book was wonderful. I wouldnât change a single thing and I canât wait to read future works by Erin Branch.
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
relaxing
fast-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
funny
inspiring
lighthearted
fast-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
This sweet and spicy sapphic romance combines so many of the things I love: frenemies-to-lovers, celebrating geekiness, bi toaster oven awakenings with a dash of gay panic, neurodivergent rep, non-binary rep, and enthusiastic consent. Plus the size difference between June and Nova is adorable. Their chemistry sizzles and I rooted for them to get together from page one. There are also so many hilarious moments that had me rolling with laughter. And though I donât play D&D myself (maybe itâs time to change that?) I was able to follow the in-game storylines just fine.
Highly recommended for anyone who enjoys sapphic love, D&D, or just a great feel-good romance.
I was lucky enough to beta-read this and am voluntarily leaving this review.