Thank you so much net galley !!
One of my favorite arc sequel to dungeons and drama!
It’s such a cute mix of high school rom com and the geeky love of dungeons and dragons. Quinn and Logan are too cute together

I don't read a lot of YA anymore (as I'm approaching 40, it feels a little weird--the characters are basically my kid's age) but I will ALWAYS read Kristy Boyce's books. Always. Dating and Dragons, like Dungeons and Drama, made my nerdy little heart ridiculously happy.

Quinn is the new kid at school. She had a falling out with kids she had called her friend at her old school (her friends were TERRIBLE), and her parents decided it was the perfect time to move closer to her grandma. On the first day, she meets Logan and his friends, and they quickly absorb her into their group--which also happens to be super into Dungeons and Dragons--so much so that they livestream their games. Oh, and they have two hard and fast rules-- no phones or other distractions on game day, and no dating other party members. Which is all well and good--except Quinn can't stop thinking about Logan. The feeling, she finds out, is mutual.

I loved the characters so much. Quinn's grandma was a hoot and a half. Her brother was very much a teen boy, but he was protective when it counted. Each member of their D&D party had so much personality, and the campaigns were so creative. As someone who has played D&D (albeit a long time ago), and whose kids are into D&D now, I absolutely loved this book--start to finish. My son (who is a DM) saw me grinning while cooking dinner (I was listening to the audiobook), and he asked me what I was reading. His eyebrow went up, and he rolled his eyes, but he *might* have also looked a teensy bit interested.

If, like me, you love all things nerdy, this book is for you. It's so freaking fun. The cute, illustrated cover captures the spirit of the book perfectly. 10/10. No notes. Dating and Dragons was delicious, nerdy perfection.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Children's/Delacorte Romance for the advanced digital copy in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts & feelings below are my own

Rating: 4.5 stars, rounded up

Dating and Dragons starts with our girl Quinn doing the thing every kid dreads - starting at a new school in February. Except... she doesn't really mind all that much. After a falling out with her D&D group, a.k.a. her only friends, Quinn is ready to be anywhere but at her old school. Now her biggest concern is just how badly her grandma, Barbara, might embarrass her (side note: why are grandma's in fiction always so much cooler/funnier than real life? I love my grandma, but she would not be caught dead playing pickleball or trying to meddle in my love life). Luckily, Quinn quickly makes new friends but her new D&D group has a "no dating" rule that might keep her from achieving full happiness.

I loved Dating and Dragons by Kristy Boyce, it honestly just put a huge smile on my face. I already had 'Dungeons and Drama' on my TBR, but getting to read this ARC definitely bumped that one up my list. Reading Dating and Dragons also made me desperately want to play D&D. I loved all of the characters and wish I could befriend all of them IRL. Each of the characters was so perfectly unique. I also really liked the fact that the bullies/antagonists weren't your typical YA book/movie stereotype of the prep or jock at school, and instead were also considered "nerds". The only thing that kept this from being a full 5 stars for me was that sometimes these teens seemed a little too adult/mature. For example: my guy Logan said a couple of things that would have been swoon-worthy in an adult/steamy romance, but they just seemed a little cringey coming from a 16 year old. Other than that, Dating and Dragons was an easy, feel-good, teen romance novel.

You need to read this book if you like any of the following:
-D&D
-YA romance
-slow burn (like omg will you PLEASE just kiss already, everyone knows you want to!!!)
-friends to romance
-supportive friend groups

Thank you to Delacorte Romance for the eARC and PRH Audio for the free audiobook.

I don’t play Dungeons and Dragons…but deep down, I am a bit of a nerd. And I loved Dungeons and Drama so I was so excited to see the author planned another story in this universe.

Datings and Dragons was such a cute and enjoyable read (and listen!). The secondhand cringe was so real at times, it really transported me to the feelings I had as a teenager. I remember being so embarrassed by my dad just existing in public. Oh, young me, if you only knew…

I loved the progression of the relationship between Quinn and Logan and how they really became friends before trying anything else. It was clear they were drawn to each other, and I loved how they inadvertently couldn’t stay away. Was some of the teenage angst totally manufactured and be solved with communication? Of course, but they are teenagers, that’s not their forte.

The D&D information is pretty heavy, but it doesn’t feel overwhelming. As someone who mildly knows what’s going on, the game information was more of a fun addition to the story.

At this point, I really just want more from this author, and I’ll definitely be watching for more from the narrator, Abigail Reno. Her inflections were ✨chef’s kiss✨.

Last point: I think I want to be Quinn’s grandma when I grow up.

I wanted to start this review by thanking NetGalley, Random House Children’s, and Kristy Boyce for a copy of this eARC. Overall I would give this a 3.5 star rating. I was excited to read this when I realized it was in the same book group as book 1. It was such a lighthearted, hand fun book about the power of friendship and emotional support. I look forward to your publish date so I can purchase this for my niece!

This book is absolutely a love letter to D&D. Not just the game itself, but the whole community. I got genuinely so excited seeing references to Critical Role, Baldur’s Gate, and cosplaying.

I loved the Danicas between the two characters, how Quinn didn’t let him get away with being rude. The banter was so much fun to read, and just like the viewers, I absolutely ate up every second of it.

The scenes where they were alone and Logan was being his true self were my absolute favorites. Seeing how much he cared for her and her well being had me absolutely kicking my feet. Romances for me absolutely require a love interest that is a good person and Logan was so good.

The second this book was announced I’d been counting the days till it came out and I was lucky enough to get an ARC for it! Can’t wait to get my preordered copy as well.

Read this YA rom com if you like:

✨Dungeons and Dragons
✨friends to love
✨forbidden relationship
✨forced proximity
✨importance of friendship

Thank you Net Galley and Random House Children's for an advanced reading copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

MY THOUGHTS:

💭 I loved Dungeons and Drama and Kristy Boyce has done it again! Dating and Dragons is another swoon worthy YA rom-com written for the nerds. It's me, I'm nerds 🤓

💭 When I say swoon worthy I'm not just talking about the romance, but the power of FRIENDSHIP this book represents. This has me yearning to go through old photos of "the good ol' days" 😏

HYPE UP QUOTE:

"Today feels like a good day for bad choices."

Dating and Dragons was such a cute, fast-paced read! I really loved the relationship between Quinn and Logan. While the book does center on a D&D group, it can still be enjoyed if you are not familiar with the game. Overall, I would definitely recommend this book for anyone seeking a cute YA rom-com. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc!

After enjoying "Dungeons and Drama," I was so excited that a book 2 was going to be released. I was even more giddy when I was selected as an ARC-reader for "Dating and Dragons."

This book is just as cute as the first one. Quinn and Logan are the two, central characters and have you rooting for them from the start. As you can imagine, it is very heavy on the D&D. As a person that has actually never played the game, this book made me want to even more.

I loved the teen drama, but more importantly, I loved Quinn's grandma ( you will too). It was a quick read in that I did not want to put it down for a moment.

Thank you to NetGalley and Delacorte Press for gifting me this ARC. I really enjoyed it.

A huge thank you to Random House Children's and Delacorte Romance for an ARC!

A good friend of mine recommended Dungeons and Drama to me earlier this summer and I read it in one day, so when I saw book 2 in this series was coming out, I NEEDED IT.

Let me start out by saying I think Quinn and Logan might beat out Riley and Nathan from book 1 for my favorite couple. Some of my favorite things about these two were how confident Logan was with his feelings towards Quinn and how he lets her know from the very beginning. I also loved their yearning, the stolen looks, the anguish that they can't be together because they love their friends so much. It's just perfect.

The big feelings at the end felt a little rushed which kinda threw me, but I had to remind myself these characters are in high school and sometimes high schoolers do be like that 😂

All in all, this is such a super cute YA romance and I absolutely recommend it especially if you're looking for a sweet palate cleanser. 4.5 stars.

This book was slightly better than the first book only because I love the grandma. in my opinion, she made the book but such a cute romance, nerdy book. Fun to read.

I was excited to read this book after reading Dungeons and Drama. The story is cute, and interesting. I will say that I prefered the characters in the earlier book. Now, I am probably not the target audience- I don’t play Dungeons and Dragons (though it does sound interesting) and I am not in my teens- so this review will be from the point of view of an older reader.

Quinn is an interesting character- funny and nice, but very nervous. Her past friends group did a number on her confidence, and it’s hard to watch her so nervous. It makes sense, and I feel like it would be a very real response at that age. Grandma is the second best wing-man ever ( no one will ever beat Wanda from Lana Ferguson’s The Nanny). I loved her so much- definitely my favorite character.

Some of the interactions here did not seem to fit the age range, to me anyway. Logan’s description of his desires? Boy might be reading too many bodice rippers. But maybe teens talk like this now? I have to admit, it’s been a minute. I felt like certain parts were overly dramatic, where as the actual game could have been more so (maybe with more gaming moments?). Reactions make sense, and I do think the author did well portraying a group of teens; I just personally feel like there could have been more. Still, it was a fun, super charming fast read. I would give it three and a half stars.

⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 3.5 out of 5.
On the adult content, there is bullying, some language and some flirting- moderate, nothing too bad. Would I have given this to my niece at ten or twelve? Probably.


I was lucky enought to recieve an eARC of this book from Netgalley working with Random House Children’s in exchange for an honest review. These opinions are my own and in no way swayed by the fact that I got this opportunity. My thanks!

Title: Dating and Dragons - Dungeons and Drama Book #2

*Release date: 12/31/24 | Read: 12/16/24

*Author: Kristy Boyce-I read Dungeons and Drama and gave it 4 ⭐

*Format: eBook 336 pgs.

Thanks to NetGalley, Random House Children's | Delacorte Romance, and Kristy Boyce for this ARC🧙🏾 ! I voluntarily give an honest review, and all opinions expressed are my own.

*Setting: Laurelburg, Ohio

*Genre: YA, Contemporary Romance

*Tropes: D&D campaigns, forbidden romance, female/male friendship, clean romance, cover lover, coming of age, forced proximity, found family

*Look out for: aging grandparent, bullying online

*Synopsis: Quinn has just moved to a new town in Ohio after her friends turned against her. On her first day at a new school, she meets and joins a new friend group that is serious about Dungeons & Dragons. She played with her ex-friends for fun but for Logan and the crew, it's life. She feels a spark of attraction to Logan, but they can't break a D&D rule of no fraternization with members.

*Characters

* Quinn Norton-16, starts new school junior year
* Andrew-15 yr old brother, popular soccer player
* Kashvi + Sanjiv + Mark + Sloane- new D&D crew
* Logan Weber-D&D crew but has a spark w/ Quinn
* Paige/Caden/Makyla/ Travis-Quinn's ex BFFs
* Barbara-Quinn's grandmother
*Chuck-Logan's father, a farmer

*Review: This had much more D&D with live streams than Dungeons and Drama. The romance between Quinn and Logan was second to D&D campaigns, the character builds, and role-playing. Quinn and Logan's relationship started rocking with Logan treating her cold. They bickered until things changed and they worried about their friends' reactions. Quinn and her grandmother were funny, especially her trying to set Quinn up with Logan. I loved Quinn and Kashvi becoming BFFs and starting a business jewelry making. I don't know if I was the demographic because I've never played or had any interest in D&D.

*Rating: 3/5 ⭐⭐⭐

*Spice level- 1/5 🌶️

Adorable! I liked it even better than Dungeons and Drama and I loved that one too. The characters were all fun and relatable especially Quinn and all of her family and their dynamics. I especially love her grandmother, an unapologetic instigator with the best intentions and keen instinct. This was low stakes fluffy fun with a nice helping of D&D goodness. I felt like we got a bit more of the group actually playing in this book than we did in Dungeons and Drama which I really enjoyed. I thought that it worked really well to showcase the dynamics between the characters both in and out of the game. I have zero complaints and humbly demand that we get more books in this series because I need more of this in my life please.

This book rolled a Nat20!

THANK YOU NetGalley and Random House Children’s for the ARC in exchange for an honest review. I read Kristy Boyce’s “Dungeons and Drama” earlier this year, so I KNEW I would eat this one up!

Quinn, after a devastating fall out with her old friend/D&D group, is adjusting to her new school and wanting to make friends. As fate would have it, she stumbles upon a fun, charming, and adorable friend group on her first day.

She’s invited to sit in on the last session of their campaign and very quickly realizes, this group is SERIOUS and means business. Will she fit into this close-knit group, or will things implode like last time? It doesn’t help that she has eyes for Logan, the charismatic leader of the group. Especially when their number one rule is to not date other members.

The characters were so lovable right from the jump! Quinn’s relationship with her grandmother reminded me of mine. I loved her grandma’s sass! I loved how Quinn and Logan’s relationship blossomed even while facing challenges.

God, this was just absolutely, gut-wrenchingly cute. I love Quinn and Logan. I love their friends. I love grandma.

Thank you NetGalley and Random House for this arc in exchange for an honest review!

A cute and fast read but more juvenile than I was hoping for.

I enjoyed the first one, but this one seem significantly younger than the first. I also feel like there wasn't as much D&D in this one, which is so interesting and fun to read about.

I liked Logan (as much as you can who is more than 1/2 your age 🫠), but I was having issues with Quinn, she just seemed kinda bland and another ones of those characters where you're not really seeing the appeal for their interest.

But I think this is a good series for those who enjoy young adult stores.

I liked how the author was able to craft a tragic event in the life of a teenager that didn't involve someone actually dying or committing a felony. It shows how teens perceive friendship breakdowns and it felt real and authentic!

Dating and Dragons by Kristy Boyce is a delightful read for young adult fans of romance and high school drama, who will be swept away by the relatable story of a teenager navigating friendships, loyalty, and first love in the unlikeliest of places - a Dungeons and Dragons group.

Dating & Dragons

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🫑 (YA Romance)

My favorite thing about this story was how much I related to the main characters feelings. This story did a good job at capturing embarrassment, nervousness, all the emotions of a teen in a new school. As well as all those warm bubbly feeling when you meet someone you’re in-to…
Although I don’t believe what some of the mmc says to be realistic for a 16yr old boy, I think it’s a good example to set at the same time, and it was cute.
The plot was dramatic (high school can be mean though) and entertaining and I liked the tension and kind of slow burn with the romance. A “will they-won’t they?”

I’ll admit, I’m not super into D&D, I’ve watched my siblings play, but this book def opened up that interest a bit more and I’d love to read more like this!

Thank you to Netgally and the author for allowing me to read this ARC. This is my honest opinion.

Quinn has just moved to town, and she's not exactly torn up about leaving her old school since her friend group imploded. Being the new girl is still tough, so when she meets other students that play D&D, she jumps at the chance to join their campaign. Unfortunately, the cute boy from the first day of school is part of that group and seems to have had a personality transplant - he was super nice, but now it seems like he doesn't want Quinn to join their party. Quinn does it anyway, and is determined to prove him wrong and make new friends. One of the stipulations of joining the D&D group was agreeing to the no-dating-party-members rule, which won't be a problem because Logan seems determined to bait or ignore Quinn. The two grow closer outside of the game due to Quinn's grandmother's meddling, and it seems like maybe Logan is acting distant for a reason.

Dating and Dragons was another fun YA romance from Kristy Boyce set in the world of D&D players. Quinn and Logan are so cute together, and all of the side characters were interesting and fun. Seeing Quinn find a healthy friend group is definitely something that may be beneficial to any teens reading the book. This is absolutely a first purchase for libraries!