Dating and Dragons 🐉

By Kristy Boyce

5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I adored this book. It’s a sweet, slow burn YA romance. Barbara is a full agent of chaos & she had me giggling with her meddling. This book captured being a teen so well, full of angst & feelings & simply the joy of making new friends while also being apprehensive. Quinn is quirky & cute & I loved how she never changed who she was to fit in. Logan is a sweet boy, there’s nothing else to say. The pining & angst & longing was done well. Also the sibling dynamic between teens was captured so well!! Loved the friend group, and how they all could just be themselves without worrying.

Thank you NetGalley & Random House Children’s for an e- Arc in return for an honest opinion

#netgalley #randomhousechildrensbooks #arcreader #arcreview #datinganddragons #kristyboyce

There have been a lot of novels about gaming, usually a variation on Dungeons and dragons (D&D). Sometimes the novels make the campaign important to the story. Other times is just runs parallel. In this novel, it was more about how people interacted with each other, though the campaign was interesting, it wasn’t as important to the story, as the main characters were.


This was a sweet little romance about Quinn, who loves playing D&D, and is still stinging from the last group she was in, where she dated one of the other players and decided she would rather be friends, and the whole group turned on her.


So, of course, she doesn’t want this to happen with her new group. And tries to not date the guy she is falling for.
It is a very quick, smooth read, and has a lot of humor. I enjoyed the campaigns discussed, as well as the interactions with the side characters. Althoug the author has written an earlier book about two people who meet over gaming, that is the only similarity, and this has nothing to do with this one.


Very enjoyable. Drew me in, and wouldn’t let me go.


Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review. This book will be published on the 4th of February 2025.

When Quinn's family moves in the middle of the school year, she's desperate to find a place she can belong. Enter a local Dungeons & Dragons group who plays on the next level. Not only do they live stream their games but they have a strict rule: no dating within the group.

Quinn is thrilled to be a part of a D&D group again but struggles from the fallout with her previous group, who aren't ready to let her move on. To complicate things, she develops feelings for Logan, a fellow group member who is cute and charming... and absolutely off-limits.

Thoughts:
Even if you've next played D&D, this story will charm you with its sweet romance, quirky characters, and focus on friendship. While Quinn and Logan's romance feels a little like insta-love when they finally confront their feelings, it honestly feels appropriate for teenagers.

Just like Kristy Boyce's first novel, Dungeons and Drama, I absolutely fell in love with these characters. This was such a cute YA romance because it gave my former teenage self exactly what she would have wanted. The more I read about D&D, the more I wish I had been into that in high school!!

The only downside I came across while reading this book was it felt very instant love to me which is definitely not one of my favorite tropes because it feels unrealistic. But the slow burn after the instant love was 🔥 so I can't really complain all that much.

Thank you @netgalley for a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review!

A charming premise with D&D at its heart, but the slow pacing and lack of standout chemistry between the leads left the story feeling underwhelming.

I love dnd and romance books, what's not to love!

I really loved the first installment of D&D x Dating book, dungeons and drama, and when I saw this book, I was very excited to read it. Though my memory of the first one was hazy, so I am glad it's all new characters!

I didn't have any major issues. As in most contemporary books that take place now, I cringe at the modern references sometimes, especially when I think that they are a part of a specific cultural moment and will be MORE cringe in a couple years. But I think critical role and pickleball are here to stay. (This is also probably more a ME problem)

I could say it's predictable, but also it's a YA romance so like, yeah. The burn was very slow, but I think it's still fun and very reminiscent of an actual high school relationship

I love the fabulous, nosy grandma.

Dating and Dragons by Kristy Boyce is a delightful blend of romance, humor, and geeky charm that will captivate fans of both fantasy and contemporary fiction. The story follows a group of friends navigating the ups and downs of dating while bonding over their shared love for Dungeons & Dragons, creating a relatable and heartwarming tale of friendship and self-discovery.

I absolutely enjoyed this book. I seriously could not put it down. It’s the only YA I can read and still fully enjoy.

I loved Quinn and Logan so much! The way their tension was tensioning the entire time. I do wish we could have seen them as a couple a bit more.

Also Quinn’s family? Her grandma was my absolute favorite! I hope I can be her if I get to be her age.

I loved how Quinn was able to find a group of friends again and work through the trauma of what happened to her in the past D&D group she was in.

Overall, loved it. Thank you NetGalley and Random House for the ARC in exchange of an honest review!

3.5 stars!

This was an adorable YA story!! I’ve only played D&D a few times but was still able to appreciate the magic!!

I adored Quinn. She is just a girl who wants to find her people!! I was able to relate to her as I’ve experienced the same feelings throughout my adolescence.

This book brought me right back to high school! (not the confusing hormonal part, but the wholesome friend group part). I felt like I was THERE with all of her friends!! It was sweet and mushy and just full of so much SUPPORT! I was kicking my feet at the interactions between Logan and Quinn.

Although it was a sweet story, I found some of the scenes to be unnecessary additions to the plot. Either way, this was a cute book perfect for anyone who wants to nerd out, go back to high school, and experience the joy that a good friend group can bring!

READ THIS IF YOU ENJOY!!!

🐉D&D Role-plays
🐉Secret Dating
🐉Found family
🐉Sweet clean romance
🐉Friends to lovers

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the e-ARC in exchange for my honest review.

DNF at 25%. Dungeons and Drama was a five star read for me, so I was excited when I got approved for this ARC. Sadly everything that I love about the first book was absent from this one. The wonderful friendship dynamic, the quirky and lovable characters, and the cute banter and chemistry between the FMC/MMC was nowhere to be found in Dragons and Dating.

Whereas Riley was absolutely hilarious and adorable, Quinn is a bland, prickly character who I just didn’t connect with. I just wasn’t vibing with her or her story. The reading experience was just kind of lackluster for me.

This book didn’t work for me, but I still want to check out Kristy Boyce’s future works if she puts out more stories revolving around D&D.

This was so cute!

I loved the first book and I was so happy to get the ARC for this one.

It was a slower build than the first, but all of the characters made it so much fun. I loved the entire D&D group and their dynamic. They were all so supportive toward each other and showed Quinn what a real group of friends was like. Logan was a sweetheart and I really liked seeing his conflict about being with Quinn and the rules throughout the course of the book.

The burn was extremely slow, and I wish there had been a little more romance than plot bringing all of this together.

All in all, I did love how this book leaned more into the D&D games, adding bits and pieces of the sessions. It was the cherry on top.

Also, I love me some meddling grandmas. They're always a riot.

Thank you to Delacorte Romance and NetGalley for the eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

The whimsical cover art is a perfect match for the cozy vibes inside! 🍵 I devour these novels; I can't help myself! An incredible novel that will make many young people feel seen in ways that traditional romance might overlook.

Quinn is adjusting to a new school, so she is happy to be invited to join a close-knit D&D group that livestreams. She doesn't foresee a problem with the group's no dating between members rule until sparks fly with fellow gamer Logan. I liked how the core friend group has unique interests (including crafts yay!) and personalities. "Dating and Dragons" takes readers deeper into the gaming side of D&D than "Dungeons and Drama" ventured, but no worries if you're not familiar, everything is explained within natural plot progressions nary an info dump in sight. Quinn's grandmother was gold star granny ⭐material! Clever elderly characters get me in the feels every time. 😍

The no dating rule being the main obstacle to overcome for Logan and Quinn's relationship to progress was weak, but honestly this book is so freaking cute I didn't even mind.

Any novel that has me laughing in a crowded waiting room gets my seal of approval! 💞🐉💞

A big thank you to NetGalley and Random House Children's Delacorte for the Advance Readers Copy

I absolutely loved Dungeons and Drama so I was thrilled to get an ARC of this one. It was just as cute as the first. I enjoyed all of the characters and thought the storyline was adorable. It is definitely more YA than other books, but it’s great for a feel good read!

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC!

I was so hyped for this book after reading the author's previous novel, Dungeons and Drama, which I adored.

Like Dungeons and Drama, this book is a YA romance revolving around DnD, but with an entirely different premise. Unlike its predecessor, the main character, Quinn, is no stranger to DnD, but she finds herself navigating unfamiliar waters with a new DnD group that livestreams their sessions. Our main guy, Logan, is part of this group, and when Quinn decides to join them, he starts acting weirdly hostile towards her, where he had been friendly and charismatic before.

From the synopsis, I was under the impression that Logan would be antagonistic towards Quinn for much of the story, but I was pleasantly surprised that their hostilities were resolved pretty quickly. Unlike the love interest in Dungeons and Drama, Logan is highkey the rizzler?? When he's being chill, Logan reveals himself to be pretty charming and flirtatious😏, and Quinn is super into it🫦. Despite their group's no dating rule, they just can't help falling for each other😳. The no dating rule is the biggest hurdle in their relationship, and, for teenagers, I think they handle it pretty well. Other than their initial beef, they are pretty mature about their approach to the relationship.

Another central conflict in the story is in regards to Quinn's previous friend group/ DnD group. Not to get into all that, bc spoilers, but I appreciate how supportive and welcoming Quinn's new friends are, unlike her ex-friends.

Overall, I loveee this swooney adorable DnD romance.

P. S. Quinn and Logan is such a good name pair like their names go soo well together.

Quick overview:

Quinn starts at a new high school and quickly meets a friendly, diverse group of kids playing D&D that invite her to join. Sure, there is a no dating rule, but Quinn isn't concerned with repeating her past anyway.

My views:

I honestly have nothing but great things to say about this book! I haven't read Dungeons & Drama so I was concerned I would be missing something but as far as I can tell, there was nothing I was missing out on.

As an adult reading YA, there is always the concern it will feel uncomfortable, but there was none of that here. If anything, it made me nostalgic for my friend groups in high school and happy to have such a great group of friends now as an adult.

The vibes of the whole story, particularly of the descriptions of their campaign, are absolutely immaculate. The characters are super lovable, especially Sloane! I was giggling and smiling the whole time! Bonus: it was a super quick read.

Thanks to Netgalley for the copy in exchange for an honest review.

This book was just as delightful and nerdy as Boyce’s first novel. A brilliant read and lots of fun, a perfect rec for anyone looking for an light and fun YA

I adored this cozy story of a girl making her way at a new school and dealing with real issues people of all ages encounter. I especially loved the storyline with her grandmother, who was a fully fleshed out character facing aging in a positive way. This could be enjoyed by D&D fans or someone who has never heard of the game! My only complaint is that it wrapped up a little too fast but there is a lot to enjoy about this book!

This was such a cute story! the characters were so funny and brought me back to high school days and clubs.

PLEASE THIS WAS SO CUTE 😭😭😭😭 Logan is just AHHHHHHH and Quinn is so much stronger than me. im just saying if a guy buys my grandma sherbet i would immediately fold. The main characters were lovable, i love the bickering between the friend group and oml her family is adorable. and as someone who's gone through toxic friendships but now has supportive and loving friends, i kinda cried???? I also like that there's more D&D in this book. i just LOVE LOVE LOVED it!!!

A must read for anyone who likes D&D, cute romance, and recovering from toxic relationships

4.25/ 5 stars. I actually really enjoyed this. It was cute and cozy, a little cringey at some parts, but still great. I learned a lot about DnD which is something I have been wanting to get into and I got a cute romance out of it. The Grandma character cracked me up! She made this book such a joy. Thank you to NetGalley for the arc!!