DNF @ 53%. I’ve been struggling to finish this book for days so I’m finally giving in. I think it’s just a little too D&D heavy for me. This book might be better suited for people who play and know every rule to the game vs people like me who are new to it. I thought the real life romance part between Sadie and Noah was more interesting so I decided at some point to skip the chapters that were role playing, but then nothing was happening between the main characters like I thought it would. If something romantically does happen between them, which I’m assuming it does from the cover, then I think the book may need something “more.” More chemistry, more interaction between them, more something. I was also really confused the first time we were thrown into the role playing chapter. I thought it kind of came out of nowhere, so I would’ve liked a smoother transition into that.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

I recently started getting into tabletop games and joined a Godbound campaign. I’m having a blast! It’s similar to D&D and that, along with a long time experience as a MMORPG player, I loved the set up for this book.

The plot was a cool intermix between life in game and out of it. Sadie and Noah were really cute and their friendship and eventual romance blossomed in a way that felt organic. Liam was a hoot and I loved his unwavering support for his bestie Sadie. The in game play was well written and familiar to me. I’d love to read a full campaign from the author.

All in all an entertaining read.

Complementary copy received and voluntarily reviewed.

Roll for Romance was the perfect balance of contemporary and fantasy. I absolutely adored this book and need more like it. In this book, the characters are playing D&D, so we get their lives but we also get their characters. The way the book is written, it's like we're reading the two stories back and forth. Watching the character development happen twice and in two ways, was just so fun.

The text messages were so relatable and realistic, which I appreciate. So often, texting in books feels stilted, but this was so normal. The characters were fun and flawed and flirty and all the things that you want in a contemporary romance.

I just really enjoyed this books. It was well-written. The storyline was great. The fantasy D&D storyline was fun. I could see this author writing fantasy, for sure. The characters were all so lovable. I want to live this book.

I would love a sequel. Please.

Is this real life or is it just fantasy? “Roll for Romance” is a novel with a little bit of both. When a Dungeons & Dragons game brings Sadie and Noah together, sparks fly between them and their characters. Texas is a summer escape for Sadie after she loses her job in New York and crashes with her best friend to lick her wounds. By contrast, Noah embraces the nomadic lifestyle, having only recently landed a bartending gig in town. Will Sadie and Noah heed their relationship’s clear expiration date? Or will they decide to take the road less traveled? Immersing the reader in both Sadie and Noah’s romance and the adventures of their D&D characters, “Roll for Romance” is two swoony stories for the price of one. Author Lenora Woods lives in Connecticut.

4.5 stars!!
This book is a delightful blend of found family dynamics and the adorable flirtation that evolves into genuine romance. It gave me all the cozy, nerdy vibes I could have hoped for! Sadie and Noah's relationship was absolutely charming, and I loved that they openly communicated about their feelings and uncertainties for the future. It was such a refreshing change from the usual third-act conflicts that often bog down romance novels. Sure, they faced challenges, but they were always united, never pitted against each other.

I also enjoyed the way the story intertwined the real-life plot with the campaign. Moving between the two perspectives really illustrated why Sadie fell head over heels for D&D (and Noah) and showcased how she was able to translate the lessons from the game into her own life.

I was given the opportunity to read this book before it came out thanks to NetGalley. I am so very grateful that I was able to.

In all, this book was so good and I really enjoyed it. The pacing of the book started off a little slow but then it started to catch up when things began to get interesting. I think the part that I enjoyed the most was how Lenora Woods went in between both worlds, the real world and the characters DnD world. I really enjoyed reading about the characters and then about their own adventure within their DnD characters. I have never seen a writing style like that before and I really liked it.

It was such a cute romance book and I cannot wait for everyone to get a chance to read this book!

Thanks again to NetGalley for allowing me to read this book and to review it honestly, all of these opinions are my own!

An adorable, slow burn romance!

Roll for Romance was a highly anticipated summer book for me so I had high hopes for this one. It certainly met my expectations. It was nerdy, had a sweet slow burn romance and MMCs you want to root for. Plus I got to learn a lot about D&D. This was like getting two romances for the price of one.

Noah and Sadie were too cute! I loved them so much. Their romance in real life and the game were so good. I felt each romance storyline was well-balanced and paced. These two had healthy communication, how refreshing! I squealed every time these two touched hands lol. I just rooted for this couple so hard. I loved them.

The D&D plot was interesting and didn't take me out of the story. It felt a bit like an immersive game which was cool.

Highly recommend if you like friends to lovers, gaming/D&D, small town and sweet contemporary romances.

Set in small town Texas, Sadie is spending the summer avoiding life and crashing with her best friend. Feeling indebted to her oldest and truest friend Sadie agrees to join his newest D&D campaign. When that fateful Sunday finally rolls around, in walks Noah, a life-sized golden retriever who never stays in once place for long. Sadie or more affectionately the cleric known as "Jaylie", and the ragtag team of misfits that have been enlisted for a lucrative job, embark on an exciting journey, filled with secrets, adventure, and maybe even a little romance.

Woods did an incredible job of building two distinct worlds within one book, weaving together a tale of self reflection and honestly, while also bringing adventure and a little chaos to life. I really enjoyed the character development throughout the book and felt they were relatable. While I think this book could have been longer to accommodate for the dual story line, the pacing throughout the book felt very natural. This book dives into the unrealistic expectations we place on ourselves, and how sometimes a dream we've always had isn't necessarily a dream at all.
The only drawbacks for me personally were that, for one I prefer a dual POV as it give more insight to the motivations and feeling of the romantic interest. Additionally I will say this is more of an insta-love book, which isn't always my vibe but I did think the author did a great job of building a realistic and venerable group of characters and the development of their feelings toward one another felt authentic.

This book is great for anyone who is looking for a quick and sweet romance with a bit of fantasy thrown in, and I am looking forward to reading more from Lenora Woods in the future!

thank you so much for the approval- i cannot wait to dive in, this is one of my most anticipated reads of the year! i will be sure to leave a review on GR/retailers to come! 💞

This book is as cute as the cover!! I'll be honest, the first bit I wasn't 100% sold but the more that I read the more I loved it. Especially the back and forth between the "real world" story and the campaign. Such a fun and unique way to write. Sadie's life and struggles are a perfect read for any millennial who feels burnt out by their corporate career. Would kill for a Noah POV though... But he is a sweet happy-go-lucky kind of MMC who helps Sadie live her life in a more meaningful way. This a great low-stakes, low-spice, and cozy read for any D&D fans!

This was cute and heartwarming. I really liked the found family aspect of this story. I loved when Noah and Sadie were on page together. The D&D scenes were a lot for me as a non D&D person. But outside of that, it was cute and fun and steamy and I liked how things resolved. It could have been a much more dramatic third act and I appreciate the grace with which it is handled.

I absolutely loved this cute romance. I learned so much about D&D and loved the dual pov’s between the D&D character and the actual FMC. I would recommend this book to anyone looking for a fun, sweet romance.

What a delightful read! It was a pleasure to read of Sadie and Noah's romance, both in and out of the game. Enough Easter eggs for veteran DnD fans, but accessible and fun for newbies as well.

Thank you, NetGalley, and the publisher for an e-arc in exchange for an honest review.
DNF at 40%. I wanted to like this, and I gave it longer than I really wanted to. Especially because it seems I am dnf-ing a lot this year. But life is too short to read books we don't enjoy. That being said, my biggest complaint is just that I was so bored. It felt as if at 40%, we got nowhere. I enjoyed the D&D parts. I almost wish the entire book was just about the campaign. I can absolutely see why so many people enjoy this. Unfortunately, I am just not one of them.

In Roll for Romance by Leonora Woods we follow Sadie as she takes a break from NYC after losing her job and spends some time in Texas with her best friend who finally convinced her to join his Dungeons & Dragons campaign. In the game, Sadie plays a powerful cleric blessed by the Goddess of Luck - both Sadie and her D&D character meet and start to fall for Noah (who plays a charismatic traveling bard in their game) while playing through the campaign.
This story not only takes us through Sadie and Noah’s journey together, but it also mixes in the story happening while playing their D&D campaign. There is such a fun mix of contemporary and fantasy romance woven together seamlessly throughout the whole book.
Highly recommended!

I love books that I can relate to, or have some of my favorite likes in them. In this case I'm referring to the Dungeons and Dragons theme. That's what drew me to this book and I was so excited to get picked to read an ARC copy of this book. What kept me reading was the storyline and the characters. It was so entertaining that I just couldn't put it down. I can't wait to read more from this Author!

Oh my goodness I love a great D&D romance and this just hit that spot that I was looking for. Such a cute and spicy book!

4.5
I think this is the first book that gave me cozy vibes. Loved that we basically got two stories in one, (a D&D story and a story outside of D&D). Althrough I do feel like around 60% things got rushed or didn't give much detailed on it. Still loved the book and would highly recommend.

This was a solid romance debut! I really liked the concept of the contemporary romance mixed with the DnD storyline; I thought it was unique and interesting, and I had a good time with it. My main issue was that the characters felt like they lacked emotional depth, particularly Noah. While I liked the romance between Noah and Sadie, Noah especially felt quite one-dimensional and I feel that he could have been explored a bit deeper. Otherwise, I really enjoyed this book, and would recommend it! The side characters were fun, the plot was entertaining, and the romance was pretty well done. I'll definitely be reading what Lenora Woods writes next :)

This was really cute! I don’t play D&D but I’m obsessed with BG3 which is why I requested this ARC lol. It was interesting going back and forth between real life and their campaign, and I thought it was cute how their characters Jaylie and Loren started falling for each other the same way Sadie and Noah were 🥹 And there was no messy third act breakup or drama which is a huge plus. Just found family and a sweet romance between two people trying to figure out where they want to be in life.
You could tell Sadie and Noah had a lot of fun together and care about each other but idk if they’re a forever thing, so I’m glad they didn’t make their big life decisions based on what the other was doing. They definitely have potential though.
Read this if you want something cute and lighthearted with a touch of fantasy 🖤