"Off on another adventure, then?"
"Every day is an adventure with you, love."

this book is cute, however, it does something different that other Dungeons and Dragons-themed romance novels have not done (I have only read 3, so maybe this is common and it’s just new to me??): this book actually details out the game from the POV of the characters, so it’s kind of like 2 books in 1.

...I don’t like this—LOL.

obviously, we spend more time with the actual characters (the players). the DND characters are secondary, so everytime we would shift into the game’s POV, I would groan. it just felt like it made the story drag on in such a painful way.

and I’m saying this as someone who LOVES fantasy books. on paper, you would think this would be perfect for me. and maybe it would have worked more if we got to know the characters as well, but even then, usually if I’m picking up a contemporary romance, it’s because I’m in the mood to read a contemporary romance. if I want a fantasy romance or a romantasy, I’ll pick up a book from that genre.

I think it’s a really cool idea in theory, but in practice, it’s a bit clunky and difficult to keep both ends interesting, while also keeping the story moving, AND not making the book 600 pages long.

anyway, Roll For Romance follows Sadie while she’s staying with her childhood best friend (Liam) in Texas after being let go from her fancypants marketing job in New York City. she’s planning to start applying for new jobs and hopefully move back to NYC. in the meantime, Liam convinces her to join a DND group to make some new friends and do something besides sulking in the house all day. within the DND group, she meets local bartender and rolling stone Noah. *Avril Lavigne voice* what more can I say?

this had a lot of potential for me. the other two DND-themed romances I read were aimed at a YA crowd, so I was excited to try one aimed at the adult crowd. it’s disappointing that this fell so flat for me. it also had a lot of pop culture references and I typically don’t like that in my books, and (petty of me) I was really put off by some of Sadie’s outfit choices like:

Teal-green Spandex running shorts, tight black sports bra, and an unbuttoned sunflower-patterned shirt. Finally, I pull a black baseball cap over the loose curls of my bob.

or:

I'm Josephine again, with my black thick-rimmed glasses, magenta blazer, and hair curled so tight and bouncy that it barely reaches past my ears.

like.......................... please............................

plot: ★★☆☆☆
I think the plot itself is just... fine... I think the reasoning/motivations behind some of the characters was a bit weak. but on the surface, suffering from burnout at work and feeling like you need to find yourself again is a very relatable concept. but it took a long time to dig into the “why” of it for Sadie, and even then I didn’t feel like it was answered well enough.

writing: ★★★☆☆ (2.5 rounded up)
I frequently got bored while reading this. I think a huge part was the POV shifts between Sadie and everyone in-real-life and into the DND world. if I’m being honest, when I got to like 35-40% of the book, I started skimming the DND world scenes because I just cannot be bothered to care about it.

I’m also a reader who HATES pop culture references in books. I can handle maybe one or two, but this book has too many for me to be happy with, lmao.

Sadie reads like the millennial stereotype that you see people making fun of on TikTok (I say this as a millennial who also has many nerdy interests). like, she REALLY wants you to know that she’s quirky.

pacing: ★★☆☆☆
the pacing really struggled in this and I think it’s due to the constant flipflopping between the “real world” and the “roleplay world”. this concept sounds really cool in theory, but it just did not work for me unfortunately. I didn’t want to read about a fantasy adventure, especially once that’s so insanely condensed to be able to be sandwiched in-between a contemporary romance.

romance: ★★★☆☆
Sadie and Noah are cute, but it felt like it took WAYYYYY too long for things to start happening. and I don’t mean this in the fun slow burn kind of way. I mean this in the painful what are we doing here kind of way. they had a lot of cute moments, but for a romance novel, it feels like this didn’t focus enough on the romance.

characters: ★★★☆☆
I think that without looking super closely, our main cast of characters are cute and a lot of fun to watch interact. I did really enjoy the group interactions a lot. I didn’t think I had much issue with the characters until I got to the end of the book and there was a discussion guide included. One of the questions was along the lines of, “What advice would you give Sadie?” and I realized I really don’t think I know her well enough to feel comfortable giving her advice. like, her history of her past choices and why she made them isn’t really discussed, and then I don’t feel like I had a good handle on what she wants to do with her life by the end of the book. I think we got a little bit more from Noah, but even his backstory was like a quick 3 paragraphs towards the end of the book. I think that the story of the DND game unfortunately took too much time away from getting to know the actual characters, so the book felt pretty empty by the end.

this is also going to be petty, but I feel like the cover art makes Sadie look like a b*tch, so I started the book kind of already not liking her very much, lmaoooo.

over-all: ★★★☆☆
I think over-all, this was fine as long as you take it at surface level. it’s a bit of a drag to read at times, but has its cute moments.

Roll for Romance is a cute and fun DnD player romance. I loved how the actual play time was written as a fantasy novel! Our love interests are new to town and DnD and it makes for a fun exploration. It was the perfect summer read!

SUMMARY
For years, Sadie Brooks has declined her best friend’s standing invitation to join his Dungeons & Dragons campaign. But when she unexpectedly loses her marketing job and flees New York City to spend the summer with him in small-town Texas, she also runs out of excuses to say no.

In the game, she becomes Jaylie, a powerful and self-assured human cleric blessed by the Goddess of Luck with spells to heal her companions. But in real life, Sadie believes her luck has run out, and she hopes the distraction will give her time to clear her head and plan next steps.

She never expected Noah Walker—the handsome, outgoing bartender roped into joining them—to factor into that plan. Like Sadie, he’s new in town. But with a taste for adventure, Noah never stays in one place for long. He’s something of a traveling bard—just like his character Loren, the charismatic, lute-strumming elf. While Jaylie finds herself succumbing to the bard’s charms over the course of their party’s travels, Sadie also begins to fall under Noah’s spell.

As their relationship progresses in both worlds, Sadie can’t help but wonder if they might last beyond the game. But when a surprising new opportunity opens in New York, she must face the truth about why she lost her job in the first place—and whether she and Noah have found something in Texas worth staying for. Torn between her career dreams in the city and the exciting uncertainty of a new adventure, she will have no choice but to roll the dice.

@dellromance @lenorawoodswrites #publicationday #newbook #newbooktuesday #bookish #bookrec #bookrecommendations #romancebook #romancereader

🌿ARC REVIEW🌿

Happy BELATED release month! I originally read this earlier this summer before my social media break, and this hot and cozy little number released while I was away!

I connected with this book a lot mostly because the MMC, Noah, sounds A LOT like my husband when we first met. If you haven't been living under a rock in the last few years, nerds are IN. DND is back, MTG is back, and basically anything needy from the 80's and 90's, fashion included, is back.

I especially love how the chapters bounce back and forth between real life, and what is happening in their DND session. You basically get a book and a novella for the price of one, in the best way.

This was such a fun read and I loved the dnd aspect of it! Found family is always a popular and good trope! This would be perfect for a book club pick.

This was such a cute take on romance! I loved the almost found family aspect of it and how the main character was able to find herself in her passions. I wish she would have specified a little more at the end that maybe persisting with her art was going to become her new job. But I wasn’t upset that it didn’t take that direction. Being placed into the main character’s head was unique but I did wish I got to see the characters making those life saving throws rather than just reading it like a story within a story. Especially since D&D is so heavy on dice controlling the characters I just wished there was more emphasis on it.

This book was an absolute love fest from beginning to end. A love letter to Dungeons and Dragons? Check. A love letter to new beginnings? Check. A love letter to romance? Check. Following along through the eyes of Sadie and Jaylie reminded me of why I love found family so much. Watching someone find their place and their people fills me with so much joy, I could burst. And I did. Completely burst out crying. This was everything I didn’t know my heart needed.

This book was cute, but not really my thing. I’m sure others readers will fall in love with this book. It just was not for me.

Really sweet romance with a fun D&D element - story switches between the IRL characters and the fantasy world of their D&D group sessions. While the first half lacked motivations and urgency (why aren't these two hooking up already??), the second half really hit a groove when the MCs revealed some secrets/plans that complicated their obvious affections. Would recommend for D&D fans, art girlies, burnout survivors, and all-around nerds.

CWs - Sexual content, Alcohol, Violence, Infidelity

Role playing games like Dungeons & Dragons get a bad reputation. A mention of D&D calls to mind nerds and outcasts. In real life, participants come from all aspects of society. In Lenora Woods novel, she tells two stories. One tale follows Sadie Brooks as she spends some time in a small Texas town as she recovers from losing her dream marketing job in New York City. The other is her character in D&D, Jaylie. This dual time line is fun, if often somewhat confusing. The love story occurs in both areas and the reader enjoys the way the characters come together to learn to trust each other and themselves.

This story reminds me of one of my favorite movies, The Princess Bride with a story inside of a story and I loved it so much. You get the opportunity to fall in love with two sets of amazing characters. Sadie is staying in Texas with her best friend for the summer to figure out what’s next after getting let go from her job. She agrees to play in her best friends D&D game and meets Noah. They have an instant attraction and we get to watch them grow closer in real life and the game.

Sadie is expecting to go back to New York at the end of the summer and Noah is a bit of wanderer and doesn’t stay in one place for long so they both have no idea where this connection will lead. I can really relate to Sadie a lot, especially because D&D has always been an addictive escape for me. You get to live in this world where none of your real life troubles exist. You just get to be someone else for a little bit, someone in a magical world on an adventure. It’s awesome to see that world worked into a beautiful love story.

The side characters were all great in this book and watching them build a family was awesome. They started as strangers and through this game found lasting friendships. I really enjoyed this book so much.

ROLL FOR ROMANCE by Lenora Woods was just an okay romance read for me. I wish the MMC had a little more broodiness to him and I wish the FMC had a bit more personality of her own. I really enjoyed the scenes that took us out of the modern day story and into the fictionalized version of the DND campaign that the characters were going through. I would have read a fantasy book of that story line on its own over this one any day.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Roll for Romance is an absolute delight—a love letter to Dungeons & Dragons, small-town summers, and the magic of finding connection when (and where) you least expect it.

Sadie’s journey from feeling adrift and unlucky to rediscovering her spark through both roleplay and real life was beautifully written. I adored how her cleric alter ego, Jaylie, reflected the confidence she struggled to summon outside the game—it made the parallel storytelling so clever and heartfelt. Noah, with his bard’s charm and wanderer’s heart, was the perfect foil to Sadie’s more grounded uncertainty, and their chemistry was irresistible both at the table and off it.

The blend of cozy, nerdy game-night vibes with swoony, real-world romance was seamless. Every roll of the dice felt like a step closer to hope, healing, and love. And while the story is filled with laugh-out-loud banter and plenty of flirty tension, it also tackles deeper questions of identity, career, and what it really means to choose happiness.

Lenora Woods has crafted a story that’s whimsical, warm, and utterly romantic. If you’ve ever fallen in love with a game, a story, or a person who made you believe in adventure again—you’ll fall for this book too.

A must-read for fans of Critical Role, Legends & Lattes, or anyone who loves a romance with heart, humor, and just the right amount of dice rolls.

Like the Cover? Roll for Romance is a lighthearted, geeky romance that blends humor, gaming culture, and romance in a fun and accessible way. Lenora Woods creates charming, relatable characters and plenty of playful banter, making the story an entertaining and breezy read. Fans of rom-coms with a nerdy twist will find enjoyable moments throughout.

That said, the plot can feel predictable at times, and some character arcs and emotional beats lack depth, which keeps the story from fully resonating. While fun, it leans on familiar rom-com tropes and doesn’t break new ground in the genre.

Overall, Like the Cover? Roll for Romance is a pleasant, casual read—perfect for fans of lighthearted, geeky romance, though it doesn’t leave a lasting impression.

I want to you the ARC gods for giving me the opportunity to read it. I thought this book was very cute and relatable in terms of how life can be. The more I read romance DnD games, I want to play even more.

♡ I’m literally OBSESSED with this book!! It’s the cutest book I’ve read this year!! Two newcomers to the glorious game of DND falling in love with each other throughout the campaign and even their characters in the game are all cutesy and romantic??? SIGN ME UP

♡ I absolutely love how this was written, we get a neat lil fantasy glimpse in some chapters since we as readers are also brought into the game and I LOVE THAT. I’ve read DND themed books before where we simply stay outside of the game/ only get a small glimpse, but I loved that we got transported into a magical world!

♡ the writing and character developments were also amazingggg! I truly felt immersed in the story and connected to the characters, because while, yes this was a fun, cute DND story, it also had real life moments that squeezed my heart.

I decided to set this one down- it wasn't for me. I tried switching to audiobook and it wasn't any better. I guess I am just simply not interested in the Dungeons and Dragons world, and I didn't find the story or characters fun or feel any chemistry.

I absolutely loved this! The D&D scenes were so graphic (not like explicit) and it was like I was sitting at the table with them watching the campaign play out. It was amazing. I was as invested in the campaign as I was with the plot of the FMC. The two were just so intertwined that it made the story just that much better.

The FMC was amazing. I appreciated hearing about her struggles, however, I think that I would’ve liked to hear more about her struggle with anxiety and depression and actually see her get some form of clarity. There wasn’t exactly an “aha” moment for her. It was more so along the lines of, “oh, maybe I hate my career… whoops” which didn’t feel like enough for me.

Also, I wish the spicy scenes were a bit more spicy. They just didn’t seem to be enough for me.

That being said, this was so incredibly written. I had such a fun time reading this and I will absolutely recommend this to any romance reader.

3.5 stars, rounded up to 4 for GR.

I really loved the writing style in this. I love the way that the author seamlessly transitioned between scenes that were Sadie, Noah, Jules, Morgan, & Liam and scenes that were Jaylie, Loren, Morgana, Kain, & whatever NPC Liam played that day. It added an interesting fantasy take to this contemporary romance. I loved how they showed the Dungeons & Dragons scenes as an actual story, rather than breaking the immersion by having them talk about how they were rolling and what they were checking for. It was cool to see the stories play out.

The romance was also fun for me. Noah & Sadie really complimented each other well, and it was a weird combination of both instalove and slow burn that I didn't think I would enjoy. However, I did. These two had great chemistry both as themselves and as their characters and it was really fun to explore.

The only real problem I had with the book was the roleplaying scenes over text message. They weren't even necessarily bad, they were still written incredibly well, it was just something about the formatting that took me out of the story. I understand the purpose it served, it just wasn't for me.

Overall, this book was a really good time. I can't wait to read more from this author, and if she wanted to visit these characters again... or even just the town of Heller, Texas... I'd be there.

Last but not least, thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for giving me access to an ARC copy of this book.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I received a copy of this book from Random House Publishing Group and am voluntarily leaving this review. All opinions are my own

Two fledgling tabletop gamers find themselves falling for each other—both in and out of their weekly D&D sessions—in this charming, fantasy-tinged romance.

I had extremely high expectations for this book, and it exceeded every single one of them. I loved this book; it was just so fucking cozy and adorable. It's also amazing because you get two stories at once: you see Sadie and Noah in the real world, and you get to experience the D&D game they are playing. This was truly an adorable book, and I adored watching Sadie and Noah fall in love, both in real life and in the story. This book truly was pulling at my heartstrings and had me giggling and kicking my feet the whole time. You can also tell that this book was written by someone who knows how D&D works, which made my heart happy as someone who plays all the time. The found family vibes were also unmatched in this book; it was great to see all the friendships grow, and Liam is truly a ride-or-die friend. I loved him throughout this whole book. Everyone needs a friend like Liam.

I hope everyone reads this book, and I also hope it inspires everyone to play D&D, because I promise you will have so much fun, and this book shows it.

🎲Found Family
🐉Story Within a Story
🏰Small Town
🎲Friends to Lovers
🐉Slow Burn
🏰Dungeons and Dragons Campaign

#RollForRomance #LenoraWoods #LenoraWoodsAuthor
#NetGalley #RandomHousePublishingGroup #Ballantine
#Romance #Cozy #LightFantasy
#bookstagram #bookreview #booksta

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC of Roll for Romance
by Lenora Woods

I will admit,
I grabbed this title for the cover I should have read a but more its a gamer D&D story and admittedly I am not a gamer or know nothing about D&D, the story revolves around Sadie, who looses her NYC marketing job, and moves to Texas to move in with her friend, she is a different version of herself online where she meets gamer Noah.
This is for someone that loves gaming this would be a great read, for me who didn't get it a lot of the references were lost on me, so based on the story alone its a 2 star