This was so much fun! I love the way the real world story blended with the D&D campaign. The relationships were believable and the D&D aspects were not too technical for someone unfamiliar with the game. This was a fresh take on a genre that's getting kind of stale and I am here for it!

A cozy, nerdy romance that blends real-life chemistry with in-game fantasy. Sadie, a burnt-out marketing exec, joins a small-town D&D campaign and finds herself drawn to Noah, a charming elf bard. The novel alternates between their real-world interactions and their characters' adventures, creating a dual-layered love story.

Unfortunately dnf’ed at 20%, was super cute and fun but pacing was a little too slow and just felt like plot wasn’t getting anywhere.

This was so fun! I loved the interwoven plots of Sadie and Noah’s real-life romance with the fantasy relationship and adventure of their Dungeons & Dragons characters.

I highly recommend this for romance readers who also enjoy tabletop gaming, nerd culture, and/or a fantasy plot mixed in with their romance.

What to expect:
💜 Small town, slow burn romance
🤍 Swoony meets nerdy vibes
💜 Charming Bard-tender
🤍 Talented Artist/Cleric looking for something new
💜 Dungeons & Dragons adventure plot
🤍 Found family both in-game and at the table

This was such a fun book. I've read quite a few D&D themed books, and they've all been wonderful, but this one takes the cake. I loved the split story between the real lives of the characters and their D&D storyline. It was so engaging and full of mystery and intrigue, and I appreciated the plot of Sadie and her burnout. I feel it's not talked about a lot and I love that she was able to explore her life and what she wanted to do whilst also allowing herself to relax and have fun with D&D with her new friends.

I’ll be honest, I requested this one on NetGalley because my nephew is a huge D&D fan and I knew he’d get a kick out of me reading it. And I was so pleased to find it such an enjoyable read.

Sadie flees NYC in crisis to the small town of Heller, TX to put her life back together with the support of her bestie who is also a D&D dungeon master. She makes friends, finds her footing and falls in love over one magical summer.

This one is told in 2 narratives and important character development and growth happen in both. You’ll experience both the real world that Sadie lives in and the immersive D&D campaign of her character, Jaylie. And you’ll enjoy both.

The story is exceptionally well written - both main characters and side characters are well-developed and we get to know all of them and understand their motivations and desires. I loved the real-world story but the D&D campaign is what kept me coming back for more. Each segment ends on a cliffhanger.

My only complaint is a formatting one - the written character exchanges that the FMC and MMC write to each other in character are such an important part of the character growth and emotional reveals but the MMCs are SO hard to read with a light gray font on white background. Hopefully this will be addressed in the final version.

Thanks to NetGalley, the author and the publisher for the ARC! All opinions are my own.

This was a delightful read. I have only played D&D once, so I didn't come into this book with much prior experience or much interest. But all that aside, I very much enjoyed this. All of the characters were fun in their own ways. The dialog felt real. Noah and Sadie were a lovely slow burn. I would have enjoyed more of them together but I still very much enjoyed their romance.

4.5 stars

First off, I’m just going to say that this cover is very cute and geeky and magical. Honestly, it definitely helps sell this as a D&D contemporary romance story. I look forward to having a copy of this on my shelf. This actually makes me think perhaps I should pull all of my D&D inspired fantasy or TTRPG romance books and give them their own special spot in my library, because I’m starting to get quite a collection here.

Also, I absolutely devoured this book back in JANUARY, but I wanted to wait until closer to release day to post my review. I started my year really wanted to read some more D&D inspired stories, and this one really hit the spot.

I really liked getting the glimpses into the in-game adventure, because the romance that develops between Sadie and Noah is hinted at and reflected by the development of Jaylie and Loren, which is a fun way to set up and build the relationship even more.

It was also nice to see how the game helped Sadie start to pursue her artistry and creativity as a more professional avenue, especially since she already had a number of skills and connections from her previous marketing job. I know personally how much more creative and capable of making art a person can feel after sitting at the table rolling dice and telling a story on a consistent schedule.

I’ll also say that I wanted to take my time reading this one, but even with needing to work, I finished this one in just a few short reading sessions over a four day stretch, so it is a nice fairly quick read. And it helped satisfy the urge (briefly) for stories with this sort of vibe.

I loved all of the characters, from Sadie and Noah, to the rest of the RPG group and the folks at the bar Noah works at. Honestly, I would definitely be interested if the author wished to write some interconnected standalones that follow some of the other characters a bit.

Basically, hey y’all, I want to read more books where the characters play TTRPGs or even in-fantasy-world stories that have D&D vibes to them. Give them all to me. I’m obsessed and will read them all (and all age groups qualify, because I’ve read Middle Grade, YA, and Adult).

Oh, and there’s not much longer to wait for this book. It comes out July 15th, so there’s still plenty of time to pre-order.

4.5 stars

First off, I’m just going to say that this cover is very cute and geeky and magical. Honestly, it definitely helps sell this as a D&D contemporary romance story. I look forward to having a copy of this on my shelf. This actually makes me think perhaps I should pull all of my D&D inspired fantasy or TTRPG romance books and give them their own special spot in my library, because I’m starting to get quite a collection here.

Also, I absolutely devoured this book back in JANUARY, but I wanted to wait until closer to release day to post my review. I started my year really wanted to read some more D&D inspired stories, and this one really hit the spot.

I really liked getting the glimpses into the in-game adventure, because the romance that develops between Sadie and Noah is hinted at and reflected by the development of Jaylie and Loren, which is a fun way to set up and build the relationship even more.

It was also nice to see how the game helped Sadie start to pursue her artistry and creativity as a more professional avenue, especially since she already had a number of skills and connections from her previous marketing job. I know personally how much more creative and capable of making art a person can feel after sitting at the table rolling dice and telling a story on a consistent schedule.

I’ll also say that I wanted to take my time reading this one, but even with needing to work, I finished this one in just a few short reading sessions over a four day stretch, so it is a nice fairly quick read. And it helped satisfy the urge (briefly) for stories with this sort of vibe.

I loved all of the characters, from Sadie and Noah, to the rest of the RPG group and the folks at the bar Noah works at. Honestly, I would definitely be interested if the author wished to write some interconnected standalones that follow some of the other characters a bit.

Basically, hey y’all, I want to read more books where the characters play TTRPGs or even in-fantasy-world stories that have D&D vibes to them. Give them all to me. I’m obsessed and will read them all (and all age groups qualify, because I’ve read Middle Grade, YA, and Adult).

Oh, and there’s not much longer to wait for this book. It comes out July 15th, so there’s still plenty of time to pre-order.

Adorable and nerdy in the best way. Woods captures the joy of gaming and falling in love with humor and charm. A few pacing hiccups aside, the characters were lovable and the story had real heart. Perfect for cozy fantasy romance fans.

Roll for Romance was a sweet, light hearted romance!

While the book is two stories, one following Sadie and the other following her D&D character Jaylie, it flows together really well. I didn't expect to get to read along with their campaign while playing and it made this story magical.
There's enough character development that you're getting to know at least Sadie and her love interest, Noah (better than some of the others in her campaign) but their relationship could have been a little stronger if we had gotten more time for them! I liked their honesty with each other and the way they were working through some of their own hesitancies on their own instead of "for each other".

Definitely recommend, and you don't have to know much at all about D&D to read ;)
Thanks, Dell | Random House, for the arc in exchange for a review!

ROLL FOR ROMANCE - LENORA WOODS

As soon as I read the synopsis for Roll for Romance, I knew that I had to read it. I love playing board games, and it was a real joy to combine two of my hobbies in a single read.

Sadie is the protagonist, and she's come to small-town Texas to heal from burnout, intense career expectations and her fast-paced NYC lifestyle. While staying with her best friend, Liam, she gets roped into a weekly Dungeons & Dragons session. As their fictional quest progresses, Sadie finds herself drawn to her fellow players, both as friends and, in one case, as a romantic interest.

I thoroughly enjoyed the two-storyline structure, where the reader gets to read about Sadie and Noah in Texas in one storyline, but also the D&D quest and the weekly group's characters in the other storyline. I also enjoyed how Lenora Woods weaved Sadie and Noah's changing relationship and behaviour into their D&D characters and gameplay.

This book is relatable, fun and has characters you can't help but love. If you love the sound of a unique romance with small-town vibes, spice, found family and D&D, Roll for Romance is for you.

Thank you to Lenora Woods, the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this eARC.

Release date: 15 July 2025

Review score: 4/5

TWs: s*xual content, injury detail, toxic workplace

For the nerds!

I thought this was a quick, quirky, sweet novel.

Sadie just got fired from her job and is feeling a bit adrift. Her bestie Liam has talked her into to joining his new d and d campaign full of new to the game friends. Sadie quickly falls for the game and its players 👀 maybe one in particular…

Charming and fun read that switches between two stories. Sadie’s life and the campaigns story.

Thanks to netgalley and random house for an eARC

This was cute, charming, nerdy, endearing and so incredibly sweet and fun! The cover is also a 10/10!

Reading Roll for Romance is like reading cozy fantasy but for contemporary romance. Set in a small Texas town, our main character hides out while rebuilding her life after getting fired from her big city job. We've got all the small town romance tropes of tight communities, low stakes, and creative jobs but with the added twist of a D&D game. The dual structure of the D&D game was interesting but I think it through the pacing of the novel off. It took me over a month to read this one. I enjoyed my time in the story and with the characters but I wasn't compelled to keep coming back to it. It's not a page turner but enjoyable for cozy night of reading. I would give the book 3.5/5 stars.

3.75

This is the first DnD romance I’ve ever read, and I actually ended up really enjoying it! The author really made me invested in both stories, the main characters life and romance and the dnd story. That was a new and interesting perspective in a romance novel that I’ve never read before. I liked the main characters journey to recovery from burnout and creating a life she really wanted to live. Overall a lot of fun and a really interesting time!

Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine for an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

As a debut cozy romance this is the perfect book to sit down with in your comfy chair with a cup of coffee on a Saturday morning.

The vibes:
Small town Texas
Brewery
D&D adventure
Camping, Bookshops, Coffee
Frog wizard
Cute romance

For me personally I would have liked a little more plot tension for the main characters. I wasn’t really sucked in until the last 25% of the book. However, this is a strong cozy romance. If you love cozy books and fantasy you are going to enjoy this novel. I was rooting for these two in the home stretch!

Note that a good chunk of the book is the story of their D&D game so this is a book for fantasy readers in addition to cozy romance fans. I have played my fair share of D&D and enjoyed that element of the book.

4.25 stars

Sadie was having trouble finding her footing after getting fired from her job. She accepted the invitation of her best friend to come visit while she decided what direction she wanted to go next. Spending time in a small town in Texas was very different from the life she had in New York City. Her friend, Liam, decided to add her to a group of friends he planned to bring into the world of Dungeons and Dragons. Sadie decided to give the game a try and meet some of Liam's friends. Liam also asked his new friend Noah, who had recently moved to town to help out at a friend's brewery. As they played the game, Sadie's and Noah's characters began to have a more than friendly interest in each other. That interest continued outside of the game as well.

I enjoyed reading Sadie and Noah's story. I have never played D & D, but my family has. The author created a very interesting world for the game within the story. I was intrigued by the details. All of the characters in the novel were well thought out and added to enrich the story. It was a lovely debut novel for Lenora Woods.

I received an e-ARC for Roll for Romance and want to thank Lenora Woods, Ballentine Books, and NetGalley for the opportunity to voluntarily read and give an honest review of this book. Roll for Romance will be published on July 15, 2025.

This story has everything I love a about romance books and D&D! This was a super fun read that very much felt like a story within a story. I loved that we got meet our main characters and then we got to meet the characters they created! This is a two for one in the best way. I'll be recommending this one!

This book was critical hit level good. If you're a sucker for nerdy banter, slow-burn chemistry, and a healthy dose of emotional depth with your dice rolls, you're in for a TREAT. Lenora Woods gave us found family, flirty one-liners, swoony tension, and characters that feel like real people you’d absolutely lose a game night to.

The D&D elements were woven in so naturally, and the love story? Tender, hilarious, and genuinely heartwarming. I laughed, I squealed, I may have texted a friend in all caps.

Honestly? I’d roll for this romance every time.