Romance novels about people who play D&D together has sort of become my niche, but all the other ones I've read were YA. While I did love them, I have been DESPERATE to find something with the same idea and vibe but with adults, and I was SO beyond thrilled when this book came across my radar!
I feel like this book really captured the spirit of playing D&D. The way that playing a character can help you learn more about your real self, and the way that the bonds you form with people you play with are something so real and special and unlike anything else. It's special and beautiful and magical and this letter reads like a love letter to the hobby and all the beautiful things that come with it. You can tell the author plays, respects, and loves the game and it makes this such a beautiful read. It reminded me of why I love D&D so much and why I keep playing it and coming back to it.
One thing unique about this book compared to the other D&D romances I've read is that we got to spend a lot of time in their campaign, getting to know their PCs as much as we got to know the characters themselves. That was SO good! I was as invested in their campaign as they were. Genuinely, I couldn't wait to find out what happened on their adventure. It was like having a little fantasy novel inside my contemporary romance n0vel and I loved that.
The romance in this book was incredibly sweet and wholesome, with a perfectly swoonworthy love interest who made me giggle and kick my feet multiple times throughout the book. And the main character was very lovable, and had a beautiful character arc. I was a little nervous the book wouldn't be brave enough to give her the ending that I wanted, but it DID, and I'm so happy. It was a perfect ending.
Truly an adorable book that I definitely will be purchasing once it's available.
Thank you to NetGalley and the folks at RandomHouse for giving me an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

DNF after two chapters. The switch from first to third person during the DnD game was personally difficult for me to follow. I struggle to read third person, so this is more of a preference than an indicator of this author’s writing abilities and the overall story.

From what I read, the characters were well rounded and fully developed.

This is a rom-com, yes, but it's also a beautiful story of a woman discovering what she wants in life. When Sadie burns out in NY and moves in with her best friend in Texas, she's expecting to lay low, relax and take a rest before the next job back in NY. Her best friend convinces her to join his dungeons and dragons group.

Told in between what is really happening and the D&D campaign, this story contains forming new friendships, discovering passions and learning to let go. Very minimal spice, but full of quick banter and a love for D&D.

Thank you to Netgalley, Random House/Dell and the author for the opportunity to read this ARC. This review was left voluntarily.

Really cute, but I think I needed more knowledge of D&D to really enjoy this completely. However that being said the explaining of the game, for non-players was well done. This was truly unique, boarding on being both a romance and a fantasy book in one.

I’ve never planned Dungeons and Dragons but my husband has. With that being said - I didn’t feel out of the loop because I’ve never played as the game was explained fairly well for something so complex! If you had played, you might find this book to be more geared towards beginners. This book was a cute, nerdy romance with some fantasy elements mixed in! Dare I say - romantasy!! I’ve been trying to branch out into other genres but ultimately, the content in this one just wasn’t for me. With that being said, the book was very well written!

Like Sadie, Noah, and their new friends, I have no prior experience with D&D. I found their newbie campaign as delightful as they did--it was my favorite aspect of this narrative. There's also some good found family elements here, both within the D&D campaign and in Sadie's new (maybe only temporary) life in Texas, where she's retreated to spend time with her BFF after a professional failure.

Less successful for me was the romance between Sadie and Noah. Their D&D characters had more obvious chemistry than they did, and their romance didn't even start to generate sparks until about 55-60% of the way into the novel. They ended up being cute together, but it took a long time to get there--and had it not been for the D&D campaign interludes, I might have DNFed this around the 40-50% mark.

If you like role-playing games, sloooow burn romances, or small-town/found family stories, you might enjoy this one.

Roll for Romance
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The perfect blend of romance and fantasy. I love that there were two worlds tied together to build the whole plot. We have one real-life plot, and then a D&D game based plot. We follow the two MCs in both scenarios and see how their relationship progresses back and forth between the two. I love that there was a focus on burn-out recovery and also super nerdy themes we don’t typically see in romance books. Highly recommend for lovers of romance, D&D, and man buns.

This review will be posted on my instagram page and Goodreads on 6/1/25.

This book follows Sadie, a woman who left her job in New York City and is taking a break while living with her best friend for the summer in Texas. Noah, the MMC, is in the same town helping his friend start a brewery. They meet when a mutual friend sets up a D&D game for them.

I really enjoyed this book. I think it had a good mix of D&D and real-life romance. We follow the main characters as they fall for each other but deal with the uncertainty of the future and their life goals. This book definitely kept me hooked until the end. Would recommend even if you aren't a D%D fan but are interested in learning more.

Adorably nerdy! Loved the story within a story. Character were all likeable overall a fun cozy warm read

OOPS. I FELL IN LOVE, TOO. Perfect for fans of D&D both new and old (*raises hand in new D&D person who really enjoyed this read*) Roll for initiative and then go ahead and roll a nat 20 for how much you're going to LOVE this story and these characters.

5 ⭐️
🌶️

"𝘞𝘩𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘩𝘢𝘱𝘱𝘦𝘯𝘴 𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘴𝘦 𝘯𝘦𝘹𝘵 𝘧𝘦𝘸 𝘸𝘦𝘦𝘬𝘴, 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘸𝘦 𝘦𝘯𝘥 𝘶𝘱..."
"𝘙𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘯𝘰𝘸," 𝘏𝘦 𝘴𝘢𝘺𝘴, "𝘐 𝘤𝘢𝘯'𝘵 𝘪𝘮𝘢𝘨𝘪𝘯𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘺𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘦𝘭𝘴𝘦 𝘐'𝘥 𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘣𝘦."

I LOVE NOAH WITH EVERYTHING IN ME AND THEN SOME!!!!
Listen, the second I saw Dell announce this book and that it was D&D themed, I was immediately sat and then when my approval hit????? I'm almost angry that I didn't start this immediately but hey, better late then never right?

I truly loved these characters and how cozy this book overall is. Sadie has what I like to call a "quarter life crisis" and seeing her pull through and find herself was so pleasing, same for Noah aswell.

The D&D campaign on the other hand had me just as hooked as our book characters. Lenora does such a beautiful job painting the picture for Jaylie and her party as they go on their quest that I could picture every scene happening clear as day.

Thank you, NetGalley, for providing me with a copy of this ebook for an honest review!

I fell for this book as soon as I saw the cover, and I am so thankful I got a chance to read it early. I am not a full-on newbie to the world of tabletop RPGs, but I am not as involved as many people. I love a good game of Monster of the Week and D&D and that is my only credentials as far as RPG and the authenticity of the game play in this book.

That being said, I feel like Lenora Woods did a fantastic job of introducing concepts of D&D in a way that newbies would enjoy interacting with while also mixing in some deeper themes for those already familiar with the game.

Woods wrote a very unique story; she incorporates a fantasy story as a side world within the book itself, but you never feel lost, and the ending to both is still pretty satisfying! That was my biggest concern. I was so happy to end the book feeling like the story wrapped up well on both sides.

I deeply relate to Sadie's struggles with burnout, recovery, and learning new healthy habits.I also enjoyed the way Liam introduces the crew to DnD. There are times when Sadie is a bit too much in how she has this perfect opportunity hander to her and a slight lack of connection to reality in the consequences of her actions long-term, but honestly, it makes the story a bit more real (we've all avoided reality before, especially when trying to recover from burn out).

Again, I can not stress enough how fun this book is. I really loved that we almost got two books in one, between the campaign side story and the main story about Sadie and Noah! It was so entertaining watching the characters develop and the friendships grow.

I adored this book, and my DnD-loving heart fell hard for the story. But honestly, even if you've never had any interest in RPGs but you love a good sweet romance, you'll still love this book. I can't recommend it enough.

Roll for Romance is pure nerdy fun, but that doesn't mean it isn't layered. As someone struggling to find footing while unemployed I could relate to Sadie a lot. Her struggle with burnout and finding who she is outside of her job is something I think lots of people can understand. Each character in this story is in a different point in their life, and I liked seeing how that was reflected in the choices they made with their DnD characters.
When it came to the DnD side of the story, I had a lot of fun. I felt like I was getting two stories in one in some ways, and I think the narrative of their campaign makes this a great contemporary romance for fantasy readers. As a fledgling DnD player myself I also felt it didn't go too far into campaigning in a way that might lose the interest of those less interested. It was very accessible and easy to follow.
The narrative was tight with a fantastic emotional ARC, and I'm excited to see what's next for the author.

Thank you to Random House, Dell Romance, and Netgalley for the ARC.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 4.5/5 stars

Thank you NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review! Let’s go 👇

Roll for Romance by Lenora Woods was such a cozy, heartwarming surprise — perfect for anyone who loves a good small town romance with a nerdy twist.

First off: I loved that this book centered around adults just trying to figure their lives out — no high school or early-20s chaos here. Sadie, the main character, felt SO relatable. She’s Type A, anxious, and totally overwhelmed by a career crisis that had me nodding along like “yep, been there.” The struggle between taking the ‘smart’ marketing job or chasing something that actually lights her up? Painfully real.

Then there’s Noah — the sweetest golden retriever of a man (but with red hair… cinnamon retriever??). He’s laid-back, loyal, supportive, and the total opposite of Sadie in the best way. Watching their dynamic unfold was such a joy.

The D&D campaign element was super fun too! Some chapters read like fantasy scenes from inside the campaign, while others grounded us back in reality. It was such a creative structure, and it never felt confusing. Just immersive and whimsical.

Also — shoutout to the side characters. The whole friend group gave me the best found family vibes, and I didn’t want to leave their little world.

I appreciated how refreshingly mature the relationship was — no unnecessary drama, just solid communication and growth. No specific spoilers but if you’re tired of the typical third act breakup in romances… you’ll be happy here 😌

As a bonus, the extras at the end (like the brewery menu and D&D character questions) made it feel like I was still in their world even after the story ended. Loved that.

If you want a cozy, nerdy romance with real characters and a big heart — Roll for Romance should be on your list.

Very cute, low stakes book that will be adored by both table top role play games (TTRPG) newbies and veterans. The game terms are all explained well and was very approachable without overexplaining which would turn off veteran players. The characters (both book and TTRPG) were super loveable and even the side characters got a little extra added dimension which wasn't necessary but was a very nice bonus. My favorite part was that even though this isn't a queer romance it was a very queer accepting and friendly book. The friend group felt like someone I wanted to hang out with on a Sunday evening.
The romance was a nice slow build though a little frustrating at times. Very cute couple and very cute book but I just felt a little disbelieving that a transient cad would be this willing to give everything up and settle down. At the end I found myself thinking wow this will be a great relationship for 1-3 years then utterly destroy her and make her go through this life re-making again but WISH THEM THE BEST AND HOPE I'M WRONG. Maybe it's just because I've seen what kind of undergrads come out of CU Boulder lol. Overall good beach read book that had a great double layer TTRPG and real world story lines that kept the pages turning but it's not going to revolutionize the publishing world.

4.5/5 Stars

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for this wonderfully fun ARC! This was a quick, easy read that I thoroughly enjoyed. I requested this book because I am interested in Dungeons & Dragons but am not super familiar with it. Even with my limited understanding, I easily followed the story and loved all of the different references throughout the book.

There are two storylines in this book- one that follows the main character Sadie as she navigates the big changes in her life (losing her job, moving to Texas from New York for the summer, starting a game of D&D for the first time, and finding a romantic interest in a fellow player) and one that follows her in-game character Jaylie on her campaign adventures. I loved how the story played out with these two characters and their adventures, and I thought that it was a very clever and fun way to share the world of D&D within a lighthearted romance novel.

I am not sure whether I was blessed by the Goddess of Luck herself or whether I rolled a nat. 20 when I requested this book, but either way I am thrilled to have read it and would recommend it to anyone looking for a fun, adorable, and slightly adventurous tale.

I love this new-ish genre of D&D romance, so when I was pre-approved for this eARC, I jumped at the chance. I loved the D&D plot - I would absolutely play a similar campaign with some friends. Unfortunately, the irl plot was lacking for me. Sadie suffered serious burnout at her big NY job, and recovers in Texas with her friends, playing D&D, immersing herself into art, and falling in love with a bard/bartender (as one does). And that’s basically it. It’s a great premise but it needed more. There wasn’t enough plot or character development. In the beginning, I was frustrated when I was pulled away to the campaign storyline because I wanted to stay and learn more about Sadie and Noah, but by the end, I was more invested in the D&D story because those characters were more complex and interesting. I liked it and would read a sequel (which I sense is coming after the setup in the epilogue) but I had hoped for more.

Thank you NetGalley & Random House for the advanced galley! This was by far one of my top favorite romance books of all time! As someone who loves D&D, I've been waiting for a D&D-inspired romance and I LOVED how this one turned out. Story wise, I'm also really happy there were no negative tropes (i.e. miscommunication, betrayal, etc.) and that Sadie felt like a human being. I was worried about how Sadie and Noah's in-game relationship was going to look like, but it ended up working for the story. The division between the real world and the in-game world kept me hooked and I could barely put it down. This is also my formal petition for more D&D romances.

Between the cover and the premise for Lenora Woods’ Roll for Romance, I was really excited for this fun rom com! When Sadie loses her jobs, she escapes to a small town in Texas to spend time to her best friend, where she joins his Dungeons & Dragons campaign, along with brewery worker/nomad Noah, and just like her character Jaylie is charmed by the bard, Sadie can’t help but fall for Noah—but with the end of the summer looming, will she return to her life or forge a new path? This was really fun, with its chapters focused on the campaign and the real-life story. It was a good balance and I loved Sadie and her vulnerability. She just feels like such a relatable and quirky character, and I loved the way the friendships were built throughout this story. It has great banter and just so much heart and love. It’s fresh and sweet with characters that are quirky and kind, and I just loved Sadie’s journey in this! And the romance was just so good too! Definitely recommend this one!

Creative, cozy, and oh so cute, I adored the contemporary story and the DND adventure aspects in equal measure! It makes good on the premise with a golden retriever hero who's absolutely precious, and a heroine who—while a little down on her luck—jumps into new endeavors with full enthusiasm. If you loved Baldur's Gate, Dimension 20, and pure, sweet escapism, this is the one for you!