Thank you to Dell Publishing, NetGalley, and Lenora Woods for allowing me to read an e-ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Roll For Romance follows down on her luck Sadie as she ventures into new beginnings in both life and table top gaming. New to town and unsure of her future after losing her job, Sadie comes to stay with friend Liam in small town Texas and finds herself part of a new group of people brought together as an amateur D&D party. Together they go on to build friendships, relationships, and self assurance during their campaign.

I really adored this book. It was such a unique take on this kind of story. The back & forth between real life POV and game play had me fully immersed. The banter was great, the burn was just slow enough without being too long until the kissing, and the real life problems were real enough to relate to. Sadie’s struggle with what is “right” and what *feels right* is very relatable.

As someone that doesn’t know much about tabletop gaming, this also made me more interested to learn about it!!!

I liked all of the characters and think the author did a good job of leaving this story open to follow up books — perhaps following some of the other people we didn’t get to learn much about?


Instagram review to come 4/21

Thank you to Dell and NetGalley for the ARC!

I'm not sure that I'm the target audience for this rom-com. While I was drawn to it for its D&D plotline, it ultimately fell short of my expectations and I DNF'd. The writing was just ok, and I was a little bored. I liked the balance of D&D and personal growth, but the FMC wasn't my favorite.

After losing her marketing job in NYC, Sadie decides to spend the summer with her childhood best friend Liam in a small Texas town. Liam invites Sadie to take part in a new D & D game he’s starting, where she meets his bartender friend, Golden Retriever Noah. Noah is a free spirit who moves from job to job and place to place, the exact opposite as Sadie. But sometimes opposites attract. And in this case, the attraction is immediate and strong.

This was a cute rom-com with fun characters and a unique storyline. There is a lot of Dungeons and Dragons, so go in knowing there is basically a second story happening in the book with the plot of the game which is a unique twist to a romance plot.

I received this Advanced Readers Copy via NetGalley. It releases on July 15, 2025.

This book is an absolute delight for anyone who appreciates a blend of romance and geek culture. Sadie, after losing her marketing job in NYC, retreats to a small Texas town and finds herself immersed in a Dungeons & Dragons campaign. There, she meets Noah, a charming bartender, and their in-game characters, Jaylie and Loren, begin a flirtatious journey that mirrors their real-life connection.

The narrative cleverly alternates between the real world and the D&D fantasy realm, offering readers a dual love story that's both engaging and heartwarming. Even if you're not familiar with D&D, the story is accessible and might even spark an interest in the game. The chemistry between Sadie and Noah is palpable, and their interactions are filled with humor, tenderness, and genuine emotion.

This book was written for you if:
- You're a fan of romantic comedies with a nerdy twist.
- You enjoy stories that explore the dynamics of found family and community.
- You're looking for a feel-good read that balances romance with elements of fantasy.

I could scream about this book from the rooftops!! It was so perfect. I loved the characters, I loved the D&D aspect. I am so happy I read this, it did not disappoint.

firstly, thank you to the publisher for an arc!

unfortunately, dnf’d @30%

i’m not sure why i keep reading gaming inspired/esque romcoms because they continue to disappoint me, which is disappointing for me because i love games of all kinds.

i think for this specific book, the vibes were terribly off, and the writing — and especially the dialogue between our fmc and mmc — was extremely cringey for me at least.

i’m sure this book will find its audience but it’s not me

This book is incredibly average. It's a solid read for someone looking for a cute romance with nerdy elements. I loved how the story of the real life characters intertwined with the D&D campaign, but I didn't find myself overly concerned about the outcome of either storyline.
This was an interesting way to touch on burnout, and I think it was nice to show that hobbies and time shared gaming with friends can be healing. It does, however, feel like it's romanticizing running away from the life you've built for yourself when things get too hard. This felt like a D&D themed hallmark movie where nothing was unpredictable or particularly hard hitting, but it was enjoyable enough to justify reading it.
Thank you NetGalley and Random House Publishing for the ARC.

I reaaallllyyy wanted to enjoy this book but unfortunately I don't think this was meant for me :( I love a good dungeons and dragons and nerdy little romance but I just couldn't get into this despite being in the perfect mood. Nothing in particular really made me stop reading, but it just didn't pull me in. The characters just didn't spark my interest the way I wanted. I feel like this was written well and it would be great as a lighthearted read, but it just didn't click for me

Listen… I’m married to a WoW-playing nerd, I love nerdy men (and women, let’s be real), so I had a feeling this one might be for me — and I was right. As someone who’s never played D&D a day in my life, I devoured this story. It’s full of charm, heart, and pure gamer joy. All of it just worked for me. It felt like being wrapped in a blanket made of inside jokes and slow-burn tension. Genuinely swoony. Like… butterflies-in-the-gut swoony.

If you love soft nerds, heartfelt storytelling, and romances that make you want to hug the book when you're done? This one’s for you.
Thank you to NetGalley and Dell Publishers for the eARC!

4 Stars!

At first, I was not vibing completely with this book. While I kinda loved Sadie and her cutesy millenial vibes, I did not like Noah. However, he does grow on you, with humor, and his crush on Sadie that seems obvious to everyone but her.

What is really great about this book though, are the D&D scenes. I found myself picking up the book, and pushing through Sadie's scenes to get to Jaylie.

The ending though, I had really found myself resonating with Sadie. Sometimes changing your mind does feel like a betrayal of yourself.

I really, really hope this author writes more D&D or even dives into fantasy novels because those were my favorite parts, even though they're inspired by D&D world.

This was so different from anything I’ve read before, it made it really fun!

Sadie is burnt out from corporate life, she ends up moving to Texas to join her best friends D&D campaign. I love that there was real life romance, mixed in with the romance between their game characters. Noah was so sweet, giving Sadie the support she needed.

This was a cute and fun read, I definitely recommend!

Thank you NetGalley and Random House for the ARC!

This book mastered balance. The balance between light hearted moments and those that gave the characters depth were well done. The balance between the characters doing what’s best for them and taking care of their community was well done. The balance between the real world and the beautifully written DnD moments were well done. Very well done.

Happy to say this story gave me nerdy warm fuzzies! My favorite thing about this book was the switching of perspectives from game to real life. The romance between the main characters, Sadie and Noah was very sweet and genuine. And I loved how open and mature their relationship was; something different from the usual miscommunication tropes you tend to always see. If you love romance and D&D, this is for you!

When Sadie loses her high-stress marketing job in NYC, it sparks a full-blown existential crisis. To regroup, she moves in with her best friend in a small Texas town, hoping to rediscover herself and figure out her next steps. She ends up joining her friend’s summer D&D campaign, where she meets Noah—a nomadic bartender helping a friend open a local brewery. There’s instant chemistry between them, both in real life and in the D&D world.

This was a cute contemporary romance with a fun twist. It’s not just about Sadie and Noah falling for each other in real life, but also about their in-game characters and the fantasy campaign they’re part of.

I enjoyed both sides of the story. The contemporary romance was sweet and charming, and I also really liked the fantasy story line with their chosen characters interacting in a different context. That said, I almost wish they’d been two separate books—each story felt strong enough to stand on its own, and separating them might have allowed for deeper character development and progression. At times, switching between the real world and the fantasy campaign was a bit jarring, especially for my ADHD brain.

Overall, it’s a creative and endearing story told in a unique way. While I’m not sure I was the perfect reader for this one, I know there are plenty of readers who will absolutely love it!

I read a copy of this as an ARC from NetGalley.

How does a book go from being a top contender for cozy contemporary romance to a hate read?
The reveal shows a shallowness and one-note character, and MMC is almost too golden retriever van life bro.

Spoilers Ahead.... Be warned, all who read here.'
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The big deal is that the FMC has burnout, hates her job, and decides to be an artist. The MMC is a vagabond because his Ex broke up with him, and he refuses to be cookie-cutter like she accused him of being. So essentially, these two perfect for therapy people find each other and live happily ever after, paycheck to paycheck,
all this is of course revealed in the last 60% making me rage read cause how did she go from endearing cozy and sweet to I just got tired and decided to not go back to work and got fired woe is me BS..... GRRRRRR

This was a cute story but I felt like the fantasy aspect kept taking me out of it sometimes. While you can read this without ever having played DD (like me) I felt like I would have enjoyed it more if I knew more.
I gave it a higher rating because both characters were compelling and sweet. They had good communication and kept me invested in the story.

This was such a cute and refreshing read! I'm newer to contemporary romances (I read mostly fantasy romance) and with this bring based around D&D?!?!? It was a perfect balance between the irl relationship and the in game. Everything about this book just makes me so happy!

When I received a publisher email that I was pre-approved for this book on NetGalley, I read its summary and immediately thought this wasn’t for me. I ended up trying it anyway and loved it! Just this year I started becoming more interested in fantasy and this was just enough for me that I could still track. I’ve never played Dungeons and Dragons - so perhaps the chapters when they were playing weren’t as exciting for me. I couldn’t wait for the actual interactions between Sadie and Noah! Does this mean that Lenora Woods is not an absolute genius for coming up with such a cool story idea? Absolutely not. Because she is an amazing writer - Sadie and Noah had an organic and effortlessly believable love story. The more I read, the more I was convinced that this was a realistic, everyday love story.
The story follows Sadie who just got fired from her NYC job. She takes a break in small-town Texas where her best friend lets her stay with him at the cost of playing D&D with him and a few others. Noah is the cool bartender, also from out of town, who joins in Liam’s D&D group. Their love story is both in the game and outside of it, which I loved! Noah helps ground Sadie and they complement each other so well. I also loved Sadie’s found family. This was a lovely read and I look forward to reading more by this author!

Thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Random House who provided this ARC in exchange for an honest review. Expect this book on shelves when it’s published on July 15, 2025!

I think Lenora Woods sums up this book best in the Reader’s Guide at the end, where she discusses how we are all playing different roles and says “at its heart, this book is about discovering who we are under earth all the roles we play.”

The parts I loved the most in the book are when Sadie discusses her departure from her previous job, which is the catalyst for where the story starts. The feelings she felt toward work, and the loss of identity is so poignant to me because of what I’ve been through recently.

I love the premise of D&D as a major plot point. I was taught how to play D&D as a young child by my father, so a little bit of nostalgia for me. I did have a little bit of a struggle following who was each character when it would flip to the campaign narrative. I also wish there were more in between moments where the actual game is discussed like rolling for initiative. I struggled to believe that this group of newbies went through this complicated of a campaign.

The romance was mainly believable, but would have loved more time spent in the “real” world for their character development. At times I didn’t feel like I knew Noah enough.

Overall a quick, fun read with a connection to D&D for those geeky girls like myself out there.

This book offers a cozy blend of romance and geeky charm, Sadie and Noah's relationship blooms both in real life and through their Dungeons & Dragons alter egos, creating a dual-layered romance that’s endearing and fun.

The D&D storyline adds a whimsical twist that helps set this book apart from more traditional rom-coms. It’s easy to root for Sadie and Noah as they navigate real-world uncertainties and in-game quests. The setting—a small Texas town filled with warmth and quirky side characters—makes for a pleasant summer backdrop.

That said, the plot sometimes feels predictable, and the emotional stakes don’t quite hit as hard as they could. Sadie’s personal growth arc, especially regarding her career and self-worth, is touched on but never fully explored. Similarly, Noah’s hesitancy to stay put could have used more depth to feel truly earned.

Overall, it’s a light, sweet read perfect for fans of low-stakes romance with a nerdy twist. While it may not linger long after the final page, it’s still an enjoyable journey for those looking for a feel-good story with a dash of fantasy flair.