*~ Best Chemistry between FMC and MMC ~*

Oh. My. Gosh. Sadie and Noah need to be protected at all costs. I feel like it's going to bother me that I won't get to read their story for the first time again. It had me so captured and devoted to them.
I am finding it hard to articulate all the things I loved about this book but mainly, the way Lenora Woods had us switching back and forth from Sadie's POV and Jaylie's was amazing. It has me so locked in and so interested in what happened next to both Sadie and the people in her life as well as Jaylie and her crew. It was so beautiful to watch both characters come into their own and find the lives and adventures they were looking for.

Thank you to Net Galley, the publisher, and Lenora Woods for an ARC of this story.

This was a very accurate and realistic portrayal of DnD players, which is refreshing after years of being portrayed as smelly basement-dwellers. Being able to see both the real life story and the story of their role playing campaign was a great way to give insight into the characters by showing, rather than telling. It also felt like getting two books in one, and the way the stories flowed together made for a delightful mix of fantasy and reality! Noah and Sadie were both incredibly charming and fun to read. Their banter was hilarious and adorable and their personalities felt real and endearing.

I went into this book really excited for the DnD element but ultimately I didn't love it. I was glad that the characters were able to come together and connect over the game but the actual DnD scenes themselves took me out of the book. Other than that, though, this was a fun read. Sadie and Noah had chemistry, they went on great adventures, and I definitely rooted for their happy ending.

I have received Roll for Romance as an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. My review is published on Fable (https://fable.co/review/10b72f87-265c-4f6d-b20d-fd37b2db6ea9/share) and StoryGraph (https://app.thestorygraph.com/reviews/859e69e6-6699-42e6-9b02-d34cd1f93631) as of 7/18/25. This book was 3.5 stars for me, but I think it’s important to note: I’m not as much of a contemporary romance girly as I’d like to be. The D&D campaign really helped pull my interest and so I was able to enjoy Sadie’s character growth so much more than I would’ve without, especially because I, as many of us can, relate to her feelings she goes through. I was thrown through an emotional blender from the last 80% my anxiety and other emotions following along with Sadie’s. I will say I had to gloss over MMCs name and use his D&Ds character’s name as placeholder so I wouldn’t be as weirded out since the name resembles my brothers and that was weird for me. But this is a good book and I think those that enjoy cozy but nerdy contemporary romance would eat this up.

Thank you to Dell Romance for the advance reader copy and to PRH Audio for the complimentary audiobook. These opinions are my own.

This romance features two people, Sadie and Noah, who get to know each other as they both begin playing D&D for the first time. The novel features a fantasy story within a romance story as a bit of a two-for.

I really loved the D&D quest and characters. But I struggled a little with learning the names of all the characters and their corresponding players. Once I had those down, the two stories wove together and informed each other incredibly well.

I especially loved the friend group and the journeys of self-discovery. I want Liam to be my best friend. The language used throughout ("Roll with advantage, Sadie" "charisma check" etc.) really added to the role playing feel. Ellie Gossage further helped me feel immersed in the story through her excellent narration of the many different characters in both worlds.

The acknowledgements made me tear up. They are a beautiful ode to everyone who adventures through this life together.

Rating: 3.5 stars

This book did a really great job of balancing romance and the fantasy that is DnD. The best part is that you don't need to understand the rules of DnD to understand the DnD storyline because the narrative is really done. As an avid DnD player, this book scratched both my DnD and romance itch. I loved the friend group dynamics and it truly did mimic that of an actual DnD party. The reason I didn't rate it higher because the pacing was a bit slow and the characters felt a little flat and manufactured at times. It still overall was a great read!

😊Ok, let me start out by saying I LOVE tabletop RPGs like D&D, Pathfinder and World of Darkness. When I heard that someone wrote a romcom surrounding a D&D game, I IMMEDIATELY NEEDED to read it. So I went in search of this gem. When I was able to download and read it, I squealed, literally you can ask my husband and child. 😅

Anyways, back to Roll for Romance. This book follows Sadie, who lost her high paying, fast paced, Manhattan based marketing job. We find her in Texas staying with her childhood best friend Liam (who is the best), he made her promise to take a break from NY and the life there for the summer, and come stay with him. While there she agreed to play a D&D campaign that he was going to DM for, with some friends of his that were interested in playing but hadn’t played before. This is where she meets the other players. Noah, who was new in town too. Just moved there to help out his friend with a new brewery and bar. Morgan, who runs the indie bookshop and Jules, who is the orchestra teacher at the local elementary school that Liam works at. Sadie goes close to each of them throughout the summer and starts a “for now, no strings” type of dating relationship with Noah, after some bumpy and slightly embarrassing events. Sadie applies for marketing jobs in NY, with no real hope about getting one. She applies for a job with a company she had previously looked into, as more of a kickstarter into her job hunt then an actual I’m going to get this job. She gets the interview, and it goes amazing! Now she needs to decide if she really wants to go back to NY or if this charming small town in Texas has stolen her heart.

I teared up, laughed out loud, blushed and kicked my feet throughout the journey this book took me on. It has little spice but lots of heat and tension, I’d probably give it 2🌶️. Sadie and Noah are now some of my favorite people. They helped heal each other while supporting and caring for exactly who the other person is. The supporting characters are witty, fun and charming with fully realized traits and personalities. The banter between them all had me smiling even after I put the book down. Did I mention that the book also gives us scenes showing the campaign story and how through their characters, they got to know each other, themselves and grow as individuals and friends. I don’t think I could have ask for a more fun, heart warming and wonderful story featuring some of my biggest hobbies and loves. I will forever give this book infinite stars ✨ and hope that we get more books featuring the other members of this amazing group of friends. 🥰

At the end of the book, Lenora wrote a letter to us readers. I teared up while reading it, as it resonated within me and touched my heart. I had to include it here, slide through to take a moment to read it.

Read this book if you like:
🎲 Tabletop RPGs
🩷Romcoms
❤️‍🩹Healing and mental health rep
❣️No third act breakup!
🥰Sweet moments
🐈Grouchy old cats
📍Big city girl in a small town

Because of Dell Romance through NetGalley, I was able to read this at no cost to me. All thoughts, opinions and ratings are my own and given freely

This gaming romance follows two people who are new to D&D and find friendship while learning about the game, and each other, along the way. As a non-gamer, I found the storytelling via D&D fascinating and really enjoyed every part of those books. Filled with quirky side characters, real life and imagined, this was a great world to sink into while escaping our too real one. This came out a few days ago, make time to go and seek it out!

This was such a cute and fun read!! I thoroughly enjoyed the Dungeons and Dragons theme in the book. I don’t know anything about D&D, but I found that part of the book easy to follow. The story between the two characters was fantastic! I loved Sadie and Noah! I love finding out little glimpses of their lives and what brought them to where they are now.
Not going to lie, as much as I enjoyed Sadie and Noah’s story, I want to know more about the Dungeons and Dragons part!

Thank you, NetGalley, Lenora Woods, and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, for this ARC!

The romance between Sadie and fellow player Noah is sweet, subtle, and deeply human. Noah’s easygoing nature helps Sadie reconnect with her passion and sense of self, especially as she rediscovers art through a mural project at a charming local brewery. The found-family dynamic within the DND group adds warmth and charm, though the pacing in the first half of the book does lag at times. Some characters felt underdeveloped in their real-life roles, even as their fantasy counterparts shone more brightly. Still, the emotional payoff, creative structure, and a tantalizing DND cliffhanger leave you hoping for a spin-off or sequel. It’s a gentle, heartfelt read with a magical twist.

Roll for Romance by Lenora Woods was a fun, nerdy romance, a perfect book to pick up and take to the beach or your local brewery. It joins the ranks of Talk Flirty and Roll of the Dice (an indie coming out this fall)--romances that feature hot, nerdy heroes who are DOWN BAD for their girls, Perfect for fans of Dungeons and Dragons and role playing games in general, I loved how the campaign storyline was woven in with the main storyline. Bonus points for creativity! (I did dig out my son's monsters guide to refresh my memory about the different monsters...it's been awhile.)

All in all, while this one won't end up on my all-time favorites list, it was a fun, quick read, and I did really enjoy it. (As an artist, I also loved how the FMC's art was a main plot point. Art is one of my main ways of expressing myself, too.)

Thanks to Dell for the advance review copy.

5/5 stars: This is Woods's Steamy Romance stand-alone which takes place in Texas and follows an artist spending the summer in Texas after losing her New York City marketing job finally agrees to join her best friend's Dungeons & Dragons campaign only to find herself falling for a handsome, outgoing bartender. As their relationship progresses in both worlds, she can’t help but wonder if they might last beyond the game. However when she's offered a new job in New York, she'll have to face the truth about why she lost her job in the first place and decide whether she's found something in Texas worth staying for. Torn between her big city career dreams and the exciting uncertainty of a new adventure, she'll have no choice but to roll the dice. Heartfelt, witty and smart, Woods's writing and character work are stellar; the characters are well-rounded, complex and yet remain incredibly likable. Sadie and Noah are great and I love seeing the two of them deal with their personal issues so that they can get their HEA together. Additionally, there's a great cast of characters... I especially loved Sadie's best friend Liam and their fellow campaigners, Jules and Morgan. I also really enjoyed the inclusion of the D&D campaign story and characters. The world-building and Sadie's Jaylie and Noah's Loren were delightful. The romance is top notch; the banter's on high and will have you swooning and OPS scenes are incredibly steamy. This is a can't miss read, highly recommend!

I received this eARC thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine | Dell in exchange for an honest review. Publishing dates are subject to change.

What first drew me to this book was the cover. I honestly did not know what expect but I really enjoyed how different this story was. I had no clue what went into D&D but this book for sure peaked my interest. Overall it was a great story. I really enjoyed Noah and Sadie! I also love that it took place in Texas. Can't wait to read more from Lenora Woods!

Thank you NetGalley & Random House Publishing Group for the ARC.

This was okay. I think it’d be way better for people who HAVEN’T played D&D but maybe want to. I found myself skipping the in-game storytelling parts to get back to the actual story. The characters were very surface level and I found them cringe in a bad way sometimes. I’d have liked to have a little more personality to the characters we’re supposed to care about and not just “here’s a quirky characteristic this person has.” Except Liam. I want a book for him.

All in all I thought it was cute but lacked depth.

Brief overview:

When Sadie loses her job in NYC and gets an offer from her college best friend to come stay in Texas for a bit, she takes him up on it. Soon after, they start a D&D group to make friends and pass the time. Little does Sadie know, there might be more to D&D than she expected!

My thoughts:

I loved the D&D side plot and the way the mechanics are explained so even someone that has never played can enjoy the story and maybe even pick up on a thing or two! As someone that has played only one campaign, I enjoyed seeing the terms being used in cute little ways, like when Sadie says "maybe I should roll for initiative." By 39% of this book I was absolutely hooked. I love the fun girl friendships that form along the way, particularly with Morgan, she is a badass wing woman and a true girls girl and I loved her! I'd like a book just about her! The little bit of spice that was in here was very well done and the flirting leading up to it was even better. They somehow made pancakes flirty and I ate it right up!

Thanks to Netgalley and Random House Publishing for the chance to read this!

Even though I’ve never played a Dungeons and Dragons game in my life the way Roll for Romance was written it was very easy to follow. Sadie as herself was very easy to empathize with and wish her good luck in finding her way. When she played Jaylie we could see how as she grew confidence in the game it paralleled how she was feeling in her real life. I loved how this author used the two plots to help grow Sadie’s character and help her see the direction she might want to take as she started over.

Noah was an interesting character for a love interest. He was very laid back, charming, and easy going. There are quite a few similarities between he and his D&D character Loren. What was strange about him was that he doesn’t stay long in one city, moving as the mood hits him. Not your usual hero vibe, although he paired well with Sadie who in her NY life was structured and suited, while in TX she is more easy breezy and figuring out her future.

This novel was very easy to read and quite enjoyable! I’m a fantasy reader so it wasn’t hard to make that jump from current world to fictional world and I liked the variety of characters between those two worlds. If you like fantasy and/or D&D this one would be a no brainer for you.

Ahhh I absolutely loved this book! Fans of Dungeons & Dragons and romance books alike will also love this story.
This book has such a cute (slow burn) romance plot but with a whole side story of a full on mini D&D adventure campaign embedded into it.
I really enjoyed the D&D character POV storytelling when it switches from the real life story into the actual campaign setting during their sessions. It's very immersive and also helped the plot move along.
Lenora has such a way of writing to blend in two separate storylines into the book yet they also feel seamless together. Jaylie's struggle and character progression parallels with Sadie's outside of the game. The last part of the book had me worried how it would get wrapped up but fear not, Lenora finishes the story AND campaign well with a pretty little bow wrapped on top.
This is also technically a small town romance, it didn't really feel like it but I really liked how it was done!

Thank you Dell Romance for the ARC!

We need more D&D romances! After diving into some YA dungeons and dragons themed romances, Roll for Romance is a healthy segue into the adult romance genre. Splendidly blending the FMC’s personal life struggles with the fantasy game she escapes into. I will admit that RfR has a slow start; readers seem to slowly let into the mind of our FMC, Sadie, as she spends the summer with her bestie; states away from her every day life. She’s amidst what seems like a bit of a rough spell with the loss of her job and is feeling adrift of what her future might hold. When her best friend Liam proposes to join his group of newbie D&D players, she takes a chance. Throwing herself into the creativity that creating and exploring a character can develop. As they dive into trouble, Sadie begins to see new facets of the potential new friends around her. Mainly that of rough looking but golden retriever energy bartender Noah.

Sadie begins to develop feelings for Noah, in real life and as their characters. I really enjoyed the D&D chapters. Where other stories may touch on the world characters’ develop, we get full chapters of their game from the characters’ POVs. I found myself excited for those chapters as I was more invested in the fantasy world’s agenda than what felt like a sub-plot of romance between Sadie and Noah. But the overall feeling of this book seems to be found family. Reality clashes when Sadie’s true loss for her job was burnout (been there girl) and now she has to decide: a future in the career she’s built with the risk of burning out again. Or does she risk it all and live day by day, much like travelling bard Noah? On the other hand, Noah seems aloof in how he feels: will he stay once Sadie makes her decision or will he take off on the next whim of adventure. All in all, a happy, light, palate cleanser read that really shines for lovers of D&D.

Thank you to Lenora Woods and Dell Romance for providing a review copy.

After losing her corporate job in New York, Sadie's best friend convinces her to stay with him in Texas for the summer. Instead of moping around like she plans, Sadie decides to join a D&D campaign for the first time with all new players. As the game unfolds, Sadie and another player, Noah, find their characters falling for each other, while outside of the game they do the same thing.

This was such a cute and unique romance! I loved the D&D elements, the roleplaying fantasy was so fun and the perfect balance to the otherwise simple plot. Noah and Sadie were so cute together, I loved how their instant friendship blossomed into more as they got to know each other through the game and outside. The two just had such a good vibe going and I loved how they communicated through all their hurdles. This debut romance was magical, heartwarming, and full of charm. Lenora Woods did a fantastic job blending nerdy fun with flirty banter and slow-building heat; and I cannot wait to see what she writes next!

Read if you like:
🤍Found Family🤍
🤍Small Town🤍
🤍Story within a Story🤍
🤍Slow Burn🤍
🤍Friends to Lovers🤍

Thank you so much to Dell for the EArc!

Sometimes you find books that you absolutely love. 5 stars, great vibes, fantastic characters, a great plot. And sometimes, you find a book that feels like it was written just for you. A book that inspires you and shows you both how much you are like a character, and how much more you can be because of them. This is one of those books for me. Sadie goes through a very similar experience to what my life has been lately, and watching her navigate those decisions was inspirational to me. And doing it with a backdrop of the game that has brought out so much confidence in myself and is now such a daily part of my life was the cherry on top.

But enough of the sappy stuff. Besides being so meaningful to me on a personal level this was also just such a fun read! Sadie is spending the summer in a small Texas town with her cousin and best friend while she navigates losing her job and deciding what to do next. Her cousin Liam convinces her to finally play DnD with him, and through that game she is able to meet new friends, gain new confidence in herself, and meet a special someone.

I absolutely loved the characters in this book. Sadie and Noah are so fun to follow, but the other characters (Liam, Jules, and Morgan) are all equally fun and I loved whenever they were around. Constantly teasing about the obvious chemistry between the pair, they also proved to be just the friends Sadie needed to figure out what comes next. And their DnD personas were hilarious to watch play out.

One of my favourite aspects of this book is that instead of being about people who are also in a DnD campaign, it was about both. We didn’t just watch them play the game. There was a whole separate story we get to be immersed in along with the main story. Sadie and Noah are able to explore a relationship both irl and in game as Jaylie and Loren, and using those characters they learn more about each other and themselves. I loved being immersed in both stories, and I think it was balanced so well. Sometimes I’ll get too immersed in one story or timeline and lose interest in the other, but this is one of those circumstances where I was equally loving both.

Because all the characters are also new to DnD, that part of the story is also very easy to understand and follow. For the most part things are explained well in a way the reader can follow along with, and I think it’s both a really fun example and introduction of what the game can be. Especially the dynamics between players. It reminded me so much of the relationships I’ve developed with my own party, and how we have friendships that now transcend the game, but we also know and understand each other in a way that other people never could. This book does such a fantastic job of showcasing how the game can be used to explore and learn so much about yourself, while also just being such a cute and fun story. I absolutely recommend checking it out, whether you’re a DnD player yourself, curious about how it works, or are simply looking for a cute and meaningful story that will have you giggling, gasping, and overall having an amazing time.