I thought this was an easy, cozy, low angst read!

It was almost like reading two novellas that twine together: we got the main storyline between Sadie and Noah, and then we got the D&D story line telling us their quest! I was SO invested in both!

I think if you are a fantasy reader, you should give this one a try!

3.75 Stars!

I saw a review that said, "This one's for the nerds" and I honestly couldn't agree more. Lenora Woods did such a great job with the D&D aspect of this book. I've always had an interest in D&D but I've never played it. A lot of the sayings I've heard have now been explained and I understand them much more.

I enjoyed the romance between Sadie and Noah. I wish we'd gotten a little less D&D storyline and a little more present romance story line.

The D&D storyline was fun, but I don't feel like it added a whole lot to their actual love story. Usually when we see flashbacks or something like this, its adding to the story. For the first several, I rolled my eyes each time because it really wasn't adding anything for me. We could have done without them and the story wouldn't have been missing anything. They actually pulled me out of the story most of the time, I had to keep convincing myself, "Just get to 40%, it'll probably get better"

When Sadie and Noah were roleplaying online, that took me back to my youth right there. I intrinsically remember typing stuff like that while playing WoW or Ragnarok. Loved it, true nerdy girl moment right there.

Overall, the story was fun, but I wish we'd gotten a little more real life in this one.

The story of an out-of-work corporate gal who moves in with her best friend, joins his D&D campaign, and then proceeds to fall in love with another newbie player is right up my alley. I'm an in-work corporate gal, but I met my husband over a game of D&D (though he's the artist, in our case), so I can hardly help it.

This story is sorry of a leveled up (pun intended) Hallmark tale. New York City girl in small town Texas who learns the meaning of following her dreams, all that. It was structured as a fairly even split (maybe 60/40) between real life and the narrated adventures of her cleric character, and that definitely added to its charm. I found myself sucked into both sides of the tale. It's all pretty low stakes, though, so there's no big twists, revelations, drama, out any of that. Not every story needs it, but I admit I prefer something that toes the line between this and angst. It was cute and fun while I was in it, and that's all I can ask. Probably not a reread candidate for me, but then you never know.

I've never been in game where the players of dead characters had to leave the table, but I suppose it's plausible some DMs might want that level of drama. I do regularly equate life happenings to dice rolls, so her likening of her job interview to D&D skill rolls was relatable. Overall, I enjoyed how the game was represented, and particularly how it grew friendships between the group members.

I would definitely read from this author again.

I really loved this cover and was excited to dive in. I know little about D&D but I always like a fun quirky romance and this cover?! I thought this one had loads of potential unfortunately it missed the mark for me. It had a dual story line while following the d&d and the outside game play storyline as well. I felt like there was little connection outside of game play and we just kinda jumped right in. I did enjoyed the writing style and would love to try another book by this author sometime,

Thank you to Netgally and those involved for the arc! sorry I took so long to get to it :/

Roll for Romance is a silly goofy time about a silly goofy duo. I love D&D, but all the books I've read about it recently have been YA focused, so it was a refreshing spin to see grown adults with established degrees and careers give it a whirl.

Noah and Sadie were a super cute couple throughout the entire book, and I appreciated the friend group being so open and willing to accept their relationship, even though I know dating within a D&D group isn't always accepted. My D&D group back in college was too busy making jokes about screwing trees and rolling for slim jims for any of us to think about dating each other, but I've heard horror stories.

I also liked seeing the story of the D&D campaign play out on the page. It was like getting two books in one, almost, and the fact that not everything went well for them is realistic. I haven't read a book with D&D as its focus where they've gone into such depth surrounding the story and I really appreciated it. Loren and Jaylie were just as fun to read about and dissect.

Overall, the book has its flaws, but its a truly silly goofy time when the characters aren't being sad about real life adult struggles. And while I believe that the Alchemist sounds like a bar that would show up in the PNW instead of Texas, I do appreciate the snack menu at the back of the book. Does that count as spoilers? Eh I'll mark it just to be safe.

TL:DR Roll for Romance is a fun, romantic time. Roll for Initiative. 4 out of 5⭐️

ARC Review: Roll for Romance by Lenora Woods
Pub Date: July 15, 2025

Thank you Dell for the eARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Wow you guys! This was the cutest romance - pretty low angst and really sweet with a side of wonderful found family which you know is my kryptonite!

Sadie has lost what she thought was her dream job in NYC. When her best friend offers his guest room in Texas for the summer, she jumps at the opportunity to take a break from NYC and figure out what she wants to do next. She finds herself agreeing to participate in her first Dungeons & Dragons game with her best friend as dungeon master and some of his friends as the rest of the group. Through their adventures together, Sadie finds herself with a incredible group of friends...and some unexpected chemistry with Noah, an outgoing bartender who is playing a bard in their adventure. As their adventure continues both in the game and in real life, Sadie isn't sure that returning to her life in NYC is what she really wants anymore.

I know basically nothing about D&D but was really transported into the fantasy world while also still loving the contemporary storyline with Sadie and Noah - big swooooooon for Noah!! It took me a second to get into the sort of dual stories being told but once I got used to it, I really really enjoyed it! This book is also quite funny and I found myself giggling to myself (which was only a little awkward since I was at a silent bookclub while reading a lot of this lol!)

Highly recommend this for a really nice, light read with no third act breakup!

Bare in mind, I have never played D&D so I can't say how well the actual game play was shown here, but it seems like a good showing of the game. I love a good love story, and I am an absolute sucker of ones that explore a character's hobbies or interests. Add to that the fact that character growth is basically my catnip and I never stood a chance here. Of course I was going to love this book. Sadie starts here in a really bad head space. You know she's despressed, exhausted and burned out even though you aren't exactly sure why. Noah on the other hand is sunshine and chaos. Big Golden Retriever energy and hugs. He's charming and self assured, the living embodiment of the traveling adventurer. But he can't lay down roots. He moves from place to place because he doesn't want people to get bored of him. The thought nearly made me cry. He's so sweet.

I felt like the transition from in-game to roleplay to real life was fluid and easy to follow. It was actually really interesting to see all their relationship (both with each other and the others) grow on all fronts. I loved the side characters and will physically miss them, but I can't see there being enough content left for more than one book. There were parts here that I found charming, funny, and parts that kinda broke me. Sadie and Noah are both pretty broken, and with one another's support, they begin to heal. Sadie can start her art again and look seriously into what she wants for her future. Noah can finally stand still. I loved how they supported eachother. Honestly, this book was just good fun while hitting all the feels. For me, this is a four star book.

As far as adult content goes, there is drinking, language, sexual content (level three spice), and discussion of depression and past trauma. Emotional health and wellness actually comes up here a lot. I liked that. While geared toward adults, New adults might also enjoy this.

I was lucky enough to recieve an eARC of this book from Netgalley working with Random House Publishing in exchange for an honest review. My thanks.

What a sweet, nerdy read! There is so much to adore about this book.

Sadie, the FMC, finds herself in Texas after some abrupt changes with her corporate NY job. She's at her best friend Liam's house, who ends up suggesting and getting her involved in a Dungeons and Dragons campaign with a bunch of other new players, including Noah. Adventures ensue.

Lenora manages to include descriptions of how the game is played so anyone can pick up what's going on throughout the book. I was impressed by how she wove both in-game adventure stories with what was happening in the characters' day-to-day lives.

This was such a sweet, easy read. If you're looking for a heartwarming romance with some nerdy flair, you should absolutely pick this up!

Thanks to NetGalley, Lenora Woods, and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for this eARC in exchange for my honest review!

Throughly enjoyed this book! Romance and D&D, what more could I want. The characters are cute and laugh out loud funny at times. The story has heart but doesn’t take itself too seriously. Getting to experience both Sadie’s story and Jaylie’s story made the book that much more fun and whimsical.

Thank you Lenora Woods, Net Galley and Random House for the arc.

5 stars

A sweet romance where two people looking for a home amidst upheaval find love together both in and out of game. I really connected with Sadie's burnout plotline and her constant fight to keep a career or a city that you aren't even sure you ACTUALLY want. I also completely understand her instant attraction to burly man with a red beard and a man bun, that would be my ultimate weakness too girl. I loved how soft Noah was despite his size and appearance and of course his complete nerdiness. Sadie and Noah also communicated REALLY well which I greatly appreciated yet there was still a 3rd act conflict, one that made sne to the story and the characters. Getting to see the characters' characters fall in love within the D&D campaign was a delightful addition as well. Not to mention, I really enjoyed that story too especially the cliff hanger. I really hope we get another book in this world (maybe the DM and the new player?) so we can see where the campaign in Hell takes that story. I also hope anytime there is an integral side character who is married means we might get a marriage on the rocks story in the future because those are under rated.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this eARC, I had a great time!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for this ARC!

This book follows Sadie who's living with her best friend Liam for the summer after becoming burnt out from the the corporate world. Liam ends up convincing Sadie to join his DND campaign where she meets Noah. This was such a cute read! My favorite aspect of this book was how it would switch between the real world and the world of their campaign. I thought this was such a cool concept. It was cool to see both storylines weave together. I really loved the dynamic between Sadie and Noah. I thought they really cute together. I thought that this was a pretty solid debut.

actual rating: 4.5 stars

3.5 not rounded up

Sadi and Noah were cute, but too slow to get to the real romance in my opinion.

The first 60% felt more like a D&D/self-discovery book than a romance with a side of life change. Sadie and Noah felt younger than they were, and I was missing the maturity and honesty one has when they get older.

I did love the D&D aspect of the book, which, as someone who has only heard about it and never played it, says something about Lenora's writing.

Overall, I didn't dislike the book; it was just not for me.

Also, had to mention the incredible cover art, because as a visual girly, that's the first thing that drew me in!

Cute debut. I enjoyed the story. It’s a forced proximity story. Sadie moves in with Noah when she losing her big NYC job. She finally agrees to move to Texas to stay with Noah. I liked how Noah was there to help. How he introduced Sadie to D&D. How he included her. The story within a story was a cool concept. I do wish there was more to Noah and Sadie. The D&D parts was a lot.

The cover and the concept had me very excited for this book. However, in execution I enjoyed everything but the romance book. This is Lenora Woods' debut book and she does have a good voice, and I'm looking forward to her book in the future.

Summary: Sadie has moved from NYC to a small town in Texas temporary for the summer while she's lost her job. She stayed with her high school best friend, Liam. He's a high school teach and off the summer so he's started a D&D group for newbie. He encourages Sadie to join and she meets Noah, and their connection grows in real life and in the story.

In the beginning I liked Sadie + Noah connection. As it went on, it felt very juvenile. They would do a lot of “talking“ through their characters via text rather than saying how they felt. I like a golden retriever MMC , but Noah was just too much at times. We didn’t get to see his full rounded character until about like 85% through the book.

Also, they’re just like one too many comments about how big/strong/towering Noah is compared to Sadie. A personal description I don't enjoy reading over and over again.

Despite those negative comment, I really liked everything else. Sadie‘s arc of her figuring out if she wants to return to New York and her corporate job or stay in Texas and pursue her art was well done. Woods did a good job depicting the downfall of a perfectionist ideals and going through the motions because it’s what you’ve been told is success.

I also enjoyed her friendships and the D&D session were fantastic. There were many plot twists in the sessions that I didn’t see coming. I think it’s also a good intro for somebody that doesn’t know D&D. Woods explained what the characters are and they don’t work through a lot of of the clunky mechanics. Woods tells the session as a narration so you can so like a new person could see the potential of a D&D session.

I think this book would’ve benefited from aging down a lot of the characters. I am biased with like a chronic disorder, but I just couldn’t get past a lot of Noah and Sadie‘s discussions and being like OK but like what about health insurance so if they were highschoolers/college like I think it would’ve benefited from more of that tone.

As I mentioned at the beginning, Lenora Woods does have a good voice for a debut. I’m excited to see what she comes out with next.

Thank you Random House for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

This was super cute. I am not exactly the audience for this book as I am not super into dnd, but I won't hold that against it. Super cute and sweet romance otherwise.

"Roll for Romance' is a nice addition to the romance genre. Sadie has run out of luck in NY and flees to a friend's place in Texas. Through her friend's D&D campaign, she meets Noah and sparks eventually fly both in real life and in the game. The characters are well-developed, and I enjoyed the prose. 4.5 stars

I didn't expect to LOVE this book as much as I did. My husband is a huge D&D nerd and it isn't really my cup of tea. But the story both the romance and the D&D aspects of this book were so fun to read. I really enjoyed following Sadie and Noahs love story and this book played it out in such a fun and unique way.

Have you ever played D&D? Me neither but you don't need to be familiar with the game to enjoy Roll for Romance, a slightly spicy romance between two characters who meet over a D&D game.

Sadie has just lost her job in NYC and has gone to visit her BFF at his home in Texas while she recovers and licks her wounds a bit. While there, he ropes her into his newest D&D campaign along with some other folks in the small Texas town, including the handsome bartender Noah.

The book blends the story of Sadie, Noah, and their friends with the story of their D&D characters as they complete quests in the fantasy game. I really appreciated exploring both stories alongside each other. Also loved the little nod to online role playing (the not spicy kind!).

The book explores what it can be like to experience those big life shifts that can happen in our 20's and 30's like job loss, moving, and trying to figure out what our next goals are. All while still being cute and a little spicy.

Overall, it was good read and I liked that it was a little bit geeky without diving full force into nerdom.

Thank you to NetGalley and Ballentine- Dell for the chance to read this book in exchange for a review. All opinions are 100% my own.

This book was wonderful and delightful. It fueled by nerdy little heart. I <3 DND so this was a fun book to read.

I really enjoyed this cozy, low stakes, realistic, and nerdy romance!

I thought the the switching between the real life POV and the D&D game POV was unique and supported both Sadie and Noah finding themselves, and each other. It was great to experience a tabletop RPG from a newbie's perspective.

Sadie's experience with her job in New York and her subsequent move to Texas was a great representation of mental health struggles. Noah's experience over-correcting after his life out of college was quite relatable.

Not only did I really enjoy this book, but it made me want to join a TTRPG game again!