Well, I was in the mood for a cozy romance and Date Knight delivered just that 🥰

D&D Romcom, it was right up my alley! The back and forth dance of the MFC and MMC was infuriating at most times, but we all know this is what the author wanted from us !

There are some deeper topics in the book, ecspecialky with the MMC's grandmother having Dementia and him being a full time carer of hers, but I love the inner workings of how he navigates it all.

It was predictable but that doesn't mean that I didn't love the ride it took me on! I was unaware there is a standalone Book 1, and I cannot wait to read that one too!

Thank You NetGalley and HarperCollins UK for the ARC!

I love how Amy and Phil interacted in this book. from faker dating to slowly becoming an actual item. I just loved how the author let the characters be so wonderfully geeky over things like D&D,(which I lived for. The whole D&D session was absolutely a ride), it makes them stand out even if it follows a lot of familiar tropes. I will say that anyone unfamiliar with D&D might have a hard time with those parts of the book. I will say, the book felty a bit young despite the characters being adults. Overall I enjoyed it and found it to be a fun read.

A cute rom com with heaps and heaps of nerdiness! This is a pretty basic fake dating, older brother's friend/friends to lovers story, with a couple cute, swoony moments.

What I liked:
-the D&D game sprinkled through the story
-the hobbies Phil had: sewing and cooking/baking?? absolutely obsessed
-Phils's caretaker role for his grandmother Ethel was heartbreaking but so real (and well done)
-faires and balls and fancy costumes are always a fun time
-the friend group was so fun!

What I didn't love:
-Amy felt really juvenile; her relief at being cheated on, her stunted relationship with her parents? I just wanted a bit more from her. I did like the not feeling included thing - it was the most relatable part of her character
-Their reasons for fake dating felt flimsy. I might have preferred that it not even be part of the story (and as a mega fan of fake dating stories, that's saying a lot)
-Phil was pissing me off by the end
-I wasn't invested in their romance

This was a really fun and cute second book to the series - I loved Amy and Phil, despite not being within the lore of D&D and therefore finding myself confused at times!

Date Knight is a clever and refreshing twist on the rom-com genre, blending modern dating drama with just the right touch of adventure and charm. Sam Parks brings humor, heart, and a surprisingly tender story to life through quirky characters and sharp dialogue.

The protagonist is lovable and relatable, and the “knight” angle adds a fun layer of uniqueness without feeling gimmicky. The banter is spot-on, and there’s a nice emotional core beneath all the laughs. It’s lighthearted but not shallow — perfect if you enjoy rom-coms with a bit of soul.

Some pacing issues and predictable moments kept it from being a full 5 stars, but overall it’s a fun, feel-good read with originality and heart.

Thank Sam Parks , One More Chapter publishing and NetGalley for the arc in exchange for an honest review! All information below is based off my own opinion of the book! I also like to keep my reviews short and simple as someone who looks at the short reviews before reading books. 💕⭐️
Book rating:⭐️⭐️⭐️
Favorite characters: Ethel, Amy
Review: This book was a cute read! It definitely had some spice and some of my favorite tropes: brothers bestfriend, & fake dating! I liked the hard themes this book displays with Ethel and Phil’s parents. I had a hard time understanding the d&d stuff and found that I was happy those chapters were short! Overall it was a cute read.

🔮Your Reading Horoscope Says: Prepare for emotional rolls coasters and chaotic good vibes.

You ever read a book and immediately want to roll for perception to see if your soulmate is hiding in plain sight? Date Knight by @samparksbooks is that kind of book.

Phil Owen is the kind of love interest we need more of: awkward, loyal, and emotionally responsible (swoon). He’s a D&D dungeon master with a soft heart, killer instincts in battle and caregiving—because his spitfire grandma Ethel (hey girl hey 💅)is the real MVP and will 100% steal your heart (and possibly your wallet). 😉

Enter Amy Evans: recently heartbroken, newly nerd-converted, and ready to totally not fall for Phil. Except... fake dating, shared D&D campaigns, rom-com banter, and the dreaded “one bed” scenario make resisting impossible. Also, they have a couple name - Phamy - and send each other “Phamy lore drops” via text to keep their fake relationship straight. (Which is definitely not the cutest thing ever. Except it absolutely is.)

The writing is sharp, the romance is deliciously slow-burn, and the humor feels like it was pulled straight from a group chat with your funniest friends. If you’ve ever loved a rom-com, rolled initiative for love, or fake-dated someone in your head on the bus… this book is for you.

Final Verdict:
5/5 enchanted dice rolls 🎲
Recommended for:
* Rom-com nerds
* Fans of the “one bed” trope
* Sagittarius moons and hopeless romantics

Read it, text your BFF your own couple name, and beware: side quests may lead to true love. 💘✨

Thank you to netgalley for providing me with this ARC for an honest review

I never read book 1 of this series as id never came across this author before this ARC but im so glad I did I honestly requested this because the cover was fing adorable however, the banter and yearning from the two main characters are what kept me interested this wasn't just my first book by this author it was also my first gamer romance this was heartfelt and nerdy in the best ways the only part ill say annoyed me was the miscommunication at the start but that was quickly fixed

This was… fine. It’s a perfectly enjoyable romcom that I didn’t love but it’s still a lot of fun.

A contemporary geek romance set in the UK somewhere around Manchester, with plenty of tropey romance goodness- brothers best friend, fake dating etc. I really liked the premise of them getting together through a D&D campaign but I did feel that it kinda was let down by the pacing chosen. Their first kiss happens at about 15% of the way through and the premise of the fake dating wasn’t really seen through to the point of her ex and ex-best friends wedding.

I’ll admit as well, I have read the author description and I do think it’s let down by some American ideas of British class and social consciousness. There’s a point where they get called ‘townies’ and that’s… just a weird thing I’ve never heard before.

It’s alright, and a fun romp where it’s good.

Thanks NetGalley and One More Chapter for the ARC. This review is my own honest opinion.

3.5⭐️ | NetGalley Review |

A fun, sweet and cute read that incorporated real life struggles in a realistic and well represented way. The MMC and his struggles with feeling in debt and spreading himself thin, griefing someone that's still alive and the balance between carer and being yourself.

The D&D chapters didn't do it for me so I kinda skimmed through them but if you're into that I can imagine it's a fun addition to the story.

Date Knight is the second installment in Samantha Parks' Roll for Romance series. Each book follows a different member of a close-knit friend group united by their love of Dungeons & Dragons. While the books are best enjoyed in order, each one can stand alone.

What to Expect:
Dual POV
Brother’s Best Friend
Age Gap (5 years)
Friends to Lovers
Fake Dating

If you read You've Got Chain Mail, you'll remember Phil, Jack's best friend, a talented cook, and cosplay wizard, and Amy, Jack's younger sister, who recently returned home after a rough breakup. Fast forward a year: Amy runs into her ex-boyfriend and ex-best friend, who are now engaged and inviting her to their wedding. In a moment of panic, she convinces Phil to pose as her boyfriend. What starts as a fake relationship quickly spirals when their friends and family assume it’s real. They decide to keep up the charade until after the wedding—and until Amy hopefully lands a full-time job at her father’s company.

I loved how their relationship began with a foundation of friendship, albeit one filled with playful bickering and teasing. Their banter was a highlight, especially their text exchanges as they built the "Phamy" (Phil + Amy) backstory.

As their fake relationship starts to feel real, things get complicated. Phil is the sole caregiver for his grandmother, who has dementia, and the emotional weight of that responsibility is portrayed with care and authenticity. The author does an excellent job of showing the challenges of caregiving and the emotional toll it takes - not just on Phil, but on those who love him.

The friend group continues to shine in this book, always showing up for one another in meaningful ways. However, the D&D chapters, told from the perspective of Phil's D&D character, felt disconnected from the main plot. While creative, they didn't add much to the story and could have been trimmed to make room for underdeveloped plot threads that were introduced but never revisited.

Overall, a fun and cozy romance, but needed some more fine tuning. I will still probably continue the series, looks like Chloe is next and I am hopeful to see what the author has in store for her and who her romantic interest will be. Also, here is my plea for more page time for Grey! They're so intriguing and mysterious - I need to know more!

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This was such a cute read. I loved that the story was based on the nerdy game Dungeon's And Dragon's and the chapters go back and forth between Phil and Amy and also adding in chapters for characters in the game. I also loved the small town place setting and there was a great cast of characters. I loved Phil and Amy's characters and I wanted them to have their happy ending. I highly recommend it and I look forward to reading more by the author.
💝 Thank you to Netgalley, One More Chapter and the author, Sam Parks for my arc ebook copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

*♡Thank you to Sam Parks, Harper Collins and Netgalley for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinion♡*
Date Knight is a charming, funny, and slightly chaotic ride. The banter? Top-tier. The romance? Sweet with just the right amount of tension. It doesn’t take itself too seriously, which is exactly what made it such a fun escape. Think knights, dates, and delightful nonsense in all the best ways. If you’re after something feel-good and playful, this one’s a win.

This book simply put was just a lot of fun!
The characters were so much fun, and their chemistry was adorable.
I thought the writing was quick, fun and engaging.
Overall, I very much enjoyed reading this new title.

🩷 Book Review 🩷
📚 Date Knight
✒️ Sam Parks
💫💫💫💫

Thank you Netgalley for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Perfect read for those seeking something light and the D&D fans in the room.

This is a second chance, swoon-worthy that follows Amy who disclosed her feelings for her brothers best friend Phil. Phil has not gotten over it, but in a good way. Insert the ex-boyfriend that is now engaged to the ex-best friend, with the fake dating... yeah, you can see where this is going.

It was predictable but I was just so invested into the characters that I did not notice how cliché it really was, I just wanted to keep reading! Plus, I am now kind of interested in D&D... so that is also a win!

Full of tropes romance readers love (brother’s best friend, fake dating), as well as the fun addition of a D&D party, Date Knight is not just a fun, fluffy rom-com. Phil is the primary caregiver for his grandmother who is dealing with dementia and mobility issues. He is devoted to her since she raised him after his parents died. And while he has been developing feelings for Amy over the years, he is burning the candle at both the ends and close to burnout. Definitely a romance with substance!

This was such a fun, quirky little romcom with a super unique twist. Think dating apps but make it medieval, and somehow it totally works. The humor was spot on and the whole setup felt fresh and playful without trying too hard. I liked the main character’s awkward charm, and the love interest was surprisingly swoony under all the chaos. It didn’t take itself too seriously, which made it such an easy, enjoyable read. My only critique is that some of the pacing felt a little uneven. It bounced between silly and serious a bit too quickly, but overall I had a great time. If you want something lighthearted, creative, and a little ridiculous in the best way, this one’s such a good time.

Phil and Amy are in the same D&D group. She has had a crush on him for years but as soon as things start to look likely for them he ruins everything. He thinks he is doing the right thing, but can his friends convince him otherwise? Looking forward to the next book in this series.

The premise seemed promising but aside from the dementia/carer storyline, it really did not work for me at all. It didn't seem believable that the main characters Amy and Phil were twenty-five and thirty years old - they seemed and acted much younger.

The entire set up was odd. Amy and Phil only started fake dating to show Amy's ex and her ex-best friend (who only made an appearance for a few minutes) that Amy had moved on. It was unbelievable how Amy actually thought about going to their wedding.

I admit that I am not into Dungeons & Dragons at all so I couldn't get into the Yorick Proudhollow chapters and ended up skimming through them. Amy's heavy reliance on tarot cards and horoscopes also irked me.

This teetered between 3 and 4 stars for me, and I'm going to go with 4 because what I liked, I really liked! There is a lot of depth to this book that I wasn't necessarily expecting, and some pretty difficult topics, but overall I really enjoyed the story and these characters.

What I liked: I liked the characters individually a lot. I think that their motivations behind their actions made a lot of sense, especially Phil. I have not been a caregiver before, but have a lot of experience with those who have been caregivers, and this book I think perfectly encapsulated what it is like to try and care for someone you love on your own, while trying to have any semblance of normalcy. That guilt that comes when anything happens and you're not there is very real, and very debilitating. I felt for Phil majorly on this. And I totally understood why Amy felt the way she did about her brother's friends - as a little sister, your biggest fear is feeling like you're just being brought along by default, and that hurts. It definitely gives anyone a complex, and makes you a little wary. I really thought that these two, and their journeys, were well-written. I also loved the sections of the book that included what was going on in the D&D campaign - that was very fun and I also felt like tied into the story really well.

What I didn't love: the pacing was odd. I think just because of the nature of their relationship, we went on a bit more of a rollercoaster than I'm used to in these kinds of books. I also think that while this book was great at individual character writing, it almost felt like Phil and Amy didn't even really like each other sometimes. Banter is one thing, but they were downright antagonistic to each other sometimes. And maybe that's reality, but it felt like a bit too much at certain points of the book.

Overall, I enjoyed it, and I will definitely pick up another book by this author and in this series. Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for the eARC!