This book? A CRITICAL HIT. I started it for the fake dating + D&D drama and stayed because Phil Owen is the soft, competent, emotionally-repressed tailor of my dreams. Like sir you SEWED HER A BALLGOWN? I am unwell 😭🩷

Amy is chaotic, sharp, and heartbreakingly human. Together? Enemies-ish to lovers with the tension of a Buffy/Geralt crossover fanfic (don’t tempt me, I WILL write it).

And speaking of: the nerd drops?? Immaculate. We’ve got references to Geralt of Rivia (grumpy monster-slaying daddy alert) AND Buffy the Vampire Slayer (my bisexual awakening, thank you very much). It’s like Sam Parks raided my teenage bedroom and built a romcom out of my personality and trauma.

Also important to take a beat to talk about the dementia subplot and how it was so gently and respectfully done - it didn’t just exist for pain points. It felt real. It grounded the story in love and loss, and made the whole journey feel earned. I cried. I laughed. It took me back to some painful memories but also some really wonderful ones 🥰

If you’re into:
🎲 Tabletop vibes + cosplay shenanigans
🧵 Handmade acts of devotion
🫀 Real emotional depth in your romcoms
💘 Older brother’s best friend (but make it slow burn perfection)
🔥 Nerdy hotness with soft moments

Then this one’s your next hyperfixation!

Thank you SO much to @searchingforsamantha & @onemorechapterhc / @harpercollinsuk for the ARC, it made my nerdy heart so happy! 🥰

This book was adorable. Amy and Phil were both so believable in their strengths and struggles, and their growing friendship-turned-relationship was sooo sweet to follow. Usually I really struggle with miscommunication but the miscommunication between these two early on was more a case of them both trying really hard to respect each others' boundaries and interpreting the signals they were given in a pretty reasonable way, which was refreshing to see. Their group of friends and family was heartwarming too - such unbreakable bonds with no unneccessary drama, my heart.

This book also contains one of the best portrayals of caretaker burnout I think I've ever read. I was blown away by how real it felt.

My only point of criticism would be that the D&D story could have been fitted in better - after the first couple of segments of Amy trying to fit in to the group and adjust her character, it didn't really feel like it had any impact on what was happening to the characters in the real world, and it could have been totally left out without having much of an impact on the story overall.

Whenever I request a book, I tend to go in completely blind afterwards. I don’t reread the blurb before starting the book closer to the publication date and it can lead to either very surprising reading experiences, or to maybe feeling a little let-down in the beginning.I felt a little confused after starting this book. It doesn’t really start in a conventional way, but rather jumps into a Dungeons & Dragons-game the main characters are playing. I flicked back and forth a few times because I was sure I was reading a contemporary romance, when it kind of felt like a fantasy instead haha.

After a few pages it became clear though, and I met our main characters Paul and Amy, and their insane group of friends. The first chapter feels a little info-dumpy, because you immediately learn about their group dynamic. But, we also meet Ethel, Paul’s grandmother who he’s the primary caregiver for. This is frequently featured in the book and helped everything feel grounded in between the mentions of tarot readings and D&D game descriptions.

The writing style is lovely and conversational, making the book easy and comfortable to read. I don’t really feel as though there were any lulls in the story, yet be warned that it’s very heavy on the nerdy content (cosplay, D&D, sometimes quite niche subjects).

“Amy Evans, the only obnoxious thing about you is that no matter what I try, I can never get you out of my head”

While the book is very entertaining to especially a nerdy audience, it also reads quite young. Characters are between 25 and 30, yet some of their actions and decisions made it feel as though I was reading about younger characters with less life experience. This is mostly clear because of the way Amy and Paul navigate their shared history.

Both of them have experienced or are experiencing something that I feel they should absolutely be seeking counseling for, yet they’re both really good at suppressing their emotions instead of letting it all out and talking about their issues. It’s caused many a rift, especially between Amy and Paul, and while I recognise that Paul especially has a huge burden to carry, I truly feel that he would’ve been a lot happier in his relationship with Amy if he’d just talked to her.

Something I did struggle with a bit, which might be a personal thing, is that the book does play around with more modern terms: short king, ick, etc. I don’t know what it is, but it feels out of place for me. Again, this may just be acutely personal to my own reading experience, but I could’ve done without them.

This is definitely a book that will be loved by the romance community, myself included. Definitely give this a go if you like a little nerdy mixed into your romance.

Um, I loved this book! 💕

Phil & Amy yearning over each other for so long, then finally they get their happy ever after!
It was nerdy, which I absolutely adored and related too, there was YEARNING! Childhood friend/crush to lovers, brothers best friend 😍

I will be reading the rest of this series, bravo Samantha Parks!

Thank you to NetGalley & Harper Collins for the gifted copy.

Very cute and wholesome romance story. Friends who’ve been pining for each other for ever and get into a fake relationship that oh surprise will turn out to be real feelings - always works for me. I loved that Amy and Phil were both these calm and quiet characters, that gave a very comforting and sweet vibe to their story. Phil was definitely my favorite characters of the two, and the way he is caring for his grandmother and her dementia is very well done, it tugged at my heartstrings all along in the book. Amy was a bit too into tarot reading, crystals and astrology for me. That said I did really like them together, there was clear chemistry and the slow burn while they each completely fall for each other but don’t dare to make the first move was really good. I loved that we had plenty of time of them actually together and no longer faking it, seeing them trying to manage their relationship vs everything else going on in their lives.

Side note - I love a nerdy MC, but know nothing about D&D, so there were definitely some bits that went completely above my head, but fortunately not too much so that didn’t prevent me from enjoying the story.

Date Knight was such a cute nerdy little romance that had some of my favorite tropes—fake dating + brother’s best friend. Loved this so much.

I’ve been really loving books lately that intertwine role playing games as part of the story and this was no exception!

Phil was a fun character and I’m so glad we got his POV.. Amy and him have some insane chemistry! The fake dating was so fun and watching them go from
Driving each other a little crazy to the same but in a different way. Loved it!

a gorgeous read and just what the doctor ordered for any romance reader. i had fun, i had smiles, i had belly flutter feels and adored the plot and the characters within it. there was heart, there was emotional moments and there was romance in all its loveliness.
at times i did have to dampen down the old cynic in me. as i am older and this book is definitely for the younger version of me that watched 10 things i hate about you on re-run. but then its actually also for the older version of me that lives for this kind of romcom too. so i just have to stop being an old cynice basically. its a me issue. and it at once made me want to get into these comforting romances again.
in this book we have Amy who joined her brothers D&D event as one of their team has backed out. then we have Phil hes Amy's brothers best friend. hes been caring for his grandmother(these two by the way...) trying to do bits for the fantasy event and also relying heavily on his i dont have time for relationships stance.
but when Amy finds herself in need after her past comes knocking who is there to help her, yup you guessed it. but not just in any old way, no he steps in as her fake boyfriend of course. and we all know how this goes... but its a delight to read it happen.
i thought Sam did a great job of making this a romance book with our main pair but also allowed for other. like the fantasy event, the grandmother and friendship group all rolled around in there too.

This book was so good!!
😍 if you are a bit of a nerd 🤓 like me you will love this book.
Amy Evans who's just finally returning home after find her now ex boyfriend with her now ex best friend together. Best friend with her brother and his friends she's gets invited by Phil to play a game of D&D, Phil the guy who's she's always been secretly in love with. Phil has a lot going on in his life's from taking care of his Grandma who's suffering from dementia after a fall years ago to sewing costumes for his friends. Amy and Phil agree to fake date after Amy ex see them together but it's never that simple!!
Highly recommend this book 🥰

Date Knight is a nerdy romance following Phil, a carer to his Grandma with dementia and Amy, his best friend’s younger sister, who has had a crush on him since she was a kid. Having recently returned to her hometown, Amy has been playing D&D with Phil and his group. But after running into her ex, the two wind up agreeing to fake date for 3 months.

I love a nerdy romance, so when I saw this book was available for review, I jumped at the chance to read it. I’d definitely be interested in going back to the first book, and if they do a third book, and I’m right about who it’s going to be following…I’ll definitely check it out.

I wanna start off by talking about the romance in this one.

I did like Amy and Phil together. They have plenty of banter, but they clearly care for each other. Amy helps Phil out with his family stuff, and he believes in her and her interests. I like how they support each other, and I liked seeing their character growth both separately and together. There is a third-act break-up, but it makes sense with Phil’s personality and everything that’s going on between them. But they quickly go back to at least being friends before getting back together romantically. So, yeah, I was okay with it.

If you’re triggered by talk of dementia, this book is probably one you shouldn’t pick up. Phil’s life revolves around caring for his Grandma. She hasn’t gotten too bad yet, but there is a scene where she mistakes him for his Dad. She needs a lot of care, and he feels like he can’t leave her alone for too long. This book did make me think about my Granddad, who had it. And on top of that, the whole carer thing? Yeah, I get that. I help care for my disabled brother and thought of how this could affect my relationship in the future, as there are things I can’t change. Ooof, that hit me hard. Hopefully, it’ll work out for me too, like it did for them!

Obviously, what I picked this book up for was the nerdy aspect. But, actually, there was both more and less of that than I expected. It probably didn’t help that Amy isn’t that nerdy herself. You do get chapters showing us what was going on in their campaign, but obviously, you don’t get all the details. And on top of that, aside from the first and final scenes? You don’t see much connection to the actual story. Like, I generally like seeing part of the stories and gameplay to get to learn about their characters, too. But usually, it connects to things going on above the table as well. You see the romance between the characters build as well as the characters. And in this one? I don’t know, it kind of felt pointless.

I did like the twist in the final part. And I’m pretty sure it’s hinting that the next book will be following Chloe, which will make it a sapphic romance. So I’d be excited for that.

Overall, a cute book and definitely one I’d recommend if you’re looking for a fun romance. But it’s only slightly nerdy, and definitely deals with some serious issues that you should be aware of.

ARC Review – Date Knight by Sam Parks

Sam Parks has officially rolled a natural 20 with Date Knight! This laugh-out-loud, heart-squeezing romcom hits every note perfectly—equal parts nerdy delight, spicy tension, and emotional depth.

Phil Owen might be a Dungeon Master of dreams in his weekly game, but in real life he’s a lovable mess—and watching him fumble his way into a fake dating pact with his best friend’s sister, Amy, is pure joy. Amy is strong, sharp, and slightly chaotic—in the best way—and the chemistry between these two is absolutely undeniable. Their banter? Impeccable. Their slow-burn tension? Chef’s kiss.

This book is everything I want in a geeky romance:
🎲 D&D dynamics done right
💘 Friends-to-lovers with a fake dating twist
🛡️ Real-life knight-in-shining-armor vibes
🔥 Enough steam to fog up your reading glasses

Get ready to swoon, giggle, and root for this quirky cast of characters. Date Knight is a critical hit for 2025.

Thank you to Netgalley for this ARC.

This is the first book I have read by Samantha Parks, as I haven't read the previous book in this series but I didn't feel like it took away from this story.

This follows Phil and Amy - Older Brothers Best Friend.

This was a really wholesome story, set in a small town with a friend group.

While this story had a lot more serious elements and dealt with being a career for a loved one with dementia, I found this book really uplifting and loved the magical elements and D&D games.

I will be reading the rest of the series

Harper Collin’s uk and NetGalley for this arc. The cover is what attracted me to this book. It’s so cute! So I decided to go in blindly. Unfortunately it wasn’t for me. It was written well, so for someone interested in the subject matter, it’ll be a great book for them.

2.5 ⭐️

This book was really not for me. It felt like the two romantic leads didn’t like each other very much and that they spent the whole book fighting, and not in a fun banter-y way. Amy and Phil also just refused to communicate the whole book. I don’t think they ever even cleared up the initial incident that happened between them 5 years ago. This book just did not sell me on them as a couple at all.

The storyline between Phil and Ethel was definitely the highlight for me, as it felt very grounded and you could understand a lot of why Phil feels and acts the way he does.

Phil tiene suficientes responsabilidades: cuidar de su abuela con demencia, trabajar desde casa para que nada le falte, mantener a su grupo de amigos unido y, por si fuera poco, ser el Dungeon Master perfecto en sus sesiones de Dungeons & Dragons. Lo último que necesita es a Amy, la hermana menor de su mejor amigo y su eterna fuente de caos, uniéndose a la partida.

Amy regresó a su pueblo natal tras una humillante ruptura y ahora intenta redescubrir quién es, aunque eso implique meterse en el mundo de los dados, hechizos y guerreros mágicos. Pero cuando los roces dentro del juego empiezan a parecerse demasiado a los de la vida real, y las tensiones no resueltas entre Amy y Phil se intensifican, ambos se ven forzados a enfrentarse a lo que sienten… mientras fingen que siguen siendo solo amigos.



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Hay mucha falta de comunicación a lo largo del libro y llega a desesperar que prefieran no hablar y actuar, incluso sabiendo que eso podría lastimar al otro. Aunque no lo hacen con esa intención, sus decisiones terminan afectándose mutuamente y dan ganas de sacudirlos.



Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for the ARC in exchange for an honest

Huge thanks to NetGalley & HarperCollins UK for this ARC! All thoughts are my own.

It’s really no wonder why I requested this - a gamer romance with a suuuper cute cover - I was all in! Sadly, this was a miss for me. I tried really hard to like this but it wasn’t for me.

This was a cozy romance with dementia/care-taker representation. While I felt this part was extremely well done and I could feel the struggles of the MMC - the rest of the story was where it fell through for me. In all honesty, I would’ve read a whole book about the MMC & his grandma.

The romance started so fast that the rest of the book relied heavily on breaking them apart to put them back together. And there’s a few things (the vacation they sprung on him, her jealousy, abandoning the random woman while he was the one who invited her, her reaction to his grandma’s fall, her ex, etc.) that irritated me to no ends.

The book reads very young - despite the characters being between the ages of 25-30. The FMC relied on astrology & tarot cards to sort out her issues but she needed to see a therapist. A lot of words & concepts screamed TikTok (for instance : the use of « short king »).

Although a few things hindered my reading experience, I did like the parts where the FMC or the friend group came together to help the MMC out.

As always, reading is subjective. I didn’t enjoy this one but you might!

I read this in one sitting in a handful of hours and now have the first one in the series on hold at my library. I am sorely hurt that I have to wait to read it and that since this one publishes in a few weeks, a third book will be a wait as well (but best believe I'll be applying for that ARC!) I was looking for a nice light read to balance some of the heavier books I've been reading recently and this delivered, while also hoisting a few heavy topics of its own.

Amy has been in love with her brother's best friend Phil her entire life, but after (eventually disclosed events) one night five years ago, the two have barely spoken. Amy's crush is still simmering as she joins her brother's friends D&D group upon moving home, and unbeknownst to her, Phil hasn't stopped thinking about her in five years either. So, when Amy's ex-boyfriend comes to town to tell her he is engaged to her uni best friend, who he also cheated on Amy with, and Phil steps in to act as her fake boyfriend, what could go wrong?

Was this predictable? Yes. Was it also realistic? Yes. I recommend this to fans of romance, especially "these two idiots are the only ones that don't realize they're in love with each other" romance, dungeons and dragons and renaissance faires.


Thank you to NetGalley for an eARC of this book.

5 stars

The banter! The yearning! This wasn't just friends to lovers, this was friends to almost lovers to slight enemies to fake dating to lovers. The chemistry Amy and Phil had was obvious from the jump (probably from the first book tbh) and I was all in. I loved how they would bicker but it always felt like it was about to lead to hate sex. Then when they finally get together, it gets even better. But the third act breakup, we knew it was coming and we saw what Phil was going to do from a million miles away but it wrecked me nonetheless. The whole last 1/3 really had me in my feels! From the breakup to the burn out and all along the fear both for Amy afraid she would lose her friends again and Ethel's health digress further, I cried probably more than was healthy. I found the way Phil's story showed the complete and utter exhaustion being a sole caretaker can take on a person to be incredibly realistic and very hard. I loved that he and we got to see Ethel still have good days which ultimately lead to the reconciliation. Ugh this was just so good (and a huge cry). I really enjoyed the first book of this series but man did this one just blow me away.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this eARC!

This book surprise me! I did not know what I would think but the cover and synopsis pulled me in. This was so great. The characters were awesome and the romance was spot on! It was so cute and so bantery! I absolutely loved it!

I'm not the best at giving reviews but, I loved this book. I love how you get to see another character from the first book. See what's going on in his life. This book is about Phil he's going through a lot all at one time his grandmother has dementia, and he feels it's his job and his alone to care for her because she raised him after his parents died. He finally gets partial help so he can still play his D&D game with his friends and work on costumes for everyone for the next renaissance fair. Not to mention his best friend's sister Amy is now in the game now that she's back from college. It's been 5 years since he's saw her and after that summer 5 years ago things are a little more than awkward. Amy isn't so little anymore, and his friends keep pestering him to date, but he really likes Amy but she still holds a grudge from the last summer the hung out.

Amy's dad won't take her serious about wanting to help the business they run because she isn't showing signs of staying in the area. They just want her to settle down, but after her last relationship she isn't ready. She really loves Phil's grandma and wants to help in her care anyway she can, she sits with her sometimes so Phil can go on dates. One night they run into each other, and Amy is meeting her ex and his new fiancé. She gets upset and Phil sees and steps in to pretend to be her boyfriend but when others get the impression they really are dating. What do they do? This isn't the best situation but it could resolve problems for them both....