I really enjoyed this read, it's the perfect mix of Dungeons and Dragons meets romance, I really enjoyed the multi-story plot with Sadie and Noah in real life and then their characters in liam's campaign. It really drew me in as I was so invested with both and Lenora Woods truly blended the two worlds into one very well. I did feel the pacing was slightly off, just because the time went quite fast despite Sadie claiming she is doing nothing, then about half way into the book things really pick up. I'd recommend this read to other readers who love the likes of Legends and Lattes and other similar cosy fantasy reads, it has the perfect blend of cosy and romance which really sold it for me.

So firstly I am NOT a D&D girly, I’ve just never wanted to play and never had much interest in learning, that said I thought premise of this book just sounded so adorable and I wanted to love it (even if I was confused.

However I didn’t get it, all the D&D time spent on page was written as it was happening so it was told from the P.O.Vs from the characters, rather than the real people playing as showing the rules and rolls on how to play, I just feel while those chapters were fun it missed a lot by letting the reader know how the plays got to where they were. I also found Sadie super annoying as a FMC, it felt like she did a lot of self pity and wallowing. Very little work on herself, yet after one successful mural she has so much confidence and was able to conquer the world but didn’t do the work on herself for that to be sustainable.

Liked the idea of this book however found it really hard to get into reading it. I pushed through and managed to get to 35% and then the book picked up and I understood the premise a lot more.

This book is for anyone who loves romance and Dungeons & Dragons - the book is a perfect mix of the two.
Made me laugh, made me get a bit tearful and I was fully imersed in this book.
Loveable/likeable characters in both the book and the D&D campaign. Give me more of these wonderful books Lenora!

Perfect mixture of adventure, trying new things, friendship, romance and spice. Also touching on high stress and fast pace jobs and the need to put yourself first, and not feel guilty for doing so. Character growth throughout the book, was slow paced and realistic.

Very much looking forward to more books by Lenora Woods, her writing style is a chef's kiss.

I had such a fun time reading this book, and it got me out of a really bad reading slump, so I have to give credit where it's due.

The DND campaign storyline got me hooked, and I loved reading about it as much as the actual storyline outside of their campaign.

Sadie's character was so relatable and I really enjoyed her character development throughout the book!

Overall, a definite 5 stars because it made me feel all warm and fuzzy on the inside and I had the best tome reading it!

A cute, cozy, D&D themed read that was a very slow burn romance. I enjoyed aspects of this book especially the D&D campaign character's point of view which was fun to follow as the party progressed through the campaign. However I found the real world aspects of the book dragged for me, making me almost want to skim ahead just so I could read more about what the fantasy party were doing! Unfortunately I can only say this book was a solid 3 star for me due to the pacing, and also had some awkward attempts to use D&D checks as a clever pun on real life skills that felt a bit cringey to read.

I really enjoyed this book, the plot was well paced and the characters were well written. I look forward to reading more from this author.

thank you to netgalley and quercus books for proving this arc!

rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

this was such a fun read!! i had the best time reading sadie’s story. i was surprised by how much i loved the d&d campaign throughout the book, as a d&d newbie i didn’t know what to expect but miss lenora woods you had me hooked!! the combination of d&d gameplay and sadie’s pov was really interesting to read, and the roleplay chats between sadie and noah were a really cool touch.

i loved how natural the romance felt, it was definitely a slow burn but in all the best ways, and the dynamic between the supporting characters was just as good!! i was giggling and kicking my feet at how well sadie fit into small town life in texas, and with the others in the campaign. i was genuinely so happy for her!! i definitely got found family vibes and i am not complaining!

there wasn’t a whole lot that happened throughout the plot, but i think that was quite a perfect fit for this book. the multiple pov’s (present day and d&d gameplay) really kept me on my toes and i found the charm of this book was held in noah’s golden retriever personality (just adorable btw) and the buzz of the d&d campaign (lowkey intense!!), i just couldn’t wait to see where it would lead.

i’m really looking forward to more releases from lenora woods. i would definitely recommend this if you’re looking for a low stakes, cosy romance with found family vibes and a gamer setting throughout. also, can we please take a moment to appreciate how cute this cover is??

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for granting me access in exchange for an honest review.

This was such a fun read!!! Lenora Woods is clearly a fan of D&D and expertly captures the incredible journey a campaign can be for plays. Liam is a dream DM and I'm jealous of the fictional set up our protagonist Sadie gets to indulge in.

Woods also writes and incredible blend of fantasy and contemporary that could maybe be classed as 'contemporary romantasy' it's such an interesting take on the use of split POV between Sadie and her character Kaylie's individual adventures over a summer in Texas. Definitely a good summer read if you’re looking for a light-hearted, nerdy, cosy romance.

This book was right up my alley.
As a D&D player who sceptically joined to make numbers and ended up getting invested in it, I *may* have had this fantasy before.
I loved the full immersion of the D&D game, how hooked all the players were.
The jokes, the banter, the tension, and the romance, oh the romance!

What a unique story! I loved the blending of the D&D world into the ‘real’ world and I thought it worked really well!
Noah and Sadie were adorable! I loved the slow burn from friends to lovers, reading this, it felt like the main characters actually really liked each other and weren’t just in lust with each other which was so refreshing! It was definitely one of the most realistic romances that I’ve read which I really appreciated.
The banter was brilliant, the side characters were fantastic and it was such a lovely, warm, cosy read. Thank you NetGalley & Quercus Books for this ARC!

I wasn't able to get to this book before the archive date but I am planning on getting to it within the next few weeks so stay tuned for my review/thoughts on Goodreads [ https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/155691449-lilli ] and Instagram [ @readingwithlilli ] within the upcoming weeks. Thank you for the ARC! I really appreciate it!

🌟 4.5
🌶️ 1.5
🎧 4

Romcom and Romantasy all “rolled” into one!

🛡️ Contemporary Romance (with Romantasy snippets from the D&D)
🛡️ Friends to lovers
🛡️ Small town
🛡️ Slowburn 🔥 but some spice
🛡️ Found family vibes

Very interesting way of how the dungeons and dragons play throughs were embedded into the story like a mini romantasy sections! Like their roleplay was also a story of its own! I don’t know how to explain it but it was so good! 😊 I had a great time. You don’t be a D&D player to enjoy this at all! The two characters were adorable, the personal and romantic journey totally convincing, friends and found family vibes was absolute joy.

Recommend!

X

3.75 stars

This was such an adorable read! We follow Sadie as she moves in with her best friend in a small town after losing her big-city job. Finally she is convinced to try out D&D that her housemate DMs and falls in love with it. Cue Noah, the ultra hot bartender who is also a party member on this campaign. As they both delve into the world of Dungeons and Dragons as their characters Jaylie and Loren they form some sparks that also seem to have potential to ignite outside of the game too.

I've read some D&D themed romances before (love, give me more of them) but this one is different in that you don't just follow them playing D&D, you also get chapters focusing on their characters within the campaign. Basically you have two storylines in one book and it's a fabulous idea! The only little thing I had that pulled me away from the plot was the pacing of some of the campaign story chapters seemed to throw off the pace for me at times. However it was still enjoyable!

I look forward to seeing what is to come in this universe as I hear there has been a second book announced and I am soooo here for it!

This was such a fun and cute read! I knew I was going to love it just by looking at the cover and reading the blurb, and I was correct! I loved both main characters: Sadie was so sweet and likeable, and it was so easy to relate to her. I just wanted her to be happy! I loved how she became Jaylie, a human cleric who had luck on her side, and found her strength and confidence through her character. Noah was the ultimate golden retriever, as outgoing and charismatic as his DnD character, the elf bard Loren. The chemistry and flirting between Sadie and Noah both on and off the game was amazing, and I loved how they got to know each other and fell in love, it felt so realistic and natural! 💜

I really liked the way this book was written: throughout the book, the game was narrated from Jaylie's POV, so we were completely immersed in the DnD campaign! It felt like having a short fantasy book within a contemporary one, and it was so much fun! Honestly, I could have read so much more about their campaign, and I would love to know how their next one goes! 😅

Thank you so much to Lenora Woods, Quercus Books, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an early copy in exchange for an honest review!

Featuring a cast of super likeable characters, funny D&D characters, this was such a fun and dreamy friends-to-lovers story. It’s essentially about finding what makes you happy and learning to build your confidence! I completely binged this and will absolutely have to get a trophy for the shelf!

As someone completely new to the world of D&D, I was worried some of this might go over my head but fear not, this was perfect for a beginner like me! Just enough info so I could get the gist of how it’s played and the right amount of action I was easily able to keep up with the characters campaign (look at me using the right lingo!).

I loved that we got to witness not only the main story unfolding but we had a front row seat as the campaign story progresses too (like a story within a story), especially as the main story characters were able to explore their own emotions using their D&D character during the campaign.

Easy read romance, thank you to NetGalley for letting me read this early firstly.

I did enjoy this book but the reason I’m rating it 3 stars as it did take me personally a while to get into,
Even as a girl who loves a slow burn which this book is!

Sadie’s promising career in marketing has stalled after losing her job in New York and she’s been persuaded by her best friend, Liam, to spend her summer in small town Texas whilst she figures out her next steps. She’s slowly emerging from a depressed funk when Liam convinces her to join his D&D campaign with a group of fellow D&D newbies he’s rounded up. Included in the group is the brawny, outgoing Noah and sparks soon fly between them.

This was honestly just a really cute read and I had a great time with it. I was 100% in the mood for something low angst and this book delivered.

Sadie’s at a real crossroads in life and hasn’t quite faced up to the reason she lost her job. A lot of the book was centred around her figuring out what she wants from life and gathering up the courage to choose a different path. This was definitely helped by the new friendships she forms with the D&D crew, Noah and her longstanding friendship with Liam.

I loved that Noah was such a free spirit and so different to Sadie at first glance. He has strong golden retriever / cinnamon roll energy and I was here for it. He’s so supportive of Sadie without pressuring her. I really enjoyed their slow burn relationship and their chemistry felt spot on. It almost made me want to go camping…😮‍💨

The D&D campaign is told as its own story within the book which was a really fun way to write it. Through her character, Jaylie, Sadie can explore finding her courage and the flirtation forming with Noah via his character, Loren.

I definitely recommend this for when you’re in the mood for a cute, cosy kind of read with a friends to lovers vibe.

Omg this was just beautiful! I knew I'd enjoy this one, but it impacted me so much deeper than I expected. I even found myself crying a few times at how adorable, thoughtful, and meaningful this book was.

Our fmc Sadie leaves her job in the big city to take some time away to reflect. She finds herself in her lovely best friend Liam's small town, where she joins his beginners DnD campaign. There, she meets another player, Noah, and a romance between the two of them begins to bloom both inside and outside of their campaign.

I really loved the two settings/ genre switch between the contemporary romance of the main plot and the fantasy plotline of their DnD world. The two stories were wonderfully intertwined with each other. It was so fun and unique actually being inside the heads of the characters they were playing!

I really related especially to Sadie's experience with her job and burnout in this book. I felt so emotionally connected to her character and was rooting so hard for her!

This book had the perfect blend of lightheartedness and fun while also focusing on our characters' mental health and their healing. It was soft and sweet and tender; and Liam and Noah, as well as the new friends Sadie meets, were amazing supports to her.

This was such a heartfelt book, and it handled the tougher topics and feeling of being lost really well; and in a creative way too through the DnD campaign itself.

Sadie and Noah's relationship progression felt so natural and was soft and real. They both had a lot on their minds, but it was so touching to watch it all melt away when they were together. The moments they shared were so tender.

This cosy dnd-themed charming smalltown romcom was the perfect wholesome summer read! It was wonderfully nerdy and whimsical, and every character was a delight!

p.s The non-player characters of Shira and Alora in the DnD world were an unexpected favourite part of mine, and I cried during a certain scene of theirs 🥹

This book is so utterly adorable! I thought that the dual narrative of modern day and the D&D campaign might be a bit gimmicky, but it really isn't - it's seamlessly melded and the two stories inform each other really beautifully. I loved Sadie and Noah as the main plot, but also really looked forward to Jaylie and Loren's parts - just enough fantasy to really be satisfying, on top of an already really satisfying love story. The themes of burnout and finding yourself are really resonant and felt very realistic. I immediately preordered a paperback for myself and also forced an ebook upon my best friend. Probably one of my favourite reads of the year!