This book makes me want to fall to my knees in the street and scream “it’s perfect” at the sky. The fake dating was absolutely perfect. The jealousy! The “fake” endearments! The kissing! I eat the trope up every single time GOBBLE GOBBLE BARK BARK.

Thank you to the Publisher for my arc!

Okay i will admit this was definitely one of those books where i had to remind myself that its YA and i shouldn't judge it too harshly but after finishing it. I actually really enjoyed it.

5/5 ⭐️
Five stars!! I had an amazing time reading this book. It took me a little longer to read than it should, only because I kept jumping up and down and giggling. Well except for the times I wanted to punch her Zac Efron wannabe ex-boyfriend.
This story was absolutely adorable. And perfect for me. We had a musical theater girlie who has to work at her dad’s gaming shop as punishment but then finds herself joining in on the D&D games hosted there by a few of her classmates. But mix in fake dating. It was great. It was soooo cute! Though, I will admit, the one slightly unrealistic thing was the love interest’s moves. He was too smooth! Where did he learn these moves. However, that being said, I swooned. I swooned so hard at all his moves. I would’ve jumped him a whole lot sooner than she did. From move one, I was a goner.
I highly recommend this book. Especially for anyone who finds themselves emotionally invested in these kind of teen romcoms, like the Summer I Turned Pretty and etc. I promise it will put you ins good mood.
Thank you to NetGalley and PenguinRandom House Publishing Group for providing an advance reader copy of this book for my honest review.

I read this in one sitting it was so stinkin cute.

The knowledge I have about D&D is just what they bring up in Stranger Things so I was happy to see some references (if on purpose or not). I loved Riley's love for broadway and musicals and the journey of her really coming into her own was lovely to see.

I loved the found family aspect of this one and exploring Riley's strained relationship with her dad. It was nice to see neither parent painted in a bad light. They both try to be a part of her life as well as they can be and clearly want what's best for her.

The fake dating was A+. Riley and Nathan's relationship was so cute. Seeing them become freinds to lovers and of course having to work out the "I have feelings but they're probably faking" trope was funny, heartwarming, and just a joy to read.

Thank you to Netgalley for this ARC.

I rated this book 3.5 stars! It’s definitely amazing if you’re looking for a YA read! There was no spice, just some kissing! It was a sweet romance and if you like school theater vibes or gaming vibes, this would be a good read for you. Thank you, NetGalley for the ARC! I’d read another book by this author!

I just finished this book last night, and I can't stop thinking about it. Was it perfect? No. Does it need a bit of editing? Yes. But was it adorable for my older heart? Also yes.

I'm a millennial, who sometimes likes to read a young adult romance. It soothes my brittle, world weary soul. I need escapism and this provided it. It was exactly what I needed. I also love board games and step my toes into video games (just finished BG3, very apropos) so the book called to me.

Yes, there were some weird parts (to me) where we were told the physical description of each person, which I felt was a little forced, kinda the opposite of show not tell. And some loose threads that I thought would be tied up but weren't. Okay, and also, I thought how FMC treated her dad in the beginning was pretty bad; a bit of brainwashing from the mom.

Overall though, this was a cute, light read, not a lot of (non-theater) drama and would pick up more of the author's books in the future.

Probably one of my fave YA books I’ve ever read. I LOVED every character. Fake dating, found family, nerd/musical theater, everything I want in a YA book. I’ve had this ARC in my kindle library for months and put off reading thinking I wouldn’t enjoy it, I was WRONG. I finished it in less than 24 hours because I could not stop reading.

Kristy Boyce’s Dungeons and Drama is a fantastic YA romance, a fake dating story, and a tribute to all things D&D and musical theater.

After an ill-conceived (and illegal) trip with her best friend Hoshiko to see Waitress—a trip that involved “borrowing” her mom’s car and driving hours away without a license—Riley is sentenced to a life without extracurriculars, working in her dad’s gaming store every day after school. This punishment is extreme: Riley and her dad haven’t had much of a relationship since her parents’ divorce, she hates gaming, and her extracurriculars are the center of her world. But it’s what she has to do if she wants to be released from her banishment from society in time for the musical, for which she is determined to earn a position as student director.

At first, her time at the story confirms all of her fears: she doesn’t understand gaming, the other employee (Nathan) is a jerk, and her relationship with her father is as distant as ever. Her situation begins to change when an awkward run-in with her ex and his new girlfriend leads her to proclaim that she’s also in a relationship . . . with Nathan.

What ensues is a quid pro quo with Nathan: he’ll pretend to be her boyfriend to save face with her ex, and she’ll act like she’s head over heels for him as a way to attract his crush, a fellow D&Der who only wants what she can’t have.

Soon, those fake feelings begin to feel more real, at least for Riley.

I enjoyed so much about Boyce’s world here: she describes the passion of devotees everywhere, finding the commonalities between the worlds of gaming and musical theater as Riley performs her way through a D&D campaign as a bard and Nathan and his friends pitch in to help Riley and Hoshiko save the musical (which the school is trying to cancel). Riley is also working on her relationship with her father, and I appreciated the way each comes to appreciate the other’s passion. As both a big fan of musical theater and the mother of a devoted D&D player, it was fun to see the creativity and passion of both realms represented here.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Children Books for my complimentary eARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading Dungeons and Drama. Fake dating is one of my favorite tropes, and when you through in YA, I am one happy camper.

I was neither a drama kid nor a D&D player, but that not did diminish my enjoyment of this book. If anything it made me realize all the fun I missed in high school. All I know about D&D (and it’s the bare minimum) I learned from The Big Bang Theory. But Kristy easily mixes drama and role playing into a fun bingeable read. Because isn’t D&D then ultimate drama play ?

Of course there are many life lessons our MC Riley must learn along the way. I mean what parent in their right mind wouldn’t discipline their car “borrowing” none-license holding teenager ? But this is one punishment that Riley will find life changing.

This book is truly adorable, funny and sweet all at the same time!
I just can’t stop reading, every chapter just makes me smile with the cuteness and the bantering of the main characters – Riley and Nathan!

I really love all the characters inside this book, makes me feel like I’m in the high school era again.
I really like how welcoming Nathan’s friends to Riley and also introduce her to the world of gaming. I’m also fond of how Riley's friends help her without her asking for it when it counts the most.

The fake dating romance is so cuteee, I was blushing and smiling while rooting for them to just get together for real without any pretending.
Nathan is a total sweetheart and I have to admit his flirting skill is next level~~~

The topics of gaming, musical theatre, learning your priorities, honesty, friendship and family are well written and in balanced so I could simply relax and enjoy reading the whole story.

Overall, this is a fun, entertaining and easy to read which is perfect for teenagers and also those who wanted something simple and quick.
I would definitely recommend this book and I’m gonna keep an eye out for the next book by this author!

Thank you to TBR and Beyond Tour, Netgalley, author and publisher for giving me an e-ARC of the book and for having me on this book tour. I’m leaving this review voluntarily!

First, Thank you Net Galley and publisher for a copy !! <3

I’m not entirely sure where to start. My opinions are all over the place because on one hand I enjoyed some piece of it a lot but on the other hand i was left with a sour taste from our female main character.

Dungeons and Drama follows Riley and her punishment after taking her mother’s car one night to see Waitress with her best friend, and Nathan who works at her dads gaming shop. Her parents are divorced and so her punishment was essentially being ground and forced to work at her dads gaming shop in hopes that it might teach her a lesson. This is where she meets Nathan, one of her dads employees. They devise this plan to fake date after her ex comes into the store and pities her for not having a boyfriend since their breakup. Riley says the first name that pops in her head, Nathan, and digs herself a whole. Lucky for her there was a girl he liked and her plan was as follows, you make my ex think we’re dating, and it’ll make the girl you like so jealous she’ll want you.

The idea was cute however the execution left me wanting more. I didn’t care much for Riley and i wasn’t too thrilled about how she spoke about her father. The entire book all she did was go “but he didn’t do this when i was growing up” and “He loved his shop way more than my mom and i” But never once attempted to sit down and talk to her father about any issues she had or Ty to get to. Know him. He could speak and she would get upset and pull the “Well he never did that before.” In the Ned after some harsh words her father does apologize and admit where he fell short, but he still was trying his best with what he was given. She was selfish and didn’t seem to actually learn a lesson and instead it took the entirety of the book for her to even change in the slightest and even still, I wasn’t impressed.

This was BVERY cute! I really liked Kristy Boyce's first book and this felt just as charming. I'm not a tabletop game nerd, nor a drama geek, but I loved both main characters and found them likable and fun. I love a faking dating trope, so this warmed my heart in winter, just when it needed it most!

Thank you NetGalley and Random House Children's/Delacorte Press for the Advanced Reader Copy!

Dungeons and Drama follows Riley, a theatre-loving high schooler who just got grounded and now has to work at her father's game store as punishment. She quickly becomes enemies with Nathan, a fellow classmate who works at the store and is snarky and nerdy which annoys Riley to no end. After an awkward interaction with her ex, Riley devises a plan to fake-date Nathan, and surprisingly he agrees after Riley convinces him that this will help make his own crush jealous. However, part of the plan involves Riley hopping into a game of Dungeons and Dragons with Nathan and all of his nerdy friends! Riley finds herself having to juggle school, her passion for keeping her theatre department alive, and building a relationship with her father all while trying to make her fake relationship with Nathan look believable!

I was immediately intrigued by this premise, and I was completely hooked after the first few chapters! I read most of this book in the span of two days, and if it wasn't for my busy work life, I would have finished this book in three days (which would have been a personal record!). Kristy Boyce's prose flows so beautifully which is a huge reason this book was such a page-turner! All the characters felt very grounded and realistic. The characters and their dialogue were so charming and funny that it made reading this book so enjoyable. Riley did say some cringey things every so often, but to be honest, that's very true to form for a high school theatre kid! This book deals with so many complex themes like being a child of divorced parents and feeling guilt from "picking a side," and the importance of community spaces. Kristy Boyce did a wonderful job weaving these themes and subplots into the larger narrative. I will admit that I was giggling like an idiot at Riley and Nathan's "fake" dating scenes-- they are so adorable! I also appreciate the parts where they discussed their boundaries and consent! That is so important to include in YA novels! All in all, this book was such a fun and lovely read! I truly didn't want to book to end; I could read a million books about Riley, Nathan, and the whole cast of characters, and that would still not be enough! If you are looking for a light, charming, and nerdy rom-com, this book is perfect for you!!

This was SO light, fluffy and fun to read. The characters were well rounded and entertaining. The store felt like a safe place (which I loved reading about) and the fake dating plot had me giggling 🤭.

*MINOR SPOILERS*
There was a lack of communication but if you hold on you see why. It’s intentional and I appreciated reading that perspective.

This is a totally PG read so it’s perfect for young adults and teens!

Thank you so much to Penguin Teen for my ARC, I truly appreciate it!

4.25/5⭐️

★ ★ ★ ★ • 4

Cute young-adult contemporary romance with endearing characters. Perfect if you love opposites attract and fake dating tropes.

Can definitely admit that I picked this up based on the cover alone with absolutely zero prior knowledge on Dungeons and Dragons (other than that it’s a game and a recurring theme in Stranger Things). However, that didn’t really cause any hindrance on following the plot of Dungeons and Drama. This was also my first read from this author, so I was pleasantly surprised.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

This book follows the familiar trope of fake dating turning into real interest. I had trouble relating to the main character Riley, who is being punished for her "joy ride" to see a musical by having to work in her father's gaming store. For the majority of the book, she is only concerned about herself and how to achieve her wants. She continues to lie to her parents about her after-school activities and even after learning about health conditions for her father, she focuses more on herself. It takes a medical scare for her to look beyond herself. This title would have a niche audience; those participating will only understand the references to musical theatre and gaming fandoms.

This book was delicious! It was the most perfect light & fluffy fake dating book we all needed. A D&D gamer & a melodramatic high school theatre kid get them selves tangled in a sticky situation which leads to the cutest case of fake dating. I had major high school nostalgia feels while reading this, let’s be honest it would’ve been a girls dreeeeeeam to fake date a guy to get back at an ex. 😆 If you liked: better than the movies, to all the boys I loved, & the duff. THIS IS YOUR BOOK.

I lowered the rating because it did have the tendency to be a BIT melodramatic & the narration from the young MFC felt a little naive and immature at times (to be expected 😉) but that still fit the setting! Such a fun YA romance. 🫶🏼💕

Thank you to Random House Children’s & Delacorte Press for sharing this ARC with me! Will post my review on Instagram on or before 1/9!

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Children’s/Delacorte Press for providing a digital review copy in exchange for my honest thoughts.

There's something to be said for the right book at the right time, and relatively low stakes teen drama among a fictional D&D group was a much-needed break from some real drama. This book isn't perfect - there are little things in the writing style that bugged me, and at least one thing that made no sense given my experiences with D&D. The group's DM claims he never gets to use his accents because he's always DMing, while I know DMs who would KILL to be able to do accents, so all their NPCs don't sound alike. All of that aside, I had so much fun reading this short but sweet fake dating story that I can look past some minor issues.

This endearing YA novel offers a delightful blend of musical theater and Dungeons & Dragons, catering to the hearts of nerds from both worlds. The sprinkling of fake dating elements adds an extra layer of enjoyment for those who relish such tropes. I found the fake relationship angle charmingly executed; it's a familiar trope that Boyce handled well.

While "fake dating" may sometimes seem frivolous, the exploration of 'does-he-actually-like-me-or-is-it-fake' was skillfully portrayed. As for the family dynamics, it was refreshing to see it as a subplot rather than the typical absent-parent scenario in YA novels. However, some lingering questions about Riley's parents' past and their divorce remained unaddressed, leaving the reader with a sense of frustration. The anticipation of discovering hidden facets about her mother, perhaps a secret nerd identity(?):, remained unfulfilled, which felt like a missed opportunity. Also, the lack of clarity on why the parents divorced and the mother's tendency to blame Riley's father without acknowledging her role in shaping Riley's perception was somewhat perplexing.

The novel leans toward the younger side of YA due to its slightly more juvenile writing style and the characters' age. Best suited for ages 15-16. Despite this, the book holds its charm and offers a light, enjoyable read for nerds of all ages!

Dungeons and Drama will be published on January 9, 2024

Thank you, NetGalley, Random House Children's, and Delacorte Press for an E-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book was an absolute delight! Theater girl and gamer boy was adorable! The chemistry between Riley and Nathan had me giggling and swooning. I love how bold and out of her shell Riley is and how reserved Nathan is.