Not my cup of tea. Cheesy and little boring. Does have a very interesting and intriguing title though I’ll give it that though.

Musical lover Riley has big aspirations to become a director on Broadway. Crucial to this plan is to bring back her high school’s spring musical, but when Riley takes her mom’s car without permission, she's grounded and stuck with the worst punishment: spending her after-school hours working at her dad’s game shop.

When Riley's ex comes into the store, trying to get her to admit she misses him, she tells him that she's dating Nathan—a nerdy teen employee who she doesn't get along with. She then has to convince Nathan to flirt with her to make his gamer-girl crush jealous.

But Riley didn’t realize that meant joining Nathan's Dungeons & Dragons game or that role playing would be so fun. Soon, Riley starts to think that flirting with Nathan doesn't require as much acting as she would've thought.

I picked this up because I am a theater nerd who grew up playing Dungeons & Dragons. I don't generally read young adult romance so I'm not sure how this compares, but I liked it. Having the boys in the D&D group find common ground with Riley and her best friend seemed plausible. Riley had some much needed personal growth at the end of the book.

This book has all the tropes. Fake dating, forced proximity, friends to lovers...if any of these annoy you, this book isn't for you. But if these are your catnip, read it.

The perfect ya romance! So romantic, dynamic characters, funny and emotional all at once.

Riley is a die-hard theater kid. When her best friend and she takes her mom's car (without a driver's license) to go see Waitress traveling Broadway, she does not look forward to paying for her crimes when she gets caught. She has to work at her dad's game store for 8 weeks while also not participating in any theater activities. When her ex-boyfriend shows up to obnoxiously gloat at the shop, she accidentally blurts out that she is, in fact, in another relationship.... with Nathan, a gamer boy that she is not exactly on good terms with.

This had so many things I loved in it. The incorporation of the game shop feeling like a home away from home to the many that gather there for different reasons is something I can definitely relate to. Not to mention the undeniable charm of the two main characters. I thoroughly enjoyed every second of this read!

Out January 9, 2024!

Thank you, Netgalley and Publisher, for this Arc!

I read this as an ARC in exchange for an honest review, thanks to NetGalley and Delacorte Press.
What do you get when a Broadway lover and a D&D player start a flirty relationship to “trick” some unsuspecting parties? You get a cute, funny YA romcom. I enjoyed the characters, the friends, all the D&D talk and all the Broadway references lol. I definitely recommend checking it out.

Dungeons and Drama by Kristy Boyce is a heartwarming YA novel that will transport you back to your high school days. It tells the story of Riley, a musical lover who dreams of becoming a director on Broadway. To achieve her goal, she needs to bring back her high school's spring musical. But when she gets grounded for taking her mom's car without permission, she's stuck working at her dad's game shop instead of planning the musical.

Riley is determined not to let her punishment get in the way of her dream, so she convinces Nathan, a nerdy teen employee, to cover her shifts in exchange for her flirting with him to make his gamer-girl crush jealous. However, Riley didn't expect to join Nathan's Dungeons & Dragons game, and she certainly didn't expect to enjoy it as much as she did.

What I loved about this book is how it blended the worlds of theater and gaming. The author did an excellent job of making both worlds feel real and relatable. The characters are well-developed, and their interactions are both funny and heartwarming. I also appreciated the way the book tackled important themes like friendship, family, and following your dreams.

Overall, Dungeons and Drama is an enjoyable read that will make you laugh, cry, and cheer for the characters. I highly recommend it to anyone who loves YA novels that are both fun and meaningful.

This was just the CUTEST. Of course, I’m a theater kid turned D&D girlie, so all of the Broadway AND TTRPG references were so fun for me. I did have to frequently remind myself they were high schoolers, but I really did have a good time reading it! A little grumpy/sunshine, a little forced proximity, a little fake dating- made for a fun little road trip read.

Riley is a theater kid that ends up working at her dad’s gaming store as punishment, missing after school activities with her friends. While trying to get back at her ex Paul, accidentally saying she’s dating Nathan, a nerdy boy at school and her new coworker. Together they scheme to help Nathan get the girl in their D&D group and Paul to stop bothering her.

Even though Riley hated the idea of spending 8 weeks grounded at the store, she comes to enjoy the time with her dad and making new friends, realizing her feelings for Nathan may be more than just platonic.

This was such a fun, cute and wholesome low stakes teen romance! I found the characters super lovable and sweet. I’m a fan of fake dating tropes and this was done very well in addition to the save-the-musical-plot, general high school-ness and slight 2000s teen movie vibes. I adored all the geeky-nerdy references to games and movies, Riley’s eccentric fashion sense and the group of friends coming together to save the day. A quick delightful read!!

Thanks to Netgalley and Delacorte Press for an early copy to review.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the Publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

5 stars! Could this have been ANY cuter? I'm waaaaay past the High School years, but this sweet book has.it.all! If you like Enemies to Lovers and Fake Dating tropes, then you are in for a treat! This story as all the friendships and all the feels (No spice, just kissing and one reference to someone going "all the way"). I seriously couldn't put it down and didn't want it to end! It has just the right amount of teen angst, parental relationship trials & growth, opening up to new experiences and new groups of friends, and the perfect amount romantic chemistry and tension. Now I'm off to look into Kristy Boyce's other books....!!!

The writing style is incredibly accessible, the premise is fun, and the main characters had a good back and forth. I stopped after chapter 2 because it was feeling very melodrama and I wasn't in the mood for it. This doesn’t really have adult crossover potential. I see it being an easy three stars, four to five for the right reader. Would likely work well for middle grade and lower grades in high school.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Children’s for the ARC.

I requested this book because the description gave me flashbacks to Julie Halpern’s Into the Wild Nerd Yonder, which is one of my all-time favorite YA novels. Dungeons and Drama did not disappoint! I was frustrated in the early chapters with the awkwardness of some of the exposition, particularly the descriptions of characters, but I’m glad I pushed past that so I could enjoy the story. It’s a perfect length for readers in my high school library, and the fake-dating episodes don’t feel like they go on forever like the trope sometimes can do. The characters are lovable, and even though I want to know more about Nathan, I am glad that the author didn’t try to do alternating POV chapters. I think this story is best told through just one character’s eyes. Loved this story — will definitely buy a copy for my school library!

4.5 Stars

Oh my wow! I don’t know much of anything about Dungeons and Dragons or musical theater (so I cannot attest to the accuracy of those interests or corresponding story components), but I DO love a well-written romance trope (in this case, fake dating). Kristy Boyce did not disappoint! The characters are well-developed and they leapt from the page straight into my heart. I adored the storyline between the protagonist and her divorced parents from the viewpoint of the child and parents. One of my faves this year!

This was such an adorable, wholesome read!

Thoughts:
❤️This book had perhaps one of my favorite casts of characters. They all felt so realistic and I walked away from the story wanting to be friends with them all.
❤️ While miscommunication and fake dating aren't typically my go-to tropes, the author executes them well here.
❤️The nerd in me especially loved the backdrop for this story. A game store! The theatre! Yay!
❤️I think that the romance and friendships in this book are relatable in a way that extends beyond the backdrop.

Riley is a theater geek obsessed with musicals, Nathan is a nerd who's into board games (D&D) and works at Riley's dad's nerdy game store. They (of course) dislike each other immediately, for really no reason at all, but then enter into a fake dating scheme. Hijinks ensue.

This was a cute book. Was it predictable? Yep. Saccharine sweet? Mmhmm. A little on-the-nose with nerd stereotypes? Eh, a little. But did I love it anyway? You bet!

I read and listen to a lot of murder/thriller type books, and sometimes have to throw in a cutesy book to offset the dark. Dungeons and Drama by Kristy Boyce absolutely fit the bill. It was adorable, enjoyable, and the characters are likeable. It was an easy, pleasant read. It's made even better by the author's note that this is inspired by her and her bestie falling in love with D&D boys (whom they subsequently married) in high-school. Cuuuute!

I'm knocking off a star for things that might only be obnoxious to me. I found Riley to be rather over the top with her need for attention. The loud singing while others are gaming was a bit much, and something I know myself and my friends wouldn't appreciate. Her obsession and *constant* mentioning of musicals was a little annoying. We get it, you're into theater! Besides her being super extra, she was sweet enough.

I don't think I would put books like this in my regular rotation, but it was fun for what it was. A cute YA romance where nerds fall in love. That's a story I can always get behind.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Random House Children's, Delacorte Press for the e-ARC I received in exchange for an honest review.

I really wanted to like this one, but in the end it was just too cringey for me. I really don't know many teens who would enjoy Riley's personality and her "quirkiness"; instead coming across annoying and "not like other girls". I did not feel the chemistry between the two characters at all and was just generally unimpressed by this one.

Riley gets sentenced to 8-weeks working at Swords and Boards, her estranged father's gaming store, tor taking her mom's car with no driver's license to see a musical with her best friend. To make matters worse, the school is canceling the spring musical which Riley wants so badly to help direct and her ex shows up at the store. In a panic, Riley claims that Nathan, a co-worker and D&D geek at the store, is her boyfriend. When Riley assures Nathan the ruse will help him win his crush he reluctantly agrees. Things don't always go as Riley planned - building a better relationship with her father, learning she actually likes D&D and the gamers, that the store is more of a community than she ever thought. When life strikes a hard blow, Riley's friends step in to help her save the musical. A clean rom-com that balances friends and family with the hardships of growing up. A pleaser to gamers and non-gamers, theater buffs and non-theater buffs.

I was pleasantly surprised by this book! I love the fake dating trope and how both main characters are so different, yet find so much common ground. The subtle discussion and discovery about how to navigate life as a child of divorce is something I relate to and was comforting to see, especially in a YA novel. I think it’s an important message for young people experiencing their parent’s divorce to read.

I couldn’t put this boon down once I finally got into the main overarching premise and I have to say it is one of my favorite YA books. I will definitely be recommending this book to others when it comes out!

Thanks to NetGalley for allowing me access to this novel!

this is my first ever YA romance read and it is the most absolutely adorable book i have ever read. i was thoroughly impressed about the introduction to D&D in this book, a very easily digestible explanation of how to play. as someone who loves to play as a bard it was *chefs kiss*

the references were an absolute joy to read but not too niche must readers wouldn’t understand them.

This was a fun light read. I loved the combination of drama and dungeons and dragons. There is enough of an explanation of DND to make it understandable to readers but not take over the storyline. I also loved the development of new friendships and the relationship that was built between father and daughter.

A super cute YA romance. Riley is super into musicals, and when she gets grounded and forced to work at her dad's game shop, the last thing she wants to do is spend time with Nathan, another employee and huge D&D fan. Still, when they get into fake dating, of course you know it's going to turn into something more. This was predictable as many romances are, but still super sweet and satisfying.

Very cute enemies to lovers YA book focused on Riley, the theater-obsessed girl who is forced to work at her slightly estranged, divorced father's local board game shop as a punishment. While there, she snares Nathan, a schoolmate who also works there into a plot to make her ex and his crush jealous.

Besides the shenanigans that arise from their plan,the book also touts friendship and consistent work on passion.

Well done!