Absolutely perfect. My perfect birthday read.

I loved pretty much everything about this book. It was the perfect blend of all the nerdy outlets I love.

If you're a fan of the following I think you should give this a read:
-D&D
-theater
-fake dating
-enemies(ish) to lovers
-found family friendships
-teenagers that read like teenagers

Thank you to NetGalley and Delacorte Press for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review! I cannot wait for this book to release and for you all to read it.

This book was the warm and fuzzies that I have come to expect from Kristy Boyce romances. The insight and detail into both the theatre world and D&D was perfection.

This book was so SO adorable. It was fairly fast paced (I read it in one sitting, I honestly couldn't put it down. Fake dating with a D&D/musical theater twist. I found all the characters so charming. Even Riley (our FMC) who could be a little selfish at times. And the romance was so so cute.
The nerd references in this were on point. The entire thing just made me giggle uncontrollably.
5/5 stars. This is going to be one of my favorites.

The perfect fast paced read! I really enjoyed these characters and seeing them grow, especially Riley. I'm not really familiar with musicals (but am a big High School Musical/HSMTMTS fan) or D&D and this book wove these interests together in a way that I think will connect with all readers, whether or not they're a musical/D&D nerd.

4.5 stars/5 rounded up!

This book made me so happy. This is how you write a fluffy ya book!

A lot of times, I will start a book and can’t get past the first couple pages because I immediately lose interest. When I started this book, it immediately grabbed my attention and I didn’t want to put it down.

I LOVED LOVED the interactions between Riley and Nathan in this book. I feel like this was so good because the emphasis wasn’t fake dating, but instead fake flirting. It was just constantly cute.

Also I loved the setting so much. I loved that Riley had to work in her Dad’s gaming store. I don’t know much about Dungeons and Dragons other than from pop culture, but whenever they played it was such a great part of the book to help develop the relationship between all the characters.

Huge thanks to Netgalley and Random House Children's, Delacorte Press

This was a delightfully geeky and quirky young adult romantic comedy that checked all of the boxes for me! The title and cover alone show exactly what you're in for and it's so adorable.

We have Nathan, the quiet kid at school who doesn't want to be there any longer than he has to and longs for when the day is over so he can work at the game store he loves so much- and we have Riley, who eats, sleeps and breathes musicals so much that she takes matters into her own hands to see one of her favorites without her parents' permission. These two characters are thrown together when Riley's punishment for disobeying is to work at her father's business after school, which just so happens to be the game store Nathan already works for.

This book has everything from fake dating to found family all wrapped in a bubble of all things creative & geeky about high school- including the homecoming dance & a spring musical. I loved all of the typical tropes that the author included. Anytime there's fake dating, you love that tension, jealousy and the ultimate miscommunication when one or both characters catch feelings and Dungeons & Drama didn't disappoint. But the best part of the story was that it gave a different spin on the usual fake dating rom coms with all of the fun D&D gaming, a level of depth to the characters' back stories & side plots, as well as the AMAZING chemistry between Nathan and Riley. I was living for every time they had to pretend to be a couple to see how far they would push each other and the banter that always accompanied each scene.

The overall plot gave me To All The Boys I Loved Before vibes with a gamer twist and plenty of side characters that you'll love to root for. I would LOVE to read another book set in this world.

Thanks to NetGalley & Delacorte press for this ARC to review! :)

I'd like to thank the publisher and NetGalley for allowing me a chance at reading this book.

This book is a cute read for that young person getting into Dungeons an Dragons, while also looking for a sweet romance.

I felt the characters were well done and the plot was smooth. However, the fault of this book is that one of the main reasons that this farce went on (his crush on the girl that showed up often at the shop) kind of fizzled out early on to re-appear somewhat later. She should have been a stronger character. Actually, her ex should have been stronger too.

I also felt that since I've read many fake dating stories this one provided nothing new. So overall. It's great if you're new to it all,but it's so-so if you're not.

Riley stole her mom’s car and drove to see the musical Waitress. Sounds like a completely logical thing to do to me. I mean, it’s Waitress! However, Riley’s mother doesn’t feel the same and grounds her. Her punishment? Working in her dad’s geeky game store. What’s even worse? The Spring musical has been canceled. She’s been anticipating it all summer and now, all her dreams come crashing down. Unless she can save it.

Enter Nathan-a guy she goes to school with, but hasn’t really spoken to and works for her dad at the store. He’s kind of a jerk, definitely a nerd and they instantly get off on the wrong foot and become something of annoyances to each other. When Riley’s pretentious ex, Paul, comes into the store with his new girlfriend, she’s put in an awkward position and lies about having a new boyfriend. The name that came out of her mouth? Nathan, of course. When she learns that Nathan has a crush on insufferable Sophia, the plan is simple: They’ll fake date so that Sofia is jealous and Paul leaves her alone. As Riley juggles saving the musical and fake dating Nathan, she starts to wonder what’s real and what’s still fake. Nathan may be more tolerable than she thought after all.

I know nothing about D&D, but I know a thing or two about musicals and I absolutely loved this! I liked learning about the game as I read and that helped immerse me in the story. Riley and her bff Hoshiko were great and I loved their relationship. Honestly, all the friendships in this novel were amazing. The D&D boys pulled at my heartstrings for sure. This had my emotions going like a rollercoaster. You know when you yell at the TV, “he likes you, you idiot!”? Yeah, it was like that.

This was fast paced and a super fun, swoony read!

Thank you to Netgalley and Random House Children's, Delacorte Press for an ARC of Dungeons and Drama by Kristy Boyce.
I loved this book! I loved the nerdy aspect of having Dungeons and Dragons . I needed a romcom and this absolutely hit the spot.

Talented Theater Kid, Riley, and Gamer Nerd, Nathan, have the sweetest YA slow-burn relationship I’ve ever read. They begin fake-dating when they become co-workers at Riley’s father’s game store, and as they come closer to achieving their original goals for the fake relationship, Riley’s real feelings for Nathan catch her by surprise.

'Dungeons and Drama' is a YA coming of age novel in which we follow Riley as she learns that there are more important things in life than driving to a musical theater show without a driver’s license, in the dark. We get to watch Riley join Nathan’s Dungeons & Dragons game and learn that role-playing is quite similar to singing and acting, and like all the musical shows she so enjoys. This brings her some relief as she endeavors to convince her high school to not cut the funding for their Spring musical.

Riley and Nathan have been living in my head rent-free since I finished reading. I couldn't put this one down, it's so very good! This is my favorite book by author Kristy Boyce, and I love all 3 of her Contemporary YA novels. Releasing on January 9, 2024, grab a copy!

Kristy Boyce creates a great young adult romance novel, it does everything that I was looking for. I enjoyed the use of Dungeons and Dragons and the characters felt realistic. It was written perfectly and left me wanting to read more from the author.

I questioned whether I was the right fit for this book. Even though my inner child is still singing loud and proud, my teenage years are ancient history, and I don't really know much about the Dungeon & Dragons universe (I even watched the movie adaptation, but it wasn't my cup of tea).

However, the cover was so vividly enchanting, perfect for someone like me who loves anything colorful! It practically called out to me, urging me to dive in and read. So, I did. Surprisingly, I loved it even more than I expected. I've come to realize that it's not always about the plot or genre that draws me in; what truly matters is the emotions and feelings a book stirs within you. This book rekindled a sense of joy deep within me. The estranged relationship between Riley and her father, her passion for musical theater, her determination to make her dreams a reality by pitching a low-budget musical idea to the school committee – all of these elements, along with the complex dynamics with Nathan, captured me and made for an engaging and emotional story.

The story revolves around Riley, still grappling with her parents' divorce and harboring resentment toward her father for prioritizing his career over his family. As a punishment for borrowing her mom's car without permission and embarking on a road trip to New York to catch a musical with her best friend (despite lacking a driver's license), she's forced to work at her father's game store for eight weeks. There, she finds herself surrounded by game enthusiasts and her father's favored employee, Nathan, who happens to be a school friend with whom she has a rather rocky relationship.

Riley's introduction to Nathan's D&D friends group reveals that the game parallels her improv "choose your-own-adventure" theater exercises. She discovers a way to breathe life into her character, utilizing her vocal abilities to add depth. As she enjoys herself, her ex-boyfriend shows up with his new girlfriend, who nabbed the role Riley had longed for. In addition, Nathan harbors feelings for Sophie, a reluctant participant in their D&D sessions. This prompts Riley to propose a mutually beneficial arrangement: a fake dating scheme to incite jealousy in their respective crushes.

Interestingly, the fake dating plan unfolds as intended, igniting Riley's enthusiasm to save the school musical. However, her complex feelings for Nathan begin to complicate matters. Could their act lead to something genuine? Will Riley be okay watching Nathan's affections drift to Sophie, who's always seeking what she can't have? Perhaps Riley should focus on convincing the school committee to green-light the musical and appoint her as the student director. But as they say, the heart wants what it wants.

Overall, this book brought me so much joy and even sparked my interest in the D&D game universe. The characters are well-crafted, genuine, and compelling, making it impossible for me to put down.

A big thank you to NetGalley and Random House Children’s/Delacorte Press for sharing this fantastic book's digital review copy with me in exchange for my honest thoughts.

I loved this book! It was such a sweet innocent read!

The story starts out introducing us to the main character Riley, who has gotten herself into a bit of trouble with her parents and is grounded. Part of grounding means having to work at her dads gaming store, which she despises. There she meets Nathan. Her and Nathan can’t seem to stand each other that is until Riley’s ex boyfriend shows up with his new girlfriend, and Riley blurts out that she is dating Nathan. Nathan has a crush on fellow DND player Sophia and agrees to fake date Riley as a way to make Sophia jealous! Will their plan work and Nathan will win Sophia over, or will Nathan and Riley end up dating for real!? Read this book asap to find out!! 5 stars!! Thank you net galley for my arc and for letting me review this amazing book!

Reviewed for NetGalley:

A cute, sweet read throwing in a gamer store, a gamer, and a girly girl.

A little for the younger teenage crowd, but cute nonetheless.

"Dungeons and Drama" is about musical theater kid Riley who is newly in trouble from "borrowing" her mom's car so she and her best friend could go see Waitress. Her consequence is having to work at her father's game shop, an undazzling emporium of Magic cards and Dungeons & Dragons fans. Riley has just found out the spring musical is canceled and in short order finds herself in a fake dating situation with Nathan, a D & D player from her school who also works there. This YA romance was compulsively readable. Its biggest strengths are authentic characterization and keeping things relatively simple. I also really appreciated the portrayal of post-divorce parent/child relationships. "Dungeons and Drama" has the heart of an 80s teen movie and it makes you really cheering for everyone to have their Happily Ever After. Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced copy. (The book comes out this January.)

All the gemstone dice to this perfect YA romcom! Riley is sentenced to work at her father's gaming store as a punishment where she clashes with dedicated gamer Nathan. Soon they're pretending to be a couple to make her ex and his crush jealous. And in a new favorite romance line Nathan explains that role playing in Dungeons & Dragons will make him a natural at fake-dating. This is exactly why people say romance is unmatched. Because that is amazing! Dungeons and Drama is laugh-out-loud funny, swoony, and full of squee! Loved how Riley saw and appreciated more and more of the real Nathan as they got to know each other and the faking turned into real feelings. The book is rounded out by challenging parent issues, a beautiful found family of friends, and a lets-save-this-school-musical subplot. So good! And I can see libraries having so much fun with it--book club turns into game night!! Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the chance to read early. Highly recommend! Can't wait to get my paperback!

Book Name: Dungeons and Drama
Author: Kristy Boyce

ARC
Thank you to Netgalley and Random House Children's, Delacorte Press for an ARC of Dungeons and Drama by Kristy Boyce

Stars: 5
Spice : 0 (YA)

Standalone
Fast Paced
Plot Centric

FMC POV
Contemporary YA Romance

- Topics
- Integrity
- Priorities
- Friendship
- Tropes
- Fake Dating
- You Say It First
- Grumpy Sunshine
- Battle of the Nerds
- Thoughts.
- MMC is the Dream HS Boyfriend
- Hillarious Charter Banter
- Pop Culture References (🤢)
- Adorable Cute without being Hallmarky
- Solid Fun YA

I binged this in less than a day. I could not put it down. I loved the gaming aspects of the book as well as the musical theater aspects. I have done DnD campaigns before and I play Magic, so it was nice see that representation. The friendships in the book were great and it was just a good read.

Riley is grounded after driving a friend hours away to see a musical…at night…without a drivers license. Part of her punishment is working at her dad’s gaming store. While there, she meets Nathan. Nathan likes a girl he plays DnD with and Riley’s ex showed up with his new girlfriend. Both Riley and Nathan would benefit from a fake dating situation - romcom gold. Along side this, the school musical gets cancelled because of budget issues and Riley LIVES for musical theater. She will do anything to save the musical because she aspires to be a theater director. This story weaves both aspects together flawlessly.

Thanks to NetGalley for providing a copy for review.

This book was too cute! It took me a minute to get into the book, but once I got hooked, I loved it! I would definitely recommend this to anyone looking for teenage readers or just someone looking for a cute, fluffy read!

A sweet and charming young adult romance novel from Kristy Boyce (author of Hot British Boyfriend and Hot Dutch Daydream). Kristy has done it again with a witty, endearing, and original rom-com about a fake dating scheme between a theater-obsessed girl and gamer boy. This book is perfect for pre-teens or younger teens who are picking up YA romance for the first time! The characters are in high school, but the antics and banter is accessible for younger readers as well.