When it comes to romance, sometimes it doesn't hurt to play games. A fun YA romcom full of fake dating hijinks!

I don't read a ton of romance, especially not Y.A. romance, but I am a huge D&D nerd so this caught my attention. It was a very fun romcom. I really enjoyed my time reading it.

The last thing that Riley wants to do is work at her dad's game store, but after "borrowing" her mom's car without permission (or a license), it is the punishment her divorced parents agree upon. Riley would much rather focus on figuring out a way to save her high school's spring musical.

Riley strikes a deal with her new co-worker Nathan that she will pretend to flirt with him so that he can catch the eye of his crush, and he won't tell her ex-boyfriend that she lied about her and Nathan being together. The best way for Riley to do this is join Nathan and his friends D&D campaign. Something that she thought she would hate, but finds it to be a great way to put her love of musicals to good use as a bard. Their plan seems to be working, but the lines between real and fantasy begin to blur. Riley realizes that the part she's playing doesn't feel like an act anymore, but Nathan's performance is too convincing for her to tell what's real.

A beautiful combination of romance and comedy for lovers of D&D and Drama. The characters are compelling and hilarious. A must-read for fans of the fake dating trope with a dash of whimsy!

A heartfelt and fun fake-dating romance! Perfect for fans of Dungeons & Dragons, broadway theater, and enemies-to-lovers fiction.

Riley is grounded for taking her mom's car without permission to go see an off-broadway show. Even though it was totally worth it, now she's stuck working at her dad's game store every day after school. Things go from bad to worse when she learns that the school has cancelled the annual spring musical. She is determined to bring it back and make her stage directing dreams come true. After an embarrassing exchange at the store with her ex boyfriend, Riley convinces her co-worker and classmate Nathan to pretend to be her new boyfriend so she can save face. In return, she'll flirt with him to make his crush, fellow D&D player Sophia, jealous. Riley didn't expect that she would have to join Nathan's D&D game herself, of that she'd enjoy it so much. Playing as a bard has its perks and she can sing her broadway show tunes to give buffs to other players! But as the charade goes on, Riley realizes that she doesn't have to act quite as hard as she thought she would, and Nathan's performance might be a little too convincing.

This is a fantastic romcom for grades 8 and up. The cast of characters is fantastic, and the mechanics of Dungeons and Dragons are not overwhelming, as Riley is a new player herself. All the classic fake-dating romcom moments are here! A must-purchase for school libraries, especially those whose patrons are D&D, drama, or romance fans.