I absolutely flew through reading Roll for Love! It had all the tropes to make this a hit, from the second chance romance, to DnD, and of course the small town vibes. A truly likeable cast of characters especially our leads Harper and Ollie. The DnD storyline surprised me with how well it was integrated, as I wasn’t sure how it would play out, but it was a pleasant surprised and added the fantasy elements to a cosy book.

Firstly, I would like to thank Running Press Kids and M.K. England for allowing me to read Roll for Love.
Roll for Love is a wonderful second chance queer romance and coming-of-age novel and I absolutely LOVED all the characters that were written in this novel.
For someone who doesn’t have or understands the knowledge of D&D this book was still easy to follow on what was happening at all times.
M.K. England made me fall in love with the characters. The characters (Harper & Ollie) showed what it’s like to be two teenagers in a rural town secretly in love with one another.
Lastly, I hope that this is not the last of Harper, Ollie, Ev, Brooks, and Colton because of the feeling of needing more of them is real.
Once again I am thankful for being chosen as an arc reader for this novel, my goodreads review is linked below and my review for my instagram will be posted on the 9/4/2025 and I will share it to Running Press Kids and M.K. England’s instagrams while also tagging them both in the post.

Thank you to netgalley and the publishers for this ARC in exchange for my honest review!

This book was very cute and I like the cover. I love all the D&D books coming out and I always have fun reading them. One of my only issues with this book was the use of the ace character being a token for the group. Since the whole group has to get together (which I hate) of course the person left has to be ace! Even though it wasn't mentioned before. Overall, this was a cute story.

I Love queer stories and DND so this was right up my alley! Such a great storyline following a very cute childhood friends to lovers plot. I loved how even though it was heartwarming it touched on some tough topics about being queer in a town where it's frowned upon and not knowing how to be yourself. I LOVED the ace rep at the end! Wish we learnt about it sooner and got to delve into a bit more but it was still lovely
The DnD in story game was written incredibly! It was cool to see the small breaks between reality and fiction when they discussed what to throw for and odd bits, definitely made it seem like a real DnD session!

I absolutely loved this rural, queer, DnD enthused coming of age story! I even cried at a scene, which gets an automatic 5 stars from me, well deserved too!

After her beloved grandfather's passing, 17 year old DnD-loving lesbian Harper Reid is forced to move back to the small farm town where she spent the summers of her childhood. She reconnects with her neighbor, Ollie, picking up their friendship from childhood and joining her all-queer DnD group. Feelings start to develop between the girls as they navigate college applications, family dynamics, grief, and being comfortable with what they want.

This was a delight to read. Every one of the characters is fun, easy to love and care for. I really felt the love between Ollie and her family, Harper and her grandfather, and their passions like farming, gardening, woodworking, EACH OTHER, and of course Dungeons and Dragons. I also loved seeing the DnD campaign narratively - it's written well and adds a great fantasy flare to the story.

There's great depictions of the struggle of living in small rural town while being queer, both inside the family and out, but it never becomes too heavy or despairing. The town in fact, is relatively cool with queer members of the community! There's so much to love about this town and it's palpable through Ollie and Harper's eyes. But as always with teenagers, the threat of rejection is still real. Each issue is handled with care from my experience, and very effective.

Overall a great YA Queer coming of age story with romance, great care for rural communities, and super fun DnD sessions.

Thank you to Hachette and Running Press Kids for the advanced copy of "Roll for Love".

This book was sweet, fun, cozy, and warm. A love letter to rural queer kids, it shows that being yourself is important no matter where you are in the world. This was not a second hand romance like the synopsis on Goodreads implies. It is more of a friends to lovers situation. Our main character, Harper, used to spend her summers in Clintville with her grandparents, but after her parents get divorced they no longer make the trip in the summers. Fast forward 6 years later, Harper's grandparents have both passed and she is being made to move by her mother in her senior year of high school. The book is quite short and fast paced. I really like how the D&D story was integrated into the main plot and storyline. It didn't feel too overbearing and gave me just enough to always leave me wanting more. But I also cared about both stories, the real world and the D&D world. It was a very harmonious balance. I think the only downsides to this book were that the writing felt a bit more middle grade than young adult for such old characters, and the two female leads voice's were a little bit one note. They blended together for me at times. Otherwise, great story, quick read, and important message to queer kids growing up everywhere, especially the rural south.

I adored this! I loved the small town, queer community, and the fact that the book was happening in the real world and also in their Dungeons & Dragons campaign. The narrator did a great job of bringing this to live. I loved that it was dual perspective (a favourite of mine, and they did it really well). This was very Becky Albertelli meets Ashley Herring Blake, so if you love either of those authors as much as I do, I highly recommend. This is definitely a new favourite!

This is a YA coming of age story about two childhood best friends who reunite after 6 years apart. They were each other’s first girl crush but neither Harper - a lesbian - or Ollie - who is bi - ever told the other how they felt.

When Harper moves to Ollie’s town for Senior year, both of them work to envision and fight for what their future looks like - hopefully one with each other (and a lot of DND).

This book was fast-paced, emotionally touching, funny, and is the kind of YA book that adults can enjoy. The way that the DND sessions were written, it was almost like a fantasy book within a book.

The tension and love between the two main characters was amazing and I can’t wait to read more by this author!

If you enjoyed Dating and Dragons and are looking for another DND YA romance, look no further.

Thank you NetGalley & Running Press for the ARC. This was the quickest 5⭐ I've given this year so far, in which I didn't even need to deliberate over the final rating. Roll for Love had me grinning while on the public commute and crying at least twice. It joins the ranks of stories that healed my inner child.

RfL is a YA contemporary romance that also explores grief, forming roots in a community & coming-of-age themes such as deciding one's future prospects after high school and the closeted youth experience. There is so much of this novel that I found myself connecting with. Be it clashing with parents, the fear of being outed, clicking with people that share your niche hobbies, and struggling with the uncertainty of impending adulthood (how do you decide what you want to do for the rest of your life at 18??).

To start off, I absolutely love it when every or most members in a group of friends are part of the LGBTQ+ community. Especially when they're teenagers or very young adults, because often at that ripe age, you're grappling with aspects of your identity like gender & sexuality. That's already confusing and terrifying to go through alone, so having like-minded or at least supportive individuals acts as a much-needed safety net. Other than our two sapphic protagonists Harper & Ollie, we have ace non-binary Ev, gay Brooks, and questioning Colton. Yes, even a questioning character! Because it's so common to be that age and still needing to figure things out, even if you might ultimately decide you're straight. If you've never had an explicitly queer friend group growing up, reading about this one feels like having your younger self being welcomed into a comforting space to be completely yourself. I really enjoyed the wholesome inter-group dynamics.

RfL also challenges the idea that LGBTQ+ individuals are always better off leaving their more small-minded/conservative hometowns for more "accepting" places. One's safety and comfort is of course paramount to the decision on where to live, but not everyone has the privilege (i.e. resources & time) nor the desire to leave behind the place they've otherwise resided in their whole lives. Especially when your loved ones are all here. The scene where Harper & Ollie talk with an elder gay couple on what it was like to be out in their town was so poignant, even making an important point that the presence of LGBTQ+ people as members of a community slowly but surely paves the way to a more open-minded and compassionate society. (Super close to home, as a Singaporean.)

I also liked that the novel suggests the alternative paths to post-high school education. Not everyone can afford to go to a big-name college, but at the same breath, not everyone WANTS to. No this isn't promoting anti-academia or anti-intellectualism, but rather acknowledging that not everything you want to do in life is necessarily achieved by sinking tens of thousands of dollars in an accreditation you may not even use. Maybe college wouldn't even have what you need. Harper even states if there was a degree in woodworking (the passion she wants to make a career out of), that's what she'd chase after. The novel does balance it nicely with both college-bound characters and of course, our main protagonists who are more than happy pursuing their goals through community college and apprenticeships.

I have to of course touch on the sapphic romance itself, with a title like Roll for LOVE. It's Childhood Friends(who were each other's sapphic awakening) to Lovers. It was VERY VERY sweet! Since Ollie & Harper are already close friends as kids who drifted apart when the latter could no longer visit, the foundation was already there so you don't have to build from the ground up. It's like that Hallmark movie when the City Girl returns to her countryside hometown and rekindles the spark with her Old Flame. M.K.England took the time to flesh out their friendship, what with them being unsure if the other ever returned their mutual childhood crush, while also having the issue of Ollie still being closeted. There's always going to be a potential blowup when you have one party who is out & proud while the other isn't ready to. And they're both teenagers, so expect foot in mouths and emotions running high. I really liked their relationship, and they resolved their third act conflict in a healthy and meaningful way.

The D&D aspect is serviceable, with chapters of the friend group's campaign adventures as their chosen characters interspersed with the Real Life chapters. If you're an avid player, you probably will appreciate the references far more than me. I might not be a D&D nerd, but as a nerd of other things like comics and fantasy novels, it warms my heart not only to have a group of queer friends, but one you can effectively BE nerdy with. It's great when you find Your People!

Heartwarming aspects aside, nothing makes me cry as easily as a parent & child talking about said child's sexuality, and the parent offering their love and support.

RfL is one I'd recommend in a heartbeat to any queer youth out there, and especially to 15-year-old me.

Exactly what a YA romance should be. Funny and heartwarming, with very real emotions at the center. Harper and Ollie shine as expectation-defying dual protagonists.

This was a fun read. I enjoyed the D&D references in the book and the idea of people falling in love while playing. I enjoyed that we got the main story of the characters but also parts of the sessions they were playing in the D&D world. It added some fantasy to a more contemporary romance story.

*4.25 Stars*

I really enjoyed this small town YA romance. The setting was really well described, I could really see myself in the town. I liked the main characters, especially Harper but I also felt for Ollie and her struggles though she did annoy me at times. Still, this was really so good and I loved the friend group so much and the family drama and the college drama and the D&D stories, though that last one might have been my least favorite of my favorite parts. I did like them but it felt like there was a little too much and it threw me out. Still, D&D was an integral part of this story and I found it really interesting. It really did add a layer to this already layered book. I also appreciated how there was so many different families in this book and how not two of those were similar in vibes.
So, yes, a short book with a punch that I would definitely recommend.

Roll for Love is a gorgeous nod to the country queers. A lot of stories about country queers feature them leaving in order to embrace their queerness, but that’s not the case for all of them and it’s very refreshing to see a story where the characters embrace their roots and stay where they are. Ollie and Harper were so swoonworthy and I loved watching them grow and develop into themselves!

When Harper moves into her grandfather's house, she wasn't sure what to expect of the small town that was so much a part of her childhood. All she wants is to work on her carpentry, find a D&D group and maybe reconnect with the cute girl next door who used to be her best friend. When Ollie sees Harper for the first time in years, she too is overcome with memories of a friendship that ended before it became something more. Ollie may have a solutions for some of Harper's problems, but she's not ready to announce her preferences to the community at large. Can a romance that begins in a game survive the pressures of a small town?

A wonderful cast of characters, enough stakes to make the reader concerned without being overwhelmed, and an excellent D&D subplot that can fuel the imagination of players everywhere. Enjoy this one!

Roll for Love is an absolute critical hit! This book rolls a natural 20 for heartwarming romance, self-discovery, and the nerdy magic of Dungeons & Dragons, delivering a story that’s equal parts swoon-worthy and geek-tastic. I may not be a Dungeon Master myself (my D&D knowledge is powered solely by binge-watching Critical Role on YouTube), but the way the game is woven into this story made me feel like I could pick up some dice and start slaying dragons—or at least fall for a Paladin.

Harper and Ollie’s journey? Not one love story but TWO. Yup, that’s right—double the feels, double the romance! Their sparks fly in real life and through their D&D characters, which made me fall for their relationship not once but twice. Honestly, who knew I’d be shipping a Barbarian and a Paladin? It’s genius, it’s adorable, and it had me rooting for them from the first encounter.

As a queer reader, I want to hug this book and then shout about it from the rooftops. The sapphic romance feels so authentic and beautifully portrayed. Yes, Harper and Ollie are queer, but that’s not all they are. This story is about so much more—love, family, friendship, and having the guts to chase your dreams even when it’s scary (or your mom wants you to do something else).

If you’re a D&D expert, a clueless newbie (hello, it me), or someone who just loves swoony, second-chance romances with a geeky twist, Roll for Love is the book you need. I laughed, I swooned, and I may or may not have cried into my popcorn. Bottom line: This is a book I’ll be recommending to everyone in my library, my game night group, and maybe even a few strangers on the street. It’s that good.

Really well written, unique and charismatic! Pretty much unlike anything else! A lot of fun! I liked both the setting and the unique premise and nerdiness of it all!

I'm always weary when I start a romance book but this was such a good book in so many ways.

For starters, the writing is incredible ; it's smooth, packed with emotions that feel real and overall enjoyable.
I loved to discover Clintville and the story of Harper and Ollie, interwoven with the more "fantasy" aspect of the book, in the form of the D&D sessions.
A lot of important discussions happen in this book and they always felt real and genuine. This book also made me not completely hate a third-act break-up and, as someone who's very judgey and often times just a plain hater of those parts of romance books, I was pleasently surprised and that's what finally won me over completely.
The setting is awesome, the goals that the characters - either IRL & IRP - had were very tangible and a joy to follow.
This group of friends is now very precious to me and I think you'll love to get to know them as well and push the doors of The Gay Barn as you untangle their feelings and yours in Roll for Love.

Thank you Running Press, M. K. England and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC. This review is entirely my own and honest opinion.

Disclosure: The author and I were both New Jersey librarians at the same time and knew each other casually.

Roll for Love is another nerdy, feelings-drenched hit from M.K. England, who writes YA books about and for actual young adults. It's a second-chance book about queer country girls, which is tough to do when the characters are so young, but England pulls it off while shining a light on some real truths about queerness and conservatism in small Southern towns.

A thoroughly satisfying and wholly entertaining tale about finding one's place in the world and community through the joys of roleplaying games. Unabashedly, unashamedly, enthusiastically queer, with plenty of positive LGBTQ representation and diverse characters. The friends-t0-lovers theme is strong here, with a delightful cast. England also does an excellent job of exploring the trade school vs college debate, as characters embrace their passions (woodworking, farming, etc) while challenging the necessity of a traditional four-year degree. Thoughtful and heartwarming.