“Different doesn’t mean bad ... sometimes different is better.”

A new town, a new school, and a new friend group are some of the first things that greet Quinn, a junior in high school, when her family moves closer to her grandma. Quinn is delighted to find that Kashvi, the one friend she has made since starting her new school, is interested in D&D like her and that her group is looking for another player. When she accepts the invitation to join their campaign, she is both shocked and thrilled that Logan—a cute boy with whom her meddling grandma orchestrated an awkward encounter—is also a part of the D&D group. However, Quinn soon finds out that this group has many rules, the most important being this: don’t date anyone in the group. As the distance between Logan and Quinn begins to diminish, Quinn fights her feelings for Logan to keep her new friends that she’s grown to love.

As someone who is unfamiliar with D&D, Dating and Dragons was such a fun read that I didn’t mind my gap in knowledge. That being said, while the target audience for Dating and Dragons is D&D fans, I would have appreciated more explanations or even a small D&D guide in the back of the book. I really enjoyed all of the characters, but some of them did not feel as flushed out as they could have been. Quinn and her brother, Andrew, were especially interesting to me, but I would have enjoyed a more thorough exploration of their relationship. Throughout the book, Quinn feels like her parents favor her brother, and the conflict is resolved as she grows closer to Andrew and finds out her parents are trying to be supportive in their own way. Despite this, she never fully addresses her concern with them. I think including a conversation between them would show younger readers that they can safely voice their feelings to their support systems. My absolute favorite part of the book was Quinn’s grandmother, who was effortlessly funny and the perfect wingwoman! Dating and Dragons is the perfect read to show that embracing change can often lead to the best outcomes.

GENUINELY THIS MADE ME SO HAPPY KRISTY I LOVE YOUUUUUU AND YOUR BEAUTIFUL MIND!!!!!!!!! I loved dungeons and drama so so much, and this book was no different. The vibes were incredible and the characters were some of my favorites I’ve read in a YA romance genuinely ever???? As with the first one, the concept of these books is such an amazing one to come to life through these pages and THE GAMEPLAY OF D&D IN THIS?? I was smiling and giggling my heart out from start to finish. CANNOT RECOMMEND ENOUGH!!!!

This was so cute! I loved how much focus the friendship got. It was really great to see teenagers valuing friendships. I totally got why Quinn was wary to start something with Logan. A boyfriend is great but a friend group is so precious and not something to hastily throw away. Logan was such a sweetheart and I was just as torn as Quinn when he turned out to be very sweet and thoughtful. I had a great time with this cute, closed door romcom and recommend it even if you're not a big Dungeons and Dragons person! All the lingo was explained and as someone with only passing DnD knowledge, I never got confused.

Super cute book, but definitely on the younger side of YA. I liked the first book so I was happy for this one. However I was really hoping it would be about one of the characters in the first book. If you like DandD then this book will be a cute read.

This was such a fun book! I recently just started playing Baldurs Gate 3 which is a take on D&D so I really enjoyed this more than I would have before playing the game. This was a super cute rom com and I would definitely recommend it to anyone!

Such a cute high school love story that touches on family bonding, family issues, friendships and drama. I loved this story just as much as I loved Dungeons and Drama!

𝐈 𝐚𝐦 𝐚 ✨️𝐒𝐔𝐂𝐊𝐄𝐑✨️ 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐊𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐲 𝐁𝐨𝐲𝐜𝐞 𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤𝐬

Thank you @delacortepress and @kristylboyce for the #gifted arc to travel all over the states to be read by a bunch of different book influencers. You've made all of our holiday seasons bright. [PUB DATE: DECEMBER 31, 2024]

You guys know I am obsessed with Dunegons and Drama, that romance is easily one of my favorites of A L L T I M E then Kristy announced "Dating and Dragons," your girl nearly lost all her marbles.

I can confirm that she lives beyond the standards. This new D&D is everything you may want, all wrapped in a cutie package.

The first thing I want to mention is that there's a TON more actual campaign play between Quinn & her friend group which I ✨️LOVED✨️ It made me want to start a deep search in Jax to find a group to join a campaign with. (Anyone out there looking for a Druid Elf who talks to animals *wheeze*)

I think my all-time FAVE thing about these nerdy lil cutie romances is that they're these light stories that will bring joy to your soul. I constantly found myself giggling and smiling so hard that my cheeks hurt while I was reading.

Don't even get me started on all the characters she sparkles into your world unsuspectingly... ✨️GRANDMA✨️ is the best & I truly cannot wait for all of you to meet her!!!! Eeeee!!!

If you're someone who deep down knows you're the ✨️BIGGEST NERD✨️, has felt the anxiety of going to a new school, loves Mythical creatures and needs a little bit of sweet in your life, Kristy's new book is what you N E E D!!!

There's something to be said about a book that can completely wipe away your stresses of the day & "Dating and Dragons" did that for me.

🩵 Dungeons & Dragons, duh
🩵 Critical Role
🩵 Forbidden Love
🩵 Slow Burn
🩵 The BEST Fictional Grandma
🩵 Baby Cows
🩵 That Going to a New School Feeling
🩵 Nerdy
🩵 Green Pepper Spice
🩵 The Lightest & Brightest Read

This was such a cute and fun read! Sometimes I find it hard to connect to YA stories, but that was not the case here. Quinn is an easy character to root for, and I enjoyed her dynamics with the Logan and his friend group. Her grandma’s character was also very amusing.

As someone who has never played D&D but am intrigued by it, I enjoyed the campaign details included in this story. It felt like enough to get a general idea of what was going on without pulling too much focus from the rest of the plot. I personally wouldn’t have minded more, but I think it’s a great balance for readers unfamiliar with D&D.

The no dating within the group rule felt a little silly at times, but I did enjoy the tension that it caused between Quinn and Logan. The romantic slow burn while trying to stay only friends was very sweet.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!

I really wanted to love this book because I’m a huge Dungeons & Dragons nerd. However, I will be the first to admit that this book just was not for me. Sometimes I really love YA but this did read just a bit too young for me.

That being said, the story was great! The friendship and relationship building between the characters. Quinn’s reservations throughout because of her experience with friend groups and D&D. I thought the pacing was great, as Quinn became more comfortable with the friend group. For the D&D fans, or those just curious, I think this would be a great read. There’s a good mix of actual gameplay and roleplay at the D&D table and the real-life events and relationships. The first few chapters were a bit rough but they were a reminder of how cringe we all were in high school. Making new friends is difficult, especially when you’ve had some questionable experiences. I think the book handled that topic really well as Quinn navigated her new school, new friend groups, and a new D&D group with very strict rules.

Thank you Net Galley and Random House Children's Publishing for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I loved meeting Quinn as she delves into a new school as well as tackling issues with her grandma who is slowly needing more and more help. Joining a DnD group she doesn't expect to find as warming friendships as she does, but especially not one as particular as Logan who she can't seem to stop thinking about. However with the groups 'no-no' rule she must live with these feelings as she navigates old friendships as well as new situations with her family she hasn't been in before.

Kristy Boyce has done it again! I loved this book just as much as Dungeons and Drama and couldn't wait to see how the story would play out. Definitely a book that will make you giggle along with the characters. I cannot wait for another book by Kristy!

This was such a sweet, feel good and nostalgic YA romance that has you bought in with the characters from the start! I enjoyed the banter, the slow building of their relationship and the realism of teenage love. Though D&D is a huge part of this story, it really doesn’t overshadow the characters story and is easy to digest for those who don’t play the game. I really think Kristy Boyce knocked it out of the park with this sweet YA romance that all ages can enjoy and relate to!

This was so adorable! This is my second book from this author and I'm such a fan. The characters are all so endearing. The banter was adorable and felt very age-appropriate, although I am much older than the characters and might not be the best judge. Logan was serious book boyfriend material. I'm dying to learn how to play D&D now. I haven't read the author's first D&D book but it's going on my TBR immediately.

From the author of Dungeons and Drama. Quinn is new to town, helping her aging grandma and trying to move on from the disastrous end of her previous D&D group and friendship. When she gets invited to join a new group and make new friends, one rule stands out: no dating other players. But as her connection with another player, Logan, deepens, she wonders if falling for him is worth the risk of losing another friend group. Charming and sweet, this romance is satisfying and fun. A must read YA book!

I have read works by Boyce before, but this one truly was the best formula for a story! I absolutely loved the characters and loved the fact that Quinn and Logan had a true friendship before they really got together. Furthermore, Quinn's dedication to the group dynamics was admirable; it was refreshing to see a female protagonist think so much of her friends and how they would be impacted by the relationship between her and Logan (though there was also a healthy dose of concern for herself, so she would not be booted out of another group). The way she went to Kashvi before spilling everything to the group at large was a scene that really impressed me! Quinn showed herself to be thoughtful and considerate of her friend, and it was sweet and it showed.

Logan was such a cutie!! I thought his lines were excellent, and many of them had me giggling as I was reading! I loved that he respected and had his own relationship with Quinn's grandma, who, in her own right, was a downright delight and a spitfire. He was considerate, not demanding or pushing her to do things out of her comfort zone, but also defended her and stood up for her! He was such a great sport about everything, and it was really sweet to see him so smitten with her. I was glad that nothing happened to the grandma at the end because she became one of my favorite characters! I also loved that Boyce took time to bring in Quinn's relationship with her brother more towards the end of the book; it was so sweet when he was so grossed out by Quinn and Logan kissing.

I think this is Boyce's best work yet, and I am so grateful for the opportunity to have read the ARC!

4.25 Stars

Dungeons and Drama was one of my favorite books I've read this year so I had pretty high hopes going into this book. I did originally think this was a sequel, but it follows different characters that were not in the first book (or at least they were such minor characters that I didn't remember them).

The romance in this was so sweet and cute and I really loved the dynamic between Quinn and Logan. This book made me feel like a teenager again and I would have loved this book when I was in high school (I mean, I also love it now as a 34 year old woman).

This book was a lot more Dungeons and Drama based in the sense that the story revolved around the game and their current campaign. I have never played D&D before so I can't talk on the accuracy of it, but it was very entertaining to read. I also loved that this was just a group of kids trying to make it big streaming their game, that was an interesting aspect that I really enjoyed. The teenage angst was so angsty and I ate it up. It felt very realistic to me. The main conflict is that there is a D&D rule among their friends that you aren't allowed to date the other players, but when Quinn joins the game her and Logan have this instant attraction and chemistry. This book was written in a way that this drama that was somewhat made up was the most serious thing that has ever happened and that felt so realistic for high schoolers.

I am forever in my nerdy YA romance phase and this book was so cute and sweet. It wasn't as good as Dungeons and Drama, but it was still really good and I would definitely recommend it.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Children's for the advanced copy

Being the new girl during the school year is rough, so Quinn is so excited to be asked to join a new Dungeons & Dragons role-play group - until she finds out that one of the rules is no dating. And she just happens to have a crush on Logan, a member of the group.

As a former high school Star Trek nerd, I loved that this book was based around a D&D group, which it took as seriously as sports books often take seasons and games. I also really appreciated that while the book had a very sweet love interest, it was also really interested in the dynamics of female friendship and how in high school, it can be hard to balance friendships and relationships. My favourite relationship was between Quinn and Kashvi, who are a great example of best friends.

I would really recommend this book especially for young teenaged girls.

Kristy Boyce has done it once again, creating the best gaming/romance/amazing friendship based story and I will never get enough!

In this story, we don't follow Riley, but we meet a new amazing friend group with Quinn as she heads to her new high school. The story is so relatable in the way that felt so comforting to my younger self. I loved seeing Quinn grow comfortable in her friends that she wasn't sure if she could count on, yet she grew too. The whole story feels so uncertain, in the way that Quinn doesn't yet know how things are going to turn out for her, and you have to follow along with her.

Not only did I love the friendships, but I also LOVED the romance!! It was such a cute and wonderful love story, that had its risk.

Overall, this book gives perfect late winter vibes and I am so in love with the world that Kristy creates every time with characters who are so fun to meet and stories that feel so connecting, yet also very fun.

Rating: 4.5 🤩
Spice: 0.5

Read if you like:
💙 Slow Burn
✨ Reluctant Allies to Lovers
🗡️ Found Family
🦋Forced Proximity

My review:
Dating and Dragons is a charming contemporary YA-Romance set in the peak years of highschool!

Quinn Norton is starting a fresh slate at a new school hoping a new DnD group will help her make friends. This plan takes a interesting turn when the charming guy, named Logan Webber, she met on the first day is apart of this Dnd campaign. Much different then Quinns last DnD group they are strict and serious—live streaming for all the viewers, no dating within the group, and no cellphones during the campaign. Quinn is willing to play by the rules.. even if Logan Webber is off-limits. However as Logan’s flirtatious charm starts to shift into something more intense as tension between them builds Quinn has to decide with the roll of the dice, whether this is a game worth playing—or if love is just another quest she might never win.

As someone who has played a little bit of DnD but never found the right campaign for me, I absolutely loved this novel! I loved nerding out reading this and found myself stuggling to put it down!

Kristy Boyce is hands down once of my favorite addicting YA romance authors! Her writing is phenomenal, and let’s not forget the YEARNING we see in both of her books! These novels are perfect for anyone looking for a refreshing take on Ya romances with the aspects of Fantasy-role playing!

Releases December 31st 2024!

Thank you to the author & Penguin Random House/Delacorte Press for this lovely e-ARC! ✨🤍

Okay, that was so cute. And, I liked it even more than the first one. The D&D part was explored a lot more in this one, which I loved. What can I say, I love D&D. The romance was so cute, and I adored it. The last book also did this, but I feel like this one really captured how everything in your teen years feels so dramatic. No dating because it screws up group dynamics? I can see it, especially from a group of nerdy people. The characters felt really authentic - like actual people you could meet. And, I loved the friendships that developed.

So, basically, this book was awesome. And, yes, I can tell it will be a book I re-read when I need something a little lighter. I debated if I could give a romance novel five stars because I don't feel like I give out five stars easily. But it's getting five stars for different reasons than other books I give five stars, which is usually the case with five-star books.

If you're a teenager, or reminiscing about teenage years, this book paints a pretty good picture of that, plus it has an adorable romance and D&D.

When Quinn has a falling out with her old group of friends, she’s determined to stick to herself and never go through that again. But when her grandma takes her (and her brother) to school on their first day of their new school, she’s introduced to a group of people she didn’t expect to grow friendly with, especially the cute guy who took the photo her grandma wanted for memories. Quinn finds herself in a truly accepting group of people and also falling for that cute guy. But the threat of ruining their group is always there.

Quinn has a journey melting into her group and the feelings are mutual with Logan… so things are going to be okay??