This was such a fun follow-up to Kristy's last D&D themed romance, complete with rich characters and emotional arcs, swoony romance, and delightful nerding-out. Will read everything she writes!

Kristy Boyce never misses! Her writing has bite, and the characters are so real, you feel like you're sitting right there with them! I love the way she builds tension and her pacing is spot on. This book is INCREDIBLE and I look forward to meeting her again this fall!

I LOVED this book. Such a cute, clean, nerdy romance that I will definitely be adding to my classroom library ❤️

LOVED THIS ONE. I am not a D&D person, but this book, and the one before it, really make me want to get into it! I liked the idea of the livestream, and the tension between the two lovebird was very well done.

Before I get to the DnD (because that was amazing), I have you give kuddos to Kristy Boyce. She injected the longing, desire, and emotional needs that I typically associate with adult romances into this YA story. When writing about teens, sometimes the romance feels trivial. Like, they're young so how important can this relationship be? Boyce gives Quinn and Logan her full consideration. You believe how necessary they are to each other but the intentions are still very PG.

NOW THE DRAGONS! The most experience I have with DnD is watching Riverdale's freaky knockoff and tiktok clips of Brenan Lee Mulligan's show. So I was pleasantly surprised that this story revolves around six teen who run their own live stream of their games. I have read romances with DnD and gaming before, but this was the first time that I really understood the campaign and enjoyed the secondary story. The teens really get into the role playing as Quinn's magic-using dwarf and Logan's charismatic elf bicker through every episode.

The bickering masks the mutual crush they have going on despite the group's cardinal rule - no dating within the party! But as Quinn faces more obstacles at home, Logan keeps stepping up to help her. They are so cute falling for each other! Quinn is terrified is losing her new friends over a boy since the same thing happened in her last town. But Logan keeps putting her first and that respect puts her resistance to the test. Safely romantic, this book with make your heart flutter!

Dating and Dragons was a perfect follow-up to Dungeons and Drama! I am not always a big YA reader because of the angst, but I will read anything D&D related. This series, and especially this edition, were mature enough in the writing and characters to keep me reading while still being sweet, approachable, and non-spicy enough for teens. I loved the tension between the two main characters, the friendships that developed between the group, and all of the pop-culture call outs to famous D&D creators and characters. I also particularly loved that this book contained some extra game play scenes!

Thanks to NetGalley and Random House Children's | Delacorte Romance for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Quinn is actually excited to move and start over at a new school, even mid-year, after the disastrous implosion of her friend group at her old school. And things seem to be looking up when she meets a cute boy on her first day, seems to make a new friend who's also interested in jewelry and gaming, and is invited to join a new D&D group. But when the cute boy--Logan--turns out to be a member of the D&D group, and the D&D group has a very strict "no dating members" policy, things start to get messy.

I loved this book so much. I also loved Drama and Dragons, Boyce's previous book in this same vein (though not same series--they're really unrelated standalones), which I had listened to on audio. This one I read, and it brings the same cute, YA energy that reminds me of Lynn Painter's books. They don't read too young, but are squarely cemented int he dramas of high school in a way that feels fun rather than tiring. I don't know much about D&D but I've loved learning about it through these books, too. I'm sure this one will be a favorite of the year, even though it's only January!

Thanks to Delacorte Press for my eARC and Get Underlined for my finished copy! All thoughts and opinions are my own.

5 stars - 9/10

*Dating and Dragons* by Kristy Boyce is a charming, lighthearted read that blends romance with a dash of fantasy, making it a perfect choice for fans of both genres. The book follows the story of two unlikely characters—Lena, a nerdy girl who’s passionate about dragons, and a popular guy named Alex—who find themselves in a whirlwind romance after they get caught up in a game of Dungeons & Dragons. The dynamic between Lena and Alex is sweet, with plenty of banter and relatable moments.

Boyce does a great job of capturing the complexities of high school relationships, personal growth, and how our interests can bring people together in unexpected ways. The D&D elements are fun and add a unique twist, making this more than just your typical romance. The pacing is smooth, and the chemistry between the characters feels genuine, though some parts of the plot may feel a bit predictable.

The only downside is that some of the supporting characters could have been more fleshed out, but overall, the story delivers what it promises—a fun, quick read with heart and humor. I definitely recommend it for anyone looking for a feel-good romance with a geeky flair.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
No spice - this is YA!

“𝐘𝐨𝐮’𝐫𝐞 𝐚𝐝𝐝𝐢𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠, 𝐐𝐮𝐢𝐧𝐧. 𝐈 𝐭𝐚𝐥𝐤 𝐭𝐨 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐚 𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐮𝐭𝐞, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐢𝐭 𝐦𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐬 𝐦𝐞 𝐰𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐚𝐥𝐤 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐚𝐧 𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐫. 𝐈 𝐭𝐨𝐮𝐜𝐡 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐚 𝐬𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐝…” 𝐇𝐞 𝐛𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬 𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐮𝐩 𝐬𝐨 𝐈’𝐦 𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐟𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐥𝐲 𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐤𝐢𝐬𝐬 𝐡𝐢𝐦. “𝐀𝐧𝐝 𝐈’𝐦 𝐠𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐨 𝐰𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞.”

AHHH! I am screaming! I absolutely loved this one. I fell in love with Boyce's first book and could not wait to get my hands on the second. It lived up to the hype and I had so much fun reading it. 💗

If you haven't read the first one yet, you definitely don't need to as they are stand-alone, but I'd still read the first book before this one just so you get the vibes. While we're here for the romance, the D&D world still is very much alive in both of these books. I love the smaller world building we get as our characters also have their own little side characters they play as part of the game. Super fun to read about and it's so well done!

What you're getting into with this one:
💙role-playing games
💙bickering/witty banter
💙forbidden love
💙coming-of-age
💙family's growing together

Dating and Dragons by Kristy Boyce was such a cute book to read. It is perfect for the younger audience looking for a little romance.
There were times where I couldn’t figure out how old the characters were and just imagined them a bit older (probably because I’m not the target age anymore), but I still enjoyed the story. It’s light, fun, and full of sweet moments.

The book is about friendship, first crushes, and finding a group where you truly belong, a geeky group that loves crafts, streaming and playing D&D. I absolutely loved the diversity in the friend group, and their interactions, especially during their campaigns, If there had been more scenes just narrating the campaign, I definitely would have read them, I wanted to know more!

It also briefly touches on the protagonist’s family relationships, which I found interesting but wish there had been a bit more depth. One of my favorite parts were the scenes with the protagonist’s grandma. She was hilarious and sometimes awkward, I could practically feel the protagonist cringing through the pages. The epilogue with her left me smiling, but I really wish it had been set further in time, maybe a year later, just to see how things turned out for everyone.

Overall, even though I wanted a little more description and depth here and there, it’s a short book for younger readers, and it totally worked. If you’re in the mood for something quick, sweet, and fun, I’d definitely recommend it.

Thanks Netgalley and Penguin House Children's for the ARC. This was an honest review.

i wanted to love this one so freaking bad because the first one was adorable!!! But I promised myself if i wasn’t enjoying a book that I would dnf more this year and this one bored me 🥺

Thank you Netgalley for the opportunity for the arc, maybe it just wasn’t the right time for me to read!!

This book was sooo cute!!! I love Quinn and Logan.. I have already bought this in both the hardcover and the Barnes and noble exclusive editions

The perfect nerdy teen Rom com. I loved this one even though I'm not the target audience. Because it broke down the stereotypes that girls can't play D&D. I loved Quin's nerdiness and spunk.

4 stars = Great! Might re-read.

This was so fun! The main couple is sweet with a lot of chemistry. The friend group is terrific and the families are supportive. And the D&D campaigns sounded so fun. Fans of the first book should definitely pick this up. The two books in this line (so far) are stand alones and can be read in any order.

I thought this was a delightfully fun romance, but seeing as this was a YA book, and I am 26 I can imagine I would've even enjoyed it more if I was younger when I read it.

Many Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

Content warning: bullying

The second entry of the Dungeons & Drama series follows high school student Quinn as she starts over in a new town. She meets a group of kids who invite her to play D&D with them, but this comes with caveats. The teens livestream their games and have a strict no-dating policy. Her old D&D group led to her relocation, so she's reluctant to make waves in her new friend group.

Quinn struggles with her feelings for D&D mate Logan, who she had a crush on before joining the D&D group. Which will win -- her gratefulness to the group or her increasingly hard-to-ignore feelings for Logan?

Recommended for nerdy teens and adults.

Kristy Boyce jumped deeper into the D&D subculture with Dating and Dragons. This time the main character, Quinn, and love interest, Logan are gamers and the learning curve is gone. The D&D fans can enjoy several 'cut scenes' from their active campaign as well as their brainstorming session for a future campaign. I enjoyed this read as long as I kept in mind it's intended audience - YA rom-com lovers. The internal conflict with Quinn centers around her previous friend group, who are painted as LOSERS in the most obvious ways, so it's easy enough to root against them. Her new friend group is perfectly quirky. Logan is a perfect gentleman and these two have a lot of high attraction moments written for them. There's nothing past kissing, so no worries for librarians that are under the microscope for every purchase right now. The parents are all caring and kind and married. There's even inclusion of a fun grandma and her retirement home friends.
Thanks so much for the ARC. It was fun and had a relatable, simple storyline.

I absolutely loved this book. Everything by this author is amazing. I don’t read a lot of YA romances anymore, but she really does the yearning trope right between the characters and captures that sweet innocence of young adulthood.

i want to thank the publisher and netgalley for allowing me to read and review this arc.

this one just didn't speak to me. i loved dungeons and drama. i loved all of the characters and how everything unfolded. it was just magic. i was pretty bummed that this one didn't feature the same characters from the last book. these characters just didn't hit the same.

the romance also did not hit. don't get me wrong. i love a good slow burn, but good lord, the burn was slooowww. i waited forever for literally anything to happen. and then everything wrapped up so quickly after that.

not for me, and i'm so sad about it.

This was cute. I thought the livestreaming games was a fun angle to add to this book, and I thought the building romance was really sweet. Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for this advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.