✨ALC Review✨

Prepare for a slooooww burn with this one.

Cat Li starts her new job at Heartrender where she’s been hired to write the romance storylines into the game, Compass Hollow, under one of her idols, Andi Zhang. That’s where everything goes wrong. Andi, although physically hot like fire, seems to have an ice block for a heart. Andi is dead set against having any romance storylines and as narrative director, it should be her call. Oh, what’s that? The person holding the purse strings says there has to be romance? Cue the animosity.

Cat and Andi never seem to have a decent connection. For ages. And ages.

Andi has major trust issues both in the workplace and in her heart. Cat is insecure both with her physicality and her jump from corporate drone to writer.

I’ll be honest- this doesn’t seem like much of a romance. It *is* a good story centered in the gaming world with a little corporate espionage thrown in and I enjoyed listening to Natalie Naudus narrate it. She’s a true gem in the audio world.

#romance? #contemporaryromance #sapphicromance #sapphicbooks #bookrecs #bookreview #bookstagram #singleplayer #taratai

Single Player was fun and quirky, but also touched on some deeper points. The first chapter had me thinking this might not be my cup of tea, but it grew on me and I ended up enjoying it way more than I expected to. The workplace romance, reluctant coworkers to lovers, opposites attract vibes were really fun. I liked that you saw Andy work through their trauma from their first job, and broke through their hard exterior to find someone who just wanted to be accepted. I also really liked how - despite how different they seem - Cat is similarly looking for someone to accept her true self. Bottling herself up to fit to the norm was tough, and it was refreshing when all her chaotic energy would burst out with Andy. I think the toxic environment in the gaming industry was also intriguing and something that doesn’t surprise me l, even though I had never really reflected into on it before now.
Overall, I think this was a great mix of romcom and social observations and I enjoyed myself a lot. Natalie Naudus did a great job representing both characters and making the sound different and real. She conveys a lot of emotions and little sound effects that really brought the story to life.

Single Player by Tara Tai (audiobook narrated by Natalie Naudus)
☀️☀️☀️⛅ (3.5 stars)

Big thanks to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for this ARC audiobook!

This sapphic enemies-to-lovers rom-com balances lighthearted and earnest moments with darker backstory well, though it doesn't stray from the predictable trope-laden path enough to really stand out. I found certain elements of the plot more enjoyable than others - the fake dating element felt a bit unnecessary and overcomplicated in the face of everything else going on, so it also made the second act drag quite significantly in a pacing sense. The end was a little too perfect and saccharine for me but generally I liked the tone.

Cat and Andi were well fleshed out with distinguishable characteristics (further aided by Naudus's superb narration). I especially enjoyed Andi's difficult backstory being the reason behind her grumpy exterior and narrow-minded focus on work. Cat's family situation felt a bit shoehorned in, which alongside the fake dating element didn't work for me in furthering the story when they weren't actually resolved or addressed adequately in the final act. I also found the on-page sex a little jarring with the rest of the book; it struck me as a fade to black sort of book.

There was fantastic representation for queer and non-cis and non-white folks throughout this, and although the nature of racism and sexism were addressed throughout the plot, it felt entirely natural to have a majority queer + BIPOC cast for this story.

For anyone seeking a relatively lighthearted, emotional and rewarding romance arc, this is definitely one to check out.


"I believe hope is our beating hearts reminding us that there is still life in this world worth fighting for. That there is still love in this world worth feeling."

This had me giggling and kicking my feet the whole read. I loved how many ins and references to game culture were present in this book. Tara is truly one of us and it shows. Really cool to see a she/they enby love interest, and would like 500 more in romance stat, please.

A few pacing issues in the narrative, a few mispronounced words from Natalie (who is otherwise flawless as usual), but otherwise a very solid romance for the geeks.

Tara Tai’s Single Player delivers a delightful queer romcom, perfect for fans of video games, tabletop role-playing adventures, and all things geek culture. With a blend of charm, humor, and heartfelt moments, it offers a fun, light-hearted read filled with beloved romance tropes.

One of the standout elements is the enemies-to-lovers dynamic between the protagonists, which feels natural and well-developed. The transition from rivalry to romance is smooth and believable, avoiding the pitfalls of feeling forced or contrived. At the same time, the story doesn’t shy away from addressing serious real-world issues like discrimination and sexism, striking a thoughtful balance between escapist fantasy and meaningful social commentary.

While the plot is largely predictable—following the familiar beats of a romantic comedy—this predictability is part of the charm. Single Player isn’t about shocking twists; it’s about the comforting joy of rooting for characters as they find love and happiness. The story’s warmth and wholesomeness are what truly leave an impression.

I experienced the book as an audiobook, narrated by Natalie Naudus, whose performance added depth and personality to the characters. Her engaging narration made the story even more enjoyable.

Overall, Single Player is a joyful celebration of love, geekdom, and personal growth. It’s a must-read for anyone who enjoys a sweet, funny romance with a touch of real-world relevance.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ALR! <3

Utterly bingeable. I was listening to this audiobook for hours at a time without even realizing it.

Miscommunication is at the root of Cat and Andi’s initial rivalry but it’s not frustrating. Rather, it’s pretty charming and entertaining. They’re not being deliberately antagonistic; they’re just two proud, awkward nerds. Yet they’re also adults capable of mature conversations that lead to a believable resolution to the rivalry. And they have great chemistry!

I will say, the nerd references are a bit heavy-handed—especially in Cat’s internal monologue—but it doesn’t come across as disingenuous. Either the author is a fellow nerd or they successfully put in the effort to make it relatable rather than cliche. They’re just a little over enthusiastic. And speaking of Cat, as a fellow late 20’s, chronically single gamer girl myself I found her incredibly relatable and a lot of fun.

The b-plot was ok. I was much more invested in the relationship than Jan or any of that but it resolved nicely enough to not be distracting.

Overall, hell of a debut! I’m looking forward to seeing what else Tai writes in the future!

3.5⭐️

I had a fun time with this… I wanted a queer gamer romance and I got gaymer romance! I struggle with enemies to lovers in non-fantasy settings so in my head I just thought “reluctant coworkers to lovers” +
sunshine Cat / Black cat romance (you’ll get the joke in two seconds).

The story starts with Cat, former accountant turn video game story writer is beginning her first day on a dream job at Compass Hollow. She mets her boss, Andi, who doesn’t want anything to do with romance in or out of the game. They instantly butt heads. They’re basically working on Baulder’s Gate 3 equivalent (at least that’s how I thought about it) and Cat is trying to write the romance plot lines and Andi doesn’t think romance is necessary in this game (Andi will soon find they are very wrong).

I enjoyed a lot of the gamer references in this book and the DND scenes. There were definitely times this book had me laughing and cringing. I had the audiobook and even listening at 1.5x I still think it could have used some editing. After the trip to the convention, the story started to drag.

Characters wise, I enjoyed both of them throughout the story. They didn’t give ages (or if they did, I missed it) but there were times that Cat felt extremely immature but Andi’s response to Cat towards the middle made up for it.

Thank you NetGalley and Alcove Press for the free audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

This was a really fun slow burn / enemies to lovers rom con set in the world of video game design. I know next to nothing about video games (or D&D) but thought the references were interesting. I enjoyed hearing both Cat & Andi’s POV and found myself relating to both of them and really rooting for them in the end. Cat was endearingly awkward and Andi was a loveable grump. I enjoyed all the representation depicted in this novel, esp set to the backdrop of a male dominated world like gaming.

The narration was well done and the pace on audio was good. I could really picture all the characters throughout this novel. As a debut novel, I’ll be sure to check out future work by Tara Tai!

Thanks to Dreamscape Media and NetGalley for early access to the audiobook, all opinions are my own.

I received an Audio ARC in exchange for my honest review. Thank you to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media!

Overall: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Writing: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Plot: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Characters: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Narrator(s): ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice: 🌶️🌶️
Tropes, etc: Workplace Romance, Enemies to Lovers, Non-Binary MC, Lesbian FMC
POV: Dual, 1st Person
3rd Act Breakup?: No
Cliffhanger?: No

Brief Summary: Cat lands her dream job working on the Narrative Team for Compass Hollow, a highly anticipated video game. The only problem is her new boss, Andi, has no interest in the romance storylines Cat was hired to write.

The Praise: I liked this! Cat was really sweet and relatable. I liked that Andi was empathetic and kind under their tough shell.

The Critique: I wish we had seen a little more relationship development between Cat and Andi. I loved the hotel scene where Cat stays with Andi so they aren’t alone and they get to know each other…I would’ve loved another scene similar to that!
The video game lingo was also a bit confusing sometimes.

Final Thoughts: This was cute! I recommend it, especially if you’re a Gamer.

Sometimes when I love a book I struggle to write a review because my brain goes on so many tangents to why I loved it or comes up blank and is just like asdfghjklkbridbdj read it!

I loved this book.

Queer.
Nerdy.
Enemies to Lovers with a splash of fake dating.
A sprinkle of spice.

And an abundance of gaming references.

A lot of times I wonder if enemies to lovers doesn’t really work in a contemporary setting because the stakes aren’t super high but this one worked. Maybe it’s not ENEMIES. But they definitely both have to grow as people to be able to see any good in the other person. And that might be at the heart of why I love enemies to lovers. Someone who only sees the bad and then falls deeply in love in spite of themselves lol.

Natalie Naudus is the narrator and did an incredible job. As always.

Thanks to netgalley and Dreamscape media for an alc.

This came out Tuesday, Jan 7th

I can arguably say that I am not a gamer. Outside of duck hunter it was not something my parents allowed, and as a result, I just never got into gaming. I found the gaming aspects in the book to be interesting at times because I was learning things I didn’t know but also, I was struggling because I really had zero idea what they were talking about.

I loved that Cat is described as short and fat, her soft stomach is described, and I really did think that overall, it was positive fat rep. Andi is non-binary and was outed as non-binary in the video game industry and this game is their comeback project from that fall out. I really love that this is a sapphic Asian romance with a non-binary character. I really feel the need to hammer this in because WAY too many were calling this an F/F romance on Goodreads when it is a sapphic one, but it is F/NB romance do not dismiss the non-binary character. We need them in our romances.

Andi is passionate about creating a game where there is a non-binary character that would be one of the first in the industry. Andi also was really frustrated when Cat joins the team because she was there to help write the romance plotlines into the story and Andi didn’t understand why every video game needed to appeal to femme people by adding in romance. I appreciated the way in which Andi pushed back that romance doesn’t need to be something to pull in femme gamers. However, with that said, I also appreciated the way in which Cat talked about the emotional connection that can come in with romances and how anyone regardless of gender can connect with love.

Overall, I really did enjoy a lot of aspects of this book and the characters. There was a sabotage plotline that also keeps you hooked into knowing what is happening. I wish some parts were not as slow and a little less of the gaming jargon for me personally, but I KNOW many will connect with it exactly as it is! I am excited to read more from Tara as this is their debut novel and I am eager to see what they do next.

Single Player by Tara Tai is a total win—a fun, sharp, and surprisingly heartfelt workplace romance set in the high-stakes world of game development. It’s packed with all the things you want from an enemies-to-lovers story: sharp banter, slow-burn tension, and the kind of chemistry that sneaks up on you like a perfectly executed plot twist. And when you throw in the video game setting? It’s like unlocking a secret level of emotional depth and nerdy joy.

Cat Li is a dream protagonist for anyone who’s ever swooned over fictional romance arcs but had a serious love drought IRL. She’s earnest without being naive and determined without veering into overkill. She writes the romantic storylines for a living, so of course, she believes in love—but that belief is put to the test when she meets Andi Zhang, her boss and human storm cloud of cynicism. Andi, on the other hand, is all about no-nonsense, no-frills storytelling—and love stories? Definitely not part of their creative vision.

Their dynamic? Straight fire. Andi’s broody, guarded demeanor versus Cat’s upbeat idealism makes for an entertaining clash from their very first awkward meeting. But what makes it more than just tropey bickering is how much emotional weight Tai adds to their personalities and pasts. Andi’s trauma from online harassment isn’t just a plot device—it’s a raw, honest look at how toxic the gaming world can be, and how protective someone becomes of their art (and their heart) when they’ve been burned before.

The narration by Natalie Naudus is pitch-perfect, by the way. She gives Cat’s dialogue that hopeful, effervescent energy while capturing Andi’s dry wit and vulnerability in a way that feels natural and distinct. It’s the kind of performance that makes you want to listen to a book during every free minute.

Of course, there’s also the workplace chaos: corporate meddling, creative disputes, and the slow realization that “Oh no, I’m catching feelings for the one person I was determined to hate.” But what really sets this apart is the backdrop of video game storytelling. The parallels between their game’s evolving romance storyline and their own relationship are subtle but effective—it feels like the narrative is leveling up right alongside the characters. And if you’re a gamer, there are just enough Easter eggs to make you feel seen without alienating non-gamers.

If I had to nitpick, I’d say the final “villain reveal” felt a little predictable—like finding out the boss fight is just a beefed-up version of the minion you’ve already defeated—but it doesn’t really matter because by that point, you’re way too invested in seeing Cat and Andi figure out how to co-op their way to happiness.

This one’s a solid four stars—charming, thoughtful, and just the right balance of angst and fluff. It’s a rom-com that knows how to hit start on your heartstrings and keep you playing ‘til the very end. And honestly? I’d play the heck out of Compass Hollow if it were real.

Such a perfect LGBTQ POC rom-com! The writing of this story is so good I was able to feel the second hand embarrassment of the characters, and the happiness they had of course once together. All of the nerdy references that were just casually put in through the text as the characters used them was the cherry on top. As a fellow nerd who loves a good romance this book was amazing and can't wait for more work by the author.

“I believe hope is our beating hearts reminding us that there is still life in this world worth fighting for.”

#SinglePlayer by #TaraTai is a 4.0 ⭐️ read.

I LOVED how this story unfolded, it was funny, emotional, embracing, and full of FEELS! The growth in the main characters was incredible. And How they were able to see the truth in each other was so perfect!

Spice Level - 🌶️

YOU GUYS this was exactly what i needed after finishing arcane (absolutely no correlation outside of video games, but i digress). these workplace enemies to lovers were EATING IT UP and i loved learning more about that aspect of things while watching these two incredibly complex and gorgeous people fall in love ;’))

I loved this book SO freaking much!

Socially awkward gamer, Cat Li, has just landed her dream job on the writing team for an highly anticipated video game where she will be working under one of her heroes, Andi Zhang. At the first interaction, the pair butt heads. Cat was told she was going to be helping to write the romance arc of the game, only to find out that Andi is firmly against adding romance.

This was a really fun workplace romance. I wouldn’t necessarily call it enemies to lovers, but I will borrow a term I learned in the book - rivalmance. I loved Cat and Andi, and especially enjoyed how Cat approaches interpersonal relationships.

📚 5/5
🌶️ 1/5

I found "Single Player" by Tara Tai fine; it was a fun plot, but I didn't love it. Both the main characters get boring and annoying a the middle of the book.

If you’ve read two can play by Ali Hazelwood but felt like you wanted more of the gaming into the storyline. If you like work place romances, enemies to lovers but sapphic. This book is for you!

It’s a little messy and captures well how much of a “small world” it can be when you’re queer.
I love that the gaming aspects were present where I didn’t expect them. Cat’s inner monologue when trying to make decisions like she was playing a video game had me giggling.

The pacing is very slow in my opinion however it didn’t bother me because we took the time to set them up as enemies and for a moment I wondered how the author was going to evolve this into a romance 😅 but everything played out beautifully.

For the narration everything was great but I found interesting the choice of voice for one of the side characters.

Narration Overall: 3.5

Voice: 4
Energy: 4
Pacing: 3
Emotions: 3

Story/Writing Overall: 3.5

Prose: 3
Entertainment: 4
Emotions: 3
Storyline: 4

Spice level: 🌶️

Thank you to NetGalley and Dreamscape media for providing an advanced copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

The narration for this one was wonderfully done.
I enjoyed the very different voices for the characters and the narration.
The story itself was pretty great, and kept me engaged the entire time.

This is a delightful and lighthearted romance that is a perfect fit for readers who enjoy queer, contemporary love stories, particularly those who appreciate the intersection of gaming culture and identity, and are looking for a fun and uplifting tale of enemies-to-lovers romance.