‘Single Player’ is a heartwarming and witty romance set against the backdrop of the video game industry, and it's an absolute joy to read. The novel, a delightful blend of workplace drama, geek culture, and an enemies-to-lovers romance, follows Cat Li, an enthusiastic, hopelessly romantic writer, and Andi Zhang, her no-nonsense, grumpy boss. The chemistry between these two is electric, and their dynamic — grumpy versus sunshine — forms the emotional core of the story.

Cat, with her infectious optimism, humour, and unshakeable belief in the power of love, is an instantly lovable character. Her passion for both romance and gaming makes her relatable to a wide audience, and her witty remarks had me laughing out loud more than once. On the flip side, Andi is a more complex and guarded character, shaped by both personal traumas and the challenges of being a non-binary person in a male-dominated profession. The unraveling of Andi’s layers as they slowly warm to Cat’s charm and creativity is deeply satisfying, and the alternating POV chapters provide a full picture of the growing tension and connection between them.

While the plot doesn’t break new ground in terms of surprises — this is a rom-com, after all — what ‘Single Player’ excels at is vivid, well-rounded characters and its authentic depiction of the gaming world. The book takes readers behind the scenes of game development, showing the challenges and pressures that come with creating a major project like ‘Compass Hollow’. Andi's struggles, particularly with their professional credibility and past trauma, feel grounded and relevant, adding weight to what could otherwise be a lighter, fluffier story.

The supporting characters, particularly Andi’s friend Val and Cat’s bestie Rosalie, are crucial in fleshing out the main couple. Their relationships with Cat and Andi help humanise both protagonists and offer delightful moments of levity. The interactions between Cat and Rosalie, in particular, provide a refreshing and genuine portrayal of friendship that complements the romantic arc.

The pacing of the book is solid, with a nice balance between character development, humour, and emotional depth. There are several memorable moments, such as the bathroom argument scene (which I won’t spoil!), that cleverly play on familiar romantic tropes while still feeling fresh and fun. While the outcome is predictable for rom-com fans, the journey to get there is what makes this story so enjoyable.

The audiobook version, narrated by Natalie Naudus, is a real standout. Naudus perfectly captures the distinct personalities of both Cat and Andi, making it easy to differentiate between the characters even during moments of intense dialogue. Her narration adds an extra layer of charm to an already engaging story, and I highly recommend the audiobook for anyone who enjoys romance with a touch of geeky humour.

In summary, ‘Single Player’ is an entertaining, heartfelt romance that’s as much about personal growth as it is about love. If you're a fan of workplace romance, gaming culture, or just enjoy a well-executed enemies-to-lovers story, this book will definitely hit the mark. It’s a delightful read that balances humour with emotional depth, and it’s a perfect way to kick off your 2025 reading journey.

With thanks to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for the alc of this novel.

HOLY PALUTENA! THIS WAS A STELLAR DEBUT!!!
✨🎮💕

I am happy to announce I have a new book crush, & you will too once you read this!
ANDI ZHANG IS 🔥😍

Next time you’re out book shopping, this is one you MUST want to pick up!

“Single Player,” reignited my love for video games. In fact, I am sad I’m am currently pushing through having trigger finger & unable to pick my switch up. This story has me craving the feeling of getting lost in a game.

“Single Player,” features 2 main characters who are both highly driven & wildly talented. I admire Cat & Andi’s passion for their jobs & their love for gaming. Cat is hired to write the romances for characters in the game that Andi is developing. The way these two meet for the first time had me giggling & kicking my feet (pretty much the whole story had me that way lol).

Something I absolutely loved about the writing in this story is all the micro-yearning/noticing of little things. “I fixate on the striations of fabric hugging her lower ribs.” “My brain is still hung up on the way Cat smelled when she brushed past me.” YOU DON’T JUST NOTICE THE LITTLE THINGS ABOUT ANYONE, YOU BOTH ARE CRUSHING!!!!!

Tara did a lovely job with the gaming references. I feel like they add so much comedy & heart to the story. Even if you aren’t well-versed with gaming or DND references, this is still a VERY enjoyable read.

Natalie Naudus narrates the audiobook for, “Single Player,” PERFECTLY. If you are looking for a sapphic rom com to listen to, this is a great choice!

Read this if…
You want a sapphic workplace romance with high tension that will have you laughing out loud.

A major thank you to @dreamscape_media for the ALC & to @alcovepress for the digital ARC through @netgalley in exchange for my honest review.

Cat and Andi both had difficult relationships. They both live in a Cis male dominated professional world. As they stumble into each other's orbit, it's rocky. Over time their connection grows while they navigate both a messy personal and professional relationship.

Video game developers lgbt characters betrayal d and d love spice amazing banter and learning to love yourself amazing I especially enjoyed listening to this

Single Player is a fun and sweet rom com for folks looking for stories that weave in aspects of gaming, fandom, friendship and even office culture. All things I absolutely love reading about! I'd say this is a classic workplace enemies to lovers plot done pretty well!

I personally found both main characters incredibly easy to like, even in their not so great moments and the romantic pacing really hit the spot for me! Overall, I loved this and will absolutely be looking out for more from Tara Tai!

Actually a classic enemies-to-lovers, workplace, slow-burn romance.
Here in the setting of the gaming world and the development of one of it. Andi Zhang is a very grumpy boss and a bit of an ice-queen.
Famous in the gaming scene and also involved in a lot of rumors about her past, but otherwise she is unpalatable. At least to Cat.
The new and according to Andi absolutely superfluous employee.
Cat Li is convinced that she can help Andi Zhang's new game to be much more successful with a romantic aspect.
Andi sees it completely differently and treats her with more hostility than she intended, because she is a bit surprised about her reactions to her.
In fact, the encounters are frosty and hostile for quite a long time.
However, the thoughts of the two about each other speak a slightly different language. The book is a lot about the romantic story of each character in the game, which slowly develops and is worked on by both MCs.
Lots of gamer language, but still easy to understand for non-gamers.
It's also ironic, incredibly funny and witty in many situations.
Cat is clumsy and regularly has extremely funny thoughts that also accidentally shoots out of her mouth! Hilarious.
At the same time it’s sad and a little dark when we share Andi‘s thoughts.
Andi is insecure and is now convinced, by her past relationship that went wrong, that she is now impossible to love. So you see it’s complicated or more than that.
I loved the narration.
The voices fit perfectly and were very easy to distinguish. Terrific!
Thanks so much for this ARC audiobook!

3.5 stars
This was generally a good read, but I struggled to stay focused on it the whole way through. The plot was good, especially the ending, but the characters I found hard to connect with. The gaming references were a little much at times (and this is coming from a gamer).

Thank you to NetGalley and Alcove Press for providing me with an ALC in exchange for my honest thoughts!

I started and finished Single Player in one day. Between the hate to love tension between Cat and Andi and Natalie Naudus' narration, it was impossible for me to put it down! The tension between these two was off the charts from their disastrous meet cute to their first kiss. I actually got why they didn't like each other, and overcoming that dislike fit their separate character development. This is super slow burn!!! But the wait was so worth it for me. I just enjoyed these two together so much. Also, and it might be the bare minimum, I loved that Cat was constantly going to bat for Andi when they didn't like each other. Cat didn't take any of the transphobic, sexist, rhetoric from the higher ups.

I was really wrapped up in the gaming culture setting of this book. I've always been a casual gamer, but this made me want to play so many more games. I loved all the commentary on the gaming industry: how it doesn't prioritize diverse voices and how much the limited representation affects what different communities buy and play. I wish the game they were writing for was real so I could romance all the different characters. The game is obviously a huge part of the plot, but it never felt like it bogged down the romance (I would argue it moved it along because of their arguments).

Over all, Single Player is a stunning debut from Tara Tai (she/they)! I will definitely pick up anything they write from here on out. Pick this up if you like hate to love, work place romance, queer and trans representation (lesbian x enby), fat representation, navigating friends and family in your twenties, and video games of course!!!

This is me begging for a group of queer friends who will teach me how to play dnd!!!

This was a very fun sapphic romance that I can't wait for people to read! Tara Tai is clearly very well-versed in video games and I loved finding all of the references throughout the book. I also loved the glimpse into the world of game development!
The love story was a little slow but built very well throughout the book. I thought that the “enemies to lovers” was well done and believable within a contemporary romance. I loved the ending and felt that the characters grew within the story.
I enjoyed the audio version of this book, as I love to read contemporary romances via audio. I wish that this book was dual narrated as it was a little hard to tell when the book switched POV's. Despite this, I thought narrator Natalie Naudus was expressive and easy to listen to. I would recommend this book if you love queer contemporary romance or love video games!

Ah, I loved Single Player! The talk around video games and Andi and Cat's work was really fun, and I loved how both of them grow!

It’s the slow burn of slow burns but I really enjoyed this read. Delightful dialogue and descriptions (bonus points for including the word “shmoopy” twice). It’s a heartfelt story romcom that took me on several emotional turns. As a non-gamer I felt still completely immersed in this story and never once felt out of place. Natalie Naudus is the perfect narration choice for this story. And it’s got fat rep (and fat Asian American rep which is rarely seen) and non-binary rep too.

I really enjoyed this queer gaming themed romance! I'm not even a gamer, but by the end, I wanted to play both the main game worked on by the MCs and the side game discovered at the con. The characters were lively, and the behind-the-scenes look into the world of game development was engaging and colorful. Aside from a few mispronunciations in the audiobook, the narration was also great!

I'd recommend this book if you like queer romance, TTRPGs, gaming, and a diverse cast of characters in fiction. If you're not into TTRPGs, there may be a few parts that lose your interest, but otherwise, the book is solid and sweet!

Thanks to NetGalley and Alcove Press for the chance to listen to this audiobook in exchange for an honest review!

Single Player is a very well done enemies to lovers story surrounding Cat and her tumultuous relationship with her new boss at a Gaming studio. I lived that there was an element of fake dating but not with the actual love interest. It’s a different take I haven’t seen and thought it was very well executed. I loved the grumpy sunshine energy we have between the main characters as well as the chemistry between them. I personally chose my rating because as much as I loved the book it was a bit hard to understand sometimes as someone who isn’t a huge gamer. I really liked the gamer theme but at times cat was a bit annoying about it and there were a few too many deep cuts that I didn’t get as a casual gamer. Regardless of that, I thoroughly enjoyed the book and am grateful to have received an ARC, all opinions are my own.

I generally stay away from single narrator books when its dual POV, but this one was done extremely well. Natalie Naudus did an excellent job differentiating between the two different characters.

I also tend to stay away from books that are closed door or low on the spice spectrum, but this one didn't even make me think about it. The story was extremely compelling and I was hanging on to see what would happen next.

Pick this one up if you enjoy:
* Enemies to lovers
* Workplace romance
* Queer romance
* Representation in male dominated fields

♥️ A delightful story for gamers and non-gamers alike. 🎮

Tara Tai's "Single Player" is a delightful workplace romance that proves you don't have to be a gamer to fall in love with a story about video game creators. As someone who's more of a casual Mario Kart player, I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed this witty and charming read.
Plot Summary:

Cat Li, a passionate writer with a heart of gold, lands her dream job at a video game company, only to butt heads with her new boss, the stoic and anti-romance Andi Zhang. Sparks fly as they navigate the challenges of creating a successful game while battling their undeniable attraction.

My Thoughts:
Okay, first things first, I'm not a big gamer. I play Mario Party and Mario Kart for the nostalgia, but that's about it. So, I was a bit hesitant going into "Single Player," but let me tell you, I was hooked from the very first chapter!
The characters were fantastic. Cat and Andi were both relatable and complex, with their own baggage and vulnerabilities. While I didn't feel the romantic spark between them as strongly as I'd hoped, their individual journeys and witty banter kept me entertained throughout.

What really impressed me was the diversity and depth of the story. Tai seamlessly weaves in themes of cultural identity, overcoming adversity, and finding your voice, all while delivering a heartwarming and entertaining romance.

And let's not forget the audiobook! The narrator was phenomenal, bringing the characters to life with such vibrancy and emotion.

Tropes:
* 🎮 Workplace romance
* 🗡 Enemies-to-lovers
* 🔥 Slow burn
* 🎲 Forced proximity (workplace & D&D)

Final Thoughts:
"Single Player" is a delightful and refreshing rom-com that's perfect for anyone who loves a good enemies-to-lovers story with a unique twist. Whether you're a gamer or not, you're sure to find yourself rooting for Cat and Andi as they navigate the challenges of love and work in the exciting world of video game development. Tara Tai has crafted a gem of a debut, and I can't wait to see what they write next! ❤️

Single Player was the perfect rivals to lovers slow burn. The queer rep was so special and I’m thankful for stories like this. I’m not a huge gamer but hearing the excitement about the aspects about games you don’t usually hear about was so fun and interesting. The characters were well thought out and felt relatable in a lot of ways. The slow burn made me want to scream in the best way. I truly loved this one. Thank you NetGalley!

Let’s design a video game with romance arcs, while denying our feelings.

This slowburn had me fucking screaming, but these two were instantly great. Very geeky book. The narration was great too. Did not drag or bore me.

I got an alc of this book on NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I loved this book. So much representation and it was genuinely done well. Our main characters are both queer Asian women. One also uses they/them pronouns. One of our supporting characters is a gay man. This is only my second sapphic romance so I don't have a lot to compare it to but I loved it. I love a slow burn so this was great.

Most of the negative comments I saw were about the gaming aspects kind of going over their heads. It sounds like a personal problem to me. It's a gamer romance, of course it's going to have references to the gaming world. None of what they talked about seemed all that complicated. I also really liked that various genders and sexual orientations were talked about within the game they were working on.

I received an audio copy of this to review. I loved the narrator, I think she did a great job. Easy to follow at an increased speed.

I look forward to seeing more books by this author in the future!

Thanks to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for the advanced audio book.

2.5 stars

There were things I liked about this story: that it centered around two women of color (specifically Asian women); that the range of gender identities for characters was mostly just part of the story's world and not a reason for conflict; and that Kat, as a main character, was someone who was finally trying to take the reins of her life by switching careers and taking a chance on herself. After reading Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow, I was curious to see what another book set in the world of gaming would be like. Unfortunately, Tara Tai often got too stuck in the jargon and the weeds of the gaming world. This isn't a book for people who don't know the world of gaming and/or want to have enough context clues to generally understand the industry the story is set in. I found myself often confused and then barely paying attention when details of he gaming world came up. This felt particularly problematic at the end because knowledge of the gaming world felt integral to understanding how Kat and Andi come out successful in the end.

Single Player comes out January 7, 2025.

4.5 stars

This was so fun and chock full of gamer knowledge and Easter eggs. I am a baby gamer married to a huge gamer so while I didn't get ALL of the references, I actually understood quite a few (like the pigeon dating game lol). This also had a lot of great classic tropes. There's boss/employee, loathe to love, fake dating (not the love interest though). Overall, I found it to be very enjoyable!

Regarding the audiobook, with it being dual POV but only using 1 narrator, at times I was confused on whose POV we were in. The narrator is great and there was slight change in voice for the characters but not enough to be definitive whose chapter it was. That's my only critique.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this ALC!