Roll for Romance is a natural 20 for me! I absolutely adored this D&D romance and the characters both in and out of their game.

Sadie is down on her luck, having just lost her job, and is spending some time with her childhood friend in Texas. She’s finally convinced to join a Dungeons and Dragons game with a group Liam has put together. Friendship and romance grow both between campaign characters and the D&D group. Sadie and Noah are both only in town for so long and have to figure out where their futures are.

Sadie and Noah were adorable! Their relationship developed at the perfect pace and I loved their flirtation in real life and their game. Noah is swoony, sweet, and hilarious as the love interest. I also appreciate how Sadie and Noah struck up a friendship first and the romance developed from there.

Now for the side characters! Liam was a great DM for the group, and a supportive friend to Sadie. He guided Sadie through her problems and I would join one of his games any day! Morgan and Jules were great additions to the group as Sadie opened up to them as well.

I’m a newbie to the D&D world, having only seen a few campaigns online, and found this story so approachable! The campaign aspects of the story was easy to follow, and so much fun. I loved Jaylie and the gang and how their story was written on the page, which kept me invested in the game.

4.5 ⭐️ rounded up
Thank you to Netgalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine | Dell for the ARC in exchange for my honest review!

This book was equal parts nerdy and gamer like and romantic! All the nods to video games was such a treat being a nerdy romance reader myself. The FMC reminded me a lot of my best group of friends, such a believable character. Can’t wait for others to read this!

This book is a book that I swear was written specifically with me in mind and I really think it's just a love letter to nerds and those of us who are or have been on a journey to find where we might call home. Roll for Romance was such a unique and fun read and Lenora Woods seamlessly tells two stories that are linked together (a DND campaign and the life of the people who play those characters). As someone who loves DND, I found it to be such a fun read with a campaign that I was equally invested in as I was the main story being told between the main characters.

Sadie has run off to Texas post burning out at her job in New York. That pressure that she puts on herself and how it grows with each day closer to the self-imposed deadline was something that I found myself relating to. I appreciated her growth as a character throughout the pages and just found her character really fun and relatable to read about.

Noah is a dream boat. A cinnamon roll, a golden retriever, just generally the best kind of guy. It's always nice to see love interests in books that fall under this category and I especially loved his dynamic throughout the book with not only Sadie, but with all the supporting characters as well!

This was a very real feeling romance and I'm really excited to read more books from Lenora Woods in the future!

- small town romance
- they meet through d&d
- there is in-game interludes
- found family
- there's only one tent
- height difference
- he's sunshine
- she's dealing with burnout
- they fall in love in game and out

As someone who has never had an interest in D&D I had no idea what I was getting into when I picked up this book, but I am glad I did! 

The story has everything you need: love, adventure, a little spice and plenty of romance!

The way the D&D story interlaced with the main characters' story added more risk than I expected from an otherwise “regular” romance, while the characters made you root for the “regularness” of it all.

Thoroughly enjoyed this book!

As someone who isn’t fully into DND I was hesitant about into it this book but it was sooo good! The love story you follow while they’re living life and playing the game was impeccable. I also adored the communication between these two characters. This book literally has it all; friends to lovers, small town, the cutest cinnamon roll character, and as mentioned previously the top tier COMMUNICATION! This was a book that while reading, I was quoting and sharing pieces with my husband who is totally into all things nerdy and was wanting to read as well. This story is truly one that all and any reader will adore.

Roll for Romance by Lenora Woods is a fun romance novel both for fans of Dungeons and Dragons and for people with no knowledge of the game. The book begins with Sadie, who has recently moved in with her longtime best friend Liam, after she has been let go from her marketing job in New York City. Now she is in small town Texas for the summer while she recovers emotionally and figures out what she is going to do next. Liam is a long term Dungeons and Dragons fan, and sets up a campaign with some friends he has made in Texas, asking Sadie to join to try and help her get out of her slump. One of the other campaign members is Noah, who is outdoorsy, adventurous and Sadie finds herself wanting to learn more about him.
I enjoyed this book. I found the pacing a little slow, and the story a bit difficult to get into at the beginning but as the book progressed I found myself more and more invested in the story and the characters. One aspect I really liked about this book was how the Dungeons and Dragons game was portrayed, where we’re given a first person look from the perspective of Sadie’s character, Jaylie. It caused the contemporary romance to also have a smaller fantasy book in the story, which I really enjoyed.
Another part of the book I enjoyed was the found family element. This isn’t just a romance novel but also a story of friendship and finding a group of friends in a new town. It helped add more depth to this story to see other relationships progress outside of the main romance.
I anticipate that this book will have a follow up book, giving another character their love story and continuing the Dungeons and Dragons plot.

Thank you to Netgalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine | Dell for providing me with an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review

Tropes
- Found Family
- Slow Burn
- Friends to Lovers

I think this book could have deserved a higher rating but I think it was not the right time for me to pick it up.

This book was filled with adventure but most importantly finding yourself.

I loved that we got to see the DnD campaign unfold and the love blossom throughout the whole story.

I think the ending was easy to predict but was still the perfect ending in my mind.

The writing was really beautiful I just felt like the book moved a bit slower than I would have liked. I found myself skimming pages and just reading dialogue and honestly I think this is only because I’ve read so much romance lately that I think I personally did the book a disservice.

If you like DnD or have thought about giving it a try this book is for you

3.5 ⭐️

so glad i requested this one! truth be told, i don’t know much about d&d, so i loved that sadie was also a newbie to the game because it allowed me to immerse myself in it with her and slowly begin to understand how it worked. this is such a good debut — the characters are three dimensional, the chemistry is scorching, and you just want to read each page to the fullest. the perfect cozy romance!

Received as an ARC.

🎲 Small town
🎲 Role playing
🎲 Falling in love, in game and out
🎲 Found family
🎲 Forced proximity
🎲 Meddling friends

Well this is the kind of book that rolls a nat 20 on charm and a crit fail on being anything less than absolutely adorable.

Sadie, a burnt-out marketing wiz, retreats to small-town Texas for some peace and quiet, and ends up balls deep in a D&D campaign. Enter Noah, the beer-brewing bard who’s got more charisma than a wizard in a love potion shop. Naturally, their D&D characters fall in love, and—whoops—so do they. It’s like a ‘friends to lovers’ trope, but with more dice, fewer emotional breakdowns, and way more flirtation than you’d expect from people sitting around a table rolling for initiative.

Lenora does a brilliant job switching between the real world and the D&D world, making you feel like you’re in a rom-com and an epic fantasy. Plus, Noah? He’s the kind of book boyfriend who makes you want to roll for all that initiative just to get his attention. Swoon.

Even if you don’t know a D20 from your TV remote, the game parts are easy to follow, and actually make the romance even more fun. It’s like the ultimate love quest, complete with awkward first dates, dice rolls, and no dragons to slay (except for emotional baggage).

If you’re into romance, puns, and nerdy bards who know how to steal your heart (and your dice), Roll For Romance is a total win that you’re bound to love.

very fun romance with good characters. the d&d part works well and the non-d&d part also works very very well. 5 stars. tysm for the arc.

Roll for Romance sweeps you away into a world that is utterly lighthearted, genuinely fun, and simply beyond delightful! From the very first page, Woods crafts a charming and engaging narrative that feels like a breath of fresh air. If you're seeking a romance novel that doesn't take itself too seriously but still delivers on heartfelt moments, all while weaving in a captivating touch of magic, then look no further – this is absolutely the one for you. Woods has a remarkable talent for building beautiful and immersive worlds, populated by truly gorgeous and relatable characters, all infused with an incredible sense of whimsy that will leave you smiling long after you turn the final page.

This was a cutesy little romance! I had so much fun reading it as someone who plays dnd myself! The characters were great, the plot was fun, overall enjoyed this book :)

This story is totally adorable!! Sadie and Noah are the cutest! I love how this book is basically like two. You get the real world side but then you also get to see the D&D game as a story! You get to see character growth in both worlds. This is a great story and I highly recommend it!

Roll for Romance is a fun, light-hearted romance that does an excellent job of weaving two simultaneous tales: one of our real life main character Sadie as she navigates losing her job and trying to find herself again with the help of her D&D group, best friend Liam, and hot bartender Noah; and one of fictional Jaylie and a band of misfits saving the realm in their D&D campaign.

The characters in the story were fun, and Sadie and Noah’s romance was slow at the start but I still enjoyed it. The concept of weaving the D&D storyline through the book narratively instead of talking through how Sadie and her friends actually played the game was a really interesting choice! Personally, I loved it.

The pacing of the romance felt a little off, which is the big thing that kept this from being a five star read for me personally. As I mentioned before, it was slow to start, but then once they kissed, things moved VERY quickly. I love a happily ever after as much as the next girl, but even I was a little surprised by some of the choices that Sadie and Noah made by the end given how little time they’d known each other.

Thank you so much to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with an advance copy in exchange for a free and honest review!

Thank you so much to Lenora Woods and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine | Dell for the eARC. I've read a few DND romance books in the past and they are some of my favorites. This one is no exception. I loved how the story flowed between Sadie and Noah. This was a quick, fact paced, fun read. Totally recommend.

Roll for Romance rolls successfully and hits.

SUMMARY
When Sadie Brooks loses her corporate marketing job in New York City, she spends the summer with her best friend Liam in a small Texas Town. For years, Liam has asked Sadie to play Dungeons & Dragons, and she finally agrees.

"Finally agreeing to play Dungeons & Dragons with my best friend for the first time after years of him begging is a small price to pay in the face of such generosity."

In the game, Sadie becomes Jaylie, a human cleric/healer blessed by the Goddess of Luck. In real life, Sadie thinks her luck has run out. But across the tabletop is Noah Walker, an outgoing bartender, who has a taste for adventure much like his game character Loren, an elf and charismatic bard. Sadie begins to fall under Noah's spell in and out of their campaign.

Sadie worries in both real life and DnD if this relationship can last beyond the game. Sadie will either have to roll for romance or her career.

REVIEW
As someone who just recently got laid off from her job, I found comfort in relating to Sadie.

"People get laid off all the time, Sadie. It happens." "I know. But that doesn't make it suck any less."

As a DnD fan, I truly enjoyed the campaign storyline, the DnD tidbits throughout, and roles we play. Such as Liam sending Sadie on little "side quests" as she adjusts to life in Texas.

"But eventually I notice how he seemed to have one small, innocuous errand for me every day. Some tiny excuse to get me out of the house--or even just out of the guest room."

I loved the progression of the relationship through Noah/Sadie and Loren/Jaylie. I thought it was an interesting way to demonstrate the growth between the two characters and the characters they play.

"If you decide to pursue romance, you have my blessing. Roll with advantage, Sadie."

My only wishes were that we got to hear some tabletop talk outside of the game, such as what the rolls were that caused what actions. Sadie inquires to Liam at one point if the group saw negative consequences due to rolling so bad. As someone who knows DnD, I knew when certain actions happened in the game that there must have been a failed saving throw. But those who aren't as well-versed may not know why something so drastic and altering happens in game.

Still, I truly enjoyed this contemporary romance and highly recommend it to all, especially those who also love Dungeons & Dragons!

TROPES
✨ Sunshine MMC x Grumpy FMC
"Maybe I could use some of his sunshine to chase away my storm-cloud perspective."
✨ Found family
✨ Small Town Romance
✨ Friends to Lovers
✨ Romance in-and-out of game


Roll for Romance releases July 15, 2025

Thank you to Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine | Dell and Lenora Woods for providing this eARC through NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review!

Couldn’t put this down. For total newbies to D&D (me!) and die-hard fans, this romance will have you squealing the whole time. I am amazed at how the author wove the romance through the in-game and out-of-game scenes. The relationship between Sadie and Noah is so sweet and fun. I loved everything about this little cosy fantasy world.

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC!

Such a fun and unique debut—perfect for board game lovers, with just the right balance of romance. A fantastic first novel with great writing!

A fun romance jumping back and forth between the storyline of a D&D campaign and a hot summer of grappling with unemployment - with new opportunities and relationships in both.

Perfect low stakes romance for anyone who just wants to relax in today's high stakes world.

3.5⭐️

So there is a lot of good with this book as it is fast paced and well written! I think many D&D and fantasy lovers will enjoy it very much!
Then there are the other D&D players who will find this terribly unrealistic. Right. Ow D&D fiction/ romance is having a moment and hopefully doesn’t get over saturated.
A few reviews I read talked about how original the plot was because of the gaming but I assume they just don’t realize how many similar books have come out in the last 2 years. However, this does have a different impact with having the campaign they are running be so detailed that it a story within a story. That’s also where the challenge is.

Why? Because for starters we know more about the player characters than we do the “real” characters playing the game except for some 1 sentence descriptions that made it had to connect to anyone except the FMC and MMC love interest. That’s not uncommon to only get the main character back story but they are only half the story with the other relying heavily on the in game story line.

I struggled with the fact that it mentions that the gaming group is made up people brand new to D&D and yet they jump right into a campaign and the description is of players that are extremely experienced and playing for a period of time. The level of role playing detail is just not believable for a new player. Not only is it far fetched it also alienates those who know nothing of the D&D world as o expect them to be very lost.

I’m going to give one example from the very beginning when Sadie has picked up dice for the first time before meeting the other gamers. She is deciding on her character and asks who is in the party. Now this is someone who has never played nor been interested in the game and there is no mention of her looking at any source material other than a blank character sheet. She hears from her BFF what the other characters are and pulls out that the group needs X background to round out the group and names a specific type of character. How would she even know that? There are many instances like that throughout.

I’ve never had a book that I enjoyed reading in many ways but also equally frustrated me where I wanted to DNF it as well. Thankfully I don’t DNF ARCs.

When all is said and done, I enjoyed it and I think many other will too despite its issues. So if you’re really into D&D and especially a romance born of the game, give it a go when it comes out in July 2025!


I am thankful to have gotten a complimentary eARC from Dell through NetGalley to read which gave me the opportunity to voluntarily leave a review.

My rating system since GoodReads doesn’t have partial stars

⭐️ Hated it
⭐️⭐️ Had a lot of trouble, prose issues, really not my cup of tea (potentially DNF’d or thought about it)
⭐️⭐️⭐️ Meh, it was an ok read but nothing special
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Really enjoyed it! Would recommend to others
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Outstanding! Will circle back and read again