I have never played D&D and I have never wanted to more than after reading Roll For Romance!

Sadie felt like a friend so quickly in this book and as someone who has dealt with the burnout from an awful job, I just wanted her to flourish.

And Noah?! What a wonderful mmc!

Their relationship was so fun to watch develop. And I really hope we get to revisit this crew.

Thank you to Netgalley & Dell for this advance copy.

This was so incredibly cute! As a new-ish DND player I was super excited to see how DND played a part in the book and how it was executed and if a newbie like me could easily understand the references and it’s safe to say I wasn’t confused at all, I love how the DND story was interwoven with the actual plot of the book!

Sometimes we all need a cute and cheesy romance to give us a pick up and this sated that need for me. I love a good found family trope, and Noah is an absolute gem!

Really really cute read! I liked the way the D&D campaign was strung into the book as a story within a story. You got invested in both sets of characters that way and it was a nice blend of the reality and the fantasy. Was a really nice quick read!

This one is a Did Not Finish for me - but I wanted to say why. I really didn't like the writing style - it seemed SO YOUNG. I liked the subject matter very much and wanted to read more about people and Dungeons and Dragons but it really didn't do it for me. It seemed forced, stilted, and just poorly written. I was so sorry to be disappointed! I love D&D and would love more fiction set around it - but this was NOT it.

What a fun and unique story! I love the idea of our main character going from NY to Texas-this sort of thing also intrigues me in stories. I love the idea of two stories rolled into one and as a person who loves DND, I was excited to see it talked about and played throughout the book. I really enjoyed the romance itself. My critique would be pacing, it was a bit slow in the beginning but great concept!

I actually really liked this. I didn't know the format going in was going to have interspersed parta od the DND campaign/role play and it was perfect. I loved the level of pining, both characters were endearing, and I can't say enough how much i liked the lack of a third act breakup. Noah was emotionally intelligent and I appreciate the tension in the book being less about their relationship and more of coming to terms with the life Sadie thought she wanted, but maybe isn't what she needs.

This was a real cutie of a story, I swear. You might mistake the first bit as being heavily on the slow side but once you make it the story just absolutely blossoms. I enjoyed the main characters and how the stories just collided the entire time. The Dnd references and how easily it can cause someone to finally feel like they belong! All in all very cutesy romance and adorable storytelling.

Am I biased to liking this so much because it's about one of my favorite hobbies (DND)? Maybe. But I absolutely loved this and how it's basically two cute romance stories for the price of one. The story jumps between the IRL characters in classic romcom structure, and the story they are playing out in DND told in the tone of a fantasy novel. It's so fun and seamless and unique, I loved seeing where the DND story was headed and how when the players changed and grew IRL, so did their characters in game.

It also explored two of my personal fantasies: 1. DMing a game all the players are super invested (cries a single tear) and 2. Developing a Romance in-game that then transfers to IRL feelings (swoon).

Our FMC Sadie has moved in with her bff after getting extremely burnt out and leaving her job at a big marketing firm in NYC. Spending the summer in a smaller town without the pressures she's put on herself all her life, she hopes to discover her next steps. Her bff/now-roommate convinces her to join a new DND group, and through her character she learns to find the bravery and confidence she's been lacking to pursue her passions. She also begins flirting with another player in-game, and that chemistry leads them together.

Highly recommend for lovers of nerdy love!

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC!

After being let go from her marketing job in NYC, Sadie Brooks moves in with her best friend Liam for the summer in Texas. Liam, an avid D&D player decides to set up a game for after few of the local first time players. Enter Noah Walker. Noah is a sweet burly man with a man bun and a penchant for adventure. Sparks are flying between the two from the very beginning, and Sadie has to navigate figuring out what to do once the summer ends.

I felt like I could relate to Sadie’s indecisiveness and anxiety surrounding big decisions and the feelings of always needing to know the next steps. I think her inner dialogues were helpful in understanding her character and the way in which her mind works. Noah was an absolute breath of fresh air. He’s sweet and thoughtful, and just when I thought I couldn’t love him any more than I already did, he went a step further and made me fall even harder.

As someone who loves reading fanfiction, I was gushing over their little moments, and I will say bother further on the matter because you’ll just have to read it to find out for yourself. (READ IT). It truly feels like we, the reads, got a two books for the price of one between the actual book and the way the D&D game was narrated to us. The D&D game itself was riveting and intriguing. As someone who’s never played a game of Dungeons & Dragons, I found it easy to navigate and understand the way the game was presented and found the adventure itself to be captivating!

Was a bit cheesy at times? Yes, but I’ve always believed that a little bit of cheese can be a great addition to a good dish. The found family had my heart feeling so full it could burst. There were a few formatting issues when it came to the text messages and online forums, but other than that, the book was amazing.

Thank you to Netgalley for sending me an ebook copy of this arc in exchange for my honest opinion.

This was my first time reading a DnD novel and it was really good! The storytelling was great and I enjoyed both the book's story and the DnD campaign's story.
For a romance, it was low on spice, I'd give 🌶️🌶️ for a couple mild open door scenes. VERY slow burn.
I really liked how the DnD campaign helped open the MC's up and learn more about themselves! To me that's such a neat advantage of the game and it was nice to see it played out so perfectly!
If you've never played DnD before, this book is very approachable! I'd say as long as you have half an idea of what the game is, you'll be able to follow along just fine. :)
This book would be PERFECT for a book club! Check out the last few pages for reader notes, group questions, and some fun food and drink suggestions! 😍

I absolutely adored "Roll for Romance" by Lenora Woods. I'm a fan of D&D and was curious how that would work with this story and I honestly think my favorite parts of the book were reading through the campaign! I loved how the campaign story was intertwined in a way that you felt like you were playing D&D with the main characters. I loved all the characters too, felt like people I would be friends with in real life. I appreciated the romance as well, and enjoyed that it wasn't all about the romance and spice.

3.75!
I enjoyed the writing style of this story! Nerdy romances are my favorite and the camping scene was 🔥 I don't play dungeons and dragons myself, but my brother is an avid player and I love the storytelling aspect of the game. This was very well done!!
thank you dell for the earc!

Roll for Romance by Lenora Woods
3.75 ✨
4/5🌶️

𝘛𝘳𝘰𝘱𝘦𝘴
🔥 slow burn
🎲 small town
☺️ found family
🥹 friends to lovers
💜 cinnamon roll hero

This is my third time reading a DND-style story and I love them. I have to say it's incredibly different in its category. I honestly have never met anything like it. It seamlessly creates two distinct worlds which is super cool!

Sadie is completely burned out from corporate work and at a crossroads in life, but her luck soon changes when she moves from NYC to a small town in Texas and joins her best friend's D&D campaign. Sadie is unsure of many things, but as her relationship with Noah unfolds, she slowly realizes she has to choose between a gloomy familiarity or exciting uncharted territory.

Sadie and Noah's tension was amazing and I love the DND characters. The DND portion was phenomenal. If you go into this and are not doing a lot about D&D, I think that's fine. Just know that the immersive part of the world-building is amazing. I believe that learned about how the game works and everything. On top of that, it might want you to deep dive into how DND works but it feels like a mini, romantic fantasy story inside a story itself.

I have to say the book was going amazing until maybe the last 100 pages for me. It was a little too heavy on the spice but that's just my personal preference.

Thank you, Netgalley and Random House Publishing—Ballantine, for an e-arc of this book in exchange for an honest review!

For someone who knew nothing about dungeons and dragons, this was a fun way to learn! Full of romance, healthy relationships, and fun, Roll for Romance is perfect for nerdy romance lovers of all kinds!

I cannot over exaggerate how much I enjoyed this book! It had me kicking my feet at the romance and biting my nails during the game play. As a self proclaimed nerd who attends ren faires and loves all things fantasy this book was *chefs kiss*. Lenora, you blew this out of the water. Please please please write more books for nerds like myself!

This book was so fun. I have never read a book like this that included role play, and I really enjoyed the side by side experience of the characters and their fantasy counterparts. Very cute book.

Really cool concept for a story! I also loved how themes of burnout and rediscovering yourself were written out. The found family in this book was so wholesome <3

-- ty to the author, the publisher and Netgalley for an advanced copy!

Roll For Romance
By Lenora Woods
4 ⭐️

A romance blossoms around a D&D table, say less. I’m in!

This is a charming story. I found Sadie and Noah sweet with a carefree ease to them. There is a strong found family theme throughout this story, and it all centers on bringing strangers together for some D&D. I found I preferred the real life story over the D&D campaign. I missed the table banter that comes naturally in a campaign - the author chose to tell the campaign as a complete fantasy story. This story is like an ice cold lemonade on a summer day. Bright and refreshing.

Thank you to NetGalley, Lenora Woods, and Random House publishing for this eARC.

Unfortunately, I have to give this book two stars. I DNFed it about half way thru. I was beyond excited for a D&D love story and to be chosen to read it as an arc.
However, my issues with the book are as follows:
1) Jumping RIGHT into the magical world without even meeting the table top players. I had no idea who was who and I felt no sense of attachment to the players, which is what makes D&D so fun to watch and play.
2) The pacing is… off. It’s fast and quick and then it jumps in and out of magical world with no real indicator it’s about to happen. But then, it has moments that drag and I found myself struggling to keep my attention on the book.
3) Since the pacing was off, I found it really hard to connect to anyone. I wanted to root for our FMC, Sadie, but I simply felt like an outlier looking in.

I do want to thank NetGalley & Random House for the arc. These thoughts and opinions are all my own.

If you've always been curious about Dungeons and Dragons but never played, this book is perfect for you! I was drawn in by the adorable cover, and I’m so glad I picked it up. It blends romance, DnD, and relatable issues. It’s lighthearted, and such a fun story.

What I loved most was following Sadie and Noah’s journey. Sadie embarks on a journey to rediscover herself, and the game helps her tremendously, offering both support and growth. Noah benefits from the experience as well . You follow the two main characters and watch them fall in love with each other in the story, but as well in the game. Don’t get me started on the actually campaign(game)- we follow along that as well, It has its own plot too!! I've never read anything quite like it, and I was completely captivated! The narrative is easy to follow and so enjoyable. The fantasy elements added a delightful touch that made me want to dive into DnD myself.

Thank you for this Arc. It was definitely 4 stars for me!!