Dungeons and Drama is the perfect read for readers who love fantasy and roleplaying, theater, and rom-coms. This book reads like a Young Adult version of Jen Deluca, with just enough romantic tension to hold your romantic nerdy teenagers.

Get ready for musicals, roleplaying, and all the ways these nerds worlds collide.

I received an eARC of Dungeons and Drama on Netgalley, and I and kicking myself for not getting around to this sooner!

This book was perfect! First of all, I'm a sucker for fake dating. I love it, pretty much always. Add in the high school nerd love and you're pretty much guaranteed a winner!

I knew I would like this book, but I was surprised by how much I absolutely loved it. Even though we have a dramatic theater kid main character and a fake dating set up, this honestly felt more realistic than most of the romance I read. The teenagers thought like teenagers and felt like teenagers. They struggled with their relationships with eachother and parents, and with the responsibilities of being high school kids. There were real life topics brought into the story that made it more relatable than just a cute little love story. And the found family? Ugh! I want that in my life like yesterday ❤️

As a nerd little emo girl who fell in love in high school with a nerdy DnD player, I don't think I could find a more perfect romance if I tried.

Thank you so much to Netgalley and the publisher for giving me this reading experience. I can't wait for the next one!

"Dungeons and Drama" had fun moments, and the plot and characters were cute, but I didn't feel compelled to read this book.

a fun fake dating rom-com that was enjoyable to read

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the opportunity to review this work!

*I received an e-arc via Netgalley for review. Thank you to Delacorte for the opportunity. All thoughts are my own*

Kristy Boyce has become one of my auto-buy authors. This was so cute and such a fun read. Fake dating is one of my favorite tropes and I loved learning more about DND!

Riley has dreams about becoming a director on Broadway. That’s why she needs to bring back the school’s spring musical. When she gets caught driving her mom’s car without permission, she dreads her punishment. She must work at her dad’s game shop during her after-school hours. Her parents are divorced, and she and her dad aren’t really close.

Riley kind of panics, because she can’t spend her time working at the shop when she needs to save the musical. She convinces Nathan, a nerdy employee at the shop, to cover her shifts. She agrees to make the gamer-girl he has a crush on jealous in exchange.

Riley didn’t realize she’d have to join Nathan’s Dungeons and Dragons game that’s held at the shop. She actually begins to find the role-playing fun. She also starts to realize that flirting with Nathan doesn’t require a lot of her acting skills. She begins to understand her father more, the more time she spends at the shop.

I really enjoyed this one and I definitely recommend! I loved seeing Riley’s growth and character development. If you enjoy contemporary romance pick this one up!

This was an adorable teen romance. Loved the mix of Dungeons and Dragons and musicals/drama. It was a lot of fun! The characters were cute and the relationships were believable. I would definitely read more from this author.

Super cute teen romance. Opposites attract in the most usual way, still the characters are well written, the story line is good and the side characters add great depth. I am not into theater or D&D and I still found enjoyment reading this one.

This was an adorable laugh out loud YA romance that had all my favorite tropes. Fake dating, opposites attract and theater and table top game references.
I enjoyed the whole crew of teens and their different personalities, especially the very relatable Riley. I also appreciated that Nathan was so patient with her. And seeing the father/ daughter relationship and how her dad was so close to Nathan also, was the sweetest part of the story. I will definitely recommend this one and read the next one in the series.

Thanks to Netgalley and Delacorte for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Dungeons and Drama is the first book that I’ve read by Kristy Boyce.

It’s a very well written, well paced, clean and age appropriate YA fiction story about theater kid, Riley and the very realistic portrayal of being part of a divorced family.

When Riley does a super unsafe and boneheaded thing, her mom and dad give her the “punishment” of working at her dad’s store, Sword and Board, a gaming store that’s also a haven for the players of tabletop games.

Working at the store gives Riley a chance to develop her relationship with her dad further and she gains friends and made family through building connections and joining a Dungeons and Dragons campaign.

Did I mention there’s also fake dating and Riley develops a crush and feelings on her fake dating partner, Nathan?

I highly recommend Dungeons and Drama and am looking forward to reading more by Kristy Boyce.

This book was so adorable. I really loved how nerdy it is. I also love how the majority of the setting was the board game store. I love that setting and I thought it was so unique. The romance between the two was so cute. They were meant for each other and you could just feel the tension between them. I loved it!

Dungeons and Drama is truly adorable. It made my nerd heart so happy and left me wanting more from this author!

Thanks to Random House Childrens for the advanced copy of this book!
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I work in theatre and quite literally read this book backstage of my current show. Riley is the epitome of a theatre-kid, and it was so lovely to see a character chasing a director role, not just wanting to be the star onstage. There are a number of Broadway references that might go over the heads of those without a theatre background, but I was living for them. I'm not as familiar with the DND world that the plot also revolves around, though one of my old roommates used to play and would recap the sessions for me like she was telling me about the latest episode in a television drama she watched. Altogether this book was like a perfect amalgamation for me.
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Riley and Nathan are super cute together, and I'm glad that the reader got to witness Riley's feelings changing in real time. It was like we got a peek behind the curtain that most authors try to keep hidden. I really thought that I had guessed what the ultimate Spring musical would be, so it was a fun surprise when I was wrong, and I would definitely revisit this universe in the future.

This was cute but definitely not my style. I was hoping i would like it, considering I am a theater nerd that loves DND, but I could not stop cringing. I fully had my audiobook at 2.5x speed to get through this and its only 8 hours. I think if youre in theater and new to DND, this might be more your style, and definitely for teenagers that love the angst, but there was just too much teenage drama for me (haha). I did think their flirting was cute, but again too much teenage pining XD

The dynamic between Riley and Nathan is both charming and authentic, filled with witty banter and genuine moments that evolve as they navigate their shared ruse. The role-playing game element adds an enjoyable twist, allowing readers to witness Riley’s growth as she discovers new interests and the joys of genuine connection.

While the premise is familiar, the story is refreshingly engaging, with well-drawn characters and a lighthearted yet heartfelt narrative. Riley’s journey of self-discovery, coupled with her determination to pursue her dreams, makes for an inspiring read.

Overall, Dungeons and Drama is a fun, uplifting tale perfect for fans of YA romance and theater, reminding us that sometimes love and dreams can blossom in the most unexpected places.

I don’t read a lot of high school fiction anymore because the over-the-top teen drama can be frustrating, but Dungeons and Drama was a refreshing surprise. This sweet, fun story felt authentic without diving into the usual angst-filled clichés. The combination of theater and Dungeons & Dragons made for an entertaining and unique backdrop that drew me in right away, and as a fan of both, I found it an absolute delight.

Riley's journey from a determined theater kid to someone discovering unexpected joy in tabletop gaming was charming and believable. Her interactions with Nathan, complete with fake dating hijinks and role-playing sessions, were engaging and added just the right amount of humor and heart. Their evolving relationship felt natural, and the D&D scenes brought a playful dynamic to the story.

This quick read is perfect for anyone who loves theater, D&D, or both. Dungeons and Drama strikes a nice balance between lighthearted fun and a touch of romance, making it an easy book to recommend.

I'm quickly learning that I love books that include a gamer girl, be it video games or tabletop games. Also, though I have never personally played D&D I will now read any romance book that features it. I'm always up for a good fake-dating romance story especially when the two people involved are obviously really attracted to each other. I'm excited for the next book in the series.

This was the most adorable read! It was super cute, full of fake dating and teenage butterflies. I giggled like a silly schoolgirl sooo much while reading this. Nathan and Riley are absolutely adorable. The nerdiness in this book is perfection. I went in knowing absolutely nothing about Dungeons & Dragons and ended up being super engrossed in those parts of the story.

I loved every interaction in this book, main characters, side characters, everything! I highly recommend this one if you’re looking for a clean, geeky, sweet YA romance.


*A huge thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an eARC. All thoughts are my own.*

This was a wonderful rom-com mixing up two delightful hobbies for a cozy, sweet love story. The protagonist was loveable and the love interest was adorable. For any teens looking for a light-hearted and nerdier rom-com, I recommend checking out Dungeons and Drama!

Probably one of the cutest books I've read all year! As a massive fan of D&D, musical theatre, and rom coms, this one had the entire package. My hopes were high, and I was not disappointed in the slightest. I loved getting to see her fall in love with the game and other nerdy aspects over time, and loved her growth by the end of the book, both in her personal life and in her relationship with her dad as they found their common ground. As soon as I finished this book, I picked up my phone to let a friend know she needed to read it ASAP!

This book was fabulous! It’s perfect for fans of theatre and any level of D&D interests. I think this author writing style is so easy to dive into. The pacing is perfect and great for high school age students. The cover of this book couldn’t be any better either. I lowkey want to print it out and put it on my wall!

I think the character are so well written and the fake-dating plot always hits! The relationship with our main FMC and her father is also a great storyline. I’m not a child of divorce, but I think this gives a viewpoint of what a child of divorce might go through and we see the relationship with both parents play out in a, I think, well-timed pace.

All in all I loved this book and will be recommending it non-stop!